be then alive thereunto before the marriage had in writing sealed with their seals which Condition We declare limit and appoint and will by these presents shall be to the said estate of Our said Daughter ELIZABETH in the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises knit and invested And if it shall fortune Our said Daughter ELIZABETH to die without Issue of Her body lawfully begotten We will that after Our decease and for default of Issue of the several bodies of Us and of our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and said Imperiall Crown and other the premises after Our decesse shall wholly remain and come to the Heires of the body of the Lady FRANCES Our Niece eldest Daughter to Our late Sister the French Queen lawfully begotten and for default of such Issue of the body of the said Lady FRANCES We will that the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises after Our decease and for default of Issue of the severall bodies of Us and of Our Son Prince EDWARD and of Our Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and of the Lady FRANCES lawfully begotten shall wholly remain and come to the Heirs of the body of the Lady ELANOR Our Niece second Daughter to Our said Sister the French Queen lawfully begotten And if it happen the said Lady ELANOR to die without Issue of Her body lawfully begotten We will that after our decease and for default of Issue of the severall bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH and of the said Lady FRANCES and of the said Lady ELANOR lawfully begotten the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises shall wholly remain and come to the next rightfull Heirs And we sill that if Our said Daughter MARY doe marry without the consent and assent of the Privy Counsellours and others appointed by Us to be of Counsell to Our said Son Prince EDWARD or the most part of them as shall then be alive thereunto before the said marriage had in writing sealed with their seals as is aforesaid that then and from thenceforth for lack of Heirs of the severall bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD lawfully begotten the said Imperial Crown shall wholly remain be and come to Our said Daughter ELIZABETH and to the Heirs of Her body lawfully begotten in such manner and form as though Our said Daughter MARY were then dead without any Issue of the body of Our said Daughter MARY lawfully begotten Any thing contained in this Our Will or any Act of Parliament or Statute to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding And in case Our said Daughter the Lady MARY doe keep and perform the said Condition expressed declared and limited to Her estate in the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises in this Our last will declared And that Our said Daughter ELIZABETH doe not keep and perform for Her part the said condition declared and limited by this Our last Will to the estate of the said Lady ELIZABETH in the said Imperiall Crown of this Realm of England and Ireland Ann. Dom. 1546 and other the premises Ann. Regis HeÌ„ 8. 38. We will that then â—and from thencesorth after Our decease and for lack of Heirs of the several bodies of Us and of Our said Son Prince EDWARD and of Our said Daughter MARY lawfull begotten the said Imperiall Crown and other the premises shall wholly remain and come to the next Heirs lawfully begotten of the body of the said Lady FRANCES in such manner and form as though the said Lady ELIZABETH were then dead without any Heir of Her body lawfully begotten Any thing contained in this Will or in any Act or Statute to the contrary not withstanding the remainders over for lack of Issue of the said Lady FRANCES lawfully begotten to be an continue to such persons like remainders and estates as is before limited and declared And We being now at this time thanks to Almighty God of perfect memory Names of the Executo s. doe constitute and ordain these personages following Our Executors and Performers of this Our last Will and Testament willing commanding and praying them to take upon them the occupation and performance of the same as Executors Tho Cranmer that is to say the Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Wriothesly Chancellour of England the Lord St. John greater Master of Our House Edw. Seymour John Dudley the Earl of Hartford great Chamberlain the Lord Russell Lord Privie Seal the Viscount Lisle high Admirall of England the Bishop Tonstall of Duresme Sir Anthony Browne Knight Master of our Horses Sir Edward Montague Knight chiefe Judge of the Common Pleas Justice Bromley Sir Edward North Knight Chancellour of the Augmentations Sir William Pagett Knight Our chief Secretary Sir Anthony Denny Sir William Herbert Knights chief Gentlemen of Our Privy Chamber Sir Edward Wotton Knight and Mr. Doctor Wotton his brother and all these We will to be Our Executors and Counsellors of the Privie Counsell with Our said Son Prince EDWARD in all matters concerning both his private affairs and publick affairs of the Realm willing and charging them and every of them as they must and shall answer at the day of judgment wholly and fully to see this my last Will and Testament performed in all things with as much speed an diligence as may be and that none of them presume to meddle with any of Our treasure or to do any thing appointed by Our said Will alone unlesse the most part of the whole number of these Co-executors doe consent and by writing agree to the same And will that Our said Executors or the most part of them may lawfully doe what they shall think most convenient for the execution of this Our Will without being troubled by Our said Son or any other for the same Willing further by Our said last Will and Testament that Sir Ed mund Peckham Our trusty servant and yet Cofferer of Our house shall be Treasurer and have the receipt and laying out of all such treasure and money as shll be defrayed by Our Executors for the performance of this Our last Will straightly charging and commanding the said Sir Edmund that he pay no great summe of money but he have first the hands of Our said Executors or of the most part of them for his discharge touching the same charging him further upon his allegiance to make a true account of all such summes as shall be delivered to his hands for this purpose And sithence We have now named and constituted Our Executors We will and charge them that first and above all things as they will answer before God and as We put Our singular trust and confidence in them that they cause all Our due Debts that can be reasonably shewed and proved before them to be fully contented and payed as soon as they conveniently can or may after Our decease without longer delay and that they doe
Treasurer of Our houshold Sir John Gage Knight Comptroller of Our houshold Sir Anthony Wingfield Knight Our Vice Chamberlain Sir William Peeter Knight one of Our two principall Secretaries Sir Richard Rich Knight Sir John Baker Knight Sir Ralph Sadler Knight Sir Thomas Seymour Knight Sir Richard Southwell and Sir Edmund Peckham Knights they and every of them shall be of Counsell for the aiding and assisting of the forenamed Counsellours and Our Executors when they or any of them shall be called by Our said Executors or the more part of the same Item We bequeath to Our Daughters MARY and ELIZABETH's marriage they being married to any outward Poâ—entate by the advise of the aforesaid Counsellours if We bestow Them not in Our life time Ten thousand pounds in money plate jewels and houshold-stuffe for each of Them or a larger summe as to the discretion of Our Executors or the more part of them shall be thought convenient Willing Them on My blessing to be ordered as well in marriage as in all other lawful things by the advise of Our forenamed Counsellours And in case They will not then the summes to be minished at the Counsellours discretions Further Our Will is that from the first hour of Our death until such time as the said Counsellours can provide either of Them or both some Honourable marriages They shall have each of Them MMM li. ultra reprisas to live upon willing and charging the aforesaid Counsellours to limit and appoint to either of Them such sage Officers and Ministers for orderance thereof as it may be employed both to Our Honour and Theirs And for the great love obedience chastnesse of life and wisdome being in Our forenamed Wife and Queen We bequeath unto Her for Her proper use and as it shall please Her to order it MMM li. in plate jewels and stuffe of houshold besides such apparell is it shall please Her to take as She hath already And further We give unto Her M li. in money with the enjoying of Her Dowry and Joynture according to Our Grant by Act of Parliament Item for the kindnesse and good service that Our said Executors have shewed unto Us We give and bequeath unto each of them such summes of money or the value of the same as hereafter ensueth First to the Archbishop of Canterbury vC marks to the Lord Wriothesly vCli. to the Lord St. John vCli. to the Lord Russell vCli. to the Earl of Hertford vCli. to the Viscount Lisle vCli. to the Bishop of Duresme CCC li. to Sir Anthony Browne CCC li. to Sir William Pagett CCC li. to Sir Anthony Denny CCC li. to Sir William Herbert CCC li. to Justice Montague CCC li. to Justice Bromley CCC li. to Sir Edward North CCC li. to Sir Heward Wotton CCC li. to Doctor Wotton CCC li. Also for the speciall love and favour that We bear to Our trusty Counsellours and other Our said Servants hereafter following We give and bequeath unto them such summes of money or the value thereof as is tottad upon their heads First to the Earl of Essex CC li. to Sir Thomas Theny CC li. to the Lord Herbert CC li. to Sir John Gage CC li. to Sir Thomas Seymour CC li. to John Gage CC li. to Sir Thomas Darcy Knight CC li. to Sir Thomas Speke Knight CC marks to Sir Philip Hobbey Knight CC marks to Sir Thomas Paston CC marks to Sir Morrice Barkeley CC marks to Sir Ralph Sadler CC li. to Sir Thomas Carden CC li. to Sir Peter Newtas CC marks to Edward Bullingham CC marks to Thomas Audeley CC marks to Edmund Harman CC marks to John Penne C marks to Henry Nevile a C li. to William Symbarbe C li. to Richard Cooke C li. to John Osborne C li. to David Vincent C li. to James Rufforth Keeper of Our house here C marks to Richard Cecill Yeoman of Our Robes C marks to Thomas Strenhold Groom of Our Robes C marks to John Rowland Page of Our Robes L li. to the Earl of Arundell Lord Chamberlain CC li. to Sir Anthony Wingfield Vice-Chamberlain CC li. to Sir Edmond Peckham CC li. to Sir Richard Rich CC li. to Sir John Baker CC li. to Sir Rich Southwell CC li. to Mr. Doctor Owen C li. to Mr. Doctor Wendy C li. to Mr. Doctor Cromer C li. to Thomas Alssop C marks to Patrick C marks to John Ailef C marks to Henry Forrest C marks to Richard Ferrers C marks to John Holland C marks to the four Gentlemen Ushers of Our chamber being daily Waiters a hundred pound in all And We will that Our Executors or the most part of them shall give Orders for the payment of such Legacies as they shall think meet to such Our ordinary Servants as unto whom We have not appointed any Legacy by this Our present Testament Finally this present Writing in Paper We ordain and make Our last Will and Testament and will the same to be reputed and taken to all intents and purposes for Our good strong available most perfect and last Will and Testament And We doe declare all other Wills and Testaments made at any time by Us to be void and of none effect ¶ In witnesse whereof We have signed it with Our hand in Our Palace at Westminster the thirtieth day of December in the yeare of our Lord God 1546. after the computation of the Church of England and of Our Reign the xxxviij th year being present and called to Witnesse the Persons which have written their names John Gate Ed Harman William Saint-Barbe Henry Nevill Richard Cooke David Vincent Patrick George Owen Thomas Wendy Robert Kewicke William Clerke 51. This the Will was drawn up some two years since When this Will was made before He went to Bologne as is intimated in a passage Be it beyond the sea c. which now was onely fairly written over again without any alteration save that Stephen Gardiner was expunged from being one of His Executors It seems that formerly finding none substituted in Gardiner's room He appointed seventeen Executors that so a decisive Vote might avoid equality of Voices And although in this Will provision is made for multitude of Masses to be said for his soule yet * Fox Acts and Mon. p. 1291. one pretending to extraordinary intelligence herein would perswade us that K. Henry intended in His later daies so thorow a Reformation as not to have left one Masse in the Land if death had not prevented Him 52. Amongst His Servants in ordinary attendance to whom Legacies were bequeathed Legacies scarcely paid Richard Cecil there named Yeoman of the Robes was the Father to William Cecil afterwards Baron of Burghly and Lord Treasurer of England Thomas Sternhold Groom of the Robes and afterwards of the * Balens Cent. pagin 728. ab intimâ—s cubiculis Bed chamber to King Edward the sixth was one of them who translated the Psalmes into English Meeter being then accounted an excellent Poet though he who wore bayes in
