and reverently used and esteemed in the Church of England it is requisite that no man not being at this present Bishop Priest or Deacon shall execute any of them except he be Called Tryed and Examined according to the form hereafter following But because perhaps it will be said that the Preface is no part of the Book which stands approved by the Articles of the Church and established by the Laws of the Land let us next look into the Body of the Book it self where in the Form of Consecrating of Arch-Bishops or Bishops we finde a Prayer in these words viz. Almighty God giver of all good things who hast appointed divers Orders of Ministers in thy Church Mercifully behold this thy Servant now called to the Work and Ministry of a Bishop and replenish him so with the truth of Doctrine and Innocency of Life that both by word and deed he may faithfully serve thee in this Office c. Here we have three Orders of Ministers Bishops Priests and Deacons the Bishop differing as much in Order from the Priest as the Priest differs in Order from the Deacon which might be further made apparent in the different Forms used in Ordering of the Priests and Deacons and the form prescribed for the Consecration of an Arch-Bishop or Bishop were not this sufficient 6. But though the Presbyters or Priests were both in Order and Degree beneath the Bishops and consequently not enabled to exercise any publick Jurisdiction in Foro judicii in the Courts of Judicature yet they retained their native and original power in Foro Conscientiae in the Court of Conscience by hearing the confession of a sorrowful and afflicted Penitent and giving him the comfort of Absolution a power conferred upon them in their Ordination in the Form whereof it is prescribed that the Bishop and the assisting Presbyters shall lay their Hands upon the Head of the Party who is to be Ordained Priest the Bishop only saying these words viz. Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins thou doest forgive they are forgiven and whose sins thou doest retain they are retained In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Which words had been impertinently and unsignificantly used if the Priest received nor thereby power to absolve a sinner upon the sense of his sincere and true repentance manifested in Confession or in any other way whatsoever And this appears yet further by the direction of the Church in point of Practice For first it is advised in the end of the second Exhortation before the receiving of the Communion that if any of the people cannot otherwise quiet his own Conscience he should repair unto his Curate or some other discreet and learned Minister of Gods Word and open his grief that he may receive such Ghostly counsel and advice and comforts as his Conscience may be relieved and that by the Ministry of Gods Word he may receive comfort and the benefit of Absolution to the quieting of his Conscience and avoiding all scruple and doubtfulness Agreeable whereunto is that memorable saying of St. Augustine viz. Qui confiteri vult ut inveniat gratiam quâ—erat sacerdotem Secondly It is prescribed in the Visitation of the Sick That the Sick person shall make a special Confession if he feel his Conscience troubled with any weighty matter and that the Priest shall thereupon Absolve him in this manner following Our Lord Jesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to Absolve all Sinners which truly repent and believe in him of his great Mercy forgive thee thy Offences and by his Authority committed to me I Absolve thee from all thy Sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Which form of Absolution is plainly Authoritative and not Declarative only such as that is which follows the General Confession in the beginning of the Morning and Evening Prayer as some men would have it 7. Now that the Penitent as well in the time of Health as in extremity of Sickness may pour his Sins into the Bosom of the Priest with the more security it is especially provided by the 113 Canon of the Year 1603. That if any man Confess his secret and hidden sins to the Minister for the unburthening of his Conscience and to receive spiritual Consolation and ease of Minde from him we do not any way binde the said Minister by this our Constitution but do streightly charge and admonish him that he do not at any time reveal and make known to any person whatsoever any Crime or Offence so committed to his secresie except they be such Crimes as by the Laws of this Realm his own Life may be called in question for concealing the same under the pain of Irregularity And by incurring the condition of Irregularity the party offending doth not only forfeit all the Ecclesiastical Preferments which he hath at the present but renders himself uncapable of receiving any other for the time to come Confession made upon such security will be as saving to the Fame of the Penitent as the Absolution to his Soul In which respect it was neither untruly nor unfitly said by a learned Writer Dominus sequitur servum c. Heaven saith he waits and expects the Priests Sentence here on Earth for the Priest sits Judge on Earth the Lord follows the Servant and what the Servant bindes or looseth here on Earth Clave non errante that the Lord confirms in Heaven 8. The like Authority is vested in the Priest or Presbyter at his Ordination