have beene by His Majestie and his Royall Ancesters granted to the Dutch and French Churches in this kingdome And divers other wayes hath expressed his malice and disaffection to these Churches that so by such disunion the Papists might have more advantage for the overthrow and extirpation of both 13. Hee hath malitiously and traiterously plotted and endeavoured to stirre up warre and enmity betwixt his Majesties two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and to that purpose hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdome of Scotland divers Innovations both in Religion and Government all or the most part of them tending to Popery and superstition to the great grievance and discontent of his Majesties Subjects of that Nation and for their refusing to submit to such Innovations hee did trayterously advise his Majesty to subdue them by force of Armes and by his owne Authority and Power contrary to Law did procure sundry of his Majestyes Subjects inforced the Clergie of this Kingdome to contribute towards the maintenance of that war And when his Majesty with much wisdom Justice had made a Pacification betwixt the two Kingdomes the said Archbishop did presumptuously censure that pacification as dishonourable to his Majesty and by his councells and endeavours so incensed his Majesty against his said Subjects of Scotland that he did thereupon by advice of the said Archbishop enter into an offensive warre against them to the great hazard of his Majesties person and his Subjects of both Kingdomes 14. That to preserve himselfe from being questioned for these and other his trayterous courses he hath laboured to subvert the rights of Parliament and the ancient course of Parliamentary proceeding and by false and malitious slanders to incense his Majesty against Parliaments By which words counsels and actions he hath traiterously and contrary to his allegiance laboured to alienate the hearts of the Kings liege people from his Majesty and to set a devision betweene them and to ruine and destroy his Majesties Kingdomes for which they doe impeach him of High Treason against our Soveraigne Lord the King his Crowne and Dignity The said Commons do further averre that the said William Archbishop of Canterbury during the times that the crimes aforementioned were done and committed hath beene a Bishop or Archbishop of this Realme of England one of the Kings Commissioners for Ecclesiasticall matters and one of his Majesties most honourable Privie Councell and hath taken an oath for his faithfull discharge of the said Office of Councellor and hath likewise taken an oath of supremacy and Allegeance And the said Commons by protestation saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the said Archbishop and also of replying to the Answers that the said Archbishop shall make unto the said Articles or to any of them and of offering further proofe also of the Premises or any of them or of any other impeachment or accusation that shall be exhibited by them as the cause shall according to the course of Parliament require do pray that the said Archbishop may be put to answer to all and every the premises and that such proceedings examination tryall and Judgment may be upon every of them had and used as is agreeable to Law and Justice The Articles being read Mr. PYMME proceeded in his Specch as followeth My Lords THere is an expression in the Scripture which I will not presume either to understand or to interpret yet to a vulgar eye it seemes to have an aspect something sutable to the Person and Cause before you It is a description of the evill Spirits wherein they are said to be spirituall wickednesses in high places Crimes acted by the spirituall faculties of the Soule the Will and the Vnderstanding exercised about spirituall matters concerning Gods Worship and the Salvation of Man seconded with power authority learning and many other advantages do make the party who commits them very sutable to that description Spirituall wickednesses in high places These crimes My Lords are various in their Nature heynous in their quality and universall in their extent If you examine them Theologically as they stand in opposition to the truth of God they will be found to be against the rule of Faith against the power of godlinesse against the meanes of Salvation If you examine them Morally as they stand in opposition to the light of Nature to right reason and the principles of humane society you will then perceive pride without any moderation such a Pride as that is which exalts it selfe above all that is called God Malice without any provocation Malice against vertue against innocencie against piety injustice without any meanes of restitution even such injustice as doth robbe the present times of their possessions the future of their possibilities If they be examined My Lords by Legall Rules in a Civill way as they stand in opposition to the Publique Good and to the Lawes of the Land Hee will be found to be a Traytor against his Majesties Crown an Incendiary against the Peace of the State he will be found to be the highest the boldest the most impudent Oppressour that ever was an Oppressor both of King and People This Charge my Lords is distributed and conveyed into 14. severall Articles as you have heard and those Articles are only generall It being the intention of the House of Commons which they have commanded me to declare to make them more certaine and particuler by preparatory Examinations to be taken with the helpe of your Lordships house as in the Case of my Lord of Strafford I shall now runne through them with a light touch only marking in every of them some speciall point of venome virulency and malignity 1. The first Article my Lords doth containe his endeavour to introduce into this Kingdome an Arbitrary power of Government without any limitations or Rules of Law This my Lords is against the safety of the Kings Person the honour of his Crowne and most destructive to his people Those Causes which are most perfect have not only a power to produce effects but to conserve and cherish them The Seminary vertue and the Nutritive vertue in vegetables do produce from the same principles It was the defect of justice the restraining of oppression and violence that first brought Government into the World and set up Kings the most excellent way of Government And by the maintenance of justice all kinds of Government receive a sure foundation and establishment It is this that hath in it an ability to preserve and secure the Royall power of Kings yea to adorne and encrease it 2. In the second Article your Lordships may observe absolute and unlimited power defended by Preaching by Sermons and other discourses printed and published upon that subject And truly my Lords it seemes to be a prodigious crime that the truth of God and his holy Law should be perverted to defend the lawlesnesse of men That the holy and
had separated from Rome ever since the time of Reformatior An evill therefore which hath issued not so much from the personall disposition of the Prelates themselves as from the innate quality and nature of their Office and Prelaticall Hierarchie which did bring forth the Pope in Ancient times and never ceaseth till it bringeth forth popish Doctrine and worship where it is once rooted and the Principles thereof somented and constantly followed And from that antipathy and inconsistency of the two formes of Ecclesiasticall Government which they conceived and not without cause that one Island united also under one head and Monarch was not able to beare the one being the same in all the parts and powers which it was in times of Popery and now is in the Roman Church The other being the forme of Government received maintained and practised by all the Reformed Kirks wherein by their owne testimonies and confessions the Kirks of Scotland had amongst them no small eminencie This also we represent to Your Lordships most serious consideration that not only the fire-brands may be removed but that the fire may be provided against that there be no more combustion after this This charge of the Scots against the Arch-Bishop was usherd in with this Introduction in the Scotish Treatie which clearely manifests him to be excepted by name out of the Act of Pacification and Oblivion by the fourth clause thereof An Introduction to the accusation against Canterbury and the Leiutenant of IRELAND SEeing His Majestie hath beene Gratiously pleased concerning out fourth demand to declare that all his subjects shall be lyable to the tryall and sentence of the Parhament respective And seeing the Incendiaries are of two sorts either of the English or Scottish Nation to bee tryed here or there of the Scottish wee shall speake afterward And for the present we shall deliver to your Lordships the grounds of our complaint against the Prelate of Canterbury and the Leiutenant of Ireland whom the Kingdome of Scotland have conceived and expressed to have beene prime Incendiaries that they may be fully presented to your Lordshipps to the Kings Majesty and to the Parliament without prejudice alwayes unto us to adde hereafter what we shall find necessarie And although we do not presently verefie every point therein yet our present proofs of some principall points our probable presumptions of the rest which are annexed therewith are sufficient ground cum constat de incendio to one Nation to desire another to put them per viam transitionis to a tryall and to examine all the Councellors and others here who may be conceived to have beene eye or eare witnesses of any of the Councells speeches or Actions lyable to the Charge and for saving unnecessarie charges and travell to the subjects to direct Commissions and all other Warrants requisite to such as his Majesty and the Parliament shall think fit for examining all such persons as may be apprehended to have knowledge of any of these Councells Speeches or Actions which are alleadged to have beene in Ireland and that upon such Interrogatories as we shall give unto the Parliament shall be pleased to adde for triall All which we earnestly crave of his Majesty and the Parliament as we desire that his Majesty may be pleased to send Warrant to the Committee of at Esr like or to the Sheriffes of Shires for examining witnesse anent the oath pressed upon any of our Country men and other wrongs contained in the complaint if they be not sufficiently proved here 14. December 1640. After these Originall Articles exhibited against the Archbishop both by the Scottish Commissioners and House of Commons to the House of Peeres the Archbishop delaying to plead unto them and the Parliament being taken up with many emergent weighty affaires for their owne and the Kingdomes necessary preservation by reason of the unnaturall bloody Rebellion in Ireland and Warres in England so reploted and raised by the popish party the proceedings against him were respited neare two yeares space And then the Commons intending to bring him to a speedy triall exhibited these ensuing Additionall Articles against him not much different from the Originall except in some particulars Further Articles of Impeachment by the Commons assembled in Parliament against William Laud Archbishop of CANTERBVRY of high Treason and divers high Crimes and Misdemeanours as followeth 1. THat the said Archbishop of Canterbury to introduce an Arbitrary Government within this Realme and to destroy Parliaments in the third and fourth yeares of his Majesties reigne that now is a Parliament being then called and sitting at Westminster traiterously and maliciously caused the said Parliament to be dissolved to the great grievance of his Majesties subjects and prejudice of this Commonwealth And soone after the dissolution thereof gave divers Propositions under his hand to George then Duke of Buckingham casting therein many false aspersions upon the said Parliament calling it a factious Parliament and falsly affirming that it had cast many scandalls upon his Majesty and had used him like a child in his minority stiling them Puritans and commending the Papists for harmlesse and peaceable subjects 2. That within the space of ten yeares last past the said Archbishop hath treacherously endeavoured to subvert the fundamentall Lawes of this Realme and to that end hath in like manner endeavoured to advance the power of the Councell Table the Canons of the Church and the Kings Prerogative above the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme And for manifestation thereof about six yeares last past being then a Privy Councellor to his Majesty and sitting at the Councell Table he said that as long as he sate there they should know that an Order of that Board should be of equall force with a law or Act of Parliament And at another time used these words That he hoped ere long that the Canons of the Church and the Kings Prerogative should be of as great power as an Act of Parliament And at another time said that those that would not yeeld to the Kings power hee would crush them to peeces 3. That the said Archbishop to advance the Canons of the Church and power Ecclesiasticall above the law of the Land and to pervert and hinder the course of Iustice hath at divers times within the said time by his letters and other undue meanes and solicitations used to Iudges opposed and stopped the granting of his Majesties Writs of Prohibition where the same ought to have beene granted for stay ef proceedings in the Ecclesiasticall Court whereby justice hath beene delayed and hindered and the Iudges diverted from doing their duties 4. That for the end and purpose aforesaid about seaven yeares last past a Iudgment being given in his Majesties Court of Kings Bench against one Burley a Person being a man of bad life and conversation in an Information upon the Statute of 21. Hen. 8. for wilfull Non-residency the said Archbishop by solicitations and other undue meanes used to the Iudges
