cases of spoil and their accessaries or dependencies be granted hereafter Item That no Ship or Goods taken from any of his Majesties Friends shall be delivered by any other Order than upon proof made in the said Court of the Admiralty before the said Judge or his Deputy to the end that a Record may be kept of all such restitutions made to strangers to serve when occasion shall require Item That every Vice Admiral is enjoyned by this Proclamation whereof he shall take notice at his peril to certifie into the said Court of the Admiralâ—y every Quarter of the Year what man of War hath gone to the Sea or returned home within that time with any Goods taken at Sea or the procedure thereof upon pain to lose to his Majesty by way of fine for every such default forty pounds of current money of England to be answered into his Majesties Receipt of the Exchequer by Certificate from the said Judge of the Admiralty under the Great Seal of that Office to be directed to the Lord Treasurer and the Barons of the Exchequer Item That all the Kings Subjects shall forbear from aiding or receiving of any Pyrate or Sea-Rover or any person not being a known Merchant by contracting buying selling or Exchanging with them or by victualling of them or any of their Company whereby they or any of them shall be the more inabled to go or return to the Seas to commit any pyracy or disorder upon pain for so doing to be punished presently as the principal Offenders and Pyrates ought to be Item That the Vice-Admirals Customers and the other Officers of the Ports shall not suffer any ship to go to Sea before such time as they respectively in their several Ports have duly searched and visited the same to the intent to stay such persons as apparently shall be furnished for the Wars and not for â—erchandize or Fishing and if there shall be any manner of suspicion that the said person though he shall pretend to trade for merchandize or fishing hath or may have an intent by his provisions or furniture otherwise than to use the trade of merchandize or fishing thaâ— in such case of suspicion the Officers of the Ports shall stay and in no wise suffer the same to pass to the Seas without good Bonds by sufficient Sureties first had to use nothing but a lawful trade of merchandize or fishing and if the said Officers shall suffer any person otherwise to repair to the Seas then above is mentioned they shall not onely answer for any pyracies which any such person shall chance hereafter to do upon the Seas but shall suffer imprisonment until the Offenders may be apprehended if they shall be living And generally his Majesty declareth and denounceth all such Pyrats and Rovers upon the Seas to be out of his Majesties protection and lawfully to be by any person taken punished and suppressed with extremity And whereas divers great and enormous spoyles and pyracies have been of late time committed within the Streights of Gibralter by Capt. Thomas Tomkins Gent Edmond Bonham Walter Janerin Mariners and divers others English Pyrates and the Goods monies and merchandizes brought into England by them have been scattered sold and disposed of most lewdly and prodigally by the means of their Receivers Comforters and Abettors to the exceeding prejudice of his Majesties good friends the Venetians whom they have robbed and to the great displeasure of God and dishonour of this State His Majesty doth expresly command all Lieutenants Deputy-Lieutenants Admirals Vice Admirals and their Deputies and all other Officers of the Admiralty and all Justices of the Peace Mayors Sheriffs Bailiffs Constables and all others his Officers and Ministers whatsoever to use all care and diligence in the inquiring searching for and apprehending all such Pyrates their Receivers Comforters and Abettors and if they shall by their travels and cares find any of them to send them presently under safe custody to the Common-Goales of Hampshire or Dorseâ—shire there to remain without Bail or mainprise till the Lord High Admiral of England or his Lieutenant the Judge of the High Court of the Admiralty shall dispose of them according to the Laws in that case provided Given at his Majesties City of Winchester the 30th day of September 1603. in the first year of his Highness Reign of England France and Ireland and of Scotland the seven and thirtieth Anno Dom. 1604. An. Reg. Jac. 2. A Proclamation by King James for the Revocation of Mariners from forreign services to prevent their turning of Pyrates and to hinder Acts of Hostility to be committed on the Coasts of England WHereas within this short time since the Peace concluded between us and the King of Spain and the Arch-Dukes our good Brothers It hath appeared unto us that many Mariners and Sea-faring men of this Realm having gotten a custome and habit in the time of the War to make profit by spoil do leave their ordinary