according to Gods command must svveare in rightâ—ousnes in judgment and in truth Novv by this damnable oath ex officio he can doe none of all this For he knovveth not vvhat to svveare to and by that oath he makes that evill vvhich is good many times and that good vvhich is evill vvhich is great unrighteousnes and untruth he is also to accuse himselfe and his brethren to the utter undoing of them all vvhich is horrible injustice and vvant of vvisdom judgment Besides an oath by Gods ovvne appointment is to bee â—he end of all controversy It is the last thing in a controversy and the conclusion of it vvhere this end is not in an oath it is not to svveare according to Gods ovvne appoyntment but sinfully Now the oath ex officio is not such an oath for that is the beginning of all molestation and strife mischief vvicked debate and the cause of infinit brabbles and needles vexations to â—hemselves and others and therefore ought to be deâ—ested and abominated Further no man is to take the name of God in vaine novv in the oath ex officio every man takes the name of God in vaine For they vvil never beleeve him though he svveare by the day and by the night vvhatsoever he svveareth or sayth in his ovvne defence and justification let it be never so true as dayly experience can testifie but onely make it a trap and a snare farther to intangle and involve him therefore it being an oath against the Lavv of God of charity love nature it is to be detested as the devill and so the Defendent for his part doth abhorre it as he doth the devill and all his vvorks and as he doth all the other cuâ—sed and abominable proceedings of the Prelats vvho spend the vvhole patrimony of their vvit to molest the deare servants of God and the Kings best and loyallest Subjects By all vvhich unrighteous dealing they manifest themselves to bee the enimies of God and the King and as such the Defendent vvrites against them and so he yet vvill for the many reasons above alledged esteeme of them by vvhat names or titles soever they be called or whatsoever place of dignity they are in and in this mind the Defendent will persever till they have acknovvledged their contumacy to God and the King and repented of the same And thus much the Defendent had to say in his owne defence concerning the things hee was charged with in his Apology and with al desireth of this honourable assembly that the oâ—her matters that the informers say are of divers natures in it may be specified For it is an easy thing to pick here and there a word out of best books to doe a man a mischeife all men know Spiders will gather poison where Bees find hony and he knoweth very vvell he hath many malignant enimies and therefore desireth the favour of the honorable Court for his better defence And now he comes to the second booke called the Letany occasioned by the Bishops cruelty for they threatning him not onely to starve him out of his opinion but also vvith the pillory the losse of his eares the one at Colchester the other at London vvith the slitting of his nostrills branding of him in the forehead and he allso hearing that this decree vvas gone out before September last divulged and spread abroad by the Prelats favourits as all the Country vvill testify it put him upon his devotions and made him vvrite a Letany vvherein he prayeth for deliverance from them But vvhether that vvhich is annexed to the information be the same he knovveth not for the informers say that that is a prophane Letany As for the Letany the defendent made it was a good godly Letany and in that ridentem dicere verum Quid vetat And concerning the Christening hee doth confesse he did invite CANTERBURY AND LONDON IN HIS WIVES NAME AND THE WHORE OF BABYLON TO BE WITNESSâ—S Which he vvas constrayned to by reason of the penury of his freinds for the Prelats had driven avvay all his acquayntance so that every body vvas affrayd of them nor no man durst intertayne his poore vvife nor give her houseroome though she vvas then great vvith child and in much misery as the vvhole Country vvill justifie and in this distresse and calamity he did it vviâ—hall he thought he did the Prelats a great deale of honour that he the Defendent should vouchsafe to have such men as they were to his Christening that he did joine so honorable a Gossip as the Matrone of Rome with them whom they so much honoured adored and pleaded for in this Deâ—endents cause as Christs true Church and Spouse and their best beloved Mistris presuming that he could no way disparage them by joyning this Spirituall Mother with these Spirituall Fathers and in this the Defendent thinks he did very much grace them inviting such a Catholicke companie to the baptising of his child who he hopeth will live and die a true Christian Catholick And wonders that the Prelates should be so peevish as to misinterpret his â—eale to them all especiallie when he did give them their titles most magnificently as FATHER WILâ—IAM OF CANTERBVRIE HIS HOLINESSE AND WILLIAM LONDON MAGNIFICVS RECTOR OF THE TREASVRIE Neither did hee see any reason why he should detract from Canterburie his titles for as he is Pope of Canterburie he is holy and for the title of Pope it was given antientlie to all or most Bishops and in speciall to his predecessor Anselmus that rebell as all Histories doe relate and the title of Grace is but the title of a Cardinall