hath wickedly and traiterously advised His Majestie that he might at his owne will and pleasure leavie and take money of his Subjects without their consent in Parliament and this hee affirmed was warrantable by the Law of God 2. Hee hath for the better accomplishment of that his traiterous designe advised and procured Sermons and other discourses to be preached printed and published in which the Authoritie of Parliaments and the force of the Lawes of this Kingdome have beene denyed and absolute and unlimited power over the persons and estates of His Majesties subjects maintained and defended not onely in the King but in himselfe and other Bishops against the Law And he hath beene a great protector savourer and promoter of the publishers of such false and pernicious opinions 3. Hee hath by Letters Messages Threats and promises and by diverse other wayes to Judges and other Ministers of justice interrupted and perverted and at other times by meanes aforesaid hath endeavoured to interrupt and pervert the course of Justice in His Majesties Courts at Westminster and other Courts to the subversion of the Lawes of this Kingdome whereby sundry of His Majesties Subjects have been stopt in their just suits deprived of their lawfull righte and subjected to his tyrannicall will to their ruine and destruction 4. That the said Archbishop hath traiterously and corruptly told ustice to those who have had causes depending before him by colour of his Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as Archbishop High Commissioner Referree or otherwise and hath taken unlawfull gifts and bribes of His Majesties Subjects and hath as much as in him lies endeavoured to corrupt the other Courts of justice by advising and procuring His Majestie to sell places of Judicature and other Offices contrary to the Laws and Statutes in that behalfe 5. He hath traiterously caused a booke of Canons to be composed and published without any lawfull warrant and authoritie in that behalfe in which pretended Canons many matters are contained contrary to the Kings Prerogative to the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of this Realme to the right of Parliament to the propriety and libertie of the Subject and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence and to the establishment of a past unlawfull and presumptuous power in himselfe and his successors many of which Canons by the practise of the said Archbishop were surreptitiously passed in the late Convocation without due consideration and debate others by feare and compulsion were subscribed by the Prelates and Clerkes there assembled which had never beene voted and passed in the Convocation as they ought to have beene And the said Archbishop hath contrived and endeavoured to assure and confirme the unlawfull and exorbitant power which he hath usurped and exercised over His Majesties Subjects by a wicked and ungodly oath in one of the said pretended Canons injoyned to be taken by all the Clergie and many of the Laitie of this Kingdome 6. He hath trayterously assumed to himselfe a papall and tyrannicall power both in Ecclesiasticall and Temporall matters over his Majesties Subjects in this Realme of England and in other places to the disherison of the Crowne dishonour of His Majestie and derogation of his supreme authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters And the said Archbishop claimes the Kings Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as incident to his Episcopall Office and Archiepiscopall in this Kingdome and doth deny the same to bee derived from the Crowne of England which he hath accordingly exercised to the high contempt of his Royall Majestie and to the destruction of divers of the Kings liege people in their persons and estates 7. That he hath traiterously indeavoured to alter and subvert Gods true Religion by Law established in this Realme and in stead thereof to set up Popish superstition and Idolatrie And to that end hath declared and maintained in Speeches and printed books diverse popish doctrines and opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion established by Law Hee hath urged and injoyned diverse popish and superstitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law and hath cruelly persecuted those who have opposed the same by corporall punishments and Imprisonments and most unjustly vexed others who refused to conforme thereunto by Ecclesiasticall censures of Excommunication Suspension Deprivation and Degradation contrary to the Lawes of this Kingdome 8. That for the better advancing of his traiterous purpose and designe he did abuse the great power and trust His Majestie reposed in him and did intrude upon the places of diverse great Officers and upon the right of other His Majesties Subjects whereby he did procure to himselfe the nomination of sundry persons to Ecclesiasticall Dignities Promotions and benefices belonging to His Majestie and divers of the Nobilitie Clergie and others and hath taken upon him the commendation of Chaplaines to the King by which meanes he hath preferred to His Majesties service and to other great promotions in the Church such as have been Popishly affected or otherwise unsound and corrupt both in doctrine and manners 9. Hee hath for the same trayterous and wicked intent chosen and imployed such men to be his owne Domesticall Chaplaines whom he knew to be notoriously disaffected to the reformed Religion grosly addicted to popish superstition and erroneous and unsound both in judgement and practise and to them or some of them hath he committed the Licensing of Bookes to be printed by which meanes divers false and superstitious bookes have beene published to the great scandall of Religion and to the seducing of many His Majesties Subjects 10. Hee hath traiterously and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome and for the effecting thereof hath consorted and confederated with diverse Popish Priests and Jesuites and hath kept secret intelligence with the Pope of Rome and by himselfe his Agents and instruments treated with such as have from thence received authoritie and instruction hee hath permitted and countenanced a Popish Hierarchie or Ecclesiasticall government to bee established in this Kingdome by all which trayterous and malicious practises this Church and Kingdome hath beene exceedingly indangered and like to fall under the Tyrannie of the Roman See 11. He in his owne person and his Suffragans Visitors Surrogates Chancellors and other Officers by his command have caused divers learned pious and Orthodox Ministers of Gods Word to be silenced suspended deprived degraded excommunicated and otherwise grieved without any just and lawfull cause and by diverse other meanes he hath hindered the preaching of Gods Word caused divers of His Majesties loyall Subjects to forsake the Kingdome and increased and cherished Ignorance and profanenesse amongst the people that so hee might the better facilitate the way to the effecting of his owne wicked and traiterous designe of altering and corrupting the true religion here established 12. He hath traiterously endeavoured to cause division and discord betwixt the Church of England and other reformed Churches and to that end hath supprest and abrogated the Priviledges and Jmmunities which
answer all his Charge together not each dayes Evidence by Peece-meale To which Master Maynard in the behalfe of the Commons answered 1. That if the Archbishops memory were so bad as he pretended it would be far worse for him to charge it with answering many particulars and the whole evidence against him together then to answer every particular Charge each day as it should be given in against him whiles it was fresh in memory 2ly That it might and would be a great inconvenience to have witnesses crosse-examined upon other dayes then those whereon they gave in their testimony against the Prisoner 3ly That the Lords themselves would finde it difficult to passe their judgements upon all the Charge together without hearing his punctuall answer to every particular proof as it should be given in evidence whiles it was fresh in their memories 4ly Because else all the witnesses which were very many must of necessity attend and be kept in Town from the first to the last day of his Tryall which would be a very great Charge and inconvenience 5ly In the Earle of Straffords case this very Parliament he was put to answer every day to the particular Evidence given against him on the same day Upon which reasons the House of Peers ordered that the Archbishop should make his particular Answer to every particular Charge on the same day it was given in against him Then the Archbishop desired that the House of Commons would sever the Articles which were Treason from those other Articles which were matters of crime and Misdemeanour only but not Treason that so he might know which of them were Treason and which not To which Master Maynard answered That this they might not doe because they were now onely to try the matters of fact not Lavv and because all the Articles taken together not each or any particular Article by it self made up the Treason wherewith he was charged to wit his endeavours to subvert and destroy Religion the fundamentall Lawes of the Land and government of the Realme and to bring in Popery and an arbitrary tyrannicall Government against Law After which Master Serjeant Wilde by way of Introduction to the Archbishops charge with abundance of elegancy and zeale related the Heads of his Offences to the House of Peeres in these ensuing straines My LORDS THis great cause of the Archbishop of Canterbury after a long and painefull traâ—aise is now come to the Birth of which it may be truly said as it was in a like case Râ—pertum est hodierno die facinus quod nec Poeta fingere nec Histrio sonare nec Mimus imitare potuerit For if all the oppressions all the pernitious practises and machinations which have beene in each time to ruinate our Religion Lawes and Liberties were lost I thinke here they might bee found and drawne out againe to the life So that your Lordships who have beene the great Assertors of our Liberties and stood so fast to the rules and principles of your Noble Progenitors which others have ignobly deserted may after a long conflict with so many great and marchiesse difficulties say now as a great Commander once did upon an extraordinary danger Tandem par animo meo periculum video Here is a cause proportionable to your selves apt and proper for the justice and power of this honourable Court Had they beene faults of common frailty error or incogitancy which this man hath committed wee should gladly have stepped backe and cast a Cloake over them but being so wilfull so universall so distructive to the Lawes of God and man so comprehensive of all the evills and miseries which now we suffer the sin would lye upon our owne heads if wee should not call for justice which that it hath beene so long uncalled for not deferred or delayed I suppose no man will thinke strange who considers the present distractions the death and dispersion of our witnesses the losse of some of our Members who have beene imployed and taken paines in this businesse the multitude of diversions which we have had and have daily occasioned by the Acts and influences of this Meteor But the truth survives and matter enough survives so copious and so full of variety that if all the particulars should be examined for his three yeares imprisonment which he complaines off there would be three yeares time of tryall and hearing of the heavy charge that lyes against him A charge of High Treason Treason in all and every part Treason in the highest pitch and altitude for what greater Treason can there be then to betray the whole Realme and to subvert the very foundations leaving nothing for posterity but a curse upon him that shall goe about to build again That which of it selfe is so haynous is much more enhanced and aggravated by the quality of the person A Church-man a great Prelate a man in great trust place and Authority in Church and Common-wealth A man indued with so great guifts of nature and so many of grace and favour from His Majesty and for al these to be perverted to a contrary end even to the destruction of the publike and the ruine of the Wombe that bare him how deepe a dye doe these impose upon this foule crime How Church-men in all ages as hath beene often observed should come to be the Archest Seedsmen of mischiefe and principall Actors in all the great distractions and alterations that have hapned is a destinie that may seeme strange But the reason is ex bono Thealogo malus Medicus their intermedling with temporall things and matters hererogeneall to their calling wherein God is pleased to finite them with blindnesse and to infatuate their Councell whereof a perfect patterne wee have in this great Prelate who by abusing his profession and making the businesse of State the customary subject of all his endeavours became the Author of all the illegall and Tyrannicall proceedings in the Starre-Chamber High Commission Court and other Courts of all the Innovations in Doctrine and Discipline of the suppressing of godly Ministers and preaching of the advancing of others who were the promoters of Popery and Arbitrary power and indeed of all the concussions and distractions in Church and State whereby Religion hath beene jusâ—ed out Lawes and Parliaments trodden downe with contempt For matter of Religion surely those times were happy when by the magnanimity of Princes and the wisdome and piety of our Predecessors that Antichristian Yoke of Popery was shaken off And now after so many bloudy Massacres in France such fiery persecutions here in Queene Maries dayes so many treacherous conspiracies in time of Queen Elizabeth that execrable and horrid Powder-Plot in the late time of King James such streames and Rivers of bloud in Germany and Ireland and other parts of the Christian world ever since by those restlesse and cruell fire-brands of all mischiefe for any man now to goe about to rebuild these walls of Iericho and to reduce us to those rotten
principells of Error and Darknesse how can it be expected better then that the people should be even ready to stone him as they did him that did but Act the part of Bellerophon in Rome But to avoyde this danger he conveyes in this poyson in a guilded Pill with baites and pretences of Reconciliation a pleasing snare Laqueus Diaboli ad miserorum animas ad infernum detrudendas A beade Roll of particulars might be recited wherein this Reconcilement was to be wrought in points of Free-will Merits Justification Vniversall grace Purgatory and in effect all the rest To draw on these there must be an introducing of Popish Ceremonies in all the particulars contained in the Masse-Bookes and Pontificalls themselves and to make way for these the Booke of Sports must bee published and pressed beyond the Kings intention or Declaration which was but a civill Command but hee subjoynes Ecclesiasticall penalties even the sharpest suspention deprivation and the like these executed on diverse good and godly men with a high hand Thus a liberty proclaimed not to Captives but to profane Caitifes this day set a part by God ab eterno exposed and prostituted to all loosenesse and irreligion and that by a Law This Lambe taken out of his bosome Iehosaphat sends Priests Levites into all the Cities Tribes to instruct them This Prelate sends Declarations and Injunctions to corrupt them and to extinguish the Lamp and light of Religion in the former Acts he destroyes the Protestant in this Religion it selfe In the one he leaves Superstition in the other nothing but Atheisme and Profanenesse in the one he destroyes Presbyteros as did Dioclesian in the other Presbyterium as did the Apostate Julian Yet to shew his love to Religion the Popes only he holds correspondency with those of Rome Cardinall Barbarino Panzani Con Rosetti the Popes Nuntioes Sir Toby Mathewes Saint Clara Saint Gyles the most dangerous and desperate Jesuites and many others ejusdem farina And by all these steps and rounds he makes a Ladder for himselfe to clime up to the Papall dignity in example of Anselme whom though famous for his Contumacy and Rebellion yet he calls him His worthy Predecessor as was Becket also and is contented to take upon him the Plenitude of power the title of holinesse of Arch-Angell of this Church the lineall Successor of Gregory the first rather of Gregory the seventh and for all this was well worthy to have those two great offers made him recorded in his owne Memorialls by these that had ability to performe it viz. A Cardinalls Capp but such was his modesty to forbeare it because though Rome be a true visible Church in his opinion yet something dwelt with him that hindered it for a time to wit I suppose his dwelling here For his attempts against the Laws the Subjects birth-right and the rights of Parliaments their chiefe support and refuge how little regard he had to them how much he did dispise and abhor them making it his Ambition to preferre the contemners and abusers of them and to set up his own Canons and Constitutions above them imposing of unjust and unlawful Oathes Exactions Monopolies all sorts of oppressions stopping of Prohibitions course of Justice rescinding of Acts of Parliament advancing of Proclamations and all kinde of Arbitrary power above the Lawes of God or man is fully expressed in the Articles and will more fully appeare in the evidence To conclude Naaman was a great man but he was a Leaper This mans Leaprosy hath so infectted all as there remaines no other cure but the sword of Justice which we doubt not but your Lordship will so apply that the Common-wealth shall yet live againe and florish When Serjeant Wilde had concluded his speech the Archbishop humbly desired the Lords that he might have liberty to speake a few words to wipe of that dirt which had injuriously bin cast upon him that so he might not depart thence so foule a person as he had been rendered to their Lordships by the Articles Which liberty being granted he made a long premeditated Oration which hee held written in his hand A true extract whereof communicated by him in writing to divers of his freinds you have heere subjoyned My Lords MY being in this place in this condition recalls to my memory that which I long since read in Seneca Tormentum est etiamsi absolutus quis fuerit causam dixisse 6 de Benef. c. 28. T is not a griefe only no t is no lesse than a torment for an ingenuous man to plead Capitally or Criminally though it should so fall out that he be absolved The great truth of this I finde at present in my selfe and so much the more because I am a Christian and not that onely but in Holy-orders and not so only but by Gods Grace and goodnes preferred to the greatest place this Church affords and yet brought Causam dicere to plead for my selfe at this great Barre And whatsoever the world think of me and they have bin taught to think much more ill of me then I humbly thank Christ for it I was ever acquainted with yet my Lords this I finde Tormentum est t is no lesse than a torment to me to appeare in this place Nay my Lords give me leave to speake plain truth No senrence that can justly passe upon me and other I will never feare from your Lordships can go so neere me as Causam dicere to plead for my selfe upon this occasion and in this place For as for the Sentence be it what it shall I thanke God for it I am for it at Saint Pauls ward Acts 25. 11. If I have committed any thing worthy of death I refuse not to dye For I thanke God I have so lived as that I am neither afraid to dye not ashamed to live But seeing the Malignity which hath been raised against me by some men I have carried my very life in my hands these divers yeares past But yet my Lords if there be none of these things whereof they accuse me though I may not in this Case and from this Barre appeale unto Caesar yet to your Lordships Iustice and Integrity I both may and do not doubting but that God of his goodnesse will preserve my innocency And as Iob in the midst of his affliction said to his mistaken Friends so shall I to my Accusers God forbid I should justifie you till I die I will not remove my Integrity from me I will hold it fast and not let it go my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live Iob 22. 5. My Lords the Charge against me is brought up in ten Articles but the maine heads are two An endeavour to subvert the Lawes of the Land and the Religion established Six Articles the five first and the last concerne the Lawes and the other 4. Religion For the Lawes first I thinke I may safely say I have beene to my understanding as strict an observer of
