Heylin's Hist of Archbishop Laud. ad An. 1640. and that the shafts of two Chimneys were blown down upon the roof of the Archbishop's Chamber and beat down both the Lead and Rafters upon his Bed in which ruine he must needs have perished if the roughness of the Water had not forced him to keep his Chamber at White-hall A like mischance happened the same night at Croydon a retiring place belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury where one of the Pinacles fell from the Steeple beat down the Lead and Roof of the Church above twenty foot square But that which was more remarkable than either of these was that which happened the same night at Canterbury in the Metropolitical Church where one of the Pinacles upon the top of the Belfrey-Tower which carried a Vane with this Archbishop's Arms upon it was violently struck down but born a good distance from the Steeple to fall upon the Roof of the Cloyster where the Armes of the Archiepiscopal See it self were ingraven in Stone which Armes being broke to pieces by the fall of the other on Friday night January 24. 1639. he dreamed that his Father who died 46. years before came to him being to his thinking seemingly well and cheerful that his Father asked him what he did there that after some speech he demanded of his Father how long he would stay there and that his Father made this answer he would stay till he had him along with him Which made such an impression on him that he thought fit to remember this in his Breviate A brute being spread abroad That the late Parliament had been dissolved by his procurement a paper was pasted up at the Exchange by John Lilburn animating the Apprentices to sack his House at Lambeth on the Monday following and that night we was assaulted by five hundred of the Rabble who strove to force an entrance but were repulsed And having fortified his House with some pieces of Canon he with-drew to his Chamber at Whitehall till the Rage of the people was blown over Some of the principal Actors in this Sedition being apprehended and committed to the Goal in Southwark were forcibly delivered by others of their Accomplices who brake open that and all other Prisons in that precinct for which one Benstead one of the Ring leaders was retaken arraigned condemned hanged drawn and quartered on May 21. Yet for all this Libels were scattered against the Archbishop in most parts of the City And his Majesty being then newly gone in person with an Army against the Scots about the end of August a paper was dropt in Covent-garden encouraging the Souldiers and Apprentices to fall upon him yet was there no tumult raised upon it Then he gave order that the High-commission should be kept at St. Paul's and the Commissioners sitting there on October 22. were violently assaulted by a mixt multitude of Sectaries to the number of two thousand crying out They would have no Bishops nor High Commission In which tumult having frighted away the Judges Advocates and Officers of the Court they brake down all the seats and benches which they found in the Consistory so that a guard was set upon that Church as before at Westminster not onely at the next sitting of the said Commissioners but at the first meeting of the Convocation which soon after followed The Scots were now entred the Realm in hostile manner and having put by his Majesties Forces at a place called Newbourn they passed over the Tine and presently made themselves Masters of the strong Town of New-castle his Majesties Forces not very far distant Many of the King 's own Souldiers in their marchings through the Countrey brake into Churches pulled up the Rayles threw down the Communion Tables defaced the Common-Prayer Books tore the Surplices c. The Scots set forth a Remonstance wherein it was declared That their Propositions and desires could find no access unto the ears of the Gratious King by reason of the powerful Diversion of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Deputy of Ireland c. who did onely side in all matters of Temporal and Spiritual Affairs c. This Remonstrance was seconded with another Pamphlet called The Intention of the Army They signified therein that they had no design to wast the goods of the People of England or spoil their Countrey but onely to become petitioners to his Majesty to call a Parliament and to bring the said Archbishop and Lord Lieutenant to their condign punishments And that the English might the better see whom they chiefly aimed at a Book was published by the name of Laudensium Autocatacrisis or the Canterburians self-conviction Heylin Hist of Archbish Laud. Upon this his Majesty was assaulted by a Petition from some Lords in the South wherein complaint was made of the many inconveniences which had been drawn on this Kingdom by the King's ingagings against the Scots as also of the growth of Popery of the pressing of the present payment of Ship-money the dissolving of former Parliaments Monopolies Innovations and some other grievances among which the Canons which were made in the late Convocation could not be omitted For remedy whereof His Majesty is desired to call a Parliament c. Subscribed by divers of the Nobility presented to the King at York on September 3. and seconded by another from the City of London to the same effect The King therefore resolves to hold a Parliament and on November 3. 1640. that long lasting Parliament began A Letter was writ to the Aâ—chbishop of Canterbury advertising That the Parliament of the twentieth year of King Henry the Eighth which began in the fall of Cardinal Wolsey continued in the Diminution of the Power and Priviledges of the Clergy and ended in the dissolution of the Abbies and Religious Houses was begun on the third day of November and therefore that for good-luck-sake he would move the King to respite the first siâ—ting of it for a day or two longer But the Archbishop hearkned not to this advertisement and the Parliament began at the time appointed On the morrow after began the Convocation at St. Paul's Church hand selled at their first meeting by the news of the Decease of Dr. Neile Archbishop of York But litle was done in this Convocation but that a motion was made by Mr. Warmstrey a Clerk for Worcester That they should endeavour according to the Levitical Law to cover the pit which they had opened and to prevent their Adversaries intention by condemning such offensive Canons as were made the last Convocation But they were loth to confess themselves guilty before they were accused Soon after Mr. Prynne Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton were discharged out of prison and brought with great Triumph into London Bishop Williams and Mr. Osbaston being remitted their fines were restored to their Livings and Liberty Doctor Pocklington and Doctor Bray were censured the former for Preaching and Printing the latter for Licensing two Books one called Sunday no
13. 1644. An Ordinance for the Ordination of Ministers pro tempore within the County of Lancaster according to the Ordinance of the second of October for the Ordination of Ministers April 12. 1645. An Ordinance for the Regulating the Vniversity of Cambridge and for the removing of scandalous Ministers in the seven Associated Counties April 23. 1645. An Ordinance appointing Ministers for certain Churches and Lectures Hughe's Abridgement of ordinances of Parlament Part 2. viz. Philip Goodwin to be Vicar of the Church of Watford in Hartfordshire and to receive to himself all Tythes Oblations c. thereunto belonging during his life And Dr. Cornelius Burgess to have yearly allowance of four-hundred pounds paid unto him by the Lord Mayor of the City of London and the Court of Aldermen to be paid quarterly out of the Houses Rents Revenues of the Dean Dean and Chapter of the Church of S. Paul's for and during the term of his life he performing the Lectures in the said Church as by the Lords and Commons he was Ordered to do April 26. 1645. An Ordinance that no person be permitted to Preach who is not Ordained a Minister either in this or some other Reformed Church except such as intending the Ministry shall be allowed for the trial of their gifts by those who shall be appointed thereunto August 19. 1645. Directions of the Lords and Commons after advice had with the Assembly of Divines for the electing and chusing of Ruling Elders in all the Congregations And in the Classical Assemblies for the Cities of London and Westminster and the several Counties of the Kingdom for the speedy setling of the Presbyterial government August 21. 1645. Ordained that the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament of the several Counties of England and Wales shall send Printed books of the Directory of God's Worship fairly bound up in Leather to the Committees of Parliament residing in the several Counties who shall send or cause the same to be delivered to the several Ministers of every Parish c. October 20. 1645 An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons together with Rules and Directions concerning suspension from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in cases of Ignorance and Scandal Also the names of such Ministers and others that are appointed Tryers and Judges of the Ability of Elders in the twelve Classes within the Province of London January 7. 1645. An Ordinance for making Covent-garden Parochical and that the new erected Church within the Precinct of the said new intended Parish shall be a Parish-Church for the said Precinct and that William Earl of Bedford his Heirs and Assigns for ever shall have the Patronage of the said Church c. March 14. 1645. An Ordinance for keeping of scandalous Persons from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper the enabling of the Congregation for the choyce of Elders and supplying of defects in former Ordinances and Directions of Parliament concerning Church-government June 5. 1646. An Ordinance for the present setling without further delay of the Presbyterial government in the Church of England August 28. 1646. An Ordinance for the Ordination of Ministers by the Classical Presbyters within their respective bounds for the several Congregations in the Kingdom of England January 29. 1647. An Ordinance for the speedy dividing and setling of the several Counties of this Kingdom into distinct Classical Presbyteries and Congregational Elderships February 9. 1647. An Ordinance for Reparation of Churches and paying of Church-duties April 3. 1648. An Ordinance for union of Churches in the City of Glocester and maintenance for Preaching Ministers there May 2. 1648. An Ordinance for punishing Blasphemies and Heresies The King on April 17. 1646. In disguise went out of Oxford attended by Mr. John Ashburnham and one more On May 6. His Majesty came to the Scots Army which occasioned the Scotch Commissioners to write to the Parliament about it May 19. the Scots came with the King to New-castle A great dispute was between the King and Mr. Alexander Henderson about Church-matters Sâ—â—underson's Hist of King Charles p. 904. where after several Discourses and meetings many writings passed between them till July 16. concerning these matters by Authority of the Fathers and Practice of the Primitive Church His Majesty concludeth that to him it is incredible that any custome of the Catholick Church be erroneous which was not Contradicted by Orthodox Learned men in the times of their first practice as is easily perceived that these defections were which Henderson mentions And finally that albeit He never esteemed any Authority equal to the Scriptures yet he thinks the unanimous consent of the Fathers and the Universal practice of the Primitive Church to be the best and Authentical Interpreters of God's word and consequently the fittest Judges between him and Henderson until better may be found These disputes were afterwards published in Print to the everlasting Honour of His Majesty and his Cause On February 6. 1646. the Scots according to agreement quitted New-castle and the English possessed it The Parliament voted the King's remove to Holdenby-house with respect to the safety of His Person And the Commissioners appointed for receiving the King's Person came to Newcastle on June 22. The King desireth two of his Chaplains to be with him which was denied him at which he is much troubled His Majesty resolves to keep every Friday a day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation After His Majesty had been neer five moneths at Holdenby near a Thousand Souldiers commanded by Cornet Joyce came to Holdenby to the King and told him that they were come by command from the Army to remove him from that place His Majesty demanded whether they would offer any violence to his Person They all cried None He also desired that his Trunks and Papers might not be Riffled and tumbled They promised to set a guard on them Thirdly he required such servants to attend him against whom there was no just exceptions They answered he should Lastly he desired that nothing be imposed on him contrary to his Conscience They answered it was not their judgement to force any thing against Conscience upon any one much less on His Majesty So at one of the Clock His Majesty went along with them On June 28. 1647. His Majesty was brought to Hatfield the Duke of Richmond attending him and others and from thence came to Casam At this time the Parliament was jealous of the King and the Army lest they should treat without the consent of the Parliament And the Army likewise devised as many jealousies and fears of a private engagement and Subscribing in the City of London and against the Army Then the Parliament Order their Votes of the Militia in the hands of the City to be Null c. The Apprentices clamour at the Houses and gather together in Westminster-hall in such multitudes that the Commons were forced to unvote and null their last Orders Then the Army marcheth nearer London Both Speakers and some Members fly the Army
On August 7. the General and the Army march in Triumph through the City Sir Thomas Fairfax is made Constable of the Tower and Titchburn is made Lieutenant of the Tower The King is brought first to Oatelands and afterward to Hampton court and his Children Ordered to be with him September 28. 1647. The Commons considered of several Propositions to send to His Majesty That about Religion being the main thing They also Vote that His Majesty be desired to give His consent to such Act or Acts of Parliament as shall be presented for setling of Presbyterian Government according to the matter of several Ordinances of Parliament for the Directory or Church-government to continue for the space of three years from the time that the King shall give his consent to such Acts. They likewise voted the Common-prayer book shall not be used in Private November 11. 1647. the King escaped from Hampton-court and lest on the Table three Papers one to the Parliament one to the Commissioners a third to Colonel Whaley On October 15. Information was brought to the House that His Majesty was safe at the Isle of Wight and had put himself into the Protection of Colonel Hammond then Governour of the Island Come we now to the Church-part of the Treaty in the Isle of Wight Here appeared of the Divines chosen by the King James Vsher Archbishop of Armagh Brian Duppa Bishop of Sarum Dr. Sheldon Dr. Sanderson Dr. Fern. On the other side Mr. Stephen Marshall M. Richard Vines Mr. Lazarus Seaman and Mr. Joseph Caryl were there present by appointment of the Pa liament All things were transacted in scriptis His Majesty consulted with his Chaplains when he pleased The King's writings were publickly read before all by Mr. Philip Warwick and Mr Vines read the Papers of his Fellow-divines As for the difference between Primitive Episcopacy and present Hierarchy urged by the Parliament Divines his Majesty did not conceive that the Additions granted by the favour of His Royal Progenitors for the enlarging the power and priviledges of Bishops did make the Government substantially to differ from what it was no more than Arms and Ornaments make a Body really different from it self when it was naked and devested of the same Whereas they besought His Majesty to look rather to the Original than to the succession of Bishops he thought it needful to look at both the latter being the best Clue in such intrinsick cases to find out the former Lastly he professed himself unsatisfied in their answer concerning the perpetual and unalterable substantials of Church-government as expecting from them a more particular Resolution therein than what he had received Eleven days after the Parliament Divines put in their answer to his Majesties last paper Herein they affirmed they saw not by what warrant the Writ of Partition of the Apostles Office was taken forth that the Governing part should be in the hands of the Bishops the Teaching and Sacramentizing in the Presbyters They also said that some Fathers acknowledged that Bishops were different from Presbyters onely in matter of Ordination They also returned that His Majestie 's Definition of Episcopal Government is extracted out of the Bishops of later date than Scriptuâ—e-time The darkness of the History of the Church in the times succeeding the Apostles said they had an influence on the Catalogue makers Fuller's Chur. Hist who derived the Series of succession of Bishops taken much from Tradition and Reports And it is a great blemish of their evidence that the nearer they come to the Apostles times wherein this should be most clear to establish the succession at the first they are most doubtful and contradictory one to the other They granted that a succession of men to feed and govern those Churches by Ecclesiastical writers in compliance with the Language of their own times were called Bishops but not distinct from Presbyters So that if such a succession from the Primitive times Seriatim were proved they would either be found more than Bishops as Apostles and extraordinary persons or less as meerly first Presbyters not having the three Essentials of Episcopal government insisted on by His Majesty They humbly moved His Majesty that the Regiments of Humane testimonies on both sides might be discharged the field and the point of dispute tried alone by dint of holy Scripture They affirmed also that the power of Episcopacy under Christian and Pagan Princes is one and the same though the exercise be not but acknowledging the subordination thereof to the Sovereign Power with their accountableness to the Laws of the Land They conclude with thanks to His Majestie 's Condescension in vouchsafing them the Liberty and Honour in examining his Learned Reply praying God that a Pen in the Hand of such Abilities might ever be employ'd in a subject worthy thereof Some dayes after His Majesty returned His last paper wherein he not onely acknowledgeth the great pains of these Divines to inform his judgement according to their perswasions but also took special notice of their Civilities of the Application both in the Beginning and Body of their supply However he told them they mistook his meaning about a Writ of Partition as if His Majesty had Cantoned out the Episcopal Government one part to the Bishops another to the Presbyterians alone whereas his meaning was that the Office of Teaching is common to both alike but the other of Governing peculiar to Bishops alone The Lords and Commons vote their Commissioners return from the Treaty The Commons debate of his Majesties Propositions and agree I. That he be in Honour Safety and Freedom according to the Lawes II. That he have his Revenue as before excepting the Dedications of such Forts and Garrisons as were of old accustomed to be allowed maintenance III. That he have compensation for the Court of Wards IV. That an Act of Oblivion be past The King having granted the Parliament to dispose of all great Offices for ten years they vote it satisfactory On November 26. was presented a Declaration of the Army to the House of Commons which was the day before subscribed by the General it contained twenty six sheets of paper shewing as they termed it the misgoings of King and Parliament severally also in all Treaties betwixt them especially that they are now in They desire that the Parliament would reject those demands of the King especially concerning his Restitution and coming to London with Freedom Honour and Safety and that they proceed against the King in way of Justice c. The Army on December 2. enter the lines of Communication and at Whitehall quartereth the General and the rest of the Army at the Mews St. James's York-house and divers other places about the City The King is taken from Newport convay'd to Hurst-castle on December 6. the Trained bands are discharged the Guard to the Parliament and and Pride's and Riche's Regiments take it upon them Many of the Members coming to the House are seized and
over England and at the same time another Declaration was also made to satisfie the Kingdom in general with his proceedings General Monk invite's Ludlow in Ireland to a Conjunction with him Colonel Lilburn at York with what forces he could draw together makes all possible opposition against General Monk and intercepts the General 's Letters to Major General Morgan Talbot and Clarges come to Edinburgh Novem. 2. and are well-received by the General General Monk take's hold for his advantage of Lambert's overture for a Treaty Colonel Clobery Colonel Wilks and Major Knight are chosen to be the General 's Commissioners in this Treaty They meet Lambert at York who opposeth the proposal touching the restitution of the Parliament The Army of Horse and Foot with Lambert amounted to neer twelve thousand and Monk had not above half the number but General Monk paid all his men which the other did not Major General Morgan take's his journey into Scotland to General Monk and his joyning with the General was a matter of great importance He privately delivers a Letter to the General from Mr. Bowles a Minister of York a very eminent man of those parts and of great credit with the Lord Fairfax Mr. Clarges is sent to the Lord Fairfax Colonel Rossiter and others to engage them to General Monk Colonel Talbot is prevailed upon by Lambert to take part with him Colonel Whaley Colonel Goffe Captain Dean and Mr. Caryl the Minister are sent by Fleetwood to General Monk Fleetwood by Letters Court's Monk to side with him The ruling Faction in Ireland declare their resolution not to joyn with General Monk But Sir Charles Coot Sir Theophilus Jones and a considerable part of the Army resolve to assist him Mr. Clarges returns from Scotland and secretly confers with Mr. Bowels at York to whom he brought a letter of Credit Bowels negotiates with the Lord Fairfax Colonel Bethel and others in General Monk's behalf who promise to assist him In the mean-time the Commissioners for the Independent Churches which were sent into Scotland were sollicitous to divert Monk from the prosecution of the War there was a conference appointed with them at Holy-rood-house where were present to treat with them General Monk Colonel Fairfax Colonel Syler Dr. Barrow the Judge Advocate of the Army and Mr. Gumble one of the General 's Chaplains and Mr. Collins who had been one of the Preachers to the late Council in Scotland was admitted to be present there as a Newter Mr. Caryl was the first that spake and said That they all came not to declare their own sence of the General 's proceedings but the sence of the Churches for so upon every occasion he called the Independent Congregations The effect of Mr. Caryl's speech in the name of the Independent Churches That the Churches had not given them Commission to enter into the merits of the cause nor to debate whether Lambert's Action of turning out the Parliament were justifiable or not but onely to present it to his Lordship as their opinion That though that Action could not be justified yet his Lordship had not a call to appear against it in that manner that he then did That his Lordship had onely in charge to keep Scotland in quiet and was not bound to take notice of any differences in England He proceeded to show reasons why the General should proceed no further telling him that it would put a strife among those that hitherto had been Brethren engaged all along in the same cause partakers in the same dangers and the same successes among those that still in their Papers and all their Addresses called and owned one another for Brethren and that at a very unseasonable time whilst the Canaanites and Perizzites were in the Land He insisted on all the advantages the King and his Party would reap by this quarrel and all the dangers the people of God for so he called his own party might run into At last he told the General that what Inconveniences soever should happen would be laid at his door in regard he would appear to have been the beginner of the War At this the General interrupted him shewing that the war was already begun by Lambert and his party who had offered violence to those from whom they had all received their Commissions not sparing largely to lay open their restless Instability which would not suffer the three nations to enjoy any setled Government at all but kept them in a perpetual circumvolution till they were in danger to be brought to utter ruine and Declaring That if they continued in that course he was resolved to oppose them to the uttermost and would to repeat his own words lay them on their backs The Treaty ended between the Commissioners of the two Armies who came to an agreement which consisted of nine Articles on Novem. 15. 1659. But General Monk consults how he might with the most handsome pretence refuse his Assent to these Articles And it was proposed by Dr. Barrow and agreed to by the General and the rest That they should not declare a positive dissent to what their Commissioners had done but urge that there was something untreated of further to be agreed upon c. and that therefore it should be desired that two more might be allowed to be added to their Commissioners to meet a like number of theirs to be thereunto authorized to put a more absolute period to their differences Mr. Atkins and Colonel Markham are sent by the General with a Letter to the City of London which so much incensed the Committee of Safety that the Gentlemen who delivered it are Imprisoned On November 19. Nine of the Old Counsellors of State privately meet in London and sent one Captain Elmes with Horton a servant of Sir Arthur Hazlerig's with a letter into Scotland to General Monk This was a great encouragement to the Officers in Scotland Colonel Whetham at Portsmouth generously declared for General Monk with that Garrison after the Council of State had framed a Commission wherein they Constituted General Monk Commander in Chief of all the Armies in England and Scotland which was dated November 24. sealed with their seal and left in the hands of Mr. Clarges till a safe messenger might be sent with it unto him Hurst-castle and the Isle of Wight are kept for the Parliament Commissioners from the several Shires and Burroughs of Scotland wait upon the General at Berwick and the General and they part with a mutual respect The General prepares to make defence against Lambert if occasion were There were many great differences between the City of London and Lambert's party there The Souldiers are affronted by the Apprentices not without some bloodshed Oppositions from all parts encrease against Lambert's faction Lambert was daily alarum'd with the success of the Commissioners at Portsmouth and his party dayly decrease Fleetwood submits and desires the Members of Parliament to sit again They take their Seats again in the
