bishops and societie against the right and freedome of the law of God against the principles of humane fellowships against that which was in the begining and against that which the Apostles left in the Churches by colour of lawes brought into the Church by the cursings and fightings of the late Romane Bishops they would not henceforth barre and seclude the Kings Christian and faithfull people from giving their consents unto their pastours Yea and we further beseech their Lordships that are schollers unto the Apostles and as servants unto the old way of reason of nature of the law of God of the equitie of Christ and of humane societie they would hereafter imbrace that way which was from the beginning which is the old way and the best way and not any longer persist in a cursed and quarrelling way which is the new way and the worst way But if the Lords spirituall of their own accord shal not readily vouclsafe to yeeld unto us this our right at our intreatie then for my part I will briefly shew mine opinion what were expedient for the A supplieation to the king by the Lords and commons for the restitution of their right in the choice of their pastors Lords and commons in open parliament dutifully to pray and to supplicate at the Kings Majesties hand Namely At the humble petitions and supplications of all his Lords temporall and commons in Parliament assembled his majestie would bee well pleased to give his Royall assent to an act to be intituled An act for the restitution of the ancient right and freedome which the people of God in the old Churches had and which the people of England ought to have in to or about the election of their Pastours and abolishing all papal power repugnant to the same For if as it is plainly confessed the people of all Churches have right and freedome by the law of God by the equitie of Christ by the grounds of reason and nature by the principles of humane fellowships and by that which was from the beginning to elect their pastours and if also the same right and freedome being left to the old Churches and especially to the Church at Ierusalem by the Apostles have beene taken away by the cursings and fightings of the late Bishops of Rome then cannot the people without violation of those lawes rules and grounds by any Episcopall power be any more excluded from their said right and freedome than could or might the ancient jurisdiction of the Crowne of England have beene still usurped by the pope from the Kings of England ADMONITION But alas the common people of England thorough affection and want of right judgement are more easily wrought by ambitious persons to give their consâ—nt to unworthy men as may appeare in all those officâ—s of gaine or dignitie that at this day remaine in the choise of the multitude ASSERTION The Admonitor in one place of his admonition telleth us that he must not put all that he thinketh in writing and yet he writeth in this place that thing which might far better have been utterly unthought than once written for could he thinke to win the common people of England to a continuall good liking of high and stately prelacie by upbraiding and charging them to their faces in a book dedicated unto them with affection and wanting of right judgement Was this the way to procure grace favour and benevolence at their hands And albeit this slander deserved rather to have beene censured by the Commons in Parliament than by confutation to have beene answered yet for the better clearing of the right judgement of the common people giving their consents to most worthy men in all offices of gaine or dignitie remaining in their hands I thinke it necessarie to shew the indignitie of this contumelie There be I confesse in London Yorke Lincoln Bristow Exceter Norwich Coventry and other principall Cities and townes corporate Majors Sheriffes Stewards Recorders Bailiffes Chamberlains Bridge-masters Clerkes Swordbearers Knights Burgesses and such like offices some of dignitie some of gaine but that the officers of these or any other places whether of dignitie or gaine be chosen by the multitude of those places is utterly untrue for onely according to their ancient customes priviledges and Charters by the chief Citizens Townsmen and Borough-masters are those officers chosen The number also of which Electors in all places is not alike In London the Aldermen choose the Lord Major In other Cities and Townes sometimes eight and forty sometimes fourteene sometimes twelve sometimes only such as have borne office as Majors Sheriffes and Bailiffs in the same places nominate and elect their new Major Sheriffs and Bailiffes But that the Aldermen principall Towns-men Borough-masters and men having born chief offices in those cities towns and boroughs have easily been wrought by ambitious persons to give their consents unto unworthy men though it have