meere art to deterre others from opposing his Graces Popish Innovasions the only prosecutor appearing against him And his shaking up or menacing of his advocate an unlawfull act to discourage him from making any defence and subject his Client to a censure Therefore inexcusable 3ly The main Article against Mr. Burkit was only for his and the Church-wardens removing of the Table when the Sacrament was administred into the body of the Church without the rayles according to the Rubrick Queene Elizabeths Injunctions and the 28. Canon the other Articles being but frivilous not insisted on And for this he was molested in the High Commission yea a traditio Satana a turning over of him to Sir John Lamb pronounced against him who used him like a Lyon a Wolfe in a Lambes Skin 4ly For the Churchwardens of Beckingtons most severe illegall harbarous prosecution we have proved by the deposition of Mr. Iohn Ash a Member of the Commons House that the Archbishop himselfe since his Imprisonment in the Tower confessed that Bishop Pâ—â—res their Diocesâ—n did do nothing herein but by his direction If therefore the rule in Law bee true Plus peccat Author 〈◊〉 Actor he must be far more guilty both of their prosecution Excommunication and heart-breaking submission then Bishop Peirce his Instrument 5ly For Ferdinando Adams he was excommunicated in the Archbishops name by Mr. Dade his Surrogate and this Excommunication pleaded in Barre of his Bill in Starchamber The processe Pursivants sent out to apprehend him and the imprisonment of his Attorney till he withdrew his 〈◊〉 were all by the Archbishops procurement His shutting Bishop VVrens Visitors out of the Church at Jpsmich unlesse they derived their Authority by Letters Patens from the King was warranted by the Statut of 1 Eliz. c. 1. Therefore his prosecution only for his duty and allegeance to the King against the Bishops disloyall incroachments was most unjust and disloyall 6ly Iohn Premly was not prosecuted by Sir Nathaniell Brent but by the Archbishop himselfe for opposing his order in the Metropoliticall Visitation in removing the Lords Table placed Altarwise to the place and posture wherein it formerly stood for which he was fined censured imprisoned in the High Commission where the Archbishop sate chiefe Iudge against all Law and Iustice his act being no contempt nor offence in Law but the Archbishops order by Sir Nathaniell Brent his Visitor and Dr. Nevells act a contempt against Law and Canon 7ly Mr. Sherfield was prosecuted principally by the Archbishops procurement for demolishing according to Law an Idolatrous blasphemous false Image of God the Father which was openly Idolized Hee was then a Justice of Peace Recorder of Sarum and had the Warrant of the whole Vestry wherein were six or seaven Iustices of Peace at that time to demolish this Image and take downe the whole Window which all the Kings Subjects and Iustices of Peace especially have authority to demolish by the Statutes of 3. Ed. 6. c. 10. 3. Iac. c. 5. The Book of Homilies and Queene Elizabeths Injunctions n. 23. within their severall Parishes without any speciall order from King or Bishop yea God himselfe gives speciall Commands not only to the supreame Majestrate but to the Common People also to destroy Idolls 〈◊〉 Jmages and Altars Exod. 34 13. 14. Deut. 7. 5. c. 12. 1. 2. â— Isay 17. 78. In pursuance of which commands not only King Asa 2 Chron. 14. 3. King Hezechiah 2 Kings 18. 4. King Manassâ—h 2. Chron. 33. 15. King Josiah and his people a Chron. 34. to â— demolished and brake in peeces Idolatrous Altars and Jmages but likewise ALL THE PEOPLE of the Land went into the House of Baal and brake it downe Altars and Jmages brake they in peeces and â—low Matâ—an the Priest of Baal before the Altars 2 Kings 11. 1â— without any speciall Warrant or command from King Iehoâ—sh or Iehoâ—ada which the Holy Ghost records for their honour yet were they never questioned or fined in Starchamber for it because they had no warrant from either of them â—â— after King Hezechiah his Passeover the Scripture expresly records 2 Chron. 30 13. 14. c. 31. 1. That ALL ISRAEL that were present went out to the Cities of Iudah and brake the Images in peeces and cut downe the groves and threw downe the High places and Altars out of all Iudah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manassith untill they had utterly distroyed them all which is recorded to their Eternall honour by God himselfe nor were they ever questioned or fined for a Riot in any Starchamber or High Commission or for going out of their owne limits or doing this without a speciall Commission from the King Therefore Mr. Sherfield being a publike Majestrate both as a Iustice or Peace and Recorder of Sarum might much more by the whole Vestries Order demolish this Idolatrous Picture in his owne Parish Church in such a privat manner as he did without blame or censure having sufficient authority from these Texts and Presidents of Scripture and from the forecited Statutes and Injunctions to warrant it every man in such a case being a lawfull Majestrate without any speciall warrant Thus the common people in Girmany and else where in the beginning of Reformation brake downe the Popish Images and Altars without any speciall Order from the Superior or Inferior Magistrates as Mr. Fox and others record And therefore his Doctrine of the Archbishops that it is unlawfull to break downe the very Image and Temple of Iupiter and Esculapius where the Divell himselfe was worshiped without the speciall command of the supreame Magistrate is a most impious Paradox for if the supreame Magistrate will give no such command these Idols Devills shall still be to erated worshiped to Gods dishonour and Religions slander in despite of all the people and inferior Magistrates As for the place of Eusebius it only proves that Idolatrous Statues Images Temples were demolished by the Emperor Constantines speciall command but that the Christians under him might not lawfully have defaced them without such a speciall command especially after a Generall Statute and Edicts published by him for their demolishing without being lyable to a seveer censure the only thing in question is no wayes warranted by nor deducible from Eusebius nor Saint Augustine Yea had Mr Sherfields zeale out-run his discretion in this act it deserved rather applause then censure from a Protestant Prelate yet this Bishop was so far from excusing extenuating that hee aggravated his pretended offence beyond all bounds of Law Iustice Conscience pleaded as zealously for the lawfullnesse of Images in Churches and of this abominable Idoll of God the Father as the Pope himselfe could have dont yea he abused Master Sherfeild in his speech and censured him with the highest though a Bishop when some temporall Lords excused yea acquitted him And though this censure was not his alone but carried by the Major voyce yet his voyce Speech violence occasioned and aggravated it For his
of their complaint That it would introduce a Ministery independent on the Bishops is a false surmise since none were recommended to officiate or preach at any of the purchased Impropriations but by speciall license of the Bishops in whose they were and none were presented to them but conformable men free from all just exceptions if he could justly except against ought in their proceedings Master White deposeth he offered that he himselfe should rectifie it so as the work might proceed but this would not content him but they must be suppressed and criminally proceeded against That he did it in a legall way is no justification nor excuse since those who work and accomplish mischiefe by colour of Law are worse then open Tyrants For the sentence no doubt it was most unjust and so the Earle of Dorset who was present at it told the King himself affirming the buying in of Impropriations to be the best work that ever was set on foot for the Churches good his owne beging the Impropriations in Ireland from the Crowne for the pretended good of the Church proves it infallibly against himselfe But that the Judges onely must answer for this unjust sentence not he is a meer Nonsequitur because the Law resolves that Plus peccat Author quà m Actor and the Judges had never given such an unjust sentence in this cause had not he by his violence power fraud interressing the King himselfe against the Feoffees over-awed swayed the Judges to swarve from the rules of Piety and Justice That some of the revenues of purchased Impropriations were contributed towards the maintainance of Saint Antholins Lecturers is true but that it was a mis-imploying by them contrary to trust or that any unworthy or unconformable Ministers were put into them is a grosse falshood disproved by Master White upon Oath However had it been true he should then have reformed the abuse not utterly destroyed the good work so much conducing to Gods glory and the peoples edification For Heylins Sermon it was presented to retained approved yea himselfe advanced by him and no doubt he preached it by his direction As for Master Foxly he did not onely check but persecute imprison and most barbarously handle him to his undoing onely for his promoting this pious project even after he had quite overthrowne it and openly vaunted of this his wickednesse All which considered each branch of this charge sticks most immovably upon him notwithstanding all his evasions to shake it off The sixteenth charge urged against me is That I have endeavoured to cause division and discord between the Church of England and other reformed Churches and endeavoured to suppresse the Priviledges Immunities of the reformed Dutch and French Churches in this Kingdome wherein it was objected First that I esteemed them no Churches of God or Christ at all because they â—â—nted Bishope which they endeavoured to prove by mine owne Conference with Fisher Bishop Hals Propositions approved by me and Bishop Mountagues Book authorized by my Chaplaine Secondly that I deemed their Religion and ours not to be one but different and their Religion not to be the true Religion Upon which ground I grew angry with Master Ruly and caused the Letters-Patents granted by the King for a Collection for the Palatinate Ministers to be revoked after they had passed the great Seale and a clause in them to be expunged to their great injury and scandall as Master Wakerly and Master Hartlib attested Thirdly that I caused the Declaration of the Faith and Ceremonies of the Pals 〈◊〉 Church to be called in and suppressed Fourthly That I molested the DUTCH FRENCH and WALLOONE reformed Churches in England sundry yeers and infringed their ancient Priviledges by my Injunctions in divers particulars To this I answer in generall that I deny both the Charge and Article and that I have endeavoured to promote and preserve peace between the Protestant Churches abroad and encouraged Master Dury who was imployed to make a reconciliation between the Calvinists and Lutherans beyond the Seas as I could evidence by sundry of his Letters therefore I had a good affection to these Churches and no intent to make any discord between them To the objected particulars I answer First that in my Conference with Fisher I cite only St Jeroms words to prove a difference in order and degree between a Bishop and ordinary Presbyter and inferre from his words as his opinion not mine so even with him no Bishop no Church But it hath been objected that Bish Mountagues Book determines expresly that there can be no Church without Bishops nor Ministers but such who are ordained by Diocesian Bish distinct from an ordinary Minister and that no Minister no not in case of necessity can be ordained by any other therefore the forraign Protestant Churches which have no such Bishops and their Ministers being not ordained by Bishops but other Presbyters can be no Churches nor Ministers I answer that this Book and opinion of his concernes not me being none of mine but the Authors Yea but I maintained and approved the same opinion in effect in Bishop Hals Propositions touching Episcopacy to which I endeavoured to procure a generall subscription pressing it upon others and therein I determine That there was no Church of Christ upon earth ever since the Apostles times governed otherwise then by Bishops and that this government is unalterable and ought to be perpetuated in the Church to the end of the world Which doth wholly unchurch all the reformed Churches and resolve them to be no Churches of Christ I answer that these Propositions were sent me by Bishop Hall of his owne accord that what I did in them was by his consent neither were any pressed to subscribe them nor they propounded concludingly And though Episcopacy be not alterable yet it may be regulated That it is unalterable Bishop Bilson hath proved it long since it continuing so in all Churches at least fifteen hundred yeers after Christ and is allowed approved by the Book of Ordination yea Master Calvin himselfe on that of John As my Father sent me so send I you acknowledgeth the perpetuity of Bishops in the Church Secondly I deny that I esteem the Reformed Churches Religion ours not to be the same true it is we they differ in some particular points of Doctrin as wel as in Disciplin but this makes us not wholly to differ in Religion nor did I deny their Religion to be true As for Master Ruly I used him very civilly with all respect and promoted the Collection for the Palatinate all I could having received a Letter from the Queen of Bohemia for that purpose True it is I caused the objected clause in the first Patent of the Collection to be altered but it was by the Kings direction who gave order for it upon my acquainting him therwith and I conceive there was ground enough to doe it First because some of the Palatinate Divines as Paraus upon the