Parliament House and Order seven Commissioners for the management of the Army Colonel Morley upon this change had his Regiment restored and with it the Government of the Tower conferred on him The Irish Brigade was brought off to General Monk by Redman and Bret. Dublin-castle is surprized and Sir Charles Coot reduceth all Connaught to a compliance with the present Design The Lord Fairfax and several of Monk's party joyning with him rise in York-shire Now General Monk begins his march into England By that time he came to Morpeth he was informed that Lambert's whole party was of themselves dispersed into several quarters in submission to the Parliament's Orders There he receive's an Address from the City of London by Mr. William Man their Sword-bearer as likewise from the Gentry of the Countrey in all parts as he marched along The new restored Members on January 2. name 31. Counsellors of State passing an Act for their Constitution and several Instructions for them to Act by among which it was provided that â—one should sit but such as should take an Oath of Abjuration of the King His family and Government The Oath was opposed by divers of the House Scot and Robinson are sent from the House to complement and attend General Monk upon his journey Mr. Clarges gives him an account how affairs stand at London he sends a letter by Mr. Clarges to the House from St. Albans Several addresses are made to him in his March pleading for a free Parliament He marcheth with his forces into the City of London Being come to the Council of State the Oath of Abjuration was tendred to him which he refuseth to take He is conducted with much Ceremony into the House where he receives the gratulations of the House The City continued malecontent whereupon the General is Ordered by the Council of State to march into the City and pull down the Gates and Percullices of the City which he unwillingly caused to be done The same day a Factious party of Citizens presented a Petition to the House by one Praise-God Barebone to countenance the Action The General sends a letter to the House signed by Himself and several Officers complaining against the admission of Ludlow and others into the House that had been by Sir Charles Coot accused of high Treason and that they had countenanced too much a late Petition to exclude the most sober and conscientious both Ministers and others by Oaths from all employment and maintenance he requested them that by Friday next they should Issue out Writs to fill up their House and when filled should rise in some short time to give place to a full and free Paliament Scot and Robinson are sent from the House to the General with their answer to his letter The General excuseth his late proceedings in the City before the Lord Mayor and Common Council of the City He tells them what he had written to the House touching a free Parliament The City joyfully receives the news of a free Parliament The Council of State write to him to desire his presence with them but he excuseth his stay in the City for some longer time till the minds of the Citizens were more composed The City and Chief Officers of his Army disswade him from going to White-hall The General is sollicited from all parts to admit the secluded Members He admits of a conference before him of the sitting with some of the secluded Members The Officers of the Army consent to the admission of the secluded Members upon certain conditions The General and the Officers at length agree upon their admission and on the Tuesday morning following they were guarded to the House and took their places in the Parliament Then was a letter signed by the General and his Chief Officers drawn up and Copies of it sent to all the Regiments and Garrisons in England and to the Commanders in Chief of the Armies in England Scotland and Ireland to acquaint them with what he had done The Parliament repealed the Act for the Council of State and the Oath of Abjuration and passed an Act for another Council consisting of one and thirty persons most of them men of integrity and well-affected to Kingly-government Then the General sends Colonel Fairfax to take possession of Hull and Colonel Overton submits to his Orders The Army in Scotland were well-satisfied with the General 's Actions About the thirteenth of March the Parliament abrogated the Engagement appointed formerly to be taken by each Member of Parliament in these words viz. I do declare and promise That I will be true and faithful to the Common Wealth of England as the same is now established without King or House of Lords and appointed it should be taken off the file and made Null The Common Wealth Faction desire the General rather to take the Government upon himself than to bring in the King and treat with him about it The General refuseth their offer Then the Republicans attempt to make a mutiny in the Army The long Parliament was now dissolved The King removes to Breda The Council of State appointed by the late Parliament set forth a Proclamation for the preventing of tumults Lambert escape's out of the Tower Colonel Ingoldsby and Colonel Streater march against Lambert defeat his party and take him prisoner Colonel Lambert Colonel Cobbet and Major Creed are sent prisoners to the Tower Hereupon several seditious Pamphlets were published in Print and dispersed to deprave the mindes of the people and Tickets were thrown into the Courts of Guard in the night to divide the Souldiers But none of them was penned with more virulency and malice than that suppositious paper carrying in it's Frontispiece A letter from Bruxels c. Several letters were also sent to the General from unknown hands Then came forth a Declaration of the Nobility and Gentry that adhered to the late King residing in and about the City of London A new Parliament met at Westminster April 25. 1660. The Lords chose the Earl of Manchester to be their Speaker and the House of Commons Sir Harbottle Grimston On April 27. Sir John Greenvil presents the General with a Commission from His Majesty to Constitute him Captain General of all the Armies of England Scotland and Ireland and a letter for the Council of State The Letter had a Declaration in it which were both read in the House After the reading thereof the House of Lords voted That according to the Antient and fundamental Laws of this Kingdom the Government is and ought to be by King Lords and Commons The Officers of the Army present an Address to the General in compliance with His Majestie 's Letter and Declaration it is read by the Commons and approved Commissary Clarges is appointed by the General to wait upon the King with this Address Six of the Lords and of the Commons and divers Aldermen and divers Episcopal and Presbyterial Divines and some other eminent Citizens are sent to attend on his Majesty
any House of Religion he should incur the pains of Praemunire He also gave authority unto Bishops and their Ordinaries to imprison and fine all Subjects who refuse the Oath ex Officio The Statute made pro Haeretico comburendo In the same Parliament it was ordained That all Lollards that is those who professed the doctrine which Wickliff had taught should be apprehended and if they should remain obstinate they should be delivered to the Bishop of the Diocess and by him unto the secular Magistrate to be burnt This Act was the first in this Island for burning in case of Religion and began to be put in execution Anno 1401. The first on whom his cruel Law was hanselled was William Sautre formerly Parish-priest of St. Margaret in the Town of Lyn but since of St. Osith in the City of London It seemeth he had formerly abjured those Articles for which he suffered death before the Bishop of Norwich Therefore he was first adjudged to be degraded and deposed which was in order as followeth From the Order of 1. Priest 2. Deacon 3. Subdeacon 4. Acolyte 5. Exorcist 6. Reader 7. Sexton by taking from him 1. The Patin Chalice and plucking the Chasule from his Back 2. The New Testament and the Stole 3. The Alb and the Maniple 4. The Candlestick Taper Vrceolum 5. The Book of Constitutions 6. The Book of Church-Legends 7. The Key of the Church-door and Surplice How many steps are required to climb up to the top of Popish Priesthood how many trinkets must be had to compleat a Priest and here we behold them solemnly taken asunder in Sautres degradation And now he no longer Priest but plain Lay-man with the Tonsure on his crown rased away was delivered to the Secular Power with this complement worth the noting Beseeching the Secular Court that they would receive favourably the said William unto them thus recommitted But see their hypocrisie The Popish Bishops at the same time for all their fair language called upon the King to bring him to speedy execution Hereupon the King in Parliament issued out his Warrant to the Mayor and Sheriff of London that the said William being in their custody should be brought forth into some publick place within the liberty of the City and there really to be burnt to the great horrour of his offence and manifest example of other Christians which was done accordingly After this Richard Scroop Archbishop of York with the Lord Moubray Marshall of England gathered together a great company against King Henry in the North Countrey to whom was adjoyned the ayd of the Lord Bardolf and Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland They drew up ten Articles against the said King and fastened them upon the doors of Churches and Monasteries to be read of all men in English The Earl of Northumberland and the Lord Bardolf were slain in the field fighting against the Kings part Anno 1408. But the Archbishop of York and the Lord Moubray were taken and beheaded Anno 1409. Thomas Badby a Tailor was by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury condemned for the Testimony of the truth He was brought into Smithfield and there being put into an empty barrel was bound with Iron bars fast to a stake and dry wood put to him and so burned Some Professors of the Gospel at that time did shrink back as John Purvey who wrote many Books in defence of Wickliff's Doctrine and among others a Commentary upon the Apocalypse wherein he declareth the Pope of Rome to be that great Antichrist He recanted at Paul's Cross John Edwards Priest revoked at the Green-yard at Norwich Richard Herbert and Emmot Willy of London and John Beck also at London John Seynons of Lincoln-shire revoked at Canterbury Then was William Thorp examined before the Archbishop of Canterbury who rehearsed his belief before the Archbishop afterwards he was committed to close Prison where he was so straitly kept that either he was secretly made away or else there he died by sickness John Ashton also another follower of Wickliff who for the same Doctrine of the Sacrament held by Thorp was committed to close Prison after he was condemned where he continued till his death Philip Rippington was made Bishop of Lincoln who of a Professor became a cruel Persecutor of the Gospel Synods of the Clergy were very frequent in this King's Reign but most of these were but Ecclesiastical meetings for secular Money Sir John Tiptoff made afterwards Earl of Worcester put up a Petition to the Parliament touching Lollards which so wrought on the Lords that they joyned in a Petition to the King that they and every of them be taken and put in Prison without being delivered in Bail or otherwise except by good and sufficient mainprise to be taken before the Chancellor of England c. The Popish Clergy had gained Prince Henry set as a Transcendent by himself in the Petition to their Side entring his youth against the poor Wickliffists and this earnest engaged him to the greater Antipathy against them when possessed of the Crown A Petition was put up in the Parliament That the King might enjoy half of the profits of any Parson's Benefice not resident thereon whereunto the King answered That Ordinaries should do their duties therein or else he would provide further remedy or stay their pluralities The ninth year of the King's Reign the Commons desired of the King That none presented be received by any Ordinary to have any Benefice of any Incumbent for any cause of privation or inhabitation whereof the Process is not founded upon Citation made within the Realm and also that such Incumbents may remain in all their Benefices untill it be proved by due Inquest in the Court of the King that the Citations whereupon such privations and inhabitations are granted were made within the Realm and if such Ordinaries do or have presented or others do present to the contrary that then they and their Procurators c. incur the pain contained in the Statute made against Provisoe's Anno 13. Ric. 2. Also that no Pope's Collector should from thence-forth levy any Money within the Realm for first Fruits of any Ecclesiastical dignity under pain of incurring the Statute of Provisoe's The Commons in the same Parliament put up a Bill to the King to take the Temporalties out of the Hands of the Spiritualty which amounted to three hundred and two and twenty thousand Marks by the year Then came the Cardinal of Burges into England being sent from the Colledge of Cardinals to inform the King and Clergy of the unconstant dealing of Pope Gregory Anno 1409. 〈◊〉 Chro. 〈◊〉 4. After the Feast of the Epiphany the Archbishop of Canterbury Convocated an Assembly of the Clergy at London to chuse meet persons to go to the General Council holden at Pisa whereunto were chosen Robert Holam Bishop of Salisbury Henry Chisely Bishop of St. Davids and Thomas Chillindon Prior of Christ-Church in Canterbury and the King had
was found an Altar ready furnished with many Plates Jewels rich Pictures and Manuscripts Wax-candles c. with many Books in a Study In another Study of his many curious Tools and Engines three Rapiers one Pistol and a Fowling piece the pictures of Queen Elizabeth King James Queen Anne and King Charles He had also in his custody all the Keeper's Warrants for committing of his prisoners which were found in his Chamber together with some store of Plate which he said he kept for the Keeper's wife In Warrington's Chamber were found Books Beads Boxes of Oyl for extreme Unction c. But the wall thereof was broken down into another house adjoyning to the Prison through which it is conceived the rest of Warrington's stuffe was convaied away in the Interim of the search made in the two former Chambers Prator was first committed to Glocester Gaol but a Warrant was procured by the Papists for his remove to the Clink where he was found a prisoner But a countermand was brought from the Archbishop and Mr. Atturney whereby the proceeding of that business was staid and the Marshal prohibited to remove or take any thing so much as a paper The Keeper and his Wife and the Priests did grievously threaten the Marshall and all his Assistants with very high terms especially wi h Arrests and Imprisonments for this action The Marshall also informed the Committee that upon the twenty second of March last by a like Warrant from the Lord Conway he searched the Bishop's prison called the New prison in Maidâ—n-lane in London where he found six several Priests in several Chambers an Altar with all furniture thereto belonging c. as much as three Porters could carry away it being in the hands of the Lord Conway The House of Commons agreed upon a petition to his Majesty concerning Recusants That he would give order to remove from all places of Authority and Government all such persons as are either Popish Recusants or justly to be suspected Here they named many Lords Knights and Esquires in divers Counties of England But this Parliament was soon after dissolved A generalâ— Fast was observed July 5. in the Cities of London and Westminster and places adjacent and on the second of August throughout the Kingdom to implore a blessing upon the endeavours of the State and the diverting of those judgments which the sins of the Land deserved and threatned Divers Lords of the Council were appointed to repair into their several Countries for the advancement of a Loan to the King This business occasioned a complaint to the Lords of the Council against the Bishop of Lincoln for publickly speaking words concerning it which was conceived to be against the King and Government Whereupon Sir John Lamb and Dr. Sibthorp informed the Council to this purpose That many were grieved to see the Bishop of Lincoln give place to unconformable Ministers when he turned his back to those that were conformable and how the Puritans ruled all with him c. The Informations given against the Bishop of Lincoln being transmitted to the Council-Table were ordered to be sealed up and committed to the custody of Mr. Trumbal one of the Clerks of the Council nevertheless the Bishop of Lincoln got a copy of them Dr. Sibthorp published a Sermon in Print Preached by him at Northampton February 22. 1626. at Lent Assizes entitled Apostolick Obedience This Book was Licensed by the Bishop of London who approved thereof It was dedicated to the King it was brought forth upon his Majesties Commission for raising of moneys by way of Loan Dr. Roger Manwaring promoted the same business in two Sermons Preached before the King and Court at Whitehall The Papists at this time were very liberal on this occasion that it was then said That in the point of Allegiance then in hand the Papists were exceeding Orthodox and the Puritans were the onely Recusants 1627. Archbishop Abbot having been long slighted at Court now fell under the King 's high displeasure for refusing to License Dr. Sibthorp's Sermon forementioned and not long after was suspended from his Office and confined to his House at Ford in Kent and a Commission was granted to the Bishops of London Durham Rochester Oxford and Doctor Laud Bishop of Bath and Wells to execute Archiepiscopal Jurisdiction The occasion of this Commission was not discovered otherwise than by what was expressed in the Commission it self viz. That the said Archbishop could not at that present in his own person attend those services which were otherwise proper for his cognisance and jurisdiction and which as Archbishop of Canterbury he might and ought in his own Person have performed and Executed The Archbishop for a memorial of these proceedings left to posterity a Narrative penned with his own hand The City of London was filled with the report of his Confining and divers men spake diversly of it The Papists in Ireland proffer to pay five thousand men if they might but enjoy a toleration But that motion was crushed by Bishop Downham's Sermon in Dublin on Luke 1.74 After this the King being resolved upon the calling of a Parliament Archbishop Abbot the Earl of Bristol and the Bishop of Lincoln notwithstanding the cloud they are under are had in consideration by the King and Council and Writs are Ordered to be sent unto them to sit in the House as Peers in the ensuing Parliament A little before the Parliament assembled a Society of Recusants was taken in Clarkenwel Divers of them were found to be Jesuites and the house wherein they were taken was designed to be a Colledge of that Order Vid. Rushw Collects Ad Anno 1627. Among their Papers was found a Copy of a Letter written to their Father Rector at Bruxels discovering their designs upon this State and their judgement of the temper thereof with a conjecture of the success of the ensuing Parliament A Parliament assembleth March 17. which proveth full of troubles Money came from them heavily to the supply of the King's necessities the rather because they complained of Doctrines destructive to their Propriety Preached at Court For towards the end of the Session of this Parliament Mr. Rouse brought in a charge against Dr. Manwaring which some days after was seconded with a Declaration He was severely censured for two Sermons he had Preached and Printed about the power of the King's Prerogative Four days after it was ordered by the House of Lords against him I. To be imprisoned during the pleasure of the House II. To be fined a thousand pounds III. To make his submission at the Bar in this House IV. To be suspended from his Ministerial function three years V. To be disabled for ever hereafter from Preaching at Court VI. To be uncapable of any Secular Office VII That his Books are worthy to be burnt and His Majesty to be moved that it may be so in London But much of this Censure was remitted in Consideration of the performance of his humble submission at
