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A42557 The History of the Church of Great Britain from the birth of our Saviour untill the year of our Lord, 1667 with an exact succession of the bishops and the memorable acts of many of them : together with an addition of all the English cardinals, and the several orders of English monks, friars and nuns in former ages. Geaves, William.; Geaves, George.; Gearing, William.; G. G. 1674 (1674) Wing G440; ESTC R40443 405,120 476

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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 mu●iny 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 at Breda His Majestie 's Letter and Declaration to the Fleet by the diligence of General Mountague had the same success there as that in the Army being gratefully received by all the Commanders in the Fleet. Three days after the Lords and Commons having agreed upon a Proclamation to that purpose His Majesty was Proclaimed with great solemnity in the Cities of London and Westminster the Lords and Commous and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London being present Mr. Clarges carrieth the happy tidings hereof with a Letter from the General to His Majesty at Breda Thereupon M. Clarges is Knighted by His Majesty The Parliament's and Cities Commissioners have their audience from His Majesty at the Hague The King afterwards landed at Dover with the Dukes of York and of Glocester and many Noblemen and Gentlemen There the General met him upon whose motion for His going to Canterbury the King hastned to His Coach in His passage to which he was met by the Mayor and Aldermen of the Town with Mr. Reading the Minister who presented His Majesty with a large Bible with Golden Clasps At His entrance into Canterbury he
was met by the Mayor and Aldermen and Mr. Lovelace the Recorder who made an eloquent speech to Him the Mayor also presented Him with a Tankard of Massie Gold and then conducted Him to the Palace where He remained till Monday From Canterbury He marcheth magnificently attended to London When he came to S. George's fields the Lord Mayor and Aldermen on their Knees Reverenced His Majesty and the Lord Mayor presented His Sword unto Him which His Majesty gave back to him from thence He was in a Triumphant and Glorious manner attended and conducted through the City of London to White-hall On May 29. 1660. being His birth-day The Lord Mayor having taken leave of Him He went to the Lords where He was entertained with a grave and eloquent speech of the Earl of Manchester and from thence to the Banquetting-house where the whole House of Commons attending Him the Speaker in their names expressed the joyful sence they all had to behold His Majesty return'd in safety and thereby an end was put to that Tyranny and Slavery His good people had endured His Majesty in brief expresseth his gracious intentions to them Then His Majesty gave thanks to God in His Presence-chamber for all His deliverances and mercies toward him May 31. He sets forth a Proclamation against debauchery and profaneness The Chief Officers of State and of the King's Houshold and the Lords of His Majestie 's Privy Council are constituted The Commons set upon the Act of General Pardon On June 4. the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance were taken by both Houses of Parliament the King's Servants and Officers of His Houshold His Majestie 's arrival is congratulated by the People from all parts of the Nation and by several of the Nobility and Gentry both of Scotland and Ireland The King on July 5. is magnificently entertained with the Dukes of York and Glocester the Lords of the Privy-council the two Houses of Parliament and the Chief-officers of State by the Lord Mayor and the Grandees of the City General Monk was created Duke of Albemarle General Mount ague made Earl of Sandwich and the Marquess of Ormond made Duke of Ormond The Chief Ministers of State are constituted in Scotland Notwithstanding the late unanimous concurrence of the people at Edinborough as well as other places in the publick Proclaiming of His Majesty yet soon after there began to discover it self a spirit of discontent among many Scotch Ministers some of the principal sticklers of the Kirk-party as appeared by their meeting together at a place appointed for the drawing up a Remonstrance concerning things wherein they thought themselves aggrieved which the Committee of Estates having notice of sent forthwith to apprehend them and clapt them up in Prison and for the prevention of the like disturbances for the future set forth a Proclamation against all unlawful meetings and seditious Papers The Marquess of Argyle notwithstanding he came to Court with others of the Nobility and Gentry of Scotland under pretence of tendring his service to His Majesty yet was he charged with high Treason and sent prisoner to the Tower and together with him were committed the Marquess of Antrim Sir Henry Vane and Sir Arthur Hazlerig with several others that followed Sir Arthur died soon after of a Fever in the Tower Argyle was sent back into Scotland and their tried condemned and beh●aded On August 19. among other Acts an Act was passed by the King and Parliament for a perpetual Anniversary Thanksgiving on May 29. the day of His Majestie 's Nativity and Restauration An Act also was passed for a general Pardon Indempnity and Oblivion in which among other things that were excepted all accounts of the Revenues of Churches in Wales and Monmouth-shire and all Judgements of discharge or Quietus est thereupon had This Exception as to the Churches in Wales was inserted by the Parliament in this Act upon information that some factious people had in the time of the late usurpation procured to themselves an Authority to Sequester all those Revenues upon pretence to employ them more equally to illiterate Preachers for the better propagation of the Gospel in those parts but kept the greatest part to their own use leaving most of the Churches unsupplied All offences also done by any Popish Priest Seminary or Jesuite contrary to the Statute of the 27 Eliz. were excepted Many of the late King's judges were excepted from pardon All Trustees in a pretended Act made Anno 1649. concerning Tithes appropriate Fee-farm rents and First-fruits c. and their heirs were to be accomptable for such of the same as had not been employed according to the said Act nevertheless no Minister or School-master or other person for whose benefit the said Act was made were to be accomptable The King on September 13. 1660. came to the House of Lords and signed fourteen private and eight publick Acts among which one was an Act for the Confirming and Restoring of Ministers This Act stopt the clamours of many Ecclesiastical Persons that had defective titles to their Cures and the goodness of His Majesty was very much celebrated by His consent to it It enacts That every Ecclesiastical Person or Minister ordained by any Ecclesiastical Persons before the twenty fifth of December last past and was then in possession and received the profits being in the King's gift or of His Father or of any Archbishop Bishop Dean and Chapter Prebend Archdeacon Body Politick or Corporate or other Person other than such hereby restored is declared lawful Incumbent Every Voluntary Resignation of a Benefice to the Patron or any Pretended Power since the said first day of January to be good as if made to the Competent Ordinary No presentation is to be construed to be an usurpation in Law to the prejudice of any that shall have right to present Every Ecclesiastical Person formerly Sequestred or ejected after Lawful presentation and reception 〈◊〉 the profits that hath not subscribed any petition to bring the late King to Trial or by any Act endeavoured or justified the murther of the said King or declared his judgement against Infant-baptism by Preaching Writing Printing or constant refusal to Baptize shall be restored to the possession thereof at or before the twenty fifth day of December next ensuing and every Ecclesiastical person to be removed may enjoy the profits to that day On December 29. following on which day the Parliament was dissolved 32 Acts more were passed by the King Among which one was an Act for Confirmation of Marriages during the time of the late Usurpations Another was for making the Precinct of Covent-garden Parochial And an Act for the disappropriating of the Rectory appropriate of Preston and uniting and consolidating of the said Rectory and of the Vicarage of the Church of Preston and for the assuring of the Advouson and right of Patronage of the same unto the Master Fellows and Scholars of Immanuel-colledge in Cambridge And an Act for Confirmation of Grants and