that valiant Noble Knight Sir Charles Coote which for Poor dying Irelands sake to corroborate the late admirable discoveries from thence by the Popish Archbishop of Tuams Papers and others surprised by this Sir Charles I dare not conceal I SIR Charles Coote do hereby testifie that being at Oxford the last Summer as one of the Agents for the Protestants of Ireland and finding the Irish Popish Agents then to be very prevalent there and the Archbishop of Armagh to be often present at the Debates concerning the businesse of Ireland and conceiving him to have some power with his Majesty I addressed my selfe to the said Archbishop and besought him that he would interpose his power with his Majesty in the behalfe of the Protestants for if the Irish Agents obtained their desires the Protestants in Ireland were destroyed and Popery would be introduced to which the Arch-Bishop replyed That was the intention which he knew better then I did and said WE MUST SUBMIT Dated this 14. of Aprill 1645. CHARLES COOTE A very strange speech of a Saint-seeming Protestant Arch-Prelate What must we submit to the destruction of the Protestants in Ireland and the introduction of Popery there and not once oppose it and will such an Arch-Prelate as he refuse to use his utmost interest in the Kings favour to withstand it when desired If this be the Doctrine of the zealous Lord Primate of Ireland that we must submit to the introducing of Popery there the projected design of the Primate and Metropolitan of all England and Ireland too the better to accomplish it in England as we have here and elswhere manifested the God of heaven for ever deliver us from such an hypocriticall false Archiepiscopall generation of Vipers whose heads and hopes of succession in both Kingdomes we trust Your Honours have for ever cut off in the decapitation of this Archbishop of Canterbury the very worst of al his Trayterous Predecessors their crimes being all concentred in him whose famous Triall Judgement Execution shall eternize Your memorable Justice to posterity and deter all other ambitious pragmaticall Clergy men from treading in his fatall foot-steps the sign of the Arch-bishops head when seriously beheld being as good a Memento for wicked Prelates Councellors to scare them from his trayterous practises as the sight of a corrupt Judges skin in Herodotus nayled to the Tribunall was to his successors to deter them from bribery and injustice If I have done any acceptable service for Your Honourable Assembly and the Church of God in pubilshing these first Fruits of my Obedience to Your just Desires the favourable Acceptance of what I have already composed with much difficulty and lesse exactnesse then I desired will be an incouragement to me if God send life and leisure to present Your Honours in due season with the remainder of this History In the mean time I shall become a dayly Orator to the Throne of Grace to make and continue Your Honourable Houses and Committees a mountain of holinesse an habitation of Justice to execute the Justice of the Lord to do Justice to the afflicted and needy in ridding them out of the hands of the wicked and to distribute equall speedy judgement to all oppressed ones who complain unto and on all Delinquents justly convicted before Your Honours without any respect of persons or byasse of interest or affections according to the old inflexible rules of Law and Justice that so no person whatsoever may have any occasion to take up the Prophets complaint against You as some have causlesly done That Judgement is turned away backward justice standeth a far off and equity cannot enter there is no judgement in their goings We looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a cry Moreover we saw under the sun the place of judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity was there It was full of Judgement righteousnesse lodged in it heretofore but now murderers and oppressers Is there no Balm in Gilead is there no Physitian there why then is not the health of the daughter of our people recovered But that al such fals clamours being wholly silenced by Your care and justice our whole Nation may unanimously trumpet forth these worthy prayses of your Houses Committees that Justice and Judgment are the Habitation of Your Throne as they are of Gods and that like good King David you all do execute justice and judgment to all the people judging them with just judgment without wresting perverting justice or respect of persons and that which is altogether just do you follow Which will be Your Honours brightest Crown of glory our Kingdomes greatest security our peoples most desireable Felicity yea is and shall be the Vote the Prayer of Your Honours most devoted Servant WILLIAM PRYNNE Lincolns Inne Aprill 20 1646. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader that experimentall Observation of the naturall Historian Quo majus est animal tanto diutius formatur in utero c. Singulos gignunt Elephanti Acanthis auis minima duodenas Ocyssime pariunt qui plurimos gignunt may be a satisfactory Apology for the Slownesse the Singlenesse of this long-expected Birth Elephants are much longer forming ripening in the Wombe then Mice and Cathedrall Histories as well as Churches require more time to finish them then Pettie Relations We read John 2. 20. that the later Temple of Ierusalem was 46. yeares in building yet this large folio Edifice hath been compiled compleated within the compasse of so many Weekes notwithstanding my many other dayly interruptions Avocations publike and private in so much that none can justly tax me with Sloathfulnesse or Negligence in this publike Service the toylesomnesse whereof hath deterred all others from undertaking it and devolved it wholly upon me who in regard of my few Vacant Minutes for such a vast Vndertaking must humbly crave thy pardon for all Defects Errataes Oversights either in the penning or printing In this part of the Archbishops Tryall thou maiest clearly discerne not onely his Popish Spirit together with his Activity and Jesuiticall Practises to undermine our established Religion introduce Popery among us by degrees and reduce us back to our ancient Vassallage to Rome but likewise read over a true Ecclesiasticall History of our Church during all the time of his domination and from the result of all I shall desire thee like the industrious sagacious Bee which extracts hony out of poysonous Herbs to collect some profitable Meditations for thy spirituall advantage Some whereof I have already hinted in the Epistle Dedicatory and shall here but lightly touch First here thou mayest see that of the Psalmist so experimentally verified that thou mayest take up his very words Ps 37. 35 36 38. I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree Yet he passed away and loe he was not yea I sought
the whole Kingdome of England be committed to the safe custody of the Gentleman Vsher attending this high Court and that he be sequestred from the said House untill his Grace shall cleare himselfe of the Accusations that shall be laid against him by the said House This proud imperious Arch-Prelate who had close-imprisoned others for sundry yeares in remote Castles in forraigne Islands meerely for opposing his Tyranny and Innovations excluding not only their Friends but Wives Children from the least accesse unto their Prisons or the Isles wherein they were exiled for their comfort or reliefe was yet so impatient of restraint himselfe that immediatly after his Commitment to Master Maxwels house at Chearing Crosse though he had convenient lodgings more liberty by farre then he demerited and all his friends free accesse to visit him yet hee became an humble suiter to the House of Peers even in the wet cold winter season when a warme lodging in most mens judgment was more wholesome for him then cold moist walkes that he might have liberty to goe abroad with his Keeper to take the Ayre which liberty himselfe would never indulge to any Prisoner committed by him for the least offence especially under the Notion of a Puritan O strange impatience worthy admiration that he who had close Imprisoned many Godly Christians Ministers mobscure holes and Dungeons without the least pity or indulgence divers yeares even for well doing or petty offences against himselfe should not be able to endure a few weekes imprisonment when charged with high Treason it selfe against the King and Kingdome without Petitioning for liberty to take the Ayre A request so unseasonable that no wise Man in his condition would have demanded it and the Parliament in Justice or Honour could not condescend to it But this suit of his being deemed unseasonable was rejected And here behold the common Genius of Tyrannicall domineering spirits none so inexorable mercilesse insensible of others unjust oppressions as they in the ruffe of their prosperity none more degenerous pusilanimous querulous impatient or sordidly base then they in the stormes of adversity Let this Arch-Prelates suddaine downe-fall from the Pinnacle of Honour Power into a restrained despicable condition and his impatience under it be a future admonition to all Lording Prelates and Tyrâ—nizing Grandees to carry themselves with all moderation in their places and to learne this good lesson from an heathen Poet which most men in the hight of their felicity are over-apt to forget Desinat elatis quisquam confidere rebus Jnstabilesque Deos et Lubrica Numina discat Illa manus quoe sceptra sibi gestanda parabat Cuius se toties submisit ad oscula supplex Nobilitas digitos ductis inflectere nervis Cogitur c. Aspiciat ne quis nimium sublata secundis Colla gerat What occurrences happened betweene the Archbishops restraint and his commitment to the Tower you may read in his Diary and in the â—roviat of his life On the 22. of February 1640. the House of Commons Ordered that to morrow morning the Report concerning the Articles against the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury be first reade if it be ready On February 23. they further Ordered Mr. Pym to make the report of the Articles against the Archbishop of Cant. the next morning February 24. Mr. Pym presented from the Committee appointed for that purpose the Articles against the Archbishop of Canterbury The Title to the Articles the Articles themselves and the conclusion to them were all severally twice read and all severally voted and past upon the question and afterwards by resolution upon the Question it was ordered that these Articles so read and voted should be ingrossed February 26. The Articles against the Archbishop of Canterbury which were formerly ordered to be ingrossed were now read and it was resolved upon the question that the Articles thus ingrossed and read should be sent up to the Lords in maintenance of the Charge against the Archbishop of Canterbury whereby he stands charged of high Treason Mr. Pymme Mr. Hampden and Mr. Maynard went up with the Articles according to the former Order Vpon the reading of these Articles the Lords made this Order for his the Archbishops commitment to the Tower 26. February 1640. ORdered by the Lords in Parliament that the Lord Archbishop of Cant. his Grace shal stand comitted to the Tower of London But the pleasure of this house is that he continue still in the safe custody of the Gentleman Vsher of this House till Mâ—nday the first of March 1640 and then that the Letutenant receive his Grace into his safe Custody until the pleasure of this House he further known and in the meane time Mr. Maxwell is to be responsible for him and not to permit him to goe abroad and that the Archbishop os Canterbury and the Earle of Strafford shall not come together Mr. Pym returnes and acquaints the House that according to his Abilities he had performed their commands and it was ordered that thankes shold be given him for the good service he had therein done this House Thus the Commons Iournall relates the times and manner of these proceedings and Articles against Canterbury unanimously voted by all when both Houses were fullest with the concurring suffrages of all those Members who have since deserted the Parliament and repaired to Oxford some of whom made bitter Invectives against him whose mouths must be for ever stopped by their own suffrages in full Parliament from uttering any thing in lustification of this Arch-Traitor or in derogation of the Iudgment execution passed against him upon the several Articles of his Impeachment which I shall here Present you with altogether beginning with the Originall Articles of the House of Commons carried up by Master Pym and others whose speech at their delivery I have here annexed to them as they were printed by order of the house long since next adioyning the Scottish Commissioners Charge against him and then the Commons Additionall Articles ARTICLES OF The COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT In maintenance of their Accusation against WJLLJAM LAVD Arch-Bishop of CANTERBVRY whereby he stands Charged with High Treason Presented and carryed up to the LORDS by Mr. John Pym Febr. 26. 1640. Mr. Pym comming to the Lords barre to present the Articles spake as followeth My LORDS I Am commanded by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses now assembled for the Commons in Parliament to deliver to your Lordships these Articles in maintenance of their Charge against the Archbishop of Canterbury Their desire is that first your Lordships would be pleased to heare the Articles read and then I shall endeavour to present to you the sense of the Commons concerning the nature of the Charge and the order of their proceedings FIRST THat he hath traiterously endeavoured to subvert the Fundamentall Lawes and government of this Kingdome of England and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and tyrannicall Government against law and to that end
Justice of peace within that City and an inhabitant of S. Edmonds Parish there took just offence at some pictures in one of the glasse-windows in that Church near unto his seat and ever in his eye in which window was contained in old rude rusty painted glasse the History of the Creation not as it is related by Moses in the first Chapter of Genesis but after the Painters fancy who in this window consisting only of four panes had made no lesse then seven picturs of God the Father in form of a little old man clad in a blew and red coat with a pouch by his side about the bignesse of a Puppet and preposterously placed the fourth daies work of creation before the third and made that to be done on the fifth day which was created on the sixth and in one place he had represented God the Father creating the Sunne and Moon and squaring them out with a pair of compasses in his hand as if he had formed them by some Geometricall rules and the help of a Compasse To these pictures M. Sherfield and others had seen Ema Browne and other old women make low curtesies who being demanded why they made such curtesies answered that they made them to their Lord God and to God the Father in the Glasse-window which was proved by divers witnesses upon oath Wherupon M. Sherfield being perswaded in point of conscience that these Idolatrous Pictures were directly forbidden by the second Commandement and many expresse Texts of Scripture prohibiting any representations of God the Father condemned thus by the Homilies of our Church against the Perill of idolatry Part. 3. â— 40. which determine that The Image of God the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost either severally or the images of the Trinity be by the Scriptures expresly forbidden and condemned as appears by these places Deut. 4. Isay 40. Acts 17. Rom. 1. there cited at large By these and many other places of Scripture it is evident that no Image either ought or can be made to God For how can God a most pure spirit whom man never saw he expressed by a grosse body or visible similitude or how can the infinite Majesty and greatnesse of God incomprehensible to mans minde much more not able to be compassed with the sense be expressed in a SMAL and LITTLE IMAGE as this of God the Father was How can a dead and dumbe Image expresse the living God c. Wherefore an Image of God is not only a lye but a double lye also But the Devill is a lyar and the Father of lyes Wherefore the lying Images which he made of God to his great dishonour and horrible danger of his people came from the Devill Wherefore they be convict of foolishnesse and wickednesse in making of Images of God or the Trinity for no Image of God ought or can be made yea and once to desire an Image of God commeth of infidelity thinking not God here present except they see some signe or Image of him And to be abolished out of Churches by the resolution