abolition of Episcopacy and the ruine of all that adhered to it their actings in it being confirmed in his name by the High-Commission The news whereof caused the King to send for the Lord Wentworth out of Ireland who was presently made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and not long after with great solemnity created Earl of Strafford in the County of York As Lord Lieutenant he had power to appoint a Deputy that he might the better attend the service here without any prejudice to that Kingdom which Office he committed to Wansford a York-shire Gentleman whom he had took along with him into Ireland at his first going thither His Majesty was pleased to commit the conduct of the Scottish Affairs to a Juncto of three namely the Archbishop of Canterbury the Earl of Strafford and the Marquiss of Hammilton These three move his Majesty to call a Parliament and it was concluded that a Parliament should be called on April 13. 1640. In the mean time the Lord Lieutenant held a Parliament in Ireland and so governed the affair that an Army of eight thousand Horse and Foot was speedily raised and money granted by the Parliament to keep them in pay to furnish them with Ammunition Arms and all other necessaries And the Lords of the Council here subscribed largely for the carrying on of the War until such time as the Parliament should convene The Scots being informed of the King's preparation for a War sent the Earl of Dumferling the Lord London Sir William Douglas and Mr. Barkham to represent the Affairs of their transactions which were received by the King in a friendly manner Some dayes being unprofitably spent in these debates the Archbishop and the rest of the Committee delegated for this business made a report of the whole business to the rest of the Council who came to this result That since the Scots could not be reclaimed to their obedience by other means they were to be reduced by force Therefore the Scots as much bestirred themselves on the other side Part of the walls of Edenborough-castle with all the Ordnance upon it had fallen down on the nineteenth of November last being the Anniversary day of his Majesties birth for the repair whereof they would neither suffer Timber nor other Materials to be carried to it but on the contrary they began to raise Fortifications against it with an intent to block it up and render it unuseful to his Majesties service Neither would they suffer the Souldiers to come into the Market to recruit their victuals They made provisions of great quantity of Artillery Munition and Arms from forreign parts laid Taxes of ten Marks in the hundred upon all the Subjects scattered abroad many seditious Pamphlets for justifying themselves and seducing others some of which were burnt in England by the hand of the Hangman fortified Inchgarvy and other places imprisoned the Earl of Southesk and other Persons of Quality for their fidelity to the King took to themselves the government of Edenborough and employed their Emissaries in England to sollicit them to aid them in maintaining the War against their Sovereign But their chief corespondence was with France and Ireland In France they had made sure of Cardinal Richlieu who governed all Affairs in that Kingdom In Ireland they had a strong party of natural Scots planted in Vlster by King James upon the forfeited Estates of Tir-Owen Tir-Connel Odighirty c. But Wentworth crushed them in the beginning of the combination seizing upon such Ships and Men as came thither from Scotland imprisoning some fining others and putting an Oath upon the rest By which Oath they were bound to abjure the Covenant not to aid the Covenanters against the King nor to protest against any of his royal Edicts as their Brethren in Scotland use to do for the refusing of which Oath he fined one Sir Henry Steward and his Wife at no less than five thousand pound apiece two of their Daughters and one James Gray of the fame confederacy at the sum of three thousand pound apiece committing them to prison for not paying the fines imposed on them Some Scots having endeavoured to betray the Town and Castle of Carick fergus to a Noble-man of that Countrey the principal Conspirator was executed Finally The Lord Lieutenant gave a power to the Bishop of Down and Connor and other Bishops of that Kingdom and their several Chancellors to attach the bodies of all such of the meaner sort who either should refuse to appear before them upon citation or to perform all lawful Decrees and Orders made by the said Bishops c. and to commit them to the next Gaol till they should conform or answer the contempt at the Council-Table By means whereof the poorer sort became very obedient to their several Bishops In the mean time the Archbishop of Canterbury is intent on the preservation of the Hierarchy and the Church of England against the practices of the Scots and Scotizing English and no less busied in digesting an Apology for vindicating the Liturgy commended to the Kirk of Scotland He took order for translating the Scottish Liturgy into the Latin Tongue that being published with the Apology which he had designed it might give satisfaction to the world of his Majesties Piety and his own great care the orthodoxy and simplicity of the Book it self and the perverseness of the Scots in refusing all of it Which Work was finished and left with him the present distemper of the times and the troubles which fell heavily on him putting an end to it in the first beginning He recommended to Doctor Hall then Bishop of Exon the writing of a Book in defence of the Divine right of Episcopacy in opposition to the Scots and their Adherents Exeter having undertaken it sent the first delineations of the Pourtracture to Lambeth in the end of October which were generally well approved of by the Metropolitan who having made some alterations sent them back with many kind expressions of a fair acceptance And such was the freedom he used in declaring his judgment in the case and such the Authority which his Reasons carried along with them that the Bishop of Exon found good cause to correct his Opinon according to the Rules of these Animadversions agreeable unto which the Book was writ and published not long after under the name of Episcopacy by Divine right c. Whilst the Archbishop laboured to support Episcopacy on the one side some of the adverse party laboured as much to suppress it by lopping off the branches first and afterwards by laying the Axe to the root of the Tree Bagshaw a Lawyer of some standing of the Middle-Temple began to question the Bishop's place and vote in Parliament their Temporal power and the authority of the Commission For being chosen Reader by that House for the Lent-vacation he first selected for the Argument of his discoursings the Statute of 25 Edw. 3. cap. 7. His main design was intended chiefly for the defence
to pay for his entertainment On a sudden all the Templars in France are clapt in prison damnable sins are laid to their charge and they most cruelly burned to death at a stake with James the Grand Master of their Order All Europe followed the Copy that France had set them Here in England King Edward the Second of that name suppressed the Order and put them to death So by vertue of a Writ sent from him to Sir John Wogan Lord Chief Justice in Ireland were they served there and such was the secrecy of the contrivance of the business that the storm fell upon them ere they were aware of it In England their possessions were by Authority of Parliament assigned to the Hospitaller-Knights of St. John of Jerusalem least that such Lands given to good and pious uses against the Donour's will should be given to other uses At the North-side of the City of London John Briset a rich and devout man built an House for the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem which in time grew so great that it resembled a Palace and had in it a very fair Church and a Tower-steeple raised to so great height with so fine workmanship that while it stood it was a singular beauty and ornament to the City These Knights Hospitallers at their first Institution about the year 1124. and long after were so lowly all the while they continued poor that their Governor was stiled servant to the poor servitors of the Hospital of Jerusalem like as the Master of the Templars who shortly after arose was termed The Humble Minister of the poor Knights of the Temple The Hospitallers ware a white Cross upon their upper black Garment and by solemn profession were bound to serve Pilgrims and poor people in the Hospital of St. John at Jerusalem and to secure the passages thither they charitably buried the dead they were assiduous in prayer mortified themselves with watchings and fastings they were courteous and kind to the poor Camd. descrip of London whom they called their Masters and fed with white bred while themselves lived with brown and carried themselves with great austerity whereby they purchased to themselves the love and liking of all sorts and through the bounty of good Princes and private persons admiring their piety and prowess they rose from this low degree to so high an Estate and great riches that they did after a sort wallow in wealth and riches For about the year of our Lord 1240. they had within Christendom nineteen thousand Lordships or Mannors like as the Templars nine thousand And this estate of theirs grown to so great an height made way for them to as great Honours so as their Prior in England was reputed the prime Baron of the Land called the Lord of St. Johns and able with fulness and abundance of all things to maintain an honourable Port untill that King Henry the Eighth gat their Lands and livings into his own hands like as he did of the Monasteries also They out lived all other Orders yet at last they fell into a Praemunire for they still continued their obedience to the Pope contrary to their Allegiance whose Usurped authority was banished out of the Land They were forced to resign all into the King's hands He allowed to Sir William Weston Weavers Monum p. 114. Lord Prior of the Order an annual pension of One thousand pounds But he never received a penny thereof but died instantly struck to the heart when he first heard of the dissolution of his Priory and lyeth buried in the Chauncel of Clarkenwell with the pourtraiture of a dead man lying on his shroud most artificially cut in Stone others had rent assigned them of two hundred pound one hundred pound sixty pound fifty pound twenty pound ten pound according to their several qualities and deserts Queen Mary sets up the Hospitallers again and Sir Thomas Tresham of Rushton in Northampton-shire was the first and last Lord Prior after their Restitution for their nests were plucked down before they were warm in them by the coming in of Queen Elizabeth Of the English Nuns I Come now to Nuns almost as numerous in England as Monks and Friers as having though not so many Orders yet more of the same Order The weaker sex hath ever equalled men in their Devotion often exceeded them in their Superstition At Liming in Kent the Daughter of King Ethelbert took the veile and became the first English Nun. There was an Hermophrodite Order as is aforesaid admitting both Men and Women under the same roof and during the life of Gilbert their first founder for seven hundred Brethren there were one thousand one hundred Sisters entred into that Order Doctor Fuller divides the Nuns into three sorts First The Antientest Secondly The Poorest Thirdly The latest Nuns in England 1. Of the first sort he accounteth the She Benedictines commonly called black Nuns Bennet the Monk after he had placed himself and his Monkish Brethren in a certain Noble and Famous Cloyster upon the Mount Cassinus raised up also an Order of Nuns and made his Sister Scholastica Abbess over them The apparrel of these black Nuns is a black coat cloak coule and veyl and least the Scripture should deceive her and hers it was commanded that none of that Order should read the Holy Scripture without consent or permission of their Superior 2. The poorest follow being the strict Order of St. Clare a Lady living at the same time and in the same Town with St. Francis she assembled and gathered together a Congregation of poor Women and gave them an Order of life like unto the rule that Frier Francis gave his Covent Their garment is gray their Order admitteth none but women-kind except it be to say Mass 3. The Nuns of St. Bridget were the latest in England first setled here in the second year of King Henry the Fifth Anno Domini 1415. dissolved with the rest Anno 1538. so that they continued here onely one hundred twenty three years Bridget Queen of Sweden gave them their name and Institution Men and Women living under the same roof the VVomen above the Men beneath They were seated at Sion in Middlesex which King Henry the Fifth having expelled from thence the Monks Aliens built for Religious Virgins to the Honour of our Saviour the Virgin Mary and St. Bridget of Sion In this Sion he appointed so many Nuns Priests and Lay-brethren divided apart within their several VValls as were in number forsooth equal to Christ's Apostles and Disciples viz. eighty five I. Sisters Sixty II. Priests Thirteen III. Deacons Four IV. Lay-brethren Eight Having bestowed sufficient maintenance upon them King Henry provided by a Law that contenting themselves therewith they should take no more of any man but what overplus soever remained of their yearly Revenue they should bestow it upon the poor Thomas Walsingham saith Walsingh in Henric. V. if afterwards the whole VVorld should proffer them Farmes and possessions
his Coronation all the Knights Templers The Order of the Knights Templars abolished throughout Christendom throughout England were at once arrested and committed to prison In the General Council of Vienna this Order was utterly abolished through Christendom The French King caused fifty four of that Order together with their great Master to be burnt at Paris And the Pope and Council annexed their possessions to the Order of the Knights Hospitallers called commonly Knights of the Rhodes But in England the Heirs of the Donors and such as had endowed the Templars here with Lands entred upon those parts of the ancient Patrimonies after the dissolution of the Order and detained them until not long after they were by Parliament wholly transferred unto the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem Guy Guy Earl of Warwick surpriseth Piers Gaveston and causeth him to be beheaded Earl of Warwick surprised Gaveston carried him to his Castle of Warwick wherein a place called Blacklow afterwards Gaveshead his head was stricken off at the commandment and in the presence of the Earls of Lancaster Warwick and Hereford A great Battel was fought between the English and Scots at Bannocks-borough There perished in this Battel Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester Robert Lord Clifford the Lord Tiptoft the Lord Marshal the Lord Giles de Argenton the Lord Edmond de Maule and seven hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen of Quality of common Souldiers ten thousand There were taken prisoners Humphry Bohun Earl of Hereford Ralph de Monthelmere who married Joan de Acres Countess Dowager of Oxford with many others The Earl of Hereford was exchanged for King Robert's Wife who was all this while detained in England This disaster was attended with Inundations which brought forth Dearth Dearth Famine Famine Pestilence all which exceeded any that ever before had been known Anno 1313. died Robert Winchelsey Archbishop of Canterbury in whose room Robert Cobham was elected by the King and Church of Canterbury But the Pope did frustrate that election and placed Walter Reynold Bishop of Worcester About this time died Pope Clement and John XXII succeeded who sent two Legats from Rome under pretence to make agreement between the King of England and the Scots They for their charges required of every Spiritual person four pence in every Mark but all in vain for the Legats as they were in the North parts about Derlington with their whole Family and Train were robbed and spoiled of their Horses Treasure Apparel and whatsoever else they had and so retired back again to Durham thence they returned to London where they first excommunicated all those Robbers Then for supply of those losses they received they exacted of the Clergy to be given unto them eight pence in every Mark But the Clergy would only give them four pence in every Mark So they departed to the Pope's Court again This King Edward refused to pay the Peter-pence In the time of this King the Colledge in Cambridge called Michael-house was founded by Sir Henry Staunton Knight King Edward the Second builded two Houses in Oxford for good Letters Orial Colledge and St. Mary Hall England may dare all Christendom besides to shew so many eminent School-Divines bred within the compass of so few years And a forreign Writer saith Scholastica Theologia ab Anglis in Anglia sumpsit exordium fecit incrementum pervenit ad perfectionem Of these School-men Alexander Hales leads the way Master to Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure He was in the time of Henry the Third At the command of Pope Innocent the Fourth he wrote the Body of all School-Divinity in four Volumes Roger Bacon succeeded him who lived in the time of King Edward the First he was excellently skilled in the Mathematicks The next was Richard Middleton entitled Doctor Fundatissimus Then flourished John Duns Scotus in the time of Edward the Second he was Fellow of Merton-colledge in Oxford He was called Duns by abbreviation for Dunensis that is born at Doun an Episcopal See in Ireland In this King's Reign Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter founded and endowed Exeter-colledge in Oxford It is charged on this King Edward the Second that he suffered the Pope to encroach on the Dignity of the Crown His Father had recovered some of his Priviledges from the Papal usurpation which since his Son had lost back again About that time an English Hermite preached at Paul's in London That some Sacraments that were then in use in the Church were not of Christ's Institution therefore he was committed to prison King Edward went into Scotland with another great Army King Robert thought so great an Army could not long continue therefore he retired into the High-lands King Edward wandred from place to place till many died for hunger and the rest returning home half starved James Douglas followed the English and slew many of them and King Edward himself hardly escaped Then a Peace was concluded at Northampton Anno 1327. That the Scots should abide in the same estate as in the dayes of King Alexander the Third the English should render all subscriptions and tokens of bondage and have no Land in Scotland unless they shall dwell in it In England the two Spencers ruled all things till the Queen and her Son who politickly had got leave to go beyond the Seas returned into England with a Navy and Army landing in Suffolk She denounced open war against her Husband unless he would presently conform to her desires The young Spencer was taken with the King at the Abby of Neath and is hanged on a Gallows fifty foot high Many Persons of Quality were sent down to the Parliament then sitting to King Edward to Kenelworth-castle to move him to resign the Crown which at last he sadly surrendered and Prince Edward his Son is crowned King The late King is removed from Kenelworth unto Barkley-castle where he was barbarously butchered being struck into the Postern of his Body with an hot Spit as it is commonly reported Among the Clergy besides Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter whose head the Londoners caused to be smitten off at the Standart in Cheapside only John Stratford Bishop of Winchester heartily adhered to him Robert de Baldock though no Bishop yet as a Priest and Chancellor of England may be ranked with these who attended the King and was taken with him in Wales Hence he was brought up to London and committed to Adam Tarlton Bishop of Hereford Many of the Bishops ungratefully sided with the Queen against her Husband and their Sovereign Walter Reynolds Archbishop of Canterbury led their Van preferred to that See at the King 's great Importunity and by the Pope's power of Provision Henry Burwash Bishop of Lincoln lately restored to the favour of King Edward yet no sooner did the Queen appear in the field with an Army against him but this Bishop was the first who publickly repaired to her Adam Tarlton Bishop of Hereford was the grand contriver of all mischief against the
King Witness the Sermon preached by him at Oxford before the Queen then in hostile pursuit against her Husband taking for his Text the words of the Son of the sick Shunamite my Head my Head Thence he urged That a bad King the distempered Head of a State is past cure His writing was worse than his preaching for when such Agents set to keep King Edward in Berkley-castle were by secret order from Roger Mortimer commanded to kill him they by Letters addressed themselves for advice to this Bishop then not far off at Hereford craving his counsel what they should do in so difficult and dangerous a matter He returned unto them a ridling Answer unpointed which carried in it Life and Death yea Life or Death as variously construed Life and Death To kill King Edward you need not to fear it is good Life To kill King Edward you need not to fear it is good Death To kill King Edward you need not to fear it is good The Body of King Edward without any Funeral Pomp was buried among the Benedictines in their Abbey at Glocester Edward of Windsor called King Edward the Third being scarce fifteen years of age took the beginning of his Reign on January the twentieth his Throne was established upon his Fathers ruine Anno 1327. Upon Candlemas-day he received the Order of Knighthood by the hands of the Earl of Lancaster while his deposed Father lived and within five dayes after he was Crowned at Westminster by Walter Archbishop of Canterbury Twelve men were appointed to manage the Affairs of the Kingdom during the King's minority the Archbishop's of Canterbury and York the Bishops of Winchester Hereford and Worcester Thomas Brotherton Earl Marshal Edmond Earl of Kent John Earl Warren Thomas Lord Wake Henry Lord Piercy Oliver Lord Ingham and John Lord Ross but the Queen and Roger Lord Mortimer usurped this charge Adam Tarlton was accused of Treason in the beginning of the Reign of this King and arraigned by the King's Officers when in the presence of the King he thus boldly uttered himself My Lord the King with all due respect unto your Majesty I Adam an humble Minister and Member of the Church of God and a consecrated Bishop though unworthy neither can nor ought to answer unto so hard Questions without the connivance and consent of my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury my immediate Judge under the Pope and without the consent of other Bishops who are my Peers Three Archbishops were there present in the place Canterbury York and Dublin by whose Intercession Tarlton escaped at that time Not long after he was arraigned again at the King's Bench whereupon the foresaid Archbishops set up their Crosses and with ten Bishops more attended with a numerous Train of well-weaponed Servants advanced to the place of Judicature The King's Officers frighted at the sight fled away leaving Bishop Tarlton the prisoner alone at the Bar whom the Archbishops took home into their own custody denouncing a Curse upon all such who should presume to lay violent hands upon him The King offended hereat caused a jury of Lay-men to be impannelled and to enquire according to form of Law into the Actions of the Bishop of Hereford This was the first time that ever Lay-men passed their verdict upon a Clergy-man These Jurors found the Bishop guilty whereupon the King seized his Temporalties proscribed the the Bishop and despoiled him of all his moveables But afterwards he was reconciled to the King and by the Pope made Bishop of Winchester where he died The former part of this King's Reign affordeth but little Church-history as wholly taken up with his Atchievements in France and Scotland where his success by Sea and Land was to admiration He had both the Kings he fought against viz. John de Valois of France and David King of Scotland his prisoners at one time taken by fair Fight in open Field There was granted to the King of England for these Wars a Fifteenth of the Temporalty a Twelfth of Cities and Boroughs and a Tenth of the Clergy in a Parliament holden at London And afterwards in a Parliament at Northampton there was granted him a Tenth peny of Towns and Boroughs a Fifteenth of others and a Tenth of the Clergy All such Treasure as was committed to Churches throughout England for the holy War was taken out for the King's use in this The next year after all the Goods of three Orders of Monks Lombards Cluniacks and Cicestercians are likewise seized into the King's hands and the like Subsidy as before granted at Nottingham Now the Cavrsines or Lombards did not drive so full a trade as before whereupon they betook themselves to other Merchandise and began to store England with Forreign Commodities but at unreasonable rates whilst England it self had as yet but little and bad Shipping and those less employed About this time the Clergy were very bountiful in contributing to the King's necessities in proportion to their Benefices Hereupon a Survay was exactly taken of all their Glebeland Fuller Church History and the same fairly engrossed in Parchment was returned into the Exchequer where it remaineth at this day and is the most useful Record for Clergy-men and also for Impropriators as under their claim to recover their right It was now complained of as a grand grievance that the Clergy engrossed all places of Judicature in the Land Nothing was left to Lay-men but either Military commands as General Admiral c. or such Judges places as concerned onely the very letter of the Common Law and those also scarcely reserved to the Students thereof As for Ambassies into Forreign parts Noblemen were employed therein when Expence not Experience was required thereunto and Ceremony the substance of the Service otherwise when any difficulty in Civil Law then Clergy-men were ever entertained The Lord Chancellor was ever a Bishop yea that Court generally appeared as a Synod of Divines where the Clerks were Clerks as generally in Orders The same was also true of the Lord Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer Robert Eglesfield Chaplain to Queen Philippa Wife to King Edward the third founded a Colledge on his own ground in Oxford by the name of Queens Colledge and diverse Queens have been nursing Mothers to this Foundation as Queen Philippa Wife to King Edward the third Queen Elizabeth Wife to King Edward the fourth Queen Mary Wife to King Charles and our Virgin Queen Elizabeth In the mean time the Pope bestirred him in England while the King was busied about his Wars in France so that before Livings were actually void he pre-provided Incumbents for them But at last the King looking into it this Statute of Provision was made whereby such forestalling of Livings to Forreigners was forbidden Another cause of the King's displeasure with the Pope was that when the Pope created twelve Cardinals at the request of the King of France he denied to make one at the desire of the King of England The Papal party