and honest Vocation and trading in merchantly Voyages whereby they might both have convenient maintenance and be serviceable to their Country and do betake themselves to the service of divers foreign States under the title of men of War to have thereby occasion to continue their unlawful and ungodly course of living by spoil using the service of those Princes but for colour and pretext but in effect making themselves commonly no better than Pyrates to rob both our own Subjects their Country men and the Subjects of other Princes our neighbours going in their honest trade of merchandize By which courses they impeach the quiet Traffique of Nations one with other leave our Realm unfurnished of men of their sort if we should have cause to use them and inure themselves to an impious disposition of living by rapine and evil means although by reason of the universal peace wherein we rre at this present with all Christian Princes and States they may have a more plentiful imployment in an orderly and lawful naâ—igation that at any time of late years they could have had We have thought it necessary in time to prevent the spreading of such a corruption amougst our subjects of that sort and calling whereby our Nation will be so much shandered and our Realm so greatly disedvnataged wherefore we do will and command all Masters of ships Piâ—ts Mariners and all other sort of â—ea-faring men who now are in the â—artial service of any foreign State â—at they do presently return home inâ—o their own Country and leave all â—ch foreign services and betake themâ—lves to their vocation in the lawful â—ourse of merchandize and other orâ—erly Navigation upon such pains and â—unishments as by the Laws of our â—ealm may be inflicted upon them if â—fter this Declaration of our pleasure â—hey shall not obey And We do also â—pon the same pains straitly charge and â—ommand all our Subjects of that profesâ—on that none of them shall from henceâ—orth take Letters of Mark or Reprisal â—r serve under
where so much as in us lies to â—oot out and extirpate and Hereticks so convict to punish with Condigâ— Punishment holding that such an Hâ—retick in the aforesaid Form Conviâ—â— and Condemned according to thâ— Laws and Customs of this our Kingdom of England in this part accustomed ought to be Burned with Fireâ— We command thee that thou cause the said Edward Wightman being iâ— thy Custody to be committed to the Fire in some publick and open Placeâ— below the City aforesaid for the Cause aforesaid before the People and the same Edward Wightman in the same Fire cause really to be Burned in the Detestation of the said Crime and for manifest Example of other Christians that they may not fall into the same Crime And this no ways omit under the Peril that shall follow thereon Witness c. Anno Dom. 1616. An. Reg. Jac. 14. â— Order of the King 's Privy Council sent to the Peers of the Realm for the Tryal of the Earl and Countess of Somerset Whitehall Apr. 24. 1616. AFter our very hearty Commendations to your Lordship â—hereas the King 's Majesty hath reâ—ved that the Earl of Somerset and â—e Countess his Wife lately indicted â—f Felony for the Murder and Poyâ—ning of Sir Thomas Overbury then â—s Majesties Prisoner in the Tower â—all now receive their Lawful and â—ublick Tryal by their Peers immeâ—ately after the end of this present â—aster Term. At the Tryal of which â—oble Personages your Lordship's â—resence as being a Peer of the Realm â—nd one of approved Wisdom and Inâ—grity is requisite to pass upon them â—hese are to let your Lordship understand that his Majesties Pleasure â—â— and so commandeth by these our Leâ—ters that your Lordship make youâ— repair to the City of London by thâ— Eleventh day of the Month of Mâ—â— following being some days before thâ— Tryal intended at which time youâ— Lordship shall understand more of hiâ— Majesties Pleasure So not doubtinâ— of your Lordships Care to observe hâ— Majesties Directions we commit yoâ— to God Your Lordships very loving Friends G. Cant. T. Ellesmere Canc. Fenton E. Wotton Tho. Lake Lo. Dare. C. Edmonds E. Worcester Lenox P. Herbert R. Winwood F. Grevyll J. Caesar â—he Speech of Sir Francis Bacon at the Arraignment of the Earl of Somerset the Countess having received the King's Pardon â—T may please your Grace my Lord High Steward of England and you â—y Lords the Peers You have here â—efore you Robert Earl of Somerset â—â— be Tried for his Life concerning â—e Procuring and Consenting to the â—oysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury â—â—en the King's Prisoner in the Tower â—f London as an Accessary before the â—act I know your Honours cannot beâ—old this Noble Man but you must â—emember the great Favours which â—he King hath conferred on him and â—ust be sensible that he is yet a Memâ—er of your Body and a Peer as you â—re so that you cannot cut