Besides that title is now revived if fame be not a liar which is a good plea in their Courts and false copies from both thâ— universities bee not dispersed and spred abroad For the Vniversity of Cambridge in their letters greet him with Sanctissimâ— Pater most holy Father the title of the Pope which onely belongeth to the first person of the glorious Trinity God blessed for ever and from Oxford they give him the stile of Sanctitatis his Holynesse and Edmund Reeve in his exposition of the Catechisme in the Common-Prayer Booke gives the title of Holinesse of times to the Bishops cals them Holy Fathers by their owne allowance and approbation Now he is a Father of the Church and that of Canterbury and he is VVilliam and he is Holy at leastwise vvould bee so reputed and vvould deeme it a Scandalum magnatum to be stiled prophane or unholy Ergo Father VVilliam of Canterburie his Holynesse and the Defendent is resolved never to detract any thing from his Holinesse but shall daily praâ— that hee may grow and evermore increase in Holinesse And for the Prelate of London he should be feeding of Christs flocke in the Pulpit and he is at the receipt of custome telling of mony like Matthew the Publican before his calling to the Apostleship the love of vvhich is the roote of all evill and hath got himselfe no small honour by it vvhich the Defendent vvould not in the least diminish and therefore beeing 〈◊〉 skilfull Hâ—rald nor acquainted vvith the titles of Honour they usually stile men in that place he vvas constrained to make use of a little of his Roman Rhetoricke and called him Magnificus Restor of the Treasury a fiâ—ting honorable title as he conceived vvhich he doth not nor ever shall repute a Scandall nor repent of that invitation And for any other passages that are in the Letany that he made he the Defendent is most assured if the honorable Court heard it all not by peeces and scrips vvhich hee most humbly desireth they vvould vvell perceive the Defendent had good reason for vvhat he hath both done and vvrit For this Honorable Court vvould then vvell perceive that the Defendent never medled vvith any of them nor in the least thing impeached their dignities till they by their delinquency against God and the King did manifestly demonstrate they were fallen from Grace and then as they had proclaimed themselves enimies of God and the King he did set himselfe against their proceedings and vvill continue in so doing though it bee through all misery to the last gasp of breath and vvill continually say LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER AND THE ENIMYES OF THE KING PERISH and dying he will devoutly pray from plague pestilence famin from Bishopsâ— Priests and Deacons good Lord deliver us Ever meaning from usurping Popish Bishops Priests Deacons and such as challenge their standing and Autoâ—itle jure Divino and not from the King as our Prelaâ—â— do And as to all other the residue of the offences and misdemeanors complayned of in the sayd information examinable in this honorable Court this Defendent saith that he is not guiltie of them or any of them in maner and forme as by the said information is supposed All vvhich matters this Defendent is ready to averte and prove as this honorable Court shall a vvard And humblie prayeth to be dismissed out of the same vvith his costs and charges against the Prelats by vexation in this his former suite in the High Commission most vvrongfullie susteyned FINIS
THE ANSWER OF JOHN BASTVVICK Doctor of Phisicke To the Information of Sir IOHN BANCKS Knight Atturney universall IN WHICH There is a sufficient Demonstration That the Prelats are Invaders of the Kings Prerogative Royall Contemners and Despisers of holy Scripture Advancers of Poperie Superstition Idolatry and Prophanesse ALSO That they abuse the Kings Authoritie to the oppression of his loyallest Subjects and therein exercise great crueltie tyrannie and injustice and in the execution of these impious performances they shew neither wit honestie nor temperance NOR That they are either Servants of GOD or of the KING as they are not indeed but of the Devill being enemies of God and the King and of every living thing that is good All which the sayd Doctor Bastwick is ready to maintaine before King and Counsell against them all with the hazard of otherwise being exposed to extremest miserie Printed in the yeare 1637. To the Kings most Excellent Majestie Most Sacred Majestie THE comfort of all poore Subjects under any Kingdom and Empire hath ever beâ—n this That in all oppressions calamities they had a Caesar to appeale toâ— who in the place of God did defend the poore from the tyranny of the mighty deliver them from the cruelty of the more potent after hee had heard their just Defence and Answer for themselves this is the onely glory of a Monarchy and of regal Government which favour liberty was never yet denyed under Pagan Emperors to poore Christians and the which your Highnesse hath never yet refused to grant to any in your Kingdomes which hath emboldened mee a loyall though poore Subject in this great extremity to flye unto your Highnes who hath been most cruelly and unjustly dealt with by the Prelates for mayntayning your Prerogative Royall and at this time suffers their mercylesse oppression being denyed that which hath not been hitherto refused to those that have been reputed