Bernam Chancellor to the Bishop of Norwich being accused for holding and teaching divers Heresies But being threatened he submitted himself and abjured and for his penance he was whipped three Sundayes in a solemn procession in the Cathedral Church of Norwich before all the people The like also was done about his Parish-church of Shelton three other several Sundayes he being bare-headed bare-footed and bare-necked after the manner of a publick Penitentiary his body being covered with a canvass shirt and breeches carrying in his hand a Taper of a pound weight In the same year John Goddesel of Dichingham Parchment maker abjured and was set at liberty till the year 1428. Richard Belward of Erisam sware that he would neither teach nor assist any against the Church of Rome and was dismissed The like happened to Hugh Pie Chaplain of Ludney In the year 1428. King Henry the Sixth sent down Letters of Commission to John Exeter and Ja olet Germain keeper of the Castle of Colchester for the apprehending of William White Priest and others suspected of Heresie John Exeter attached six persons in the Town of Bungay in the Diocess of Norwich and three of them were committed to the Castle of Fremingham belonging to the Duke of Norfolk namely John Waddon of Tenterden in Kent Bartholomew Monk of Ersham and William Skutt In the Towns of Bâ—ckles Ersham and Ludney a great number both of Men and Women were cast into prison and after their abjuration brought to open shame in Churches and Markets by the Bishop of Norwich and his Chancellor William Bernham John Exeter being Register so that within the space of three or four years about one hundred and twenty Men and Women were examined and suffered great vexation for the profession of Christian Faith Some taken upon suspition only more easily escaped as Robert Skirring of Harlstone William Skirring and some others Some were burned among whom special mention is made of these three Father Abraham of Colchester William White and John Waddon Priests The residue abjured and suffered penance as John Beverley J. Wardon John Capper Vicar of Tunstal with more than threescore others They had their Doctrine from William White who was a Scholar and follower of John Wickliff Anno 1428. Such was the Spleen of the Council of Sienna as they not only cursed the memory of John Wickliff as dying an obstinate Heretick but ordered that his bones should be taken out of the ground and thrown far off from any Christian burial In obedience hereunto Richard Fleming Bishop of Lincoln Diocesan of Lutterworth sent his Officers to ungrave him accordingly who took his bones out of the grave and burnt them to ashes and cast them into Swift a neighbouring Brook running hard by Anno 1430. R. Hovedon a Wool-winder and Citizen of London was burnt at the Tower-hill for the Doctrine of Wickliff The year following Thomas Bagley a Priest Vicar of Monenden besides Malden was condemned of Heresie at London about the midst of Lent degraded and burned in Smithfield At St. Andrews in Scotland Anno 1431. Paul Craw was burnt for denying that the substance of the Bread and Wine are changed in the Eucharist Petries Church History or that Confession is necessary to be made unto Priests or Prayers unto Saints departed At his condemnation they put a Bull of Brass in his mouth to the end he should not speak unto the people nor tell for what he was burnt Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester Cardinal Sancti Eusebii Ex Archivâ—â— Turris Lond. was by consent of Parliament made one of the King's Council with this condition that he should make a protestation to absent himself from the Council when any matters were to be treated betwixt the King and Pope The Cardinal took the Protestation and promised to perform it The Clergy complained to the King in Parliament that their Servants which came with them to Convocations were often arrested and they prayed that they might have the same Priviledge which the Peers and Commons of the Kingdom have which are called to Parliament which was granted accordingly Great at this time was the want of Grammar-schools and the abuse of them that were even in London it self it being paenal for any to prevent the growth of Wicklivism to put their Children to private Teachers Hence it was that some hundreds were compelled to go to the same School where to use the words of the Records The Masters waxen rich in money and Learners poor in cunning Whereupon this grievance was complained of by four eminent Ministers in London viz. Mr. William Lichfield Parson of Alhallowes the Great Mr. Gilbert Parson of St. Andrew's Holborn Mr. John Cote Parson of St. Peter's Cornhil Mr. John Neele Master of the House of St. Thomas Acre 's and Parson of Colchirch To these it was granted by the advice of the Ordinary or Archbishop of Canterbury to erect five Schools Neele having a double License for two places in their respective Parishes Know that the House of St. Thomas Acre 's was where Mercers Chappel standeth at this day Then was the Lady Eleanor Cobham so called from the Lord Cobham her Father otherwise Eleanor Plantagenet by her Husband Humfry Duke of Glocester and Roger Only Priest her Chaplain condemned the Dutchess after solemn penance and carrying a Taper barefoot at Paul's Cross to perpetual banishment for plotting with Only say Hall and Fabian in their Chronicles an abominable Necromancer with three others by Witchcraft to destroy the King so to derive the Crown to her Husband who was next Heir in the line of Lancaster And Roger Only was burned But the main cause of their condemnation was for the profession of the Truth although Treason was pretended against them Polydor Virgil makes no mention thereof otherwise quick-lighted enough in matters of this nature At this time William Heiworth sate Bishop of Coventry and Dichfield being translated thither from being Abbot of St. Albans Fuller's Chur. History of Britain At this time William Lynwood finished his industrious and useful Work of his Constitutions He was bred in Cambridge first Scholar of Gonvil then Fellow of Pembrook-hall His younger years he spent in the Law afterwards he became Keeper of the Privy-seal unto King Henry the Fifth who employed him in an Embassie into Spain and Portugal which he exactly performed After the King's death he re-assumed his Official's place of Canterbury and then at spare hours collected and digested the Constitutions of the fourteen latter Archbishops of Canterbury from Stephen Langton unto Henry Chichley unto whom he dedicated the Work a worthy Work highly esteemed by forreign Lawyers his Comment thereon is a Magazine of the Canon Law It was printed at Paris Anno 1505. but at the cost and charges of William Bretton an honest Merchant of London revised by the care of Wolfangus Hippolius and prefaced unto by Iodocus Badius This Linwood was afterwards made Bishop of St. Davids Anno 1434. began the active Council
in ure any new Canons unless the King 's most Royal assent might be had unto them and soon after the same was ratified by Act of Parliament After the Statute of Praemunire was made which did much restrain the Papal power and subject it to the Laws of the Land Archbishops called no more Convocations by their sole and absolute command but at the pleasure of the King as oft as his necessities and occasions with the distresses of the Church did require it Yea now their meetings were by vertue of a Writ or Precept from the King For it was Enacted in the Parliament of the twenty fifth of Henry the Eight L. Herbert's Hist of Hen. 8. That all Convocations shall be thenceforth called by the King 's Writ and that in them nothing shall be promulged or executed without his Highness Licence under pain of imprisonment of the Authors and Mulct at the King's will And that his Highness shall at his pleasure appoint thirty two men to survay the said Canons or Constitutions for the Confirmation or Abolition of the same And as concerning Appeals they shall be made from inferiour Courts to the Archbishop's and for lack of Justice there to the King's Majesty in his Court of Chancery Bishop Fisher was Arraigned of high Treason I will insert the Sting of the indictment out of the Original Diversis Domini Regis veris subditis false malitiose proditorie loquebatur propalabat viz. The King owre Sovereign Lord is not Supreme Hed yn erthe of the Cherche of England In dicti Domini Regis immund despect vilipendium manifest Of this he was found Guilty had Judgement and was remanded to the Tower The King by the advice and consent of the Clergy in Convocation and Great Council in Parliament resolved to reform the Church under his inspection from gross abuses crept into it Thomas Hitten a Preacher at Maidstone for the Testimony of the Truth after long Torments and sundry imprisonments by William Warham Bishop of Canterbury and John Fisher Bishop of Rochester was burned at Maidstone for the Testimony of the Truth Anno 1530. In the year 1531. Thomas Bilney of Cambridge Professor of both Laws converted Thomas Arthur and Mr. Hugh Latimer then Cross-bearer at Cambridge on procession days Afterwards Bilney recanted but for the space of two years after his abjuration Bilney lived in great anguish of mind and repenting Preached publickly the Doctrine which he before abjured He was afterwards taken condemned and burned without Bishops-gate in a low Valley called the Lollards pit under St. Leonard's Hill Going to Execution one of his friends wished him to stand sure and constant to whom he answered That whatsoever storms he passed in this venture yet shortly after my Ship saith he shall be in the Haven There came forth in print a Book called The Supplication of Beggars made by Simon Fish which Book the Lady Anna Bolen delivered to the King who gave him his protection Sir Thomas Moor wrote an Answer to that Book under the Title of Poor silly Souls pewling out of Purgatory to which John Frith made a pithy and effectual Reply Tindal's Translation of the New Testament came forth in English Richard Bayfield suffered for the truth and was burned in Smithfield He was sometime a Monk of Surrey and converted by Doctor Barnes After him John Tewksbury was burned in Smithfield Valentine Freese and his Wife gave their Lives at one Stake for the testimony of the Truth Afterwards the Bishops which had burned Tindal's Testaments were enjoyned by the King to cause a new Translation to be made but they did nothing at all And on the contrary the Bishop of London caused all the translations of Tindal and many other Books which he had bought to be burnt in Paul's Church-yard James Bainham a Gentleman of the Middle-Temple was put in a Prison in Sir Thomas Moore 's House and whipped at a Tree in his Garden called The tree of Truth and was by him afterward sent to the Tower to be racked by racking he was lamed because he would not accuse the Gentlemen of the Temple of his acquaintance nor shew where his Books lay He abjured had his liberty but he asked God and the world forgiveness before the Congregation in those dayes in a Ware-house in Bow-lane And immediately the next Sunday after he came to St. Austin's with the New Testament in his hand in English and the obedience of a Christian-man in his bosom and there with tears declared before the people that he had denied God and prayed the people to forgive and beware of his weakness He was shortly after apprehended Fox Acts and Monuments and committed to the Tower of London and after three appearances he was condemned and burnt in Smithfield About this time John Benet a Tailor was burnt at the Devizes in Wilt-shire for denying the Sacrament of the Altar In the year 1532. Robert King Nicholas Marsh and Robert Gardiner men of Dedham and one Robert Debnam had overthrown and burned the Rood of Dover-court ten miles from Dedham for which fact half a year after they were hanged in Chains King at Burchet in Dedham Debnam at Cattaway-causey Marsh at Dover-court Gardiner escaped and fled Many Images were cast down and destroyed in many places As the Crucifix by Coggeshal in the High-way St. Petronel in the Church of Great Horksleigh St. Christopher by Sudbury St. Petronel in a Chappel by Ipswich Also John Seward of Dedham overthrew a Cross in Stokepark and took two Images out of a Chappel in the same Park and cast them into the water John Frith who was first a Student in Cambridge and afteward one of those whom Cardinal Wolsey gathered together to furnish his new Colledge was condemned by the Bishop of London and was burnt in Smithfield Great was his learning gravity and constancy though but six and twenty years of age With Frith was Andrew Hewet burned after he had given testimony to the truth Thomas Benet a Schoolmaster of fifty years of age born in Cambridge was burned at Exeter Divers others were condemned to perpetual prison During the time of Queen Anne no great persecution nor abjuration was in the Church of England Sir Thomas Moore Doctor Nicholas Wilson and Bishop Fisher refused the Oath to the Act of Succession made Anno 1534. and Sir Thomas Moor and Doctor Wilson were also sent to the Tower The Doctor dissembled the matter and so escaped but the other two remained obstinate On November the third this Parliament was again assembled in which the Pope and Cardinals with his Pardons and Indulgences were wholly abolished to the abolition of which and to the ratifying of the King's Title of Supreme Head Stephen Gardiner gave his Oath so did John Stokesley Bishop of London Edward Lee Archbishop of York Cuthbert Bishop of Durham and all the rest of the Bishops in like sort to this Title also agreed the sentence of the University of Cambridge Edmond Bonner then
other Popes did not only forbid the marriage of Cousin-Germans but other degrees farther off thereby to get money for Dispensations This Law came seasonably to comply with King Henry's occasions who had the first-fruits thereof and presently after married Katherine Howard Cousin-german to Anna Bolen his second Wife which by the Canon-law formerly was forbidden without a special Dispensation first obtained In the third Session of the Convocation at St. Paul's several Bishops were assigned to peruse several Books of the Translation of the new Testament Cranmer stickleth for the Universities approbation The Parliament Anno 1544. mitigated the six Articles for it was required that all Offenders should first be found guilty by a Jury of twelve men before they should suffer Anno 1545. began the last Parliament in this King's Reign wherein many things of consequence were enacted 1. Against Usury 2. For Tithes in London 3. For an exchange of Lands betwixt the King's Majesty and Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Holgate Archbishop of York and Edmond Bonner Bishop of London which the King annexed to the Dutchy of Lancaster 4. An Act for union of Churches not exceeding the value of six pounds 5. That Doctors of the Civil Law might exercise Ecclesiastical jurisdiction At this time also by the King's command were the Stews suppressed The Favourers of the truth among the Noblemen were Fox Acts and Monuments the Earl of Suffolk Viscount Beauchamp Viscount Lisle Lord Russel Treasurer Lord Awdley Chancellor Lord Paget and Sadler and Thomas Cranmar Archbishop of Canterhury The Patrons of Popery were the Bishop of Winchester and Durham the Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Southampton Anthony Brown William Pawlet John Baker Richard Chancellor of the Augmentation Winckfield Vice-chancellor Four and twenty were Executed for Traitors in the time of King Henry for the cause of Supremacy Adam Damlip who before had escaped and lay hid in the West-countrey teaching a School about a year or two by the miserable Inquisition of the six Articles was again taken and brought up to London where he was by Stephen Gardiner commanded to the Marshal-sea and after two years space he was Condemned and Executed for Treason One Henry was burnt at Colchester and one Kerby at Ipswich for the Testimony of the Truth In the year 1546. in June Anne Ashcough aliàs Kyme Daughter of Sir William Ashcough of Kelsey in Lincoln-shire of the age of 25. years whose Wit Beauty Learning and Religion procured her much esteem on the Queens side of the Court and as much hatred from the Popish Bishops was burned for the profession of the Truth in Smithfield with three men Nicholas Belevian Priest of Shrop-shire John Lacels Gentleman of the houshold of King Henry the Eighth and John Adams a poor Tailor of London Her several examinations penned by her self are extant in Mr. Fox Then began the troubles of Queen Katherine Parr whom the King had married some two years since She was one of great piety beauty and discretion next to the Bible she studied the King's disposition observing him to her utmost yet sometimes she would presume to discourse with the King about points of Religion defending the Protestant Tenets by Scripture and sometimes would hold up the King very close hard at it This displeased him who loved looseness and liberty in his Clothes Arguments and Actions and was quickly observed by Gardiner and others the Queen's enemies Hereupon Gardiner drew up Articles against her and got them subscribed with the King 's own hand to send her to the Tower But Chancellor Wriothesley put the paper of those Articles in his own bosom which casually fell out was taken up by one of the Queen's Servants and brought to the Queen who on her sickness and submission to the King obtained his Pardon Signed and Sealed unto her with many kisses and embraces And her enemies that came to attach her were sent back with the Taunts and Threats of the enraged King against them King Henry made his Will and died a moneth after and was buried at Windsor After the Death of King Henry succeeded King Edward Sir John Hayward's Hist of K. Edw. 6. his Son being scarce ten years old full of as much Worth as the model of his Age could hold He attained not onely commendable Knowledge but speech in the Greek Spanish and Italian Languages having always great Judgment in measuring his Words by his Matter his Speech being alike both fluent and weighty such as best beseemed a Prince As for Natural Philosophy Logick Musick Astronomy and other Liberal Sciences his perfections were such that the great Italian Philosopher Cardan having tasted him by many Conferences seemed to be astonished between admiration and delight and divulged his abilities to be miraculous These his acquirements by industry were very much enriched and enlarged by many excellent Endowments of nature for in disposition he was mild gratious and pleasant of an heavenly wit in Body beautiful but especially in his Eyes which seemed to have a Starry liveliness and lustre in them Generally he seemed to be as Cardan reported of him A Miracle of Nature Because he was young he was committed to sixteen Governours the Lord Edward Seimour Duke of Sommerset his Unckle was assigned unto him Protector by whose endeavour the six bloody Articles forementioned were abolished This King restored the holy Scriptures in the English Tongue he abolished Masses and such as were banished were received home as John Hooper Miles Coverdale c. He changed most part of the Bishops of Diocesses and compelled dumb Priests to give place to those that would Preach he suppressed Idolatry restored the Gospel and worship of God encouraged Godly Preachers sent for Eminent Men both for Learning and Piety from beyond the Seas to Teach in both Universities viz. Peter Martyr in Oxford and Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius in Cambridge and was a Refuge to all the Godly that fled for Religion out of other Countries and therefore is called by Melchior Adam Melch. Adam in vit Germ. Theolog. Summae spei Princeps qui omnibus piis doctis Polanis Germanis Gallis Scotis Italis Hispanis hospitium patrocinium dederat A Prince of singular hope who gave protection and entertainment to all Godly and Learned Men Polonians Germans French Scots Italians Spaniards In consideration whereof an eminent Martyr in Queen Maries days in an effectionate Speech of His before a Popish Persecutor cried out Blessed be God for King Edward This King was much enclined to Clemency especially in matters of Blood and most especially if it were for Religion insomuch that albeit he was greatly affected to that Religion wherein he had been brought up yet none were executed in his time for other Religion but onely two blasphemous Hereticks Joan Butcher and George a Dutch-man And when Joan Butcher was to be burned all the Council could not procure him to set his hand to the Warrant wherefore they employed Thomas Cranmer
Commission whence it took the name of the Bishops Bible and by the Queens sole commandment Reprinted Then diverse Proclamations were issued out in the King's name relating to Ecclesiastical matters in the four first years of his Reign among which there was a Proclamation inhibiting Preachers Anno secundo Edwardi sexti whereof this was the occasion Certain Popish Preachers disaffected to the King's Government in their Sermons declared That the King intended to lay strange exactions upon the people To prevent further mischief the King ordered by Proclamation That none should Preach except Licensed under the Seals of the Lord Protector or Archbishop of Canterbury At this time many Popish Pulpits founded the Alarum to Kets Rebellion and the Devon-shire Commotion There was also a Proclamation for the payment of the late Incumbents of Colledges and Chanteries lately dissolved Anno 3. Edwardi sexti A Proclamation also for the Inhibition of Players Aug. 6. The Parliament not long before passed an Act for Election of Bishops and what Seals and styles should be used by Spiritual persons in which it was Ordained That Bishops should be made by the King's Letters Patents and not by the election of the Deans and Chapters That all their Processes and Writings should be made in the King's name onely with the Bishops Teste added to it and sealed with no other Seal but the King 's or such as should be authorized and appointed by him The Intent of the Contrivers of this Act saith Dr. Heylin Hâ—ylin Hist Edw. 6. was to weaken the authority of the Episcopal Order by forcing them from their strong-hold of Divine Institution and making them no other than the King's Ministers onely And of this Act such use was made that the Bishops of those times were not in a capacity of conferring Orders but as they were thereunto impowered by special License The Tenour whereof was if Sanders may be believed in these words following viz. The King to such a Bishop Greeting Where as all and all manner of Jurisdiction as well Ecclesiastical as Civil flows from the King as from the Supreme Head of all the Body c. We therefore give and grant to Thee full Power and License to continue during our good pleasure for holding Ordination within thy Diocess of N. and for promoting fit persons unto holy Orders even to that of the Priesthood Queen Mary caused this Act to be repealed in the first year of her Reign leaving the Bishops to depend on their former Claim and to Act all things which belonged to their Jurisdiction in their own Names and under their own Seals as in former times In which estate they have continued without any legal interruption from that time to this Doctor Nicholas Ridley was promoted to the See of Rochester to which he had been nominated by King Henry the Eighth a man of great Learning and well-studied in the Fathers and an excellent Preacher Doctor Barlow was preferred to the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells The Commissioners authorized to take away Images out of Churches were in many places entertained with contempt and railing and the farther they went from London the worse they were handled one of them called Body as he was pulling down Images in Cornwal was stabbed in the body by a Priest Many there were that then cried down all the observations of Days and Times and particularly of keeping Lent complaint whereof being made by Bishop Gardiner in a Letter to the Lord Protector a Proclamation was sent out commanding all people to abstain from Flesh in the time of Lent and the King 's Lenten dyet was set out and served as in former times Hugh Latimer having by the power of Cromwel and his favour with the King been made Bishop of Worcester Anno 1535. continued in that See till on the first of July 1539. he chose rather to resign the same than to have any hand in passing the six Articles then agitated in the Convocation and confirmed by Parliament full eight years he betook himself to the retiredness of a private life On New-years day he Preached his first Sermon at Pauls Cross the first I mean after his re-admission to his former Ministry and two Lords-days after again in the same place and on January 25. such multitudes flocked to hear his Sermon that being to Preach before the King the first Friday in Lent a pulpit was placed in the King 's privy Garden where he might be heard of four times as many Auditors as could have thronged into the Chappel Which as it was the first Sermon that was Preached in that place so afterward a fixed and standing Pulpit was erected for the like occasions especially for Lent-sermons on the Sundays in the Afternoon and hath so continued ever since till these latter times At the return of the King's Commissioners dispatched throughout the Realm to take a Survay of all Colledges Free-chappels Chanteries and Brotherhoods in the first place as lying nearest came in the free Chappel of St. Stephen originally founded in the Palace at Westminster and reckoned for the Chappel Royal of the Court of England The whole Foundation consisted of thirty eight persons viz. one Dean twelve Canons thirteen Vicars four Clerks six Choristers besides a Verger and one that had the charge of the Chappel This Chappel hath been since fitted and employed for an house of Commons in all times of Parliament At the same time also fell the Colledge commonly called St. Martins le Grand near Aldersgate in London the King gave the same with the Liberties and precincts thereof to the Church of Westminster These two St. Stephen's and St. Martin's were the richest of all the rest Then the Lord Protector being unfurnished of a Palace proportionable to his Greatness doubted not to find room enough upon the dissolution of the Bishoprick of Westminster lately erected to raise a Palace equal to his vast designs Which coming to the ears of Benson the last Abbot and first Dean of Westminster he was willing to preserve the whole by parting for the present with more than half of the estate belonging to it And thereupon a Lease is made of seventeen Mannors and good Farmes lying almost altogether in the County of Glocester for the Term of ninety nine years which was presented to the Lord Thomas Seymor to serve as an addition to his Mannor of Sudley Another present of almost as many Mannors lying in the Counties of Glocester Worcester and Hereford was made for the like Term to Sir John Mason for the use of the Lord Protector which after the Duke's fall came to Sir John Bourn principal Secretary of Estate in the time of Queen Mary The Mannor of Islip was also put into the sâ—ale conferred upon that Church by King Edward the Confessor to which two hundred Tenants owed their soile and service and being one of the best wooded things in those parts of the Realm was to be granted also without impeachment of waste as it was
