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england_n	king_n	lord_n	swear_v	2,902	5	8.4775	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B21152	The increase of popery in England, since the reformation made by King Henry VIII shewing the great encouragement that priests, Jesuits, and other promoter of that bloudy religion have had from persons of power and authority, the discouragements and notorious hardships, even to silencing, and banishment from cities and corporations, that have been the portion of many able and faithful Protestant ministers, that have eminently opposed it : with an essay towards what may possibly befall the Churches of Christ from the hellish contrivances and damnable plots of Romish emissaries : with a faithful extract out of the most authentick records of the most memorable things referring to the reformation, viz. Henry VIII, his reasons given in his proclamation for taking away the Popes usurped power, his protestation against the pope, his injunctions to his clergy, Bishop St[e]phen Gardener's oath or protestation, and his reasons against the Popessupremacy in England and the publick agreement of the whole clergy of England, as confirmed and ratified in the book called the Bishops book, published in the year 1534 / by .. William Dell ...	Darrell, William, 1651-1721.	1681 (1681)	Wing D923	53,277	58

to the King yielding and rendering unto him onely the Style of Supreme Head next under Christ of the Church of England all other Service Subjection and Obedience to be given to any other forein Potentate which should be prejudicial to the Kings Highness in this behalf being excluded and that both frankly and freely of their own voluntary motion and also upon the faith and fidelity of their Priesthood as by their own words and handwriting may appear in form as hereunder followeth The Oath of Stephen Gardener Bishop of Winchester made to King Henry VIII EGO Stephanus Wintoniensis Episcopus pure sponte The Oath of Stephen Gardener to the King absolute in verbo Pontificio profiteor ac spondeo illustrissimae vestrae Regiae Majestati singulari ac summo Domino meo Patrono Henrico Dei gratia Angliae Franciae Regi Fidei Defensori Domino Hiberniae atque in terris Ecclesiae Anglicanae Supremo immediate sub Christo Capiti quod posthac nulli externo Imperatori Regi Principi aut Praelato nec Romano Pontifiei quem Papam vocant fidelitatem obedientiam c. Translated into English thus I Stephen Bishop of Winchester do purely of mine own voluntary accord and absolutely in the word of a Bishop profess and promise to your Princely Majesty my singular and chief Lord and Patron Henry the Eighth by the grace of God King of England and of France Defender of the Faith Lord of Ireland and in earth of the Church of England Supreme Head immediately under Christ That from this day forward I shall swear promise give or cause to be given to no forein Potentate Emperour King Prince or Prelate nor yet to the Bishop of Rome whom they call Pope any Oath or Fealty directly or indirectly either by word or writing but at all times and in every case and condition I shall observe hold and maintain to all effects and intents the quarrel and cause of your Royal Majesty and your Successors and to the uttermost of my power shall defend the same against all manner of persons whomsoever I shall know or suspect to be Adversaries to your Majesty or to your Successors and shall give my faith truth and obedience syncerely and with my very heart onely to your Royal Majesty as to my Supreme Prince I profess the Papacy of Rome not to be ordained of God by holy Scripture Stephen Gardener abrenounceth the Pope but constantly do affirm and openly declare and shall declare it to be set up onely by Man and shall cause diligently other men likewise to publish the same Neither shall I enter any Treaty with any person or persons either privily or apertly or shall consent thereto that the Bishop of Rome shall have or exercise here any Authority or Iurisdiction or is to be restored to any Iurisdiction hereafter Furthermore that the said Bishop of Rome now being or any that shall succ●ed him hereafter in the said See is not to be called Pope nor Supreme Bishop or Vniversal Bishop nor most holy Lord but onely ought to be called Bishop of Rome and Fellow Brother as the old manner of the most ancient Bishops hath been This I shall to my power openly maintain and defend And I shall firmly observe and cause to be observed of other to the uttermost of my cunning wit and power all such Laws and Acts of this Realm how and whatsoever as have been enacted and established for the extirpation and suppression of the Papacy and of the Authority and Iurisdiction of the said Bishop of Rome Neither shall I appeal hereafter to the said Bishop of Rome nor ever consent to any person that shall appeal to him neither shall I attempt prosecute or follow any Suit in the Court of Rome for any cause of right or justice to be had or shall make answer to any Plea or Action nor shall take upon me the person and office either of the Plaintiff or Defendent in the said Court And if the said Bishop by his Messenger or by his Letters shall make any means or signification unto me of any matter whatsoeuer it be I shall with all speed and diligence make declaration and advertisement thereof or cause the same to be signified either to your Princely Majesty or to some of your secret Council or to your Successors or any of their privy Council Neither shall I send or cause to be sent at any time any writing or messenger to the said Bishop or to his Court without the knowledge or consent of your Majesty or your Successors willing me to send writing or messenger unto him Neither shall I procure or give counsel to any person to procure Bulls Briefs or Rescripts whatsoever either for me or for any other from the said Bishop of Rome or his Court. And if any such shall be procured against my will and knowledge either in general or in special or else howsoever they shall be granted unto them I shall utter and disclose the same and not consent thereunto nor use them in any case and shall cause them to be brought to your Majesty or your Successors Furthermore for the confirmation hereof I give my faith and truth by firm promise and in the faith of a Bishop that against this my foresaid Profession and Promise made I shall defend my self by no Dispensation Exception nor any remedy or cautel of Law or Example during this my natural life And if heretofore I have done or made any Protestation in prejudice of this my Profession and Promise here made the same I do revoke at this present and for ever hereafter and here utterly do renounce by these presents Whereunto I have subscribed and underwritten the name both of my self and of my Bishoprick with my proper hand and thereto also have put to my Seal in