have here inserted as it is Printed in Rastal in these words Forasmuch as great Rumors Congregations and Insurrections 2 H. 5.7 Rast Stat. 1. pt fol. 205. The Magistrates are to take an Oath to suppress the Professors of the true Religion then called Lollard here in the Realm of England by divers of the King's Leige People as well by them which were of the Sect of Heresie commonly called Lollardy as by others of their Confederacy Excitation and Abetment now of late were made to the intent to adnul destroy and subvert the Christian Faith and the Law of God and Holy Church within this same Realm of England and also to destroy the same our Soveraign Lord the King and all other manner of Estates of the same Realm of England as well Spiritual as Temporal and also all manner of Polity and finally the Laws of the Land the same our Soveraign Lord the King to the Honour of God and in conservation and fortification of the Christian Faith and also in salvation of his Royal Estate and of the Estate and of the Estate of all his Realm willing against the Malice of such Hereticks and Lollards to provide a more open remedy and punishment then hath been had and used in the case heretofore so that for fear of the same Laws and Punishments such Heresies and Lollardries may the rather cease in time to come by the advice and assent aforesaid and at the prayer of the said Commons hath Ordained and Established That first the Chancellor Treasurer Iustices of the one Bench and of the other Iustices of the Peace Sheriffs Mayors and Bailiffs of Cities and Towns and all other Officers having governance of People which now be or hereafter for the time shall be The Oath shall make an Oath in taking of their Charges and Occupations to put their whole power and diligence to put out and do to be put out cease and destroy all manner of Heresies and Errors commonly called Lollardries within the places where they exercise their offices and occupations from time to time with all their power and that they assist the Ordinaries and their Commissaries and them favour and maintain as often as they or any of them to that shall be required by the same Ordinaries or their Commissaries so that when the said Officers and Ministers travel or ride to arrest any Lollard or to make assistance at the instance and request of the Ordinaries or their Commissaries by vertue of this Statute that the same Ordinaries and Commissaries shall pay for their costs reasonably and that the King's Services to the which the same Officers be first sworn be preferred before all other Statutes for the Liberty of Holy Church and the Ministers of the same and in especial for the Correction and Punishment of the Hereticks and Lollards before this time made and not repelled being in their force and also that all Persons convict of Heresie of what estate condition or degree that they be by the said Ordinaries or other Commissaries left to the Secular Power according to the Laws of Holy Church shall lose and forfeit all their Lands and Tenements which they have in fee simple in the manner as followeth that is to say that the King have all the Lands and Tenements which the said Convicts have in fee simple and holden of him immediately as forfeit and the other Lords of whom the Lands and Tenements of such Convicts be holden immediately after that the King is so seized answered of the year the day the waste have Liberty out of the King's hands of the Lands Tenements aforesaid of them so holden as hath been used in the Case of Attainder of Felony Except the Lands and Tenements which be holden of the Ordinaries or their Commissaries before whom any such persons impeached of Heresie be convict which Lands and Tenements intirely shall remain to the King as forfeit And moreover that all the Goods and Chattels of these person so convicted be forfeit to our Soveraign Lord the King. So that no person convict of Heresie and left to the Secular power after the Laws of Holy Church shall forfeit his Lands before that he be dead and if any such person so convict be infeoffed be it by Fine by Deed or without Deed in Lands or Tenements Rents or Services in Fee or otherwise or hath any other possessions or Chattels by gift or grant of any person or persons to another's use then to the use of such convicts that the same Lands or Tenements Rents or Services nor such other Possessions nor Chattels shall be forfeit to our Sovereign Lord the King in no wise and moreover that the Iustices of the King's Bench and Iustices of Peace and Iustices of Assize have full power to enquire of all them who hold any Errors or Heresies as Lollards and which be their Maintainers Receivers Favourers and Sustainers common Writers of such Books as well of their Sermons as of their Schools Conventicles Congregations and Confederacies and that this clause be put in Commissions of Iustices of the Peace And if any persons be indicted of any points aforesaid the said Iustices shall have power to award against them a Capias and the Sheriffs shall be bound to arrest the person or persons so indicted as soon as he may them find by him or by his Officers and forasmuch as the cognizance of Heresie Errors and Lollardies belongeth to the Iudges of Holy Church and not to Secular Iudges such persons indicted shall be delivered to the Ordinaries of the place or to their Commissaries by Indentures betwixt them to be made within ten days after their arrest or sooner if it may be thereof to be acquir or convict by the Laws of Holy Church in case these persons be not indicted of another thing whereof the cognizance belongeth to the