the Nobility and Clergy so that there should be no Bishop in England but one Archbishop which should be himself and that there should not be above two Religious persons in one house and their possessions should be divided among the Lay-men for the which Doctrine they held him as a Prophet But he was executed at St. Albans William Wickham about this time finished his Beautiful Colledge in Oxford called new Colledge which giveth the Armes of Wickham viz. two Cheverons betwixt three Roses each Cheveron alluding to two beams fastned together called couples in building to speak his skill in Architecture There is maintained therein a Warden seventy Fellows and Scholars ten Chaplains three Clerks one Organist sixteen Choristers besides Officers and Servants of the Foundation with other Students being in all one hundred thirty five Within few years after the same Bishop finished the Colledge at Winchester wherein he established one Warden ten Fellows two Schoolmasters and seventy Scholars with Officers and Servants which are all maintained at his charge out of which School he ordained should be chosen the best Scholars always to supply the vacant places of the Fellows of this Colledge Anno 1391. There was a Synod in England which because many were vexed for causes which could not be known at Rome ordained That the authority of the Pope of Rome should stretch no farther than to the Ocean Sea and that who so Appealed to Rome besides Excommunication should be punished with loss of all their goods and with perpetual imprisonment Then came the Parliament wherein was Enacted the Statute called the Statute of Praemunire which gave such a blow to the Church of Rome The Statute of Praemunire that it never recovered it self in this Land The Statute of Mortmain put the Pope into a sweat but this put him into a Fever That concerned him onely in the Abbies his darlings this touched him in his person About this time died that faithful Learned and aged Servant of God John de Trevisa born at Crocadon in Cornwal a Secular Priest and Vicar of Berkley painful in Translating the Old and New Testament into English with other great Books The History of William Swinderby Priest in the Diocess of Lincoln whereunto be was forced by the Friars the Process of John Tresnant Bishop of Hereford into whose Diocess he removed had against him in the cause of Heretical pravity as the Papists call it the Articles that were exhibited against him with his protestation and answer to the same The Process against William Swinderby with his answer and declaration to certain Conclusions the Bishop's sentence against him and his Appeal from the Bishop to the King with the causes thereof together with Swinderby's letter to the Parliament may be read at large in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments of the Church Then were there Articles exhibited against Walter Bru●e of the Diocess of Hereford a Lay-man and Learned touching the cause of Heresie as they called it unto the Bishop of Hereford his examination and answer is also largely described by Mr. Fox 〈…〉 2. Then were there two Bulls sent out by Pope Boniface the ninth one against the Lollards another to King Richard the second Queen Anne Wife to King Richard at the same time had the Gospels in English with four Doctors upon the same King Richard wrote a notable Letter to the Pope wherein he sheweth That the election of the Pope was not as before comparing the Popes to the Souldiers that crucified Christ That Secular Princes are to bridle the outrages of the Pope and seemeth to Prophecy of the desolation of the Roman Pope King Richard was not long after deposed and barbarously murdered at Pomfret-castle In the time of the conspiracy against King Richard among all the Bishops onely Thomas Merks Bishop of Carlisle was for him For when the Lords in Parliament not content to depose King Ri●hard were devising more mischief against him up steps the foresaid Bishop and thus expresseth himself There is no man here worthy to pass his sentence on so great a King as to whom they have obeyed as their lawful Prince full two and twenty years This is the part of Traitors Cut-throats and Thieves None is so wicked none so vile who though he be charged with a manifest crime we should think to condemn before we heard him And you do ye think it equal to pass sentence on a King anointed and Crowned giving him no leave to defend himself How unjust is this But let us consider the matter it self I say nay openly affirm that Henry Duke of Lancaster whom you are pleased to call your King hath most unjustly spoiled Richard as well his Sovereign as ours of his Kingdom More would he have spoken but the Lord Marshal enjoyned him silence and the other Bishops said he discovered having 〈◊〉 a Monk more Covent-devotion than Court-discretion in dissenting from his Brethren yet at that time no punishment was imposed upon him But the next year 1400. when some discontented Lord 's arose against King Henry the fourth this Bishop was taken prisoner and judicially arraigned for high Treason for which he was condemned and sent to St. Albans The Pope gave unto him another Bishoprick in Samos a Greek Island But before his translation he died CENT XV. KIng Henry the fourth held a Parliament at Westminster during which Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury had convocated a Synod which was held in St. Paul's Church to whom the King sent the Earls of Northumberland and Westmorland who declared to the Trussel in vit Henrici IV. Clergy That they were from the King to acquaint them that the King resolved to confirm all their Priviledges unto them and to joyn with them as they should desire him in the punishment of all Hereticks and opposites to their Religion received for which so doing he craved but their supplications to God for him and his posterity and prosperity of the Kingdom which was by all there present religiously promised In the second year of his Reign King Henry ordained That if any person should obtain from the Bishop of Rome any provision to be exempt from obedience Regular or Ordinary or to have any Office perpetual in any House of Religion he should in our 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 In the same Parliament it was The Statute made pro Haeretico combur●●do ordained That all Lollards that is those who professed the doctrine which Wickliff had taught should be apprehended and if they should remain obstinare 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.
University under the notion of a Visitor The Archbishop angry at the affront fairly retreated re infecta to London King Henry at the joynt instances of both parties summoned them to Lambeth to hear and determine the Controversie where the King pronounced sentence on the Archbishop's side Afterward the King confirmed the same with the consent of the Lords and Commons in Parliament as in the Tower-Rolls doth plainly appear The King though courteous was not servile to the Pope and the Clergy terrified with the wavering doubtfulness of the King granted him a tenth every year for diverse years King Henry the fourth is not observed as all English Kings before Fuller Church Hist of Brit. and after him to have erected and endowed any one entire house of Religion as first or sole-founder thereof though a great Benefactor to the Abby of Leicester and Colledge of Fothringhay in Northamptonshire His picture is not so well known by his Head as his Hood which he weareth upon it in an odd fashion peculiar to himself He died Anno 1413. Henry the fifth his Son succeeded in the Kingdom An universal Synod of all the Bishops and Clergy was called at London where among other weighty matters it was determined That the day of St. George and also of St. Dunstan should be a double Feast in holy Church At the Petition of the Commons in Parliament to the King all Irish Rotul in Turri Lond. begging Priests called Chamberdakyns were ordered to depart the Realm by Michaelmas following upon pain of loss of goods and imprisonment during the King's pleasure In the beginning of this King's Reign arose Sir John Oldcastle who Camd. Brit. in Kent Married Joan de la Pole Baroness of Cobham the Lord whereof he became a Man saith one Regi propter probitatem charus acceptus in great favour with King Henry the fifth for his honesty and likewise renouned for his valour and great skill in feats of Armes who sent into the Diocesses of London Rochester and Hereford some to publish the truth of the Gospel without the leave and License of the Ordinaries who were especially in their Sermons to confute the Doctrine of Transubstantiation the Popish Sacrament of Penance Peregrinations worshipping of Images the Keys usurped by the Church of Rome At that time there resorted to the Synod in London twelve Inquisitors for Heresie whom they appointed at Oxford the year before to search out for Hereticks withall Wickliff's Books who brought two hundred forty six Conclusions which they had collected as Heresies out of the said Books The Names of the Inquisitors were these John Witnam a Master in New Colledge John Langdon Monk of Christ-church in Canterbury William Vfford Regent of the Carmalites Thomas Clayton Regent of the Dominicks Robert Gilbert Richard Enthisdale John Luck Richard Sindisham Richard Fleming Thomas Rotborn Robert Rouberry Richard Grafdale who all concluded that the chief favourers of Wickliff's Doctrine were to be first dealt against The Lord Cobham was complained of by the General Proctors to be the chief principal abettor of suspected Preachers contrary to the mind of the Ordinaries and to have assisted them by force of Armes The King sent for the Lord Cobham and when he was come he admonished him secretly to submit himself to his Mother the holy Church Unto whom he made this Answer You most Worthy Prince saith he I am always ready to obey forasmuch as I