perpetual and undoubted testimony of the premisses Given the tenth day of February Anno 1534 and of our Sovereign Lord King Henry the eight twenty six Stephanus Wintoniensis The same Bishop of Winchester's Reasons against the Pope's Supremacy MOreover the said Gardener in the forenamed Book De vera Obedientia what Constancy he pretendeth Steph. Wint. a Lutheran in his Book De vera obedientia what Arguments he inferreth how earnestly and pithily he disputeth on the Kings side against the Vsurped State of the Bishop of Romes Authority by the words of his Book it may appear whereof a brief Collection here followeth IN the process of his foresaid Book The Sword of the Church how far it extendeth he alledging the old distinction of the Papists wherein they give to the Prince the Regiment of things Temporal and to the Church of things Spiritual comparing the one to the greater Light the other to the lesser Light he confuteth and derideth the same distinction declaring the Sword of the Church to extend no further than to Teaching and Excommunication and referreth all preheminence to the Sword of the Prince alledging for this the

second Psalm And now you Kings be wise Psal 2. and be learned ye that judge the earth c. Also the example of Salomon who being a King 2 Par. 28. according to his Fathers appointment ordained the Offices of the Priests in their Ministeries and Levites in their Order Exod. 32. that they might give thanks and minister before the Priests after the order of every day and Porters in their divisions gate by gate And speaking more of the said Salomon he saith 1 Reg. 22. For so commanded the Man of God neither did the Priests nor Levites omit any thing of all that he had commanded c. Besides this he alledgeth also the example of King Ezechias 2 Paralyp 28. He alledgeth moreover the example and fact of Justinian which made Laws touching the Faith Bishops Clerks Hereticks and such other Aaron saith he obeyed Moses Salomon gave sentence upon Abiathar the High Priest 1 Macch. 10. 1 Macch. 14. Alexander the King in the first of Macchabees writeth thus to Jonathas Now have we made thee this day the High Priest of thy people c. So did Demetrius to Simon Then coming to the words of Christ spoken to Peter Matthew 16. Matth. 16. upon which words the Pope pretendeth to build all his Authority to this he answereth That if Christ by those words had limited to Peter any such special state or preheminence above all Princes then were it not true that is written Coepit Jesus docere facere forasmuch as the words of Christ should then be contrary to his own facts and example who in all his life never usurped either in himself any such domination above Princes shewing himself rather subject unto Princes nor yet did ever permit to his Apostles any such example of ambition to be seen but rather rebuked them for seeking any manner of Majority amongst them The Kings Style and Title approved by Steph. Wint. And where he reasoneth of the Kings Style and Title being called the King of England and of France Defender of the Faith Lord of Ireland and Supreme Head in earth of the Church of England immediately under Christ c. thus he addeth his mind and censure saying That he seeth no cause in this Title why any man should be offended that the King is called the Head of the Church of England rather than of the Realm of England and addeth his reason thereunto saying If the Prince and King of England be the Head of his Kingdom that is of all Englishmen that be his Subjects is there any cause why the same English Subjects should not be subject to the same Head likewise in this respect because they are Christians that is to say for the title of Godliness as though that God which is the cause of all Obedience should now be the cause of Rebellion At length thus he concludeth with an Exclamation saying To say saith he that a King is the Head of a Kingdom and not of the Church what an absurd and a foolish saying is this The King is as well the Head of the Church as of his Kingdom And further adding for example the subjection of the Servant and Wife If the Servant saith he be subject to his Master or Wife to her Husband being Infidels doth their Conversion afterward or name of Christians make them less Subjects than they were before As Religion therefore doth not alter the Authority of the Master over the Servant nor of the Husband over the Wife no more saith he doth it between the Prince and Subjects Paul making no exception nor distinction of Subjection save onely of that which belongeth to God willeth all men to obey their Princes and what Princes Those Princes which bear the sword And although we are bound by the Scripture to obey our Bishops and Spiritual Pastors of the Church yet that obedience diminisheth nothing the chief and head Authority that ought to be given to the Prince no more than the obedience of the Servant to his Master or of the Wife to her Husband exempteth them from Subjection due to their Superiour Powers And herewithall he inferreth a principle of the Law A Rule of the Law Divers Iurisdictions saith he proceeding from one person do not marry nor hinder themselves but rather do confirm and fortifie one another Again whereas the Bishop of Rome under the name of Peter doth appropriate to himself the highest place in the Church for that he is the Successor of Peter Thereunto he answereth in one word but in that one word he answereth enough and to the full I would saith he he were Wenchesters with that the Pope were Peters Successor for so in very deed he might well exceed and pass all Kings and Princes if not in preheminency of Dignity yet in admiration and excellency of Virtue in which kind of superiority the Lord Christ would his Apostles and Ministers to go before all Kings and Emperours in the whole world After this in prosecuting the Argument of Peters Confession he argueth thus and saith Argument The Prerogative was given to him which confessed Flesh and Bloud in Peter did not confess Christ Ergo the Prerogative was not given to the Flesh and Bloud of Pet●r that as flesh and bloud did not reveal to Peter that Confession so neither was that Prerogative given to the flesh and bloud of Peter but to the better part that is to the spirit of Peter which is to mean in respect of the spiritual Confession of Peter and not in respect of any carnal place or person c. Item If the Scholar ought not to be above the Master how then could either Peter take that upon him which Christ his Master so constantly did refuse Or how can the Bishop of Rome now claim that by Succession whereof no example is to be found either in the Head or his Predecessor before him For so we read in Eusebius both of Peter James and John that they did arrogate no such Primacy unto them but were content that James surnamed Justus should be the Bishop of the Apostles And as for the name and signification of the word Primatus i. Primacy Pr●matus or Primacy what it signifieth if it be taken for the first nomination or the first place given so he granteth that Peter had the preferment of the first name and place in the order of the Apostles but it followeth not that with this Primacy he had also a Kingdom given He saith Confirm thy Brethren but not thy Subjects And though he were bid of the Lord to confirm his Brethren yet was he not bid to exercise an Impery upon his Brethren for so were they not his Brethren but his Subjects Primus Primatus i. Primacy meaneth as much as the first standing in Vocation and is the name of Vertue and not of Power That Peter was Primus that is first or chief in the number of them which confessed Christ it is not