for officiating the Divine Service of the Church offering the Peoples Prayers to God Preaching the Word and Ministring the Holy Sacraments in the Congregation Which Offices though they may be performed by the Bishops as well as the Presbyters yet they perform them not as Bishops but as Presbyters only And this appears plainly by the Form of their Ordination in which it is prescribed that the Bishops putting the Bible into their hands shall pronounce these words Take thou authority to preach the Word and Minister the Holy Sacraments in the Congregation where thou shalt be so appointed In the officiating of which Acts of Gods Divine Service the Priest or Presbyter is enjoyned to wear a Surplice of white Linnen Cloath to testifie the purity of Doctrine and innocency of Life and Conversation which ought to be in one of that Holy Profession And this St. Ierome tells us in the general Religionem Divinam alterum habitum habere in ministerio alterum in usu vitaque communi that is to say that in the Act of Ministration they used a different habit from what they use to wear at ordinary times and what this different habit was he tells us more particularly in his reply against Pelagius who it seems dislik't it and askt him what offence he thought it could be to God that Bishops Priests and Deacons or those of any inferiour Order in Administratione sacrificiorum candida veste
processerint did in the ministration of the Sacraments bestir themselves in a white Vesture so he advers Pelag Lib. 2. with which compare St. Chrysostom in his 83 Homily on St. Matthews Gospel for the Eastern Churches And hereunto the Cope was added in some principal Churches especially in the Celebration of the Blessed Eucharist Both which appear most evidently by the first Liturgy of K. Edw. 6. compared with one of the last clauses of the Act of Parliament 1 Eliz. c. 2. in which it is provided that such ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers shall be retained and be in use as were in the Church of England by Authority of Parliament in the second year of the Reign of King Edw. vi But this Vestur◠having been discontinued I know not by what fatal negligence many years together it pleased the Bishops and Clergy in the Convocation Anno 1603. to pass a Canon to this purpose viz. That in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches the Holy Communion shall be administred upon principal Feast dayes sometimes by the Bishops c. and that the principal Minister using a decent Cope c. Canon 24. 9. In that part of Divine Service which concerns the offering of the peoples Prayers to Almighty God it was required of the Priest or Presbyter first that in all the dayes and times appointed he used the Prayers prescribed in the publick Liturgy according to the Act of Parliament 1 Eliz. c. 2. and many subsequent Canons and Constitutions made in that behalf Secondly That he conformed himself to those Rites and Ceremonies which were prescribed in that Book and unto such as should be afterwards ordained by the Queens Majesty with the advice of her Commissioners appointed and authorized under the great Seal of England for causes Ecclesiastical or of the Metropolitan of this Realm as may be most for the advancement of Gods Glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs Holy Mysteries and Sacraments And thirdly and more particularly That in his reading of the Prayers and Psalms he turn his face toward the East and toward the People in the reading of the Lessons or Chapters as appears plainly by the Rubrick which directs him thus That after the reading of the Psalms the Priest shall read two Lessons distinctly that the people may hear the Priest that reads the two Lessons standing and turning himself so as he may best be heard of all such as be present The Psalms or Hymns to be indifferently said or sung at the will of the Minister but the Hymns for the most part sung with Organs and sometimes with other Musical Instruments both in the Royal Chappels and Cathedral Churches Fourthly That he makes use of no other Prayers in the Congregation and therefore neither before nor after Sermon then those which are prescribed in the said Book of Common Prayer it being specially provided in the Act aforesaid that no Priest nor Minister shall use any other Rite Ceremony Order Form or manner of Celebrating the Lords Supper openly or privately or Mattens Evening Song Administration of the Sacraments or other open Prayers that is to say such Prayers as are meant for others to come unto or hear either in common Churches or private Chappels c. then is mentioned or set forth in the same Book Fifthly That all Priests and Deacons shall be bound to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately or openly except they be lett by Preaching studying of Divinity or some other urgent cause And sixthly That the Curate that ministreth in every Parish Church or Chappel being at home and not being otherwise reasonably letted shall say the same in the Parish Church or Chappel where he ministreth and shall toll a Bell thereto at convenient time before he begin that such as ar◠disposed may come to hear Gods Word and pray with him so as in some cases it may be said of the Priest as the Father doth of Christ that he is Os ipsum per quod loquimur The very mouth by which we speak unto our Father