know you a Christian Prince and the Minister of God bearing the Sword to the punishment of evil do●rs and safeguard of them that do well Vnto you next unto my eternal God owe I most reverence and submit thereunto as I have done ever all that I have either of Nature or Fortune ready at all times to fulfill whatsoever You in the Lord command me But as touching the Pope and his Spiritualty I owe them neither Suit nor Service forasmuch as I know him by the Scriptures to be the Great Antichrist the Son of Perdition the open Adversary of God The King having heard this would talk no longer with him but utterly left him And the Archbishop resorting to the King he gave him authority to Cite him Examine and Punish him according to their Decrees The Archbishop Cited him to appear before him at the Castle of Leeds in Kent and because he appeared not he Excommunicated him Then the Lord Cobham wrote a draught of the Confession of his Faith and Sealed it with his own Hand in which he answered the four chiefest Articles that the Archbishop laid against him and that done he took the Copy with him and went therewith to the King who would not receive it but commanded it to be delivered to those who should be his Judges Then he desired in the King's presence that an hundred Knights and Esquires might be suffered to come as upon his Purgation which he knew would clear him of all Heresies Moreover he offered himself after the Law of Armes to fight for Life or Death with any man living Christian or Heathen in the quarrel of his Faith the King's Majesty and the Lords of his Council excepted and furthermore protested That he would obey all manner of Laws agreeable to the Word of God yet for all this the King suffered him to be summoned personally in his own Privy-chamber He appeared before the Archbishop sitting in the Chapter-house of Pauls with Richard Clifford Bishop of London Henry Bullinbrook Joh. Capgrave lib. 2. de nobilib Henrici● Bishop of Winchester He professed That the Pope was true Antichrist That he is his Head and that the Popish Bishops were his Members the Friars his Tayl. And as touching the other Points saith he they are Ordinances of the Church of Rome made against the Scriptures after it grew rich and the poison had dispersed it self therein and not before Another Annalist saith That he had openly said in Parliament that it would never be well in England till the Pope's power were banished beyond the Seas The Archbishop read a Bill of Condemnation against him after which Bill read the Lord Cobham said with a cheerful countenance Though you judge my Body which is but a wretched thing yet I am sure ye can do no harm to my Soul no more than Satan could do to the Soul of Job And as concerning these Articles I will stand to them to the very death by the grace of my eternal God And after a short instruction to the people he fell down upon his Knees holding up his Hands and Eyes to Heaven And prayed God to forgive his Prosecutors The Lord Cobham was condemned to dye being led back to the Tower he escaped out of the Tower and fled into Wales where he continued by the space of four years In January 1414. Sir Roger Acton Knight Mr. John Brown and John Beverley a Minister suffered Martyrdom in the Fields of St. Giles with thirty six more Some say that Sir Roger Acton was hanged naked at Tyburn saving that
Abbot of St. Albans declared the first Abbey of England St Peters in Westminster St. Bennet of Holm Berdsey Shrewsbury Crowland Abingdon Evesham Glocester Ramsey St. Maries in York Tewksbury Reading Battel Winchcomb Hid● by Winchester Cirencester Waltha● Al●●lmesbury Thorney St. Augustine in Canterbury Selby Peterboro●●● 〈◊〉 in Colchester Coventry Tavestock Of Colledges were demolished in divers Shires ninety Of Chauntries and Fire-chappels two thousand three hundred seventy four and Hospitals one hundred and ten the yearly value of all which were one hundred sixty one thousand one hundred pounds being above a third part of all our spiritual Revenues besides the money made of the present stock of Cattle and Corn of the Timber Lead Bells c. and lastly but chiefly of the Plate and Ornaments which was not valued but may be conjectured by that one Monastery of St. Edmond's-bury whence was taken five thousand Marks of Gold and Silver besides Stones of great value But the King not only augmented the number of the Colledges and Professors in his Universities but erected out of the Revenues gotten L. Herbert's Hist of Hen. 8. hereby divers new Bishopricks whereof one at Westminster one at Oxford one at Peterborough one at Bristol one at Chester and one at Glocester all remaining at this day save that at Westminster which being revoked to its first Institution by Queen Mary and Benedictines placed in it was by Queen Elizabeth afterward converted to a Collegiare-church and a School for the teaching and maintenance of young Scholars Besides many of the ancient Cathedral-churches formerly possessed by Monks only were now supplied with Canons and some new ones erected and endowed the Revenues allotted by the King to those new Bishopricks and Cathedrals amounting to about eight thousand pounds per Annum Besides the King in demolishing the Abbies did not only prefer divers Learned men which he found there but took special care to preserve the choicest Books of their well-furnished Libraries wherein John Leland a curious searcher of Antiquities was employed These Houses Sites Possessions were by the Parliament setled on Martin's Chronic. in H●● 8. the King who to prevent the future restoring of them back again to their former uses exchanged them liberally for other Lands with the Nobles and Gentry of his Realm many of whose Estates at this day do wholly consist of Possessions of that nature or else are greatly advanced by those Lands A Match being made up betwixt King Henry and the Lady Anne of Cl●eve by the Lord Cromwel's contrivance many Dutch-men flocked into England whose heads were busied about points of Divinity whilst their hands were busied about their Manufactures Soon after they broached their strange Opinions being branded with the general name of Anabaptists This year 15●9 their name first appears in our English Chronicles for I read that four Anabaptists three Men and one Woman all 〈◊〉 chron ● 5●6 Dutch bear Faggots at Paul's Cross and three dayes after a Man and Woman of their Sect were burnt in Smithfield The King liked not Anne of Cleeve who was a very vertuous Lady but in her countenance not well composed fair nor lovely Some feminine impotency was objected against her though only her precontract with the Son of the Duke of Lorrain was publickly insisted on for which by Act of Parliament now sitting she was solemnly divorced And the Bishops and Clergy of this Land in their solemn Convocation published an authentical Instrument in writing under the Seals of the two Archbishops That the King's Marriage with the said Lady Anne of Cleve was void and of none effect From thenc●forth the King frowneth upon the Lord Cromwel Then the six Articles called by some The bloody Statute by others The Whip with six strings by the perswasion of Bishop Gardiner in defiance of Archbishop Cranmer and the Lord Cromwel opposing it was enacted being I. That in the Sacrament of the Altar after Consecration no substance of Bread or Wine remaineth but the natural Body and Blood of Christ II. That the Communion in both kinds is not necessary ad salutem by the Law of God to all persons III. That Priests after Orders received may not marry by the Law of God IV. That Vows of Castity ought to be observed V. That it is meet and necessary that private Masses be admitted and continued in Churches IV. That Auricular confession must be frequented by people as necessary to Salvation The Lord Cromwel was soon after arrested and ten dayes after his Arrest he was attainted of High-treason in Parliament and he with the Lord Hongerford the next week after was beheaded on Tower-hill After the execution of the Lord Cromwel the Parliament still sitting a motly Execution happened in Smithfield three Papists hanged by the Statute for denying the King's Supremacy viz. Edward Powel Thomas Abley Richard Fetherston And as many Protestants burned at the same time and place by vertue of the six Articles viz. Robert Barnes Doctor of Divinity Thomas Gerard William Jerom Batchelors of Divinity This was caused by the difference of Religions in the King 's Privy Council wherein the Popish party called for the execution of these Protestants whilst the Protestant Lords in the Council cried as fast that the Laws might take effect upon the Papists In the Parliament a Statute was made commanding every man Fully A Statute made for the recovery of Tithes 32 Hen. 8. c. 7. truly and effectually to divide set out yield or pay all and singular Tithes and Offerings according to the lawful customs and usages of the Parishes and places where such Tithes or Duties shall grow arise come or be due And remedy is given for Ecclesiastick persons before the Ordinary and for Lay-men that claimed appropriated Tithes by grant from the Crown in the secular Courts by such Actions as usually Lay-possessions had been subject to This Statute in favour of Lay-impropriators was beneficial to the Clergy to recover their Predial Tithes at Common Law A Statute also was made That it was lawful for all persons to contract marriage who are not prohibited by the Law of God for after the time of Pope Gregory 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