pleased the Ll. Bb. with seene and allowed to have spred and published this saying yet that the same saying is wholly unworthy of any credit to bee given unto it or to bee regarded of any wise and indifferent man let the sober and peaceable elections made of the worthies of the land hereafter mentioned be witnesses The officers in Cities and townes corporate chosen with out contention and ambitious working of unworthy men And to leave to speake of the election of the Lord Major of the Citie of London Sheriffs Aldermen Wardens of companies Chamberlains bridge-masters and other annuall officers of honour and dignitie let us consider whether the Citizens of London have beene wrought by ambitious persons to choose M. Wilbraham M. Onslie M. Bromley to be their Recorders â—ll three afterward the Queenes solicitors and M. Bromly Lord Chancellor of England and let us consider whether the same Citizens as men of affection and want of right judgement did elect to be Recorders of the same Citie M. Serjeant Fleetwood Master Serjeant Flemming Master Serjeant Drue and how Master Crooke a man wise learned and religious and a Counseller and justicer within the principâ—litie of Wales The Recorder of the towne of Bedford is the right honourable the Lord S. Iohns of Bletsoe The Recorder of Bristoll was a long time Master Poppam now Lord chief Justice of England The Recorder of Northampton before he came to be Judge in the Kings bench was Master Serjeant Yelverton a favouter of the truth and an upright Justicer The Recorder of Warnick was Master Serjeant Puckering afterward Lord keeper of the great seale And of the same towne the Recorder now is a worthy Knight descended from a noble house Sir Foulke Grevile The Recorder of Coventrie is Sir Iohn Harrington Knight a man zealous for the true feare of God The Recorder of Chichester was M. Serjeant Lewkner now chiefe Justice in the principalitâ—e of Wales The Recorder of Norwich was Master Cooke the Kings Atturney generall And who soever shall enquire after the names and after the manner of election
English Bishop having obtained his congedelieâ— oath Proh Deum dedine ego tot millia Florenorum pro volo Episcopari jam debeo dicere nolo or as was the answer of that English Bishop who having promised a Courtier one annuitie of twenty pound during his life out of his Bishopricke if hee could procure the speedy feâ—ling of his congedelier within a while after when it was sealed he rapt out an oath and sware by Jesus God that the same Gentleman had done more for him than an other great Courtier who before hand for that purpose had received from him one thousand markes But whether all Bishops buy their congedeliers dearer or better cheape is not a matter incident to this treatise only if they buy deare they may happily thinke with themselves that they may sell deare vendere jure potest emerat ille prius setteth not any price upon any wares in the Royall Exchange But to return The manner of the administration of spirituall Iustice in the Church by Prelacy to our purpose whence by occasion of those Bishoply oathes and answers we have a little digressed let us see what is the manner and forme of the administration of spirituall justice in the government of the Church by Prelacy as the same is ordinarily administred in all places throughout the Church of England Wherein that wee be not mistaken it is to be understood that the manner of administration of justice whereof we speake is that administration of justice only which respecteth the punishment of crimes Ecclesiasticall to bee inflicted by spirituall censures In all which cases penances suspension and excommunications in the Bishops consistory proceed from the judgement and authority of the Bishop alone if he be present or from the sentence and power of his Vicar generall or Commissary alone and if he be absent Nay doth not every such censure likewise in the Archdeacons consistory procâ—ed from the sole authority of the Archdeacon or if hee bee absent from the sole authority of his officiall But if the like course of the execution of Justice as this is cannot bee found to bee an oâ—dinary course of Justice in the Common-Weale where Justice is administred in criminall causes by the Ministery of a subject I would faine learne what prejudice may bee feared to redound unto the Common Weale if the administration of spirituall Iustice after a sort were established to bee after the same manner in the Church after which civill Iustice is already practised in the Common-Weale I said after a sort to this end least I should bee mistaken For the meaning is not that spirituall Iustice should be ministred exactly in No one subject in the Common Weale can alone exercise civill justice in causes criminall every respect after the manner of civill Iustice but the comparison standeth onely in this that as not any one