him off â—â—om your Body but with grief and â—herefore you will expect from us that give in the King's Evidence sound â—nd sufficient matter of Proof to satisfie your Honours Consciences As for the manner of the Evidence the King our Master who amongst other his Vertues excelleth in that Vertue of the Imperial Throne which is Justice hath given us Command that we should not expatiate nor make Invectives but materially pursue the Evidence as it conduceth to the points in question A matter that though we are glad of so good a Warrant yet we should have done of our selves For far be it from us by any Strains of Wit or Arts to seek to play Prizes or blazon our Names in Blood or to carry the Day other ways than on sure grounds We shall carry the Lanthorn of Justice which is the Evidence before your Eyes upright and so be able to save it from being put out with any grounds of Evasion or vain Defence not doubting at all but that the Evidence it self will carry that Force as it shall need no Advantage or Aggravation First My Lords The Course that will hold in delivery of that which shall say for I love Order is First I will speak something of the Nature and Greatness of the Offence which is now to be Tried not to weigh down my Lord with the greatâ—ess of it but rather contrariwise to â—ew that a great Offence needs a â—ood Proof And that the King howâ—ever he might esteem this Gentleâ—an heretofore as the Signeâ— upon his â—inger to use the Scripture Phrase â—et in such a Case as this he was to â—ut it off Secondly I will use some few words â—ouching the Nature of the Proofs which in such a Case are competent Thirdly I will state the Proofs And Lastly I will produce the â—roofs either out of Examination â—nd matters of Writing or Witnesses â—iva voce For the Offence it self it is of Crimes â—ext unto High Treason the greatest is the foulest of Felonies It hath â—ree Degrees First It is Murder by Impoysonment Secondly It is Muâ—der committed upon the King's Prisoner in the Tower Thirdly I might say it is Murder under the colour â— Friendship but that it is a Circumstance Moral and therefore I leavâ— that to the Evidence it self For Murder my Lords the firâ—â— Record of Justice which was in thâ— World was Judgment upon a 〈◊〉 therer in the Person of Adam's First born Cain and though it was not punished by Death but Banishment and marks of Ignominy in respect of the Primogenitors or the Population oâ— the World yet there was a severâ— Charge given that it should not gâ—â— unpunished So it appeareth likewise in Scripture that the Murder of Abner by Joab though it were by David respited in respect of great Services past or reason of State yet it was not forgotten But of this I will say no more because I will not discourse It was ever admitted and ranked in God's own Tables That Murder is of Offences between man and man next unto High Treason and Disobedience to Authority which sometimes have been referred to the first Table because of the Lieutenancy of God in Princes the greatest For Impoysonment I am sorry it should be heard of in our Kingdom It is not nostri generis nec sanguinis pecâ—atum it is an Italian Comfit fit for the Court of Rome where that person that intoxicateth the Kings of the Earth is many times really intoxicaâ—ed and poysoned himself but it hath three Circumstances which makes it grievous beyond other matters The First is That it takes a man away in full peace in God's and the King's peace that thinks no harm â—ut is comforting of Nature with Reâ—ection and Food so that as the Scripture saith his Table is made a Snare The Second is That it is easily committed and easily conceal'd and on â—he other side hardly prevented and hardly discovered For Murder by violence Princes have Guards and Private Men have Houses Attendants and Arms. Neither can such Murder be committed but Cum sonitu with some
according to the liberty of Common amity and correspondency which is usually observed between Princes in such cases only because the Commander or Captain with some few persons besides are strangers and the rest only discovered to be his Majesties Subjects For as much as His Majesty having made his just and equal intentions thus apparent to all men by his publick Proclamations would be loath to frustrate the expectation of any his friends whom it doth or may concerne he doth hereby declare to all the world that if he shall hereafter find any such fraudulent course taken in hope colourably to avoid the true construction of his so just and necessary ordinances the breach whereof gives cause of further trouble and jealousies to arise between His Majesty and other Princes in the mutual exercise of their Subjects free Trade and entercourse He will make absolute stay of any such Ships and persons which shall be so brought into his Ports or Harbours as persons and things wholly