them all the dayes of my life so farre as they concerne me as any man hath and since I came into place I have followed them and byn as much guided by them as any man that sate where I had the honour to sitte And of this I am sory I have lost the testimony of the Lord Keeper Coventry and other Persons of Honour since dead And the Councell which attended at the Councell Board can witnesse some of them here present that in all references to the Board or debates arising at the Board I was for that part of the cause where I found Law to be and if the Councell desired to have the cause left to the Law well I might move in some cases Charity or Conscience to them but I left them to the Law if thither they would goe And how such a carriage as this through the whole course of my life in private and publique can stand with an intention to overthrow the Lawes I cannot yet see Nay more I have ever beene of opinion That Lawes binde the conscience and have accordingly made conscience of observing them and this doctrine I have constantly preached as occasion hath beene offered me and how is it possible I should seek to overthrow those Lawes which I held my selfe bound in conscience to keep and observe As for Religion I was borne and bred up in and under the Church of England as it stands established by Law I have by Gods blessing growne up in it to the yeares which are now upon me and to the place of preferment which I now beare I have ever since I have understood ought in my profession kept one constant tenor in this my profession with out variation or shifting from one opinion to another for any worldly ends And if my conscience would have suffered me to doe so I could easely have slid through all the difficulties which I have prest upon me in this kinde But of all diseases I have ever held a Palsey in Religion most dangerous well knowing and remembring that disease often ends in a dead Palsie Ever since I came in place I have laboured nothing more then that the externall publique worship of God so much slighted in divers parts of this Kingdome might be preserved that with as much decency uniformity as might be for I evidently saw that the publique neglect of Gods service in the outward face of it and the nasty lyeing of many places dedicated to that service had almost cast a dampe upon the true and inward worship of God which while we live in the body needs exteriall helps and all little enough to keepe it in any vigor And this I did to the uttermost of my knowledge according both to Law and Canon and with the consent and likeing of the people nor did any command issue out from mee against the one or without the other Further my Lords give me leave I beseech you to acquaint you with this also that I have as little acquaintance with Recusants as I beleeve any man of my place of England hath or ever had sithence the Reformation and for my kindred no one of them was ever a Recusant but Sir William Web grandchild to my Vnkle Sir VVilliam VVeb sometimes Lord Major of London and since which some of his Children I reduced back againe to the Church of England On this one thing more I humbly desire may be thought on That I am fallen into a great deale of obloquie in matter of Religion and that so farre as appeares by the Articles against me that I have indeavored to advance and bring in Popery Perhaps my Lords I am not ignorant what party of men have raised these scandalls upon me nor for what end nor perhapps by whom set on but howsoever I would faine have a good reason given me if my conscience stood that way and that with my conscience I could subscribe to the Church of Rome what should have kept me heere before my imprisonment to indure the libelling and the slaunder and the base usage that hath beene put upon me and these to end in this question for my life I say I would know a good reason for this First my Lords is it because of any pledges I have in the world to sway me against my conscience No sure for I have neither Wife nor Children to cry out upon me to stay with them And if I had I hope the calling of my conscience should be heard above them Is it because I was loth to leave the honour and profit of the place I was risen too Surely no for I desire your Lordships and all the world should know I do much scorn the one and the other in comparison of my conscience Besides it cannot be imagined by any man but that if I should have gone over to them I should not have wanted both honour and profit and suppose not so great as this I have here yet sure would my conscience have served my self of either lesse with my conscience would have prevailed with me more than greater against my conscience Is it because I lived here at ease and was loth to venture the losse of that not so neither for whatsoever the world may be pleased to think of me I have led a very painfull life and such as I would have been content to change had I well known how and would my conscience have served me that way I am sure I might have lived at far more ease and either have avoyded the barbarous Libelling and other bitter grievous scornes which have been put upon me or at least been out of the hearing of them Not to trouble your Lordships too long I am so innocent in the businesse of Religion so free from all practise or so much as thought of practise for any alteration unto Popery or any blemishing the true Protestant Religion established in England as I was when my mother first bore me into the world And let nothing be spoken but truth and I do here challenge whatsoever is between Heaven or Hell that can be said against me in point of my Religion in which I have ever hated dissimulation And had I not hated it perhaps I might have been better for worldly safety then now I am but it can no way become a Christian Bishop to halt with God Lastly if I had any purpose to blast the true Religion established in the Church of England and to introduce Popery sure I took a wrong way to it for my Lords I have staid more going to Rome and reduced more that were already gone then I believe any Bishop or Divine in this Kingdome hath done and some of them men of great abilities and some persons of great place and is this the way to introduce Popery My Lords if I had blemished the true Protestant Religion how could I have brought these men to it And if I had promised to introduce Popery I would never have reduced
money too But howsoever his Lordship hath get a very full estate in that Kingdome and hee doth very wisely to fortifie it as well as hee can But besides these I have long since heard though you now mention it not that his Lordship hath done greater service to the Church in some other particulars as namely to the Bishoprick of Lismore and the Colledge of Yong-Hall for which it is great pitty but that his Lordships memory should bee preserved in the Church Thus I have given Your Grace a distinct answer to all the Particulars in Your Letter But for the Tombe which occasioned all the rest I will not take upon mee to judge unlesse I were upon the place how fitly or unfitly it stands there but shall wholly leave it to the view and resolution which shall thereupon bee taken in that place So I leave you to the Grace of God and rest Your Lordships very loving friend and Brother Will Cant. Lamb. March 1633. But some may perchance inquire what was the ground of this Archbishops introduction of these Innovations first of all into Cathedrall Churches Certainly one principall cause of this his method was to make these Mother Churches as he stiled them patterns of imitation for all Daughter Churches and Chapells within the the whole Diocesse that so the Proverbe in Ezech. 16. v. 44. 45. might be verified of them Behold every one tht useth Proverbes shall use this Proverbe against thee saying AS IS THE MOTHER SO IS HER DAVGHTER Thou art thy Mothers Daughter That this was one chiefe end of his to corrupt all Parish Churches and Chappell 's by these Cathedralls examples was infallibly manifested First by the very words of the Order made at the Councell Table at White Hall the third of November 1633 concerning the standing of the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church neere Paules printed in Dr. Heylins Coale from the Altar and in his Antidotum Lincolniense Sect. 1. c. 2. p. 62. which order was thus printed by the Archbishops direction the chiefe stickler in the procuring and prime Clerke in the penning of it wherein it is positively resolved That all other Churches ought to be guided by the Cathedrall Mother Church whereon they depend and that the Communion Table in Saint Gregories Church removed from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end and there placed Altar-wise in such manner as it standeth in the Cathedrall and Mother Church of St. Paul should so continue that so there might be no difference betweene it and the said Cathedrall Mother Church Secondly by diverse bookes published in print by the Arch-Bishops speciall direction and app obation expresly averring That all Parochiall Churches ought to be guided by the patterne of the Mother Church upon the which they doe depend The Arch-Bishop himselfe in his discourses and these creatures of his in their Bookes applying and urging this leaden rule of theirs in particular for the rayling in of Communion Tables placing them Altarwise against the East end of the Quire and bowing unto them in all Parish Churches because this was done and practised in all Cathedrall Churches by vertue of his New Statutes and Injunctions though not in former times This foundation being layd in our Cathedralls for the like Popish Innovations in all Parochiall Churches wee shall in the next place prosecute this pursuite of his Innovations from our Cathedralls to Parochiall Churches and Chappell 's Wee shall begin with Saint Gregories Church neare Paules where the case was thus About tenne yeares since this Church was repaired by the Parishoners to their great cost at which time the Deane and Chapter of Pauls under whose jurisdiction it is caused the Picture of Saint Gregory to bee set up in the Church and the Communion Table to bee removed rayled about and set Altarwise against the East-end of the Chancell Whereupon Master Wyan and diverse of the Parishioners being offended at it appealed from the Deans and Chapters Order as being against Law to the Arches upon which by the Archbishops means an Order came from Secretary Windebank to call the Parishioners to the Councell Table concernning this Appeale the removing of the Table where they appeared at the appointed time with their Councell The King himselfe the Arch-Bishop and many of the Lords were then present where the businesse being debated before them the Archbishop stood up and with great earnestnesse more like an Advocate then Judge justified maintained this removing and rayling in the Table reading Queene Elizabeths Injunctions to warrant it but left out this most materiall clause that made quite against him Saving when the Communion of the Sacrament is to be administred at which time the same shall be so placed in good sort within the Chancell as whereby the Minister may bee more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and ministration and the Communicants also more conveniently and in greater number communicate with the said Minister And after the Communion done from time to time the said holy Table to be placed where it stood before The King said hee liked it well that the Table should stand as it used to do heretofore to which the Archbishop answered that if it stood so the Minister could not so well see who kneeled at the Sacrament and who kneeled not To which the King replied then let the seates bee pulled downe Then the Councell for the Parish alleadged that Bishop Jewell in his Reply to Harding Artic. 