Lords and others who onely had the power to reform the same because they could not question those who had so miserably invaded the Churches patrimony without condemning of themselves Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester having long lain Prisoner in the Fleet was enlarged and permitted to return to his Diocess where contrary to the promise made at his enlargement he shewed himself cross to the King's proceedings in case of Images and other things that he was sent Prisoner to the Tower where he abode till he was set at liberty by Queen Mary Notwithstanding the King's great care to set forth one uniform order of Administring the holy Communion in both kinds yet among the inferior Priests and Ministers of Cathedral and other Churches in this Realm there arose variety of Factions in Celebrating the Communion Service and Administra●ion of the Sacraments and other Rites of the Church Some followed the Order of the King's proceedings others patchingly used some part of them onely but many causelesly contemning them all would still continue in their former Popery Moreover many of those who had been licensed appeared as active in Preaching against the King's proceedings as any of the unlicensed Preachers had been found to be Which being made known to the King and the Lords of the Council it was advised that a publick Liturgy should be drawn and confirmed by Parliament which was done An. 1548. and in the next year a penalty was imposed by Act of Parliament on such who should deprave or neglect the use thereof The King caused those Godly Bishops and other Learned Divines whom he had form●rly imployed in drawing up the order for the holy Communion to frame a publick Liturgy containing the order of Morning and Evening Prayer together with a Form of Ministring the Sacraments and for the celebrating of all publick Offices in the Churches This was done accordingly Some exception being taken at it by Mr. Calvin abroad and some zealots at home the Book was brought under a review and by Statute in Parliament it was appointed it should be faithfully perused explained and made fully perfect And here take notice that those who had the chief stroke in this Affair were before-hand resolved that none but English Heads or hands should be used therein Calvin offered his assistance to Archbishop Cranmer as himself confesseth but he refused the offer And though it was thought necessary for the better seasoning of both Universities in the Protestant Reformed Religion that Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr two eminent Divines of Forreign Churches should be invited to come over yet had the Liturgy passed the approbation of the King and Council if not both Houses of Parliament before their coming Which being finished they all subscribed it except Doctor Day Bishop of Chichester Then in Parliament it was enacted that all such positive Lawes and Ordinances as prohibited the marriages of Priests and pains and forfeitures therein contained should be repealed In this Parliament also it was enacted that no person should from thence-forth take or carry away any Tithe or Tithes which had been received or paid within the space of fourty years next before the date thereof c. under the pain or forfeiture of the Treble value of the Tithes so taken or carried away To which a clause was also added enabling the said Parsons Vicars c. to enter upon any man's Land for the due setting out of his Tithes and carrying away the same without molestation There also passed another Act for Abstinence from flesh upon all such days as had been formerly taken and reputed for fasting-dayes viz. fall Fridays and Saturdays in the year the time of Lent the Ember-days the Eves or Vigils of such Saints as had been anciently used for Fasts by the Rules of the Church On Septemb. 5. 1548. Doctor Farrar's was consecrated Bishop of S. Davids as Doctor Heylin noteth and not in the year 1547. as Mr. Fox makes it nor in 1549. as Bishop Godwin saith The Lord Protector pulled down two Churches two Chappels and three Episcopal Houses for the materials of the building of his new intended Palace called Sommerset-house About this time there arose a sort of men who were termed Gospellers against whom Bishop Hooper inveigheth in the Preface to his Exposition on the ten Commandments Some Anabaptists also discovered themselves Some of the Chiefs of them were convented before the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Westminster Doctor Cox Almoner to the King and others and being convicted of their errours some of them were dismissed only with an Admonition some sentenced to a Recantation and others among which I find one Champney's condemned to bear their Faggots at S. Paul's Cross Then brake forth two dangerous Rebellions one in Devonshire the other in Norfolk That of Devonshire was found to be chiefly raised in maintenance of their old Religion On Whitsun Munday being next day after the first exercising of the publick Liturgy some few of the Parishioners of the Parish of Sampford-Courtney compelled their Parish-Priest who is supposed to have invited them to that compulsion to let them have the Latine Mass as in former-times These being seconded with many others Henry Arundel Esquire Governour of the Mount in Cornwal Winslade and Coffin Gentlemen headed them The seditious exceeding the number of ten thousand march in a full body to Exeter They send their demands to the King among which one more specially concerned the Liturgy It was demanded by the Rebels That forasmuch as we constantly believe that after the words of Consecration spoken by the Priest being at Mass there is very really the Body and Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ God and man and that no substance of Bread and Wine remaineth after but the very self-same body that was born of the Virgin Mary and was given upon the Cross for our Redemption Therefore we will have Mass Celebrated as it was in times past without any man Communicating with the Priests forasmuch as many presuming unworthily to receive the same put no difference between the Lord's body and other kind of meat c. To which demand of theirs the King thus answered viz. that for the Mass I assure you no small study nor Travel hath been spent by all the Learned Clergy therein and to avoyd all contention it is brought even to the use that Christ left it as the Apostles used it as the Holy Fathers delivered it indeed somewhat altered from that to which the Popes of Rome for their lucre had brought it And although saith he you may hear the contrary from some Popish evil men Yet we on our Honour assure you that they deceive abuse you and blow these opinions into your Heads to finish their own purposes But this answer satisfying not they marched with all their forces to the siege of Exeter carrying before them in their march the Pix or Consecrated Host under a Canopy with Crosses Banners Candlesticks Holy-bread and Holy-water c. But the Lord
then actually restored to that See Having performed the obsequies of her Brother on the ninth and tenth she removes her Court to Whitehal on September she passeth thence to the Tower by Water attended by her Sister and a great Train of Noble Ladies and made her return through the principal Streets of the same City on the last of the same moneth in a most stately manner and the next day proceeded in like pomp to the Abbey-Church at Dr. P. Heylins History of Queen Mary Westminster where she was met by the Silver Crosses and eighty Singing-men all in rich Coaps so sudden a recruit was made of these sacred Vestments among whom went the new Dean of Westminster Dr. Weston and diverse Chaplains of her own each of them bearing in their hand some ensign or other After them marched ten Bishops which were all as remained of her perswasion with their Miters rich Coaps and Crosier-staves The Sermon was preached by Doctor Day whom she had restored to the See of Chichester The solemnity of the Coronation was performed by the Bishop of Winchester the new Lord Chancellor Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury being then committed to the Tower Till this time none was more dear to her than her Sister the Lady Elizabeth but after her Coronation she estranged her self from her She preferred Henry Ra●cliff Earl of Sussex to the society of the Garter which honour she conferred on his Son Thomas after his decease and to be covered in her presence at all times and places according to the custom of the Grandees in the Realm of Spain She also advanced the Earl of Arundel to the Office of Lord Steward She made Sir Edward Hastings Master of the Horse and Knight of the Garter and afterwards Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold and Lord Hastings of Loughborough She honoured Sir John Williams with the Title of Lord Williams of Thame She preferred Sir Henry Jerningham to be Captain of her Guard and afterwards Sir Thomas Tresham was created Lord Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem She preferred her old Servants Hopton her old Chaplain to the See of Norwich Rochester to be