exempted from that protection and favour which he entendeth to maintain and afford to all others which shall not in such kind go about to abuse his Majesties Integrity whose desire is to receive no better measure in any thing than he is willing to yield to others upon the like occasions Given at our Castle of Windsor the eighth of July 1605. in the third year of our Reign of Great Britain France and Ireland Anno Dom. 1609. An. Reg. Jac. 7. A Proclamation by King James touching Fishing JAmes by the Grace of God King of great Britain France and Ireland â—ender of the Faith c. To all and singular persons to whom it may appertain greeting Although we do sufficiently know by our experience in â—he office of Regal Dignity in which by the favour of Almighty God we â—ave been placed and exercised these many years as also by the observation which we have made of other Christian Princes examplary actions how far â—he absoluteness of Soveraign power â—xtendeth it self And that in regard â—hereof we need not yield accompt to â—ny person under God for any action of ours which is lawfully groundâ—d upon that Just prerogative Yet such hath ever been and shall be our â—are and desire to give satisfaction to â—ur Neighbour Princes and Friends in any action which may have the least Relation to their Subjects and estates as we have thought good by way of friendly Premonition to declare unto them all and to whom soever it may appertain as followeth Whereas we have been contented since our coming to the Crown to tolerate an indifferent and promiscuous kind of Liberty to all our friends whatsoever to fish within our Streames and upon any of our Coasts of Great Britain Ireland and other Adjacent Islands so far forth as the permission or use thereof might not redound to the empeachment of our Prerogative Royal nor to the hurt and damage of our loving Subjects whose preservation and flourishing estate we hold our self principally bound to advance beforrâ— all worldly respects So finding that our connivence therein hath not only given occasion of over great encorachments upon our Regalities or rather questioning of our right but hath been a means of much daily wrongs to our own people that exercise the trade of Fishing as either by the multitude of strangers which do preoccupy those places or by the Injuries which they receive most commonly at their hands our Sujects are constrained to abandon their Fishing or at the least are become so discouraged in the same as they hold it better for them to betake themselves to some other course of living whereby not only divers of our Coast Townes are much decayed but then umber of Mariners dayly diminished which is a matter of great consequence to our estate considering how much the strength thereof consisteth in the power of Shipping and use of Navigation we have thought it now both Just and necessary in respect that we are now by Gods favovr lineally and Lawfully possessed as well of the Island of great Britain as of Ireland and the rest of the Islles Adjacent to bethink our selves of good and Lawful meanes to prevent those incoveniencies and many others depending upon the same In the Consideration whereof as we are desirous that the world may take notice that we have no Intention to deny our Neighbours and Allies those fruits and benefits of peace and friendship which may be justly expected at our hands in honour and reason or are afforded by other Princes mutually in the point of Commerce and exchange of those things which may not prove prejudicial to them So because some such Convenient order may be taken in this matter as may sufficiently provide for all these Important Considerations which do depend thereupon We have resolved first to give notice to all the world that our express pleasure is that from the beginning of the Moneth of August next coming no person of what Nation or quality soever being not our natural born Subjects be permitted to Fish upon any of our Coasts and Seas of great Britain Ireland and the rest of the Isles Adjacent where most usually heretofore any Fishing hath been untill they have orderly demanded and obtained Licenses from us or such our Commissioners as we have Authorized in that behalf viz. At London for our Realmes of England and Ireland and at Edenborough for our Realm of Scotland which Licenses our intention is shall be Yearly Demanded for so many Vessels and Ships and the Tonnage thereof as shall inâ—end to Fish for that whole year or any part thereof upon any of our Coasts and Seas as aforesaid upon pain of such Chastisement as shall be fit to â—e inflicted upon such wilful offendâ—urs Given at our Palace of Westminster â—he sixth day of May in the seventh year â—f our Raign of Great Britain France â—nd Ireland Anno Dom. 1610. An. Jac. Reg. 8. The Case of Sir John Kennedy and his Lady UPon the Treaty with Gray Lord