3. Diuis 26. and Artic. 13. Diuis 6. and Master John Fox in his Acts and Monuments Edit 1610. pag. 1211. 1212. both which Books were enjoyned to be kept in every Church for the people to read in as containing the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England and nought repugnant thereunto maintained and asserted That the Communion Table ought to stand in the MIDST OF THE CHVRCH AMONG THE PEOPLE and not Altar-wise against the wall Hereupon the Archbishop stood up in an angry manner and sayd If this be the use they make of these Books Jewell Fox I desire they may be taken out of Churches and Sir Henry Martin saying merrily that this Table placed close along the wall would make a good Court-cupboord The Archbishop therupon replied that Sir Henry was a stigmaticall Puritan in his bosome All which particulars were proved upon oath by Master Wyan Mr. Clearke and Captain Stackhouse Wherupon by the Archbishops violence this Order was then made against the Parishioners for the standing of that Table Altar-wise as it was situated by the Deanes and Chapters Order and appointment At Whitehall the third day of Novemb 1633. Present the KINGS most Excellent Maiestie Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Keeper Lord Archbishop of Yorke Lord Treasurer Lord Privy Seale Lord Duke of Lenox Lord Chamberlaine Earle of Bridgwater Earle of Carlile Lord Cottington Master Treasurer Master Comptroller Lord High Chamberlain Earle Marshall Master Secretary Cooke Master Secretary Windebanke THis Day was Debated before
said Miles Burkitt in contempt of his said Ordinary doth come forth out of the said rayles and doth administer the Sacrament to many that will not come up to the said rayles Hocque fuit est verum c. Item we Article and object that you the said Miles Burkite did consent procure and abet Paul Gardner one of the Churchwardens of Pateshall in the County of Northampton aforesaid to remove and carry down forth of the rayles the Communion Table into the body of the Chancell and there did minister the holy Sacrament on Easterday last past and other times notwithstanding the Articles of your Diocesan to the contrary Hocque fuit est verum c. Upon which Articles this good Minister was for a long time vexed in the High-commission and almost ruined From Ministers thus persecuted for opposing these Innovations of rayling in Communion Tables Altarwise and administring the Sacrament at the Rayles we shall proceed to Church-wardens severally prosecuted excommunicated and undone for not rayling in Communion Tables only or removing them out of the rayles We shall begin with the Churchwardens of Beckington in the County of Somerset whose case by the testimonies of Mr. John Ash a Member of the House of Commons and Lord of that Parish of M. William Long and M. George Long who solicited the cause in the Churchwardens behalfe was manifested to be thus The Communion Table in the Parish-church of Beckington had for 70 years and more stood in the midst of the Chancell enclosed with a very decent Wainscot-border and a dore with seats for the Communicants to receive in round about it In the year 1633. D. Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wels a great creature of Canterburies appointed certaine Commissioners to view the Churches within his Diocesse certifie to him the defects thereof who viewing the Church of Beckington certified among other things that there was not a decent Communion Table in it neither was it placed under the East window nor railed in otherwise then with a Border about it where the communicants kneel at the holy Communion and that there were seats above the Communion Table To which Certificate the Churchwardens and Sidemen of Beckington were ordered by the Bishop to return an answer under their hands before Ascension-day 1634. which they did accordingly After which the Churchwardens were enjoyned by the Bishop by word of mouth to remove and rayle in their Communion Table Altarwise against the East end of the Chancel which they refusing to doe conceiving it to be against the Rubrick Q. Elizabeths Injunctions and the 82 Canon thereupon Iames Wheeler Iohn Fry Churchwardens were on the 9 of June 1635. cited into the Bishops Court at Wels before William Hunt the Bishops Surrogate and D. Duck his Chancelour for that the Communion Table in the Chancell of Beckington was not placed under the East window of the Chancel nor rayled in otherwise then with a Border about it and that there were seats above the said Table who admonished them to repaire the said defects and to place the Lords Table against the East wall of the Chancell with the ends of it North and South as it stood in the Cathedrall Church at Wels with a rayle about it and to certifie that they had done all this by the 6 of October following At which day they were excommunicated in open Court by the Bishop himself for refusing to remove and rayle in the Table and pull down the said seats Whereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches for relief where after much waiting and solicitation they procured from Sir Iohn Lambe Dean of the Arches a Letter to the Bishop to absolve them for a time which he did only for 27 dayes admonishing them to submit to what he had formerly enjoyned them for not doing whereof he excommunicated them againe in open Court on the 12 of January following Hereupon the Churchwardens appealed to the Arches the second time and petitioned the Archbishop for reliefe to which Petition this Certificat under the hands of about one hundred of the Parishioners was annexed To the most Reverend Father in God and Right Honourable William by Gods providence Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan ever all England We the Inhabitants and parishioners of Beckington in the County of Somerset do humbly certifie that the Communion Table of our Church of Beckington hath and doth stand in the midst of the Chancel being the most convenientest place time out of minde and beyond the remembrance of any of our parishioners now living And that near threescore years since the pavement of the said Chancel upon which the Communion Table standeth was new made and in the new making thereof raised about a foot above the rest of the ground of the said Chancell and then also compassed about with a fair Wainscot border in which there is only one Wainscot door to come into the said Table which door is kept fast and none doth enter in thereat but the Minister and such as he doth require which said Communion Table doth at the day of the date hereof stand so conveniently and decently as aforesaid And we the said parishioners with an unanimous consent do humbly pray That it may so continue freed from all Innovation And so do humbly take our leaves dated this 19 day of December Anno Dom 1635. But notwithstanding this Petition and Certificate the Archbishop refused to admit of their Appeal threatned them with the High-commission and to lay their Solicitour by the heels commanding them to submit to and obey their Diocaesan who sent up all the proceedings in this cause to the Archbishop with severall reasons why this Table should be removed found in the Archbishops study by Mr. Prynne endorsed with his own hand Whereupon they were enforced to petition the King himself for reliefe informing his Majesty That the Communion Table had continued as then it stood by the approbation of all the Archbishops Bishops of that Diocesse during the reignes of Queen Elizabeth King James and even eleven years in his Majesties reigne as appeared by a Certificate under the hands of almost an hundred of the parishioners hands annexed to the Petition desiring the Table might not be removed but the Archbishop by his power hindred them from receiving any relief from his Majesty upon what grounds and reasons this Letter of the Bishop of Bath and Wels to Sir Iohn Lambe will best discover Good Master Deane According to my promise in my Letter to you the last week I have now sent unto you a copy of all my proceedings in the cause concerning the Chancel of the Parish-church of Beckington and the placing of the Communion Table therein together with my reasons for the same which I hope will give you full satisfaction in this businesse I have sent likewise a copy to my Lords Grace of Canterbury not that I think it worthy of his reading or that he hath leisure to peruse it
but that it may lye by him that when you speak with his Grace about this among other businesses his Grace may have recourse to my papers if he think fit There are in my Diocesse 469 Churches and Chappels or thereabout and the Communion Tables are placed already in above 140 of them as the Communion Table is placed in our Cathedrall Church here I have begun and proceeded herein in a perswasive way some parishes were no sooner spoken to but they obeyed other Parishes refused at the first but they were quickly satisfied and then submitted only the Churchwardens of Beckington being encouraged and back'd by divers of the parish not so well affected to the government and rites of the Church as they should be are become obstinate and will have the Chancell ordered and the Communion Table there placed as the parishioners shall think fit who also bear the charges of these Churchwardens as they have confessed unto me which was the cause why they hasted so speedily to London and stayed so long there about this businesse If these men have their wils the example will do a great deal of harme for then many of the Parishes which have already conformed themselves to the Cathedrall will fall back and other Parishes will never come on to this conformity who are now at a stand to see what will be done in the Chancell of Beckington I know your judgement and affection to the Church concurres with mine and therefore I am assured you will do nothing herein but that which shall be for the good of the Church and preservation of authority in all things just and lawfull I pray If D. Duck desire to read the coppy of the proceedings and reasons which I have sent you let him borrow it of you for it is fit my Chancelour should be acquainted with these things whose counsell and assistance must be used therein And so with remembrance of my true love and best wishes to you I commend you to the grace of God and rest Your very affectionate and faithfull friend