much better no place to be named than to name such as he purposed not to come to for so should he break no promise which maketh none And so going forward in his Oration toward the later end he thus inferreth by his words of Protestation saying No Princes as the● gave the Pope Primacy so they take it from him again we will the Pope and his Adherents to understand that which we have oft said and now say and ever will say He nor his hath no Authority nor Iurisdiction in England we give him no more than he hath that is never a deal That which he hath usurped against Gods Law and extorteth by violence we by good right take from him again But he and his will say we gave them a Primacy We bear them well we gave it you indeed if you have Authority upon us as long as our Consent giveth it you and you evermore will make your plea upon our Consent then let it have even an end where it began we consent no longer your Authority must needs be gone If we being deceived by false pretence of evil-alledged Scriptures gave to you that ye ought to have refused why may we not our Error now perceived and your Deceit espied take it again We Princes wrote our selves to be inferiour to Popes as long as we thought so we obeyed them as our Superiours Now we write not as we did and therefore they have no great cause to marvel if we hereafter do not as we did both the Laws Civil and also the Laws of God be on our side For a Fraeman born doth not lose his Liberty no nor hurt the plea of his Liberty though he write himself a Bondman Again if they lean to Custom Custom we send them to S. Cyprian which saith That Custom if Truth be not joyned with it is nothing but Erroris vetustas that is an old Error Christ said Ego sum via veritas vita I am the way the truth and the life he never said Ego sum consuetudo I am the Custom Wherefore seeing Custom serveth you on the one side and Scripture us on the other are ye able to match us In how many places doth Christ monish you to seek no Primacy to prefer your selves before nobody no to be obedient unto all Creatures Your old Title Servus Servorum evil agreeth your new forged Dignity The Popes Title and his Dignity agree not together But we will not tarry in matters so plain we onely desire God that Caesar and other Christian Princes would agree upon some holy Council where truth may be tried and Religion set up which hath been hurt by nothing so sore as by general not General Councils Errors and Abuses grow too fast Erudimini qui judicatis terram Get you Learning you that judge the earth and excogitate some Remedy for these so many Diseases of the sick Church They that be wisest do despair of a General Council Best that every Prince reform his own Realm and tarry not for General Councils wherefore we think it now best that every Prince call a Council Provincial and every Prince to redress his own Realm We make all men privy what we think best to be done for the redress of Religion if they like it we doubt not but they will follow it or some other better Our trust is that all Princes will so handle themselves in this behalf that Princes may enjoy their own and Priests of Rome content themselves with that they ought to have Princes as we trust will no longer nourish Wolves Whelps they will subscribe no more to Popish Pride to the Papacy c. Favour our doings O Christian Princes your Honour and ancient Majesty is restored Remember there is nothing peetaining so much to a Princes Honour as to set forth Truth and to help Religion Take you heed that their Deceits work not more mischief than your Vertue can do good and everlasting War we would all Princes had with this Papacy As for their Decrees so hearken to them that if in this Mantuan Assembly things be well done ye take them but not as authorized by them but that Truth and things that maintain Religion are to be taken at all mens hands And even as we will admit things well made so if there be any thing determined in prejudice of Truth for the maintainance of their evil grounded Primacy or that may hurt the Authority of Kings we protest unto the whole world that we neither allow it nor will at any time allow it Ye have Christian Readers our mind concerning the General Council we think you all see that Paul and his Cardinals Bishops Abbats Monks Friers with the rest of the Rabblement do nothing less intend than the Knowledge of Truth Ye see this is no time meet Mantua no place meet for a General Council and though they were both meet yet except some other call this Council you see that we neither need to come nor to send You have heard how every Prince in his own Realm may quiet things amiss If there be any of you that can shew us a better way we promise with all our hearty desire to do that that shall be thought best for the settling of Religion and that we will leave our own Advices if any man shew us better Which mind of ours we most heartily pray God that gave it us not onely to increase in us but also to send it unto all Christian Princes all Christian Prelats and all Christian People Injunctions given by King Henry VIII to the Clergy of his Realm IN the Name of God Amen In the Year of our Lord God 1536 and of the most Noble Reign of our Sovereign Lord Henry VIII King of England and of France Defender of the Faith Lord of Ireland and in the earth Supreme Head of the Church of England the twenty eighth c. I Thomas Cromwell Knight Lord Cromwell Keeper of the Privy Seal of our said Sovereign Lord the King and Vicegerent to the same for and concerning all his Iurisdiction Ecclesiastical within this Realm to the glory of Almighty God to the Kings Highness Honour the publick weal of this Realm and increase of Vertue in the same have appointed and assigned these Injunctions ensuing to be kept and observed of the Dean Parsons Vicars Curats and Stipendaries resident or having Cure of Souls or any other Spiritual Administration within this Deanry under the Pains hereafter limited and appointed THE first is that the Dean Parsons Vicars and other having Cure of Souls any where within this Deanry shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lie shall cause to be kept and observed of all other all and singular Laws and Statutes of this Realm made for the abolishing and extirpation of the Bishop of Romes pretended and usurped Power and Iurisdiction within this Realm Confirmation of the Kings Supremacy and for the establishment and confirmation of the Kings Authority