temporall subject alone hath authority to heare to examine and to judge any one criminall cause in any Court of civill justice in the Common-Weale so likewise that any one spirituall person alone should have authority to be examiner and judge of any one criminall cause in any Court of spirituall Iustice in the Church For if certaine principall and godly persons associated unto a learned and zealous Pastor in the presence and with the consent and authority of the people of every Parish did enjoyne penance suspend or excommunicate a spirituall The administration of spirituall Iustice by pastors and Elders agreeable to the execution of civill justice in the Common-Weale Master D. Bancroft what his assistants Letter able to represse puritans in one parish D. Stanhope alone to represse all in a Diocesse offendor were not this forme of administration of spirituall Iustice more consonant agreeable and conformable to the daily execution of civill Iustice in the Courts of the Common-Weale than is the administration of spirituall Iustice by the Bishop alone or by his Vicar generall alone in his Consistory and to make this matter more familiar in the mind of the Reader for an instance or two let us suppose that Master Doctor Bancroft Parson of S. Andros in Holborne had chosen Master Harsnet to be his Curat and withall that Master Dodge Master Mercury Master Flower and Master Brisket all chiefe attendants on his late great Lord and Master were inhabitants within the same Parish and thâ—t the chiefe men of the same Parish had chosen those to be assistants to him and to his Curat for the inquisition of the demeanours of all the Puritans and Precisians within his Parish let this I say be supposed would not hee and they trow we thinke it a high scorne and an indignitie to be offered unto their Masterships in case it should bee insinuated that Master Doctor Stanhope were better able with one little blast of breath upon a peece of paper to blow away all Puritanisme out of the Citie and Diocesse of London than these great Chapleins and discreet Gentlemen with their thunderings and with their lightnings were able to fright the same out of one poore Parish in HOLBORNE And againe to make this matter yet a little more familiar to the minde of the Reader let us suppose again that thundering Master Merbury now Lecturer in the Church of Saint Mary Overis were Pastor of the same Church and had to be his assistants in the Ministery but simple M. Butterton and that they two for the Elders of the same Church to be chosen by the Parish had such and such and such men lovers of all honesty and godlinesse and enemies unto all dishonesty and ungodlinesse could not these learned and grave Ministers with the assistants of such wise and godly Borough-Masters bee as well able to reforme Papists Atheists Swearers prophaners of the Sabbath drunkerds adulterers and such like within the Borough of Southwarke as is Master Doctor Ridley to bring to any good amendment of life all such kind of persons within the whole Diocesse of Winchester If the examination and judgement of all theeveries pickeries burglaries robberies murders and such like were committed to Master Dâ—ctor Ridley alone for the Diocesse of Winchester and to Master D. Stanhope alone for the Diocesse of London were it not like that for one such malefactor as there is now we should shortly have an hundred And therefore to hold us still to the point in question it is very plaine and evident that this manner of spirituall justice mentioned to be executed by the Pastors and Elders is more correspondent to the administration of civill justice in the Common-Weale than is that manner of the execution of spirituall Iustice by Doctor Stanhope or Doctor Ridley by the Bishop of London or by the Bishop of Winchester For to begin with our meanest and basest Courts let them shew unto us any Court Leete Law-dayes Matters in Leets and Law dayes not overruled by one alone or Sheriffes turnes within any County City Towne Borough Village or Hamblet within the Realme wherein
matters of civill justice are heard examined and adjudged by one man alone If for the common benefit of the Tenants against incrochments over-laying of commons wast nuisances or such like any paine is to bee offered or presentment made the same is not set or made by the Steward Sheriffe or other Officer alone but by the common voyce and consent of all the homagers and sutors to the Court The Steward indeed is the director and moderator of the Court the giver of the charge and the mouth of the whole Assembly to pronounce and enact the whole worke of their meeting but hee is not the onely inquisitor the presenter the informer or the Judge to dispose all things according to his owne discretion Besides matters of the Kings peace are not committed in any Countie or other place within the Realme