witnesses Henceforward 〈…〉 all his first information which from this day sunk 〈◊〉 silence and employed all his power on the proof of Subornation That 〈…〉 too hard for his Teeth to enter and fastned his fangs on a softer place so to pinch the Bishop to purpose yea so expensive was the suit that the Bishop well skilled in the charge of charitable works might with the same cost have built and endowed a small Colledge 84. Some daies before she hearing a Noble Lord of his Majesties Councell In 〈…〉 with the King the Bishops great Friend interposed himself to compound the matter prevailing so farre that on his payment of two thousand pound the Suit should be superseded in the Star-Chamber and he freed from further molessation But at this Lords return the price was risen in the market and besides the aforesaid 〈◊〉 it was demanded of him that to procure his peace he must part with his Deanery of Westminster Parsonage or Walgrave and Prebend of Lincoln which he kept in commendam To this the Bishop answered that he would in no base forgoe those few remainders of the favour which his dead master King James had conferred 〈◊〉 him 85. Not long after another bargain was driven frustrated therein by his great Adversary by the well intended endeavours of the same Lord that seeing his Majesty at that time had much occasion of moneys if he would but double the former summe and lay down four thousand pounds he should be freed from further trouble and might goe home with all his 〈◊〉 about him The Bishop returned that he took no delight 〈◊〉 at law with his Soveraign and thankfully embracing the motion prepared himself for the payment When a great Adversary stepping in so violented his Majesty to a Tryall that all was not onely frustrated but this afterwards urged against the Bishop to prove him conscious of a crime from his forwardness to entertain a composition 86. The day of censure being come July 11. Tuesday Sir John Finch Lord chief Justice fined the Bishop ten thousand pound for tempering to suborn Witnesses His heavy censure Secretary Windebank concurred with that little Bell being the lowdest and shrillest in the whole peaâ— as who alone motioned to degrade him which was lustily pronounced by a Knight and Layman having no precedent for the same in former ages The other Lords brought the fine downe to eight thousand pound and a thousand marks to Sir John Munson with suspension ab officio et beneficio and imprisoning him during the Kings pleasure The Earl of Arundell added that the cause in its self was extraordinary not so much prosecuted by the Atturney as immediately by the King himself recommended to their justice Manchester Lord privy Seal said that this was the first precedent wherein a Master had undone himself to save his Servant 87. The Archbishop of Canterbury did consent thereunto To which the Archbishop of Canterbury did concurre aggravating the fault of subornation of perjury with a patheticall speech of almost an houre long shewing how the world was above three thousand years old before ripe enough to commit so great a wickedness and Jesabell the first in Scripture branded with that infamie whose false Witnesses the holy Spirit refused to name otherwise than under the Character of Men of Belial Wherefore although as he said he himself had been five times down on his knees to his Majesty in the Bishops behalf yet considering the guilt so great he could not but agree with the heaviest censure And although some Lords the Bishops Friends as Treasurer Weston Earl of Dorset c. concurred in the fine with hope the King should have the sole honor of the mitigation thereof yet his Majesties necessaries meeting with the person adjudged guilty and well known for solvable no wonder if the utmost penny of the fine was exacted 88. At the same time were fined with the Bishop Three of his Servants fined with 〈◊〉 George Walker his Secretary Cadwallader Powell his Steward at three hundred pounds a piece and Thomas Lund the Bishop his Servant at a thousand 〈◊〉 all as 〈◊〉 in the same cause yet none of them was imprisoned save Lund for a few weeks and their fine never called upon into this day which the Bishop said was commuted into such Office as hereafter they were go doe in the favour of Kilvert 7. To make this our History entire The complaints against the unjust proceedings against him put in by the Bishop into the Parliament the matter in this particular suite Be it therefore known to the Reader than some foure years after 〈◊〉 1640 when this Bishop was fetch out of the Tower and restored a Peer in Parliament he there in presented severall grievances concerning the indirect prosecution of this cause against him whereof these the principall First that his Adversaries utterly waâ—ed and declined the matter of their first Information about revealing the Kings secrets as hopeless of success therein and sprung a new mine to blow up his credit about perjury in the examination of Witnesses Whereas he conceived it just that all accidentalls and occasionalls should sink with the substance of the accusation otherwise suits would be endless if the branches thereof should still survive when the root doth expire * These complaints I extracted out of the Bishop his Originall Secondly that he was deprived of the benefit of bringing in any exceptions against the Testimonies of Sir John Lambe and Dr. Sibthorp to prove their combination against him because they deposing pro Domino Rege nonâ— must impeach the credit of the Kings Witnesses who must be reputed holy and sacred in what they 〈◊〉 in so much that after Briefs were drawn by Counsells on both sides the Court was moved to expunge those Witnesses which made most against the King and for the Defendant Thirdly that Kilvert used all wayes to menace and intimidate the Bishop his Witnesses frighting them as much as he could out of their own consciences with dangers presented unto them To this purpose he obtained from Secretary Windebank that a Messenger of the Star-chamber one Pechye by name was directed to attend him all along the speeding of the Commission in the Country with his Coat of Armes upon him with power to apprehend and close imprison any person whom Kilvert should appoint pretending from the Secretary Warrants for matters of State and deep consequence so to doe by vertue whereof in the face of the Commission he seised on and committed George Walker and Thomas Lund two materiall Witnesses for the Bishop and by the terror thereof chased away many more whose Depositions were necessary to the clearing of the Bishop his integrity yet when the aforesaid two Prisoners in the custody of the Messenger were produced before Secretary Winebank he told them he had no matters of State against them but turned them over to Kilvert wishing them to give him satisfaction and were not permitted
to be accounted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as of great performances for the generall Good expended 3000. pound of his own in altering and enlarging the old and adding a new Court thereunto being at this day the Stateliest and most uniform Colledge in Christendom out of which may be carved three Dutch Vniversities Masters Bishops Benefactours Livings in the Coll. gifts 1 Iohn Redman 2 VVilliam Bill 3 Iohn Christopherson 4 VVilliam Bill restored by Q. Elizab. 5 Rob. Beamont 6 Io. Whitgift 7 Iohn Still 8 Tho. Nevyle 9 Iohn Richardson 10 Leonard Maw 11 Sam. Brooks 12 Tho. Cumber 13 Tho. Hill 14 Iohn Arrowsmith 1 Io. Christopherson B p. of Chichester 2 Iohn VVhitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 3 Iohn Still Bishop of Bath and Wels. 4 Gervase Babington B p. of VVorcester 5 VVilliam Redman Bishop of Norwich 6 Anthony Rud Bishop of S t. Davids 7 Godfrey Gosborrough Bishop of Glocester 8 Robert Bennet Bishop of Hereford 9 Martin Fotherby Bishop of Sarisbury 10 Godfrey Goodman Bish of Glocester 11 Leonard Maw Bishop of Bath and VVells 11 Iohn Bowle Bishop of Rotchester 12 Adam Lofius Arch-bishop of Dublin 12 Doct. Hampton Arch-bishop of Dublin in Ireland 1 Tho. Allen Clark 2 S r. Edward Stanhop who gave 900. l. to the Library 3 The Lady Bromley 4 George Palin Girdler 5 The Lady Anne VVeald 6 Roger Iesson Haberdasher 7 M rs Elizbeth Elwis 8 Doct. Bill 9 D r. Beaumont 10 D r. Whitgift Masters of this House 11 D r. Cosins 12 D r. Barrow 13 D r. Skevington 14 Wil. Cooper Es 15 Peter Shaw 16 S r. VVilliā Sidley Knight Baronet 17 S r. Thomas Lake 18 S r. Iohn Sucklin Knights 19 D r. Robert Bankworth Fellow 20 S r. Ralph Hare Knight 21 M r. Silvius Elwis still in the Coll. S t. Maries the great in Cambridge S t Michaels in Cambridge Chesterton Vic. Eely val 10. 12. 03. Orwell Rect. Eely val 10. 07. 07 1 2. Kendal Vic. Carlile val Barington Vic. Eely val 7. 14. 04. Blythe Vic. York Dioc. val 14. 09. 04. Gryndon Vic. Peterb val 8. 00. 00. Felmersham Vic. Lincoln val 13. 13. 04. Ware Vic. London val 20. 08. 11. Thunridge Vic. London val 6. Swinsted Vic. Lincoln val 14. 00. 09. Chedull R. Cove Lich. val 12. 09. 00. See the Livings in Michael-House and Kings-Hall So that at this day there are therein maintained Anno Regis Henrici 8. 38 one master Anno Dom. 154 5 6 sixty Fellows sixty seven Scholars four Conducts three publick Professours thirteen Poor-Scholars twenty Almes-men besides lately a Master of the Choristers six Clerks and ten Choristers with the Officers Servants of the Foundation and other Students in all four hundred and fourty 20. It is not much above an hundred years since the first sounding of this House and see how marvellously God hath blessed it with eminent men in all Professions besides the Bishops afore-mentioned States-men Divines Criticks Poets 1 S r. Francis Bacon Lord Chancellour of England 2. S r. Edw. Coke Lord-Chief Justice 3 S r. Edward Stanhop Vicar-Generall 4. Richard Cosin D r. L. Deane of the Arches 5. S r. Robert Naunton 6 Sir Iohn Cooke Principle-Seeretaries of State both 7. M. Iohn Facker Secretary to the Duke of Buckingham 8. S r. Francis Nethersole Secretary to the Q. of Bohemia 1 Thomas Cartwright 2 Walter Travers 3 VVilliam Whitaker 4 Matth. Sutcliffe Founder of Chels Coll. D. of Exeter 5 Io. Layfield 6 Tho. Harison 7 Will. Dakings All three Translatours of the Bible 1 Edward Lively one of the best Linguists in the World 2 Philemon Holland an industrious Translatour 3 William Alabaster most skilfull in Cabalisticall learning 4 Edward Simson who hath wrote a large History the Mythologicall part whereof is most excellent 6 Robert Creiton 1 Walter Hawksworth an excellent Comedian 2 Giles Fletcher of Christs Victory 3 George Herbert whose Piety Poëtry cannot be sufficiently commended 4 Tho. Randolph D r. Comber the twelfth Master of this House must not be forgotten of whom the most learned a In Animad in Censuram Exercitationum Ecclesiasticarum Pentateucum Samaritanum pag. 419. Morinus makes this honourable mention Alius praeterea codex Samaritanus celebratur dicitur esse Archiepiscopi Armachani ab eo è Palaestina in Hiberniam exportatus qui Leydensibus Academicis nonnullo tempore fuit commodatus Istum codicem vir clarissimus Thomas Comberus Anglus quem honoris officii reddendi causa nomino cum textu Judaico verbum è verbo imo literam cum liter a maxima a diligentia indefesso labore comparavit differentiasque omnes juxta capitum versuum or dinem digestas ad me misit humanissime officiosissime 21. Besides many worthies still alive With many moe living Iohn Hacket Doctour of Divinity whose forwardnesse in farthering these my Studies I can onely deserve with my prayers Doctour Henry Ferne whose pen hath published his own worth Master Herbert Thornedyke so judicious and indistrious in setting forth the many Languaged-Bible M r. Iames Duport so much the more priced by others for his modest undervaluing his own worth with many moe whose number God daily encrease 22. King Henry the eighth with Trinity Colledge Kings Professours founded founded also publick Professours For formerly the Vniversity had but two one of Divinity founded by the Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond allowing him Salary of twenty Marks and another for Phisick at the Cost of Thomas Linacre that exellent Critick Tutour to Prince Arthur and afterwards Doctor of Physick But now King Henry added to these a Regius Professour in Divinity Law Hebrew and Greek allowing them 40. pounds per annum and increasing the stipend of Physick Professour now acknowledged as onely of the Kings foundation But see the Catologue Lady-Margarets-Professours Kings Professours in Divinity Kings Law-Professours Iohn Fisher President of Queens Col. Bishop of Rochester Erasmus Roterodamus Thomas Cosin D. D. Master of Corpus-Christi Coll. Iohn Fawn D. D. President of the Vniversity Thomas Ashley D. D. Fellow of Kings Coll. William Sket D. D. Fellow of Kings Coll. Robert Beaumont D. D. Master of Trini Coll. Matthew Hutton D. D. M r. of Pembroke Hall Iohn Whitgift D. D. Master of Trin. Coll. William Chaderton D. D. President of Queens Coll. Thomas Carwright Master of Arts Fellow of Trinity Coll. Iohn Hanson Master of Arts Fel. of Trin. Col. Iohn Still D. D. Master of Trinity Coll. Peter Baro a Frenchman D. D. of Trinity Col. Thomas Playford D. D. Fell. of S t. Iohn ' s Col. Iohn Davenant D. D. President of Q. Coll. Samuel Ward D. D. Master of Sidney Suffex Coll. Rich Holdsworth D. D. M r. of Emanuel Coll. Rich. Love D. D. M r. of Corpus-Christi Coll. Doctor Wiggin Martin Bucer D. D. D r. Sedgwick Leonard Pilkington D. D. Master of Saint Iohn ' s Coll. Matthew Hutton D. D. Fellow of Trinity Col. Iohn Whitgift D. D. fellow of S t.