Guil. Bath and Wels. Wels 2 Ian. 1635. Hereupon the poor Churchwardens being destitute of all relief continued excommunicated about a whole year after which they were taken and imprisoned in the common Gaole a long time upon a Capias Excommunicatum from whence at last they were released by the Bishop upon this ensuing submission and pennance worse then any imprisonment A true Copy of the Pennance that Iames Wheeler and Iohn Frye were enjoyned unto by my Lord Bishop of Bath and Wels examined by those whose names are underwritten Thomas Iles Iohn Bailly George Long William Webb Whereas the right reverend Father in God William by Gods permission Lord Bishop of Bathe and Wels hath heretofore lawfully required and commanded James Wheeler and John Frye late Churchwardens of the Parish-church of Beckington within the Dioces of Bathe and Wels aforesaid to remove the Communion Table in the Chancell of their said parish-Church and to place it close under the East wall of the said Chancell in the same manner and forme as the Communion Table standeth in the Cathedrall Church in Wells aforesaid and to remoue the seats placed above the said Table And likewise whereas they the said James Wheeler and John Frye contemned and wilfully disobeyed the command of the said Reverend Father and have in most contemptuous manner stood excommunicated for their said contempt for the space of one whole yeare now last past or there abouts not regarding nor fearing the dreadfull Censure of the Church And have likewise some dayes last past stood aggravated and have been signified unto the Kings most excellent Majesty for the apprehending their bodies and committing them to the Common-gaole of the County of Somerset the rather to compell them to their due obedience to the lawfull command of the Church now upon the earnest request and submission of the said Wheeler and Fry the said Reverend Father hath absolved them from the said sentences and enjoyned unto them that upon Sunday the 25 day of Iune in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred thirty seven they in their usuall apparell shall stand first in the middle Ally in the Parish-church of Beckington aforesaid and there immediately after the reading of the Gospell shall openly and penitently with an audible voice make this acknowledgement following repeating the same after the Minister viz. We James Wheeler and John Fry do here before this Congregation assembled acknowledge and confesse that we have grievously offended the Divine Majesty of Almighty God and the lawes Ecelesiasticall of this Realme of England in that we have in contemptuous manner refused to remove the Communion Table in the Chancell of the parish-Parish-church of Beckington and to place it close under the East wall of the said Chancell in the same manner and forme as the Communion Table standeth in the Cathedrall Church in Wels and to remove the seats placed above the said Table being thereunto lawfully and judicially monished and warned by the right reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Bath and Wels. And in that for our contempts and disobediences in not performing the said lawfull command of the said reverend Father we have suffered our selves to be lawfully excommunicated and so to stand for the space of one whole yeare last past or thereabouts not fearing nor regarding the dreadfull censure of the Church And in like or rather more contemptuous manner have suffered our selves to be lawfully aggravated and signified according to the laudable laws â— statutes of this Realm thereby in a legall manner to compell us to our due obedience to the lawfull command of the Church And we do hereby protest that we are right heartily sorry for the same and we do faithfully promise never from henceforth to offend in the like againe but to demeane our selves as shall become good Christians and dutifull subjects and we doe ask God forgivenesse for this our sinne and offence and you all here present for our evill example And we doe desire you all to pray for us and with us to Almighty God that it may please him of his infinite goodnesse to forgive us of this our offence And then humbly and penitently kneeling downe must devoutly rehearse the Lords Prayer and they must certifie hereof at Wels in writing subscribed to these presents under the hands of the Minister and Churchwardens of Beckington aforesaid on Tuesday the 27 day of Iune aforesaid together with this Schedule And the like pennance is to be performed by the within named James Wheeler and John Fry for the same offence in the Parish-church of Froom-felwood within the Dioces aforesaid before the Pulpit or Ministers seat there in manner and forme prescribed on Sunday the 2 day of Iuly Anno predict And certificate must be made of the due performance thereof as abovesaid under the hands of the Minister and Churchwardens there upon Tuesday the fourth day of Iuly aforesaid
at the Communion and in the Visitation of the sicke and in the second part in the Homily of Repentance As therefore in generall I doe acknowledge in the words of the aforesaid Homily that it is most evident and plaine that this Auricular Confession hath not his warrant of Gods Word that therefore being not led with the conscience thereof if we with feare and trembling and with a tru contrite heart use that kind of confession which God doth command in his word namely an unfeighned confession unto Almighty God himselfe then doubtlesse as he is faithfull and true hee will forgive us our sinnes and make us cleane from all our wickednesse so in the case of a troubled or doubtfull conscience I do conforme my opinion unto the direction of our Church which in her Liturgie doth exhort and require those whose Consciences are troubled with any weighty matter to a speciall confession so that they who cannot quiet their owne Consciences are to repaire to their owne or some other discreet and learned Minister of Gods word to open to them their griefe that so they may receive such ghostly Counsell advise and comsort as their consciences may be relieved and by the ministery of Gods word they may receive comfort and the benefit of absolution to the quieting of their Conscience and the avoyding of all scruple and doubtfullnesse But it is against true Christian liberty that any man should be bound to the numbring of his Sinnes as it hath beene used heretofore in times of Ignorance and blindnesse This I do acknowledge to be the Doctrine of the Church of England concerning Confession and to it I do ex animo subscribe and am heartily sory for what ever I have de-livered to the contrary Mr. Adams being backedby the Popish Heads refused to make this Recantation though just and faire professing he was not conscious to himselfe of any thing he had said in his Sermon contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England Whereupon at a full meeting of the Doctors it was put to the Vote Whether this Recantation should be enjoyned him or no Dr. Ward Dr. Bambridge Dr. Bacheroft Dr. Love Dr. Holdsworth and the Vicechancellor voted he should make this Recantation but Dr. Collins Dr. Smith Dr. Cumber Dr. Cosin Dr. Lany Dr. Martin Dr. Sterne and Dr. EDEN Voted that hee should not make it justifying even the use and necessity of Confession to a Priest necessitate medij to obtaine absolution and affirming that they would not Vote Master Adams had delivered any thing contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England in this point of Confession and thereupon acquitted him But the Vice-chancellor adjourning the businesse till another day when 12. Doctors only were present and Dr. Smith Dr. Cumber Dr. Martin and Dr. Eden who formerly acquited him absent by the helpe of Dr. Paske his voyce with much opposition voted that Mr. Adams should make the forementioned Recantation to which hee and those who Voted with him subscribed their hands Dr. Cosin Dr. Lany Dr. Beale Dr. Sterne and one more subscribed likewise their dissents thereunto When this was done all was done and Mr. Adams without making any submission or Recantation at all was dismissed and so encouraged that he resolved to maintain this his opinion in his Act questions The whole proceedings in this businesse together with the Copy of Mr. Adams his Sermon and the Recantation forementioned were sent up to London by Dr. Cosin and found by Mr. Prynne in the Archbishops Study endorsed with his owne hand thus Received Mach 16. 1637. Doctor Cosins his Letter about the proceedings of Brownrig Vicechancellor of Cambridge against Mr. Adams for his Sermon about Confession Ianuary 25. 1637. c. Who instead of censuring concurred with Dr. Cosins and the other Popish Doctors in protecting and justifying Mr. Adams in his grosse Popish Doctrines of Auricular Confession and Absolution which he endeavoured with all his might to introduce And no wonder for in his owne Diary he writ this memoriall with his owne hand June 15. 1622 I became CONFESSOR to the Lord of Buckingham and Iune 16. being Trinity Sunday he received the Sacrament at Greenwitch And all Courtiers know that hee was since for many yeares not only a privy Councellor but Confessor to his Majesty at least Commonly so reputed which made him so earnest to bring all others under the yoak of Confession since he had brought these Grandees under it Yea so farre had this Popish Tenet of the necessity of Confession and absolution by Priests prevailed among us by these authorized Bookes and Sermons generally preached for them that Bishop Mountague in his Printed Visitation Articles for the Diocesse of Norwich Anno 1638. made it a crime presentable in Ministers not to presse the Doctrine and practise of it upon the people at least-wise in the holy time of Lent as appeares by this memorable Article of his Tit. 7. Artic. 4. Doth the Minister especially exhort the Parishoners TO MAKE CONFESSJON OF THEIR SINNES TO HIMSELFE or some other learned grave and discreet Minister ESPECIALLY IN LENT against the holy time of Easter that they may receive comfort and ABSOLVTION so to become worthy receivers of such holy misteries How farre the Archbishops Agents and Emissaries urged exercised Popish Auricular Confession not only in England but Jreland too we shall instance but in one memorable example The Archbishop in his Paper of Remembrances to the Lord Deputie of Ireland when he first went over thither a Copy whereof Master Prynne met with in his Study made this speciall request to him in behalfe of one Mr. Croxton a young Minister and Creature of his I heartily pray your Lordship to take notice of one Mr. Croxton whom J send over with your letters to my Lord Mount Norris I hope he will prove so honest and so able a man as may do good service in those parts if God blesse him with life And I doubt not but as it shall fall in your way Your Lordship will bestow some preferment upon him for his maintenance for which I shall thanke you This Croxton arriving in Ireland the Lord Deputy upon this recommendation of the Archbishop received him with all due respect and promoted him to severall Ecclesiasticall preferments there as appeares by his Letters of thankes to the Archbishop wherein he gives him the Popes Titles Holinesse and most holy Father as if he were a Pope This Croxton being thus advanced to promote the Archbishops designes at Easter in the Yeare 1638. caused all his Parishioners to come up to the High-Altar at Goran where hee was Incumbent and there Sacramentally to make their Confessions to him which the Protestants in those parts deemed a most strang and scandalous act declaming much against it Yet this audacious Popel in knowing how acceptable this Popish Innovation was to the Archbishop the more to ingratiate himselfe in his favour in a vaunting manner certified His Grace by a