delinquents against sacred Mast. and to have abused the reverend Iudges of the Kingdome which was the enjoying of the society of their wifes and friends for their reliefe and comfort and that they might put in their answer under their owne hands names when they could have no counsel and yet these are now denyed unto your poore Subjects by the Prelats Wherefore he amongst the rest doth humbly appeals unto your Mast. beseeching your gracious Highnes to heare his just defence and answer especially it tending so much for the advancement of the honour of God the honour dignity of your most excellent Mast. the good of the whole Kingdome it making so much allso for the discovering of the cruelty tyranny unjustice of the Prelats over your loyallest Subjects in abusing your Mast autority their impiety also against God their disloyaltie also against your sacred Mast. with the vvrong they have likevvise done to your royall Father of famous memory All vvhich if hee shall not bee able to prove against them he vvill vvillingly undergoe vvhat punishment any authoritie shall lay upon him Therefore he most humbly beseecheth your Mast. that you vvould please to receive his ansvver to vvhom he hath made itâ— vvhom chiefly it concerneth And hee shall ever acknovvledge your Princely favour in it and shall ever pray for your Mast. happy raigne and long lifeâ— vvith the affluence of all divine benediction upon your Royall Person Crovvne Dignitie your illustrious Posteritie and ever remaine Your most truely obedient Subject JOHN BASTWICK The severall Answâ—â— OF Iohn Bastwick Doctor of Physick 〈…〉 ents to the Information of Sir Iohn Ba 〈…〉 his Majesties Atturney Generall THe â—aid Defendent saving reserving to himselfe now and at all times hereafter all advantages and benefits of exceptions to the incertaintie and insufficientie and other imperfection of the said Information For answer thereunto so far forth as concerns the sayd defendent he saith he doth with all thankfullnes acknowledge his Majesties great care zeale at all times for the mayntenance and defence of the true Christian faith and religion the service of Almighty God love charity and concord among his Subjects withall that his peopleâ— all loyall Subjects have great cause dayly to praise God for the happy government they have had under him and for that they may for futurity promise unto themselves under his Royalty and Principality especially when he hath so graciously made knowne his pious intentions for the goodâ— and Wellfare of Church and State in that his Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects of the causes which made him dissolve the last Parlament published by his Highnesses speciall command in the which Declaration pag. 21. his Mast. thus speaks For wee call God to record before whom we stand That it is and alwayes hath been our hearts desire to be found worthy of that Title which we account the most glorious in all our Crowne Defender of the faith Neither shall we ever give way to the autorizing of any thing whereby innovation may steale or creep into the Church but preserve that unity of doctrine discipline established in the time of Queen Elizâ— whereby the Church of England hath stood flâ—rished ever since c. These words â—olemne protestation of our most pious King cannot but stirre up the hearts loves and affections of all his true and loyall Subjects both incessantly to pray for his happy life raigne preservation and also to the utmost of their powers to yeeld all subjection obedience yea their lives and liberties for the honour of his Crowne Dignity in the number of the vvhich Subjects the said defendent professeth himself to be being willing and ready at all times and upon all occasions not onely to lose his liberty livelyhood estate but millions of lives if he had them in defence of his Empire and prerogative royall and doth againe againe acknowledge and that with all thankfullnes his renowned Highnesses zeale care for the maintenance of the true religion love charity and concord amongst his Subjects and beseech the King of Kings and Lord of Lords long to continue him among us and to put into his royall heart to remove all those Scandals in Church State which have beenâ— such hinderances of the propagation of the Christian faith and true religion established in his Mast. Kingdoms of the which he is defender in his dominions and the right instruction of the people in the same who alone are most of the Prelats in generall the Arch Prelats in speciall being so farre from seeking the right and due instruction of the people in the true Christian faith religion as the information vvould inferre as they spend their vvhole endeavours to take avvay all the possibility and meanes of instruction vvhich is the preaching of the vvord that is onely able to save our soules and vvithout vvhich no man can beleeve or come to life eternall as thousand plâ—ces in sacred Writ vvitnâ—s and among other that