Comptroller of her Houshold Inglefield to be Master of the Wards and Walgrave to be Master of the Wardrobe Sir John Gage a zealous Papist was made Lord Chamberlain of her Houshold when she came first to the Tower Bishop Bonner was discharged of the Marshalsey and Bishop Tunstal from the King's Bench within two days after Bonner is restored to his See of London and Tunstal to Durham and an Act of Parliament procured for the restoring of the Church of Durham to all its Lands and Jurisdictions of which it stood divested by the late Act of Dissolution made in the last year of the deceased King Coverdale was displaced from the See of Exeter Scory from that of Chichester and Hooper from the Commendatory of the See of Worcester to which Sees Voisy Day and Heath were again restored The like course also followed for the depriving of all Deans Dignitaries and Parochial Ministers who had succeeded into any of those preferments during the Reign of the two last Kings Doctor Cox was on August 5. brought to the Marshalsey and spoiled of his Deaneries of Christ-church and Westminster to make room for Doctor Richard Marshal in the one and Doctor Hugh Weston in the other Peter Martyr coming from Oxford to London where for a time he was commanded to keep his House but was soon after suffered to return into his own Countrey A Letter was sent at the same time to the Mayor of Coventry to set at liberty Hugh Simons if he would recant his Sermon or else to stay him A little before Mr. Bradford Mr. Vernon and Mr. Beacon Preachers● were committed to the Tower A Letter was sent to the Sheriffs of Buckingham and Bedford for the apprehending Mr. Fisher Parson of Amersham Another Letter was sent to the Bishop of Norwich not to suffer any to Preach or Expound openly the Scriptures without special License from the Queen Mr. John Rogers Preacher was confined to his own house Hooper and Coverdale being cited to appear before the Lords of the Council did appear Hooper was committed to the Fleet and Coverdale commanded to attend the pleasure of the Lords Fisher of Amersham and Hugh Sanders Vicar of St. Michaels in Coventry appeared also before the Council Hugh Latimer appeared also and was committed to the Tower Doctor Bourn Archdeacon of London Preaching at Pauls Cross in favour of Bishop Bonner there present at the Sermon inveighed against some proceedings in the time of the late King Edward which so incensed the people that a great tumult arose upon it some pelting with Stones others crying aloud Pull him down and one who could never be known flinging a Dagger at his Head which after was found sticking in a post of the Pulpit The Preacher with difficulty was secured in a School adjoyning By reason of which tumult the Lords of the Council with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen took order that every Housholder should cause their Children and Apprentices to keep their own Parish-churches upon Holidays order was taken for preventing the like Tumult on the Sunday following A Sermon was Preached at the Cross by Doctor Watson who afterwards was Bishop of Lincoln for whose security many Lords of the Council were there present and Jerningham Captain of the Guard with two hundred of his Yeomen standing round about the Pulpit with their Halberts Then care was taken that nothing should be Preached in private Churches contrary to the Doctrine which was and should be Taught at the Cross by them which were appointed to it It was further ordered that every Alderman in his Ward should send for the Curates of every Church within their Liberties and warn them not onely to forbear Preaching themselves but also not to suffer any other to Preach or make any open reading of Scripture in their Churches unless the said Preachers were severally Licensed by the Queen For eight weeks after the Proclaiming of Mary Queen Protestantism and Popery were together set on foot the former hoping to be continued the latter labouring to be restored Seeing by the fidelity of the Norfolk and Suffolk Protestant Gentry the Queen was much advantaged for the speedy recovering of her Right they conceived that as she by them had regained the Crown so they under her should enjoy their Consciences The Papists put their Ceremonies in execution presuming on the Queens private practice and publick countenance The Queen on August 18. puts forth a Proclamation declaring her self for the Popish Religion which she resolves to observe for her self wishing her Subjects to follow her example yet that she mindeth not to compel any thereunto until such time as further order by common Assent may be taken therein forbidding all her Subjects to move Seditions at their perils and the Printing of any Book Rhyme Enterlude or Treatise without her special License for the same 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 paein 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 Children 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 that they would be Herlin Hist of Q. Mary 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 S. Paul's and made one of the Prebendaries He was convented and condemned and publi●kly burnt in Smithfield on Feb. 4 He was the first Martyr in Queen Mary's dayes On the nineth day of which moneth John Hooper late Bishop of Glocester was burnt in that City The like course was taken with Bishop Farrar Bishop of S. David's but that I do not find him restrained from speaking his mind unto the people as the other was He was cast into prison by the Protestants in King Edward's days Being continued in prison in Queen Mary's dayes and called before Bishop Gardiner he gave such offence that he was sent back again to prison and being sent back into his own Diocess he there received the sentence of condemnation at the hand of Morgan who had supplanted and succeeded him in the See of S. David's He desisted not till
quietly digested the Ceremonies of the Church About this time a Petition called the Millenary Petition for Reformation was solemnly presented to his Majesty in the name of the Ministers of the Church of England desiring Reformation of certain Ceremonies and abuses of the Church Subscribed Your Majesties most humble Subjects the Ministers of the Gospel that desire not a disorderly Innovation but a due and godly Reformation The Episcopal party gave this Petition a lash some with their Pens more with their Tongues The Universities were justly netled thereat Cambridge passed a Grace in their Congregation That whosoever in their Vniversity should by word or writing oppose the received Doctrine and Discipline of England or any part thereof should be suspended from their former and excluded from all future Degrees Oxford followed making a sharp and strong confutation of the Petition After his Majesty had discountenanced it some of the opposite party maintained That now the property thereof was altered from a Petition to a Libel Soon after died Archbishop Whitgift of the Palsey and was buried at Croidon the Earl of Worcester and Lord Zouch his Pupils attending his Herse and Bishop Babington his Pupil also made his Funeral Sermon Richard Bancroft Bishop of London brought up in Jesus-colledge succeeded him in the Archbishoprick Now a Parliament was assembled in which it was enacted That neither the King himself nor his Successors should be capable of any Church-land to be conveyed unto them otherwise than for three lives or twenty one years Thus the King was pleased to bind himself for the liberty of the Church and hereby he eased himself of many troublesome Suitors In the Convocation many Canons were made A Book of Canons was compiled not only being the sum of the late Queens Articles Orders of her Commissioners Canons of 1571. and 1597. which were in use before but also many more were added the whole number amounting unto 141 An explanation was made in one of the Canons of the use of the Cross in Baptism Bishop Rudd of St. Davids opposed the Oath of Simony Anno 1564. the Family of Love presented a tedious Petition to King James wherein by fawning expressions they seek to insinuate themselves into his Majesties good opinion We find not what effect this Petition produced This year died two Romanists beyond Sea much lamented one Richard Hall bred in Christ's-colledge in Cambridge whence he ran over to Rome and after died Canon and Official at St. Omers Cathedral The other Humfrey Ely born in Hereford-shire Fellow of St. John's-colledge in Oxford whence going beyond Sea at Rome he commenced Doctor of Law and afterwards died Professor thereof in the University of Ponta M●u●an in the Dutchy of Lorrain Now the Romish Cotholicks despairing of getting any free and publick exercise of their Religion some of them entred into a devilish Conspiracy to blow up the Parliament House with Gunpowder In this Plot were engaged Robert Catesby Thomas Piercy Sir Everard Digby Francis Tresham Thomas Winter John Wright Christopher Wright Ambrose Rookwood Robert Keys Robert Winter John Grant Thomas Bates Catesbies man Guido Faux The principal Contriver of this Plot was Robert Catesby a Gentleman of good account in Northampton-shire who drew in many other Papists to assist him Gerard tyeth them together with an Oath of secrecy Garnet and Tismond encourage the design But here an important scruple was injected how to part