Augustines time And if we doe not only bend or bow our bodie to this blessed Board or holy Altar but fall flat on our faces before his Footstoole so soone as ever we approach in sight thereof what Patriarch or Apostle would condemne us for it Which he thus further prosecutes in his Altare Christianum pag. 108. Humble and lowly Reverence towards the holy and most Sacred Altar where Christ is most truly and really present in the blessed Sacrament pag. 142. Was not the Altar set in Sacrario or Sancto Sanctorum whereunto the Priest ascended by certaine steps and degrees and when they did so ascend were there not Psalmes of degrees sang called for that cause Gradualls durst the Priests themselves ascend thither without doing lowly Reverence three severall times Veneration towards the Altar was then required and practised pag. 145. Priests in our Church at the Ordination kneell upon their knees before the holy Altar then is given imposition of hands before the holy Altar then the Bishop takes the holy Gospells from the holy Altar c. no Bishop was authorized before his Altar was consecrated pag. 153. To warrant and justifie the bringing them in and due honouring of them because they are the seats and Chairs of estate where the Lord vouchsafeth to place himselfe amongst us Quid est enim Altare nisi sedes corporis sanguinis Christi p. 159. To come home to our Countrie when the Author sees the Kings most Sacred Majestie and the honourable Lords of the most Noble order of the Garter performe most low and humble Reverence to Almighty God before the most holy Altar the Throne in earth of that great Lord from whom their honour proceedeth pag. 160. Deo atque Altari reverentiam exhibuisse visi sunt Domino Deo ejus Altari proni facti debitum impenderent honorem Summum Altare in honorem Dei debita genu-flexione reverentiaque consalutabit p. 175. Honour and Reverence of right belongs unto it in regard of the presence of our Saviour whose Chaire of State it is upon earth Nay he proceedes yet further p. 75. The Eucharist cannot be receaved among Heretiques for the Elements must be consecrated before they become partakers of that Eucharist this Heretikes could not then doe quia nec Altare nec Ecclesiam because they had neither Altar nor Church for of necessitie sayes St. Cyprian Eucharistia in Altari sanctificatur the Eucharist is consecrated upon the Altar If then this were true which this unadvised man would make the Vicar believe that there were no Altars nor Churches within 20. yeares after Christ it must needs follow that the holy Eucharist was not received by any of the holy Martyrs and blessed Saints of God in all the primitive Church or else that they did receive some kinde of Sacrament that was not consecrated for Eucharistia in Altari sanctificatur is a ground in which he sets his rest as the Fathers before him and his successors ever did P. 174. Saint Cyprian tells you that the use of Altars is to sanctifie the Eucharist upon and that without an Altar it cannot be consecrated and that therefore Heretiques have no Sacraments among them because they have no Altars Edmond Reeve in his Christian Divinity contained in the Divine Service of the Church of England seconds him in these words p. 132 to 137. Unto the due honouring of Gods holy name the place where Gods name is put is to be honoured also now also ought every one being come into Gods House to prostrate himselfe i. e. to make low obeysance towards Gods mercy-seat being in the uppermost part of the Temple pag. 133. A great Divine in our Church Mr. Dr. Laurence in his most weighty Sermons thus writeth Wee are no more Idolatrous by our prostration towards the Table of the Lord than the Iewes were by theirs towards the Tabernacle of the Lord or the mercy-seat pag. 134 Gods Board is to be accounted the peculiar seat of God within the Temple and therefore towards it unto God there we are to make low obeysance whensoever we come into Gods House for to pray Gods board is ever to have due reverence and God who is there perpetually is alwayes to be prostrated unto Should not Christianity teach us that no seat of any Person much lesse of any of the Layty should be above Gods mercy-seat the sacred Communion Table The sacred Communion Table is called an Altar and it is also called Gods mercy-seat Gods Board is ever to have due Reverence and God who is there perpetually is alwayes to be prostrated unto yea when as the Body and Blood of Christ in the blessed Sacrament is not upon the same Robert Shelford Priest in his Five learned and pious discourses printed at Cambridge 1635. determines thus p. 4. To this day all our Churches are called sanctuaties as in many other Regards so especially in regard of the Lords Table or high Altar at the upper end of them which is Iesus Christs mercy seat because there the memory of the everlasting sacrifice is made and presented to the holy Trinity pag. 15. Seest thou not the Son of Gods seat here the holy Altar at the upper end of this House Pag. 17. The 5. sort of Reverence beseeming Gods House is at the entring in before we take our seates to bend the Knee and to bow our Body to him towards the more usuall and speciall place of his residence or resemblance which is the high Altar or the Lords Table usually standing at the East end of Gods House Idque propter Christum qui est Lux Mundi Oriens nominatur Zach. 6. 12. ab oriente etiam expectatur venturus pag. 19. 20. The first reverence that you make because the house is Gods and not mans direct your aspect to Gods Table which Saint Paul calls the Lords Altar saying We have An altar whereof they have no right to eate which serve the Tabernacle this is the great signe of Gods residence in this holy place as the Arck was the signe of hs presence in his Tabernacle here the great sacrifice of Christs death for our salvation is in Remembrance represented to God the Father and can we remember so great a benefit and not reverence the Father Son and Holy Ghost for it I do not exhort you to give Divine worship to Gods Table but to worship God towards it for Gods Altar is not terminativum cultus but motivum only as Daniel being in Captivity turned his face towards Jerusalem when he prayed but prayed not to it thus if we come before God in his house with due reverence then will he hould out his Golden Scepter of grace to us as the great King Ahasuerus held out his to Queene Ester but if we slight God in his owne place and hee hould out his Iron Scepter to us then let us be wise and learned Let us learne of our Mother Churches for there our Reverend Fathers the Prelates and others make
Majesties warrant to each of them so that herein I averre I did not offend unlesse that I gave not these men notice of it or asked them leave to obey the King To which it was answered First that the Arch-bishop confeseth clearly in his Speech and publisheth it to all the world in print That he made the alterations in this prayer which neither of his Predecessors Bancroft or Abbot durst once to think of or attempt Secondly That he esteemed Master Burtons and Master Prynnes dislike of him for making these alterations in extentation of the horrid Gunpowder-plot and favour of trairerous Jesuits Priests Romanists and the popish Religion a most transcendent crime worthy the severest bloodiest censure that ever was inflicted on any person in the Star-chamber as appeared by their herbarous Sentence there for which he heartily thanked the Lords in the close of his speech whereas his offence was certainly ten thousand times greater in making these alterations then theirs in charging him with them when himselfe confesseth and just fieth them or disliking them when made for such sinister popish ends Thirdly that his reasons to justifie these alterations to be fit and necessary were very absurd discovering the rottennesle of his heart with his extraordinary affection to popery and Papists His first reason that it was fit and necessary to make these Alterations to avoyd scandall and offence to Papists in calling their religion Rebellion c. was very unreasonable and absurd For since this clause had continued un-altered un-excepted against neer thirty yeers space together and was never deemed scandalous by K. James K. Charle's our subsequent Parliaments or Church which approved and confirmed it no solid reason can be given why it should grow unseasonable or scandalous only now so an as to call for a necessary alteration but that the Arch bishop and his confederates had now a new resolved plot to reconcile us to Rome and her Religion which former ages never had to which designethis clause might happily prove seandalous and obstructive Besides he could not but conclude the alteration of it after so many yeers continuance of purpose to gratifie Papists priests and Jesuits the sole contrivers of that marchlesse excerable Gunpowder-plot would give extraordinary seandall offence to all the whole Church State and cordiall protestants of Engl. and lay a secret tax if not a publike censure on them and on K. James for injuring the papists and their Religion even in these publike prayers neer thirty yeers spice together yet this zealous Romish Agent would rather scandalize censure injure our whole Church State parliaments King Iames with all true-hearted English protestants then give the lest scandall to the papists or suffer this just imputatation of Rehellion to continue upon their religion Moreover the whole parliament of 3. Iacobs in the Oath of Alleagiance then enjoyned with all our parliaments prelats Peers who since have approved it The second part of our authorized Homilies for Whit-sunday with our Homilies against wilful rebellion Bishop B â—â—on in his True difference between Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion Bishop Iewel in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England part 4. p. 439. to 470. Doctor Iohn White in his Sermon at Pauls-Crosse and in his Defence of the Way ch 6. 