which is in Heaven And though it be intended in the Act of Parliament and exprest in the Articles of Religion that the Prayers are to be made in such a tongue as may be understood of the common people yet it is not meant as is declared in the Preface to the Book it self but that when men say Morning and Evening Prayers privately they may say the same in any language that they themselves understand Nor was it meant but that the Morning and Evening Service might be used in the Colledges and Halls of either University in the Latine tongue where all may be supposed to understand it as appears clearly by the constant and continual practise of Christ-Church in Oxon in which the first Morning Prayers commonly read about six of the Clock were in Latine the Morning and Evening Service with the Psalms of David being printed in Latine by themselves for that end and purpose 10. As for the Preaching of the Word that belongs properly and originally as the performance of all other Divine Offices did of old to the Bishops themselves as being the ordinary Pastors of the several and respective Diocesses and to the Priests no otherwise then by deputation as Curates and substitutes to the Bishops as may be proved out of the Instrument of their Institution For when a Clerk is to be admitted into any Benefice he puts himself upon his knees and the Bishop laying one Hand upon his Head and having the Instrument in the other repeats these words viz. Te N. N. ad Rectoriam de N. Ritè Canonicè instituimus curam regimen animarum Parochianorum ibidem tibi in Domino committentes committimus per presentes that is to say that he doth institute him into the said Benefice according to the Laws and Canons committing to him by these presents the care and Government of the Souls of all the Parishioners therein And therefore it concerns the Bishop not to Licence any man to Preach to the Congregation of whose good affections to the Publick abilities in Learning sobriety of Life and Conversation and conformity to the Government Discipline and form of Worship here by Law established he hath not very good assurance For though the Priest or Presbyter by his Ordination hath Authority to preach the word of God in the Congregation yet it is with this clause of Limitation If he shall be so appointed that is to say sufficiently Licenced thereunto and not otherwise And none were Licenced heretofore as was expresly ordered in the injunctons of Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth but either by the Bishop of the Diocess who is to answer by the Law for every Minister he admits into the same for that Diocess only or by the Metropolitan of the Province for that Province alone or finally by either of the Universities upon the well performing of some publick exercise over all the Kingdom Considering therefore
to such corruptions as had been used too frequently in the Court about Church Preferments which made him the less acceptable to many which were near the King in Place and Service who formerly had been on the taking hand and made a market of the Church as they had occasion Goodman of Glocester having staid in that Diocess long enough to be as weary of them as they were of him affected a remove to the See of Hereford and had so far prevailed with some great Officer of State that his Money was taken his Conge d' esâ—ire issued out his Election passed But the Archbishop coming opportunely to the knowledge of it and being ashamed of so much baseness in the man who could pretend no other merit than his money so laboured the business with the King and the King so rattled up the Bishop that he was glad to make his peace not only with the Resignation of his Election but the loss of his Bribe At last that Church a third time vacant that is to say by the death of Godwin the promotion of Iuxon and the Resignation of Goodman was recommended to the Government of Dr. Augustine Lindsel not long before made Bishop of Peterborough and now succeeded in that See by Francis Dee Doctor in Divinity and Dean of Chichester Now begins Wren to come in play Chaplain to his Majesty when Prince of Wales and chosen by King Iames to be one of the two which were to follow him into Spain amongst the rest of his Retinue as before was said He had seen Maw who went Chaplain with him into Spain to be preferred first to the Mastership of Trinity Colledge and afterwards to the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells Anno 1628. himself remaining in his place in Peterhouse as his highest dignity In the year 1628. he was at the laâ—t made Dean of Windsor and Register of the most noble Order of the Garter in the place of Beaumont And on that place he dwelt so long that his well-willers gave it out that Laud was afraid of his abilities and would not suffer him to rise for fear that he might rise too high both in power and favour and overtop him in the Court But these surmises proved as groundless as they were unjust For this year he was made Successor unto Iuxon as Clerk of the Closet a place of great nearness to the King and being once on the Ascendent he went up apace succeeding Lindsel in the See of Hereford Anno 1634. and Corbet in the Church of Norwich Anno 1635. When Iuxon was advanced to the Treasurers Staff he was made Dean of the Chappel in his place Anno 1636. Successor unto White in the See