their Friends from their Foes in the Parliament Here Garnet instead of untying cut this knot asunder That in such a case as this it was lawful to kill Friend and Foe together Now though these Plotters intended at last with honour to own the Action when success had secured all things yet they purposed when the blow was first given to father the fact upon those that were called Puritans But for the discovery of this Plot God's Providence so ordered it that a Letter was framed and sent to the Lord Mounteagle brought him by one of his Footmen which he received from an unknown man in the street in manner following My Lord out of the love I bear to some of your Friends I have a care of your preservation Therefore I would advise you as you tender your life to forbear your attendance at this Parliament for God and man have concurred to punish the wickedness of this time And think not slightly of this advertisement but retire your self into your Countrey where you may expect the event in safety for though there be no appearance of any stir yet I say they shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament and yet they shall not see who hurts them This counsel is not to be contemned because it may do you good and can do you no harm for the danger is past as soon as you have burnt the Letter And I hope God will give you the grace to make use of it to whose holy protection I commend you The Lord Mounteag'e communicates the Letter to the Earl of Sarisbury He to the King who on the second perusal expounded the mystical blow meant therein must be by Gunpowder and gives order for searching the Rooms under the Parliament House The first search about evening discovered nothing but Percie 's Cellar full of Wood and Johnson his man under that name was Faux disguised attending therein At midnight a more strict and secret search was made by Sir Thomas Fuller Church Hist Knevet Gentleman of his Majesty's Privy Chamber and others in the Vault under the Parliament House There was quickly discovered a pile of fewel faced over with Billets lined under with thirty six Barrels of Powder besides Iron bars to make the force of the sire more effectual Guido Faux was apprehended in the outward room with a dark Lanthorn in his hand and three Matches ready to give fire to the Train Mean-time Catesby Percy Rookwood both the Wrights and Thomas Winter were hovering about London to attend the issue of the matter They and their Servants post down into the Countrey through Warwick-shire Worcester-shire into Stafford-shire Sir Richard Verney High Sheriff of Warwick-shire chased them from thence and Sir Robert Walsh Sheriff of Worcester-shire overtook them at Holbeck in Stafford-shire the House of Mr. Stephen Littleton where upon their resistance the two Wrights were killed Rookwood and Thomas Winter grievously wounded Percy and Catesby setting back to back fought desperately against all that assaulted them after many Swords drawn upon them they were both slain with one shot of a Musquet Francis Tresham was taken about the Court and sent to the Tower where he confessed all and within a few dayes after died of the Strangury The rest were solemnly arraigned convicted condemned at London Jan. 30. First Sir Everard Digby Robert Winter Grant and Bates were hanged drawn and quartered at the West-end of St. Paul's Three of them but especially Sir Everard Digby died very penitently Grant expressed most obstinacy at his death The next day Thomas Winter Ambrose
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 Laud 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 confu●ation 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 D●an 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 Rushw Collect An. 162● ● of Ecclesiastical persons were written under the letters of O and P 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 res●ued 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 in Gresham Colledge and Mr. Francis Rowse a Lay-man His Majesty sensible of his Subjects great distast at Mr. Mountague's Book resolved to leave him to stand or fall according to the justness of his Cause The Duke imparted as much to the Bishop of St. David's who conceived it of such ominous concernment that he entred the same in his Diary viz. I seem to see a cloud arising and threatning the Church of England God for his mercy dissipate it The King issued forth a Proclamation Whereby he commanded the return within limited time of all such Children of Noble-men and other his natural Subjects who were now breeding up in Schools and Seminaries and other Houses of the Popish Religion beyond the Seas That their Parents Tutors and Governors take present order to recal them home and to provide that they return by the day prefixt at the utmost severity of his Majestie 's Justice He commanded further That no Bishop Priest or any other person having taken Orders under any Authority derived from the See of
King Charles and Dr. Peter Du-Moulin And to destroy Deans and Chapters would highly gratifie Rome for Sanders himself seemeth to complain that Queen Elizabeth had left Provosts Deans Canons and Prebendaries in Cathedral and Collegiate Churches because he foresaw such Foundations would conduce to the stability of Religion He went forward to shew how such Lands paid greater sums to the Exchequer for First-fruits tenths and subsidies according to the proportion than any other Estates and Corporations in the Kingdom He implored to find the antient and honourable Justice of the House unto his Brethren who were not charged much less convicted of any Scandalous faults justly for the same to forfeit their estates At last he set before them the Honour of God to whose worship and service such Fabricks and Lands were dedicated and barred all alienations with which he said is termenda vox curses and imprecations He minded them of the censures of Korah and his Complices pronounced hallowed because pretended to do God service therewith He added that of Solomon Prov. 20. 25. It is a snare to a man that devoureth that which is holy He added also that smart question of St. Paul Thou that abhorrest idols dost thou commit Sacriledge and concluded that on the ruines of the rewards of Learning no structure can be raised but ignorance and upon the Chaos of ignorance nothing can be built but Profaneness and Confusion This speech was generally well-resented and wrought much on the House for the present In the afternoon Dr. Cornelius Burgesse made a vehement Invective against Deans and Chapters c. He aggravated the debauchedness of Singing men not onely useless but hurtful by their Vicious conversation Yet he concluded with the utter unlawfulness to convert such endowments to any private person's profit Then was a Bill brought up from the Commons to the Lords against Bishops and Clergy-men and it was Voted I. That they should have no Votes in Parliament II. That they should not be in the Commission of the Peace nor be Judges in Temporal Courts III. Nor sit in the Star-chamber nor be Privy Counsellors The last branches of this Bill passed by general consent not above two dissenting But the first branch was Voted by the Lords in the negative But at last it was wholly cast out The Archbishop advised the drawing of a Petition to both Houses of Parliament in the name of the University of Oxford not onely for the preservation of Episcopal Government but of those Foundations as being both the encouragements and rewards of Learning In which petition having spoken in few words of the Antiquity and Succession of Bishops from the Apostles themselves they insist more at large upon such suggestions as might best justifie and endear the cause of Cathedral Churches The like petition came from Cambridge as much concern'd in this common cause as Oxon. At a solemn Fast not long after the Temporal Lords took precedence of the Bishops contrary to the custom of their Predecessors in all times foregoing which being observed by the Lord Spencer Is this said he a day of humiliation wherein we shew so great a pride in taking place of those to whom it was allowed by all our Ancestors The Bill against the High-commission Court was the third time read in the House of Lords and passed which some days after was confirmed by his Majesty The Bishop of Lincoln brought up a Bill to regulate Bishops and their jurisdiction This Bill was but once read in the House and no great matter made thereof The Bishops that were impeached for making Canons craved time till Michaelmas Term. This was vehemently opposed by some Lords and two questions were put I. Whether the Bishops should fit still in the House though without voting to which themselves consented whilst the circumstance of time for their answer was in debate II. What time they should have for their answer The first of these was carried for them by one present voice and four Proxies and for the second time was allowed them till the tenth of November and Councel was permitted unto them Bishop Warner of Rochester is chosen by joynt consent to solicit the cause sparing neither care nor cost therein Mr. Chute drew up a Demurrer in their behalf that their offence in making Canons could not amount to a Praemunire and now the cause sunck in silence But the main matter was that the Bishops were denied all medling even