the said Iohn Bastvvickâ— by the advice confedeâ—acyâ— combination abetment helpe and assistance of the sayd Henry Burton and Mr. Prin c. hath unlavvfully contrived framed and vvriâ— vvithout licence printed divers epistles prefaces additions other passages annexed and inserted thereunto and all vvritten by him the sayd Iohn Bastvvick or by his advice and approbation in vvhich book he hath causlesly boldly enveighed against the Oath ex officio other the antient formes and proceedings of the sayd High Commission Court c. against the Hierarchy of the Church preferring a Presbyterian parity before the sacred and setled Orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons and in the sayd book hath falsly and scandalously defamed the vvitnesses produced against him falsly allso and maliciously taxed the High Commission Court it self and the Iudges therein in generall and some of them particularly personally vvith cruelty injustice vvith vvant of vvisdome temperance and that they are persvvaders of his Mast. though in vaine to bloudâ—hed and are upholders of idolatry superstition prophanesse and therein farther most malicioâ—sly falsly affirmeth That the Archbishop the Lord Treasurer and the Bishop of Ely three of the most vvorthy and learned Prelats of the Kingdome that they are disgracers and contemnets of the holy Scriptures and falsly traduceth them for Traytors and invaders of his Mast. prerogative And in the sayd booke are contayned divers other unlavvfull scandalous libellous passages vvhich beeing many and of various natures is annexed unto the information as a part thereof to vvhich he referreth himselfe To all vvhich large accusation the Defendent for ansvver saith That vvhereas these things of so foule nature consequence are layd upon him Mr. Burton and Mr. Prin That the informers begin their accusation with a calumny As for the defendents ovvne partscular he affirmeth and that truely That for reverend and learned Mr. Henry Burton and Mr. Prin he hath never knovvne them othervvise then to be loyall Subjects unto his Mast. and such as in all peaceable vvayes and honest endeavours have sought vvished earnestly laboured for the promotion of the true Christian faith and religion and such no other maner of men he the defendent hath ever knovvne them and such he verily believeth they are and therefore as they feare God honour the King he is and hath been and ever vvill be by the grace of God an a better vvith them and if that in so doing and practising it be counted either faction confederation or combination he vvill live and dye in it But notvvithstanding of the resolution and purpose of the defendent he further for satisfaction to the information sayth that hovvsoever the forenamed Master Burton and Mr. Prin and himself have been of long acqueyntance yet their familiarâ—â—y hath been ever very little they having not by the 4. or 5. yeares together neither seen nor heard one of an other and for these three yeares last past the defendent sayth that he hath not seen the face of Mr. Prin nor been ever vvith Mr. Burton above tvvice or thrice as he remembreth much lesse bene privy or acquaynted the one vvhat the others either proceedings or intentions vvere and therefore for ever doth disaâ—owâ— any help counsell advice in the making or publishing of any thing that ever he hath done but vvhatsoever he hath vvrit it vvas accomplished before that they knevv of it And for the other men specifyed in the information the defendent knovves them notâ— neither by face nor name and this he is ready to depose And so much may suffice in generall to have spoke of this matter But novv more especially vvhereas he the defendent is accused of long continuance to have envyed maligned his Mast. happy governmenâ— and the good discipline of the Churchâ— Hee the defendent protesteth in the presence of Godâ— and before the vvorld that it is a most false accusation and that there is never a Subject in his Mast. dominions a more honourer of the government of his Imperiall Mast. one that desireth more the good discipline of the Church and is able to produce the testimonies of all the places he haâ—h lived in in this Kingdome both from Magistrats Ministers for the honesty and integriâ—y of his life and conversation and that in all respects he hath so demeaned himself as that he hath not onely been free from viceâ— faction schisme but from the suspition of all vvhich testimonies he hath ready to shevv to this honorable Court the vvhich he exhibited to â—he High Commission Court at that time they studyed most to defame him all this both towne and contrey can testify as also of the infatigable diligence in his particular calling How that he neglected no opportunity to doe the indigentesâ— men good how that being unwearyed in his imployments he wenâ— through the heat of Summer the cold of Winter rose earlie went to bed late exposing himself at all times to any danger whatsoever of plague and pestilence and all to doe the meanest of the Kings Subjects good never taking penny of poore nor never of servant never suffering the most neglected creature of nature to perish for want of care or looking to but made them all an object of his pity and of his art giving them out of his poore competency both for their food Physick neither can any man say that ever he asked the richest a farthing for any paynes he tooke day or night for their preservation or that he ever murmured at the smallest content thy gave him if the Prelâ—â—s had let him follow his calling this defendent had continued in this diligent course of life till the day of his death Buâ— they picking a quarrell with him for writing in defence of the Kings prerogative Royall against the Popeâ— sayingâ— that while hee writ against the Pope he meant them put