An Advertisement AT the earnest request of some Friends I have been prevailed with to publish this small Treatise which had been sooner done had it not been seized in the Press in the Year 1667 by which the Reader will easily see what a prospect the Author then had of the Miseries we now groan under and with what Zeal he then earnestly laboured to open the eyes of Englishmen against the cursed Plots and Contrivances of the bloud-thirsty Papists M. D. June 18. 1681. THE INCREASE OF Popery in England Since the Reformation made by King Henry VIII SHEWING The great encouragement that Priests Jesuits and other Promoter of that bloudy Religion have had from Persons of Power and Authority The Discouragements and notorious Hardships even to Silencing and Banishment from Cities and Corporations that have been the portion of many able and faithful Protestant Ministers that have eminently opposed it With an Essay towards what may possibly befall the Churches of Christ from the Hellish Contrivances and Damnable Plots of Romish Emissaries With a faithful Extract out of the most Authentick Records of the most memorable things referring to the Reformation viz. King Henry VIII his Reasons given in his Proclamation for taking away the Popes Usurped Power His Protestation against the Pope His Injunctions to his Clergy Bishop St phen Gardener's Oath or Protestation and his Reasons against the Popes Supremacy in England And the publick Agreement of the whole Clergy of England as confirmed and ratified in the Book called The Bishops Book published in the Year 1534. Intended to be published in the Year 1667 but seized at the Press by R.L.S. and others By the late Reverend William Dell sometime Rector of Yelden in Bedfordshire LONDON Printed for Richard Janeway 1681. THE PREFACE FOrasmuch as the great and sudden growth of Popery in these three Nations especially in England which hath now for a long time through the Merciful Goodness of God flourished and been happy in the True Reformed Protestant Religion is now sufficiently manifest to all who have not either blinded their own Eies or been blinded by Satan And forasmuch as the means whereby this great Misery and Mystery of Iniquity hath been brought thus far to this dreadful and unhappy success are also as fully manifest to wit First The great Countenance and Incouragement that this Heretical and Bloudy Religion hath had from Persons of Power and Authority together with all the detestable Professors and Promoters thereof Papists Priests and Jesuites who have their daily Councils and Cabals in the Highest Places to promote this great Design of the Devil and of his First-Born on Earth the Pope even to set up the old Damnable Superstition and Doctrine of that Man of Sin whom the Weekly Pamphleteer terms very devoutly His Holiness and yet is no other indeed and truth than His Wickedness the Old Enemy of Christ and his true Christians and Followers the Son of Perdition the Angel of the Bottomless Pit the Destroyer and Murderer of Souls and Bodies the impudent Agent of Hell upon Earth the Devils chief Servant and Factor for his Kingdom of Darkness the Monster of Monsters who hath abused abased and vassalized all Christian Princes made himself superiour to them yea their very Lord and Master even in their own Dominions who hath inforced all their People not only by his frivolous Excommunications but also by Fire and Faggot by Imprisonments Tortures and all manner of exquisite Cruelties which are the only Weapons of his Warfare to bow down to this Beast and to own him as God sitting in the Temple of God not only directly against God but most Proudly and Insolently above him Who hath pilled and polled them of all their Money and Riches which is the only Fish this great Fisher of Rome fishes for who hath disturbed interdicted disordered wasted and overturned whole Empires Kingdoms and Nations at his Wicked Pleasure and hath been no other through all Ages than Satans eminent Vicegerent upon Earth This this prodigious and unparalell'd Wretch must now in the midst of three Protestant Nations be publickly stiled His Holiness forsooth who only is holy as Satan is holy for it may truly be said of him above any other He is of his Father the Devil and of his works he doth I say the countenancing of this Damnable Religion and of this abominable Sect and of the chief H ad of it the Pope is one great cause of the new Increase of this Catholique Her●si● amongst us Secondly Another cause is The open and notorious discountenancing discouraging silencing displacing and banishing from the Chief Cities and Towns in England all the ab e faithful and godly Ministers of Jesus Christ Who being the diligent painful and sincere Teachers of his true Doctrine set forth in his Gospel for the salvation of Souls and for the reducing the lost Sheep to the fold of the true Shepherd were the greatest and strongest Bulwark against Popery in the Nation For His Wickedness i. e. the Pope and his Wicked Followers knew well enough that Popery could never t●ke root again and prosper in these Nations if these Mens Mouths were open They knew well enough that their dark Doctrine and Kingdom could never prevail where the clear light of the Gospel shines And therefore they used their chief Artifices and Satanical Subtilties to seduce the Secular Authority to run on their Errand and to do their Drudgery even to Suppress Imprison and Banish Thes● upon slight and forged Pretences and in their stead to foist in a number of ignorant unlearned loose worldly profane and debauched Priests in every City Town and Parish Men generally who neither understand the Law nor the Gospel neither know God nor Themselves nor are endued with any sound and serious knowledge of any th ng that so these keeping away the Light of the Knowledge of the Truth from the people they poor Souls might walk in darkn ss and not know whither they go though they should be led into Popery again which is the Open Broad Way to Hell Thirdly Another Cause is The letting loose the reins to all mann●r of Ungodliness and Unrighteousn ss whatsoever that Men not onely without controul but with countenance may be as wicked as they can be in the World may Whore commit Adultery Revel Drink Swear Blaspheme Reproach the Holy Word of God Vilifie his Ministers Abuse and Persecute his People in the greatest freedom the Devil can give whereby Hell is let loose upon Earth and the Smoak of the Bottomless Pit that is Sin and Wickedness of all Sorts and Sizes hath filled and darkened the Nation and Men are gone to the highest extent of Wickedness that can be practised on Earth that if they would be worse they must go to Hell in Hell And that which hath had a Stretched-out Arm to bring about this Kingdom of the Devil amongst Men is the frequent acting and frequenting of Stage-Plays wherein the most Holy and Dreadful Name