11. Doctor Crakenthorp's Treatise of the Popes temporall Monarchy Deus Rex Haddon contra Osorium and generally all our Writers against the Popes supremacy at home and in the reformed Churches abroad resolve unanimously in their writings the Romanists Religion and Faith in the poynts of deposing excommunicating murthering Christian Princes Kings Emperours of absolving subjects from their alleagiance arming them against their Soveraigns by the Popes authority and command for not submitting to his tyrannicall or Antichristian Edicts it is meere Rebellion and Faction For this Arch-prelate then thus publikely to averre it a scandalous imputation to them and their religion and upon this ground to make these alterations in this prayer and not in all those Statutes Homilies Authors too is a most false absurd scandalous suggestion and in truth a meer evasion to colour his affection to papists their Antichristian Religion His second reason that it wil be of dangerous conquence sadly to avow that the Papists Religion is Rebelion because it is Christian religion and the same with ours is both fals fallacious for popish religion as popish is not Christian but Antichristian and though papists hold many points of Christian Religion as they are Christians yet not one point of it as Papists popery truly so called being no part of Christian Religion but deviations from or paradoxes against it Yea himselfe confessing That some opinions of theirs teach rebelion That 's apparently true which opinions of theirs are that part of their Religion which this prayer cals Rebellion refutes his owne Objection His third reason that if you make their religion to be rebelion then you make their religion and rebelion to be all one and that is against the ground both of State and Law c. which never put any man to death for Religion but for Treason and Rebellion onely is a meere childish fallacy For their Religion is not any actuall treason or rebellion for which only they suffered death but doctrinall and habituall rebelion prone to produce actuall rebellions and the mother of them in which sense onely this prayer stiles it Rebellion yet such for which no Romanist ever dyed unlesse he reduced it into some treasonable and rebellious action and then he suffered onely for the act not the Religion or opinion which induced him thereunto he might well then have spared these three irrationall reasons for this Alteration with this assertion of his p. 39. I took it my duty to lay it before you that the King had not onely Power but Reason to command it which onely aggravate not extenuate or justifie his fact his justification then rests solely upon the Kings command and warrant but this will not excuse his guilt For we have nothing but his own bare word in his own case to which no faith can be given having so often bin taken tardy in this kind to prove first that himselfe did not move the King to command these alterations to be made which is more than probable by his aleaging the reasons whereupon they were made and his activity in other changes of this nature Secondly that himself did not procure the Warrant for these Alterations after they were made and printed being written with his own hand and having no witnesse but himself to prove the date as he hath done in other cases Thirdly admit the command and warrant proceeded originally from the King himselfe not him yet he being by his place and office principally entrusted with the care honour safety of our Religion and Church so much concerned in these alterations it had been his duty to have disobeyed this command and disswaded his Majesty from such a
been allowed to them in the time of Queen Elizabeth or since The Order of King James under his signet the 13 of Iune These are therefore to will and command all our Courts of Iustice and other our loving Subjects to permit and suffer the said strangers members of the Out-landish Churches and their children to enjoy the continuance of our favours before declared in this behalfe Considering the loving kindenesse and good entertainment which our Subjects and their children doe receive and finde beyond the Seas The Order of the Privy Councell for the Walloones of Norwich the 10 of October Those of Norwich although borne in the Kingdome shall continue to be of the said Church and Society and shall be subject to such Discipline as hath been by all the time of fifty five yeares practised among them And if any shall be refractory they shall be bound to appeare at this Board The gracious Answer of King Charles to the Deputies of the Forraigne Churches the 30 of April I thank you for this and I assure you that I will continue unto you the same favour which the King my father did shew unto you And I hope that my marriage shall not be any dammage unto you but rather an occasion of much good to your Countrey men The Order of King Charles for all strangers the 13 of Novemb. We will and command our Iudges c. to permit and suffer the said strangers members of the Out-landish Churches and their children quietly to enjoy all and singular such Priviledges and Immunities as have been formerly granted unto them without any troubles arrests or proceedings by way of information or otherwise considering the faire usage and good entertainment which our Subjects and their children doe receive beyond the Seas The Order of the Privy Councell for the Dutch of Norwich the 7 of Ianuary That all those that are now or hereafter shall be members of the Dutch Congregation although borne within this Kingdome shall continue to be of the said Church and Society so long as his Majesty shall be pleased without any prejudice to their Priviledges and Birth-right and shall be subject to all such Discipline as hath beene all the time aforesaid usually practised amongst them and from time to time contribute to the maintenance of the Ministry and poore and the defraying of all other necessaries charges of the same Congregation as they shall be assessed and occasion shall in that behalfe require By vertue of this Patent Orders Grants the Dutch and French Churches in London and other Diocesse enjoyed the free exercise of their Religion Discipline exempt from all Archiepiscopall and Episcopall Iurisdiction from Edward the sixths time till Ann. 1634. without any interruption But no sooner was this Prelate warme in his Archiepiscopall chaire but he begins to disturb their peace and threaten their totall subvertion throughout his Province as in Canterbury Sandwich Maidstone Norwich Colchester London Southampton and likewise in Yorkeshire Axholme and elsewhere which he had formerly projected in this manner On March 22. Ann. 1632. this Bishop upon his own motion procured a reference to himselfe from the Lords of the Councell concerning the English living in forraigne parts and the forraigne Protestant Churches in England concerning which he drew up and presented two severall Papers to the Lords found in his study under Mr Dells hand thus endorsed with his owne Concerning the Dutch and French Churches in England c. here necessary to be inserted though not read at large VVHereas I was commanded by your Lordships upon Friday March 22. 1632. First to represent to His Gracious Majesty the great and Honourable care you had to preserve the unity and Government of the Church of England as it stands now established by Law Which care was very great and pious and according to my duty in the Name of the Church I humbly thank your Lordships for it And have in pursuance of your Commands faithfully acquainted His Majesty with as many particulars as I could carry away safe in my memory Secondly I was commanded by your Lordships to take into farther consideration such Heads as might best conduce to the rectifying of such his Majesties Subjects as reside at Hamborough or elsewhere beyond the Seas but especially in the Low-Countreys either in Merchandize or in use and exercise of Armes under the Colonells there As also what might be thought fit to be done concerning the French and Dutch Churches as they now stand and are used at this present within this Realme but at such time as your Lordships in your wisdome shall best approve Concerning the first of these viz. the English living in Forraigne parts I humbly recommend to your Lordships Wise dome as followeth 1. Whether it be not fit I had almost said necessary that the severall Colonels in the Low-Countreys should entertaine no Minister as Preacher to their Regiments but such as shall conforme in all things to the Church of England established And be commended unto them from your Lordships by advise of the Lords Archbishops of Canterbury or York for the time being 2. That the Company of Merchants residing there or in any other Forraigne Parts shall admit no Minister as Preacher to them but such as are so qualified and so commended as aforesaid 3. That if any Minister having by feigned carriage gotten to be so recommended either to any of the severall Colonells or to the Deputy Governour and Body of the Merchants there shall after be found unconformable and will not mend upon warning given him by the Colonell or Deputy Governour of the Merchants shall within three months after such warning given and refused be dismissed from his service that a more orderly and peaceable man may be sent unto them 4. That every Minister or Preacher with any Regiment of souldiers that are his Majesties borne Subjects or with the Company of Merchants there or elsewhere shall read Divine Service Christen children Administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper marry instruct the younger or more ignorant sort in the Catechisme visit the sick bury the Dead and doe all other Duties according as they are prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer maintained in the Chuch of England and not otherwise And that he which will not conforme himselfe so to doe shall not continue Preacher either to any Regiment of English or Scottish or to the Merchants 5. That if any Minister or Preacher being the Kings Subject shall with any bitter words or writings in print or otherwise defame the Government of the Church of England established His Majesties Embassador or Agent in those parts for the time being is to be informed of it and upon notice given from him to the State he or they so offending shall be commanded over by Privy Seale or otherwise to answer their offence or offences here 6. That no Colonell of any severall Regiment or Deputy Governour of the Merchants shall give way that their Minister or