him upon sâ—ch imployments as he indeed thinks will be very little pleasing to the Prelats allâ—hough he is most cenfident that in them he hath and shall doe the King and Church good service and so he knoweth it will appeare when he is dead and gone But because this bookâ— is now layd unto the Defendents charge as tending to thâ— mayntenance and upholding of schisme and division iâ— his Mast. Church of England opposition against thâ— laudable Orders and Ceâ—emonyes of the sayd Churchâ— howsoever there be no such thing in the sayd Flagâ—llâ— yeâ— this Defendent desireth to give a reason unto this honorable Court for the writing publishing not onely oâ— that booke but of all other his writings since And first concerning the booke for which he was censured He saith that he was provoked thereunto by a Popish Iesuiticall Doctor of Physick who continually dared him into the field of Dispute and set downe his owne theames about which he wâ—â—ld contend which were concerning the Popes Supremacy and the sacrifice of the Masse And it
the proceedings of the Prelats against himself and their dealings tovvards others of their brethren the theame of vvhich booke he the Defendent desireth the honorable Courtâ— to take a briefe relation of at this time that they may the better be informed of the falsitie of the information And first for the principall theame and matter of the booke it is the State of the questions in his Flagello Pontificis for vvhich he suffered vvith the summe of the Arguments he produced for the confirmation of the trueth The questioâ—s arising betvveen the Babylonian and the defendent concerning the autoritie of the Pope were these The first whether Christ did constitute Peter sole Monarch of the Catholick Church The second vvhether the Pope of Rome if hee bee a Bishop as hee is a Bishop hath Autoritie jurisdiction over Kings Emperors Thirdlie vvhether Popish Bishops be true Bishops or no and of the discussing of these questios the defendent saith his adversarie vvas the sole cause In the handling of the which the Defendenâ— fâ—rther affirmeth that he used all the caution that vvas possible as he supposed for man to use prefacing in his booke that being to dispute about the Autority of the Bishop of Rome he desired candidly to be understood of all menâ— for while he disputed of Episcopall autoritie he medled nor contended not against such Bishops as ackovvledge their autoritie jurisdiction from Kings and Emperors into vvhose hands the government of States Kingdomesâ— and Commonvvealths is by God committed For if the Popes themselves vvould acknovvledge their immense and unlimited autoritie from Kings and Emperors he the defendent there said if they commanded nothing contrarie to the vvill and Word of God that he for his part out of the reverence duty â— loyaltie to his Prince vvould obey it The Words in the Original are these Verum de Episcoporum autoritate locutus à bonis bene intelligi cupio Non enim litis litem moveo quatenus ab Imperatoribus Regibus Principibus Terre quorum interest salutem civium tueri potestatem â—us Imperium in socios totumque Dei gregem adepti sunt Nam si Romani Episcopi immâ—nsam illam nullis limitibus circumscriptam autoritatem indulgentia Principum acceptam ferrent voluntati Episcopali nihil voluntati divinae inimicum jubenti obtemperandum putem ob reverentiam Principi si volenti debitam c. So that the defendent having thus playnlie set downe his minde before knowing that all the jurisdiction that the Bishops in England now exercise over others is â—rom the King he thought himself not onely secure from danger but expected favâ—ur at least from the Bishops their helping hand especially when the opposing the Popes Autority in England is a thing that the King and State have ever so well allowed of And that this honorable Court may yet be fâ—rther informed of the speciall cause for which the Prelats are so displeased with the defendent it was for the truely and narrowlie disputing and discussing of the second question to wit whether the Pope of Rome if he be a Bishop as he is a Bishop have Autoritie jurisdiction not onelie over his fellow brethâ—en but over Kings and Emperors which the Defendent there denyed for many warrantable Arguments The summe of which he desireth here to relate unto this honorable Court for his just and necessarie defence justification For by the veâ—ie light of nature and unanswerable reason it is evident and manifest that where there is an equalitie and pariâ—ie amongst men there the one doth not exceed the other in power or Dominion Paris enim in Parem non esse imperium inter Naturae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Novv Divine constitution hath made Bishops and Presbyters or Elders a like and equall vvhich that it might the better appeare the Defendent propounded there tvvo things to be proved The first vvas That Bishops and Presbyters vvere by the Word of God one and the same Secondlie That Presbyters had equall Autoritie of Governmentâ— Ordination Excommunication vvith Bishops vvherein onely consists their preeminency Autoritie above their brethren vvhich things being proved it vvill necessarilie follovv That the Pope of Rome as he is Bishop doth no vvay exceed other Bishops and Presbyters they being in all things a like and equall unto him much lesse hath any Autoritie and povver over Kings