His choller now swelling high because opposed by the Rebels more than His judgment in this His expression and seeing an Historian should suum cuique tribuere give me leave a little to enlarge in this subject 2. Of the Lord Marney What the Lord Marney was I can say but little finding him whilst as yet but a Knight Sir Henry Servant and one of the Executors to the Lady Margaret Countesse of Darby at which time he was Chancellour of the Dutchie of Lancaster It seemeth he rose by the Law being the first and last Baron of his name whose sole Daughter was married to Thomas Howard Vicount Bindon 3. Longer must we insist on the Parentage Three noble Branches of the Darcyes in the North. performances and posterity of Thomas Lord Darcy finding in the North three distinct branches thereof whereof the first was Begun Continued Extingnished In Norman de Adrecy or Darcy possessed under K Will the Conquerour of many Manours in Yorke shire and * Dooms-day book chap. 32. in Lincoln shire Lincoln shire where Normanbye His prime seat seemeth so named by him For ten Generations most of them buried in Noketon Priory in Lincoln sh by them founded and indowed viz 1. Robert 2. Thomas 3. Thomas 4. Norman 5. Norman 6. Philip. 7. Norman 8. Philip. 9. Norman 10. Philip. In Philip Darcy dying issue-less whose two Sisters and Co-heires were married the one to Roger Pedwardine the other to Peter of Limbergh 4. The first Male Line of the Darcyes being thus determined a second Race succeeded derived from Norman Darcy the Penultim Lord in the last Pedigree Begun Continued Extinguished In Iohn Darcy Son to the aforesaid Norman Steward to the King's Houshold Justice of Ireland For five descents being Barons of Knaith Moynill 1. John 2. John 3. Philip. 4. John 5 Philip. In Philip the fifth Baron who though dying under age left two Daughters Elizabeth married to Sir James Strangewayes of Hartley Castle and Margaret to Sir Iohn Coigniers of Hornbey-Castle 5. Thus expired the second Male stem of the Darcyes styled Barons of Knaith long since aliened from their Family and for this last hundred years the habitation of the Lord Willoughby of Parham Come we now to the third Stemme which was Begun Continned Extinguished In Sir Iohn Darcy of Torxay second Son to the last Lord John Darcy of Knaith Through seven Generations 1. Richard 2. William 3. Thomas 4. George 5. Iohn 6. Michael 7. Iohn In Iohn Lord Darcy of Ashton dying issue-lesse though hee had foure Wives in the Reigne of King Charles 6. Thomas Darcy here named is the person the subject of this discourse of whom four things are memorable 1. He was Knighted by K. Henry the seventh who made him Captain of the Town and Castle of Barwick * privatae Sigilla de anno 14 Henrici 7. and Commander of the East and Middle Marches 2. K Henry the eighth in the first year of his Reign made him Iustice in Eyre of the Forests beyond Trent summoned him the same yeare as a Baron to Parliament imployed him with a Navie An. 1511. to assist Ferdinand King of Arragon against the Moores and made him knight of the Garter 3. Though the Ancestours of this Thomas Darcy since the second Branch was expired were styled Lords in some Deeds whether by the courtesie of the Countrey or because the right of a Barony lay in them yet this Thomas was the first summoned Baron to Parliament in the first of King Henry the eighth and his Successours took their place accordingly 4. Though the Revenue of this Thomas Lord Darcy was not great at the beginning of King Henry the eighth because the Heires Generall of the Lord Darcyes of Knaith carried away the maine of the Inheritance yet he had a considerable Estate augmented by his Match with Dowsabella the Daughter and Heire of Sir Richard Tempest The result of all is this This Lord was most Honourably descended and his Nobility augmented not first founded by K. Henry the eighth as his words did intimate Let therefore passionate Princes speak what they please their patient Subjects will believe but their just proportion And although the Foxes eares must be reputed horns whilst the Lyon in presence is pleased so to term them yet they never alter their nature and quickly recover the name after the Lyons departure This I though fit to write in vindication of the Lord Darcy who though he owed his life to the Law it is cruelty he should lose both it and the just honour of his Extraction 7. As for the present Coigniers Lord Darcy he is not onely descended from the foresaid Lord Thomas but also from the Heire Generall of the second Stem of the Lord Darcyes of Knaith and was by King Charles accordingly restored to take his place in Parliament The antient English Nobility great Losers by the Dissolution of Abbeys ALthough many modern Families have been great Gainers by the destruction of Monasteries Antient Nobility losers yet the Antient Nobility when casting up their Audits found themselves much impaired thereby both in power and profit commodity and command I mean such whose Ancestours had been Founders of Abbeys or great Benefactours unto them These reserved to themselves and their Heirs many Annual Rents and Services Reliefs Escuage as also that such Abbots and their Successours should doe Fealry and Homage to their Heirs for such Lands as they held of them in Knights Service 2. Now although order was taken at the dissolution to preserve such Rents to the Founders Heires payable unto them by the Kings Officers out of the Exchequer yet such summes after long attendance were recovered with so much difficulty that they were lost in effect Good rents ill paid Thus when the few sheaves of the Subject are promiscuously made up in the Kings mewe it is hard to finde them there and harder to fetch them thence 3. As for the foresaid Services reserved either at money Services wholly lost or money worth to them and their Heires they were totally and finally extinguished for formerly such Abbeys used 1. To send men on their own Charges in Voyages to Warre to aid and attend such of their Founders and Benefactors Heires of whom they held Land in Knights service 2. They bountifully contributed a Portion to the Marriage of their eldest Daughters 3. They bear the Costs and charges to accoutre their eldest Sonnes in a gentile military equipage when Knighted by the King But now the Tree being pluckt up by the roots no such fruit could afterwards be expected 4. Nor must we forget the benefit of Corrodies With the commodity of Corodies so called à conradendo from eating together for the Heires of the foresaid Founders not by courtesie but composition for their former favours had a priviledge to send a set number of their poor Servants to Abbeys to diet therein Thus many aged Servants past working not feeding costly to keep and
as at London at Terms and Parliament times in Oxford at the Act in Cambridg at the times of Commencement and Sturbridge-fair and also more particular and Provinciall Synods and at Classes or Conferences of certain selected Ministers in one or moe places of sundry severall shires as Warwick Northampton Râ—tland Oxford Leicester Cambridge Norfolke Suffolke Essex and others 27. Item that at such Synods and Conferences it hath been concluded that all the Ministers which should be received to be either of the said generall Synods or of any more particular and Provincial or of a Classis or Conference should subscribe to the said Discipline that they did allow it would promote it practise it and be governed by it And according to the form of a schedule hereunto annexed or such like both he the said Thomas Cartwright and many others at sundry or some generall Assemblies as at Provincial and at several conferences have within the said time subscribed the same or some part thereof 28. Item that at such Synods and all other Assemblies a moderator of that meeting was first by him and them chosen according to the prescription of the said book And at some of such meetings and Assemblies amongst other things it was resolved and concluded that such particular conferences in severall Shires should be erected how many persons and with what letters from every of them should be sent to the generall Assembly and that one of them at their coming home to their Conference should make known the determinations of the generall Assembly to be by every of them followed and put in practice which course in sundry places of this Realm hath within the time aforesaid been accordingly followed and performed 29. Item that he with others in some such Classis or Conference or in a Synod Anno Dom. 1590. Anno Regin Eliza. 33. or more generall Assembly holden did treat and dispute among other points these six Articles conteined in another schedule annexed and set down their resolution and determination of them 30. Item that he with others assembled in such a generall Assembly or Synod at Cambridge did conclude and decree as in another schedule annexed or in some part thereof is conteined which decrees were made known afterwards at Warwick to sundry Classes there by his means assembled and allowed also by them then met together in the same or like form 31. Item that all such severall meetings Synods and Conferences within the said time many other determinations as well what should be done and performed or omitted as also what should be holden consonant to Gods word or disagreeing from it have been set down by the said Thomas Cartwright and others As namely that all admitted to either Assembly should subscribe the said book of Discipline Holy and Synodicall that those who were sent from any Conference to a Synod should bring letters fiduciarie or credence that the last Moderator should write them that the superscription thereof should be to a known man of the Assembly then to be holden that no book made by any of them should be put in print but by consent of the Classis at least that some of them must be earnest and some more milde and temperate whereby there may be both of the spirit of Elias and Elizeus that all admitted amongst them should subscribe and promise to conform themselves in their proceedings administration of Sacraments and of Discipline to the form of that Book and that they would subject themselves to the censuring of the Brethren both for doctrine and life and lastly that upon occasion when any their brethren shall be sent by them upon affairs of the Church as to the great meetings Parliament c. they all would bear their charges in common that there might be no superiority amongst them and that the Moderatorship as it happ'ned is not a superiority or honour but a burden that no profane writer or any other than Canonical Scripture may be alledged in Sermons that they should all teach that the ministry of those who did not preach is no ministry but a meer nullity that it is not lawfull to take any oath whereby a man may be driven to discover any thing penal to himself or to his brother especially if he be perswaded the matter to be lawfull for which the punishment is like to be inflicted or having taken it in this case need not discover the very truth that to a Bishop or other Officer ecclesiasticall as is used now in the Church of England none obedience ought to be given neither in appearing before them in doing that which they command nor in abstaining from that which they inhibit that in such places as the most of the people favoured the cause of sincerity Eldership should warily and wisely be placed and established which Consistory in some places hath been either wholy or in part erected accordingly yea in some Colledges in the University as he knoweth hath heard or verily beleeveth These Articles were tendered to M r. Cartwright in the Consistory of Pauls before John Almare Bishop of London the two Lord Chief Justices Justice Gawdy Sergeant Puckering afterwards Lord keeper and Attorney-Generall Popham 28. Mr. Cartwright refuseth to answer an oath These Commissioners did move him to give in his answer the rather because the chief points in the Jnterrogatories were delivered in general terms unto him and they severally assured him on their credits that by the Laws of the Realm he was to take his oath and to answer as he was required But M r. Cartwright desired to be born withall pleading that he thought he was not bound by the laws of God so to do Hereupon he was sent to the rest of his brethren to the Fleet where he secretly and silently took up his lodging many admiring at the pannick peaceableness and so quiet a calm where so violent a tempest was feared to arise 29. Wigington his ridling words Some soon after expected the appearance of the Presbyterian party Nov. 6. accounting it more valour to free than to keep their friends from prison The rather because of a passage in a letter of M r. Wigingtons to one M r. Porter at Lancaster M r. Cartwright is in the Fleet for the refusall of the oath as I hear and M r. Knewstubs is sent for and sundry worthy Ministers are disquieted who have been spared long So that we look for some Bickering ere long and then a Battle which cannot long endure Words variously expounded as mens fancies directed them Some conceived that this Bickering and Battle did barely import a passive conflict wherein their patience was to encounter the power of their adversaries and to conquer by suffering Parallel to the Apostles a 2 Cor. 7. 5. words Without were fightings meaning combats to wrastle with in many difficulties opposing their proceedings Others expounded the words literally not of a tame but wilde Battle and of some intended violence as if shortly they would
was by him preferred to be Arch-bishop of Canterbury 889 then a miserable place A generall Contribution to Rome and Ierusalem as hardly recovered from the late Sacking of the Danes By the Kings command he called the Clergy of England together and made a Collection of Almes to be sent to Rome and Ierusalem and Athelm Arch-bishop of York was imployed in the Journey going personally to the aforesaid Places to see the Contribution there faithfully delivered and equally distributed 44. About the end of this Century died worthy King Alfred 900 remarkable to Posterity on many Accounts Death of King Alfred whereof this not the least That he turned Davids Psalms into English so that a Royall Text met with a Royall Translatour He left his Crown to Edward his Sonne commonly called the Elder farre inferiour to his Father in Skill in but not so much in his Love to good Literature Indeed he had an excellent Tutour Asserius Menevensis Arch-bishop of S t. Davids the faithfull Writer of his Fathers Actions supposed by some Bishop of Sherburn which is denied by b Iames Usher de Brit. Eccles primor in Iâ—dice Chronolog p. 1177. Weak Guardians God wote others though one of the same name was some yeares before as inconsistent with Chronologie 45. As for principall Clergy-men extant at this time we take speciall notice of two the one Berthulf Bishop of VVinchester made one of the Guardians of the Realm against the Incursion of the Danes the other Halard Bishop of Dorchester advanced also into the same Employment But alass what weak Guardians were these to defend the Land which could not secure their own Sees And in what Capacity save in Prayers and Teares were they Able to make any Resistance for now the Danes not onely affailed the Skirts and Out-sides of the Land but also made Inrodes many miles into the Continent thereof Insomuch that VVinchester lay void six and Sherburn seven yeares such the Pagan Fury that none durst offer to undertake those Places 46. True it is The wofull estate of the English the English oftentimes in Battell got the Advantage of them when the Pagan Danes being conquered had but one way to shift for themselves namely to counterfeit themselves Christians and embrace Baptisme but no sooner had they got Power again into their hands but that they turning Apostates were ten times more cruell then ever before Thus successively was the Land affected with Sicknesse Recovery and Relapses the peoples Condition being so much the more disconsolate because promising a Continuance of Happinesse to themselves upon their Victories they were on their Overthrows remanded to the same if not a worse Condition 47. It is strange to observe the Alternations of Successe between the English and Danes The commendable temper of King Alfred and King Edward how exactly they took their Turns God using them to hold up one another whilest he justly beat both Mean time commendable the Temper of late King Alfred Anno Dom. 900 and present King Edward Anno Regis it being true of each of them Si modo Victus erat ad crastina bella parabat Si modo Victor erat ad crastina bella timebat If that it happ't that Conquered was he Next day to fight he quickly did prepare But if he chanc't the Conquerour to be Next day to fight he wisely did beware But these things we leave to the Historians of the State to