of Queen Elizabethe Injunctions the Canons and Oxthodox Writers of our Church the Statutes of our Realme and King James his own resolution in sundry of his Works moved the Parish at a Vestry where were six Justices of Peace present that he might have liberty to take down this offensive scandalous Window being a burthen to his conscience an occasion of much superstition and idolatry to ignorant people and the Church it self a Donative as they conceived belonging to the parishioners and to set up a new window of white glasse in its place whereupon it was unanimously ordered by the Vestry about January 1629. and the Order entred that if M. Sherfield thought fit he might take downe the painted old glasse of this Window and set up new Whereupon not long after he did with his staffe breake or picke out some of those peeces of glasse representing God the Father which amounted not to above the value of six pence the whole glasse window not being worth forty shillings when it was new intending to new glaze the same Whereupon by the Archbishops means and instigation an Information was exhibited against him in the Star-chamber by the Kings Attorney Generall for breaking these idolatrous pictures and that in opposition of the Church-government established by law among us This cause was prosecuted with all rigour and at last brought to a hearing on the 8 of February 1632. where this Archbishop then Bishop of London as was proved by the Oathes of Master Tomlins a Barrister of the Temple M. Joseph Caryll Lecturer at Lincolnes Inne and the testimony of M. Robert Nicholas a Member of the Commons House a Commissioner in that cause shewed himselfe very violent against M. Sherfield made a long speech in defence of Images in Churches contrary to our Homilies justified the picturing of God the Father in forme of an old man out of that place of Daniel where God is called The ancient of dayes which the Earl of Dorset refuted being an expression only of Gods eternity declaring him to be before all times and notwitstanding it was proved by four witnesses that those pictures were adored by divers persons yet the Archbishop was so violent against Mr. Sherfield that for breaking of these idolatrous pictures according to the doctrine of our Church in the Homilies against the perill of Idolatry Queen Elizabeth Injunctions and the statute of 3 4 E. 6. ca. 10. which were pleaded for his justification he agravated his offence to the utmost from his Office his Age his profession and divers other circumstances instead of mittigating it fined him a thousand pound to the King sentenced him to be removed from his Recordership in that City to make a publick acknowledgement of his great fault in the Parish-church where this was done and in the Cathedrall at Salisbury and to be bound to his good behaviour some of the Temporall Lords excused his fact spake much against Images and thought it fit to impose no fine upon him This Archbishop then concluded his speech against M. Sherfield in justification of Images with these words I have been the willinger to render this ancount at this time because some are ready to slander Vs as maintainers of POPISH SVPERSTITION and I know not what This sentence gave great incouragement to the setting up of superstitious idolatrous Pictures Images and Crucifixes in our Churches and discouraged most men from opposing the intended introducing of them which followed thereupon in sundry places To this we shall adde the Archbishops tyrannicall sentence and proceedings against M. John Workeman a godly painfull Minister Lecturer in the City of Glocester for preaching against Images in Churches This pious Minister being Lecturer in S. Stephens Church in that City was prosecuted for preaching publickly in a Sermon there That Pictures or Images were no more ornaments to a Church then Stewes to a Common wealth That for a man to
Peace in the County with the generall consent of the whole Bench and upon view of diverse ancient presidents in that kinde Whereupon Judge Richardson the next Sommer Assizes 1634. in his charge informed the Justices Grand-Jury and Country That hee at their Request together with his Brother Denham had made a very good Order for suppressing unruly Wakes and Revells wherein he thought he had done God the King and Country good service but some ill affected persons had misinformed His Majestie concerning this Order who had given him an expresse command to reverse it which he conceived was hardly in his power to do because it was no Order made by himselfe but by the joynt consent of the whole Bench and a meere confirmation and enlargment of diverse Orders made by the Iudges and Iustices in that Circuit in Queen Elizabeths King James and King Charles their Reignes before ever he came into those parts for which he produced these following Presidents The first was an Order made at a Sessions in Somersetshire in the 38. of Queene Elizabeth Orders made by the Iustices Assembled at Bridgwater Sessions the 10th of September Anno Reg Elizabetica 38. c. THat no Church Ale Clerkes Ale Bid Ale or tipling be suffered And that such only be suffered to tipple as be or shal be lawfully licensed according to the Order made in this Sessions SIGNED Iohn Popham Alexander Popham Iohn Court Henry Waldron Edward Hext George Sydenham Thomas Horner Iohn Colles Iohn May Iohn â—odney The second was this Order of Sessions made at the same place whereto he found the name of one Thomas Philips subscribed but he knew not who he was at which Sir Robert Philips his Sonne who sticled for these Wakes was much incensed as conceiving it a meere jeare against him At the Sessions at Bridgwater the 28th of September 1594. IT is is Ordered and agreed that no Church-Ale be admitted to be kept within any part of this shiere And that by the Justices of the Peace of the Lymits notice thereof bee given to the severall parishes within their Lymits and that such as shall offend in keeping any such be duely punished Iohn Popham Lord â—hiefe Iustice George Sidnam Knight Henry Barkley Knight George Speak Henry Waldron Alexander Colles Iohn Frances Alexander Popham Iohn Lancaster Edward Hext Thomas Phillips The third was an Order of Sessions made in the County of Devon Anno 1599. This Order was agreed on by all the Queenes Majesties Iustices of the Peace at the Chapter House Assembled the 10th day of January 1599. Anno 41. Elizabethae ANd for as much as it appeareth that many enormities that with modestie cannot be expressed heretofore have hapned by Church Ales and Revells in this County of Devon It is therefore Ordered that Church-Ales and Revells shall bee hence forth utterly suppressed And if contrary wise in contempt of this Order preparation be made for any to be kept any Justices of this County forthwith send for such as make preparation to admonish them to make stay thereof and upon their refusall in that behalfe or proceeding therein to bind them that make such preparation to the good behaviour and to appeare at the next Sessions of the Peace to bee holden within this County of Devon then and there to endure such punishment as either by the Lawes of the Realme or Order of this Court shall bee inflicted upon them for their contempt and disobeying this Order The fourth was this following Order made at the Assizes in Devonshire Anno 1615. From the Assizes held at the Castle of Exeter Iuly 24. 1615. Anno 13. Jacobi c. Sir Laurence Tanneld and Serjeant Mountague Justices of Assize c. THe severall Manslaughters committed at two Church-ales within this County since the begining of this present Moneth of Iuly and further advertisements given now unto the Court of the continuall prophanation of Gods Sabbath at these and other such like unlawfull meetings ministers unto this Court just occasion to recite an Order formerly set downe by the Reverend Judges of Assize at the Assizes holden for this County the 19th day of Iuly in the yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraign Lord King James by the Grace of God of England France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. the 11th and of Scotland the 46th that Order being as followeth viz. It is Ordered by the Court in regard of the infinite number of inconveniencies daily arising by meanes of Revells Church-Ales and Bull-baitings that all such Revells Church-ales and Bull-baitings be from henceforth utterly suppressed and if hereafter it shall be made known unto the Justices of the Peace of this County of any such to be set up or hereafter used that then the Justices of the Peace within their severall Divisions take course as well for the speedy apprehending and punishment of idle and lewde people drawne together to such places as for the binding over of the Persons using tipling and for the inflicting of further punishment upon all offenders in such places as in their discretion shall be thought fit And to the end that this Order may be the better observed It is Ordered that this bee speedily published in every Parish Church within this County The fift was an Order made in the same County Anno 1627. An Order made by Sir Iohn Walter Knight Chiefe Baron of his Majesties Exchequer and Sir Iohn Denham Knight Justices of Assize for c. at the Castle of Exon the XXIII of July 1627. WHereas diverse Orders have bin heretofore made by the Judges of Assize for the suppression of all Ales and Revels those same Orders are now confirmed at this Assize and again Ordered by the Court in regard of the infinite number of inconveniencies daily arising by means of Revels Church-Ales Clerks-Ales and publike Ales that they be from henceforth utterly suppressed And if hereafter it shall be made knowne to the Justices of Peace of this County of any such to be kept or hereafter used that then the Justices of the Peace within their severall divisions take course as well for the speedy apprehending and punishment of idle vagrant people drawne together to such places as for the binding over of the persons using such tipling and for inflicting of such punishment upon all Offendors in such places as the Law doth inflict And to the end that this Order may be the better observed it is further Ordered that the Clerke of Assize shall leave a Copy hereof with the Clerk of the Peace and the under Sherriffe and from them or one of them every Constable shall take a Copy for his severall hundred and liberty and shall particularly deliver a Copy to the Minister of every Parish within his severall hundred and libertie and shall take a note of every Minister under his hand of the day upon which hee received it from him and that every Minister which so receiveth it shall publish it yearely in his Parish
Church the first Sunday in February And it is likewise further Ordered that every Constable shall at every Lent Assize present to the Judges of this Circuit a note of the receipt of the said Order under the hands of the said Ministers And for the further avoyding of the concourse of idle people it is further Ordered that such persons as usually carry up and downe Bulls and Beares to baite being Rogues by Statute shal be punished as Rogues for the further prevention of such inconveniences as usually happen upon such meetings Per me Symon Spatchurst Clericum Asiisor The 6. an Order made by Baron Denham at the Assizes in Somersetshire Anno 1627. upon a Petition of divers Ministers To the Honourable Sir John Denham Knight one of the Barons of His Majesties Exchequor and Iustice of Assize for the County of SOMERSET The humble Petition of the Ministers whose names are subscribed Sheweth THat whereas at the last Summer Assizes held for the County of Dorset there was an Order made for the suppressing of all Revells Church-Ales and other publike Ales amongst other things as by the Copie of the said Order hereunto annexed appeareth Your Petitioners therefore humbly desire that Your Lordship would be pleased to grant the like Order at this Assizes for the suppressing of the like Ales and disorders in this County of Somerset So they shall alwayes pray for Your Lordships long health and prosperity Adam Abraham Iohn Ford. William â—yllet Iohn Fathers Ralph Turner George Drake 15. Marcii 1627. Let the Clerke of the Assizes draw up the like 〈◊〉 for his County Iohn Denham Which former Order being warranted by so many Presidents Iudge Richardson said hee conceived hee had no power absolutely to reverse but being commanded to do it by His Majestie he did as much as in him lay revoke it but yet doubted not that if the Iustices of Peace would truly informe His Majesty of the grounds of the former Order and of the great disorders occasioned by Wakes and Church-ales His Majesty would give Order to revive it but how ever he must make this Order for the present which he caused he Clerk of Assizes to enter VVHereas divers Orders have been heretofore made by the Judges of Assize for the suppressing of Church-ales Clerks-ales Wakes Revells and such like within this County of Somerset which were formerly made by the Judges by reason of many disorders and misdemeanours arising upon the meeting of multitudes of people out of other Parishes It is now Ordered by his Lordship that all former Orders heretofore made by any Judges or Iustices for the suppressing of Church-ales Clerks-ales Wakes and Revells be revoked as much as in him lyeth and made utterly voyde And that it may be lawfull for all persons freely to use any lawfull Recreation or Exercise at such meetings but with this advice that they be carefull that no outrages or misdemeanours commonly arising at such Church-ales Clerk-ales Wakes and Revells be done or committed Hereupon all the Justices of Peace then present immediately after they had dined drew up this Petition to His Majesty which they Signed with all their hands and then sent it up to London by Iohn Harrington Esquier then Custos Rotulorum in that County with order to deliver it to the Right Honourable Earle of Pembrook Lord Lievtenant of the County to present it to His Majesty Who repairing to London accordingly shewed the Petition to Master Prynne and the Earle being then in the Country whence he would not returne in twelve dayes space he advised with him what course to take for presenting the Petition to His Majesty in the mean time lest the Archbishop hearing of it should prevent the same The Archbishop having notice of this Petition from Sir Robert Philips and Bishop Pierce to prevent the delivery and expected good effect thereof presently caused the Declaration for Sports published by King Iames with some additions of his owne at the end concerning Wakes and Feasts of Dedication relating the Order of Judg Richardson for suppressing them to be reprinted and published in His Majesties Name before the Petition delivered the Copy whereof is here subjoyned To the KINGS most Excellent Majestie The most humble Petition of the Iustices of the Peace of the County of Somerset MOst humbly Shewing That whereas heretofore there have bin from time to â—e severall good Orders made by the Iustices of Assize and Iustices of the Peace for the County of Somerset for the restraining and suppressing of certaine disordered Assemblies in that County called Church-ales Clerkes-ales Bid-ales Wakes and Revells by reason of many disorders inseperably accompanying the same wherby the said Assemblies have for the most part for a long time beene forborne and not used to the great good and quiet of the said County Now so it is may please Your Majesty that by occasion of a Declaration published the last Assizes by the Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Kings-Bench for restoring of Wakes and Revells and Revering of all Orders made against them and by reason of a rumour thereof spread in the Countrey since the last Lent Assizes not onely all the disorders aforesaid of Prophanation of the Lords Day riotous tipling contempt of Authoritie Quarrells Murthers c. frequently over-flowing the said Assemblies have increased this Summer but even the other disorderly Assembliss of Church-Ales Bid-Ales Clerkes-Ales condemned by the Lawes have againe beene set up to the great prejudice of the Peace plenty and good Government of the County May it therefore please Your most Excellent Majestie to grant us some more particular Declaration herein That Your Majesties Command concerning Revells may not be thought to extend farther then to the upholding of Civill Feasting betweene Neighbour and Neighbour in their Houses and the orderly and seasonable use of manly Exercises and Activities which we all shall be most ready to maintaine And that we may have Your Majesties Favour and Allowance to suppresse all the forementioned unlawfull Assemblies of Church-Ales Clerks-Ales and Bid-Ales and to punish all the forementioned disorders as heretofore we have done Wherein Your Petitioners have no other end than to do Your Majestie faithfull service and to preserve the good Government of the County John Lord Pawlet William Portman John Stowell Ralph Hopton John Symmes William Frauncis John Harrington Robert Cuffe Richard Cole Edward Powlet William Every Anthony Stocker William Capell George Powlett Francis Popham Edward Rodeney Francis Dodington John Horner William Bassit John Windham Robert Hopton George Speke Thomas Lutterell William Walrond Gerrad Wood. The delivery and good effect of this Petition was prevented by the publishing of this Declaration by this Archbishops meanes who to justify himselfe herein ex post facto procured this ensuing Warrant without any Date at all written with his own hand and found in his Study by Mr. Prynne together with the Printed Declaration for Sports endorsed with his owne pen to be Signed by His Majesty to justifie