and Emperours And for the proofe of the first position the vvords Presbyter Bishop do sufficientlie evince iâ— vvhich in holy Scripture though diverse in sound signifie one and the same thing as not to cite the vvords themselves vvhich would be large The Apostle Paul to Titus in the first chapter doth sufficientlie shew vvhere the words Bishop Presbyter are confounded And likevvise in the first Epistle of Peter and the fift Chapter there Presbyter and Bishop signifie one and the same thing And the Epistlâ— to the Philippians the first Chapter and the â—irst verse doâ—h apparentlie demonstrate itâ— and diverse other places might be produced dilucidating the same thing But the 20â— of the Acts puts all out of controversie where Presbyter and Bishop signifie one the same thingâ— for officeâ— honour and function so that the identity of their officeâ— is signifyed by those tvvo expressions Neither is there a confusion of their names with a difference still of their functions administrations as some vvould cavill for in these places vvhere Presbyters are called Bishops the disputation is not about the title but about the office signified and specified by the title For vvhen S. Paul exhorts the Presbyters to have an eye to their duty charge he useth this reason that the Holy Ghost had made them Bishopsâ— And the trueth of â—his is so evident that the Rhemists themselves as learned men as any Bishops in England and as able to mayntayne an error are forced ingenâ—ouslie to confesse it saying in expresse vvords in their Noâ—es upon the 28. vers of that Chapter That in the Apostles times there vvas no difference betvveen Presbyter and Bishopâ— so that for the first position it is not onely by the Word of God clearlie evident but by the very confession of the adversaries of the trueth granted as a thing without controversy Novv for proofe of the second position that Presbyters as vvell as the Bishop of Rome have the povver and right of Government Ordination and Excommunication by vvhich in these times Bishops onely exceed Presbyters the defendent vvill here brieflie demonstrat it referring those of this honorable Court that have a desire to search into the full trueth of it to his booke And for proofe that the Government vvas committed unto them and that they exercised the same it is most perspicuous out of the first of Timothie 5. vvhere the Apostle sayth The Presbyters that rule vvell are vvorthie of double honour especially those that labour in Word and Doctrine By this testimonie it is evident that they
there at the Barr as a Delinquent for mayntayning the Religion established by publick Autority the honour of the King and the glory of his Majestie and that one Chouny a Sussex man a laick as vvell as himselfe should vvrite a Booke and set it forth by publicke autoritie mayntayning the Church of Rome to be a true Church and never to have had so much in her as the suspition of error in fundamentall poynts and that this booke should be dedicated to the Prelate of Canterbury patrionized by him vvhich Bookâ— the Defâ—ndent both read and exhibited in Court by vvhich notwithstandig the King himselfe and all his Subiects were made Schismaticks and hereticks to the infinit dishonour of God our Gratioâ—s King and King Iames of blessed memorie and our most holie profession and religion This as the defendent told the Lord of Dorset struck an amazement in him especially vvhen the author of it must be favoured and coâ—ntenanced by Canterburie and for the defending of the honour and dignitie of our Church and the honour of the King the Defendent should stand as an evill doer Novv vvhen the defendent vvas come thus farre and vvas then approaching more closely unto them all intending more fullie in the pleading of his cause to have set forth their unjust dealing they tolde him that he rayled and imperiouslie commanded him to hold his peace vvhich vvas the reason of his Apologeticus ad Praesules Anglicanos vvhere he tooke libertie to vvrite that and publish it to the vievv of all the vvorld vvhich he vvould have then spoke But after that they had silenced him they then fell a thundering against him everie one as he pleased all of them joyning in this one onely excepted that they censured him onely for his Booke and in their censure they unanimously agreed that the Defendent should pay the costs of suite a thousand pounds unto the King for a fine be debarred of his practice that his booke should be burnt and that the Defendent should lye in prison till recantation and in the meane time be delivered unto Satan And thus did the Sublime Court deale with the Defendent for doing his duty But here the Defendent craveth favour againe of the honorable Court that he may briefly letting the puny Iudges and their nonsenâ—e dye in silence say something of the Prelats haranges because they onely were the men that found themselves aggreeved aâ— his writing to say the trueth all the other are Officiers under them and are the Prelats hangbyes he meanes the Doctors to doe what they would have theÌ„ as hourely experience teacheâ—h all men And so much the more earnestly he desireth this liberty because it will make much for the demoÌ„stration of the justice of his accusation against the Prelats both in respect of the dishonor they have don unto God by it the dishonour of the King their Master King Iames of precious