Chandoyes it was thought meet that 16500. l. should be allotted to the Lady for her right to the value of 14500. l. in Land and 2000. l. in money But in regard the whole estate moved from the Lady and that Sir John Kennedy was able to give her no advancement or dower out of his Estate It was thought meet that the Lady should have 8000. l. at her sole dispose and the residue to be at their joynt dispose After upon motion on the Ladies behalf out of a fear that the Estate might be wasted by Sir John and thereby she deprived of maintenance she â—hen haveing no knowledge of the Marriage in Scotland or hope of a Divorce â—r nullity of the said Marriage it was â—ppointed that the same should be conâ—onveyed over to certain Feoffees in â—rust to her use that she by her Indenâ—ure under her hand and Seal solely and without Sir John might dispose thereof The which Conveyance was directed â—y three liveing of this Honourable board viz. the
Lord Treasurer the Lord Privy-Seal and the Lord Stanhope and by the Lord Popham Lord Tanfeild Sir Thomas Hesktâ— Serjeant Dodridge and Mr. Stephens The land allotted the Lady being sold for 7800 l. with 6500 l. thereof Barne-Elmes was purchased but Sir John being trusted by the Lady to go to Mr Stephens to draw the Conveyance went to other Councel and in the Clause where it should be freely at the Lady's disposal solely without Sir John â—he caused to be inserted these words that the Lady should have power to convey the same to such intents and purposes as by the said Elizabeth solely and without the said Sir John Kennedy by writing under her hand and Seal enrolled should be limited and appointed wherein besides the contradictoriness of the sense he caused in that Deed delivered the Lady the more to blind her Eyes Enrolled to be rased and made Indented Deed. 31. December 3d. Jac. 8. And after the rasure was found out then by his Deed Dat. 2. July 4. Jac. he the said Sir John did limit power to the Lady by her Deed Inrolled or not Inrolled to limit Uses The Lady hath been a suiter two Years if Sir John for saving his own credit will not confess matter to make a Divorce then that in course of Justice she may be admitted to her proof which for that it concerneth matter of state as is suggested she is denyed 1. And therefore she hopeth it is â—ut the same Equity to stay his proceedings touching her Estate against her or her Feoffees in Course of Justice considering it is not by her laches that the Marriage is not disproved until both the said causes having a dependency one upon another may be handled at this Board 2. The Course of Conveyance by Feoffees was by Honourable Personages grave Judges and learned Lawyers directed when the Lady was supposed the true Wife of Sir John and they held in Law and Equity sufficient and now à fortiorè it should be more sufficient she being none of his Wife if she may be admitted to proofs 3. Sir John hath already advanced himself by the sale of the Ladys Estate over and above the Purchase of Tonbridge which cost 8500 l. wherein he hath a Joynt Estate of Inheritance and all her Debts that he hath Paid 7700 l. 4. If the Course propounded at this Honourable Board shall not hold then will the Lady never assent to sell and so shall the Debts of the Lady before Marriage now resting unpaid being 2207 l. and Sir John's own Debts rest unsatisfied to the oppression and clamour of many poor men and the King still troubled with renewing his protections 5. If Sir John should proceed in Course of Justice and that the Conveyance made to Feoffees should not be held sufficient and strong enough to convey the same to the Lady yet Sir John can have but the profits thereof being but 300 l. and not that clear which is not able to pay half the Use of the Money 6. Besides before any Suite began the said Manner of Barne-Elms was for Valuable Consideration of money lent mortgaged and now resteth forfeited for non-payment of 2000 l. Whether an English Jurisdiction may disannul a Marriage made in Scotland A. B. a Scotch man in a Parish Church in Scotland publickly in the presence of the Congregation Solemnizeth Marriage with a Scotch-woman About six or seven years after the said Marriage the Scotch woman pretending that at the time of her Marriage she was but ten years old or at the most under twelve before certain Competent Judges in Scotland procureth a sentence of divorce to be given against the said A. B. whereby the Marriage between A. B. and her was promounced to be void and of no force and that she was at liberty to marry again to any other upon this ground that she was under twelve years of Age at the time of her Marriage and that she never consented thereto after she was twelve years old nor had Carnal knowledge from the said A. B. from which sentence no Appeal or provocation was made Afterwards the said A. B. coming into England did