of Stationers upon paine that every Printer offending therein shall be for ever hereafter disabled to use or exercise the Art of Mysterie of Printing and receive such further punishment as by this Court or the high Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought fitting That all other Bookes whether of Divinity Phisick Philosophie Poetry or what soever shall be allowed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or Bishop of London for the time being or by their appointment or the Chancellours or Vice-Chancellors of either of the Vniversities of this Realme for the time being Alwayes provided that the Chancellour or Vice-Chancellour of either of the Vniversities shall Licence only such Booke or Bookes that are to be printed within the limits of the Vniversities respectively but not in London or else where not medling either with Bookes of the common Law or matters of State 5. Item That every Merchant of bookes and person and persons whatsoever which doth or hereafter shall buy import or bring any booke or bookes into this Realme from any parts beyond the Seas shall before such time as the same booke or bookes or any of them be delivered forth or out of his or their hand or hands or exposed to sale give and present a true Catalogue in writing of all and every such booke and bookes unto the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being upon paine to have and suffer such punishment for offending herein as by this Court or by the said high Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought fitting 6. Item That no Merchant or other person or persons whatsoever which shall import or bring any booke or bookes into the Kingdome from any parts beyond the Seas shall presume to open any Dry. Fat 's Bales Packes Maunds or other Fatdalls of Bookes or wherein Bookes are nor shall any Searcher Wayter or other Officer belonging to the Custome House upon paine of loosing his or their place or places suffer the same to passe or to be delivered out of their hands or custody before such time as the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterb. or Bishop of London or one of them for the time being have appointed one of their Chaplaines or some other Learned man with the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers or one of them and such others as they shall call to their assistance to bee present at the opening thereof and to view the same And if there shall happen to be found any seditious schismaticall or offensive Booke or Books they shall forthwith be brought unto the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Bishop of London for the time being or one of them or to the High Commission Office to the end that as well the Offender or Offenders may be punished by the Court of Starre-Chamber or the High Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require according to his or their demerit as also that such further course may bee taken concerning the same Booke or Bookes as shall be thought fitting It is further Ordered and Decreed that no Merchant Bookseller or other person or persons whatsoever shall imprint or cause to be imprinted in the parts beyond the Seas or elsewhere nor shall import or bring nor willingly assist or consent to the importation or bringing from beyond the Seas into this Realme any English Bookes or part of bookes or bookes whatsoever which are or shall be or the greater or more part whereof is or shall be English or of the English tongue whether the same Booke or Bookes have beene here formerly printed or not upon paine of the forfeiture of all such English Bookes so imprinted or imported and such further censure and punishment as by this Court or the said High Commission Court respectively as the severall causes shall require shall be thought meet 18. Item That no person or Persons doe hereafter reprint or cause to reprinted any booke or bookes whatsoever THOUGH FORMERLY PRINTED WITH LICENCE without being revived and a new Licence obtained for the reprinting thereof Alwayes provided that the Stationer or Printer be put to no other charge hereby but the bringing and leaving of two printed Copies of the Booke to be printed as is before expressed of written Copies with all such additions as the Author hath made XXIV Item The Court doth hereby declare their firme resolution that if any person or persons that is not allowed Printer shall hereater presume to set up any Presse for printing or shall worke at any such Presse or set or Compose any Letters to be wrought by any such Presse he or they so offending shall from time to time by the Order of this Court be set in the Pillory and Whipt through the Citie of London and suffer such other punishment as this Court shall Order or thinke fit to inflict upon them upon Complaint or proofe of such offence or offences or shall be otherwise punished as the Court of High Commission shall think fit and is agreeable to their Commission XXV Item That for the better discoverie of printing in Corners without Licence The Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers for the time being or any two Licensed Master Printers which shall be appointed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being shall have power and Authority to take unto themselves such assistance as they shall thinke needfull and to search what Houses and Shoppes and at what time shall thinke fit especially Printing Houses and to view what is in Printing and to call for the Licence to see whether it be Licensed or no and if not to seize upon so much as is printed together with the severall Offenders and to bring them before the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury or the Lord Bishop of London for the time being that they or either of them may take such further Order therein as shall appertaine to Justice The Archbishop and his Confederates having accroached by coulour of this Decree the sole power of the Presse into their hands which they usurped without any such pretext of Authority long before the passing thereof began after the Popish guife in imitation of the Pope and Popish Inquisitors First to prohibit the re-printing and sale of sundry Orthodox Bookes formerly printed and sold by Authority of which we shall give you sundry notable instances One of the first Books we find prohibited by the Popish Prelates in England in King Henry the 8. his Reigne was the Bible and New Testament in English of Tyndallâ— translation and all other English Bibles and Testaments having any Annotations or Preambles which were ordered to bee out and blotted out of the said Bibles and Testaments in such sort as they could not bee perceived or read under paine of forfeiting 40s for every such Bible with Annotations or preambles as you may read in the Statute of 34. and 35. H. 8.
and prejudice of Religion grew conscious to himself that this passage if un-expunged might one day rise up in judgement against him and be applied to himselfe in after times wherefore out of a provident foresight he thought it a poynt of wisdome to expunge it But since divine providence hath brought it to publike light we conceive it will be a very good president to direct your Lordships judgement in the sentence of this Haman this Arch-Malefactor against our State and Religion The the third expunged clause was this And whereas there is not onely a law of God but even of man against Sabbath-breaking which concernes the fourth Commandement and divers against Popery which trencheth upon the first and second Commandement c. let not the other which concernes the Sabbath seem to have been consented to onely upon the importunity of a few Precise persons but never intended for execution least God set such a Memorandum upon them and you who will not be carefull of the Memento set upon that Commandement that whoso heareth of it both his eares shall tingle as stories tell us he hath done upon both Prince and People in France Denmarke yea and here in England offending in that kind Let not all the other Statutes tending towards the first and second Commandement seem meer engines of state to draw reward for toleration dispensation and connivancy least God connive not at nor dispence with such intolerable dissimulation least he make the gaine gotten by this dividing of Adoration between him and Idols to be like that of Solomens in that case which was recompenced with the losse and dividing of his Kingdome betwixt his sonne and astranger 1 Reg. 11 and 12. Chapters But ob farre be that from the State of this Iland and from you to be instruments in it And in the Margin this Note affixed to the word stories was quite purged out Greg. Turonensis Magdeburg cent 12. c. 6. at London 1583 c. in which places meaner persons working greater sporting Kings fighting battatles on the Sabbath dayes are all reported to be overthrowne and destroyed with fearfull judgements These being the onely pious Orthodox passages in all this Sermon against popery Papists Sabbath-breaking and ill Counsellours were quite crossed out with this Bishops owne hand who altered and added many things in it for the worse and all to this very purpose that the people might not take notice of any designe in forraigne parts to extirpate the Protestant Religion or to tolerate set up Popery or suspend the Lawes against it or Papists Priests and Sabbath-breakers at home whereof these Clauses gave them notice which this Doctor as had as he was foresaw world produce that devision in our Kingdom which we now experimentally suffer under threatning uttter desolation to us all these purgations in one Sermon were made by polupragmaticall Prelat before he had any legall power to license Books for the Presse 〈…〉 â—econdly we shall proceed to some higher attempts after he had gained such 〈…〉 of them even upon the publike Records of our Church 〈…〉 of 3. Jacobi ch 1. intituled An Act for a publike Thanksgiving 〈…〉 every yeere on the fifth day of November ordaineth this day to be had perpetuall remembrance that all ages to come might yeeld prayses to God for our deliverance from the most inhumane cruell and barbarous Gunpowder-plot of the Papests and hate in memory this joyfull day of deliverance Hereupon there was a speciall booke of Prayers and Thanksgiving compiled and enjoyned by authority to be used on this day in one of the prayers whereof there was this clause Root out the Babylonish and Antichristian Sect which say of Ierusalem downe with it downe with it even to the ground and to that end strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles Magistrates of the Land with judgement and justice to cut off these workers of iniquity whose Religion is Rebellion whose Faith is Faction whose practice is murdering of soules and bodies and to root them out of the confines of this Kingdome c. This clause continued in all these publike books without the least exception or alteration from the yeere of our Lord 1606. till 1635. and then this Arch-bishop conceiving this passage to lay an imputation and seandall First upon the profession of Romish Priests Jesuits and blood-thirsty papists by stiling them a Babylonish and Antichrian sect Secondly upon their Romish Religion whose religion is rebellion whose faith is faction Thirdly upon their Rebellious and traiterous practises in stiling them these workers of iniquity whose practice is murdering of soules and bodies Fourthly upon their persons as unfit to be tolerated in the Realm and meet to be rooted out of the confines of this Kingdom by the King Nobles and Magistrates a clause altogether inconsistent with our toleration of and his reconciliation of us our religion with them and Rome then actually intended endeavoured by this Arch-prelat and his Confederates he thereupon in the yeere 1635. caused this Book to be re-printed and altered the forementioned clauses in this ensuing forme only to gratifie the Jesuits Priests popish Recusants and take off these just charges against them and their Religion both for the time past and future by turning the edge of this prayer upon the Puritanes on whom the Papists would have fathered this their horrid treason had it taken effect Root out that Babylonish and Antichristian sect of them which say of Ierusalem c. And to that end strengthen the hands of our gracious King the Nobles and Magistrates of the Land with justice and judgement to cut off those working of iniquity who turne Religion into Rebellion and faith into Faction c. Master Henry Burton in his Sermons on the fifth of November 1636. intituled For God and the King p. 130. to 142. informed the people of this most grosse alteration and charged the Arch bishop to be the Author of it aggravating his offence to the full Master Prynne doing the like in his Epistle Dedicatory to his Quench-Cole For this good service among others they were brought into the Star-chamber by the Archbishops instigation who in his Speech in that Court at their consure published by speciall command First of all confessed that he made this alteration Secondly justified the making of it because it gave offence and scandall to the Papists which ever ought to be avoyded as much as may be adding that it laid an imputation on their Religion as if it were rebell on spending sundry pages in justification of this alteration as most fitting and necessary averring that our religion and the Papists was all one and rendring three reasons why this change was made Thirdly he addes by way of justification excuse that though he made this alteration yet he did it by his Majesties command p. 33. 34. His Majesty expresly commanded me to make the Alterations and see then printed and here are both the Books with his