onely to one Justice of the peace alone For neither at the generall Sessions of the peace nor at any other lesse publike meetings any person for any offence Breaches of the Kings peace not punishable by one alone whereof hee standeth indighted or for which hee is punishable can bee fined amerced or bodily punished at the discretion of one Justice alone but by the greatest part of the Iustices assembled his penaltie is to bee imposed upon him Furthermore this manner of the examination of the fact and declaration of the Law for the tryall of the fact and judgement of the Law doth not reside in the brest of one Iuror or Iudge alone In the Court of the Kings Bench if a Prisoner hee brought to the Barre Iustice in any of the B. Courts is not executed by one Iudge alone and confesse not the Crime by the Iustice of that Court hee can receive no judgement unlesse hee bee first indicted by inquisition of twelve grand Iurors at the least and afterward againe bee tryed by other twelve brought judically into the Court face to face Yea and in this Court neither the interpretation of the common Law nor the exposition of any statute dependeth upon the opinion credit or authority of one Iudge or not of the Kings chiefe justice himselfe alone for his other three brethren and Co-juges varying from him in point of law may lawfully over-rule the Court. The same manner of Judgement for the Law is in use and is practized by the Judges in the Court of common Pleas and by the Barons of the Exchequer in the Latin Court of the Exchequer And not In the Courts of Equitie are many assistants Court of requests only in these Courts of law and Justice but also in all the Kings Courts of equitie and conscience it is not to be seene that any one person alone hath any absolute power without assistants finally to orâ—er judge and decree any cause appertaining to the jurisdiction of those Courts In the Court of Requests there are not fewer than two yea some times three or foure with Master of Requests in commission to heare and determine matters of equitie in Court of Wards that Court. In the Court of Wards and liveries there sitteth not only the Master of the Wardes but also the Kings Attourney the Receiver and other Officers of the same Court. In the Court of Court of the Chequer Chamber the Exchequer-chamâ—er with the Lord Treasurer who is chief and president of that Councell yet with him as assistants doe sit the â—hancellour of the Exchâ—quer the Lord Chiefe Baron High courts of Chancerie and the other Barons Whatsoever dâ—cree finall is made in the Kings high Court of Chancerâ—e the same is decreed not by the Lord Chancellour alone But by the Lord Chancellour and the high Court of Chancerie wherein the Master of the Roles and the twelve Masters of the Chancerie as coadjutors doe sit and give assistance In the most honourable Court of Starre-Chamber the Lord Chancellour the Lord Treasurer and the president of the Court of Star-chamber 3 H 7 c. 1 2 H 8 c 20 Kings most honourable Councel and Keeper of the Kings privie Seale or two of them calling unto them one Bishop and one temporall Lord of the Kings most honourable Councell the two chiefe Justices of the Kings bench and Common pleas for the time being or other two of the Kings Justices in their absence have full power and authoritie to punish after their demerits all misdoers being found culpable before them If we search our statutes besides the Courts and matters determinable in these spoken of before we shall finde that the complaints of errour whether it tâ—uch the King or any other person made in the Exchequer should bee 31 E 3 c 21 done to come before the Chancellour and Treasurer who taking to them two Justices and other sage persons are duely to examine the businesse and iâ— any errour be found to correct and amend the 14 E 3 c 5 Roles c. By reason of delayes of judgements used in the Chancerie in the Kings bench common bench and in the Exchequer it was assented established and accorded that a Prelate two Earles and two Barons chosen by the Parliament by good advice of the Chancellour c. shall proceed to take a good accord and to make 10 K. 2 c. 1 a good judgement When it was complained unto the King that the profits c. of his Realme by some great Officers c were much withdrawne and eloyned c. it pleased the King c. to commit the surveying aswell of the estate of his house c. unto the honourable Fathers in God William Archbishop of Canterburie 26 H. 6 b 11 H. 7 c. 25. c 19 H. 7 c. 7. and Alexander Archbishop of Yorke c. by a statute of commission for Sowers by a statute for punishment of perjurie by a statute against making or executing of acts or ordinances by any c Masters being not examined c. by the Lord Chancellour d 27 H 3 c. 27 c 32 H. c. 45. f 27 E c. 8 Treasurer or chiefe Justices c. By a statute for the erection of the Court of d