secular Iudges and Officers in which case after that they be acquit or delivered before the secular Iudges of such things to the secular Iudges belonging they shall be sent in safeguard to the said Ordinaries or to their Commissaries and to them delivered by Indentures as before to be acquit or convict of such Lollardries Errors or Heresies as is aforesaid after the Laws of Holy Church and that within the term aforesaid provided alwaies that the said Indictments be not taken in Evidence but for Information before the Spiritual Iudges against such persons so indicted but that the Ordinaries commence their Process against such persons indicted in the same manner as tho' no Indictment were having no regard to such Indictments And if any be Indicted of Heresie Error or Lollardry and taken by the Sheriff or other Officer he shall be let to main prize within the said ten days by good Surety to whom the said Sheriffs or other Officers will answer so that the said person or persons which were so indicted be ready to be delivered to the said Ordinaries or to their Commissaries before the end of the said
ten days if he may by any means for sickness and every Ordinary shall have sufficient Commissaries or Commissary dwelling in every County in a place notable so that if any such person so indicted be taken that the said Commissaries or Commissary may be warned in the notable place where he dwelleth by the Sheriff or his Officers to come to the King's Iayl in the same County there to receive the same persons so indicted by Indentures as before And that in the inquest in this case to be taken the Sheriffs and other Officers to whom it belongeth shall do to be Impannel'd good and sufficient persons not suspected nor procured that is to say that every of them which shall be so Empanell'd in such Inquest have within the Realm of England an hundred Shillings of Lands Tenements or of Rent by the year upon pain to lose to the King's use 10 l. and they which shall be Impannell'd in such Inquests in Wales every of them shall have to the value of 40 s. by year and if any such person be arrested be it by the Ordinary or by the King's Officers or Ministers and escape or break the prison before that he be acquit before the Ordinary the Goods and Chattels which he had the day of such arrest shall be forfeit to the King and his Lands and Tenements which he had the same day seized also in the King's hands the King shall have the profits thereof from the same day until he be yeilden to the prison from which he escaped and that the aforesaid Iustices have full power to enquire of all such Escapes breaking of Prison and also of Lands and Tenements Goods and Chattels of such persons so indicted provided also that if any such person indicted do not return to the said prison and dieth not convict it shall be lawful to his Heirs to enter into the Lands and Tenements of their Ancestor without any other pursuit making to the King for this cause and that all they which have Liberties and Franchises Royal in England as in the County of Chester the County and Liberty of Durham and other like and also the Lords which have Iurisdiction and Franchises Royal in Wales where the King's Writs do not run have power to execute and put in due execution these Articles in all points by them or by their Officers in like manner as the Iustices and other the King's Officers before declared should do By which Act it plainly appears that the Professors of the true Religion were not only to suffer in their own persons by being most inhumanly burnt but their very Wives and Children must feel the effects of Popish Cruelty having nothing left by this Law whereby to support their Families CHAP. IV. Hen. VIII THE three Laws in the precedent Chapters mentioned were put in severe Execution during the Reigns of R. 2. H. 4. H. 5. H. 6. E. 4. R. 3. H. 7. and to the twenty fifth year of Henry the 8 th during which time the Whore of Babylon made her self drunk with the Blood of the Saints not only halling them to prison but burning their Persons and ruining their whole Families In which time divers were Martyred purely to please and gratifie the Popish Clergy for whatever they said was Heresie must be so upon which Account they run the Persecution so high that in 25 H. 8. about which time the Professors of the true Religion were first called Protestants the Parliament began to consider That Heresie was no where defined and made an Act of Parliament for the Punishment of Heresie but by it repealed the Statute of 2 H. 4. ca. 15. the preamble of which Act doth declare That the Clergy did upon their suggestions obtain the said Act 25 H. 8. ca. 14. Rast Stat. fo 537. By this Law Protestants were to abjere or be burnt but that the same did not in any part thereof declare what was Heresie and that the word Canonical Sanctions are so general that it was difficult to avoid the Penalties of the Act in case he should be examined upon captious interrogatories as the Ordinaries did then use to persons suspect of Heresies and that all such proceedings were against the antient Laws of the Kingdom and for those reasons did repeal the said Act of 2 H. 4. ca. 15. and for redress of Heresie did establish 5 R. 2.5 and 2 H. 5.7 and did enact that Sheriffs in their Turns and Stewards in their Leets Rapes and Wapentakes should have Authority to enquire of Hereticks and every such Presentment made in any Turn Leet Co. Inst 2.658 Bulst 3.51 c. concerning Hereticks should be certified to the Ordinary and every person presented or indicted of any Heresie or duly accused by two lawful Witnesses might be cited arrested or taken by an Ordinary or other of the King's Subjects and committed to the Ordinary to answer in open Court and being convict should abjure his Heresies and refusing so to do or falling into a relapse should be burnt in an open place for Example of others By this Act indeed some part of the Common Law as to the Tryal of the Parties guilty seems to be restored but they could not yet think of parting with the severity of the Penalties I mean burning their Persons and confiscating their Estates and that the World might at length know who were deemed Hereticks and who not for before it was no where defined what Heresie was in the 31 st of H. 8. ca. 14. 