prosecute and confine our selves onely to matters of Ecclesiasticall cognizance THE TENTH CENTURY Anno Regis Iacobo Langham Anno Dom. Armigero amplissimi Senatoris Londinensis Primogenito DEcimam hanc Centuriam tibi dedicandam curavi quòd Numerus Denarius semper aliquid augustum sonet Sic in Papicolarum Globulis quibus preculas suas numerant decimus ut Decurio aliis magnitudine praestat At dices Centuria haec inter Ecclesiasticos audit infelix cùm suâ tantùm Obscuritate sit illustris Quid Tibi igitur Felicissimo Viro cui laetum Ingenium lauta Haereditas cum infelici Seculo Verbo expediam Volui Nomen Tuum Historiae meae hic praetendi ut instar Phosphori Lectores in hac tenebrosa Aetate oberrantes splendoris sui Radiis dirigat Percurras quaeso insequentes paginas nihil Scientiae aliquid Voluptatis tibi allaturas Quo cum nemo sit in ipsis Elegantiarum apicibus Latinior probe scio Te perquam suaviter risurum cum Diploma Edvardinum nimia Barbarie scatens perlegeris 1. AT this time there was a great Dearth of Bishops in the Land Edvardi Senioris 3 which lasted for seven yeares as long as the Famine in Aegypt during which time 904 there was no Bishop in all the West parts of England England interdicted by the Pope for want of Bishops Pope Formosus was foully offended hereat and thereupon cum magna a Archiv Cant. in Regist Priorat Eccles Cant. fol. 3. b. Iracundia Devotione with much Passion and Piety by his Curse and Excommunication interdicted King Kingdome and all the Subjects therein We cannot but gaze at the Novelty of this act as we conceive a leading Case in this kind whilest the skilfull in the Canon Law can give an account of the Equity of the Popes Proceedings why all should suffer for some the guiltlesse with the guilty and have the VVord and Sacraments taken from them for the want of Bishops in other places Otherwise the Punishment seemeth unjust in the rigid justice thereof and if not heavier larger then the Offence and beareth no Proportion with common Equity Christian Charity and Gods Proceedings who saith the soul that sinneth shall dye 2. Not withstanding The Character of those this excommunicating of K. Edward bythe Pope is highly urged by a In his answer to the Lord Cooks Report pag. 136. cap. 6. Parsons Kings on whom the Pope most improved himself to prove the Popes Power in England over Princes Anno Dom. 904 according to his constant Soloâ—cisme clean through the tenure of his Book Anno Regis Edvardi Sen. 3 to reason à Facto ad Ius arguing from the Popes barely doing it that he may justly do it We deny not but that in this Age active and ambitious Popes mightily improved their Power upon five sorts of Princes First on such as were lazy and voluptuous who on condition they might enjoy their Sports and Delights for the present cared not for their Posterity Secondly on such as were openly vicious and so obnoxious to Censure who would part with any thing out of the apprehension of their Guiltinesse Thirdly on such as were tender and easie-natured who gave not so much out of Bounty to give as out of Bashfulnesse to deny the Popes Importunity Fourthly on those of a timorous spirit who were affrighted with their own Fancies of the Popes Terriblenesse and being captivated unto him by their own Fear they ransomed themselves at what Price
from the Pope and why where having been so great a stickler for his Holiness insomuch that his present disfavour with the King was originally caused by his activity for the Pope he might rationally have expected some courtesie But though he had used both his hands to scrape treasure for the Church of Rome the Pope would not lend his least finger to his support but suspended him from office and benefit of his place till he should clear himself from the crime of Treason wherewith he was charged Whether done to procure reputation to the Justice of the Court of Rome where in publick causes men otherwise privately well deserving should finde no more favour there then they brought innocence thither Or because which is most probable the Pope loved the Arch-Bishoprick better then the Arch-Bishop and knew during his suspension both to increase his profit and improve his power in England by such cunning Factors as he imployed in the business namely William de Testa and Peter Amaline both strangers to whom the Pope committed the sequestration of Canterbury whilest the cause of Wincelsey did as yet depend undetermined 8. These by Papal Authority A signal piece of Justice don by forein Sequestrators summoned before them John Salmon Bishop of Norwich for exacting the first-fruits of vacant Benefices from the Clergie of his Diocess The case was this Some sixty years since Pandulph an Italian and Popes Legat a perfect Artist in progging for money being Bishop of Norwich c Harpsfield Hist Eccl. Aug. in Seculo 13. cap. 15. pretending his Church to be in debt obtained of his Holiness the first-firuits of vacant Benefices in Norfolk and Suffolk to discharge that engagement This Grant to him being but personal local and temporary was improved by his Successors to a constant revenue yea covetousness being an apt Scholar and profit an easie lesson this example was followed by other English Bishops in their respective Diocesses Behold here a piece of exemplary Justice Who could have look'd for less the illegality of these payments appearing but that the Clergie should be eased of them Whereas these forein Sequestrators did order that generally throughout England the first-fruits of all spiritual promotions falling void next for three years should be paid over to the Popes Chamber at Rome onely d Antiquitates Britan. p. 208. Cathedral and Conventual-Churches were excepted herein No reason is rendered why the burden fell on Parish-Churches except any will say that the Ass must bear more then the Horse and the load is best laid on that beast which hath least mettle to kick it off and throw it down Englands gald backâ—â— changes a full flie for an hungry one the poor Parochial Clergie being most unable to resist the usurpation of his Holiness 9. Afterwards this William Testa who according to his name came over an empty shell but departed with the kernel of the English wealth complained of for his extortion a Câ—ntra intemperantem Testa 〈◊〉 publiâ—e in Parliamentâ— querlae quod Clerum immoderatè emuâ—geret Harpssield p. 431. to the Parliament was called home and Peter a Spanish Cardinal sent in his room where he concluded and celebrated a marriage betwixt Prince Edward and Isabel the King of France his Daughter Towards the bearing of his charges this Cardinal required twelve mark of all Cathedrals and Convents and of Parish-Churches eight pence out of every mark of their yearlie revenue But the King made him content with the moity of his demand 10. Mean time intollerable were the taxes which the English Clergie paid to Rome The infinite wealth Rome yearly drained from England The Poets faigne Arethusa a River in Armenia to be swallowed up by the earth and running many miles under the Ocean in Sicilie they say it vents it self up again But without any fiction the wealthy streams flowing from a plentiful spring in England did suddenly disappear and being insensibly conveyed in invisible chanels not under but over the Sea were found far off to arise afresh at Rome in the Popes Treasury where the Italians though being themselves bred in a clear and subtile Climate they scorn'd the dulness of the wits and hated the gross ayre of this Island yet hugg'd the heaviness of the gold thereof this Kingdom being one of the best places for their profit Although proud b In Consut Apolog Harding saith that the Popes yearly gains out of England were but as a GNAT to an ELEPHANT Oh the over-grown Beast of Romes Revenues 11. The death of King Edward the first The death character of K. Edward the first gave a great advancement to the Popes incroaching A worthy Prince he was 1307 fixed in his generation betwixt a weak Father 35. and son as if made wise and valiant by their Antiperistasis Equally fortunate in drawing and sheathing the sword in war and peace having taught the English loyaltie by them almost forgotten and the Welsh subjection which they never learn'd before In himself religiously disposed founded the famous c Camd. Brit. in Cheshire Abbey of Val-royal for the Cistercians in Cheshire and by Will bequeathing thirty two thousand pounds to the Holy War Obedient not servile to the See of Rome A soe to the pride and friend to the profession of the Clergie whom he watered with his bounty but would not have to spread so broad as to justle or grow so high as to overtop the Regal Authority Dying in due time for himself almost seventy year old but too soon for his Subjects especially for his Son whose giddy youth lack'd a guide to direct him In a word As the Arm of King Edward the first was accounted the measure of a yard generally received in England so his actions are an excellent model and a praise-worthy platform for succeeding Princes to imitate 12. Edward his Son Wincelsey at the request of K. Edward the second restored to his Arch. Bishoprick by Letters to the Pope requested that Robert Wincelsey might be restored to his Arch-Bishoprick which was done accordingly though he returned too late to Crown the King which solemnity was performed by Henry Woodlock Bishop of Winchester Here let the peaceable Reader part two contrary reports from fighting together both avowed by Authors of credit d Harpsfield Hist Ecc. Aug pag. 440. Some say Wincelsey after his return receiv'd his profits maim'd and mangled scarce amounting to half and that poor pittance he was fain to bestow to repair his dilapidated Palace Others report his revenues not less'ned in quantity and increas'd in the intireness were paid him all in a lump insomuch that hereby having learn'd thrift in exile to live of a little he speedily became the richest of all his e Antiq. Brit pag. 209. ex Adame Mumâ—â—ten Predecessors so that he gained by losses and it was his common Proverb that There is no hurt in adversity where there hath been no iniquity and many make his
indignities offered him was at last by them beheaded on Tower-Hill patiently ending his life and dying a State-Martyr But most fiercely fell their fury on the Dutch in London offended be-like with them for ingrossing of Trade and these words bread and cheese were their neck-verse or Shibboleth to distinguish them all pronouncing broad and cause being presently put to death Of all people onely some a See Godwins Catalogue of the Bishops of Norwich in Hen Spencer Franciscan Friers found favour in their sight whom they intended to preserve What quality to us occult commended them to their mercy Was it because they were the most ignorant of other Friers and so the likest to themselves But perchance these Rebells if demanded were as unable to render a reason why they spared these as why they spoiled others being equally irrational in their kindnesses as in in their cruelties 21. Judas Wat Tyler parallel'd When I read that passage of Judas in the Counsel of b Acts 5. 37. Gamaliel it seemeth to me plainly to describe the rising increase and ruine of these Rebels 1. Rising There rose up Judas of Galilee in the dayes of the taxing so Tiler appeared and this rebellion was caused by poll-money heavily imposed by the King and the arrears thereof more cruelly exacted by his Courtiers that farmed it And pitty it is so foul a rebellion could pretend so fair an occasion for the extenuating thereof 2. Encrease And drew away much people after him so the snow-ball encreased here John c In his book called Vox Clamantis lib. 1. cap. 14. Gower telleth us in his paralel of the martyring of Simon Sudbury Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with Thomas Becket his predecessour Quatuor in mortem spirarunt foedera Thomae Simonis centum mille dedere necem But four conspir'd Thomas his bloud to spill Whiles hundred thousands Simon help to kill Nor was this any poetical Hyperbole but an historical truth if the several numbers of their three armies were summ'd up together 3. Ruine He also perished and all even as many as obeyed him were dispersed so here no sooner was Wat Tiler their General as I may terme him kill'd by valiant Wallworth the Lord Mayor of London and his assistance for it was John a Weavers funeral Monuments p. 693. Cavendish Esquire that dispatch'd him with a mortal wound in Smithfield and Jack Straw their Lieutenant-General legally b Stow Survey of London pag. 55. beheaded too brave a death for so base a fellow but all the rest mouldered away and vanished In memory of S r William Wallworths valour the Armes of London formerly a plain Cross were augmented with the addition of a Dagger to make the coat in all points compleat Happy when the Cross as first there in place directeth the Dagger and when the Dagger defendeth the Cross when Religion sanctifieth power and power supporteth Religion 22. But Cope chargeth all this rebellion on Wicliffs doctrine Alanus Copus for he it is whose Ecclesiastical History of England goes under the name of Harpsfield heavily chargeth all this rebellion on the account of Wicliffe's doctrine Whose scholars saith c In his Histo Wicliffiana cap. 12. he to promote their Masters opinions stirred up this deadly and damnable sedition and sounded the first trumpet thereunto Adding moreover that Wicliffe's tenet that Dominion is founded in grace and that a King guilty of mortal sin is no longer Lord of any thing was Cos hujus seditionis The whet-stone of this sedition But to what lyer the whet-stone doth properly belong will presently appear 23. It is no news for the best of Gods children His malicious slander confused to be slandered in this kinde Jeremy was d Jer. 37. 13 traduced Thou fallest away to the Caldeans S t Paul was e Acts 24. 5. accused We have found this man a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition Yea our Saviour himself was f John 19. 12. charged that He made himself a King and was a traytor to Caesar But as these were soul and false aspersions so will this appear if we consider 1. When John Ball was executed at S t Albans and Jack g See his confession at large in Stows Survey of London p. 54. Straw at London not the least compliance with Wicliffe or his doctrine is either charged on them or confessed by them 2. No wilde beast will prey on his own kinde Now it is certainly known that John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster was the principal Patron and supporter of Wicliffe whose life they sought to destroy and whose Palace in the Strand they pillaged 3. Wicliffe himself came within the compass of their destructive principles designing the death of all who wore a pen and ink And that Wicliffe had both pen and ink Cope himself doth know and the Court of Rome with shame and sorrow will confess 4. Wicliffe lived some years after and died peaceably possessed of the Living of Lutterworth in Leicester-shire Surely had he been reputed the inflamer of this rebellion the wisdom of the King and Councel would have taken another order with him 5. Amongst the articles laid to the charge of Wicliffe and his followers in this Kings Reign examined at Oxford and elsewhere not a tittle of this rebellion is pressed upon them Which their malicious adversaries would not have omitted if in any hope to make good that accusation against them 6. Whereas it is charged on Wicliffe that he held that Dominion was founded in grace which occasioned this rebellion we know this that Huss his scholar though he did hold that a King being in mortal sin was onely called a King aequivoca denominatione yet the same Huss confesseth to use his own h Huss Tract de Decimis pag. 128. See Bishop Davenants 30 Determination words Ipsum Deum approbare hujusmodi Regem quoad esse Principem exterius That God himself allows such a King to be a Prince in all outward matters So that leaving him to Divine Justice he never dreamt of any resistance or rebellion to be made against him 7. The modern Protestants heirs say the Papists to Wicliffe's doctrine so far abominate these Rebels their levelling and ignorant principles that they are known both to maintain distances of people and to have been the restorers of lost yea the revivers of dead learning and languages How had the Mathematicks measured their own grave Greek turn'd barbarisme Hebrew as it readeth gone backward never to return again had not Protestant Criticks with vast pains and expence preserved them 8. It is more suspicious that this rebellion came out of the Franciscan Covent because some of these belike were the rebels white-boyes and as is afore mentioned to be spared in a general destruction In a word I wonder how many ingenuous Papists can charge Wicliffe of rebellion in maintaining Dominion to be founded in grace when the Grandees of their own Religion Aquine Cajetane Bellarmine Suarez