Augmentation by a statute for erection of the Court of first e fruits and tenths and lastly by an f act for redresse of erroneous judgements in the Court commonly called the Kings bench By all these Statutes I say it is very apparant that the Administration of publike affaires in the common weale hath never beene usually committed to the advisement discretion or definitive sentence of any one man alone Which point is yet more fully and more perfectly Lord president and councell in Wales Lord president and councell in the North parts Lord Deputie councell in Ireland The King his honourable privie Councell The King and his grand councell in Parliament to be understood by the establishment and continuance of the Kings Lord President and Councell of Wales of the Kings Lord President and Councell established for the North of the Kings L. Deputie and Councel within
intreate our most gracious Soveraigne Lord the Kâ—ng that where in any parish there shall bee found a learned preaching Minister resident upon his benefice that there be would be pleased by his authoritie royall under the broad Seale to enable him and some other godly and faithfull Knights Esquires Gentlemen Citizens Borough-masters or other chiefe men of the same parish to execute spirituall justice against drunkards adulterers swearers railers and such like ecclesiasticall offenders inhabitants only within the same parish For in this case we say as the reverend Bishops say bonum quò communius eo melius If any exception should be taken or challenge made scoffingly and with scornfull termes against these lay parochians as hereto fore hath beene used against lay-Elders or lay-Aldermen No exception to bee taken against lay Elders to be authorized by the king in every parish sithence the King authorizeth lay-Elders in ecclesiasticall commission as they call them let him that taketh such exception advise himselfe well and remember before he speake that in speaking he controle not the policie the practice the wisedome and the authoritie of our late Queene deceased and of our Soveraigne Lord the King now raigning who authorized and doth authorise lay men to bee Ecclesiasticall commissioners Which kinde of lay men or lay Elders as they call them that they have joyned in the exercise of the chiefest censure of the Church viz. excommunication with Ecclesiasticall persons hath beene already proved by the sentence of excommunication pronounced against E. by Master W. and his associates whereof divers were lay men Againe if one lay Elder dwelling at Winchester may call and associate unto himselfe one Ecclesiasticall Elder dwelling at S. Georges in Southwarke to excommunicate any parochian or Minister subject unto the Archdeacon of Surrey in what parish soever of the same jurisdiction the partie shall dwell if it be lawfull I say for every Ordinarie to joyne one lay Elder and one Ecclesiasticall Elder Discipline of excommunication exercised by one lay Elder and one Ecclesiasticall Elder together in commission the one to pronounce sentence of contumacie the other to denounce sentence of excommunication for every spiritual contumacie committed within his jurisdiction what reason can any man pretend why it should not be much more lawfull for the King by his Royall authoritie to appoint a learned and preaching Pastour with the assistance of some companie of faithfull inhabitants of the same parish to exercise all manner of spirituall justice within their owne parish If the King shall stand in doubt whether any Discipline by excommunication bee exercised after this and this manner in the Church of England then to put his highnesse out of all doubt hereof may it please the King to consider the precept of the reverend Bishops made in their convocation together with the practice of the venerable Archdeacon of Surr. following The precept is this Vnusquisque Vicarius generalis Officialis seu Commissarius qui ordines ecclesiasticos non susceperit eruditum aliquem presbyterum sibi Arriculo pro Clero c. de buibusdam circa excom excessib coercend 1584 accerset associabit qui sufficienti authoritate vel ab ipso Episcopo in jurisdictione sua vel ad Archidiacono presbytero existente in jurisdictione sua munitus idque ex praescripto judâ—cis tunc praesentis excommunicationis sâ—ntentiam pro contumacia denunciabit Every Uicar generall Officiall or Commissarie which hath not taken upon him ecclesiasticall orders shall call and associate unto him some learned Presbyter who being armed with sufficient authoritie from the Bishop in his jurisdiction or from the Archdeacon being a Presbyter in his jurisdiction shall denounce and that by the prescript of the judge present the sentence of excommunication for contumacie Now the manner of the practice of this precept ensueth in D. Hones practice of the Bishops aâ—â—icle these words Iohannes Hone legum