of God is prostituted to the Abuse and Contempt of every base Villain where the Preaching of the Word and Prayer the Highest and most Sacred Ordinances of God are scorned and jeered in the presence of great Persons where all Vice and Wickedness and Filthiness are made familiar and pl●asant to the People These are the Nurs●ries of Hell and the Seed-plots of Damnation whereby most of our greatest Persons and of the Gentry are corrupted and rendred wholly useless for any worthy or noble employment in the Commonwealth they being through their influence become bruitish and without understanding worse than the Beasts that perish and viler than the Earth For the Pope knows that as Christ gathers his Kingdom here in the world of the Elect and Faithful so his Wickedness must gather his Kingdom out of th●m that perish who have made shipwrack of Faith and good Consci●nce and are throughly practised to commit all inquity with gr●ediness And now when Men are brought to this sad pass that they are of no Religion at all but are very Atheists so that they can mock at the Name of God and at his Holy Word and most Blessed Spirit then are they become sit Subjects to receive Antichrists Religion which can please them with Organs and Anthems and with Vain-Shews Ceremonies and May-Games and thereby can stifle their unquiet Consciences and He by his false Pardons and Indulgences can yet drive them more headlong into Sin bearing them in hand in the mean time that though his favour which also is to be procured by Money though they commit all these abominations they are notwithstanding in a fair way to Heaven By which Catholique Cheat of his he destroys innumerable Souls of those whom God in his just Judgment because they received not the Truth of the Gospel in the love of it hath given up to his strong delusions to believe his Lyes By these Three Means besides others things are brought to that pass that Popery is become the onely safe and thriving way and thousands of People whose Names are not Written in the Book of Life seeing safety favour and preferments attend it run headlong to it and greedily take Antichrists Mark in their Forehead and in their right hand for the sake of present security and profit not considering their latter end Yea they are become so thorough and hearty in this their new Undertaking for the Catholique Cause that through the help they have received by Money and Arms together with their strong Incouragements from Rome which is the chief Wheel in this Motion they are now ready at a Day and an Hour when the Watch-Word shall be given that I may use their own word of Mystery To begin their Heats that is to rise up and destroy all that are or are called Protestants of what Degree Condition or Sex soever by Fire and Sword and other Methods of Destruction and not to leave any of their Persons or so much as their Names if it may be to survive in this Nation This is like to be their first attempt and had been put in Execution before this if the Lord himself whose Eyes behold the Nations had not most graciously disappointed them And their second Design which stands behind the Curtain is like the first to wit if that succeed then afterwards to destroy all the English Bloud against which they have the greatest Antipathy and to plant this Land with French and other Foreigners that so they may throughly restore it to its former Popish Splendor to the great Satisfaction of all Popish Christendom Wherefore if it be possible and if it be the good Pleasure of the Lord to put a Stop and Oh that it might be a full Point and Period to these Bold Intrusions of Popery and to all the Cruel Designs in the Breast of it it was thought meet for the common utility of all Protestants and Englishmen to represent afresh unto them the Memorable Acts of Henry the VIII King of England for the extirpating the Pope and his Cursed Religion out of his Dominion And what He saw so great cause to reject and cast out as Abominable and Intollerable upon such unanswerable grounds as He expresseth sure no man that is in his right Wits and of a sound Judgment hath any just ground to endeavour to bring in again And this thou thy self whoever thou art that art either in the right Faith of a Christian or in the right Wits of a Man wilt judge if thou shalt wisely and impartially r●ad and observe what followeth King Henry VIII his Proclamation for the Abolishing the Usurped Power of the Pope as it is recorded in Fox his Book of Martyrs Fol. 335. Vol. 2. TRusty and Well-beloved We greet you well The Kings Proclam●tion against the Pope And whereas not onely upon good and just and vertuous grounds and respects edified upon the Laws of holy Scripture dy due consultation deliberation advisement and consent as well of all other our Nobles and Commons Temporal as also Spiritual assembled in our high Court of Parliament and by Authority of the same we have by good and wholsom Laws and Statutes made for this purpose extirped abolished separated and secluded out of this our Realm the Abuses of the Bishop of Rome his Authority and Iurisdiction of long time usurped as well upon us and our Realm as upon all other Kings and Princes and their Realms like as they themselves have confessed and affirmed but also for as much as our said Nobles and Commons both Spiritual and Temporal assembled in our high Court of Parliament have upon good lawful and vertuous grounds and for the publick weal of this our Realm by one whole Assent granted annexed knit and united to the Crown Imperial of the same the Title Dignity The Style of Supreme Head annexed to the Crown of England and Style of Supreme Head or Governour in earth immediately under God of the Church of England as we be and undoubtedly have hitherto been Which Title and Style both the Bishops and Elergy of this our Realm have not onely in Convocation assembled consented recognized and approved lawfully and justly to appertain unto us but also by Word Oath Profession and Writing under their Signs and Seals have confessed ratified corroborated and confirmed the same utterly renouncing all other Oaths and Obedience to any other forein Potentates and all forein Iurisdictions and Powers as well of the said Bishop of Rome as of all other whatsoever they be as by their said Professions and Writings corroborated with the Subscription of their Names and Appension of their Seals more plainly appeareth We let you to wit that calling to our remembrance the Power Charge and Commission given unto us of Almighty God and upon a vehment love and affection toward our loving and faithful Subjects perceiving right well what great rest quietness and tranquillity of Conscience and manifold other commodities might insurge and arise unto them if that the said Bishops