in the Commission of preparatory examinations concerning the Earl of Strafford Causa sanguinis and they as men of mercy not to deal in the condemning of any person The Bishops against the perswasions of the Lord Kimbolton and the Earl of Essex resolved to keep possession of their Votes till a prevalent power outed them thereof No day passed wherein some petition was not presented to the Parliament against the Bishops who durst not come to the Parliament by Land for fear of the Apprentices who were gathered together in great numbers to Westminster The Bishops therefore intended to come to Parliament by water in Barges but as they thought to come to Land they were so pel●ed with Stones and frighted at the sight of such a company of them that they were rowed back and went away to their places The next day twelve of the Bishops repaired to Jerusalem Chamber in the Dean's lodgings ●●d drew up a Protestation directed thus To the King 's most excellent Majesty and the Lords and Peers now assembled in Parliament This Instrument they delivered to Bishop Williams now Archbishop of York who at the next opportunity presented it to his Majesty who wholly remitted the matter to the Parliament The next morning a Privy Counsellor brought this Protestation into the House and the twelve subscribers are impeached of High Treason and Voted to be committed to the Tower save that Bishop Morton of Durham and Bishop Hall of Norwich found some favour so that 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
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 to manifest thereby their zeal against the Episcopal Hierarchy Heylin's Hist of the life of K. Charles 1. pag. 113. 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 Steward Benjamin Laney Henry Hammond Henry Ferne. For the Parliament Master Stephen Marshal 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 demands 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 Cat●chism one the lesser the other the greater This Assembly dwindled away by d●grees though ne●er 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 Li●guist and Chaplain of Christ-Church who survived him but one year Mr. Dod was bur●●d at Fausly in North●●pton-shire Now comes strange news Dr. Williams Archbishop of York is no less suddenly than strangely Metamorph●sed 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 he 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 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 Regul●ting 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 Wa●ford in Hartfordshire and to receive to himself all Tythes Oblations c. thereunto belonging during his tife And Dr. Cornelius Burgess to have yearly allowance of four-hundred pounds paid unto him by the Lord Mayer of the City of ●ondon and the Court of Aldermen to be paid quarterly out of the Houses 〈◊〉 Rever●●● of the Dean Dean and Chapter of the Church of S. Paul's for and d●ring 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
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 profi●s 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 expressing Flag●llum or the life and death of O. C. p. 83. 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 Cro●well 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 During the Treaty at Breda 1650. the Marquess of Momrosse 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 si●ce 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 and in the mean-time send many Expostulatory Letters to Sir Arthur Haslerigg then at Newcastle urging the breach of Covenant and the union between the two Nations which availed nothing The Scots having been routed at Muscleburgh they came to a Battel at Dunbar where the whole Army was defeated by Cromwel of the Scots there were slain in the Battel four thousand and nine thousand were taken prisoners with all their Ammunition bag and baggage and ten thousand Armes The Scots after this loss quitted Leith and Edinburgh whereof the next day Cromwel took possession and the King retired to St. Johnstons where the Committee of Estates were assembled The Scots ascribed this overthrow of the Army to their admitting the King into Scotland before he had given full satisfaction to the Kirk in what they required of him and began very much to impose upon him and remove from his Person the most Faithful and Loyal of his Servants The King departs secretly from St. Johnstons in discontent to the Lord Dedup's house near Dundee The Estates at St. Johnstons send Major General Montgomery to fetch the King back the King returns
Egbert was now in the exaltation of his greatness but the Danes beat the English in a Naval fight at Carmouth in Dorset-shire which proved fatal to our Nation Hence forward these Pagans setled themselves in some part of the Land Anno 837. Ethelwolph his Son succeeded his Father Egbert in the Throne a valiant and devout Prince though much molested by the Danes all his life-time About the year 855. Ethelwolph King of the West Saxons summoned a Parliament of his Princes Nobles and Bishops at Winchester in the midst of the Danish Wars and Invasions to consult with them how he might pacifie God's wrath against him and his Realm And by their advise and assent granted the Tithes or tenth part of all his Lands to God and his Ministers free from all secular services and exactions great and small that they might the more freely pour out their prayers to God for him and his Realm He subjected the whole Kingdom to the payment of Tithes he was the first-born Monarch of England Indeed before his time there were Monarchs of the Saxon Heptarchy but not successive and fixed in a Family but fluctuating from one Kingdom to another Egbert Father to this Ethelwolph atchieved and left this Monarchy to this his Son not Monarcha factus but natus and so in unquestionable Power to make this Act obligatory over all the Land saith Fuller King Ethelwolph the next year went in Pilgrimage to Rome and confirmed unto the Pope his Predecessors grant of Peter-pence and besides bestowed upon him the yearly Revenue of three hundred Marks thus to be expended 1. To maintain Candles for St. Peter one hundred Marks 2. To maintain Candles for St. Paul one hundred Marks 3. For a free Largess to the Pope one hundred Marks After the Death of King Ethelwolph and his two Sons Ethelbald and Ethelbert succeeding him this Land was in a sad condition though in a worse estate under the reign of his third Son being harassed by the Danes About sixty years since the West Saxons had subdued the other six Kings of this Nation yet so that they still continued Kings but Homagers to the West Saxon Monarchy They beholding Ethelred the West Saxon King embroiled with the invasion of the Danes they not onely lazily looked on but secretly smiled at this sight Thus the height of the Saxon pride and envy caused the breadth of the Danish power and cruelty Anno 870. the Danes made an inrode into Lincoln-shire where they met with stout resistance The Christians had the better the first day wherein the Danes lost three of their Kings buried in a place thence called Trekingham so had they the second day till at night breaking their Ranks to pursue the Danes in their dissembled flight they were utterly overthrown Theodore Abbot of Crowland hearing of the Danes approach Shipped away most of his Monks with the choycest Relicks and Treasures of his Convent and cast his most pretious Vessels into a Well in the Cloister The rest remaining were at their morning praiers when the Danes entring Slew Theodore the Abbot on the high Altar Asher the Prior in the Vestiary Lethwin the Sub-prior in the Refectory Pauline and Herbert in the Quire Wolride the Torch-bearer in the same place Grimketule Agamund each of them an 100 years old in the Cloisters Then the Danes marched to Medamstead since called Peterbrough where finding the Abby-gates locked against them they resolved to force their entrance in effecting whereof Tulba Brother to Count Hubba was wounded almost to death with a stone cast at him Hubba enraged hereat killed Abbot Hedda and all the Monks being fourscore and four with his own hand Then was the Abby set on fire which burned fifteen daies together wherein an excellent Library was consumed Having pillaged the Abby and broke the Tombs and Coffins of many Saints there enterred these Pagans marched forward into Camdridge-shire and passing the river Nine two of their waggons fell into the water wherein the cattle which drew them were drowned much of their rich plunder lost and more impared The Danes spared no Age Sex condition of people They wa●●ed Cambridge burnt the then City of Thetford forced Edmond King of the East-Angles into his Castle of Framlingham They took him and because he would not deny Christ they tyed him unto a Tree and shot at him til he died Then they cut of his head and cast it among the bushes His own Subjects buried him both head and body at Ha●sedon which from thence was called St. Edmonds-bury There after-ages shrined sainted and adored his Reliques King Ethelbert behaved himself bravely in nine B●●tles with various success against the Danes and the more he slew the more they grew which went neer his heart therefore he withered away in the flower of his age desiring rather to encounter death than the Danes