several ANSVVERS To the Proofs and Evidence produced to make good the first Branch of his CHARGE with the Commons Replyes and Rejoynders thereunto VVE have now presented you with the intire evidence of the Commons given in against the Archbishop at the Lords Tribunal in proof of the first main Branch of his impeachment to wit his traiterous endeavours to subvert the true Religion established among us to introduce and set up Popery and reconcile us unto Rome without any diminution to which I have here and there made some small Additions not by way of evidence or charge but only of illustration or amplification of some things given in evidence in the general briefly pointed at and so passed over not read at large at the bar for want of time We shall next as faithfully as exactly as our imperfect notes and frail memory will assist relate his several Answers and Replies given to the particular proofs produced against him both as he delivered them in person after each dayes evidence at the Lords bar and as he afterwards repeated them in his general defence with some Additions in the Lords and Commons House wherein if I have involuntarily mistaken or misreported his words or answers in any particular as I presume I have not done his surviving friends must only blame either him or themselves not me who used all the means I could to his Secretary Mr. Dell his Councel and others whom he trusted with his Papers to procure his own Original written Notes Answers and Replies or true Copies of them that so I might have printed them verbatim to avoid all calumnies and mistakes yet could neither by my own intreaties nor warrants from Authority procure them or any Copies thereof Mr. Dell returning me this answer that he believed the Archbishop himself had burnt all his Notes and Answers in his life time to prevent their publication after his death To avoid prolixity obscurity that every Reader may more clearly discern the insufficiency falshood Sophistry of his Answers and the pregnancy of the Commons proofs and evidence to make good their impeachment against him in each particular I shall forbear to relate his Answers and the Commons Replies thereto intirely together in two distinct continued Relations as they were delivered at the bar but subjoyn the Commons distinct Replies to his severall Answers to each particular proof and part of their evidence as they lie in order that so reddendo singula singulis the pertinency of their evidence and reality of his guiltinesse may more perspicuously shine forth to all the world I aiming only at verity not victory in this Relation The Archbishop began his Answer to the first Branch of the Commons charge concerning his traiterous endeavours to subvert the true Religion of God by Law established among us and set up Popish Superstition and Idolatry in its stead with a general detestation both of the charge and fact for which presumptuous and unseemly expression he was justly taxed by the Commons councel as being a defiance given to them and their proceedings prosessing it the greatest unhappinesse that ever besel him to be thus deeply and criminally charged by the Honourable House of Commons the representative body of the whole commonalty of England before the highest Tribunal in the Realm as being guilty of such a crime as this in his last dying dayes when he had one foot already in the grave which his own conscience pronounced him to have been guiltlesse of all the dayes of his life Yet protesting it to be an unspeakable comfort to him in this his infelicity that he was arraigned for it before so just so Honourable an Assembly of Peers many of them being privy to the sincerity of his actions and advices to his Majestie to vindicate his integrity to all the world and wash off all those black spots of calumny of obloquy wherewith he had for many years by-past been most unjustly aspersed by Sectaries on the one hand by Iesuits and Papists on the other to ruin him both in his reputation fortune and his Majesties most gracious opinion And so presuming he had sufficiently cleared himself in the general from this heavy charge in their Lordships and others opinions by his first dayes speech the new Canons and Oath prescribed in them and by his Book against Fisher the Iesuite he would without any further Prologue or Apology discend to Answer the particular evidences proofs produced against him by the Commons in their respective order with as much brevity perspicuity as the suddainnesse of his preparations the frailty of his memory the burthen of 70 yeers with other natural infirmities then lying heavy upon him would permit And to give him his due he made as full as gallant as pithy a defence of so bad a cause and spake as much for himself as was possible for the wit of man to invent and that with so much Art Sophistry Vivacity Oratory Audacity and confidence without the least blush or acknowledgement of guilt in any thing annimated by his seated Panders lying by him as argued him rather obstinate then innocent impudent then penitent a far better Orator Sophister then Protestant or Christian yea a truer Son of the Church of Rome then of the Church of England in many particulars as you will anon discern He began his defence where the Commons did their charge and they their Reply where he began his Answer to wit at his publike Chappel at Lambeth House The first thing the Commons have in their evidence charged against me is the setting up and repairing of Popish Images and Pictures in the glasse windows of my Chappel at Lambeth and amongst others the Picture of Christ hanging on the Crosse between the two Theeves in the East window of God the Father in Form of a little old Man with a Glory striking Myriam with a leprosie of the Holy Ghost descending in Form of a Dove and of Christs Nativity last Supper Resurrection Ascention and others the Patern whereof Master Pryn attested I took out of the very Masse Book wherein he shewed their Portratures To which I answer First that I did not set these Images up but found them there before Secondly That I did only repair the windows which were so broken and the Chappel which lay so nastily before that I was ashamed to behold and could not resort unto it but with some disdain which caused me to repair it to my great cost Thirdly that I made up the History of these old broken Pictures not by any patern in the Masse Book but only by help of the fragments and remainders of them which I compared with the story Fourthly though the very resemblances of them be in the Masse Book yet I protest I never knew they were there till Master Pryn shewed them in it at this bar And it is but a meer fallacy the Pictures which I repaired are in the Masse Book Ergo I took the patern of them out of it Fifthly Master
prepare a blacke letter and to send it to his servants at Edenburgh for Printing this booke Of his approbation of his proofes sent from the Presse Of his feare of delay in bringing the worke speedily to an end for the great good not of that Church but of the Church Of his encouraging Rosse who was entrusted with the Presse to goe on in this peece of Service without feare of Enemies All which may be seene in the Autographs and by letters sent from the Prelate of London to Rosse wherein as he rejoyceth at the sight of the Scottish Canons which although they should make some noyse at the beginning yet they would be more for the good of the Kirke than the Canons of Edenburgh for the good of the Kingdome So concerning the Liturgy he sheweth that Rosse had sent to him to have an explanation from Canterbury of some passage of the Service Booke and that the Presse behoved to stand till the explanation come to Edenburgh which therefore he had in hast obtained from his Grace and sent the dispatch away by Canterburies owne conueyance But the Booke it selfe as it standeth interlined margined and patcht up is much more than all that is expressed in his Letters and the changes and supplements themselves taken from the Masse Booke and other Romish Ritualls by which he maketh it to vary from the Booke of England and are pregnant testimonies of his Popish spirit and wicked intentions which he would have put in execution upon us then can be denyed The large declaration professeth that all the variation of our Booke from the Booke of England that ever the King understood was in such things as the Scottish humour would better comply with than with that which stood in the English service These Popish innovasions therefore have beene surreptitiously inserted by him without the Kings knowledge and against his purpose Our Scottish Prelates doe petition that something may be abated of the English ceremonies as the Crosse in Baptisme the Ring in marriage and some other things But Canterburie will not only have these kept but a great many more and worse superadded which was nothing else but the adding of fewell to the fire To expresse and discover all would require a whole booke we shall only touch some few in the matter of the Communion This Booke inverteth the order of the Communion in the Booke of England as may be seene by the numbers setting downe the orders of this new Communion 1. 5. 2. 6. 7. 3. 4. 8. 9. 10. 15. Of the divers secret reasons of this change we mention one onely In joyning the spirituall praise and thanksgiving which is in the Booke of England pertinently after the Communion with the Prayer of Consecration before the Communion and that under the name of Memoriall or Oblation for no other end but that the memoriall and Sacrifice of Praise mentioned in it may be understood according to the Popish meaning Bellar. de Missa lib. 2. cap. 21. Not of the spirituall sacrifice but of the oblation of the body of the Lord. It seemeth to be no great matter that without warrant of the Booke of England the Presbyter going from the North-end of the Table shall stand during the time of consecration at such a part of the Table where he may with the more ease and decency use both hands yet being tryed it importeth much as that he must stand with his hinder parts to the People representing saith Durand that which the Lord said of Moses Thou shalt see my hinder parts He must have the use of both his hands not for any thing he hath to doe about the Bread and Wine for that may be done at the North end of the Table and be better seene of the people but as we are taught by the Rationalists that he may by stretching forth his Armes to represent the extension of Christ on the Crosse and that he may the more conveniently lift up the Bread and Wine above his head to be seen and adored of the people who in the Rubricke of the generall confession a little before are directed to kneele humbly on their knees that the Priests elevation so magnified in the Masse and the peoples adoration may goe together That in this posture speaking with a low voyce and muttering for sometimes he is commanded to speake with a loud voyce and distinctly he be not heard by the people which is no lesse a mocking of God and his people then if the words were spoken in an unknowne language As there is no word of all this in the English Service so doth the Booke in King Edwards time give to every Presbyter his liberty of gesture which yet gave such offence to Bucer the censurer of the Booke and even in Cassanders owne judgment a man of great moderation in matters of this kind that he calleth them Nunquam satis execrandos Missa gestus and would have them to be abhorred because they confirme to the simple and superstitious ter impiam exitialem Missae fiduciam The corporall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament is also to be found here for the words of the Masse-booke serving to this purpose which are sharpely censured by Bucer in King Edwards Liturgy and are not to be found in the Booke of England are taken in here Almighty God is in called that of his Almighty Goodnesse he may vouchsafe so to blesse and sanctifie with his Word and Spirit these gifts of Bread and Wine that they may bee unto us the body and blood of Christ The change here is made a worke of Gods Omnipotency the words of the Masse ut fiant nobis are translated in King Edwards Booke That they be unto us which are againe turned into Latine by Alesius Vt fiant nobis On the other part the expressions of the Booke of England at the delivery of the Elements of feeding on Christ by faith and of Eating and drinking in remembrance that Christ dyed for thee are utterly deleared Many evidences there be in this part of the Communion of the bodily Presence of Christ very agreeable to the Doctrines taught by his Sectaries which this paper cannot containe They teach us that Christ is received in the Sacrament Corporaliter both objective and subjective Corpus Christi est objectum quod recipitur corpus nostrum subjectum quo recipitur The Booke of England abolisheth all that may import the oblation of any unbloody Sacrifice but here we have besides the preparatory oblation of the Elements which is neither to be found in the Booke of England now nor in King Edwards Booke of old the oblation of the body and blood of Christ which Bellarmine calleth Sacrificium Laudis quia Deus per illud magnopere laudatur This also agreeth well with their late doctrine We are ready when it shall be judged convenient and we shall be desired to discover much more matters of this kind as grounds laid for missa sicca or the halfe