solemnize Marriage with an English Woman the Scottish Wife being then living after which Marriage the said A. B. and the English woman for certain years Cohabited together here in England as Man and Wife the said English woman being Ignorant of the Premises done in Scotland during the time of her cohabitation with the said A. B. the Scottish woman dyeth after whose Death the English woman being certified that A. B. had another Wife living when he married her so as he could not be her lawful Husband at the time of her Marriage the said A. B. and she dwelling both in England she refraineth from the company of A. B. and complaineth to the Eccleastical Judges in England haveing Jurisdiction in the place where the said A. B. and she dwelleth and craving Justice offereth to prove that the said A. B. and the said Scotish woman were lawful man and wife and after the said Marriage had Carnal knowledge of each other and that they cohabited together as man and wife five or six years after she was twelve years of Age admitting she had been under that age at the time of her Marriage and desireth to be admitted Judicially according to the ordinary course of Law to alleadge and prove her aforesaid assertions before the said Judges and upon proof thereof to have sentence for the nullity of her own Marriage according to Justice It is objected on the behalf of A. B. that she ought not to be admitted thereto for these causes viz because the Marriage with the Scottish woman was solemnized in Scotland the sentence of Divorce was given in Scotland by the Judges there where the Judges of England have no Jurisdiction nor Superiority over them that there was no appeal or provocation from that sentence that it was given by the Judges of an high Courtin Scotland from whence no appeal lyeth and that if the English womans Marriage should be proved void here in England the Justice of the Realm of Scotland may thereby seem to be taxed The Question is whether the Ecclesiastical Judges or Judge haveing Jurisdiction in the place in England where the said A. B. and the English woman dwell be competent Judges and may and ought at the Petition of the English woman to hear and determine this Cause of nullity of the Marriage between her self and A. B. notwithstanding the former objections We are of opinion without any doubt that the Ecclesiastical Judge haveing Jurisdiction in the place in England where the said A. B. and the said English woman dwell may and in Justice is bound at the Complaint of the said English woman to hear and determine the said Cause concerning the validity of her said Marriage and to pronounce the Marriage between her and A. B. to be void if she prove before him the matters by her alledged notwithstanding the aforesaid objections
4. That Christ our Saviour took not Humane Flesh of the Substance of the Virgin Mary his Mother and that that Promise the Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head was not fulfilled in Christ 5. That the Person of the Holy Ghost is not God Coequal Coeternal and Coessential with the Father and the Son 6. That the three Creeds viz. the Apostles Creed the Nicene Creed the Athanasian Creed are the Heresies of â—e Nicolaitaines 7. That he the â—id Edward Wightman is that Proâ—het spoken of in the Eighteenth of â—euteronomy in these words I will â—ise them up a Prophet c. and that â—at place of Isaiah I alone have troden â—e Wine-press and that that place â—hose Fan is in his hand are proper â—d personal to him the said Edward â—ightman 8. And that he the said â—ightman is that Person of the Holy â—host spoken of in the Scriptures â—d the Comforter spoken of in the â—xteenth of St. John's Gospel 9. And at those words of our Saviour Christ the Sin of Blasphemy against the â—oly Ghost are meant of his Person â—â— And that that place the Fourth â—â— Malachy of Elias to come is â—ewise meant of his Person 11. That â—e Soul doth sleep in the Sleep of â—e First Death as well as the Body â—d is mortal as touching the Sleep â—e first Death as the Body is And â—t the Soul of our Saviour Jesus â—rist did sleep in that Sleep of Death well as his Body 12. That the Souls of the Elect Saints Departed are not Members possessed of the Triumphant Church in Heaven 13. That the Baptizing of Infants is an abominable Custom 14. That there oughâ— not in the Church the use of the Lords Supper to be celebrated iâ— the Elements of Bread and Wine and the use of Baptism to be celebrated in the Element of Water as they are now practised in the Church of England but that the use of Baptism iâ— to be administred in Water only to Converts of sufficient Age and Understanding converted from Infidelity to the Faith 15. That God hath ordained and sent him the said Edwarâ— Wightman to perform his part in the Work of the Salvation of the World to deliver it by his Teaching or Admonition