he be be he Bishop of Rome or of any other City Province or Diocese do presume to take upon him Authority or Iurisdiction in causes or matters which appertain unto Kings and the civil powers and their Courts and will maintain or think that he may so do by the Authority of Christ and his Gospel although the Kings and Princes would not permit and suffer him so to do no doubt that Bishop is not worthy to be called a Bishop but rather a Tyrant The Bishop os Rone judged to be a Tyrant and Usurper and as Vsurper of other mens rights contrary to the Law of God and is worthy to be reputed none otherwise than he that goeth about to subvert the Kingdom of Christ For the Kingdom of Christ in his Church is a spiritual and not a carnal Kingdom of the world that is to say the very Kingdom that Christ by himself or by his Apostles and Disciples sought here in this world was to bring all Nations from the carnal Kingdom of the Prince of darkness unto the light of his spiritual Kingdom and so himself to reign in the hearts of the people by grace faith hope and charity And therefore ●ith Christ did never seek nor exercise any worldly Kingdom or Dominion in this world but rather refusing and flying from the same did leave the said worldly Governance of Kingdoms Realms and Nations to be governed by Princes and Potentates in like manner as he did find them and commanded also his Apostles and Disciples to do the semblable as it was said before whatsoever Priest or Bishop will arrogate or presume to take upon him any such Authority and will pretend the Authority of the Gospel for his defence therein he doth nothing else but in a manner as you would say crowneth Christ again with a Crown of Thorn and traduceth and bringeth him forth again with his Mantle of Purple upon his back to be mocked and scorned of the world as the Iews did to their own damnation This Doctrine was subscribed and allowed by the witness and testimony of these Bishops and other Learned Men whose Names hereunder follow as appeareth in the Bishops Book before named TESTES Testimonies of Bi●hops and Doctors of England against the Pope Thomas Cantuariensis Edouardus Eboracensis Johannes Londonensis Cuthbertus Dunelmensis Stephanus W●ntonlensis Robertus Carliolensis Johannes Exoniensis Johannes Lincolniensis Johannes Bathoniensis Rolandus Coventr Lichfield Thomas Eliensis Nicolaus Sarum Johannes Bangor Edouardus Herefordiensis Hugo Wigorniensis Johannes Roffensis Richardus Cicestrensis Gulielmus Menevensis Robertus Assavensis Robertus Landavensis Guilielmus Norwicensis Richardus Wolman Archidiacon Sudbur Guilielmus Knight Archidiacon Richmond Johannes Bell Archidiacon Gloucester Edmundus Bonner Archidiacon Leicester Gulielmus Skippe Archidiacon Dorset Nicolaus Heth Archidiacon Stafford Cuthbertus Marshall Archidiacon Nottingham Richardus Curten Archidiacon Oxon. Guilielmus Glife Galfridus Dounes Robertus Oking Radulphus Bradford Richardus Smith Simon Matthew Johannes P●in Guilielmus Buckmaster Guilielmus May Nicolaus Wotton Richardus Cox Johannes Edmunds Thomas Robertson Johannes Baker Thomas Barret Johannes Hase Johannes Tyson These were Doctors of Divinity and both Laws A Protestation in the name of the King and the whole Council and Clergy of England why they refuse to come to the Popes Council at his call SEeing that the Bishop of Rome calleth Learned Men from all parts conducting them by great rewards The Kings Protestation why he sends not to the Popes Council making as many of them Cardinals as he thinketh most m●et and most ready to defend Frauds and Vntruths we could not but with much anxiety cast with our selves what so great a preparance of Wits should mean As chance was we guessed even as it followed We have been so long acquainted with Romish Subtilties and Popish Deceits The Popes craft espied that we well and easily judged the Bishop of Rome to intend an Assembly of his Adherents and men sworn to think all his Lusts to be Laws we were not deceived Paul the Bishop of Rome hath called a Council to the which he knew well either few or none of the Christian Princes could come both the time that he indicted it and also the place where he appointed it to be might assure him of this But whither wander not these Popish Bulls whither wander they not astray What King is not cited and summoned by a proud Minister and Servant of Kings to come to bolster up Errors Frauds Deceits and Vntruths and to set forth this feigned General Council For who will not think that Paul the Bishop of Rome goeth sooner about to make men believe that he pretendeth a General Council than that he desireth one indeed No who can less desire it than they that do despair of their Cause except they be Iudges and give sentence themselves against their Adversaries The King not bound to come at the Popes call We which very sore against our will at any time leave off the procurement of the Realm any common weal need neither to come our selves nor yet to send any Procurators thither no nor yet to make our Excuse for either of both For who can accuse us that we come not at his call which hath no Authority to call us But for a season let us as a sort of Blindlings do grant that he may call us and that he hath Authority so to do yet we pray you may not all men see what availeth it to come to this Council Who be they that have place in the Popes Council where ye shall have no place except y● be known both willing to oppress truth and also ready t● confirm and stablish Errors Do not all men perceive 〈◊〉 as we with what integrity fidelity and religion these men go about to discuss matters in controversie that take them in hand in so troublesom a time as this is Is it not plain what fruit the Commonweal of Christendom may look for there The place of the Council not indifferent whereas Mantua is chosen the place to keep his Council in Is there any Prince not being of Italy yea is there any of Italy Prince or other dissenting from the Pope that dareth come to this Assembly and to this place If there come none that dare speak for trodden truth none that will venture his life is it marvel if the Bishop of Rome being Iudge No reason that the Pope should be Judge in his own cause no man repining no man gainsaying the Defenders of the Papacy obtain that Popish Authority now quailling and almost fasten to be set up again Is this the way to help things afflict to redress troubled Religion to lift up oppressed truth Shall men this way know whether the Roman Bishops which in very deed are The Bishop of Rom in learning and life far under other Bishops if ye look upon either their Doctrine or Life far under other Bishops ought to be made like their Fellows that