31 H. 8. ca. 14. Rast Stat. fol. 652. By this Law Protestants are made Traytors Felons and guilty of a premunire An Act of Parliament was made called an Act for abolishing of Opinions in certain Articles concerning Christian Religion six Articles were agreed on and consented to viz. 1. That in the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar by the strength and efficacy of Christ's mighty word it being spoken by the Priest is present really under the form of Bread and Wine the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Jesu Christ Conceived of the Virgin Mary and that after the Consecration there remaineth no substance of Bread or Wine nor any other substance but the substance of Christ God and Man. 2. That the Communion in both kinds is not necessary ad salutem by the Law of God to all persons and that it is to be believed and not doubted of but that in the Flesh under the form of Bread is the very Blood and with the Blood under the form of Wine is the very Flesh as well a part as though they were both together 3. That Priests after the Order of Priesthood received may not marry by the Law of God. 4. That Vows of Chastity Widdowhood by Man or Woman made to God advisedly ought to be deserved by the Law of God and that it exempts them from other Liberties of Christian People which without that they might enjoy 5. That it is meet and necessary that private Masses be continued and
or Dominions or any Act attempted tending to the Hurt of Her Majesties most Royal Person by of or for any Person that shall or may pretend any Title to the Crown of this Realm after Her Majestis Decease or if any thing shall be composed or imagined tending to the Hurt of Her Majesties Royal Person by any Person or with the Privity of any Person that shall or may pretend Title to the Crown of this Realm That then by Her Majesties Commission under Her Great Seal the Lords and others of Her Highnesses Privy Council and such other Lords of Parliament to be named by Her Majesty as with the same Privy Council shall make up the Number of twenty four at the least having with them for their Assistance in that behalf such of the Iudges of the Court of Records at Westminster as Her Highness shall for that purpose assign and appoint or that more part of the same Council Lords and Iudges shall by virtue of this Act have Authority to examine all and every the Offenders aforesaid and all Circumstances thereof and thereupon to give Sentence or Iudgment as upon good Proof the Matter shall appear unto them and that after such Sentence or Iudgment given and Declaration thereof made and published by Her Majesties Proclamation under the Great Seal of England all Persons against whom such Sentence or Iudgment shall be so given and published shall be excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim or to pretend to have or claim the Crown of this Realm or any of Her Majesties Dominions any former Law or Statute whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And that thereupon all Her Highnesses Subjects shall and may lawfully by virtue of this Act and Her Majesties Directions in that Behalf by all forcible and possible Means pursue to Death every such wicked Person by whom or by whose Means Assend or Privity any such Invasion or Rebellion shall be in form aforesaid denounced to have been made or such wicked Acts attempted or other thing compassed or imagined against Her Majesties Person and all their Aidors Comfortors and Abettors And if any such detestable Act shall be executed against Her Highnesses most Royal Person whereby Her Majesties Life shall be taken away which God of his Mercy forbid that then every such Person by of or for whom any such Act shall be executed and their Issues being any wise assenting or privy to the same shall by virtue of this Act be excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim or to pretend to have or claim the said Crown of this Realm or of any other Her Highnesses Dominions any former Law or Statute whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And all the Subjects of this Realm and all other Her Majesties Dominions shall and may lawfully by virtue of this Act by all forcible and possible Means pursue to Death every such wicked Person by whom or by whose Means any such detestable Fact shall be in form hereafter expressed denounced to have been committed and also their Issues being any way assenting and privy to the same and all their Aidors Comfortors and Abettors in that Behalf And to the end that the Intention of this Law may be effectually executed if her Majesties Life shall be taken away by any violent or unnatural means which God defend Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Lords and others Commissioners to try such Traitors in case the Queen should be killed which shall be of Her Majesties Privy Council at the time of such her Decease or the more part of the same