dishonourable scandalous and offensive act which would scandalize and disgust all his wel-affected protestant Subjects dishonour his owne royall Father King James our Parliaments Church State who all authorized approved used this prayer for thirty yeeres space together encourage Papists Priests Jesuits to such like horrid treasons and exceedingly animate elevate the popish faction causing them to deride if not to insult over the Protestants and our Church which must now alter retract her own approved Collects to gratifie them and their Antichristian Religion But so farre is he from this that he readily obeyes the first command without the lest disswasion resistance without advising with or giving notice thereof to any other of his Brethren the Privy-Counsell Judges and other publike persons as much concerned in it as himselfe to whom he ought to have given notice and asked their leave at least opinions herein ere he obeyed the King though not Master Burtons and Master Prynnes being more ready to obey than his Majesty to command them Finally admit his Majesty had commanded him to make these alterations yet for him in his owne cause in an open Court of Justice where by Law he ought not to have been present or spoken as a Judge to lay all the Odium of these alterations with all his other Innovations in Religion only on his Majesty to render him odious to his people to cloke his own shame extenuate his own guilt and then to publish it in print to all the World to his perpetuall dishonour when there was no necessity and that by pretext of his Majesties speciall command was such a disloyalty and transcendent aggravation of his crime as no age can paralell no punishment expiate but that which the Gunpowder Traytors justly suffered Besides this after the publication of his â—peech in Star-chamber he specially imployed Doctor Heylin to iustifie these alterations to the world in print in his Moderate Answer to the seditious and scandalous chalenges of Henry Burton as he stiles them written by his * speciall command and licensed by his Chaplaine p. 150. to 157. and ordered Christopher Dowe to second him herein in his Innovations unjustly charged upon the present Church and State p. 136 to 14â— where thus he writes Secondly I say that the alteration of those Prayers being done by the same authority that first set them forth it is neither for him nor me nor anyother of inferiour ranke to question them but with humble reverence to submit to their judgements and to think them wiser and farre more fit to order those things that belong to then places than we whom it neither concernes nor indeed can know the reasons that move them either to doe or alter anything But more particularly that which he objecteth against the former is that they would not hereby have all Jesuits and Papists termed a Babylonish and Antichristian Sect but restraine it to some few of them and mentally transferre it to those Puritanes who cry downe with Babylon that is popery But what then what if out of a charitable respect to those which in that Religion are peaceable and honest men as no doubt but some of them whatsoever Master B. beleeves of them are such they are not willing nor think it fit to pray for the rooting up and confusion of all Papists indiscriminatim under those harsh termes surely charitably minded Christians cannot but approve such an alteration if there were no other ground than that for it As for any mans transferring it to Puritanes that is as meer a surmise as it is a false slander that any of those whom he intimates doe call Rome Jerurusalem or Popery the true Catholique Religion Yet I know not why such furious cryers downe of popery as Master B. hath shewed himselfe may not be accounted of a Baby lonish and Antichristian Sect as well as any Jesuit in the world nor why we may not pray and that with better reason than Master B. would have men to doe and under those titles against the Hierarchy of our church that God would root them out of the Land c. Wherein he makes zealous opposers of popery those the world then stiled Puritanes more dangerous persons and fitter to be rooted out of the Land as a Babylonish Antichristian Sect than papists or Jesuits Now thus to justifie this alteration in so daring impudent a manner in favour of popery priests Papists Jesuits what a transcendent crime it is and of what a rotten popish spirit it savours let all impartiall persons determine The third purgation made by himselfe discovering the hidden popery of his heart is his purging out this notable clause against popery in the first Collect of the publike book of prayers appointed at the generall Fast for ceasing the Plague in the yeere 1636. Thou hast delivered us from Superstition and Idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and hast brought us into the most cleare and confortable light of thy blessed Word by which we are taught how to serve and honouor thee and how to live orderly with our Neighbours in truth and verity The King by his Proclamation Anno 1636. commanded that the Booke of prayers for the Fast formerly set forth by authority should be reprinted re-published and likewise used in all Churches and places at the publike meetings during this Fast The Arch-bishop instead of re-printing the book formerly set forth by authority purgeth this clause out of it in the new impression though used in the Fast-books upon like occasions in Queen Elizabeths and King James their severall reignes and in that of 1. Caroli and that upon these very grounds which should have moved him to retaine it still had his heart been upright or sincere to God and our Religion because it layes a just censure and blemish upon popery by stiling it superstition and idolatry and thankfully recites Gods goodnesse to us in delivering us from Popish superstition and idolatry wherein we were utterly drowned and bringing us into the most cleare and comfortable light of his holy Word by which we are taught how to serve and honour him c. A clause so pious so just and equitable that it is almost a miracle how any but a most inveterate Papist could except against it yet this Arch bishop is so irreconcileably angry with it that it must be wholy obliterated and quite omitted out of this new impression and that without any speciall order or command from his Majesty which he pleaded for the former alterations in the Gunpowder-treason book or any suggestion from Papists Priests or Jesuits who were scandalized with it for he doth not so much as pretend any such thing in his justification of this purge but by his owne papall authority contrary to his Majesties Proclamation out of his own metro popish genius which perswades us that the former alcerations in the book for the fift of Novem. proceeded originally from himself too as well as this however he would translate it to the
in Magistrates Princes and others IN Doctor Clerks Sermons in the Sermon on Innocents day page 81. l. 5. After these words but onely Malefactors should follow this deleted clause These were not nay slay they may not any man that terme is odious justice loveth no slaughter capitall offenders Kings may put to death but they may not slay men I may not be peremptory before so learned hearers who can judge better then I I will not say certainly but I will say happily the Evangelist used this word of purpose to make the act the more erronious Murther in a Magistrate in a King to slay Uriahs death plotted by David David's selfe blood Psal 51. Blood and murther are synonimous the Prophet expresly cals Ahab a murtherer 2 King 6. for Naboths death The sword of justice smites it slayes not in Scripture phrase Nay a King may not slay not a delinquent if in his passion either himselfe or his men at his command shall shed his blood it is flat homicide he might have sentenced him to dye but his private sword may not kill any Sauls Javelin throwne at Jonathan or David had it kild either it had been murther yea though they had been trespassers and their crime never so capitall In Master Wards Comentary on Matthew fol. 110. this is expunged There is an excuseable homicide which is either casuall c. or sodaine and strange Now this is gathered from Numb 35. 17 18. where the Lord saith if he smite him with throwing a stone whereby he may dye and he dye c. and if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood wherewith he may dye c. as if he would say if he chance to kill him with a stone or a peice of wood which there was no feare or likelihood would kill him then he should be quit and not dye But here is a threefold doubt or scruple will arise which I confesse I am not able to resolve viz. First whether such indulgence pardon or exemption from punishment be altogether to be granted to him who thus unexpectedly killeth his Neighbour or whether this execution can be collected out of this place Secondly if such a freedome from punishment be here to be understood then whether the blow wherewith the party was killed be to be understood of a stroke that was given in anger or in jest Thirdly whether by the blow which was given be understood a stroke not mortall for the present but a blow whereof the party long languisheth and at last dyes 49. That Christ is our sole Mediatour not Saints and Angels and against prayer to Saints deleted IN Doctor Clerks Sermons page 191. l. 24. after these words hath it often should follow this expunction This provideth too against popery God hath made Christ the only Mediatour the sole meanes of grace of all his gifts whatsoever Papists adde to him too more merits of men and intercession of Saints horrible sacriledge to rob Christ of his right he is our Intercessor if not yet blasphemy to disable him he belike is unsufficient they put into his office the Saints as Coadjutors they be his fellow advocates he is weake alone or they thinke him very proud He is our Mediator but they must make meanes to him his Mother must entreat him Entreat command her sonne jure Matris impera they are not worthy the answering what prayer is not made in his name is sin And page 200. l. 19. After these words Saint Peter to his Master should follow Protestants some like not of the Liturgie they say t is Popery surely they mistake t is a wonder the Papist censure it not rather that they call it not Calvinisme or the Teregamus Domine and Christ have mercy upon us because we pray in it immediately to Christ 50. That Nature used well and improved is a meanes to obtaine Grace and greater graces then before Expunged IN Master Ward 's Comentary upon Mat. 25. 14. p. 355. Object Some object these words to prove That God will give greater graces unto him or bestow greater upon him who hath well used the light of nature Answ By those Talents are here understood the gifts of God and especially the knowledge of God by the Gospell which knowledge he is said to hide who doth detaine the truth in unrighteousnesse and doth keepe in the known truth This Talent therefore cannot be that sufficient grace which they say doth happen to Infidels and unregenerate persons but that grace which God doth bestow upon his domesticall servants Neither by him who hath is understood a man in his meere naturals or some heathen man furnished with sufficient grace but a man furnished with the knowledge of the Gospell which is given to me for that end that by edifying his neighbour he might spread the knowledg far abroad and like monie put to use it might be increased with daily additions 51. Passages deleated concerning Originall Sin IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Mat. 3. ver 10. this is expunged written copy fol. 21 Every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Argum. The Papists say that for originall guilt onely we are not guilty at all of Hel-fire and therefore Infants dying before the commiting of actual sinne shall not be damned or punished poena sensue with any sensible punishment Now against this these words may be thus aptly objected Every tree which bringeth forth not good fruit it hewen down and cast into the fire but Infants vvho are vvithout the Covenant are trees obnoxious of originall sinne vvhich brings forth no good fruit therefore Infants that are without the Covenant being guilty of originall sin shall be cut down and cast into the fire c. The Papists say that those vvho are onely guilty of originall sinne shall not be punished poena sensue vvith any sensible torments after this life Against vvhich Tenet this Text is thus aptly objected All Chaffe is to be burnt with eternall fire vvhich is a sensible torment but whosoever are poluted vvith originall sinne and not purged by the blood of Christ are chaffe therefore they shall be burnt with eternall fire which is a sensible torment The major proposition is proved from this verse He will burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire The minor proposition is confirmed thus It is necessary that such as are poluted with originall sinne and not purged by the blood of Christ are either Chaffe or Wheat and this the Papists I hope will not deny but they are not Wheat because they are not gathered into the Garner for they say that such as dye before Baptisme are not made partakers of the joyes of Heaven and therefore they are Chaffe prepared for the fire 52. Deleted clauses against the Oath ex Officio and forced Oaths IN Master Ward 's written Comentary on Mat. p. 138. this Discourse is purged out Faulty they are faulty here who injuriously constraine men to sweare and this is two-fold
but very poore faine to fetch instance from hell Dives prayed for his brethren Bellarmine's reason worthy a Cardinals hat Happily In Master Wards Comentary on Matthew page 82. this is gelded out When a Papist prayeth to any Saint in heaven for sometimes they pray to those who in all probability are in hell as Thomas Becket Hildebrand and divers cheating impostors Ibip page 164. 161. 168. 169. this is deleted Let those therefore who call upon the name of the Lord depart from all iniquity and let them labour to abound in all vertues both morall and theologicall that so our profession may be praised both of prophane and civill men Thirdly the Papists have Rimes which must be said over three or four times every day certainly with a little paines a man might make a good Parret a good Papist for he might be taught all this therefore they were forced to cry much and long The Papists say prayer is a Meritorious work as hath been elsewhere shewed Against which we urge this place thus we must not pray as the heathen did for they thought to be heard for the merit of their long prayers therefore it becommeth not Christians to pray with any opinion to be heard Answ 2. Spirituall graces are to be demanded before temporall good Thirdly we have no true right unto temporall things nor proper interest in them nor any true warrant to beg them untill we be converted and therefore temporall things are not first to be desired Our Saviour teacheth onely those to pray for temporall blessings that can call God father as we see in the preface of the Lords Prayer which we cannot doe aright untill we be converted Ibidem page 341. this is deleted Object It is controverted betwixt us and the Papists concerning the formes of Churches and Bellarmine affirmes that they should be built East and West that so when we pray therein our faces might be turned towards the East and for the proose hereof he produceth this place Ab oriente venturus ereditur ad judicium It is beleeved that Christ will come unto judgement from the East therefore we ought to pray towards the East Answ First creditur it is beleeved saith he namely by those who can beleeve what they list though never so absurd c. See page 299. 60. Passages obliterated concerning Predestination Gods Decree and Reprobation See Election page 303. IN Master Ward 's Comentary on Mathew in the writen copy fol. 172. this clause is expunged How is the Kingdome of God attained unto First the foundation of it is the eternall love of God Secondly from this love proceedes the Decree of Predestination Thirdly from this Decree followes Redemption wrought by Christ Fourthly thence followes the Promises of the Gospell applying Christ to our hearts Fistly and lastly followes Faith which apprehends both the Promises and Christ What reason can there be that God should prepare vessels unto dishonor How can God create men to destroy them I Answer Neither is reason dumbe here but can speake something in Gods behalfe viz. First we for our food kill Sheep Oxen Birds and Fowle who never wronged vs yea for this end we fat and cram them although we did not create them How much more then may God destroy a creature which he hath made and for his glory passe by a man who hath infinitely offended him Secondly Artificers often make peeces of worke and breake them againe for the praise of their skill and Art why then may not the Lord doe so Obj. God gave nothing unto man but a being therefore it was unjust to doe more unto him then to take away his being God who created man of nothing or of earth might justly have reduced him againe to his first matter but not make him worse then he was now to be damned is much worse then not to be I answer Artificers and Craftsmen make vessels for their owne service yea even to serue for base offices and that for a long time yea even for ever if they and their vessels could endure for ever And therefore why should we dispute against God Saint Paul durst not doe it Rom. 9. 