Doctor Officialis venerabilis viri domini Archidiaconi Surr. omnibus singulis rectoribus c. salutem Cùm nos rite legitime procedentes omnes singulos quorum nomina c. in noÌ„ comparendo coram nobis c. seu saltem in non satisfaciendo mandatis nostris c. pronuncia verimus contumaces ipsoque c. excommunicandos fore decreverimus Cumque discretus vir magister Roul Allen presbyter eosdem omnes singulos subscriptos ex officio nostro excommunicaverit in scriptis justitia id exigente vobis igitur committimus c. quatenus eos omnes c. sicut profertur ex officio nostro mero excommunicatos fuisse esse c. palam denuncietis c Datum sub sigillo officialitatis nostrae 19. Die Decembris Anno Domini 1587. John Hone Doctor of the Lawes Officiall of the venerable man and Archdeacon of Surr. to all and singular persons c. greeting Whereas we otherwise rightly and lawfully proceeding all and singular whose names are under-written in not appearing before us or at least-wise in not satisfying our mandates have pronounced contumacious and decreed them to be excommunicated And whereas also the discreet man M. Rowland Allen presbyter one of our office hath excommunicated all and singular under written justice so requiring wherefore wee charge you that openly you denounce and declare them and every of them so as aforesaid out of our office to bee excommunicated Given under the seale of our officialitie The 19. day of December 1587. By this practice it doth appeare that Doctor Hone and Rowland Allen canvaced many poore men very piteously and that this poore curate Rowland Allen had a warm service to attend upon D. Hone and to jerk those whose points soever hee shall untie But because this precept was an article concluded upon by the reverend Bishops in their convocation and confirmed as I suppose by the Royall authoritie of our late Queene wee will forbeare to speake what we thinke might justly be spoken against the incongruitie thereof Only this without offence to the reverend Bishops wee may safely demand sithence every ordinarie whether he be a Bishop or a Presbyter by this article of their owne device hath such an absolute power resiant in his person as that thereby thorowout his whole jurisdiction he may thus commit the execution of Discipline by excommunication partly to one lay person and partly to one ecclesiasticall person partly to a supposed spirituall elder and partly to a Lay elder sithence I say this is so we may safely demand what reason they can produce to hinder the King from having authoritie to command three or foure The K. hath as good right to command excommunication to be exercised by a Pastor Elders as the Bb. have to commit the same to a Curate one lay Elder or if occasion serve five or six lay elders as they call them and one spirituall pastor being a true spirituall elder in deed all lawfully chosen ecclesiasticall Officers in the house of God that
of all the Recorders in all other Cities and Boroughs of the land I doubt not but he shall finde them all to have been farre from any least shew of ambitious working the Citizens and townsmen to nominate and elect them Moreover as these noble Persons these sage grave learned and christian Gentlemen quietly and in all peacable maner with upright and good affection and judgement and without ambition have beene chosen by the Citizens Townes-men and Boroughmasters to the office 〈◊〉 â—ecorderships So likewise many and sundry honourable Counsellorâ— have beene and as occasion is Honorable Counselors chosen high stewards without ambitious working ministred are daily elected by Citizens and Townesmen to be their high Stewards Sir Francis Knolles an honourable counsellor and one whose faith was famous among the Churches as well abroad as at home by the election of the citizens of Oxford remained untill he died high Steward of the Citie of Oxford The right honourable Sir Francis Walsingham by the common counsell of Ipswich was made high Steward of the same towne after whose decease the same common counsell by their election surrogated into the same place the right honourable the L. Hunsdon late L. Chamberlain The right honourable S. Christopher Hatton L. Chancelor of England by the townsmen of Cambridge was chosen to be high steward for the town of Camb. The right Ho. the old F. of Arundel and after him the right Ho. E. of Lincoln and after his death the right honourable the L. high Admirall of England now E. of Notingham by the boâ—oughmasters of the town of Gildford was elected to be high steward of the towne of Gildford Of all which honourable persons and of all other their Peeres chosen in other places of the Kingdome by the same meanes to the like offices there is great reason and just cause for the reverend Bishops to carry a more reverend estimation towards them than to burden them as ambitious persons to have sought their places