Council joyning unto them for their better Assistance five other Earls and seven other Lords of Parliament at the least foreseeing that none of the said Earls Lords or Council be known to be Persons that may make any Title to the Crown those Persons which were Chief Iustices of either Bench Master of the Rolls and Chief Baron of the Exchequer at the time of Her Majesties Death or in Default of the said Iustices Master of the Rolls and Chief Baron some other of those which were Iustices of some of the Courts of Record at Westminster at the time of Her Highnesses Decease to supply their Places or any twenty four or more of them whereof eight to be Lords of Parliament not being of the Privy Council shall to the utmost of their Power and Skill examine the Cause and Manner of such Her Majesties Death and what Persons shall be any way Guilty thereof and all Circumstances concerning the same according to the true meaning of this Act and thereupon shall by open Proclamation publish the same and without any delay with all forcible and possible means prosecute to Death all such as shall be found to be Offenders therein and all their Aidors and Abettors And for the doing thereof and for the withstanding and suppressing of all such Power and Forces as shall any way be levied or stirred in disturbance of the due Execution of this Law shall by virtue of this Act have Power and Authority not only to raise and use such Forces as shall in that Behalf be needful and convenient but also to use all other Means and things possible and necessary for the maintainance of the same Forces and prosecution of the said Offenders and if any such Power and Force shall be levied or stirred in disturbance of the due Execution of this Law by any Person that shall or may pretend any Title to the Crown of this Realm whereby this Law may not in all things be fully executed according to the Effect and true Meaning of the same That then every Person shall by virtue of this Act be therefore excluded and disabled for ever to have or claim or to pretend to have or claim the Crown of this Realm or of any other Her Highnesses Dominions any former Law or Statute whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding And be it farther enacted by the Authority aforesaid that all and every she Subjects of all Her Majesties Realms and Dominions shall to the utmost of their Power aid and assist the said Council and all other the Lords and other Persons to be adjoyned unto them for assistance as is aforesaid in all things to be done and executed according to the Effect and Intention of this Law and that no Subject of this Realm shall in any wise be impeached in Body Land or Goods at any time hereafter for any thing to be done or executed according to the Tenor of this Law any Law or Statute heretofore made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And whereas of late many of Her Majesties good and faithful Subjects have in the Name of God and with the Testimony of a good Conscience by one uniform manner of Writing under their Hand and Seals and by several others voluntarily taken joyned themselves together in one Bond and Association to withstand and revenge to the uttermost all such malicious Actions
and to employ the Power he left him to restablish him in the Estate and Dignitys of his Father on the 27th of March in the Twenty third Year of his Reign he gave up the Ghost From what Account I have given of Matters relating to the making the Penal Laws and the Reasons of not putting them in Execution in this Kings Reign I gather these things 1. That there is no heed to be taken to any promises made Advice given nor Oaths taken by Papists for if the Interest of the Popish Religion Intervenes the Promises Advice yea even the Oaths themselves must give way and 't is Meritorious too 2. That when it is to serve the Popish Interest they are allowed to deny the plainest truths although confest by Men in Articulo Mortis at the very point of Death 3. That whenever they are detected of any Conspiracy or Treason they immediately set their Wits to work to throw the odium of it upon some sort of Protestants or other nay sometimes they make it an essential part of the Conspiracy it self 4. That when they found themselves lost as to more private Conspiracies they involved Christendom in War to destroy the Protestant Interest upon the Colour of the Elector Palatines having Usurped the Crown of Bohemia notwithstanding he was legally Elected and made use of the Cowardise of King James to carry on that Design 5. That they want not Arts to deceive even Protestants themselves if they look not narrowly to them so much can they transform themselves into the likeness of Truth 6. That the loss of the Palatinate the differences between King James the first and his Parliaments the Spanish Treaty and at last the compleating the French Match were all carried on by Popish Intregues and to serve the Popes turn Certainly then there was good reason for the making the Penal Laws in this Kings Reign and the Parliament are greatly justified in pressing an Execution of them which had it been granted a Man may with good reason believe all the Civil Wars in the succeeding Reign had been prevented And this might lead me to show the share the Popish Party had in the beginning managing and carrying on that unhappy and ever to be lamented War but my design being only to show the reasonableness of making the Penal Laws against the Papists and there being but one Law made against them in this unfortunate Princes Reign I shall only give the grounds of making that Law and pass