whthout knots tied thereon ready to disburse such summes as should be demanded Indeed the Clergie now contributed much money to the King having learned the Maxime commended in the Comedian b Terent Adelph Pecuniam in loco negligere maxumum interdum est lucrum And perceiving on what ticklish termes their state stood were forced to part with a great proportion thereof to secure the rest c Vide infrà in hist of Abbeys lib. 2. cap. 1. the Parliament now shrewdly pushing at their temporal possessions For although in the first year of King Henry the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland came from him to the Clergie with a complement that the King onely d Antiq. Brit. pag. 273. Harpsfield hist Ang. pag. 618. out of whom the following table of Synods is composed desired their prayers and none of their money Kingdoms have their honey-moon when new Princes are married unto them yet how much afterwards he received from them the ensuing draught of Synods summoned in his dayes doth present Place President Preacher Text. Money granted the King The other Acts thereof 1. Saint Pauls in London The Prior and Chapter of Canterbury in the Arch-Bishops absence William Bishop of Rochester Cor meum diligit Principes Israel Nothing at this time but the Clergies prayers required The King at the request of the Universities promised to take order with the Popes Provisions 1399 provensions 1. that so learned men might be advanc'd St Gregory his day made holy 2. Saint Pauls in London 2 Thomas Arundel 1400  A Tenth and half For a single Tenth was first profered him and he refused it Nothing else of moment passed save Sautres condamnation 3. Ibidem 4 Idem 1402.  At the instance of the Earl of Somerset of Lord Ross the Treasurer a Tenth was granted The Clergy renewed their Petition of Right to the King that they should not be proceeded aganist by temporal Judges nor forced to sell their goods for provision for the Kings Court No answer appears 4. Ibidem 6. Henry Bishop of Lincoln 1404 the Arch-Bishop being absent in an Embassie  A Tenth towards the Kings charges in suppressing the late Rebels Constituted that the obsequies of every English Bishop deceased should be celebrated in all the Cathedrals of the Kingdom 5. Ibidem 7. Thomas Arundel 1405  A Tenth when the Laity in Parlian t. gave nothing Nothing or consequence 6. Ibidem 8. Henry Beaufort Bish 1406 of Winchest the Arch-Bishop being absent Thomas Bishop of Carlile Magister adest vocat te A Tenth Nothing of moment 7. Ibidem 10. Thomas Arundel 1408 John Monke of S t Augustine in Canterbury Faciet unusquisque opussuum  This Synod was principally employed in suppressing of Schism and the following Synod in the same year to the same purpose 8. Saint Pauls in London Idem Anno Dom. 1408. John Botel general of the Franciscans Vos vocati estis in uno corpore   9. Ibidem Anno Regis Hen. 4 10 Henry Bishop of Winchester the Arch-Bishop being abroad in an Embassie John Langdon Monk of Canterbury Stellae dederunt lumen A Tenth and a Subsidy granted saith a Antiq. Brit. p. 274. Matthew Parker but b Harpsfield Ecc. Ang pag. 616. others say the Clergie accused themselves as drained dry with former payments Also the Popes Agent progging for money was denied it 1411. Little else save some endeavours against Wicliffs opinions 13. 10. Ibid. Thomas Arundel John God-mersham Monk of Canterbury Diligite lumen sapientiae omnes qui praeestus A Tenth 1412. The Clergie compained to the King of thier grievances but received no redress The Popes Rents sequestred into the Kings hands during the Schisme betwixt Gregory the 12 th and Benedict 14. We will not avouch these all the conventions of the Clergie in this Kings Reign who had many subordinate meetings in reference to their own occasions but these of most publick concernment Know this also that it was a great invitation not to say an inforcement to make them the more bountiful in their contributions to the King because their leaders were suspicious of a design now first set on foot in opposition to all Religious Houses as then termed to essay their overthrow Which project now as a Pioneer onely wrought beneath ground yet not so insensibly but that the Church-Statists got a discovery thereof and in prevention were very satisfying to the Kings Pecuniary desires Insomuch that it was in effect but ask and have such their compliance to all purposes and intents The rather because this King had appeared so zealous to arm the Bishops with terrible Laws against the poor naked Lollards as then they were nick-named 9. Now we pass from the Convocation to the Parliament Anno Regis Hen. quart 14. onely to meddle with Church-matters therein Anno Dom. 1412. desiring the Reader to dispense in the Margin with a new Chronology of this Kings Reigne A new Crhonologie assuring him that whatsoever is written is taken out of the Authentick Records of the Parliament in the Tower 10. It was moved in Parliament A severe motion against the Welch that no Welch-man Bishop or other be Justice Chamberlain Chancellor Treasurer Sheriff Constable of a Castle Receiver Escheator Coroner or chief Forester or other Officer whatsoever or * Ex rot Par. in tur Lond. in hoc anno Keeper of Records or Lieutenant in the said Offices in any part of Wales or of Councel to any English Lord not withstanding any Patent made to the contrary Cum clausula non obstante Licet Wallicus natus 11. It was answered that the King willeth it except the Bishops Moderated by the King and for them and others which he hath found good and loyal lieges towards him our said Lord the King will be advised by the advise of his Councel 12. Such as wonder why the Parliament was so incensed against the Welch The cause of his auger seeing Henry Prince of Wales was their own Country-man born at Monmouth may consider how now or very lately Owen Glendowre a Welch Robber advanced by the multitude of his followers into the reputation of a General had made much sepoil in Wales Now commendable was the King's charity who would not return a national mischief for a personal injury seing no man can cause the place of his Nativity though he may bemoan and hate the bad practises of his own Nation 13. The Kings courteous exception for the Welch Bishops The Quaternion of welch Bps. who and what at this time putteth us upon a necessay enquiry who and what they were placed in Sees at this time S t Davids Landaffe Bangor S t Asaph Guido de Dona. Thomas Peberell Richard Yong. John Trebaur Or of Anglesey A true Briton by birth witness'd by his Name He was at the present Lord
pay and reward some of his poorest servants giving them money on this condition that hereafter they should serve no subject but onely the b Rex Platonicus pag. 43. King himself as if this had been suscipere gradum Simeonts for those who so long had attended on a Lord-Cardinal But this happened many years after we return to this proud Prelate while he flourished in the height of his Prosperity 36. Their heads will catch cold Wolsey turns his waiting into revenge which wait bare for a dead Popes Tiple-Crown Wolsey may be an instance hereof who on every avoidance of S t Peters Chaire was sitting down therein when suddenly some one or other clapt in before him Weary with waiting he now resolved to revenge himself on Charles the Emperour for not doing him right and not improving his power in preferring him to the Papacy according to his promioses and pretences He intends to smite Charles through the sides of his Aunt Katharine Queen of England endeavouring to alienate the Kings affections from her And this is affirmend by the generality of our Historians though some of late have endeavoured to acquit Wolsey as not the first perswader of the King divorce 37. Indeed he was beholding The scruple of the Kings marriage for the first hint thereof to the Spaniards themselves For when the Lady Mary was tendered in marriage to Philip Prince of Spain the Spanish Embassadours seemed to make some difficulty thereof and to doubt her extraction as begotten on a mother formerly married to her husbands elder brother Wolsey now put this scruple into the head of Bishop Longlands the Kings Confessour and he insinuated the same into the Kings conscience advising him hereafter to abstain from the company of his Queen to whom he was unlawfully married Adding moreover that after a divorce procured which the Pope in justice could not deny the King might dispose his affections where he pleased And here Wolsey had provided him a second Wife viz Margarite Countess of Alenzon sister to Francis King of France though heavens reserved that place not for the Mistress but her Maid I mean Anna Bollen who after the return of Mary the French Queen for England attended in France for some time on this Lady Margarite 38. Tunder needs no torch to light it The King willingly embraceth the motion the least spark will presently set it on flame No wonder if King Henry greedily resented the motion Male issue he much wanted and a young Female more on whom to beget it As for Queen Katharine he rather respected then affected rather honoured then loved her She had got an habit of miscarrying scarce curable in one of her age intimated in one of the Kings private papers as morbus incurabilis Yet publickly he never laid either fault or defect to her charge that not dislike of her person or conditions but onely principles of pure conseience might seem to put him upon endeavours of a Divorce 39. The business is brought into the Court of Rome The Pope a Captive there to be decided by Pope Clement the seventh Bnt the Pope at this time was not sui juris being a prisoner to the Emperour who constantly kept a guard about him 44. As for the Queens Councel Fishers short plea. which Anno Dom. 1529 though assigned to her Anno Regis Hen. 8 25. appear not dearly accepted by her as chosen rather by others for her then by her for her self I finde at this present little of moment pleaded or performed by them Onely Bishop Fisher affirmed that no more needed to be said for the validity of the marriage then Whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder A most true position in it self if he could have cleared the application thereof to his Royal Client but Hoc restat probandum the contrary that God never joyned them together being vehemently urged by her adversaries 45. Notwithstanding the Queens absence The pleas of the Kings Councel the Court proceeded And first the Kings Proctors put in their exceptions against both Bull and Breve of Pope Julius the second dispensing with the Kings marriage with his brothers wife viz. 1. That they were not to be found amongst the Original Records in Rome 2. That they were not extant in Chartaphylacio amongst the King of Englands papers most concerned therein but found onely in Spain amongst the writings of a State-Officer there 3. That in them it was falsely suggested as if the same were procured at the instance of Henry Prince of Wales who then not being above thirteen years old was not capable of such intentions 4. That the Date thereof was somewhat discrepant from the form used in the Court of Rome 46. After this Secrets sub sigillo thalami many witnesses on the Kings side were deposed July 12. and though this favour is by custome indulged to the English Nobility to speak on their Honours yet the Canon-Law taking no notice of this their municipal priviledg and for the more legal validity of their restimonies required the same on oath though two Dukes one Dutchess one Marquess many Lords and Ladies gave in their depositions These attested 1. That both were of sufficient age Prince Arthur of fifteen years the Lady Katharine somewhat elder 2. That constant their cohabitation at board and in bed 3. That competent the time of the same as full five moneths 4. That entire their mutual affection no difference being ever observ'd betwixt them 5. That Henry after his Brothers death by an instrument produced in Court and attested by many witnesses refused to marry her though afterwards altered by the importunity of others 6. That by several expressions of Prince Arthur's it appeared he had carnal knowledg of the Lady Katharine The beds of private persons are compassed with curtaines of Princes vailed also with canopies to conceal the passages therein to which modesty admitteth no witnesses Pitty it is that any with Pharaoh should discover what is exchanged betwixt Isaac and Rebekah all which are best stifled in secrecy and silence However such the nature of the present cause that many privacies were therein discovered 47. Observe by the way A shrewd retortion that whereas it was generally alledged in favour of the Queen that Prince Arthur had not carnal Knowledg of her because soon after his marriage his consumptionish body seemed unfit for such performances this was retorted by testimonies on the Kings side his witnesses deposing that generally it was reported and believed the Prince impaired his health by his over liberal paiment of due benevolence 48. It was expected that the Cardinals should now proceed to a definitive sentence An end in vain expected according as matters were alledged and proved unto them The rather because it was generally reported that Campegius brought over with him a Bull Decretal to pronounce a nulsity of the match if he saw just cause for the same Which rumor like
the Church joyned with them in the Town house Rich Pepists feared their goods would be condemned as heretical even by the Rebels of their own Religion which made them persist in their loyalty to their Soveraign 8. John Russell Lord privie Seal was sent down with small Forces to suppresse the Commotion A person very proper for that service as of a stout spirit and richly landed in this County He stayed some time at Honyton in vain expecting promised supplies either because this Lord was lookt on as of the Protectors party whose Court-interest did much decline or because Norfolke Rebellion as nearer London engrossed all warlike provisions Thus was this Lord in deep distresse having nothing save his Commission strong about him and his few forces for fear and want of pay began daily to forsake him 9. And now following the advice of the Dorset-shire Gentry he was ready to return when three Princely Merchants for so may I term them both for great interest and loyal intentions viz Thomas Prestwood Thomas Bodly and John Periam so improved their credits with Bristoll Lime and Taunton that they furnished the Lord Russell with necessaries to march forward Animated herewith they advance and gave the Rebels such a blow at Fenington-bridge that they left three hundred of their bodies dead on the place 10. Soon after the Lord Gray of Wilton whose slownesse may be excused as busied by the way in suppressing Tumults in Buckingham and Oxford shire came with a company of Horsmen and 300 Italian Shot under Baptist Spinola their Leader to recruit the Lord Russell Here one would wonder to behold the native English fighting in the maintenance of the Masse opposed by Italians untill he considereth that these foraigners being Souldiers of Fortune consulted the Coine not the Cause of such as entertained them And now the Kings Army advanceth towards Exeter a word or two of which Cities sad condition 11. The Rebels had often attempted to fire the Gates of the City till at last the Citizens found the Paradox true that the onely way to keep their City shut was to set their Gates open making rampires more defensible behinde them As for the Enemies intent to undermine and blow up the Walls it was first discovered then defeated by John Newcombe a Tinner of Teingmouth Philip Comineus For taking advantage of the declivity of the City on that side he countermin'd the Rebels work and then deriv'd into it all the kennels and water-courses falling down with a great precipice and so drowned the vault intended with powder to blow up the Walls Besides at the same instant set an impetuous showre which added to the Deluge Thus in vain doth Hell seek to kindle that Fire when Heaven intendeth to poure water for the quenching thereof 12. Famine raged most extremely insomuch as they were fain to bake bran and meal moulded up in cloathes for otherwise it would not stick together Nor must the worthy resolution of a loyall Citizen be forgotten publickly professing That rather than he would surrender the City to the Rebels he would fight with one arm and feed on the other And now were they reduced to utmost extremity when the seasonable approach of Lord privie Seale put a period to their Miseries For at the winde-mill of S. Mary Clist after a bloody Battle wherein Sir William Francis was slain on the King's side the Rebels were routed and sorced to flie leaving a thousand of their corps dead on the place Miles Coverdail gave publick thanks to God for the victory