of Ely Anno 1638. and questionless had mounted higher had the times been favourable Nor was he less fortunate in his Successors leaving the Deanry of Windsor to Dr. Christopher Wren his younger brother his Clerkship of the Closet to Dr. Richard Steward Dean of Chichester and the Mastership of Peterhouse to Iohn Cosens of Durham We must conclude this year and begin the next with some proceedings against Prynne the Preparations to whose censure we have heard before Candlemas Term brings him at last unto his tryal in the Court of Star-Chamber being first pre-condemned by the Gentlemen of his own Profession and afterwards sentenced by that Court The Gentlemen of the four Societies presented their Majesties with a Pompous and Magnificent Masque to let them see that Prynnes leaven had not sowred them all and that they were not poysoned with the same infection In which as they all joyned together to perform that Service so gave they such contentment to his Sacred Majesty that he desired them to make a Representation of it to the City of London Which they accordingly performed with no less honour to themselves and delight to the People than shame and sorrow unto him who had given the occasion But greater shame and sorrow fell upon him when he came to his Censure Richardson Chief Justice of his Majesties Bench highly extolled his Majesties mercy in bringing him rather unto his triall in a Criminal than a Capital way declaring openly that if he had been turned over to his Tribunal he must have put himself upon a Iury of whom no mercy could be hoped for so great an Offendor The Earl of Dorset being Lord Chamberlain to the Queen aggravated his offence in aspersing with such foul reproaches a Lady of such eminent Vertue and exemplary Piety that her very dreams were more in heaven than most womens Prayers The Archbishop having been bred in St. Iohns Colledge in Oxon. where the younger Students used yearly to present some shew or other Dramatick Exercise to the Vniversity spake much in commendation of Academical Enterludes and the great benefit which redounded to the Actors in them by training them in an Art of speaking a modest confidence of Behaviour the strengthening of the Memory in the repeating of their parts and the enriching them with a stock of Latine Verses out of one approved Author or other which were their own for ever after In fine they generally concurred in this Censure of him viz. To be fined five thousand pound to the King expelled the University of Oxon. and Lincolns-Inn degraded and disabled from his Profession in the Laws to stand in the Pillory first in the Palace yard in Westminster and three daies after in Cheapside and in each place to lose an Ear though this last part of his Censure was much moderated in the execution to have his Book called Histrio-Mastyx publickly burnt before his face by the hand of the Hangman and remain prisoner during life But all this was so far from working any remorse in him that it rather hardened him in his waies For in Iune following as soon as he could provide himself of Pen Ink and Paper he writes a most sharp and Libellous Letter to the Lord Archbishop touching his Censure in that Court and that which the Archbishop in particular had declared against him With this Letter the Archbishop acquaints his Majesty and his Majesty commands him to refer it to Atturney Noy Noy sends for Prynne and demands of him whether the Letter were of his own hand-writing or not to which Prynne cunningly replied That he could make no answer to that demand unless he saw the Letter and might read the same No sooner was the Letter put into his hands and Noys back turned a little toward him but presently he tore it all to pieces and flung the pieces out of the window to the end it might not rise in judgment against him if the Atturney should proceed to an Ore tenus as he meant to do With this affront and the principal passages of the Letter the Atturney acquaints their Lordships in open Court but there was no remedy For being there was no proof of the misdemeanour but the Letter it self and that the Letter could not be brought in evidence as it should have been
his holy Angels take it 〈…〉 death that I never endeavoured the subversion of Law or Relâ—gion and I desire you all to remember this Protest of mine for my in 〈…〉 this and from all Treasons whatsoever I have been accused 〈…〉 an Enemy to Parliaments No I understood them and the benefit that comes by them too well to be so But I did mislike the 〈◊〉 governments of some Parliaments many waies and I had good Reason for it For Corruptio optimi est Pessima there is no Corruption iâ— thâ— World so bad as that which is of the best thing within it self Fâ—r the better the thing is in nature the worse it is corrupted And that being the Highest Court over which no other hath Iurisdiction when it is misinformed or misgoverned the Subject is left without all remedy â—ut I have done I forgive all the the World all and every of these 〈◊〉 Enemies which have persecuted me and humbly desire to be forgâ—vâ—n of God first and then of every man whether I have offended him or not if he do but conceive that I have Lord do thou forgive me and I beg forgiveness of him And so I heartily desire you to joyn in Prayer with me Which said with a distinct and audible voice he prayed as followeth O Eternal