on to the Reign of his Son King Charles the Second CHAP. IX K. Ch. I. King Charles 1. His Accession to the Crown Bakers Chron. f. 451. Rushw Coll. 1 Pt. f. 165 167 170. KIng James the First being dead King Charles the First was immdiately Proclaimed he buried his Father the 7th of May 1625. The 13th of June in the same Year the Match between him and the French Kings daughter was consummated here in England A Chappel at Sommerset House was built for the Queen and her Family with conveniences thereunto adjoyning for Capuchin Fryers who were therein placed and had permission to walk abroad in their Religious Habits Thence forwards greater multitudes of Seminary Priests and Jesuites repaired into England out of foreign Parts then before The Parliament meet The 18th day of June the Parliament opened they after the usual Proceedings at the first sitting down Petitioned the King concerning Religion and against Papists he by his Answer gave them assurance of his real performance of what they desired in every particular Papists Pardon'd contrary to promise Rushw Coll. 1 Pt. f. 280. But notwithstanding this soon after his Majesty granted a Pardon to one Alexander Baker a Jesuite and unto ten other Papists which was gotten as there was information given by the importunity of some Foreign Ambassador and passed by immediate Warrant and was recommended by the Principal Secretary of State without the payment of the ordinary Fees. And divers Copys of Letters and other Papers found by two Justices of Peace in the House of one Mary Estmonds in Dorsetshire were stifled by the Secretarys means The Commons upon these passages made observations First that the Pardon was dated the very next day after his Answer to their Petition Secondly That the Pardon dispensed with several Laws as 21. and 27. Eliz. and 3. Jac. provided to keep the Subjects in due obedience Thirdly That the Pardon was signed by the Principal Secretary of State. The Commons therefore declared that these actings tended to the prejudice of true Religion his Majesties dishonour the discountenancing of Ministers of Justice the grief of the good People the animating of the Popish Party who by such Examples grew more proud and insolent and to the discouragement of the High Court of Parliament The Petition concerning Religion and the Kings Answer take as they are printed in Rushworths Collection First Part f. 281. To the King 's Most Excellent Majesty Most Gracious Sovereign IT being infallibly true that nothing can more establish the Throne and assure the Peace and Prosperity of the People then the unity and sincerity of Religion we your most humble and Loyal Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons of this present Parliament assembled and hold themselves bound in Conscience and Duty to represent the same to your Sacred Majesty together with the dangerous consequences of the increase of Popery in this Land and what we conceive to be the principal cause thereof and what may be the Remedies The Dangers appear in these Particulars 1. In their desperate ends being both the Subversion of the Church and State and the restlessness of their Spirits to attain these ends the Doctrine of their Teachers and Leaders perswading them that therein they do God good Service 2. Their evident and strict dependency upon such Foreign Princes as no way affect the good of your Majesty and this State. 3. The opening a way of popularity to the Ambition of any who shall adventure to make himself head of so great a Party The Principal Cause of the increase of Papists 1. The want of the due Execution of the Laws against Jesuits Seminary Priests and Popish Recusants occasioned partly by the Connivency of the State partly by defects in the Laws themselves and partly by the manifold abuse of Officers 2. The interposing of Foreign Princes by their Ambassadors and Agents in favour of them 3. Their great Concourse to the City and frequent Conferences and Conventicles there 4. The open and usual resort to the House and Chappels of Foreign Ambassadors 5. the Education of their Children in Seminaries and Houses of their Religion in Foreign Parts which of late hath been greatly multiplied and enlarged for the entertaining of the English 6. That in some places of your Realm your People be not sufficiently Instructed in the Knowledge of the true Religion 7. The Licentious Printing and Dispersing of Popish and Seditious Books 8. The Employment of Men ill affected in Religion in
the Honour of God so much as in you lyeth I Grant and promise so to do Then one of the Bishops read this passage to the King. Our Lord and King we beseech you to Pardon and to Grant and to preserve unto us and to the Churches committed to your Charge all Canonical Privildges and do Law and Justice and that you would protect and defend us as every good King to his Kingdom ought to be a Protector and Defender of the Bishops and the Churches under their Government The King Answereth With a willing and devout Heart I Promise and Grant my Pardon and that I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your Charge all Canonical Priviledges and due Law and Justice and that I will be your Protector and Defender to my Power by the assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdom in right ought to protect and defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government Then the King arose and was led to the Communion Table where he takes a solemn Oath in sight of all the People to observe all the Promises and laying his hand upon the Bible said The things which I have here Promised I shall perform