vincula next coming provide a Book of the whole Bible both in Latin and also in English and lay the same in the Quire for every man that will to look and read thereon and shall discourage no man from the reading of any part of the Bible either in Latin or English but rather to comfort exhort and monish every man to read the same as the very Word of God and the spiritual food of mans Soul whereby they may the better know their Duties to God to their Sovereign Lord the King and their Neighbour ever gently and charitably exhorting them that using a sober and modest behaviour in the reading and inquisition of the true sense of the same they do in no wise stiffly or eagerly contend or strive one with another about the same but refer the declaration of those places that be in controversie to the judgment of them that be better learned Priests not to haunt Ale-houses Also the said Dean Parsons Vicars Curats and other Priests shall in no wise at any unlawful time nor for any other cause than for their honest necessity haunt or resort to any Taverns or Alehouses and after their Dinner and Supper they shall not give themselves to drinking or riot spending their time idly by day or by night at Tables or Cards playing or any other unlawful Game but at such times as they shall have such leisure they shall read or hear somewhat of holy Scripture or shall occupy themselves with some honest Exercise and that they always do those things that appertain to good congruence and honesty with profit of the Commonweal having always in mind that they ought to excell all other in purity of life and should be example to all other to live well and Christianly Furthermore Parsons not resident to pay the 40th part to their Parishes because the goods of the Church are called the goods of the Poor and in these days nothing is less seen than the Poor to be sustained with the same all Parsons Vicars Prebendaries and other beneficed men within this Deanry not being resident upon their Benefices which may dispend yearly twenty pounds or above either within this Deanry or elsewhere shall distribute hereafter yearly amongst their poor Parishioners or other Inhabitants there in the presence of the Churchwardens or some other honest men of the Parish the fortieth part of the Fruits and Revenues of their said Benefices lest they be worthily noted of Ingratitude which reserving so many parts to themselves cannot vouchsafe to impart the fortieth portion thereof amongst the poor people of that Parish that is so fruitful and profitable unto them And to the intent that learned men may hereafter spring the more for the executing of the said premisses Every beneficed man worth 100 l. to find a Scholar at the University every Parson Vicar Clerk or beneficed man within this Deanry yearly to spend in Benefices or other Promotions of the Church an hundred pounds shall give competent Exhibition to one Scholar and for as many hundred pounds more as he may dispend to so many Scholars more shall give like Exhibition in the Vniversity of Oxford or Cambridge or some Grammar School which after they have profited in good Learning may be Partners of their Patrons Cure and Charge as well in Preaching as otherwise in the execution of their Offices or may when need shall be otherwise profit the Commonwealth with their counsel and wisdom Also that all Parsons Vicars and Clerks Beneficed men to maintain their Mansions having Churches Chapels or Mansions within this Deanry shall bestow yearly hereafter upon the same Mansions or Chancels of their Churches being in decay the fifth part of those their Benefices till they shall be fully repaired and the same so repaired they shall always keep and maintain in good estate All which and singular Injunctions shall be inviolably observed of the said Dean Parsons Vicars Curats Stipendaries and other Clerks and beneficed men under pain of Suspension and Sequestration of the Fruits of their Benefices untill they have done their duties according to these Injunctions Postscript CHristian Reader Who hast perused and well weighed this Protestation thou dost see therein the Frauds Pride Avarice Treacheries Cruelties Enmity to God and Christ and his Truth and People with many other notorious Enormities of the Pope and his Shaveling Priests and Clergy clearly and openly discovered detected detested and renounced by so great a King He pronounces them to be open Enemies to Christ himself and to carry in their Breasts an immortal Hatred to his Truth He Proclaimeth to all Christian Princes and Peoble the miserable Tragedies which under pretence of Unity and Concord they have brought into Christendom and that they have troubled all Christian Realms with Seditions under plausible pretences of Peace That in all their Councils and Actings touching Religion the only Marks they have shot at was Lucre Money and Gains yea that they sought their own Profit with the Slaughter of the Truth and were infinitely more willing that the greatest Injury should be done to the Gospel than that their Authority that is to say their Arrogant Impudence should suffer the least Diminution That their usual practice is to defile their cruel Hands with honest Mens Bloud and that contrary to their Oaths He further declares That this holy Vicar was so inflamed with Hatred against the King and Kingdom for pulling down his Usurped Power and Proud Primacy for expelling his Usurped Jurisdiction for rejecting his False and Heretical Doctrine and delivering this Realm from his grievous Bondage and Polage that He sought by all ways to endamage both King and People and by Enemies at Home and Princes Abroad to stir up Troubles and Commotions Upon which sufficient Grounds and for which just Causes he thus resolves saying Surely except God take away our right Wits not only his Authority to wit the Popes shall be driven out for Ever but his Name also shall shortly be forgotten in England And again We will ha' the Pope and his Adherents to understand that which we have oft said and now say and ever will say He nor His hath no Authority or Jurisdiction in England That which he hath usurped against Gods Law and extorted by Violence We by good right take from him again And He exhorts all Christian Princes to favour and follow his Godly and Just Proceedings Thus did God of his Infinite Goodness raise up this Great and Wise King to root out the Pope's Usurped Authority and False Religion also in a great measure out of England and the Lord grant that these Intolerable and Unsupportable Evils may be kept out of it for ever For without doubt that Curse of God which Joshua pronounced against him that should Rebuild Jericho which was destroyed by the Word and Power of God according as it is written Joshua 6.26 And Joshua adjured them at that time saying Cursed be the Man before the Lord that riseth up