memory and the wrong done to himself in particular Now the first that entred this combat was Francis White Bishop of Ely who in the first place most blasphemously and with many contumelyes reproached the holy Scriptures making nothing of their divine Autority as all the standers by can witnes for he reviling the Defendent sayd That he had nothing in his booke but Scripture which was as he tearmed it the refuge of all Hereticks and Schismaticks openly averring withall That the Scripâ—ures could not be knowne to be the Word of God but by the Fathers and Saint Augustin would not have beleeved the Scriptures to be the Word of God had not the Church told him so Further he sayd That the Scripture could not be knowne distinguished from â—he Apocrypha but by the Faâ—hers nor the meaning of the Scripture found out but by the Fathers that all the Faâ—hers from all Antiquity which is most false as the defendent in a speciall booke hath sufficiently shewed made and proved a vast difference between Bishops and Presbyters and that there was ever a greater excellency and Autority in the Bishop then in Presbyters And this with an unanâ—mous coÌ„sent they all agreed in till a base fellow Calvin for so he tearmed that ever to be honoured Divine rose up in an obscure corner of the World viâ—lated and overtrew all order Autority in the Church and would allso have demolished the Autority of the Magistrates And then turning his speech to the Defendent unhumanly he called him Base fellow Brasen faced Fellow Base Dunce and sayd in the face of the Court That if he could not mayntayne his Episcopall Autority to be Iure Divino he would fling away his Rotchet And so concluding with those that had gone before him in his censure he sat downe in a very great fuâ—y and passion Afâ—er him came forth the Bishop of Yorke and in that numerous Assembly proclaymes That Iesus Christ made him a Bishop and the holy Ghost consecrated him and that he had not his Autority from the King for Bishops were before Kings and that Bishops held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads and so peremptorily averring that the Defendent ought to be knockt downe with club-Law for his ignorance assenting with the rest in their Censure he fell a sleep In the third place the Bishop of London advanced forwards speaking very loud and temerarious words against the Holy Scriptures saying That he had thought to have found some great Matters in the Defendents booke seeing him so confident and so peremptory but diligently reading of it he met with nothing in it but Scripture which as he sayd was the refuge of all Schismeticks Hereticks so according with his predecessors in their opinion and censure he concluded his part of speech But last of all came forth the Prelat of Canterbury who with a frontlesse boldnes avouched his Episcopall Autority preeminency over his breâ—hren to be onely from God very much blaming Calvin for his faâ—tious Spirit saying That their Ecclesiasticall Autority the power they exercised was from Christ Iesus and produced Timothy and Titus to proveâ— the same assertion and that Bishops were before Christian Kings and they held the Crownes of Kings upon their heads For no Bishop no King those that would have no Bishops sought to overthrow all Government in his censure he jumped in all things with the rest saving in the Fine which as he sayd hee thought too little and therefore ought of meere conscience as he told the other Iudges hee fined the Defendent a Thousand pounds more But he had one thing more to speake as he sayd concerning the Châ—rch of Rome and about that he resolved publickly there to declare himself in regard the Defendent had cast Chounyes book unto him in open Court and of the Synagogue of Rome he spake verie honorably affirming That shee was a true Church and that shee did not erre in fundamentall poynts and all this hee spake in that publick Sessions All which the Defendent hath
vvisdome and temperance and that they are perswaders of his Majest to bloudshed and are the upholdes of idolaâ—rie superstition prophanesse â—hat he scandalously defameâ—h the vvitnesses produced against him and that he hath causleslie and boldlie inveighed against the oath ex officio and other the ancient formes of proceedings of the High Commission Court To all these the Defendent ansvvereth as they lie And first vvhereas the Defendent chargeth them vvith crueltie injustice vvant of vvisdome temperanceâ— he conceiveth he hath very good reason for that his charge both in respect of himself and others and in regard both of the soules and bodies estates of men all which they captive enslave or dissipate scatter at pleasure and in as much as in them lyes seeke the ruine of To say nothing of their daylie practises who condemne men without either exhibiting articles producing of witnesses or any legall proceedings against them as if a man should be hanged without evidence given or indictment framed which is the hight of injustice the DefendeÌ„t saith that their very proceedings against himselfe sufficiently shew their crueltie injustice want of wisdome and temperance their very speeches apparently prove all these things Neither is there such a president of wrong and cruelty in the whole world that any man of what ranke order or degree soever he be that shall write a Booke in Defence of that religion that is