endeavours to subvert the rights of Parliament and auncient Course of Parliamentary proceedings and by false and malicious slanders to incense his Majesty against Parliaments contained in the 14. Originall and 1. 9. 10. Additionall Articles The first Specificall branch of the Charge against the Archbishop touching his Trayterous endeavours to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established among us to introduce Popish Superstition and Idolatry in liew thereof and to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome by severall stepps and practises with the copious evidences produced to manifest the same at his Tryall THE true Religion by Law established being that which is most pretious claiming proceedency of all other sublunary things in respect of its owne intrinsicall Excellency that which is nearest and dearest to every conscientious Christian the undermining and alterations where of doth most concern and reflect upon the Archbishop in respect of his calling as a Minister of his Ecclesiasticall dignity as an Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of all England and of the speciall trust reposed in him by his Majesty who wholly committed the care of Religion of all Church affaires within his Dominions to this Arch-Prelates Care mannaging and his Charge concerning the Alteration and subversion of it being that which he most of all openly protested against both in the beginning proceeding conclusion of his long Tryall and on the very Scaffold at his death we shall begin with the Commons evidence given in against him concerning his endeavours practises to alter and subvert the same and introduce Popish superstition and Idolatry into our Church Wherein notwithstanding all his specious pretences confident Protestations reiterated deep Asseverations of his Innocency of his cordiall syncerity to the true Protstant Religion wherewith he hath deceived many over-credulous people we doubt not but upon the perusall of the various evidences against him in this particular he will appeare the most desperat cunning violent palpable underminer corrupter alterer subverter of the true reformed Religion by Law established in our Churches of one who professed himselfe a reall Protestant and zealous maintainer of the same that ever was yet heard of in the Christian world Prisca parem nescit aequalem poster a nullum Exhibitura dies He alone by his policies and power corrupting undermining our Religion advancing Popery more in the few yeares of his Predominency then the Pope with all his Consederates both at home and abroad could doe in almost fourescore yeares before by all their Plots and Potency as shall be irrefragaly demonstrated by his Actions which cry louder and give in stronger evidence against him then all his fraudulent verball protestations or printed funerall Orations can doe for him His Charge concerning the Alteration and subvertion of Religion laid downe in the Articles consists of these two generall Members First That he hath Trayterously endeavoured to subvert Gods true Religion by Law Established in this Realme and instead thereof to set up Popish Superstition and Jdolatry Secondly That he hath Trayterously and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome The latter of these is but the issue of the former the first in projection but the last in execution and the proofe of the one an indubitable evidence of the other which shall be prosecuted in their Order The evidence to prove the first generall branch of his Charge concerning the alteration ub version of Religion THe Archbishop in his Speech in Justification of his Innocency and sincerity in matters of Religion made at the Lords Barre at the entrance of his Tryall most peremptorily challenged all that was betweene Heaven and Hell justly to tax him in any one particular savoring either of Popish superstition or Idolatry But on the contrary the Committee of the House of Commons might more justly have challenged him in their entring upon his Charge to nominate any person whether Prelate Minister or Laick in any age professing himselfe a Protestant who during his aboad on earth twixt Heaven and Hell was so guilty so peccant in this nature as they shold undeniably manifest him to be wherefore if they allotted him any place at or after his death but Hell it selfe it must be either a Popish Purgatory or such a middle place as some Papists assigne to that Newter Erasmus betwixt Heaven and Hell perchance some losty Gibbet or Pinacle in the Ayre whereon his Head and Quarters might be hanged up for a lasting Monument of his Treason in this kind which they manifested him to be guilty of by these ensuing particular evidences First by his endeavours to set up and introduce all kind of Popish superstitious Idolatrous ornaments furniture ceremonies in our church formerly cast out of it upon the reformation In pursuit whereof they first trailed this Romish Fox to his own Kennel at Lambeth where having unkenneled they chased him from thence by his hot Popish sent to the Kings own royall Chapel at Whitehal Westminster Abby from thence to the Vniversities of Oxford and Cambridge from thence to Canterbury Winchester and most other Cathedralls in England and from them to our Parish Churches and Chapels all which he miserably defiled corrupted with Popish superstitious Crucifixes Altars Bowings Ceremonies Tapers Copes and other Innovations To begin with his owne Kennel at Lambeth We shall first lead you by the hand into his publike Chapell there a place devoted to Gods worship and evidence what Popish Superstitious Pictures Vtensils Vestments Ceremonies Innovations he there introduced and constantly practised since his instalment in the Archbishopricke of Canterburie never heard off in any his Predecessors dayes since the beginning of reformation in King Edward the 6th and Queene Elizabeths reignes First we shall manifest what Idolatrous superstitious Popish Pictures were there newly repaired furbished erected by him in this Chappell to the great scandall of our Religion and encouragement of Papists in their Idolatry contrary to our Statutes Articles of Religion Homilies Jnjunctions Writerâ— the established Doctrine of our Church wherein the matter of fact stands thus In the beginning of Reformation by vertue of the Statute of 3. and 4. Ed. 6. c. 10. for the abolishing defacing and putting away of divers Bookes and Jmages then standing in any Church or Chapell of the severall Homilies against the Perill of Jdolatry then published by Authority of Queen Elizabeths subsequent Jnjunctions given by her as well to the Clergy as Laity of this Realme by the advise of her most honourable Councell in the first yeare of her Raigne for the advancement of the honour of Almighty God and suppression of superstition throughout her Realmes Injunction 2. 3. 23. 25. and Articles of inquiry thereon Artic. 2. 45. which enjoyned All Pictures Paintings Images and other monuments of Idolatry and superstition to be utterly extinct removed abolished and distroyed so that there remaine no memory of the same in
Popery to be an Antichristian Yoake Fifthly to the Hymne printed in the end of all our Psalmes and Common-prayer books From Turke and Pope defend us Lord which both would thrust out of his throne our Lord Jesus Christ thy deare Sonne and the prayer for private families bound up with our Bibles and Common-prayer-books confound Satan and Antichrist c. Sixthly to the whole torrent of our Protestant Martyrs Writers who define the Pope to be Antichrist yea the great Antichrist prophesied of in Scripture This was the direct position of our godly learned Martyr Walter Brute who maintained it in a large discourse recorded by Master Fox in his Acts and Monuments edit 1641. vol. I. p. 622. to 632. of our English Apostle Iohn Wickliffe Fox ibid. p. 594. justified by John Hus and Joan Wicklif Dialog l. 4. c. 15. Rich. Wimbledon in his Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse anno 1389. Fox vol. 1. p. 718. Sir Geofry Chaucer in his Plough-mans Tale Lucifers letters to the Prelats of England supposed to be written by William Swinderly Martyr Fox Acts and Monuments edit 1610. p. 482. 483. Sir Iohn Oldeastle that famous Knight and Martyr Fox ibid. p. 417. 418. Pierce Ploughman his complaint of the abuses of the World Fox ibid. 1. edit 1641. p. 520. to 532. Mr. Wil. Tyndall a godly learned Martyr in his Obedience of a Christian man p. 214. 215 c. in his Revelation of Antichrist and Practice of Popish Prelats The Author of the image of a very christian Bishop and of a counterfeit Bishop printed about the yeere 1538. Rodericke Mors his complaint to the Parliament of England about 37 of King Henry 8. c. 23 24. William Wraughter his Hunting and resening of the Romish Fox dedicated to King Henry the eighth Henry Stalbridge his Exhortatory Epistle to his dearly beloved Country of England in King Henry the eighth his Reigne Iohn Bale Bishop of Osyris in his Image of both Churches and Scriptorum Illustrium Brittaâ—dae p. 33. 116. 117. 161. 286. 287. 471. 481. 633. to 640. 647. 702. de Vitis Ponrificum Romanorum Father Latymer Master Bilney Master Rogers Shetterdon and other of our Martyrs William Alley Bishop of Exeter in his Poore mans Library part 1. sol 56. Bishop Iewell in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England p. 593. 449. 480. to 497. 