13. c. What reason is there that God should condemne us for Adams fault Reason answers That for treason against the King the Father is beheaded and the children disinherited yea because old Wolves and Foxes endanger and injure us therefore we kill the young ones that never harmed us because they are of a ravenous nature also and will doe hurt if they live why then should we plead against God c. See more of this Sect. 25. concerning Election In Doctor Clerk's Sermons page 91. l. 12. after these words Saint Ambrose doth warrant it should follow this large discourse of Predestination which the Licenser hath totally expunged I will not be peremptory in so perplex a Question as is Predestination I will say as I conceive it and submit me to your censure In the great Councell in Heaven why name I heaven heaven was not yet God meaning to make manifest both his justice and his grace to the world which he purposed to create in time for the glory of them both out of the whole masse of man selected some and refused the rest whom his mercy pretermitted those his justice predessigned unto damnation but whom his love elected those his grace ordained to finall salvation The Tragick Poet could say God whom he loveth he saveth what then his grace fore-purposeth his power in time effecteth and his wisdome manages and marshalleth all the meanes salvation onely is the end intended by his grace but the meanes are many that might come between Grace hath a golden chaine of many links salvation the last but so fastened to his fellows that it cannot fail adoption redemption regeneration vocation justification sanctification adoption to the right and title of Gods sonnes redemption from death regeneration by baptisme vocation by the Gospell iustification by faith sanctification by the spirit all these Paul hath omitted and named but the last both as the most comfortable and to which all the rest doe purposely tend Damnation is the doome decreed to the reprobate Gods justice sentenceth them but how and in what order I list not to discourse for offending of weak consciences For the execution of which sentence there was ordained death and hell and satan and the evill day death to attend them hell to enjoy them satan to torment them and the evill day to judge and deliver them The Elect also doe deserve that doome Gods curse is justly incurred by their sinne but Gods goodnesse travelled with good which decreed they should be saved Aske me not the Question why God Almighty dealt not equally with all It is already answered God is just as well as gracious Had he saved all where then were his justice had he damned all where then were his grace Reply not in thy reason that God had he so pleased might have been both just and gracious
been allowed to them in the time of Queen Elizabeth or since The Order of King James under his signet the 13 of Iune These are therefore to will and command all our Courts of Iustice and other our loving Subjects to permit and suffer the said strangers members of the Out-landish Churches and their children to enjoy the continuance of our favours before declared in this behalfe Considering the loving kindenesse and good entertainment which our Subjects and their children doe receive and finde beyond the Seas The Order of the Privy Councell for the Walloones of Norwich the 10 of October Those of Norwich although borne in the Kingdome shall continue to be of the said Church and Society and shall be subject to such Discipline as hath been by all the time of fifty five yeares practised among them And if any shall be refractory they shall be bound to appeare at this Board The gracious Answer of King Charles to the Deputies of the Forraigne Churches the 30 of April I thank you for this and I assure you that I will continue unto you the same favour which the King my father did shew unto you And I hope that my marriage shall not be any dammage unto you but rather an occasion of much good to your Countrey men The Order of King Charles for all strangers the 13 of Novemb. We will and command our Iudges c. to permit and suffer the said strangers members of the Out-landish Churches and their children quietly to enjoy all and singular such Priviledges and Immunities as have been formerly granted unto them without any troubles arrests or proceedings by way of information or otherwise considering the faire usage and good entertainment which our Subjects and their children doe receive beyond the Seas The Order of the Privy Councell for the Dutch of Norwich the 7 of Ianuary That all those that are now or hereafter shall be members of the Dutch Congregation although borne within this Kingdome shall continue to be of the said Church and Society so long as his Majesty shall be pleased without any prejudice to their Priviledges and Birth-right and shall be subject to all such Discipline as hath beene all the time aforesaid usually practised amongst them and from time to time contribute to the maintenance of the Ministry and poore and the defraying of all other necessaries charges of the same Congregation as they shall be assessed and occasion shall in that behalfe require By vertue of this Patent Orders Grants the Dutch and French Churches in London and other Diocesse enjoyed the free exercise of their Religion Discipline exempt from all Archiepiscopall and Episcopall Iurisdiction from Edward the sixths time till Ann. 1634. without any interruption But no sooner was this Prelate warme in his Archiepiscopall chaire but he begins to disturb their peace and threaten their totall subvertion throughout his Province as in Canterbury Sandwich Maidstone Norwich Colchester London Southampton and likewise in Yorkeshire Axholme and elsewhere which he had formerly projected in this manner On March 22. Ann. 1632. this Bishop upon his own motion procured a reference to himselfe from the Lords of the Councell concerning the English living in forraigne parts and the forraigne Protestant Churches in England concerning which he drew up and presented two severall Papers to the Lords found in his study under Mr Dells hand thus endorsed with his owne Concerning the Dutch and French Churches in England c. here necessary to be inserted though not read at large VVHereas I was commanded by your Lordships upon Friday March 22. 1632. First to represent to His Gracious Majesty the great and Honourable care you had to preserve the unity and Government of the Church of England as it stands now established by Law Which care was very great and pious and according to my duty in the Name of the Church I humbly thank your Lordships for it And have in pursuance of your Commands faithfully acquainted His Majesty with as many particulars as I could carry away safe in my memory Secondly I was commanded by your Lordships to take into farther consideration such Heads as might best conduce to the rectifying of such his Majesties Subjects as reside at Hamborough or elsewhere beyond the Seas but especially in the Low-Countreys either in Merchandize or in use and exercise of Armes under the Colonells there As also what might be thought fit to be done concerning the French and Dutch Churches as they now stand and are used at this present within this Realme but at such time as your Lordships in your wisdome shall best approve Concerning the first of these viz. the English living in Forraigne parts I humbly recommend to your Lordships Wise dome as followeth 1. Whether it be not fit I had almost said necessary that the severall Colonels in the Low-Countreys should entertaine no Minister as Preacher to their Regiments but such as shall conforme in all things to the Church of England established And be commended unto them from your Lordships by advise of the Lords Archbishops of Canterbury or York for the time being 2. That the Company of Merchants residing there or in any other Forraigne Parts shall admit no Minister as Preacher to them but such as are so qualified and so commended as aforesaid 3. That if any Minister having by feigned carriage gotten to be so recommended either to any of the severall Colonells or to the Deputy Governour and Body of the Merchants there shall after be found unconformable and will not mend upon warning given him by the Colonell or Deputy Governour of the Merchants shall within three months after such warning given and refused be dismissed from his service that a more orderly and peaceable man may be sent unto them 4. That every Minister or Preacher with any Regiment of souldiers that are his Majesties borne Subjects or with the Company of Merchants there or elsewhere shall read Divine Service Christen children Administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper marry instruct the younger or more ignorant sort in the Catechisme visit the sick bury the Dead and doe all other Duties according as they are prescribed in the Book of Common-Prayer maintained in the Chuch of England and not otherwise And that he which will not conforme himselfe so to doe shall not continue Preacher either to any Regiment of English or Scottish or to the Merchants 5. That if any Minister or Preacher being the Kings Subject shall with any bitter words or writings in print or otherwise defame the Government of the Church of England established His Majesties Embassador or Agent in those parts for the time being is to be informed of it and upon notice given from him to the State he or they so offending shall be commanded over by Privy Seale or otherwise to answer their offence or offences here 6. That no Colonell of any severall Regiment or Deputy Governour of the Merchants shall give way that their Minister or
and that was no extravagancy As for the consecrating of Churches only repaired or somwhat enlarged we know no Law nor Canon in our Church to warrant it And to take sees for it is both Symony and extortion For the restoring of them it is only affirmed not proved and to take them illegally to bestow them on the poore is but to rob Peter to cloath Paul Thirdly For the consecration of Chappell 's and meere private Oratoties there is no president in Antiquity yea Gratian himselfe and the Roman Pontificall allow the use of them without any consecration Therefore to consecrate them is to exceed even Popery and Papists in Superstition As for his Chapell of Aberguilly his owne Diary proclaimes his Superstition both in its consecration and denomination of it For the Patterne and furniture of it his owne notes and papers clearly prove it was the same with that of Bishop Andrews whose forme of conscration himselfe alleageth he punctually pursued And if this were the true patterne furniture of Bishop Andrews owne Chapell Anno 1623. all the world may justly censure him for a professed Papist his Chapell Altar and their furniture being as Popish Superstitious Idolatrous every way as the Pops in Rome yea exceeding the very Roman Ceremoniall and Pontificall For Wafers they are directly contrary to the Rubrick at the end of the Communion in the Book of Common prayer we wonder therefore with what face this Prelate dares justify them That a Bishops breath puts only a badge of reverence not holinesse on Churches is diametrially contrary to what he formerly affirmed Perchance he now remembers that Quicquid effecit tale est magis tale and therefore Bishops cannot make other things holy with their breath who have little or no holinesse at all in their hearts For his solemne consecration prayer at the laying the first stone of Hammersmith Chappell it hath neither Scripture Law Canon Antiquity but the Roman Pontificall to warrant it Therefore it is meerly Popish Wheras he objects by way of jeare that he hopes the consecration of Churches and Chapells is no Treason we answer that we do not charge it to be so in it selfe But we have proved it to be a branch of Popery and a grosse one too and being introduced by him among other things to set up Popery and subvert Religion it will prove Treason in this respect as we shall manifest in due time And so this intre charge remaines unavoyded in any the least particle 8ly The next Charge urged against me Is The Kings Declaration for the use of sports on the Lords day prescribing the observation of Revells Wakes Feasts of Dedication likewise formerly suppressed where I am accused 1. For causing this Booke to be enlarged reprinted in his Majesties name to prevent the petition of the Iustices in Somersetshire and make way for Mr. Prynnes censure 2. For pressing Ministers to read it in their Churches without any Warrant suppressing of Sermons censuring those who refused to publish it as Mr. Wilson Master Player Master Heiron Mr. Snelling with sundry others encouraging other Bishops to suspend silence many Godly preaching Ministers for this cause pressing this Book and ordering Churchwardens to present such who refused to publish it by Visitation Oathes and Articles 3ly For reviving disorder by wakes Revels and causing the Iudges Orders to be reversed To the first of these I answer That the Kings Declaration for sports was printed and published by his Majesties speciall command Yea I had a Warrant under his hand to see it printed and there is no proofe at all that it was printed published or enlarged by my procurement Besides the Declaration is but for the use of lawful Sports and that only after evening prayer ended and the cause of publishing it at that time was partly Barbourous Book of the Sabbath who would revive the Iewish Sabbath and the Iewish rigidities positions of others touching the Lords day whose positions drew Brabourne into that Error In Geneva it self as I have bin ceedibly informed by Travellers they use shooting in peeces long bowes Crosse Bowes Musters and throwing of the bowle too on the Lords day as well before as after Sermons ended and allow all honest recreations without reproofe of their Ministers yea Mr. Calvin the great professor there Instit l. 2. c. 8. sect 34. blames those who infected the people in former ages with a Iudaicall opinion that the morality of the 4th Commandement to wit the keeping of one day in 7. did still continue which what else is it then in dishonour of the Iews to change the day and to affix as great a sanctity to it as the Iewes ever did And that those who adhored to their constitutions who broached this Doctrine Crassa carnalique Superstitione Judaeos ter superant Men may be too strict as wel as prophaneherein Yet I for my part have ever strictly observed the Lords day in point of practise And whereas it was attested by Mr. Prynne that this Declaration was published to prevent the Petition of Somersetshire for the reviving of Iudge Richardsons forecited order Sir Robert Philips and many other Gentlemen of that County complained against the order to the King whereupon the Iudge was ordered to reverse it and the Declaration was not published till after the reversall 2ly The Declaration was ordered to be published in the Church and that was sufficient warrant to enjoyne Ministers to publish it there although no penalty be prescribed in it to such who should refuse to publish the same yet it is implyed otherwise the command were idle in case of disobedience That it was published with intent to suppresse afternoon Sermons that so the people might â—ave more time for Sports This could not be since none were to use any Recreations till after Evening Prayer ended That I gave my Visitor command to suspend those who refused to read it was only within my Diocesse of Canterbury not in my Metropoliticall Visitation throughout my province I suspended but three Ministers in my whole Diocesse who had first time of consideration granted them to wit Mr. Wilson Mr. Culmer and Mr. Player only suspended ob officio for their contumacy being men of factious Spirits For Mr. Wilson and others being brought into the High Commission for not reading this Declaration it was the act of the Court not mine As for Mr. Snelling he was excommunicated by Dr. Woode not me and he was questioned in the High Commission for not bowing at the name of Iesus and as well as not reading this Book Besides I was not present at his censure there neither did I expunge his answer Nor did I presse the reading of the Declaration in my Visitation Articles if other Bishops did it t is nothing to me themselves must answer for it not I. 3ly Feasts of dedication have beene of great Antiquity and in generall use in some Coutries and there is a lawfull use of them for Hospitality and increase of