established by publick Autority for the honour of the King in Defence of his prerogative against a common enimy that for this indeavour of his should be ruined he his wife children cast into prison deprived first of all possibility of livelyhood rayled upon reviled publickly and after all this given to the Devill and that onely for writing a Booke which had nothing in it but Scripture and in the which the Defendent thought they meant him and that they should still prosecute him seek his eares and the defacing of him which they threaten Such a President of wrong crueltie the Defendent sayth cannot be produced in toto Macrocosmâ— therefore the Defendent in respect of his owne particular justlie chargeth them with crueltie injustice and intemperance And in respect of all other honest men that come under their jurisdiction the same may be sayd and proved by thousands whether one respect their soules bodyes or goods for they use cruelty in regard of all sparing neither age or sex poore or rich youg or old bond or free but upon every triviall occasion or for the meanest neglect of any one of their idlest and impious Ceremonies or for any misprision it is enough to have them hoisted into the High Commission Court brought from the remotest parts of the Kingdome to the utter undoing of them their familyes when as the greatest breach of any of the Commandements of the first table is not once thought of And in the bringing of them into troubles they deale with those poore men as they doe with Beares Bulls at Paris Garden they first by violence and their Officers to their mightie expenses hale them into their Courts and then with bands of two or three hundred pounds they tie them to their stakes bait them three or foure yeares together with all maner of contumelyes reproaches vexations expenses calamities torments till they have wearied them to death and made their lives tedious unto them after all this they fling him into one jayle or other destitute of friends monies And as if this were not enough eâ—en as the persecutors of the Martyrs in the primitive times as histories relate dealt with the Saints when they brought them to the slaughter they were wont to cloth them with the skinnes and hides of wilde Beasts that so they might make them the more formidable and the better animate their dogs and curres against them to teare them in peeces In like maner doe the Prelats their complices in these our times deale with poore honest Christians and the true and faithfull servants of the Lord and the Kings most loyall Subiects they make them monstrous ugly and deformed unto all men King Nobles by their relations and informations they cloth them with saying of them That they are maligners and enimies of government troublers of Church and State Seducers of the Kings Subjects making them disloyall unto their Prince stirrers up of sedition faction and a thousand such crimes setting all the people against them in their open Courts have their orators to blanch over their defamatory false accuâ—ations charging them with foule crimes the thought of which never came into their heads as this present information may witnes Yea in the very Court-Sermons they incense the King Nobles dayly against those they brand with the name of Puritans and Sectaries which all this honorable Assembly can witnes and the Defendent hath heard many Court-Sermons with his owne eares in the time of his liberty but never heard one where the Puritans as they terme them were not brought up in the Pulpit most shamefully unchristianly traduced as those that opposed the Kings proceedings and such as maligne his government and trouble the peace of Church and State and humbly besought his Majest that some severe course might bee sought taken against them These such like sprincklings of their brotherly Rhetorick the defendent himselfe hath often heard neither can this honorable Court be ignorant of the truth of this And what is all this but great cruelty injustice to abuse thus their brethren by malicious and false accusations to the incensing of their Gracious King and Soveraigne against them when they are most innocent harmlesse desiring nothing more then the life safety prosperity happines of his Majesty and of his royall progeny his florishing raigne and would lose ten thousand lives if they had them for the honour of his crowne dignity for they desire nothing more then to bee found loyall neither do they seeke any thing more then the peacâ— and wellfare of the Church the good of this commonwealthâ— And therefore if there be any this is cruelty and injustice in a high degree to deale thus mercilesly with their too too much allready afflictid brethren of whom they are ever making sinister relations to King Councell and State to the depriving of them many times of their libertâ— livelyhoods and states to the making of them theirs ever miserable and all this also they doe in their Courts every day defaming them as enimies of government and enimies of the Church and casting them into prison with great Fines on their backs And this is the cruelty they dayly use in respect of their bodies lives and estates But yet their cruelty is greater in respect of their soules for they have through the Kingdome of England and VVales taken away allmost all their glorious paynfull Ministers and â—hose that with most diligence taught the people and