508. and Reply to Harding p. 220. to 230. Master Thomas Beacon his Acts of Christ and Antichrist his Supplication unto Christ his Reports of Certaine men Reliques of Rome Master Iohn Fox in his Meditations upon the Apocalips Bishop Bilson in his book of Christian Subjection and unchristian Rebellion Doctor Whitaker Doctor Robert Abbot Bishop of Sarum Doctor George Downham Bishop of Derry Doctor Beard Master Powel Doctor Willet Doctor Fulke Doctor Sutcliffe Doctor Sharp Master Squire in their severall Treatises and discourses concerning Antichrist Doctor Iohn White in his way to the true Church Sect. 61. Num. 4. Master Brightman upon the Revelation Doctor Crakenthorpe his defence of Constantine and of the Popes temporall Monarchy and generally all other our eminentest English Writers of any note till this Arch-bishops reigne have positively defined the Pope and Papacy to be the great Antichrist and proved the same at large We shall close up this with two of the Arch-bishops predecessors resolutions in this point The first is Arch-bishop Cranmer who as he refused to move or stirre his cap to the Popes Commissioners when he was converted before them for his Religion so he likewise professedly averred the Pope to be the Artichrist in these very termes recorded by Master Fox in his Acts and Monuments Vol. 3. Edit 1641. p. 653. 660. 661. The Bishop of Rome unlesse he be Antichrist I cannot tell what to make of him wherefore if I should obey him I cannot obey Christ he is like the Devill in his doings for the Devill said to Christ If thou wilt fall downe and worship me I will give thee all the Kingdomes of the world thus he tooke upon him to give that which was not his owne even so the Bishop of Rome giveth Princes their Crownes being none of his owne for where Princes either by election either by succession either by inheritance obtaine their Crowne he saith that they should have it from him Christ saith that Antichrist shall be and who shall he be forsooth he that advanceth himselfe above all other creatures Now if there be none already that hath advanced himselfe after such sort besides the Pope then in the mean time let him be Antichrist c. After which he desired all them present to beare him witnesse that he tooke the traditions and Religion of that usurping Prelat to be most erronious false and against the doctrine of the whole Scripture which he had often times wel proved by writing and the author of the same to be very Antichrist so often preached of by the Apostles Prophets in whom did most evidently concur al signes and tokens whereby he was painted out to the world to be known for it was most evident that he had advanced himselfe above all Emperours and Kings of the world whom he affirmed to hold their estates and Empires of him as of their chiefe c. He hath brought in gods of his owne framing and invented a new Religion full of gaine and lucre quite contrary to the holy Scriptures onely for the maintaining of his Kingdome displacing Christ from his glory and holding his people in a miserable servitude of blindnesse to the losse of a great number of soules which God at the latter day shall exact at his hand boasting many times in his canons and decrees that he can dispence contra Petrum contra Paulum contra vetus novum testamentum and that he plenitudine potestatis tantum prtesi quantum Deus that is against Peter against Paul against the old and new Testament and of the fulnesse of power may doe as much as God O Lord who ever heard such blasphemy if there be any man that can advance himselfe above him let him be judged Antichrist This enemy of God and our Redemption is so evidently painted out of the Scriptures by such manifest signes and tokens which all so cleerly appeare in him that except a man will shut up his eyes and heart against the light he cannot but know him and therefore for my part I will never give my consent to the receiving of him into this Church of England thus Cranmer resigned at his death This Arch-prelat therefore hath shut his eyes and heart against this shining truth in his godly Predecessors judgement who not onely doubts but denies the Pope to be the Antichrist The second is Arch-bishop Whitguift who when he commenced Doctor and answered the Divinity act at Cambridge anno 1569. publikely maintained this assertion in the Schooles Papa est ille Ancichristus as Sir George Paul records in his life p. 5. which this Arch-bishops immediate Predecessor Abbot
done the like Ninthly we conceive that the Statute of 3. E. 6. c. 10. which command all Images of Stone Timber Alabaster or Earth graven carved or painted which heretofore have been taken out of any Church or Chapple or yet stand in any Church or Chapple to be defaced and destroyed extend to Images in glasse windowes as well as others which are but painted Earth and that which confirms us in this opinion is That the Homilies against the peril of Jdolatry the occasion of this Law and the injunctions of Queen Elizabeth made in pursuance of it extend in direct terms to Images in glasse windowes as well as to Images of Stone Timber and the like yea the practise of that time in defacing the glasse Images in Lambeth Chapple-windowes which he of late repaired and in most other places infallibly proves it Together with the Statute of 3. Jac. c. 5. which reckons up Jmages and Crucifixes of what matter soever among the Reliques of Popery and enjoynes them to be defaced wherefore the evasion of his is most false and frivolous especially since Popery may creep in at a glasse-window as well as at a door and our Homilies Injunctions writers censure all of them alike if this Statute do it not Finally by all these Answers he professeth himself a most zealous real Papist but false Protestant in pleading thus boldly and falsly for the use of Images of all sorts in Churches and in repairing of Popish Images formerly defaced by Authority insteed of confessing and craving pardon for this his dangerous error his most Idolatrous Popish practise The second thing objected against me as a Popish Innovation in my Chapple at Lambeth is my removing and railing in the Communion Table there Altarwise with the ends of it North and South against the wall my furnishing it with Basons Candlesticks and other furniture and hanging a cloth of Arras behinde it with the Picture of Christ and his Apostles eating the Lords Supper together Ans To which I Answer First That the railing in and placing the Table Altarwise is warranted by Queen Elizabeths Injunctions which prescribe That the Holy Table in every Church be decently made and set in the place where the Altar stood Now the Altars generally in all Churches as all Antiquity manifests stood at the East end of the Quire North and South close to the wall as the Tables were lately placed and there were railed in This therefore is no innovation Secondly the furniture on the Altar is no other then such as is in use in the Kings own Chapple at White-Hall and had been there used ever since and before my time Thirdly that the Arras peece at the back of the Table containing the Story of Christs last Supper was fit for that place and occasion That such Images and representations were lawful approved by all the Lutheran Churches yea by Master Calvin himself for an Historical use in the place forecited Jnst l. 1. c. 11. Sect. 12. Reply To this the Commons replied First That neither Queen Elizabeths Injunctions nor the Rubrick in the Common Prayer-Book nor any Law or Canon of our Church prescribe the railing in of our Communion Tables or placing them Altarwise against the wall with the ends North and South There is no sillable in any of them to warrant any such Popish innovation prescribed only by Popish Canons as we have proved That it cannot be proved that Altars were generally so placed and railed in anciently either in England or elswhere The contrary whereof we shall prove anon That the makers and executers of these Innovations knew best of any where and how Communion Tables were to be situated by vertue of them and they generally placed them throughout the Realm in the midst of the Quire or Chancel with the ends East and West standing a convenient distance from the East wall without any rail about it in which posture they generally stood in all Churches Chapples and in Lambeth Chapple it self for one ever since these Injunctions published till this innovating Arch prelate altered this their ancient situation Yet both the Rubrick in the Common Prayer Book the Queens Injunctions the 82 Canon Bishop Jewel Bishop Babington Doctor Fulk and other of our writers agree that when the Sacrament is administred it ought to stand in the body of the Church or Chancel of which more hereafter This therefore is an innovation and that a Popish one too tending to introduce private Masse to remove the Lords Table as far as possible from the view and audience of the common people when the Sacrament is celebrated at it Secondly We have proved that this Altar-furniture of Candlesticks Tapers Basons Crucifixes and the like was originally borrowed from the Roman Ceremonial Pontifical and the Popish Councel of Aix which injoyn them That the third Part of our Homilies against the peril of Idolatry and Queen Elizabeths Injunctions which he cites for the placing of Lords Tables Altarwise Injunct 2. 23. 25. condemn censure abolish as Superstitious Ethnical and Popish all Candlesticks Trendals Rolls of wax and setting up of Tapers for that they be things tending to Idolatry and Superstition which of all other offences God Almighty doth most detest and abhor for that the same diminish most his honour and glory Therefore the Kings Altar-Furniture in his Chappel at White Hall can be no justification nor extenuation of his offence who should have reformed his Majesties Chappel whereof he was the Dean and Superintendent according to our Lawes Homilies Injunctions which condemn such Altar-trinkets not conformed his own Chapple Altar to the Kings in these meer Popish Superstitious innovations Thirdly The Arras hanging was rather suited to the Crucifixes in the glasse window over it and other Images of Christ in that Chappel then to the place or Lords Table where it hanged The Table and Sacramental elements themselves with the usual participation of them every moneth being sufficient to minde us of our Saviours last Supper passion death too and to shew them forth till he come who used no such Pictures nor Crucifixes when he instituted his last Supper without any such Image or Crucifix which being condemned by our Statutes Homilies Injunctions Canons Writers as we have formerly evidenced yea by all Antiquity by Mr. Calvin himself and many Lutherans too ought not to have been placed there the rather because there is no warrant nor prescript for it but only in the Roman Ceremonial p. 69. 70. His conformity whereto was the only ground of hanging up those Arras Pictures which well deserves another hanging especially in an Arch-prelate who professeth himself a Protestant and as averse from Popery as any man whatsoever The third sort of Innovations in my Chappel charged against me is the setting up of a Credentia or Side-table my own and my Chaplaines bowing towards the Table or Altar at our approaches to it our going in and out from the Chappel my Chaplains