and Iurisdiction within the same as of the Supreme Head of the Church of England and shall to the uttermost of their Wit Knowledge and Learning purely syncerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open by the space of one quarter of a year now next ensuing once every Sunday and after at the least twice every quarter of a year in their Sermons and other Collations that the Bishop of Romes Vsurped Power and Iurisdiction Against the Popes Primacy having no establishment nor ground by the Law of God was for most just causes taken away and a bolished and that therefore they owe unto him no manner of Obedience or Subjection and that the Kings Power is within his Dominion the highest Potentate and Power under God to whom all men within the same Dominion by Gods commandment owe most Loyalty and Obedience afore and above all other Potentates in earth Item Whereas certain Articles were lately devised and put forth by the Kings Highness Authority and condescended unto by the Prelats and Clergy of this his Realm in Convocation whereof part were necessary to be holden and believed for our Salvation and the other part do concern and touch certain laudable Ceremonies Rights and Vsages of the Church meet and convenient to be kept and used for a decent and politick order in the same the said Dean Parsons Vicars and other Curats shall so open and declare in their Sermons and other Collations the said Articles unto them that be under their Cure that they may plainly know and discern which of them be necessary to be believed and observed for their Salvation and which be not necessary but onely do concern the decent and politick order of the said Church according to such commandment and admonition as hath been given unto them heretofore by the Authority of the Kings Highness in that behalf The Kings Articles to be read to the people Moreover that they shall declare unto all such as be under their Cure the Articles likewise devised put forth and authorized of late for and concerning the abrogating of certain superstitious Holydays according to the effect and purport of the same Articles and persuade their Parishioners to keep and observe the same inviolably as things wholsom provided decreed and established by the common Consent and publick Authority for the Commonweals commodity and profit of all this Realm Images abolished Besides this to the intent that all Superstition and Hypocrisie crept into divers mens hearts may vanish away they shall not set forth or extoll any Images Reliques or Miracles for any superstition or lucre nor allure the people by any intreatments to Pilgrimages Pilgrimages Forbidden of any Saints otherwise than is permitted in the Articles lately put forth by the Authority of the Kings Majesty and condescended unto by the Prelats and Clergy of this his Realm in Convocation as though it were proper or peculiar to that Saint to give this Commodity or that seeing all Goodness Health and Grace ought to be both looked and asked for onely of God as of the very Author of the same and of none other for without him it cannot be given but they shall exhort as well their Parishioners as other Pilgrims that they do rather apply themselves to the keeping of Gods Commandments and the fulfilling of his works of Charity persuading them that they shall please God more by the true exercise of their bodily Labour Travel or Occupation and providing for their Families than if they went about to the said Pilgrimages and it shall profit more their Souls health if they do bestow that on the poor and needy which they would have bestowed upon the said Images or Reliques Also in the same their Sermons and other Collations Prayers in the Mother Tongue the Parsons Vicars and other Curats aforesaid shall diligently admonish the Fathers and Mothers Masters and Governours of Youth being within their Cure to teach or cause to be taught their Children and Servants even from their Infancy the Pater noster the Articles of our Faith and the Ten Commandments in their Mother Tongue and the same so taught shall cause the said Youth oft to repeat and understand And to the intent this may be the more easily done the said Curats shall in their Sermons deliberately and plainly recite of the said Pater noster Articles or Commandments one Clause or Article one day and another another day till the whole be taught and learned by little and little and shall deliver the same in writing or shew where printed Books containing the same be to be sold to them that can read or will desire the same and thereto that the said Fathers and Mothers Masters and Governours do bestow their Children and Servants even from their Childhood either to Learning or to some honest Exercise Occupation or Husbandry exhorting counselling and by all the ways and means they may as well in their said Sermons and Collations as otherwise the said Fathers Mothers Masters and other Governours being under their cure and charge diligently to provide and foresee For bringing up of Youth in some Art or Occupation that the said Youth be in no manner wise kept or brought up in idleness lest at any time afterward they be driven for lack of some Mystery or Occupation to live by to fall to begging stealing or some other unthriftiness forasmuch as we may daily see through sloth and idleness divers valiant men fall some to begging some to theft and murther which after brought to calamity and misery impute a great part thereof to their Friends and Governours which suffered them to be brought up so idly in their Youth where if they had been brought up and educated in some good Literature Occupation or Mystery they should being Rulers of their own Families have profited as well themselves as divers other persons to the great commodity and ornament of the Commonweal Placing of good Vicars and Curats Also that the said Parsons Vicars and other Curats shall diligently provide that the Sacraments and Sacramentals be duly and reverently ministred in their Parishes And if at any time it happen them either in any of the cases expressed in the Statutes of this Realm or of special Licence given by the Kings Majesty to be absent from their Benefices they shall leave their Cure not to a rude and unlearned person but to an honest well learned and expert Curat that may teach the rude and unlearned of their Cure wholsom Doctrine and reduce them to the right way that they do not erre and always let them see that neither they nor their Vicars do seek more their own profit promotion or advantage than the profit of the Souls that they have under their Cure or the glory of God Every Parish to provide a Bible in English Item that every Parson or Proprietary of any Parish Church within this Realm shall on this side the Feast of S. Peter ad