God and Merciful Father look down upon me in mercy in the Riches and Fulness of all thy mercies look down upon me but not till thou hast nailed my sins to the Cross of Christ not till thou hast bathed me in the blood of Christ not till I have hid my self in the wounds of Christs that so the punishment due unto my sins may pass over me And since thou art pleased to try me to the utmost I humbly beseech thee give me now in this great instant full Patience Proportionable Comfort and a heart ready to die for thine Honour the Kings Happiness and this Churches preservation And my Zeal to this far from Arrogancy be it spoken is all the sin humane Frailty excepted and all the incidents thereunto which is yet known to me in this particular for which I now come to suffer I say in this particular of Treason but otherwise my sins are many and great Lord pardon them all and those especially what ever they are which have drawn down this present Iudgement upon me and when thou hast given me strength to bear it do with me as seems best in thine own Eyes and carry me through death that I may look upon it in what visage soever it shall appear to me Amen And that there may be a stop of this Issue of blood in this more then miserable Kingdom I shall desire that I may pray for the people too as well as for my self O Lord I beseech thee give grace of Repentance to all blood-thirsty people but if they will not Repent O Lord confound all their devices Defeat and frustrate all their designs and endeavours upon them which are or shall be contrary to the Glory of thy Great name the truth and sincerity of Religion the establishment of the King and his Posterity after him in their just Rights and Priviledges the Honour and Conservation of Parliaments in their just power the preservation of this poor Church in her truth peace and Patrimony and the settlement of this Distracted and distressed People under their Ancient Laws and in their Native Liberty And when thou hast done all this in meer mercy to them O Lord fill their hearts with thankfulness and with Religious Dutiful obedience to thee and thy Commandments all their days Amen Lord Iesu Amen and receive my soul into thy Bosom Amen Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Speech and Prayers being ended â—e gave the Paper which he Read into 〈◊〉 hands oâ— Sterne his Chaplain permitted to attend him in his last extremity whom he desired to Communicate it to his other Chaplains that they might see in what manner â—e leâ—t this world and so prayed God to shew his blessings and mercies on them And taking notice that one Hind had imployed himselâ— in writing tâ—e words of his Speech as it came from his mouth he dâ—sired him not to do him wrong in publishing a false or imperfect Copy This done he next applyed himself to the fatal Block as to the Hâ—ven of his Rest But finding the way full of people who had placed themselves upon the Theatre to behold the Tragedy he desired â—e might have room to die beseeching them to let him have an end of his miseries which he had endured very long All which he did with so Serene and calm a mind as if he rather had been taking Order for a Noble Mans Funeral then making way for his own Being come neer the block he put oâ— his Doublet and used some words to this 〈◊〉 Gods will be done I am willing to go out of this world none can â—e â—â—re willing to send me And seeing through the Chink of the â—oards that some people were got under the Scaffold about the very place where the block was seated he called to the Officer for some dust to stop them or to remove the people thence saying it was â—o part of his desires that his blood should fall upon the heads of the people Never did man put off mortality with a better courage nor look upon his bloody and malicious Enemies with more Christian Charity And thus far he was on his way toward Paradise with such a Primitive Magnanimity as equalled if not exceeded the example of the Ancient Martyrs when he was somewhat interrupted by one of those who had placed himself on the Scaâ—â—old not otherwise worthy to be named but as a Fire-brand brought from Ireland to inflame this Kingdom Who finding that the mockings and revilings of malicious people had no power to move him or shaâ—pen him into any discontent or shew of passion would needs put in and try what he could do with his Spunge and Vinegar and Stâ—pping to him neer the Block he would needs propound unto him some Impertinent questions not so much out of a desire to learn any thing of him but with the same purpose as was found in the Sâ—ribes and Pharisees in propounding questions to our Saviour tâ—at is to say either to intrap him in his Answers or otherwise to â—â—pose him to some disadvantage with the standers by Two of the quâ—stions he made answer to withal Christian meekness The first question was What was the Comfortablest saying which a dying man would have in his mouth to which he meekly made answer Cupio 〈◊〉 esse cum Christo being asked again what was the fittest Speech a man could use to express his Confidence and Assurancâ— he answâ—â—ed with the same Spirit of meekness That such Assâ—â—ancâ— was to be found within and that no words were able 〈…〉 But tâ—is not satisfying this busie man wâ—o aimed at something else as is probable then such satisfaction unless he gave some Word or