at the hands of men affected and wanting right judgement As for any other offices of credit dignitie charge and government in the common weal now remaining in the choise of the commons it may easily be proved that the common people in sundry places have bent and opposed themselves against ambitious persons who by sinister and indirect meanes have hunted for preferment at their hands And what if it cannot be gain-said but that some publike officers chosen by publike applause of the people have corruptly behaved themselves in their charges and have not so equally and indifferently distributed justice to all degrees as it became them yet this their misdemeanour can no more justly be laid as a fault nor any more disgrace or discountenance the ancient and commendable forme and manner of election than the hypocrisie or counterfeit zeale of an evill man ordained by the bishop to be a Minister can be imputed unto his letters of orders or manner of ordination Besides if none be able Knights of the shires â—â— other officers chosen by the people without trouble to the state to prove that the choise of the Knights of our Shires Coroners of the Counties Verderers of the kings forests resting in the free voices and consents of the freeholders that the nomination of the high Constables being in the disposition of the Justices of peace at their quarter sessions that the choise of our peti-Constables third Boroughs Tythingmen Churchwardens wardens for the highwayes overseers for the poore side men and such like remaining altogether in the free elections of the suitors to courts Leets and lawdayes and of the inhabitants and Parishioners of every Village Hamlet or Tything have beene troublesome to the Lievtenants of the Shires to the Stewards of our Courts to the Lords of our liberties nor to the ordinaries of the Diocesses If I say there be not any one man able to bring forth some few persons for many yeares passed by whome the Officers and Magistrates of the Queens peace have been sued unto and importuned for the pacification of any strife contention or debate of any busie head or ambitious person raised among the people about the choise of any one of these Oficers then I say it is meet and it importeth the Lords Bishops very deeply that for ever hereafter they be silent and never any more utter so Pag. 8. vile a slander against so noble a people as are the people of England viz. that upon affection and want of right judgement they will easily be led by ambitious persons to preferre unworthy persons unâ—o all Offices of gaine or dignitie Or that this Nation of England upon light causes is more enclined to broyle and trouble than any other And to speake the truth as daily experience teacheth us what No feare of trouble about the choice of an ecclesiasticall Officer seare of trouble is there likely any way to ensue by reason of dissention and ambition among the people in the choise of an ecclesiasticall Officer when most of the people shall rather shun and eschew than long or desire to beare any ecclesiasticall office The common people among whom I dwell use oftentimes many delayes yea they procure what favour and friendship they can not to be appointed to any the inferiour Offices before specified And why doe they so but becauâ—e those offices be full of bodily care and trouble And is there then any Christian knowing how the whole soule mind and spirit of a man is altogether to be imployed in the discharge of a spirituall function that will dissentiously and ambitiously seeke to be chosen an Elder The admonitor telleth us that men by experience know that many parishes upon some private respect doe send their letters of earnest pag. 79 commendation for very unfit and unable persons insinuating thereby what an inconvenience might follow if Parishes had the whole direction and order to sound out who were fit and able persons But as this fancie was never yet by any of sound judgement on our behalfe so much as once thought much lesse insisted upon so may it please the reverend Bishops to be advertised that the meanest and simpliest parishioner among a thousand can quickly retort this reason against their Lo. viz. that no parishes by letters of commendation can commend unso any bishop any person as an able and fit man unto any particular parish or speciall charge unlesse the same or some other bishop have formerly ordained him and approved him to bee a fit and able person for every place And how then were it possible if the choice of having one to be their pastor were wholly in the hands of a parish that the same parish could choose any worse men any more ignorant and unlearned men than their Lords have commended unto us For have they not chosen sent and commended such unto us as know not a bee from a batle doore as uneth know to Ministers sent unto the people which know not a be from