and keep So help me God and the Contents of this Book The sixth Day of February the Parliament met The Parliament meets Papists are prohibited from going to Mass at Ambassadors Houses the Judges are ordered to put the Laws in Execution againsts Papists which notwithstanding the Committee of Grievances reported to the Commons House That one general evil was the encrease and countenancing of Papists The Marshal of Middlesex meeting with resistance in seizing of Romish Priests Goods and complaining of the matter the then Arch-Bishop writ to Mr. Attorney General on behalf of the Priests which Letter was as followeth Good Mr. Attorney I thank you for acquainting me what was done Yesterday at the Clinck But I am of opinion The Arch-Bishops Letter on behalf of the Priests Rushw Coll. 1. part f. 243. that if you had curiously enquired upon the Gentleman who gave the Information you should have found him to be a Disciple of the Jesuites for they do nothing but put Tricks on these poor Men who do live more miserable Lives then if they were in the Inquisition in many parts beyond the Seas By taking the Oath of Allegiance and writing in defence of it and opening some points of high consequence they have so displeased the Pope that if by any cunning they could catch them they are sure to be burnt or strangled for it and once there was a Plot to have taken Preston By this Letter it appears how unwilling the Government was to be in any sort cruel even the Priests and yet how ungrateful are the Papists to this Day as he passed the Thames and to have shipped him into a bigger Vessel and so to have transported him into Flanders there to have made a Martyr of him in respect of these things King James always gave his Protection to Preston and Warrington as may be easily shewed Cannon is an old Man well affected to the cause but medleth not with any Factions or Seditions as far as I can learn they complain their Books were taken from them and a Crucifix of Gold with some other things which I hope are not carried out of the House but may be restored again unto them for it is in vain to think that Priests will be without their Beads or Pictures Models of their Saints and it is not improbable that before a Crucifix they do often say their Prayers I leave the things to your best Consideration and hope that this deed of yours together with my word will restrain them for giving offence hereafter if so be that lately they did give any I heartily commend me unto you and so rest Your very Loving Friend G. Canterbury The Parliament Petition the King against Papists Rushw Coll. 1. part f. 391. In this Parliament the Commons Petitioned the King to remove the Papists or justly suspected out of Places of Government Authority and Trust and named them of the Nobility and Gentry to the number of sixty one who were got into such Offices and prayed they might be displaced The Petition and Names take as followeth To the Kings most Excellent Majesty The Parliaments Petition against Papists with the names of the Persons who were crept into Offices notwithstanding the severity of the Laws against them YOur Majesties most Obedient and Loyal Subjects the Commons in this present Parliament assembled do with great Comfort remember the many Testimonies which your Majesty hath given of your sincerity and Zeal of the true Religion established in this Kingdom and in your particular gracious Answer to both Houses of Parliament at Oxford upon their Petition concerning the Causes and Remedies of the increase of Popery that your Majesty thought fit and would give Order to remove from all places of Authority and Government all such Persons as are either Popish Recusants or according to direction of former Acts of State justly to be suspected which was then presented as a great and principal Cause of that Mischief But not having received so full Redress herein as may conduce to the peace of this Church and Safety of this regal State they hold it their Duty once more to resort to your Sacred Majesty humbly to inform you that upon Examination they find the Persons under written to be either Recusants Papists or justly suspected according to the former Acts of State who now do or since the sitting of the Parliament did remain in places of Government and Authority and trust in your several Counties of this your Realm of England and Dominion of Wales The Right honourable Francis Earl of Rutland Lieutenant of the County of Lincoln Rutland Northamton Nottingham and a Commissioner of the Peace and of Oyer and Terminer in the County of York and Justice of Oyer from Trent Northwards His Lordship is presented to be a Popish Recusant and to have affronted all the Commissioners of the Peace within the North Riding of Yorkshire by sending a License under his Hand and Seal unto his Tenant Thomas Fisher dwelling in his Lordships Mannor of Hemsley in the said North Riding of the said County of York to keep an Alehouse soon after he was by an Order made at the Quarter Sessions discharged from keeping an Alehouse because he was a Popish Convict Recusant and to have procured a Popish Schoolmaster namely Roger Conyers to teach Schollars within the said Mannor of Hemsley that formerly had his License to teach Scholars taken from him for teaching Scholars that were the Children of popish Recusants and because he suffered these Children to be absent themselves from the Church whilst they were his Schollars For which the said Conyers was formerly complained of in Parliament The Right Honourable Vicount Dunbar Deputy Justice in Oyer to the Earl of Rutland from Trent Northward and