whereby he was to be discharged of the Attainder which had passed upon him Anno 1539. restored in Blood and rendred Capable of all those Rights and Priviledges of which he had stood possessed in this Kingdom This Bill was quickly passed into an Act and on Novemb. 24. the Cardinal came first to London Then it was concluded by both Houses of Parliament that a petition should be made in the name of the Kingdom wherein should be declared how sorry they were that they had withdrawn their obedience from the Apostolick See and consenting to the Statutes made against it promising to endeavour hereafter that the said Lawes and Statutes should be repealed beseeching the King and Queen to intercede with his Holiness for their Absolution Then the Cardinal having read his Authority given him from the Pope they all kneeled upon their knees and imploring the mercy of God received Absolution for themselves and the rest of the Kingdom Which Absolution was pronounced in these words Our Lord Jesus Christ which with his most pretious blood hath redeemed us from all our sins c. and whom the Father hath appointed Head over all his Church absolve you And we by Apostolick Authority given unto us by the most holy Lord Pope Julius the third His Vicegerent here on earth do absolve and deliver you and every of you with the whole Realm and the Dominions thereof from all heresie and schism and from every judgement censure and pain for that cause incurred And also we do restore you again unto the unity of Our Mother the Holy Church In the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Which words of His being seconded with a loud Amen by such as were present he concluded the dayes work with a solemn Procession to the Chappel for rendring thanks to God Then did the Cardinal dispence with much irregularity in several persons confirming the Institution of Clergy-men in their Benefices legitimating the Chiâ—dren of forbidden Marriages ratifying the processes and sentences in matters Ecclesiastical and his dispensations were confirmed by Acts of Parliament Then was Anthony Brown Viscount Montacute Thursby Bishop of Ely and Sir Edward Carn sent on a gratulatory Embassie to Pope Paul IV. to tender England's thanks for the favours conferr'd thereon The Convocation that then was held knew that the Cardinal was to be entreated not to insist upon the restoring of Church-lands rather to confirm the Lords and Gentry in their present possessions And to that end a Petition is presented to both their Majesties Heylin Hist of Q. Mary that they would be pleased to intercede with the Cardinal concerning it Which Petition was offered to the Legate in the name of the whole Convocation by the Lord Chancellor the Prolocutor and six others of the Lower House Concerning which the Legate was not ignorant that a Message had been sent to the Pope in the name of the Parliament to desire a confirmation of the Sale of all the Lands belonging to Abbies Chanteries c. or otherwise to let him know that nothing could be granted on his behalf And it is likely they received some fair promises to that effect in regard that on New-years day next following the Act for restoring the Pope's Supremacy was passed in both Houses of Parliament The whole matter being transacted to the content of all parties the poor Protestants excepted only on January 25. there was a solemn procession throughout London to praise God for their Conversion to the Catholick Church wherein were ninety Crosses an hundred and Sixty Priests and Clerks each of them attired in his Cope and after them eight Bishops in their Pontificalibus followed by Bonner carrying the Popish Pix under a Canopy and attended by the Lord Mayor and Companies in their several Liveries Which Procession being ended they all returned to S. Paul's Church where the King and Cardinal together with all the rest heard Mass and the next day the Parliament and Convocation were dissolved The English Ambassadours came to Rome on the first day of the Papacy of Pope Paul IV. and in the first consistory after his Inauguration they were brought before him who granted the pardon desired and lovingly embraced the Ambassadours and as an over plus the Pope conferred the Title of King 's of Ireland on their Majesties In his private discourses with the Ambassadours he said that the Church-goods ought to be wholly restored saying also that his Authority was not such as to profane things dedicated unto God He also told them that the Peter-pence ought to be paid as soon as might be and that according to the custom he would send a collector for that purpose He closed his discourse with this that they could not hope that S. Peter would open to them the Gates of Heaven as long as they usurped his goods on earth A rumour was spread of the Queen's being with Child and that she was quick and thereupon Letters were sent from the Lords of the Council to Bonner Bishop of London that prayers and thanksgivings should be made in all Churches The Parliament also while it was sitting passed an Act desiring the King that if the Queen should fail he would be pleased to take upon him the Education of the Child Set forms of prayer were also made for her safe delivery Great preparations were also made of all things necessary against the time of her delivery And upon a sudden rumour of her being delivered the Bells were rung and Bonfires made in most parts of London But it proved in fine that the Queen neither was with Childe for the present nor had any hopes of being so for the time to come A Gun was shot at one Doctor Pendleton as He Preached at Paul's Cross June 10. 1554 the pellet whereof went very neer him but the Gunner was not to be heard of Upon which the Queen published a Proclamation prohibiting the shooting with hand-guns and the bearing of weapons A little before this some had caused a Cat to be hanged upon the Gallows near the Cross in Cheapside with her head shorn the likeness of a vestment cast upon her and her two feet tyed together holding between them a piece of Paper in form of a Wafer tending to the disgrace of the Popish Religion Then were some Antient Statutes revived that were made in the time of King Richard the second Henry the fourth and Henry the fifth for the severe punishment of obstinate Hereticks even to death it self and an Act was passed for that purpose Hereupon followed that Inquisition for Blood which raged in London and more or less was exercised in most parts of the Kingdom Mr. John Rogers a Learned man and a great companion of that Tyndal by whom the Bible was translated into English in the time of King Henry after whose Martyrdom he retired to Wittenberg in the Dukedome of Saxony where he abode till King Edward's coming to the Crown and was by Bishop Ridley presented to the Lecture of
in English against Chark who had written soberly against Campian's challenge But to Campian's Reasons Whitaker answered soundly He was taken a year after and put to the rack and afterwards being brought forth to dispute hardly maintained the expectation raised of him Parsons hardly escaping at Norwich in Cheshire politickly returneth to Rome This year Edmond Grindal Archbishop of Canterbury groaning under the Queens displeasure was forbidden access to the Convocation But a Petition was drawn up in the name of the whole Convocation for the restitution of the Archbishop by Toby Matthew Dean of Christ-church This Petition after delayes ended in a final denial it being daily suggested to the Queen that Grindal was a great Patron of Prophecyings now set up in several parts of the Land which if permitted would in fine prove the bane of the Church and State These Prophecyings were thus modelled 1. The Ministers of the same Precinct by their own appointment Fuller Church Hist An. 1580. met at the principal place therein 2. The Junior Divine went first into the Pulpit and for about half an hour treated upon a portion of Scripture formerly by a joynt agreement assigned unto him After him four or five more observing their seniority successively dilated on the same Text. 3. At last a Grave Divine made the closing Sermon somewhat larger than the rest praising the pains of such who best deserved it and mildly reproving the mistakes of such of those if any were found in their Sermons Then all was ended as it was begun with a solemn Prayer And at a publick refection of those Ministers together with many of the Gentry repairing to them the next time of their meeting was appointed Text assigned Preachers deputed a new Moderator elected or the one continued and so all were dissolved But some incoveniences were seen and more foreseen if these Prophecyings might generally take place in the Land However the Archbishop to vindicate himself wrote a large Letter to the Queen But all in vain for the Earl of Leicester had so filled the Queens ears with complaints against him that there was no room to receive his Petition Indeed Leicester cast a covetous eye on Lambeth-house and maliced him because he stoutly opposed the alienating this his principal Palace Now began Priests and Jesuits to flock faster into England than ever before having exchange of clothes names and professions Hereupon the Parliament now met at Westminster enacted severe Laws against them John Pain a Priest was executed at Chelmsford Thomas Ford John Shert and Robert Johnson Priests were executed at London This year died Gilbert Berkley Bishop of Bath and Wells The Presbyterian party met at Cockfield Mr. Knewstub's Cure in Suffolk even sixty Ministers of Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridge-shire to confer of the Common-prayer-book what might be tolerated and what refused in every point of it apparel matter form dayes fastings injunctions c. whilst the severity of the State was at this time great against Jesuites some lenity of course fell to the share of the Non-conformists The City of Geneva being now reduced to great extremities by the Duke of Savoy Beza addressed himself by Letters to Mr. Walter Travers one of the chief of the Presbyterian party then Chaplain to the Lord Treasurer in which Letter may be seen much of the secret sympathy betwixt England and Geneva about Discipline Geneva helping England with her Prayers England aiding Geneva with her purse The Duke of Anjou came into England and was an earnest Suitor to Queen Elizabeth A Book was set forth against the Marriage entitled The Gulps wherein England will be swallowed by the French Marriage The Queen by open Proclamation commended the Duke of Anjou's affection towards her and the Protestants Religion sorrowed that so great an injury was offered to so high a Prince she condemned the Author of the Book as a publisher of Sedition and commanded the Book to be burnt before the Magistrates face From this time she began to be more incensed against the Innovators from whom she believed that these things proceeded And within few dayes after John Stubs of Lincolns-Inn whose Sister Mr. Cartwright formerly mentioned had married the Author of this Book William Page who dispersed the Copies and Singleton the Printer were apprehended Stubs and Page had their right hands cut off with a Cleaver driven through the wrist with the force of a Beetle upon a Scaffold in the Market-place at Westminster The Printer was pardoned Stubs having his right hand cut off put off his hat with his left and said with a loud voice God save the Queen The Queen also to take away the fear which had possessed many mens minds that Religion would be altered and Popery tolerated permitted that Edmond Campian Jesuite Ralph Sherwin Luke Kirby and Alexander Briant Priests should be arraigned they were condemned and executed for Treason This was done during the abode of Anjou in England The Earl of Leicester improved his power at this time very great with the Queen to obtain great Liberty for the Non-conformists Hence it was that many Bishops active in pressing subscription in their Diocess when repairing to Court were checked by this great Favourite to their great discouragement Hereupon the Brethren who hitherto had no particular platform of Discipline among themselves The form of Discipline by the Brethren considered of in a solemn Synod with the Decrees thereof may be read in Fuller church Hist Cent. 16. Anno 1582. as universally practised by their party began in a solemn Council held by them to conclude on a certain form as may be seen in their Decrees faithfully translated out of their Latin Copy The Title thereof These be the things that do seem may well stand with the peace of the Church This year died three that seemed Pillars in the Romish Church Frist Richard Bristow born in Worcester-shire bred at Exeter-colledge in Oxford whence he fled beyond the Seas and by Cardinal Allen was made Overseer of the English Colledge first at Doway then at Rhemes For the recovery of his health he returned into his native Land and died quietly near London The second Nicholas Harpsfield bred first in Winchester-school then in New-colledge in Oxford where he proceeded Doctor of Law and after became Archdeacon of Canterbury Under King Edward the Sixth he banished himself Under Queen Mary he returned and was advanced Under Queen Elizabeth imprisoned for denying her Supremacy Yet such was his mild usage in his Restraint that he wrote much therein and among the rest his Ecclesiastical History He wrote also six Dialogues in favour of his own Religion He set it forth under the name of Alan Cope Yet caused he these Capital letters to be engraven at the end of his Book A. H. L. N. H. E. V. E. A. C. Hereby mystically meaning Auctor Hujus Libri Nicolaus Harpfeldus Edidit Vero Eum Alanus Copus The third Gregory Martin born at Mayfield in Sussex bred with Campian at
Rushton an ungrateful wretch who afterwards railed on the Queen in Print who gave him his life In the year 1584. Two conferences were kept at Lambeth about the Discipline and Ceremonies of the Church For the same were the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and Cooper Bishop of Winchester Unconforming Ministers against it The Lords of the Privy Council and some other Honorable persons Auditors thereof This conference effected nothing on the Disputants as to the altering their Opinions Some of the Lords afterwards secretly acted against the Archbishop in favour of the other party The Archbishop now take's another course enjoyning all admitted to the Ecclesiastical Orders and Benefices the subscription of the following Articles I. That the Queen had supreme Authority over all persons born within her Dominions of what condition soever they were And that no other Prince Prelate or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Civil or Ecclesiastical within her Realms or Dominions II. That the Book of Common-Prayer and the Ordination of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth nothing contrary to the Word of God but may lawfully be used and that they will use that and none other III. That the Articles of Religion agreed in the Synod holden at London Anno 1562. and published by the Queens Authority they did allow of and did believe them to be consonant to the word of God Now came forth the Rhemish Translation of the New Testament every where bespeckled with hard words which transcend common capacities taxed by our Divines as full of abominable errors Secretary Walsingham soliciteth Mr. Thomas Cartwright to undertake to refute this Rhemish Translation and sent him an hundred pounds out of his own purse the better to enable him for the work Walsingham's Letters to Cartwright were seconded by another from the Doctors and Heads of Houses and Dr. Fulk among the rest at Cambridge besides the importunity of the Ministers of London and Suffolk to the same purpose Cartwright prepares for the work But Archbishop Whitgift having notice thereof prohibiteth his further proceeding therein Cartwright hereupon desisted But some years after encouraged by an honourable Lord he resumed the work but prevented by death he perfected no further than the fifteenth Chapter of the Revelation Many years lay this worthy work neglected and the Copy thereof Mouse-eaten in part at last came forth though late Anno 1618. a Book to which the Rhemists never durst return the least answer But whilst Cartwrights work lay retarded Dr. William Fulk Master of Pembrook-hall in Cambridge entred the list against the Rhemists and Judiciously and Learnedly performed his undertaking therein This year came forth the Exposition of Mr. Thomas Rogers on the Articles of the Church of England not onely the two extremes Papists and Schismaticks but many Protestants of a middle temper were offended thereat Mr. Rogers his restrictive Comment shut out such from their concurrence with the Church of England which the discreet laxity of the Text admitted thereunto On November 23. 1585. The Parliament was begun and holden at Westminster wherein the Statute against Jesuites and Priests their departing out of England and not returning thither was made with penalty for relieving them A Convocation was kept in St. Pauls Church in London and from hence removed to St. Peter's in Westminster where William Redman D. D. was chosen and presented Prolocutor An Assembly of Ministers met at the same time but the certain place of their meeting not known being Clandestine Arbitrary and changeable as advised by their Conveniences Some Agents for them were all day at the door of the Parliament-house and some part of the night in the Chambers of Parliament-men effectually solliciting their business with them What impression was made by the Agents of the Ministers may appear by an ensuing Letter sent to her Majesty by Archbishop Whitgift wherein he complaineth of several Bills that had the day before the dating of his Letter passed in the House of Commons in favour of the Non-conformists about Marrying at all times in the year concerning Ecclesiastical Courts and Episcopal Visitations which saith he may reach to the overthrow of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and study of the Civil Law But the Queen would alter nothing material to Church-government The Parliament being dissolved the Convocation ended the next day after having effected nothing of moment save that in the ninth Session thereof John Hilton Priest made a solemn Abjuration of his blasphemous Heresies The Non-conformists now missing their mark abated much of their former Activity insomuch as that Mr. Cartwright began to make by the mediation of the Earl of Leicester who now design'd to make him Master of his new-built Hospital in Warwick compliance with the Archbishop though he not over-fond of his friendship warily kept him at distance as appears by the Earl of Leicester's Letter to the Archbishop in Cartwright's behalf and the Archbishop's answer thereto Now the Earl of Leicester went over into the Low Countries commanding a great Army with the Title of General of the Auxiliaries of the Queen of England and the Non-conformists lost their best friend in Court And afterwards the Archbishop being sworn one of the Privy Council it fared worse with them Three Protestant Bishops died this year viz. Richard Curteys Bishop of Chichester Nicholas Robinson Bishop of Bangor and John Scory Bishop of Hereford The same year also died John Fecknam late Abbot of Westminster The Jesuites began now to possess their English Proselites with high Opinions of the Spanish power as the Nation designed by God's providence to work their restitution in England and they sent into England as Pasquier saith one Samier a man of their Society to draw Noblemen and Gentlemen to the Spaniards party and to thrust forward the Queen of Scots to dangerous practices by telling her That if she were refractory neither She nor her Son should Reign and by exciting the Guises her kinsmen to new stirs against the King of Navar and the Prince of Conde that they might not be able to ayd her In the year 1586. a firm League of Amity was concluded and ratified betwixt the Queen of England and James King of Scotland A dangerous conspiracy against the Queen of England begun by John Savage but prosecuted by Anthony Babington and others was discovered The chief discover of this Conspiracy was one Gifford a Gentleman of a good house at Chellington in Stafford-shire not far from Chartley where the Queen of Scots was kept prisoner He was sent by the English fugitives in France under the counterfit name of Luson to put Savage in mind of the vow which he had made to kill Queen Elizabeth and to convey Letters between them and the Queen of Scots Gifford revealed the plot to Secretary Walsingham who sent him down into Stafford-shire to do the work he had undertaken Here Gifford bribing the Brewer of the house where the Queen of Scots lay so contrived the matter with him that by a hole in the