from the Heresie of the Nicolaitanes as Christ was ordained and sent to save the World and by hiâ— Death to deliver it from Sin and to reconcile it to God 16. And thaâ— Christianity is not wholly professed and preached in the Church of England but only in part wherein he â—he said Edward Wightman hath before the said Reverend Father as alâ—o before our Commissioners for Cauâ—es Ecclesiastical within our Realm of England maintained his said most â—erilous and dangerous Opinions as â—ppeareth by many of his Confessions â—s also by a Book Written and Subscriâ—ed by him and given to us for the which his damnable and heretical Oâ—inions he is by Divine Sentence declared by the said Reverend Father â—he Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield with the Advice and Consent of Learned Divines and others Learned in â—he Law assisting him in Judgment â—ustly adjudged pronounced and declared to be an obstinate and incorrigible Heretick and is left by them under the Sentence of the great Excommunication and therefore as a Corrupt Member to be cut off from â—he rest of the Flock of Christ lest he should infect others professing the true Christian Faith and is to be by our Secular Power and Authority as an Heretick punished As by the Significavit of the said Reverend Father in God the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield bearing Date at Lichfield the Fourteenth day of December in the Ninth Year of our Reign and remaining in our Court of Chancery more at large appeareth And although the said Edward Wightman hath since the said Sentence pronounced against him been often very charitably moved and exhorted as well by the said Bishop as by many other Godly Grave and Learned Divines to dissuade revoke and remove him from the said Blasphemous Heretical and Anabaptistical Opinions yet he arrogantly and willfully resisteth and continueth in the same We therefore according to our Regal Function and Office minding the Execution of Justice in this behalf and to give Example to others lest they should attempt the like hereafter have Determined by the Assent of our Council to will and require and do hereby Authorize and Require You our said Chancellour immediately upon the Receit hereof to award and make out under Our Great Seal of England Our Writ of Execution â—ccording to the Tenor in these presents ensuing And these presents shall â—e your sufficient Warrant and Discharge for the same Then was a Warrant granted by the King to the Lord Chancellour of England to award a Writ under the Great Seal to the Sherriff of Lichfield for Burning of Edward Wightman delivered over to the Secular Power by the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield The Warrant THE Kng to the Sheriff of Our City of Lichfield Greeting Whereas the Reverend Father in Christ Richard by Divine Providence of Coventry and Lichfield Bishop hath signified unto Us That he judicially proceeding according to the Exigence of the Ecclesiastical Canons and of the Laws and Customs of this our Kingdom of England against one Edward Wightman of the Parish of Burton upon Trent in the Diocess of Coventry and Lichfield of and upon the Wicked Heresies of Ebion Cerinthus Valentinian Arrius Macedonius Simon Magus of Manes Manichees Photinus and of the Anabaptists and other Arch Hereticks and moreover of other cursed Opinions belched by the Instinct of Satan excogitated and heretofore unheard of the aforesaid Edward Wightman appearing before the aforesaid Reverend Father and other Divines and Learned in the Law assisting him in Judgment the aforesaid Wicked Crimes Heresies and other detestable Blasphemies and Errors stubbornly and pertinaciously knowingly maliciously and with an hardened Heart published defended and dispersed by definitive Sentence of the said Reverend Father with the Consent of Divines Learned in the Law aforesaid justly lawfully and Canonically against the said Edward Wightman in that part brought stands adjudged and pronounced an Hereâ—ick and therefore as a diseased Sheep â—ut of the Flock of the Lord lest our â—ubjects he do infect by his Contaâ—ion he hath decreeed to be cast out â—nd cut off Whereas therefore the Holy Mother-Church hath not furâ—her in this part what it ought more â—o do and prosecute the same Reveâ—end Father the same Edward Wightman as a Blasphemous and Condemâ—ed Heretick hath left to our Secuâ—ar Power to be punished with Conâ—â—ign Punishment as by the Letters Patents of the aforesaid Reverend Father the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield in this behalf thereupon made is certified unto us in our Chancery We therefore as a Zealot of Justice and a Defender of the Catholick Faith and willing that the Holy Church and the Rights and Liberties of the same and the Catholick Faith to maintain and defend and such like Heresies and Errors every