in the view of Exeter and soon after was made the Bishop thereof 13. Then the Lord caused S. Mary Clist to be burnt to the ground though it was his own Town as knowing full well Traytours to their King would never make good Tenants to their Landlord And on Clist-heath a second fight was begun where the Rebels were finally overcome The Lord privie Seal marched into Exeter and was there as he well deserved welcomed with all possible expressions of joy Sir William Herbert with 1000 Welsh came too late to fight but soon enough to be an honourable Witnesse of the victory 14. This sixt of August Two solemne yearly festivals the day of their deliverance is an high festival in the Almanack of Exeter Good cheer and thereby I justly guesse their great gratitude being annually observed with a publick Sermon to perpetuate the memory of Gods mercy unto them Yet such Solemnities doe daily decay every new Generation being removed one degree farther from the deliverance The King conferred the Manour of Exetland formerly belonging to the City but wrested from it by the Earls of Devon-shire on their Corporation in reward of their loyalty and valour 15. Humphrey Arundle Winslade Bery and Coffi were executed and as this Commotion began it ended at Sampford-Courtney where their last remnant was defeated Six Popish Priests were hanged with Welsh the Vicar of St. Thomas though all this was but mercy to the cruelty of Sir Anthony Kingston Provost-Marshall in trussing up many mean offenders 1. It began about the 20 th of June at Attilborrough about the laying open of Commons The beginning of two Rebellions pretended lately inclosed to the prejudice of the Poor Much increased on the 6â— of July at Windham Play where there was a great confluence of idle people repairing from all parts of the County 2. Robert Ket Their Ring-leaders and number Tanner of Windham one of more wealth than common folk of his craft yet of more wit than wealth confidence than either was chosen their Captain He with two Assistants chosen out of every hundred kept his Kings Bench Chancery and all other Courts under a Tree termed the Oake of Reformation where he did justice be it wrong or right to all such as were summoned before him In short time they increased to be more than twenty thousand 3. Sir Edmond Windham Sheriffe of Northfolke The Sheriffs endevours succeed not commanded them in the King's name peaceably to depart But had not his Horsemanship been better than his Rhetorick himself had not departed the place Yea now the * Hooker alias Vowell in Hollingshed p. 1015 1017. Rebels began to play their pranks threatning to burn the House Idem p. 1029. and defacing the Dovecoat formerly a Chappel before it was turned of an House of Prayer into a Den of Thieves of Master Corbets of Sprowston and committing many outrages layed all Pastures rather waste than open where they came Yea now they march towards Norwich the chief place in the County 4. Norwich is like a great volume with a bad cover The description of Exeter and Norwich having at best but parchment walls about it Nor can it with much cost and time be effectually fortified because under the frowning brow of Moushold Hill hanging over it The River Yere so wanton that it knoweth not its own minde which way to goe such the involved flexures thereof within a
to oppose and the flattery of the Courtiers most willing to comply matters were made as sure as mans policy can make that good which is bad in it self But the Commons of England who for many yeers together had conn'd loyalty by-heart out of the Statute of Succession were so perfect in their lesson that they would not be put out of it by this new started designe so that every one proclaimed Mary next Heir in their consciences and few daies after King Edwards death all the project miscarried of the plotters whereof some executed more imprisoned most pardoned all conquered and Queen Mary crowned Thus though the streame of Loyalty for a while was violently diverted to runne in a wrong channell yet with the speediest opportunitie it recovered the right course again 2. But now in what manner this Will of King Edwards was advanced The truth of the carriage of Sr. Edward Mountagu in his drawing up the Will of King Edw. the sixth that the greatest blame may be laid on them who had the deepest guilt the following answer of Sr. Edward Mountagu Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas accused for drawing up the Will and committed by Queen Mary to prison for the same will truly acquaint us The original whereof under his own hand was commnuicated unto me by his great grandchilde Edward Lord Mountagu of Boughton and here faithfully exemplified SR Edward Mountagu Knight late Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas received a letter from Greenwich dated the eleventh day of June last past signed with the hands of the Lord Treasurer the Duke of Northumberland John Earl of Bedford Francis Earl of Shrewsburie the Earl of Pembroke the Lord Clynton the Lord Darcie John Gate William Peter William Cecill John Cheke whereby he was commanded to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at after-noon and to bring with him Sr. John Baker Justice Bromley the Attorney and Solicitour General and according to the same all they were there at the said hour of one of the clock And after they were brought to the presence of the King the Lord Treasurer the Marquesse of Northampton Sr. John Gate and one or two more of the Councill whose names he doth not now remember were present And then and there the King by His own mouth said that now in His sicknesse he had considered the state of this His Realm and Succession which if He should decease without Heir of His body should go to the Lady Mary who was unmarried and might marry a stranger-borne whereby the Lawâ— of this Realm might be altered and changed and His Highnesse proceedings in Religion might be altered Wherefore His pleasure was that the state of the Crown should go in such forme and to such persons as His Highnesse had appointed in a Bill of Articles not signed with the Kings hand which were read commanded them to make a Book thereof accordingly with speed And they finding divers faults not onely for the incertainty of the Articles but also declaring unto the King that it was directly against the Act of Succession which was an Act of Parliament which would not be taken away by no such devise Notwithstanding His Highnesse would not otherwise but that they should draw a Book according to the said Articles which he then took them and they required a reasonable time of His Highnesse for the doeing thereof and to consider the Laws and Statutes made for the Succession which indeed were and be more dangerous then and of them they did consider and remember and so they departed commanding them to make speed And on the morrow all the said persons met and perusing the said Statutes there grew this question amongst them whether it were presently treason by the words of the Statute of Anno primo Edvardi Sexti or no treason till it were put in execution after the Kings death because the words of the Statute are the King His Heirs and Successours because the King can have no Successours in His life but to be sure they were all agreed that it were the best and surer way to say to the Lords that the execution of this devise after the Kings decease was not onely treason but the making of this devise was also presently treason as well in the whole Councell as in them and so agreed to make their report without doing any thing for the execution thereof And after Sr. William Peter sent for the said Sr. Edward to Eely-place who shewed him that the Lords required great speed in the making of the said Book and he told him there were none like to be made for them for the danger aforesaid And after that the said S. Edward with the rest of his company went to the Court and before all the Council the Duke of Northumberland being not in the Council-chamber made report to the Lords that they had considered the Kings Articles and also the Statutes of Succession whereby it appeared manifestly that if they should make any Book according to the Kings commandment they should not onely be in danger of treason but also their Lordships all wherefore they thought it their bounden duties to declare the danger of the Laws unto them and for avoiding of the danger thereof they had nothing done therein nor intended to doe the Laws being so dangerous and standing in force The Duke of Northumberland having intelligence of their answer either by the Earle of Huntington or by the Lord Admiral cometh into the Council-Chamber before all the Council there benign in a great rage and fury trembling for anger and amongst his ragious talk called the said Sr. Edward Traitour and further said that he would fight in his shirt with any man in that quarrel as all the whole Council being there will report whereby the said Sr. Edward with the rest were in great fear and dread in special Mr. Bromley and the said Sr. Edward for Mr. Bromley told the said after that he dread then that the Duke would have striken one of them and after they were commanded to go home and so departed in great fear without doing any thing more at that time wishing of God they had stood to it as they did then unto this time And after the said Sr. Edward received another letter dated at Greenwich the 14 th of June last past signed with the hands â—f the Lord Treasurer the Earl of Bedford the Marquesse of Northampton the Earle of Shrewsburie the Lord Clynton the Lord Cobham the Lord Darcy William Peter John Gate John Cheeke whereby he was commanded to bring with him Sr. John Baker Justice Bromley and Mr. Gosnolde and to be at the Court on the morrow by one of the clock at after-noon where all they were at the same houre and conveyed into a chamber behinde the Dining-Chamber there and all the Lord looked upon them with earnest countenance as though they had not known them So that the said Sr. Edward with the other might perceive there
legall Tryall is the greatest torment in the World God keepe all good men from feeling and chiefly from deserving it I am the easier induced to believe the Exquisitenesse of the Torture being sensible in my self by your bounty what a burden it is for One who would be ingenuous to be Loaded with Curtesies which He hath not the least hope to requite or deserve 1. IN this year began the Suit betwixt Robert Horne Bishop of Winchester The suit betwixt Bp. Horne and Bonner and Edmund Bonner late Bishop of London on this occasion All Bishops were impowred by the statute quinto Elizabethae to tender the Oath of Supremacy to all persons living within their Diocess Now Bishop Bonner was within the Diocess of Winchester full ill against his will as being a Prisoner in the Marshall-See in Southwarke to whom Horne offered this Oath and he refused the taking thereof Hereupon his refusall was returned into the Kings-Bench and he indicted on the same Being indicted he appeared there confessed the fact but denied himself culpable and intending to traverse the Indictment desired that Councell might be assigned him S r. Robert Cateline then Chief Justice granted his motion and no meaner then Ploydon that eminent Lawyer Christopher Wray afterwards Lord Chief Justice and Lovelace were deputed his Councell 2. First they pleaded for their Client Bonner his Councell that Bonner was indicted without the title and addition of Bishop of London and only stiled Doctour of Law and one in Holy Orders But the Judges would not allow the exception as legall to avoid the Indictment 3. Secondly Their 1. Plea 2. Exception they pleaded that the Certificate entred upon Record was thus brought into the Court. Tali die anno per A. B. Cancellarium dicti Episcopi Winton And did not say per mandatum Episcopi for the want of which clause Bonner his Councell took exceptions thereat sed non allocatur because the Record of it by the Court is not of necessity 4. Pass we by their third exception Main matter debared by the Judges that he was indicted upon that Certificat in the County of Middlesex by the common Jury of enquest in the Kings-Bench for that County It being resolved by the Judges that his triall could not be by a Jury of Middlesex but by a Jury of Surrie of the neighbourhood of Southwark The main matter which was so much debated amongst all the Judges in the Lord Cateline his chamber was this Whether Bonner could give in evidence of that issue that he had pleaded of not guilty that Horne Bishop of Winchester was not a Bishop tempore oblationis Sacramenti at the time wherein he tendred the oath unto Bonner And it was resolved by them a Dyer fol. 234 Mich. 6. 7. El. z. plaâ—â—to 15. all that if the truth of the matter was so indeed that he might give that in evidence upon that issue and that the Jury might trie whether he was a Bishop then or no. 5. Whilest this suit as yet depended Divided by the Parliament Eliz. 8. Sept. 30. 1567. the Queen called a Parliament which put a period to the controversie and cleared the legality of Horne his Episcopacy in a Satute enacting That all persons that have been or shall be made oâ—d red or consicrate Arch-Bishops Bishops Priests Ministers of Gods Holy Word and Sacraments or Deacons after the forme and order prescribed in the said order and form how Arch-Bishops Bishops Priests Deacons and Ministers should be consecrated made and ordered be in very deed and also by authority hereof declared and enacted to be and shall be Arch-Bishops Bishops Priests Ministers and Deacons and rightly made consecrated and ordered Any Statute law Canon or other thing to the contrary notwithstanding 6. However it immediately followeth A favourable proviso Provided alwayes and nevertheless be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that no person or persons shall at any time hereafter be impeached or molested in body lands livings or goods by occasion or mean of any Certificate by any Arch-Bishop or Bishop heretofore made or before the last day of this present Session of Parliament to be made by vertue of any Act made in the first Session of Parliament touâ—hing or concerning the refusal of the oath declared and set forth by Act of Parliament in the first yeer of the Reign of our said Soveraign Ladie Queen Elizabeth Any thing in this Act or any other Act or Statute her tofâ—re made to the contrary notwithstanding 7. The seasonable interposing of this Statute made it a Drawn battell betwixt Horne and Bonner Their suit superseded The former part thereof here alledged cleared Horne his Episcopacy from all cavils of law the later Proviso was purposely inserted in favour of Bonner who here himself found that which he never shewed to others that he as all other Popish Bishops deprived might be no more molested for refusing the Oath of Supremacy The Parliament saw they had already lost their livelihood and liberties for their erroneous consciences and had received their thirty nine stripes more then which the State thought not fit to inflict lest their justice should degenerate into cruelty 8. The enacting of this Statute did not stop the railing mouths of Papists against our Bishops but only made them alter their note and change their tune in reviling them Formerly they condemned them as illegall whose calling was not sufficiently warranted by the laws of the Land henceforward * 〈…〉 Sanders and others railed on them for Parliamentary Bishops deriving all their Power and Commission from the State But as well might the Jesuits terme b 〈…〉 pag. 449. Cuâ—on 17. Shemaiah Nethaniah Prerogative Levites because sent by Jehâ—saphat to preach the word to the people of the Land For that good King did not give but quicken and encourage their Commission to teach as here the Parliament did only publish notifie and declare the legall authority of the English Bishops whose Call and Consecration to their place was formerly performed derived from Apostolicall or at leastwise Ecclesiastical institution 9. These were the prime of the first Set of Puritans Anno Regin Eliza. 8. Anno Dom. 1567. The Ring leader of the second set of Nonconformiâ—â—s which being very aged expired for the most part at or about this time when behold another generation of Active and zealous Nonconformists succeeded them Of these Coleman Button Halingham and Benson whose Christian names I cannot recover were the chief inveighing against the established Church-Discipline accounting every thing from Rome which was not from Geneva endeavouring in all things to conforme the government of the English Church to the Presbyterian Reformation Add these three more though of inferiour note to the aforesaid Quaternion William White Thomas Rowland Robert Hawkins all beneficed within the Diocess of London and take a tast of their Spirits out of the Register thereof 10. For this