Anno 1600. died two eminent Roman Catholicks John Saunderson born in Lancaster bred in Trinity Colledge in Cambridge from whence he fled to Cambray in Artois The other Thomas Case of St. Johns in Oxford Doctor of Physick always a Papist in heart but never expressing the same till a little before his Death CENTURY XVII THe difference betwixt the Seculars and the Jesuites still continuing and encreasing Bishop Bancroft afforded the Seculars countenance and maintenance in London-house furnishing them with necessaries to write against their Adversaries hoping the Protestants might assault the Romish cause with the greater advantage by the breach made to their hands by the others own dissentions Archbishop Whitgift founded and endowed an Hospital at Croydon in Surrey for a Warden and twenty eight Brethren as also a free School with liberal maintenance for the training up of Youth Sir Rich. Bakers Chron. The Queen and Her Council finding both the Jesuites and the Secular Priests dangerous to this Common Wealth both the one and the other commandeth them to depart out of the Kingdom presently The last Parliament in this Queen's Reign was now begun at Westminster and dissolved the Moneth next following In this Parliament it was Enacted That overseers of the poor should be nominated yearly in Easter-week under the Hand and Seal of two Justices of peace and that these with the Church-wardens should take care of the poor binding out of Apprentices c. As also That the Lord Chancellor should award Commissions under the great Seal into any part of the Realm as cause should require to the Bishop of every Diocess and his Chancellor c. to enquire by oathes of twelve men into the misemployment of any lands or goods given to pious uses Francis Godwin D. D. Subdean of Exeter son of Thomas Godwin Bishop of Bath and Wells was made Bishop of Landaff He was born in the fourth year of Queen Elizabeth and was made a Bishop within Her Reign Anno 1601. Now came forth a notable book against the Jesuites written Scholastically by Watson a secular Priest consisting of ten Quodlibets each whereof is subdivided into as many Articles which discovereth the Jesuites in their Colours Anno 1602. died Herbert Westphaling Bishop of Hereford being the first Bishop of that foundation a man very pious and of such gravity that he was scarce ever seen to laugh There died also Alexander Nowel D. D. and Dean of S. Paul's in London He fled into Germany in the Reign of Queen Mary and was the first of English exiles that returned in the days of Queen Elizabeth an holy and Learned Man He bestowed two hundred pound a year rent on Brazen-nose Colledge wherein he was educated for the maintenance of thirteen Students He died at ninety years of age a single man fresh in his youthful Learning his eyes were not dim nor did he ever make use of Spectacles Mr. William Perkins who was born in the first died also in the last year of Queen Elizabeth Gregory Sayer also and William Harris two Popish Writers bred the one at Cambridge the other at Oxford died this year beyond the Seas At this time the City of Geneva was in a low estate for the Duke of Savoy addicted to the Spanish faction had banished all Protestants of his Dominions By the Liberal example of Archbishop Whitgift large summes of Money were Collected and seasonably sent over for the Relief of Geneva Queen Elizabeth the mirrour of her Sex and Age died having Reigned over this Kingdom above fourty years Her Corps were Solemnly interred under a fair Tomb in Westminster Abbey Now the Defenders both of Episcopacy and Presbitery with equal hopes of success make besides private and particular Addresses publick and visible Applications to King James the first to continue the last to set up their Government Dr. Thomas Nevil Dean of Canterbury sent by Archbishop Whitgift to his Majesty in the name of the Bishops and Clergy of England brought back a well-come answer which was to uphold the Government of the Late Queen as she left it setled Then Watson a Secular Priest with William Cleark another of his Profession having fancied a notional Treason impart it to George Brook These break it to Brook's brother the Lord Cobham to the Lord Gray of Wilton and Sir Walter Rawleigh besides some other discontented Knights Watson devised an Oath of secrecy for them all The ends they propounded to themselves were to kill the King raise Rebellion alter Religion and procure a Forreign invasion c. The treason was discovered The two Priests alone with G. Brook were executed the rest were pardoned No sooner was King James setled on the English throne but Mr. Cartwright presented unto him his Latine Comment on Ecclesiastes and died soon after Mr. Dod Preached his funeral Sermon Now there being a general expectation of a Parliament to succeed the Presbterian party went about to get hands of the Ministers to a petition which they intended seasonably to present to the King and Parliament A conference was appointed at Hampton-Court which began on January 14. 1603. The names of the Persons which were employed therein are as follow For Conformity Archbishop of Canterbury Whitgift Bishops of London Durham Winchester Worcester S. David's Chichester Carlile Peterborow Bancroft Mathew Bilson Babington Rudd Watson Robinson Dove Deans of The Chappel Christ-Church Worcester Westminster S. Paul's Chester Sarisbury Windsor Doctor Field King Against Conformity Doctor Reinolds Sparks Master Knewstubs Chadderton Moderator Spectators King James All the Lords of the Privy Council On the first dayes Conference the Bishops and five of the Deans were called in severally by themselves then the King reduceth some special points wherein he desireth to be satisfied to three Heads 1. Concerning the Book of Common Prayer c. used in the Church 2. Excommunication in Ecclesiastical Courts 3. The providing of fit and able Ministers for Ireland In the Common-prayer-book he required satisfaction about three things 1. About Confirmation 2. Absolution 3. Private Baptism Touching Confirmation he said he abhorred the abuse wherein it was made a Sacrament or Corroboration to Baptism As for Absolution he said he had heard it likened to Pope's Pardons And Concerning Private Baptism he would be satisfied if called private from the place or if so termed that any besides a Lawful Minister may Baptize which he disliked Concerning excommunication he offered two things to be considered of 1. The Matter 2. The Persons For the first whether it were executed in light Cases which causeth the undervaluing thereof For the persons he would be resolved why Chancellors and Commissaries being lay men should do it and not rather the Bishops themselves c. As for providing Ministers for Ireland he said he would refer it in the last dayes Conference to a Consultation The Archbishop of Canterbury answered that Confirmation hath been used in the Catholick Church ever since the Apostles The Bishop of London That it is an Apostolical
of Bavaria was invested in the upper Palatinate Anno 1624. The match with France was concluded and in November the Articles were sworn unto by King James Prince Charles and the French King The Articles for Religion were not much short of those for Spanish match Count Mansfield was at this time in England and the Forces raised in the several parts of the Kingdom for the recovery of the Palatinate were put under his command Dover was the place assigned for their Rendezvous where the Colonels and Captains were to receive their several Regiments and Companies from the Conductors employed by those several Counties where the men were raised These being long pent up in their Ships suffered the want of all necessaries by which means a Pestilence devoured many of them so that scarce a Third part of the men were landed the which also afterwards mouldred away and the design came to nothing At this time upon the death of William Titular Bishop of Calcedon most of the English Secular Priests did petition the Pope that another Bishop might be sent over into England there to ordain Priests give Confirmation and exercise Episcopal jurisdiction Among others Matthew Kellison and Richard Smith were presented Not long after Pope Vrban the Eighth created Richard Smith Bishop of Calcedon and sent him into England with Episcopal Authority over the Priests within the English Dominions King James after he had been troubled with a Tertian Fever four weeks at Theobalds called unto him his onely Son Prince Charles to whom he recommended the protection of the Church of England c. and died on the seven and twentieth day of March He Reigned twenty two years and three days The sad news of King James his death was brought to White-hall when Dr. Laud Bishop of St. David's was Preaching therein This caused him to break off his Sermon in the midst thereof out of civil compliance with the sadness of the Congregation And the same day was King Charles Proclaimed at Whitehall Shortly after King James his death Bishop Land delivered to the hands of the Duke of Buckingham brief memorables of the Life and Death of King James On May fourteenth following King James his Funerals were performed very solemnly in the Collegiate-church at Westminster King Charles in his own person mournfully attended the Funerals of his Father Dr. Williams Lord Keeper and Bishop of Lincoln Preached the Sermon taking for his Text 2 Chron. 9.29 30 and part of vers 31. containing the happy Reign quiet Death and stately Burial of King Solomon In this Sermon he made a parallel between two peaceable Princes King Solomon and King James adding that Solomon's vices could be no blemish to King James who resembled him onely in his choycest vertues Doctor Preston still continued and increased in the favour of the King and the Duke of Buckingham Then a Book came forth called Apello Caesarem made by Mr. Mountague then Fellow of Eaton upon this occasion He had lately written Satyrically enough against the Papists in confutation of The Gagger of the Protestants Now two Divines of Norwich Diocese Mr. Yates and Mr. Ward inform against him for deserting our Cause instead of defending it Mr. Mountague in his own Vindication writes a second Book licensed by Francis White Dean of Carlile finished and partly Printed in the Reign of King James Many bitter passages in this his Book gave great exception At that time a Schedule was delivered to the Duke wherein the names of Ecclesiastical persons were written under the letters of O and P Rushw Collect An. 1625. O standing for Orthodox and P. for Puritans for the Duke commanded that the names of eminent persons to be presented unto the King should be thus digested under that partition On Sunday June 12. Queen Mary landed at Dover Next day the King coming from Canterbury met her at Dover Thence his Majesty conducted the Queen to Canterbury and the same Evening the Marriage was there consummated On June 16. the King and Queen came both to London A Chappel at Sommerset-house was built for the Queen and her Family with conveniences thereto adjoyning for Capuchin Friers who were therein placed and had permission to walk abroad in their Religious habits Then began a Parliament at London wherein the first Statute agreed upon was for the more strict observation of the Lord's day Sir Edward Coke went to the House of Peers with a message from the Commons desiring their concurrence in a petition concerning Religion and against Recusants which being agreed to and presented to the King his Majesty answered That he was glad that the Parliament was so forward in matters of Religion and assured them they should find him as forward Mr. Richard Mountague was brought to the Bar of the Commons House for his Book fore-mentioned which was Printed and dedicated to King Charles But the King rescued him from the House of Commons by taking Mr. Mountague's business into his own hand The Plague increasing in London the Parliament removed to Oxford where Doctor Chalenor died of that infection The Parliament to prevent the growth of Popery presented a petition to his Majesty containing sixteen particulars to which they received a satisfactory answer from the King Mr. Mountagues cause was recommended to the Duke of Buckingham by the Bishops of Rochester Oxford and St. Davids as the cause of the Church of England They affirm boldly that they cannot conceive what use there can be of Civil Government in the Common-wealth or of external Ministry in the Church if such fatal Opinions as some are which are opposite to those of Mr. Mountague be publickly taught and maintained But other Learned men were of a different judgement At Oxford in a late Divinity disputation held upon this Question Whether a Regenerate man may fall away totally and finally from Grace The Opponent u ging the Appeal to Caesar the Doctor of the Chair handled the Appellator very roughly saying That he was a man that studied phrases more than matter That he understood neither Articles nor Homilies or at least perverted both That he attributed he knew not what vertue to the sign of the Cross and concluded with an Admonition to the Juniors That they should be wary of reading that and the like Books The King according to his late answer to the Parliament at Oxford issued out a Commission to the Judges to see the Law against Recusants put in Execution This was read in all the Courts of Judicature at Reading where Michaelmas Term was kept and a letter directed to the Archbishop of Canterbury to take special care for the discovery of Jesuites Seminary Priests c. within his Province In this and the next year many Books from persons of several abilities and professions were written against Mr. Mountague by Dr. Sutcliff Dean of Exeter Mr. Henry Burton Mr. Yates a Minister of Norfolk his Book he entitled Ad Caesarem ibis Dr. Carleton Bishop of Chichester Anthony Wotton Divinity-professor
use aforesaid to be illegal and so dissolved the same confiscating their money to the King's use About this time died Samuel Harsenet Archbishop of York He lies buried at Chigwel Church in Essex where he built a School Now the Sabbatarian controversie began to be revived Theophilus Bradburn a Minister of Suffolk had five years before set forth a book Entitled A defence of the most ancient and Sacred Ordinance of God the Sabbath-day Francis White now Bishop of Ely was employed by his Majesty to confute Mr. Bradburn's erroneous opinion In the writing whereof many strict people were offended at some expressions dropping from his pen. Hereupon many Books were wrote and controversies on this subject were multiplied These were distinguished into three several opinions Sabbatarians Moderate men Anti-sabbatarians In Sommerset-shire some of the Justices were offended at the keeping of Wakes Church-ales c. on the Lord's day which occasioned many disorders to be committed They moved the Lord Chief-justice Richardson and Baron Denham then in their circuit in the Lent-vacation to make some order therein These in compliance with their desire make an Order to suppress such Revels in regard of the manifold inconveniences daily arising thereby Sir Rich. Baker's Chro. enjoyning the Constables to deliver a Copy thereof to the Minister of every Parish who on the first Sunday in Feburary and likewise the two first Sundays before Easter was to pub ish the same every year This was looked upon by the Bishops as an Usurpation of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction and they therefore procured a Commission directed to the Bishop of Bath and Wells and other Divines and to enquire into the manner of publishing this Order and the carriage of the Judges in the Business Notwithstanding which the Chief-justice at the next Assizes gave strict charge against the Revels requiring an account of the pub ication and execution of the former order punishing some persons for the breach thereof This Order was af erward revoked And hereupon the Justices of that County made an humble supplication to the King for suppressing the foresaid Assemblies In this juncture of time a Declaration for sports on the Lord's day published in the Reign of King James was revived and enlarged This gave great distast to many and some Ministers were suspended and some deprived ab officio beneficio and more vexed in the High-commission All Bishops urged not the reading of the Book with rigour alike nor punished the refusal with equal severity The thickest complaints came from the Diocess of Norwich and of Bath and Wells Much was the Archbishop's moderation in his own Diocese silencing but three in whom also a concurrence of other Non-conformities through the whole extent thereof Here it is much to be lamented that such who at the time of the Sabbatarian controversie were the strictect observers of the Lord's day are now become in another extreme the greatest neglecters yea contemners thereof Now such Irish Impropriations as were in the Crown were by the King restored to the Church to the great Diminishing of the Royal Revenue And Archbishop Laud was a worthy Instrument in moving the King to so pious a work A Convocation concurrent with a Parliament was called and held at Dublin in Ireland wherein the Nine and thirty Articles of the Church of England were received in Ireland for all to subscribe to Dr. William Juxon Bishop of London was made Lord Treasurer of England whose carriage was so discreet in that place that it procured a general love to him Anno 1635. Archbishop Laud kept his Metropolitical Visitation and hence-forward Conformity was more vigorously pressed than before Now many differences about Divine Worship began to arise and many Books were written pro and con One controversie was about the Holyness of our Churches Another about Adoration towards the Altar A Controversie was also started about the posture of the Lord's Boord Communion-table or Altar This last controversie was prosecuted with much needless animosity Indeed if moderate men had had the managing of these matters the accommodation had been easie In June Anno 1636. Mr. Prynne Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton were sentenced in the High-commission-court Some three years since Mr. Pyrnne set forth a Book called Histrio-mastrix for which he was censured to lose his ears on the Pillory and for a long-time after two removals to the fleet Imprisoned in the Tower whence he dispersed New Pamphlets against the established Discipline of the Church of England for which he was indited in the Star-chamber Dr. John Bastwick set forth a Book Entitled Flagellum Pontificis Episcoporum latialium in a fluent Latine Style He was accused in the High-commission committed to the Gate-house where he wrote a second Book taxing the injustice of the proceedings of the High-commission for which he was indited in the Star-chamber Mr. Burton Preached a Sermon on the last fifth of November On Prov. 24.21 My son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are subject to change This Sermon was afterwards Printed charging the Prelats for Introducing several Innovations in Divine Worship for which as a Libel he was indited in the Star-chamber Mr. Pâ—ynne's Plea is rejected and his answer refused so is Dr. Bastwick's and Mr. Burton's is cast out for imperfect The Censure of the Court was that they should lose their ears in the Palace-yard at Westminster fining them also five thousand pounds a man to his Majesty and perpetual Imprisonment in three remote places The Lord Finch added to Mr. Prynne's Censure that he should be branded in each Cheek with S. L. for a slanderous Libeller to which the whole Court agreed Two days after three Pillories were set up in Palace-yard or one double one and a single one at some distance for Mr. Prynne as the chief offender Mr. Burton first suffered making a long speech in the Pillory not entire but interrupted with occasional expressions His ears were cut so close that the Head-artery being cut the blood abundantly streamed down upon the Scaffold at which he did not shrink at all Dr. Bastwick succeeded him His friends highly commended the erection of his mind over pain and shame Others conceived that anger in him acted the part of patience as to the stout undergoing of his sufferings The Censure was with all rigour executed on Mr. Prynne commended more for his kindly patience than either of his Predecessors in that place Not long after they were removed Mr. Prynne to Carnarvan-castle in Wales Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton the one to Lancaster-castle the other to Lanceston in Cornwal The two latter again were removed one to the Isle of Scilly the other to the Isle of Gernezey and Mr. Prynne to Mount-orguile-castle in Jersey Next came the Bishop of Lincoln to be Censured in the Star-chamber The Bishop of Lincoln censured After the great Seal some ten years since taken from him he retired himself to Bugden in Huntington-shire where he lived
they alone were sent to the custody of the Black Rod. Now was the Bill against the Bishops sitting in Parliament brought up into the House of the Lords and the matter agitated so eagerly on both sides The Lord Viscount Newark afterwards Earl of Kingston made two notable speeches in the House in defence of Episcopacy which confirmed those of the Episcopal party making the Lords very zealous in Bishops behalf There were in the House many other defenders of Episcopacy as William Lord Marquis of Hartford the Earl of South-hampton the Earl of Bristol and the Lord Digby his Son and that learned Lord William Earl of Bath and many other Lords voted for them About this time died Richard Mountague Bishop of Norwich and Doctor Joseph Hall succeeded him in his See Doctor John Prideaux Regius Professor in Oxford was made Bishop of Worcester Doctor Thomas Winniff Dean of St. Pauls was made Bishop of Lincoln Doctor Ralph Brownrigg made Bishop of Exeter Doctor Henry King made Bishop of Chichester Doctor John Westfield made Bishop of Bristol he died not long after These were as likely persons to have kept up Episcopacy if God's providence had so appointed as any could have been culled out of England The Bill was again brought in against Bishops Votes in Parliament and it was clearly carried in the Negative that Bishops never more should Vote as Peers in Parliament The King was very unwilling to consent to it but at last with much importunity he signed the Bill as he was in St. Augustines in Canterbury passing with the Queen towards Dover then undertaking her voyage into the Low Countries Ten of the eleven Bishops formerly subscribing their Protestation to the Parliament were after some moneths durance upon good bale given released These now at liberty severally disposed themselves Some went home to their own Diocess as the Bishops of Norwich Oxford c. The Bishop of Durham continued in London Some withdrew themselves into the King's quarters as Archbishop Williams c. Bishop Wren within few moneths after he was discharged from the Tower was seized on by a party of Souldiers at his house at Downham and brought back again to the Tower where he continued till the end of the year 1659. As for the Archbishop of Canterbury as he first took possession of that fatal lodging before any of the rest came to him so he continued there after their dismission without hope of finding his passage out of it by any other door than the door of death which as he did not look for before it came so when it came he did not fear it saith Doctor Heylin On October 23. in the year foregoing the House of Peers sequestred his Jurisdiction from him conferring it on Sir Nathanael Brent and others of his under-officers and ordered That He should bestow none of the Benefices within his Gift without acquainting them with the name and quality of the party whom he intended to prefer leaving to them the approbation if they saw cause for it And on October 15. 1642. for so long he remained without further disturbance it was resolved upon the Question That the Fines Rents and Profits of Archbishops and Bishops should be Sequestred for the use and service of the Common-wealth On the ninth of November following the Archbishops house at Lambeth was forcibly possessed by a party of Souldiers to keep it for the Publick service and seventy eight pounds of his Rents as forcibly taken from some of his Officers by an order under the hands of some of the Lords But upon his petition shortly after Heylin Hist of Archbish Laud. he had an order for securing of his Books and Goods Another order-came to bar him from any conference with any of the other prisoners or speaking with any other but in the presence of the Warder who was appointed to attend him and from having the liberty of the Tower or from sending any of his servants into the City but on occasion of providing victuals and other necessaries The Souldiers brake open the doors of his Chappel in Lambeth house and began to spoil the Organs there but their Captain put a stop to their fury On December 21. his saddle-horse was seized on by order from some members in the House of Common and on the 23. Dr. Leighton who had before been sentenced in the Star-chamber for his libellous Pamphlets came with an order from that House to dispossess the Souldiers of their quarters there and turn his House into a Prison his Wood and Coals seized on without any permission to make any use of them for himself In the beginning of May the windows in his Chappel were defaced and the steps torn up his Books and Goods seized on by Leighton and some others And on the sixteenth of the same moneth he was served with an order of both Houses debarring him from bestowing any of his Benefices which either were or should be vacant for the time to come And on the thirty first an order was directed unto Prynne and others to seize on all his Letters and Papers to be perused by such as should be Authorized to that end and purpose The entertaining of many petitions by the Houses of Parliament visibly tending to the abolition of Episcopal government made it appear most necessary in the eyes of those who wisht well to it to hasten the publishing of such petitions as had been presented to the King in behalf thereof and by his Majesty had been ordered to be published accordingly Among which none did plead the cause with greater fervency than that which was tendred in the name of the Gentry and Clergy of the Diocess of Canterbury To which petition there subscribed no fewer than twenty four Knights and Baronets Esquires and Gentlemen of note above three hundred Divines one hundred and eight Freeholders and Subsidy men eight hundred Many petitions of like nature came from other Counties where the people were at any liberty to speak their own sence All which with some of those which had led the way unto the rest were published by order from his Majesty bearing date May 20. 1642. under the Title of A collection of the petitions of divers Countries c. Which petitions being drawn together besides many which were presented after this Collection amounted to nineteen in all that is to say two from the County of Chester two from Cornwall one from the University of Oxford and another from the University of Cambridge one from the Heads of Colledges and Halls This from the Diocess of Canterbury another from the Diocess of Exeter one from the six Counties of North-wales and one a piece from the Counties of Nottingham Hereford Huntington Somerset Rutland Stafford Kent Oxford and Lancaster These petitions came from thousands of the most eminent subjects of the Realm But nothwithstanding the importunity of the Petitioners on the one side and the moderation of the King's answer on the other the prevailing party in both Houses