eies are waking let such who all the foregoing week had their Cheeks moistned with sweat and hands hardened with labor let such have some recreation on the Lordsday indulged unto them whilst persons of quality who may be said to keep Sabbath all the week long I mean who rest from hard labor are concerned in conscience to observe the Lords-day with the greater abstinence from recreations Anno Dom. 34. Pass we now from the pen Troubles begâ—n in Somerset-shire to the practicall part of the Sabbatarian difference Somerset-shire was the stage whereon the first and fiercest Scene thereof was acted Here Wakes much different I dare say from the watching prescribed by our Saviour were kept on thâ— Lords day with Church-Ales Bid-Ales and Clerks-Ales If the Reader know not the criticall meaning and difference of these words I list not to be the interpreter and his ignorance herein neither is any disgrace nor can be any damage unto him The Gentry of that County perceiving such revells the cause of many and occasion of moe misdemeanors many acts of wantonness bearing their dates from such meetings importuned Sr. Thomas Richardson Lord Chief Justice and Baron Denham then Judges riding the Western circuit in the Lent-vacation to make a severe Order for the suppressing of all Ales and Revells on the Lords-day 35. In complyance with their desire March 19 Judg Richardsons order against Lords-day Revells the aforesaid Judges made an order on the 19. day of March founded on former precedents signed by Judge Popeham Lord Chief Justice in the latter end of Queen Elizabeth her Reign therein suppressing such Revells in regard of the infinite number of inconveniences daily arising by means thereof injoyning the Constables to deliver a copie thereof to the Minister of every Parish who on the first Sunday in February and likewise the two first Sundays before Easter was to publish the same every yeare 36. The Archbishop of Canterbury beheld this as an usurpation on Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction Which he would not revoke and complained of the Judges to his Majesty procuring a Commission to Bishop Pierce and other Divines to enquire into the manner of publishing this Order and the Chief Justice his cariage in this business Notwithstanding all which the next Assise Judge Richardson gave another strict charge against these Revels required an account of the publication and execution of the aforesaid Order punishing some persons for the breach thereof After whose return to London the Archbishop sent for him and commanded him to revoke his former Order as he would answer the contrary at his peril telling him it was his Majesties pleasure he should reverse it The Judge alledged it done at the request of the Justices of the Peace in the County with the generall consent of the whole Bench on the view of ancient precedents in that kinde 1634 However the next Assise he revoked his Order with this limitation as much as in him lay At what time also the Justices of the Peace in Somerset shire who in birth brains spirit and estate were inferiour to no County in England drew up an humble petition to his Majesty for the suppressing of the aforesaid unlawfull assemblies concurring with the Lord Chief Justice therein sending it up by the hand of the Custos Rotulorum to deliver it to the Earle of Pembroke Lord Lieutenant of their County to present it to his Majesty 37. Just in this juncture of time a Declaration for sports The Kings Declaration set forth the fifteenth of King James was revived and enlarged For his Majesty being troubled with petitions on both sides thought good to follow his Fathers royal example upon the like occasion in Lancashire and we refer the Reader to what we have writen * See the 15. of K. James before for arguments pro and con about the lawfulnesse of publique reading thereof 38. It was charged at his triall The Archbishop excuseth himself on the Archbishop of Canterbury that he had caused the reviving and enlarging of this Declaration strong presumptions being urged for the proof thereof He denied it yet professing his judgment for recreations on that day alledging the practice of the Church of Geneva allowing shooting in long Bowes c. thereon Adding also that though indulging liberty to others in his own person he strictly observed that day Anno Dom. 1634 Anno Regis Caroli 10 A self-praise or rather self-purging because spoken on his life which seem'd uttered without pride and with truth and was not cleerly confuted Indeed they are the best carvers of libertie on that day who cut most for others and leave least for themselves 39. However No injunction to the Ministers there was no express in this Declaration that the Minister of the Parish should be pressed to the publishing Many counted it no Ministers work and more proper for the place of the Constable or Tithing-man to perform it Must they who were if not worst able most unfitting hold the Candle to lighten and let in licentiousnesse But because the Judges had enjoyned the Ministers to read their order in the Church the Kings Declaration was inforced by the Bishops to be published by them in the same place 40. As for such whose consciences reluctated to publish the Declaration Yet some silenced for refusall to read the book various were their evasions Some left it to their Curats to read Nor was this the plucking out of a thorn from their own to put it in another Mans conscience seeing their Curats were perswaded of the lawfulnesse thereof Others read it indeed themselves but presently after read the fourth Commandement And was this fair play setting God and their King as they conceived at odds that so they themselves might escape in the fray Others point-blanck refused the reading thereof for which some of them were suspended ab officio beneficio some deprived and moe molested in the High Commission it being questionable whether their sufferings procured more pity to them or more hatred to the causers thereof 41. All Bishops urged not the reading of the Book with rigour alike Moderation of some Bishopâ— therein nor punished the refusall with equall severity I hear the loudest longest and thickest complaints come from the Diocess of Norwich and of Bath and Wells I knew a Bishop in the West to whom I stood related in kindred and service who being pressed by some to return the names of such as refused to read the Book to the Archbishop of Canterbury utterly denied and his words to me were these I will never turn an accuser of my Brethren there be enough in the World to take that office As for the Archbishop of Canterbury much was his moderation in his own Diocess silencing but three in whom also a concurrence of other non-conformities through the whole extent thereof But oh The necessity of the generall day of Judgment wherein all Mens actions shall be expounded
to have their liberty untill after long close imprisonment they were forced to confess under their own hands Crimes against themselves and the Bishop which afterwards they denyed and revoked upon their Oathes Lastly and chiefly that the Judges privately overruled his Pleas so that what shame and the honour of the Court with the inspection of so many eyes would not permit to be done publickly in the Sun-shine of Justice was posted over by a Judge privately in a corner These and many more Kilvertismes as he calls them did the Bishop complain of in Parliament who so far tendered his innocency therein that they ordered all the Records of that Suit in the Star-chamber to be obliterated Yâ—a we may justly conceive that these Grievances of the Bishop did much hasten if not chiefly cause the suppression of that Court. 8. Thirteen dayes after he was suspended by the High-commission Is examined again in the Tower and imprisoned in the Tower for almost four years during whose durance therein two Bishops and three Doctors were sent thither unto him to take his answer to a Book of Articles of twenty foure Sheets of papes writen on both sides They proffered him the Bible to take the oath thereon which he utterly refused claiming the priviledge of a Peer adding moreover that being a Bishop it was against law and Precedent in Antiquity that young Priests his Graces and some who had been his own Chaplains and Lay Doctors should sit as Judges of a Bishop his Doctrine with power to deprive him of his Bishoprick if disliking the same This was overruled and he as one of the Kings Subjects required to make his answer 9. First the article that all Books licenced by his Graces Chaplaines as Chune his Whether some Books were orthodox and Sala his Book with Doctor Mannering his Sermons are presumed by all true Subjects to be orthodox and agreeable to sound Religion This the Bishop utterly denyed and wondered at their impudencie to propound such an Article unto him 10. Secondly they alleadged that no Bishop but his Grace Who had power to license them the Lord of London and their Chaplains had power to allow Bookes This the other denyed saying that all Bishops who were as learned as they had as much power as they citing for the same the Councell of Lateran under Leo the tenth Reformatio Cleri under Cardinall Poole Queen Elizabeth her injunctions and the Decree of the Star-chamber relating to all these He also stoutly averred the priviledge to belong onely to the Bishops and not to their Servants howbeit his Grace had shuffled in his Chaplaines to the last printed Star-chamber decree More frivolous were the ensuing Articles whereon he was examined That he called a Book intitled A cole from the Altar a Pamphlet That he said that all flesh in England had corrupted their wayes That he said scoffingly he had heard of a Mother-Church but not of a Mother-Chappell meaning the Kings to which all Churches in ceremonies were to conform That he wickedly jested upon St. Martins hood That he said that the people are not to be lashed by every mans whip That he said citing a nationall Councell for it that the people are Gods and the Kings and not the Priests people That he doth not allow Priests to jeere and make invectives against the People 11. To all which the Bishop made so warie an answer His cautious answer that no advantage could be gained tâ—ereby yea though some dayes after they returned to re-examine him upon the same Articles to try as he thought the steddiness of his memory or else to plunge him into some crime of perjury if in any materiall point he dissented from his former depositions but the Bishop like a good boy said his Lesson over again and again so that no advantage could be taken against him thereupon they gave him leave to play proceeding no further in this cause only they painted him out in an ugly shape to the King as disaffected to the present government and God willing we shall hear more of their proceedings against him hereafter 12. But now we are summoned to a sadder subject Transition to a sad Subject from the sufferings of a Private Person to the miseries and almost mutuall ruin of two Kingdomes England and Scotland I confesse my hands have alwaies been unwilling to write of that cold Countrey for fear my fingers should be frost bitten therewith but necessity to make our story intire puts me upon the imployment Miseries caused from the sending of the Book of Service or new Lituâ—gy thither which may sadly be termed a RUBRICK indeed died with the blood of so many of both Nations slain on that occasion 95. It seemes the designe began in the reign of King James The project of a publick Prayer-book began in the reign of King James who desired and endeavoured an uniformity of publique Praiers through the Kingdome of Scotland In order whereunto an Act was passed in the generall Assembly a The Kings large Declaration concerning the tumults in Scotland pag. 16 at Aberdeene 1616 to authorise some Bishops present to compile and frame a Publique form of Common Praier and let us observe the motions thereof 1. It was committed to the Bishops aforesaid and principally to the Archbishop of St. Andrews * See the life of Archbishop Spoâ—swood and William Cooper Bishop of Galloway to draw up the order thereof 2. It was transmitted into England to King James who punctually perused every particular passage therein 3. It was remitted with the Kings Observations Additions Expunctions Mutations Accommodations to Scotland again But here the designe sunk with the suddain death of King James and lay not only dormant but dead till some yeers after it was awakened or rather revived again 96. In the reign of King Charles Why a difference betwixt the Scotch and English Liturgy the project being resumed but whether the same book or no God knoweth it was concluded not to send into Scotland the same Liturgy of England Totidem verbis left this should be misconstrued a badge of dependence of that Church on ours It was resolved also That the two Liturgies should not differ in substance b Kings Declaration pag. 18 left the Romane party should upbraid us with weighty and materiall differences A Similitude therefore not Identity being resolved of it was drawn up with some as they termed them insensible alterations but such as were quickly found and felt by the Scotch to their great distaste These alterations are of two natures First ingratiating which may be presumed made to gain the affection of that Nation Secondly distasting which if not in the intent in the event proved the great grievance and generall cause that the book was hated and rejected We will insist on three of the first sort First Canonicall Scripture only used in the Scotch Liturgy Whereas there was an ancient complaint That so much of the
despaire of perfect notice of particulars at so great a distance of place and greater of Parties concerned therein Thirdly if exact intelligence were obtained as ages long agoe are written with more saefety then truth so the story hereof might be writen with more truth then safety Lastly being a civill busines it is aliened from my subject and may justly be declined If any object that it is reduceable to Ecclesiasticall story because one as they said termed this Bellum episcopale The Warr for Bishops I conceive it presumption for so mean a Minister as my self and indeed for any under that great order to undertake the writing thereof TO HENRY PUCKERINGNEVVTON SONNE and HEIRE to S r. HENRY PVCKERINGNEWTON BARONET NO Gentleman in this Nation is more advantaged to be a Scholar born then your self You may be free of the City of the Muses by the Copy of your Grandfathers By your Fathers side Sir Adam Newton Tutour to Prince Henry By your Mothers side Mr. Murray Tutour to K. Charles If you be not more then an ordinary Scholar it will not be lesse then an extraordinary disgrace Good is not good where better is expected But I am confident if your pains be added to your parts your prayers to your pains Gods blessing will be added to your prayers to crown all with successe 1. NOw Bishop Williams was sentenced the second time in the Star-Chamber on this occâ—sion Bishop Williams his second censure Mr. Lambert Osbaston School-master of Westminster wrote a Letter unto him wherein this passage The little vermin the Urchin and Hocus pocus is this stoâ—my Christmas at true and reall variance with the Leviathan Now the Bishop was accused for d vulging scandalous Libells on Privy-Counsellors and that the Archbishop of Canterbury was meant by the former names The Lord Treasurer Weston by the Leviathan because he should have presented the libellous Letter at the receit thereof to some Justice of Peace Anno Dom. and not dispersed the same Anno Regis Carol. 