had long since resolved upon the Question which afterwards they declared by their publick Votes for on the eleventh of September the Vote passed in the House of Commons for abolishing Bishops Deans and Chapters celebrated by the Citizens with Bells and Bonfires the Lords not coming in till the end of January when it past there also The War now begins to open The Parliament had their Guards already and the affront which Hotham had put upon the King at Hull prompted the York-shire Gentlemen to become a guard to his Person Both Houses presently Vote this to be a levying War against the Parliament for whose defence not onely the Trained bands of London must be in a readiness and the Good people of the Countrey required to put themselves into a posture of Armes but Regiments of Horse and Foot are listed a General appointed great sums of money raised Hereupon the King hastens from York to Nottingham where he sets up his Standard inviting all his good Subjects to repair unto him for defence of their King the Laws and Religion of their Countrey And marching with great Forces he was encountred at Edge-hill by the Parliaments Forces where five thousand men on both sides were slain on the place among which was the King's General Yet the King kept the field and made his way open forced Banbury Castle and entred triumphantly into Oxford with an hundred and twenty Colours taken in the Fight The King resolves on his advance towards London and goes forward as far as Brainford out of which he beats two of their best Regiments takes five hundred prisoners and sinks their Ordnance But understanding that the Earl of Essex joyning with the London-Auxiliaries lay in way before him at Turnham-Green near Chiswick he retreated toward Oxford where he receives Propositions of Peace from the Houses of Parliament Among which I find this for one That his Majesty would be pleased to give his Royal Assent for taking away superstitious Innovations and to the Bill for the utter abolishing and taking away all Archbishops Bishops their Chancellors Commissaries Deans Subdeans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Deacons Canons and Prebandaries and all Chantors Chancellors Treasurers Sub-treasurers Succentors and Sacrists and all Vicars Choral and Choristers old Vicars or new Vicars of any Cathedral or Collegiate Church and all other their under-officers out of the Church of England To the Bill against scandalous Ministers To the Bill against pluralities And to the Bill for consultation to be had with Godly Religious and Learned Divines That his Majesty would be pleased to pass such other Bills for setling of Church-government as upon consultation with the Assembly of the said Divines shall be resolved on by both Houses of Parliament and by them to be presented to his Majesty Which Proposition with the rest being presented to him on Candlemas-day he referred to the following Treaty to be held at Oxford but the Commissioners were so tyed to their Instructions that nothing could be yielded by them Heylin Hist of Archbishop Laud. But the Parliament had now entred on the Rents and profits of all the Episcopal Sees and Capitular Bodies which were within the power of their Armies and sequestred the Benefices of many under the common notion of scandalous Ministers who if they had transgressed the Laws of the Realm by the same Laws were to have been proceeded against that so being legally deprived the vacant Churches might be left to be filled by the Patrons with more deserving Incumbents But this consisted not with the present design Most of the silenced Lecturers and Ministers which within ten years past had left the Kingdom for Inconformity were put into these sequestred Benefices with which his Majesty being made acquainted he presently signified his dislike of it by his Royal Proclamation bearing date May 15. 1643. In which he complains That divers of the Pious and Learned Clergy were forced from their Cures and Habitations or otherwise silenced c. for no other reason but because contrary to the Laws of the Land and their own Consciences they would not pray against Him and his Assistants or refused to publish any Illegal orders for fomenting the War raised against him but conformed themselves according to the Book of Comon-Prayers and preached God's Word according to the purity thereof without any mixture of Sedition Next That many Factious and Schismatical persons were intruded into them to sow Sedition and seduce his good Subjects from their Obedience contrary to the Word of God and the Laws of the Land amp c. And thereupon he straitly commandeth all his good Subjects to pay their Tythes to the several and respective Incumbents or their Assignes without guile or fraud notwithstanding any Sequestration pretended Orders or Ordinances whatsoever from one or both Houses of Parliament c. Requiring all Church-wardens and Sides-men to be assistant in gathering and receiving their Tythes Rents and Profits and to resist all such persons as much as in them lay which were intruded into any of the Benefices or Cures aforesaid But this rather served to declare his Majesties piety than to stop the course of those proceedings Then an infamous Pamphlet is dispersed Licensed by John White Chair-man of the Committee for Religion called The Committee for plundred Ministers under the Title of The first Century of Scandalous and Malignant Priests c. Their Commissioners were no sooner returned from Oxford but they called an Assembly of Divines by their own Authority who met at Westminster in King Henry the Seventh his Chappel These were of four several natures First Men of Episcopal perswasion as the most Reverend James Vsher Archbishop of Armagh Doctor Ralph Brownrigg Bishop of Exeter Doctor Westfield Bishop of Bristol Doctor Daniel Featly Doctor Richard Holdsworth c. Secondly Such who in their judgements favoured the Presbyterian Discipline c. among whom we take special notice of these Doctor Hoyle Divinity Professor in Ireland Cambridge Dr. William Gouge in Black-friers Dr. Peter Smith Mr. Oliver Bowles Mr. Thomas Gataker Mr. Henry Scudder Mr. Anthony Tuckney Mr. Stephen Marshall Mr. John Arrow-Smith Mr. Herbert Palmer Mr. Thomas Thorowgood Mr. Thomas Hill Mr. Nathanael Hodges Mr. John Gibbon Mr. Timothy Young Mr. Richard Vines Mr. Thomas Coleman Mr. Matthew Newcomen Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker Mr. John Lightfoot c. Oxford Dr. William Twisse Dr. Cornelius Burgesse Dr. Edmond Stanton Mr. John White of Dorchester Mr. Harris of Hanwel Mr. Edward Reynolds Mr. John Maynard Mr. Charles Herle Mr. Corbert of Merton Colledge Mr. Conant Mr. Francis Cheynel Mr. Obadiah Sedgewick Mr. Cartar Senior Mr. Cartar Junior Mr. Joseph Caryl Mr. Strickland Mr. Thomas Baily c. Thirdly Some who formerly disliking Conformity removed themselves beyond the Seas now returned home at the beginning of this Parliament These afterward proved dissenting Brethren to some transactions in the Assembly as Thomas Goodwin Philip Nye Sidrach Symson Jeremiah Burronghes William Bridge Fourthly Some Members of the Lords and Commons were
William Twisse their Prolocutor died and Mr. Charles Herle Fellow of Exeter-colledge succeeded him in his place The Assembly met with many difficulties some complained that Mr. Selden that Great Antiquary advantaged by his skill in Antiquity and the Oriental Tongues studied rather to perplex than inform the Members thereof as appeared by the fourteen Queries he propounded whose intent was to give a check to the design of those who held Presbytery to be Jure Divino More trouble was caused to the Assembly by the opinions of the Erastians And divers Parliament men hearing their own power enlarged thereby made use of the Erastians for a check to such who pressed Conformity to the Scotch Kirk in all particulars Indeed the Major part of the Assembly endeavoured the setling the Scotch Government in all particulars and this was laboured by the Scotch Commissioners with all Industry and probable means to obtein the same But it could not be effected nor was it ever setled by Act of Parliament who kept the coercive power in their own hands so that the power of Excommunication was not intrusted with them but ultimately resolved into a Committee of eminent persons of Parliament On January 10. 1644. William Laud Lord Archbishop of Canterbury was beheaded on Tower-hill after he had been kept four years a prisoner in the Tower His charge was a constructive treason under several Heads reducible into two particulars I. For endeavouring of the subversion of the Laws of the Land II. And a like endeavour to overthrow the Protestant Religion His trial was at the Lords bar and Mr. William Prynne was his Prosecutor but notwithstanding all that could be said nothing that did amount to Treason could be proved against him But the Scots who were at that time very prevalent would not be satisfied unless he were put to death Heylin's Hist of the life of K. Charles 1. pag. 113. to manifest thereby their zeal against the Episcopal Hierarchy to usher in the Presbyterian Government at the approaching Treaty so that by an Ordinance of Lords and Commons he was adjudged guilty of High Treason though at the passing thereof in the House of Peers there were but seven present In pursuance of several messages from the King for a Treaty it was assented to by the Parliament and at Vxbridge Commissioners met for the King on one part and for the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland on the other Master Christopher Love waiting on the Parliaments Commissioners in a general Relation gave great offence to the Royalists in his Sermon shewing the impossibility of an agreement With the Commissioners on both sides certain Clergy-men were sent in their presence to debate the point of Church-government For the King Doctor Sheldon Doctor Steward Doctor Benjamin Laney Doctor Henry Hammond Doctor Henry Ferne. For the Parliament Master Stephen Marshal Master Richard Vines These when the Commissioners were at leasure from Civil affairs were called to a conference before them But this Treaty proved ineffectual The King complained of what came to pass the fruitless end of this Treaty that his Commissioners offered full-measured reasons and the other Commissioners have stuck rigidly to their demâ—nds c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 18 The Treaty at Vxbridge saith he gave the fairest hopes of an happy composure had others applyed themselves to it with the same moderation as he did he was confident the war had been ended To return to the Assembly the Monuments which they have left to posterity of their meeting are a new form of worship by the name of a Directory Articles of Religion drawn up by them and a double Catechism one the lesser the other the greater This Assembly dwindled away by degrees though never legally dissolved Many of them after the taking of Oxford returning to their own Cures and others living in London absented themselves as disliking the managing of matters Anno 1645. died Mr. John Dod a passive Non-conformist as Mr. Fuller calleth him a man much esteemed among men of his own perswasion one that loved not any one the worse for difference in judgement about Ceremonies but all the better for their unity of affections in grace and goodness He used to retrench some hot spirits when inveighing against Bishops telling them how God under that Government had given a marvellous encrease to the Gospel and that Godly men might comfortably comport therewith under which Learning and Religion had so manifest an Improvement He was an excellent Scholar and an exquisite Hebrician who with his Society and directions in one Vacation taught that Tongue unto Mr. John Gregory that rare Linguist and Chaplain of Christ-Church who survived him but one year Mr. Dod was buried at Fausly in Northampton-shire Saunderson's Hist of King Charles Now comes strange news Dr. Williams Archbishop of York is no less suddenly than strangely Metamorphosed from a zealous Royalist into an active Parliamentarian and desirous to make his peace with the Parliament he betakes himself to his house at Purin neer Aberconway in Wales put a garrison therein and fortified the same protesting against the King's party and disswading the County from paying Contribution to the King And wrote to Colonel Mitton of the Parliament's party to assist him against the Lord Byron who understanding of his Revolt had sent a party from Aber-conway to besiege him At length he lays siege to the Town and Castle of Aber-conway reduceth them to the Service of the Parliament much of the Town to his own possession Hereby he saved his estate from Sequestration But by his last complyance he lost his old friends at Oxford and in Lieu of them finding few new ones at London He expended much on the repair of Westminster Abby-church And when pressed by Archbishop Laud to a larger contribution to S. Paul's he answered he would not rob Peter to pay Paul The Library of Westminster was the effect of his bounty and so was a Chappel in Lincoln-Colledge in Oxford At S. John's in Cambridge he founded two fellowships built a fair Library and furnished it with Books To a grave Minister coming to him for Institution in a living be thus expressed himself I have saith he passed through many places of honour and trust both in Church and State more than any of my Order in England these seventy years before But were I but assured that by my preaching I had but converted one soul to God I should take therein more spiritual joy and comfort than in all the Honours and Offices which have been bestowed upon me He died on March 25. 1649. Now I will present the Reader with a list of the Principal Ordinances of the Lords and Commons which respected Church-matters and to make this History the more entire must go a little backward in time November 8. 1644. An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons in Parliament for the payment of Tythes by every person within the Realm of England and Wales December
Earl of Holland and the Lord Capel were executed March 9. but the Earl of Norwich and Sir John Owen were pardoned The Commons set forth a Declaration to justifie their proceedings They promise the establishment of a firm and safe Peace the advancement of the true Protestant Religion the liberal maintenance of a godly Ministry c. They pass an Act for propagating the Gospel in Ireland March 8. April 10. 1649. An Act was passed by the Commons for the sale of Deans and Chapters Lands and for the abolishing of Deans Deans and Chapters Canons Prebends c. and Tithes of or belonging to any Cathedral or Collegiate Church in England and Wales but it was provided That this should not extend to the Colledge of St. Mary in Winchester nor to the Colledge of Eaton nor to any of the Mannors Lands Tenements and Hereditaments to them belonging June 2. 1649 An Act was passed for the better maintenance of Preaching Ministers and School-masters out of the Lands of Deans and Chapters throughout England and Wales in such places where maintenance is wanting and for other good uses to the advancement of true Religion Piety and Learning And the Commissioners of the Great-Seal of England issued forth Commissions under the Great Seal into all the Counties of England and Wales to such persons as by the Parliament were nominated giving them power by the Oathes of good and lawful men c. to find out the true value of all Parsonages and Vicarages presentative and all other Ecclesiastical Livings with care of Souls within such Cities and Counties and to certifie into the Chancery what each of them were really worth per Annum the names of the Incumbents Proprietors and Possessors thereof and of such as receive the profits who supplies the Cure what he hath for his Sallary how many Chappels are belonging to one Parish and how situate and fit to be united and how the Churches and Chappels are supplied by Preaching Ministers that so a course be taken for the providing both for Preaching and maintenance where the same should be found to be needful About this time some Dissenters in the Army called Levellers drew together five thousand Horse and Foot at Burford Colonel Reinolds fell in upon them with a greater Body than they had and routed them taking nine hundred Horse and four hundred Foot prisoners whereof one Thomson and two more principal Leaders were immediately shot to death who died resolutely Cornet Den an Army-preacher Flageilum or the life and death of O. C. p. 83. expressing his grief and sorrow was reprieved at the Instant of execution which their Fellows beheld from the leads of the Church The Rest by Cromwells mediation were all pardoned and sent home to their own houses This proved the utter suppression of that faction and rendred the Army entirely at his Command so that they presently submitted to the lot which Regiments should be sent to Ireland then almost reduced to the King's obedience by the Marquess of Ormond Cromwell was ordained Commander in chief of the Forces appointed for Ireland and tituladoed with the style of Lord Governour of Ireland while the Lord Fairfax was left here to attend the Parliament He with a potent Army landed at Dublin The Marquess of Ormond had besieged Dublin but the siege was raised by Colonel Michael Jones Governour of Dublin with the utter defeat of the Marquesses Army And the siege of London-derry was raised by Sir Charles Coot sallying out of the Town Cromwel takes Drogheda by Storm and puts all in it to the Sword After this in less than a year most of the Cities and Towns in Ireland were taken and that whole Kingdom in a manner subdued to the power of the Common-Wealth of England and the Marquess of Ormond and all that oppose their Authority withdrew themselves But a little before Colonel Rich received a Brush from my Lord Broghil in the County of Cork where the Bishop of Rosse being taken was hanged July 19. 1649. An Act was passed by the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England for the promoting and propagating the Gospel of Christ in New England And a general Collection was made in and through all the Counties Cities Towns and Parishes of England and Wales as the foundation for so pious an undertaking c. King Charles the Second being now at Jersey part of the English Fleet was sent to attacque that Island which put the King upon a speedy remove from thence into France where he resided till the time appointed for the Treaty at Breda which drew near and then he repaired thither The Committee of the Estates of Scotland having concluded with the King at Breda all correspondence with the English was by Proclamation forbidden and all manner of provision stopped from being carryed into England though the Juncto at Westminster had used all Artifices to keep the Scots from closing with the King 1650. During the Treaty at Breda the Marquess of Montrosse landed in the Isles of Orkney with fifteen hundred Armes and five hundred German Souldiers and after he had gathered more strength he was defeated by Colonal Straughan taken and brought to Edinburgh where he is brought to his Trial condemned and executed The rigorous prosecution of the Marquess of Montrosse in that violent manner was chiefly from the instigation of the Kirk by which long before he had been Excommunicated Concerning which he spake to the people in this manner upon the Scaffold What I did in this Kingdom was in obedience to the most just Commands of my Sovereign for his defence in the day of his distress against those that rose up against him I fear God and honour the King according to the Commandments of God and the Law of Nature and Nations c. It is objected against me by many even good people that I am under the censure of the Church this is not my fault since it is onely for doing my duty by obeying my Prince's most just Commands for Religion his Person and Authority yet am I sorry they did Excommunicate me and in that which is according to God's Laws without wronging my Conscience or Allegiance I desire to be relaxed If they will not I appeal to God who is the Righteous Judge of the World and who must and will I hope be my Judge and Saviour The King was much troubled at the Scots severity against this Noble Marquess After this the King lands in Scotland and is Proclaimed King at Edinburgh Cross But his Majesty had not been long among the Scots but they began according to their usual manner of Kirk Authority and Discipline to obtrude upon the King such curbing conditions as but ill-suited with Regal dignity Then the Common-wealth of England sent an Army against Scotland and Cromwel is made General of the Parliament's Forces instead of Lord Fairfax and about the end of June he marched towards Berwick in order to his advance into Scotland The Scots raise an Army