2. The Bishop pleaded that he remembred not the receiving of any such letter that he conceived no law directs the subject to bring to a Justice of Peace Enigmaes or Riddles but plain literall and grammaticall Libells against a known and clearly deciphered Person Mr. Osbaston denyed the words so meant by him and deposed that he intended one Doctor Spicer a Civilian by Hocus Pocus and the Lord Richardson alive when the letter was written but then dead for the Leviathan 3. Here a paper was produced by Mr. Walker the Bishops Secretary and found in a band-box at Bugden wherein the Bishop had thus written unto him Here is a strange thing Mr. Osbaston importunes me to contribute to my Lord Treasurers use some charges upon the little great man and assures me they are mortally out I have utterly refused to meddle in this business and I pray you learn from Mr. S. and Mr. H. if any such falling out be or whether some body hath not guld the Schoolmaster in these three last letters and keep it to your self what I write unto you If my Lord Treasurer would be served by me be must use a more neere solid and trusty Messenger and free me from the bonds of the Star-chamber else let them fight it out for me Now Mr. Walker being pressed by a friend why he would discover this letter to his Masters prejudice averred he brought it forth as a man witness of his innocency and as able to clear him of all in the informaton however it was strongly misunderstood for by comparing both letters together the Court collected the Bishop guilty 4. Sir John Finch fined him a just ten thousand pounds Rotundi numeri causa whom Secretary Windebank did follow The rest brought it down to eight thousand pounds only one Lord thought fitting to impose no fine upon him rendring this reason Qui jacet in terra non habet unde cadet 5. The Bishop already being sequestred from all his Temporall Lands spirituall preferment and his Person imprisoned Mr. Osbaston was sentenced five Thousand pounds loss of his good living at Whethamstede and to have his earâ—s tackt to the Pillory in the presence of his Scholars whom his industry had improved to as great eminency of learning as any of his Predecessors insomuch that he had at the present above fouresore Doctors in the two Universities and three learned faculties all gratefully acknowledging their education under him But this last personall penalty he escaped by going beyond Canterbury conceived seasonably gone beyond the Seas whilst he secretly concealed himself in London 6. All this put not a period to the Bishops troubles 1638 his unsequestred Spirit so supported him 14 that some of his Adversaries frowned because he could smile under so great vexations A design is set a foot either to make him voluntarily surrender his Bishoprick Deanary and dignities permitted perchance a poor Bishoprick in Ireland or else to press his degradation in order whereunto a new information with ten Articles is drawn up against him though for the main but the consequence and deductions of the fault for tampering with Witnesses for which in the 13. of King Charles he had been so severely censured 7. To this the Bishop put in a Plea and Demurrer that Deus non judicat bis in id ipsum God punisheth not the same fault twice that this is the way to make causes immense and punishments infinite that whereas there was two things that Philosophers denied infinitenesse and vacuity Kilvert had found them both in this prosecution infinitenesse in the Bishops cause and vacuity in his purse that the profane wits of this age should begin to doubt of the necessity of beleeving a Hell hereafter Anno Regis Caroli 14 when such eternall punishments are found here in such kind of prosecution Anno Dom. 1638 he added also that he could prove it that it was a conspiracy of Kilverts with other persons if he might have freedome to bring his witnesses against them which because it cast scandal on those who were Pro domino Rege was now denied him 8. Then put he in a Rejoynder and an Appeal unto the next Parliament whensoever it should be assembled pleading his priviledge of Peerage as his freehold and that he could not be degraded of his Orders and Dignities This was filed in the Sâ—ar-Chamber under the Clarks Book and Copies thereof signed with the usuall Officers Now although this was but a poor help no light of a Parliament dawning at that time yet it so far quashed the proceedings that it never came to farther hearing and the matter superseded from any finall Censure 9. And now began Scotland to be an Actor 15 and England 1639 as yet a sad Spectator thereof Scots broileâ— begin as suspecting ere long to feel what â—e beheld There is an Hye Hill in Cumberland called Skiddaw another answering thereto Scrussell by name in Anandale in
be in the Commission of the Peace nor Judges in Temporall Courts 3. Nor sit in the Star-Chamber nor be Privy-Counsellors The two last branches of this Bill passed by generall consent not above two dissenting But the first branch was voted in the Negative wherein all the Bishops gave their own voices for themselves Yet had their suffrages been secluded and the question only put to the lay-Lords it had been carried for the Bishops by sixteen decisive June 8 76. After some dayes debate the Lords who were against the Bishops protested that the former manner of voting the Bill by branches was unparlamentary and illegall Wherefore they moved the House that they should be so joyned together as either to take the Bill in wholly or cast it all out Whereupon the whole Bill was utterly cast out by many voices had not the Bishops as again they did given their suffrages in the same 77. Master Maynard made a Speech in the Committee of Lords against the Canons At last wholly cast out made by rhe Bishops in the last Convocation therein with much learning indeavouring to prove 1. That in the Saxons times as Malmesbury Hoveden Sir Henry Spelman c. doe witnesse Lawes and constitutions Ecclesiasticall had the confirmation of Peers and sometimes of the People Mr. Maynards Speech against the Canons to which great Councells our Parliaments doe succeed 2. That it appears out of the aforesaid Authors and others that there was some checking about the disuse of the generall making of such Church Lawes 3. That for Kings to make Canons without consent of Parliament cannot stand because built on a bad foundation viz. on the Popes making Canons by his sole Power so that the groundwork not being good the superstructure sinketh therewith 4. He examined the Statute 25 of Henry 8 avouching that that clause The Clergy shall not make Canons without the Kings leave implyeth not that by his leave alone they may make them Lastly he endeavoured to prove that these Canons were against the Kings Prerogative the Rights Liberties and Properties of the Subject insisting herein on severall particulars 1. The first Canon puts a penalty on such as disobey them 2. One of them determineth the Kings Power and the Subjects right 3. It sheweth that the Ordinance of Kings is by the Law of Nature and then they should be in all places and all alike 4. One of the Canons saith that the King may not be resisted 5. Another makes a Holy Day whereas that the Parliament saith there shall be such and no more This his Speech lost neither life nor lustre being reported to the Lords by the Bishop of Lincoln a back friend to the Canons because made during his absence and durance in the Tower 78. One in the House of Commons heightned the offence of the Clergy herein Severall judgments of the Clergyes offence into Treason which their more moderate adversaries abated into a Premunire Many much insisted on the Clarks of the Convocation for presuming being but private men after the dissolution of the Parliament to grant subsidies A Bill read against the High-Commission and so without Law to give away the estates of their fellow-subjects 78. A Bill was read to repeal that Statute of 1 Eliz. whereby the High-Commission Court is erected This Bill afterwards forbad any Archbishop Bishop c. deriving power from the King to Assesse or inflict any pain penalty amercement imprisonment or corporall punishment for any ecclesiasticall offence or transgression Forbidding them likewise to administer the Oath Ex officio or give Oath to Church-Wardens Sides-men or any others whereby their own or others offences should be discovered DIGNISSIMO DOM. THOMAE FISHER BARONETTO CUM Insignia tua Gentilitia intueor Anno Regis Carol 16 Anno Dom. 1640 non sum adeò Heraldicae Artis ignarus quin probè sciam quid sibi velit Manus illa Scutello inserta Te scilicet Baronettum designat cùm omnes in illum Ordinem cooptati ex Institutione sua ad * * Seldenus in titulis Honoris Vltoniam Hiberniae Provinciam forti dextrâ defendendam teneantur At sensum praeter hunc vulgarem alium latiorem quoad meipsum laetiorem Manui illi expansae quae in tuo Clypeo spectabilis subesse video Index est summae tuae Munificentiae quo nomine me tibi divinctissimum profiteor 1. OMitting matters of greater consequence The High-Commission Court put down know that the Bill against the High-Commission June 24 was the third time read in the House of Lords and passed it which some dayes after was confirmed by his Majesty Thus the edge of the Spiritual Sword as to discipline was taken away For although I read of a Proviso made in the House of Lords that the generall words in this Bill should extend only to the High-Commission Court and not reach other Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction yet that Proviso being but writen and the Statute printed all coercive power of Church Consistories were taken away Mr. Pim triumphed at this successe crying out Digitus Det it is the finger of God Anno Dom. 1641 that the Bishops should so supinely suffer themselves to be surprised in their power Anno Regis Caroli 16 Some disaffected to Episcopy observed a Justice that seeing many simple souls were in the high Commission Court by captious interrogatories circumvented into a self-accusation an unsuspected clause in this Statute should abolish all their lawfull authority 2. The Bishop of Lincoln brought up a Bill to regulate Bishops and their jurisdiction The Bill for Regulation of Bishops consisting of severall particulars July 2 1. That every Bishop being in his Diocesse not sick should preach once every Lords day or pay five pounds to the poor to be levyed by the next Justice of Peace and distresse made by the Constable 2. That no Bishop shall be Justice of Peace save the Dean of Westminster in Westminster and St. Martines 3. That every Bishop should have twelve assistants besides the Dean and Chapter four chosen by the King four by the Lords and four by the Commons for jurisdiction and ordination 4. That in all vacancies they should present to the King three of the ablest Divines in the Diocesse out of which his Majesty might choose one to be Bishop 5. Deans and Prebends to be resident at the Cathedralls but sixty dayes 6. That Sermons be preached therein twice every Lords day once every Holy day and a Lecture on Wednesday with a salary of 100. Marks 7. All Archbishops Bishops Collegiate Churches c. to give a fourth part of their fines and improved rents to buy out Impropriations 8. All double beneficed men to pay a moiety of their benefice to their Curates 9. No appeal to the Court of Arches or Audience 10. Canons and Ecclesiasticall capitulations to be drawn up and fitted to the Lawes of the Land by sixteen learned men chosen six by the King
May 21. The second May 24 anno 1641. moneths before yet for the entirenesse of the History may now seasonably be inserted I shall take the boldnesse to speak a word or two upon this subject first as it is in it self then as it is in the consequence For the former I think he is a great stranger in Antiquity that is not well acquainted with that of their sitting here they have done thus and in this manner almost since the conquest and by the same power and the sameright the other Peers did and your Lordships now doe and to be put from this their due so much their due by so many hundred yeers strengthned and confirmed and that without any offence nay pretence of any seems to me to be very severe if it be jus I dare boldly say it is summum That this hinders their Ecclesiasticall vocation an argument I hear much of hath in my apprehension more of shadow than substance in it if this be a reason sure I am it might have been one six hundred yeers agoe A Bishop my Lords is not so circumscribed within the circumference of his Diocesse that his sometimes absence can be termed no not in the most strict sense a neglect or hinderance of his duty no more then that of a Lieutenant from his County they both have their subordinate Ministers upon which their influences fall though the distance be remote Besides my Lords the lesser must yeeld to the greater good to make wholsome and good Lawes for the happy and well regulating of Church and Common-wealth is certainly more advantagious to both then the want of the personall execution of their office and that but once in three yeers then peradventure but a month or two can be prejudicall to either I will goe no further to prove this which so long experience hath done so fully so demonstratively And now my Lords by your Lordships good leave I shall speak to the consequence as it reflects both on your Lordships and my Lords the Bishops Dangers and inconveniences are ever best prevented è longinquo this Precedent comes neer to your Lordships the bill indeed hath a direct aspect only upon them but an oblique one upon your Lordships and such a one that mutato nomine de vobis Pretences are never wanting nay sometimes the greatest evills appear in the most fair and specious outsides witnesse the Shipmony the most abominable the most illegall thing that ever was and yet this was painted over with colour of the Law What Bench is secure if to alleage be to convince and which of your Lordships can say that he shall continue a member of this House when at one blow six and twenty are cut off It then behoves the Neighbour to look about him cùm proximus ardet Ucalegon And for the Bishops my Lords in what condition will you leave them The House of Commons represents the meanest person so did the Master his Slave but they have none to doe so much for them and what justice can tie them to the observation of those Lawes to whose constitution they give no consent Anno Regis Carol. 17 the wisedome of former times gave proxies unto this House meerly upon this ground that every one might have a hand in the making of that which he had an Obligation to obey This House could not represent therefore proxies in room of persons were most justly allowed And now my Lords 28 before I conclude I beseech your Lordships to cast your eyes upon the Church which I know is most dear and tender to your Lordships you will see her suffer in her most principall members and deprived of that honour which here and throughout all the Christian World ever since Christanity she constantly hath enjoyed for what Nation or Kingdome is there in whose great and publique assemblies 30 and that from her beginning she had not some of hers if I may not say as essentiall I am sure I may say as integrall parts thereof and truly my Lords Christianity cannot alone boast of this or challenge it only as hers even Heathenism claims an equall share I never read of any of them Civill or Barbarous that gave not due honour to their Religion so that it seems to me to have no other originall to flow from no other spring then nature it self But I have done and will trouble your Lordships no longer how it may stand with the honour and justice of this house to passe this Bill I most humbly submit unto your Lordships the most proper and only Judges of them both His second Speech I shall not speak to the preamble of the Bill that Bishops and Clergy-men ought not to intermeddle in temporall affaires For truly My Lords I cannot bring it under any respect to be spoken of Ought is a word of relation and must either refer to Humane or Divine Law to prove the lawfulnesse of their intermedding by the former would be to no more purpose than to labour to convince that by reason which is evident to sense It is by all acknowledged The unlawfulnesse by the later the Bill by no means admits of for it excepts Universities and such persons as shall have honour descend upon them And your Lordships know that circumstance and chance alter not the nature and essence of a thing nor can except any particular from an universall proposition by God himself delivered I will therefore take these two as granted first that they ought by our Law to intermeddle in Temporall affaires secondly that from doing so they are not inhibited by the Law of God it leaves it at least as a thing indifferent And now my Lords to apply my self to the businesse of the day I shall consider the conveniency and that in the severall habitudes thereof But very briefly first in that which it hath to them meerly as men quà tales then as parts of the Commonweale Thirdly from the best manner of constituting Laws and lastly from the practice of all times both Christian and Heathen Homo sum 1. nihil humanum à me alienum puto was indeed the saying of the Comedian but it might well have become the mouth of the greatest Philosopher We allow to sense all the works and operations of sense and shall we restrain reason Must only man be hindred from his proper actions They are most fit to doe reasonable things that are most reasonable For Science commonly is accompanied with conscience so is not ignorance they seldome or never meet And why should we take that capacity from them which God and nature have so liberally bestowed My Lords 2. the politick body of the Common-wealth is analogicall to the body naturall every member in that contributes something to the preservation of the whole the superfluity or defect which hinders the performance of that duty your Lordships know what the Philosopher calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natures sinne And truly my Lord to be part of the