Benefice as aforesaid or the profits thereof On June the twenty third following by the Protector with the advice of his Council it was further ordained That in case any person who since April the first 1653. hath been proved in any publick Benefice or publick Lecture should not before the twenty fourth of June 1654. obtain approbation and admittance in manner as in the said Ordinance is expressed that then the person or persons who have right thereunto should and might present and nominate some other fit person to that place It was ordained also That tho said Commissioners in that Ordinance be authorized to give approbation and admittance to any person concerned in that clause of the said Ordinance at any time before the twenty third day of July 1654. and that in the mean time no person should present or nominate any person to any Benefice or publick Lecture in the place of any such person for the want of such approbation by the time aforesaid But if such approbation and admittance should not be by the said twenty third of July obtained by the said persons therein concerned then such person or persons as have right thereunto might present or nominate some other fit person to such place according to the said Ordinance August the sixteenth 1654. an Ordinance was passed against ignorant and scandalous Ministers in all the respective Counties within England and Wales in which it was declared 1. That such Ministers and Scholars should be accounted scandalous in their lives as should be proved guilty for holding such blaspemous and Atheistical Opinions as are punishable by an Act of Parliament entitled An Act against several Atheistical Blasphemous and Execrable Opinions derogatory to the Honour of God and destructive to Humane society or guilty of cursing swearing or subornation of perjury 2. Such as hold or teach any of those Popish opinions required in the Oath of abjuration to be abjured or be guilty of adultery fornication drunkenness c. carding dicing profaning of the Lord's day or allow the same in their Families 3. Such as have publickly and frequently received and used the Common-prayer-book since the first of January last or shall at any time hereafter do the same 4. Such as do encourage or countenance by word or practice any Whitsun-ales Wakes Morris-dances May-poles 5. Such as have declared or shall declare by writing preaching or otherwise their disaffection to the Government 6. Such Ministers were to be accounted negligent as omit the publick Exercises of Preaching and Praying on the Lord's-day not being hindered by necessary absence or infirmity of sickness or that are or shall be non-resident 7. Such School-masters should be accounted negligent as absent themselves from their Schools and do wilfully neglect their duties in teaching their Scholars 8. Such Ministers and School-masters should be accounted ignorant and insufficient as should be so declared and adjudged by the said Commissioners five or more of them together with five or more of the Ministers particularly named in the Ordinance for the several and respective Counties of England and Wales Assistants to the said Commissioners August the thirtieth 1654. It was ordained That Sir Hugh Owen Baronet and divers other persons particularly named in the Ordinance for all the several Counties in the Dominion of Wales be Commissioners in their several limits and that the said Commissioners or any three of them therein are authorized by their Warrants under their hands and seals to call before them all such persons who by authority and colour of an Act of Parliament made February the twenty second 1649. entitled An Act for the better Propagation and Preaching of the Gospel in Wales c. have intermedled in the receiving keeping and disposing the said rents issues and profits of all or any of the Rectories Vicarages portion of Tenths and other Ecclesiastical livings Impropriations and Glebe-lands within the said Counties and to give a true and perfect account upon Oath which Oath the Commissioners are impowred to administer of all such rents issues and profits which they or any of them have received And if any of them shall refuse to give a true account to commit him or them so refusing to the Gaol of the County there to remain till they conform themselves The moneys found in their hands to be paid into the hands of such Treasurer as the respective Commissioners should nominate and appoint for that purpose which Treasurer should within three months pay in the same into the Exchequer Seâ—tember the second 1654. It was ordained That the Ordinance entitled An Ordinance for bringing in the publick Revenue of this Common-wealth into one Treasury to be paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer nor any thing therein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to any the Rents Profits or Revenues by Acts of Parliament of Rectories impropriate appropriate Tythes c. or any of them setled in the Trustees in the said Acts named That all and every the Rectories Impropriations Tithes aâ—propriate Donatives Oblations Obventions First-fruits Tenths Pensions Portions of Tiths by the said recited Acts vested in the Trustees and not exâ—osed to sale by an Act entitled An Act for the sale of Mannors of Rectories and Glebe-lands belonging to Archbishops Bishops Deans Deans and Chapters shall from henceforth be setled in the possession and seizin of W. Steele Serjeant at Law and other persons particularly named in the Ordinance Survivor and Survivors of them and their Heirs to the uses and upon the Trusts in the said Acts expressed c. That they shall sue for recover collect and gather the Rents Issues and Profits thereof as Owners in Trust and manage the Revenue in such way and manner as shall be most advantageous for the carrying on of this service That the said Trustees shall haâ—e power to make unions of two Parishes or more into one and the whole Ecclesiastical Revenues Tithes and Profits belonging to the said Parishes so united to be supplied for a provision for one godly and painful Minister to preach in such of the said Parish charge where such union shall be made as the said Trustees shall judge convenient The said Trustees also shall appoint where the meeting of both the said Parishes for the worship of God shall be c. The said Trustees also shall have power to sever and divide Parishes where they shall conceive it needful and fix such maintenance out of the profits of the said Church so to be divided as they shall think fit to be approved of by the Parliament and in the Intervals of Parliament by the Protector and his Council c. This year died that famous and learned Antiquary Mr. John Selden and was buried in the Inner-Temple Church in London Addition to Sir Rich. Bakers Chron. Anno 1655. the Duke of Savoy's Souldiers having committed many cruel outrages upon the Protestants in Piedmont Cromwel took this occasion to ingratiate himself with the Protestants abroad and appointing a solemn
day of Humiliation to be kept he caused a large contribution to be gathered for them throughout the Nation and sent his Agents abroad to mediate for them Alderman Viner and Pack were made Treasurers for this Money which amounted to a very large fum but how much came to the hands of those for whom it was pretended to be collected I know not The French King accommodated the business the Duke of Savoy refusing to admit Cromwel's mediation Upon the tendring of certain Proposals to the Protector by Manasseh Ben-Israel a Jewish Merchant in the behalf of his Hebrew Nation for their free admission to Trade and exercise of their Religion in England a Conference was held about it several dayes at White-hall by the Members of the Council and certain Divines of the greatest note among them and many Arguments being urged pro and con those against their admission so far prevailed that the Proposals took no effect Mr. Prynne wrote a Book at the same time against their admission Then was an Ordinance made by the Protector with the advice of his Council for the Relief of Ministers put into sequestred Livings against Molestations and Suits by Parsons sequestred and ejected On September the seventeeth 1656. a Parliament assembled at Westminster and chose for their Speaker Sir Thomas Widdrington Now The Humble Petition and Advice was framed which was a Module of Government with which they several times waited on the Protector at White-hall to desire him to take the chief Government of the Nations upon him with the Title of King of which the power he already had the name only he wanted He finding his Officers averse to it at last returned answer That he could not take the Government upon him with that Title Now was James Nailor the great Ring-leader of the Sect called Quakers brought to his Trial who having spread his Doctrine and gained many Proselites to it in divers parts of the Nation was more especially taken notice of at Exeter Wells and Bristol and from Bristol was brought up to London attended by several Men and Women of his Opinion who all the way they came strewed Gloves and Handkerchiefs in his way and sang Hosannah's to him and blasphemously are said to have used the same kind of expressions toward him as anciently the people of the Jews did to our Saviour when he rode in triumph to Jerusalem Nailor being convented before the Parliament was charged of Blasphemy for assuming to himself Divine honours and such Attributes as were due to Christ only He was sentenced by the House to be first at London publickly whipt pillored and stigmatized and bored through the Tongue with a red hot Iron as a Blasphemer then to be conveyed to Bristol there to be also whipt lastly to be brought back to London to remain in Bridewel during pleasure which Sentence was inflicted upon him At this time the viperous brood of Sects and Heresies swarmed through all parts of the Nation Then the Ranters began to multiply and the Socinians who denied the Divinity of Christ and one Biddle was infamous for these Opinions and Erbury formerly a Minister in Cardiff in Wales degenerated unto Ranting The Compiler of this Treatise once heard this Erbury speak in a publick Congregation near Bath in Sommerset-shire of a threefold Dispensation of God to his Church and People There hath been said he a twofold discovery of God to his People or a two-fold Dispensation namely the Dispensation of the Law and the Gospel and God discovered himself to his People in both Dispensations diversly Vnder the Law God discovered himself to his people in a way of fear therefore God was called the great and fearful God and the delivery of the Law to Moses was in a fearful manner Now when the Apostle speaks of the Ministry of the Gospel he saith You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but the Spirit of Adoption c. that is said he now when the Gospel came men knew God to be a Father and they in the Spirit of Adoption cried Abba Father He added That under the Law God was known as a Lord and Master to keep his People in work and as they had their work so they had their wages and if they did not work they had terrors upon their spirits to affright them But under the Gospel God was discovered to be a Father full of Light and Love so that now we converse with God in a loving manner and serve him as a Son serveth his Father He proceeded to tell us That there is a third Dispensation yet to come in the last dayes wherein God will discover himself in a more fearful way and yet in a way more full of light and love than in former times He added That then there will be a fuller discovery of God than hath been both under the Law and Gospel and the ignorance of this he said hath been the cause of all the confusions and contentions among the People of God He said That the Apostles waited for this Dispensation another state more glorious than any they had yet attained unto This glorious Dispensation he told us St. Paul calls The Glory to be revealed in us the glorious liberty of the Sons of God and that St. Peter calls it The new Heaven and new Earth and St. John The new Jerusalem He said That the Mystery of the Gospel which was preached by the Apostles was hid from men they knew not the mystery of it but the time will come that this mystery of the Gospel will come forth in a fuller discovery than hath been heretofore made known But I shall trouble the Reader no further with him On April the nineteenth 1657. at a certain House in Shoreditch were apprehended a discontented party formerly in the Army that went under the name of Fifth Monarchy-men such as taking upon them to be the Champions of Christ's Monarchy on Earth renounced all Monarchy besides the chief of whom were Thomas Venner a Wine-Cooper Predicant Ashton Hopkins Gowler and Gray their Scribes They had appointed to have rendezvouz that night at Mile-end-Green and thence to have marched into some other Counties to joyn with others of their party that were ready to shew themselves upon the first opportunity There was taken with them a great quantity of Arms and certain printed Papers that were to be dispersed and a Standard with a Lion couchant Gules in a Field Argent having this Motto Who shall rouze him up There was also taken Major General Harison Captain Lawson late Vice-Admiral Colonel Rich Carew and Courtney and Major Danvers whereof the first was committed to the Serjeant at Armes and the rest were sent to remote Castles and Prisons General Monk had order to seize Major General Overton and the Majors Bramston and Holmes and cashier them after Fines and good Security for their behaviour Overton was sent up to the Tower and his Regiment conferred on Colonel Morgan Colonel Okey's Regiment was
also taken from him and given to a sure Confider and one Major Wildman a great Leveller was taken at Marleborough enditing and drawing Declarations against the Protector so the danger from the Army was soon suppressed About the same time a Book was published called Killing no Murther wherein it was urged That it was most lawful just necessary and honourable to kill the Protector and this printed with the name of one Allen a disbanded Leveller but so politely written that it intimated a more exact and curious hand that framed it Whosoever was the Author it scared Cromwel almost out of his Wits This made him most suspitiously fearful so that he began to dread every person or strange face he saw which he would anxiously and intently view for an Assassinate that Book perpetually running in his mind It is said it was his constant custom to shift and change his Lodging to which he passed through twenty several Locks and out of which he had four or five wayes to avoid pursuit June iwenty six 1657. Then followed the Protector 's Instalment in a more solemn manner in Westminster-hall than before and the Speaker of the Parliament Sir Thomas Widdrington in the name of the Parliament presented to him a Robe of Purple-velvet a Bible Sword and a Scepter and having made a Speech thereupon the Speaker took the Bible and gave the Protector his Oath Mr. Manton Minister then of Covent-Garden made a Prayer wherein he recommended the Protector Parliament Council the Forces by Sea and Land Government and People of the three Nations to the protection of God Which being ended the Heraulds by Trumpets proclaimed Cromwell Protector of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging requiring all persons to yield him due obedience Then were the attempts of the Royal Party in behalf of his Majesty betrayed and discovered to the Protector and Sir Henry Slingsby Doctor Huet Minister of St. Gregories by Pauls in London Mr. Mordant and others are imprisoned and brought to trial before an High Court of Justice set up under the Presidentship of Commissioner Lisle Sir Henry and the Doctor were the two first that were brought to trial and both of them sentenced to die as Traitors the first upon the bare testimony of those three men who had so treacherously circumvented him which in vain he pleaded the other as a Mute disowning the Authority of the Court and thereupon denying to plead On the eighth of June 1658. they were beheaded on Tower-hill Afterwards on July the seventh Colonel Edward Ashton and John Bettley were hanged and quartered the first in Tower-street the other in Cheapside Cromwell was now again adorned with another success and triumph by the defeat of the Spanish Army and surrender of Dunkirk into his hands Lockart his Kinsman and General of the English Forces being made Governor thereof In August 1658. the Protector was taken sick at Hampton-court having not been well in mind some time before troubled with the last distracted words of his beloved Daughter Cleypole who died on the sixth day of August which went near to his heart After a weeks time his Disease began to shew very desperate symptomes wherefore he was removed to White-hall where his Chaplains kept Fasts for his recovery but having declared his Son Richard his Successor he died on Friday September the third at three of the Clock in the Afternoon The deceased Protector 's Will concerning his Successor being imparted to the Council and chief Officers of the Army they all consent to the election of his Son Richard and the President and whole Council went at once to congratulate him and to condole his Fathers death Then was he proclaimed by the City of London and chief Officers of the Army After the Proclamation the Lord Mayor presented his Sword to him which he presently returned and after some Ceremonies passed the Council and many Officers of the State and of the Army being present Nathanael Fiennes one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal administred an Oath unto him A Gentleman was sent into Ireland who was chief Governor of that Kingdom to acquaint Henry Cromwell with the present posture of Affairs in England and Mr. Thomas Clarges was sent into Scotland to General Monk to see how he stood affected to Richard's advancement Then Addresses were made to the Protector from all parts of the Nation and the Army of Scotland submit to what was was done in England Addresses were also made to the young Protector from all the Regiments of the Army in England Scotland and Ireland and other parts After the pompous solemnity of the Funerals of the late Protector the new Protector summoned a Parliament to meet at Westminster on January twenty seven he endeavours to new model his Council but the Army grows jealous of him and censure him and the factious part of the Army had many seditious meetings and he is perswaded to resign the command of the Army to Fleetwood which he refuseth The General Council of Officers as they called themselves met in Fleetwood's House where they acted with as much formality as if they had been the supreme Legislators of the three Kingdoms At length things came to this issue the young Protector was forced to sign a Commission to Commissioner Fiennes for the dissolving of the Parliament and a Proclamation came forth in the Protector 's name to publish the dissolution of the Parliament Soon after whilst many of the Superiour Officers of the Army met at Wallingford-house in further consideration of a Module of Government Supplem to Sir Rich. Baker's Hist the inferiour Officers being the most numerous assembled in the Chappel at St. Jame's having Doctor Owen and other Independent Ministers to assist at their Devotion and at last declared their forwardness to restore the latter part of the long Parliament and to restore Lambert and the rest of the Officers to their Commands who had been displaced by Oliver Cromwel for disaffection to him Several Colonels were removed from their Regiments and others put in their rooms as likewise Governours of Towns and other Officers Lambert being thus brought again into the Army recovereth much of his former power Then a Declaration of the Officers of the Army was drawn up which invited the Members of the long Parliament who had sate till April the twentieth 1653. to return to the exercise and discharge of their trust They accept of the Invitation and take their places in the House General Monk seems to consent to what was done in England They publish their Intentions by Declaration viz. That they are resolved by God's assistance to endeavour to secure and establish the property and Liberties of the people without a single Person Kingship or House of Peers and shall vigorously endeavour the carrying on of Reformation so much desired to the end there may be a godly and faithful Magistracy and Ministry upheld and maintained in the Nations c. The Officers of the Army
presented an humble Address to the Remnant Parliament on May 12. 1659. by Lambert and others Richard the late Protector sends his submission to the Parliament All Commissions to the Officers of the Army are ordered to be signed by the Speaker and Henry Cromwell is called from the Government of Ireland Fleetwood Lambert and others receive their Commissions in the House from the Speaker The Governour of Dunkirk submits also to the change of our Government General Monk likes not the Juncto's designs of modelling his Army and useth his utmost industry to obstruct it Commissioners are appointed for the Goverment of Ireland In the mean time Captain Titus and others sent as Commissioners from the King are active for his Majesties service in London and in the Countrey Sir George Booth with several others appear in a considerable Body they take possession of Chester City but the Castle holds out against them Chirk-Castle is delivered to them by Sir Thomas Middleton Collonel Ireland and several others at the same time declare for them at Leverpool and Mr. Brooks one of the Members of the House of Commons Lambert is sent against Sir George Booth Mr. Nicholas Monk a Minister and the only Brother to General Monk is sent into Scotland from Sir Hugh Pollard Sir Thomas Stukeley and other of his Majesties Friends in the West of England He sollicits his Brother to embrace his Majesties Interest The King wrote a Letter to General Monk and another to Sir John Greenvill concerning the owning his Cause Major General Massey was active in Glocester-shire and the Lord Herbert Son to the Marquess of Worcester and others The Lord Herbert was taken so was Major General Massey with others but all the rest of the Prisoners except the Lord Herbert and Massey's Servant make an escape Lambert marcheth against Sir George Booth and Sir George is defeated by Lambert and soon after was seized at Newport-pannel in a disguise as he was riding to London After this defeat General Monk sends a Letter to the House signifying his willingness to be dismissed from his Command The Army begin to contrive the recovery and advancement of their power The Officers of the Army promoted by Lambert dislike some proceedings of the Juncto They conclude to draw up their desires in a Petition Sir Arthur Haslerig vehemently opposeth the Armies proceedings and incenseth the House against them and Lambert Fleetwood endeavours to justifie the Officers of the Army but in vain Ashfield Cobbet and Duckenfield presented the Petition of the Army to the House thus dirrected To the Supreme Authority of these Nations the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England c. The humble Petition and Proposals of the Officers under the Command of the Right Honourable the Lord Lambert in the late Northern Expedition The House signifie their displeasure and vote against the effect of the Petition Then the Officers resolve upon more moderate Proposals Another Petition is brought into the Council of Officers more high than the former General Monk writes his sence of it in a Letter to Fleetwood and offers himself to march into England to the assistance of the Parliaments Party October the fifth Colonel Desborow with many other Officers of the Army present a Representation and Petition of the Officers of the Army to the Parliament who at first dissemble their distaste of these proceedings of the Army The Council of Officers perceiving that the Parliament labour to alter the Constitution of the Army labour to get Subscriptions to their Representation and Petition They send a Letter to General Monk concerning their Representation He resolves to admit of no Subscriptions in Scotland General Monk is courted by the Parliament and complemented by Letters with gratulatory Expressions for his good service The House takes the Armies debates into consideration and answers them one by one Mr. Nicholas Monk arrives from Scotland with private Orders from the General to Mr. Clarges The house ordereth That the Commissions of Lambert and others be made void They appoint Commissioners for governing the Army and remove Fleetwood from the chief command thereof Colonel Morley and Mosse are ordered with their Regiments to guard the House But Lambert with the Regiments that adhere to him stop the passages to the Parliament House and having enforced the Speaker to return they dissolve the Remnant Parliament by hindring the Members from coming into the House The next day divers of the chief Officers of the Army met at Whitehall and chose ten Army-Officers to be managers of the State Affairs pro tempore They agree that Fleetwood should be Commander in chief of all the Armies and that Lambert should be the next chief Officer under him and Colonel Desborow Commissary General of the Horse and that all the Officers to be constituted in the Army should be nominated by Sir Henry Vane Fleetwood Lambert Desborow Ludlow and Berry They dispatch Colonel Cobbet to General Monk with a large Narrative of the Reasons of their proceedings Now was Mr. Armoror sent by the Lord Mordant to the King to inform him how matters went in England The Council of Officers consult about a frame of Government They nominate twenty three persons to take upon them the Government under the Title of The Committee of Safety and they invite them to sit giving them Powers and Instructions General Monk writes to Fleetwood and Lambert complaining of their violation of Faith to the Parliament declaring his resolution to endeavuor to restore them to their power against all opposition whatsoever Mr. Clarges is dispatched away into Scotland by the Grandees of the Army together with Colonel Talbot to sollicit General Monk to a Treaty Monk keeps in all the displaced Officers in their respective Commands which causeth them to adhere unto him and removes those whom himself distrusteth He signifies his resolution to several of his Officers to march into England to re-establish the Parliament and hath their consent and encouragement He marcheth to Edinborough and there orders all things to his best advantage Captain Johnston secures Berwick Captain Witter takes possession for the General of the Cittadel of St. Johnstons and is made Major of the Regiment Robson gets possession of the Cittadel at Ayre and is made Colonel of the Regiment Smith's Regiment at Innerness is given to Colonel Man The General marcheth to Leith to settle the Cittadel and Regiment there Captain Hatt and Dennis bring off Cobbet's Regiment to the General and Cobbet was detained prisoner at Berwick as he was coming into Scotland with his Regiment he was brought with a Guard to Edenborough Castle and kept there At Linlithgow at a Council of Officers it was advised that some way should be used to draw off the Independent Churches in England from favouring the English Army which would have much weakened that party if it had succeeded for most of the Inferiour Officers were of that perswasion For the effecting of this a Declaration was framed agreed to published and dispersed all