according to the observation of the English Historian Guliel Malm●sbur de ●●st●s Reg●m Anglor lib. 2. that the Saxon Kings in this age magis optabant honestum exitum quam acerbu● Imperium In this sad condition God sent England a deliverer namely King Alfred or Alured fourth son of Ethelwolph by the Lady Ogburgh He was born in England bred in Rome where by a Prolepsis saith Fuller he was anointed King by Pope Leo though then but a private Prince and his three elder brothers alive in auspicium futuri regni in hope that hereafter he should come to the Crown The Danes at his coming to the Crown had London many of the in-land more of the maritime Towns and Alfred onely three effectual Shires Sommerset Wiltes and Dorset yet by God's blessing on his endeavours he got to be Monarch of all England In the beginning of his reign he was sorely distressed by the Danes Anno 87● and one of his greatest Courts for residence was an Island now known by the name of Athelney in the County of Sommerset in the Saxon tongue called Aethelingarg that is Nobilium Insula so termed by reason of the Kings abode and the concourse of his Nobles unto him in this place he lived poorly disguised in a Cow-herds house Being excellent In Musick and Songs he oftentimes in the habit and posture of a common Minstril did insinuate himself in the Danis● Camp where his plausible cariage and skill gained a freedome of access and passage in the company of their Princes at banquets and other meetings and thereby he discovered their conditions and all their martial counsels and designes He returneth to his comfortless company and unmasking himself and the Danish designes cheereth them up and with a refreshed Power and strength suddenly issued forth and gave a fierce assault upon the secure Danes he slew multitudes of them and enforced the remainder to a shameful flight for the safe-guard of their lives In this Isle Alfred had built a kind of Castle or Fortress to receive him and his Nobles upon return from their Sallies and Encounters during his Wars
for all Wales at Ty-quin or the White House The Canons therein were wholly in favour of the Clergy enacting this amongst the rest That the presence of a Priest and a Judge constitute a legal Court as the two persons only in the Quorum thereof There were then seven Episcopal Seats in Wales 1. S. Davids 2. Ismael 3. Degenian 4. Vsyl 5. Teylaw 6. T●uledauc 7. Kenew King Edgar died peaceably leaving his Crown to Edward his Son w●om being under Age he committed to the tuition of Dunstan In this King's reign three Councils were successively called to determine the difference between Monks and Secular Priests The first was at Winchester where the Priests being outed of their Convents earnestly pressed for restitution Polydor Virgil writes that in the Synod it was concluded that the Priests should be restored But a voice was immediately heard from the wall as coming from a Crucifix behind Dunstan saying They think amiss that favour the Priests That was received as a Divine Oracle and the Priests were secluded from their Benefices and Monasteries A second Council was called at Kirtlington now Catlage in Cambridgeshire but to little effect The same year a third Council was called at Caln in Wilt-shire hither came Priests and Monks in great numbers Beornelm a Scottish Bishop defended the cause of the Priests with S●●ipture and Reason But on a sudden Dunstan by his Art caused the Beams or Joists of the Room where they were assembled to break and fall many were wounded most of the Secular Priests were slain and buried under the ruines thereof only Dunstan was safe with his Chair that was fixed on a Pillar So the controversie was ended with devilish cruelty It appears not what provision was made for these Priests when ejected King Edward went to Corff-Castle where at that time his Mother-in-Law with her Son Egelred lay and by her contrivance he was barbarously murthered as he was drinking on Horse-back and was buried at Wareham and Ethelred Edward's half-brother succeeded him in the Throne Dun●●an died and was buried on the South-side of the high Altar in the Church of Canterbury After his death the Monks were cast ou● of the Convent of Canterbury by reason of their misdemeanours Siricius the next Archbishop of Canterbury endeavoured the re-expulsion of the Priests which by Elfrick his Successor was effected By him a Sermon was appointed to be read publickly on Easter-day before the Communion The same Author hath two other Treatises one directed to Wolfsin Bishop of Shirburn and another to Wulfstan Bishop of York about the Sacrament Soon after the Danes by a firm Ejection outed the Monks before they were well warm in their Nests Their fury fell more on Convents than Castles England for these last sixty years had been freed from their cruelty which now returned more dreadful than ever before These Danes were also advantaged by the unactiveness of King Ethelred who with ten thousand pounds purchased a present Peace with the Danes The multitude of Monasteries invited the Invasion and facilitated the Conquest of the Danes over England Holy Island was forsaken by the fearful Monks affrighted with the approach of the Danes and Alhunus the Bishop thereof removed his Cathedral and Convent to Durham an Inland place of more safety The Danes having received and spent their Money invaded England afresh according to all Wise mens expectation CENT XI IN the beginning of this Century certain Danes fled into a Church at Oxford hoping the Sanctity thereof according to the devout Principles of that Age would secure them But by command from King Ethelred they were all burned in the place whose blood remained not long unrevenged The Danish fury fell fiercest on the City of Canterbury with fire and sword destroying eight thousand people therein Swanus the Dane tithed the Monks of S. Augustine's Abbey killing nine by cruel torment and keeping the tenth alive for slaves They slew there of Religious men to the number of nine hundred And when they had kept the Bishop Elphege in strait prison the space of eight months because he would not agree to give them three thousand pounds after many villanies done unto him at Greenwich they stoned him to death Next year a nameless Bishop of London was slain by them and a great part of the City of London was wasted with fire The Danes burnt Cambridge to ashes and harassed the Country round about King Ethelred sent his Wife Emma with his two Sons Alfred and Edward to Richard Duke of Normandy which was Brother to the said Emma with whom also he sent the Bishop of London whither also himself went after he had spent a great part of the Winter in the Isle of Wight whither he was chased of the Danes Swanus hearing that Egelred was departed out of the Land imposed great Exactions upon the people and among other he required a great sum of money of S. Edmond's Lands which the people there claiming to be free of all King's tribute denied to pay Hereupon Swanus entred the Territory of St. Edmond and wasted the Countrey threatening to spoil the place of his burial The men of the Countrey fell to fasting and prayer and soon after Swanus died suddenly crying and yelling among his Knights In fear whereof Canutus his Son and Successor ditched the Land of St. Edmond with a deep Ditch and granted to the Inhabitants thereof great Immunities quitting them from all Tribute and after builded a Church over the place of his Sepulture ordained there an House of Monks and endowed them with rich possessions After that time the Kings of England when they were crowned sent their Crowns for an offering to St. Edmond's Shrine and redeemed them afterward with a condign price After the death of Egelred great contention was in England for the Crown some were for Edmond Ironside the Son of Egelred and some for Canutus After many bloody Fights both parties agree to try the quarrel betwixt them two only in sight of both Armies they make the Essay with Swords and sharp strokes in the end upon the motion of Canutus they agree and kiss one another to the joy of both Armies and they covenant for parting the Land during their lives and they lived as Brethren Within a few years a Son of Edrik Duke of Mercia killed Edmond traiterously and brought his two Sons unto Canutus who sent them to his Brother Swanus King of Denmark willing him to dispatch them But he abhorring such a fact sent them to Solomon King of Hungary who married Edwyn to his Daughter and soon after died Edward married Agatha the Daughter of the Emperour Henry the Third Swanus King of Denmark died and that Land fell to Canutus who anon after sailed thither and took the possession and returned into England and married Emma late Wife of Egelred and by her had a Son called Hardiknout He assembled a Parliament at Oxford wherein was agreed that English men and Danes should hold the Laws made
by King Edgar as most just and reasonable He established Laws Ecclesiastical as well as Civil Canutus went on pilgrimage to Rome and there founded an Hospital for English Pilgrims He shrined the body of Bernius and gave great Lands to the Cathedral Church of Winchester He builded St. Bennet's in Norfolk which was before an Hermitage Also St. Edmond's-bury which King Athelstane ordained before for a Colledge of Priests he turned to an Abbey of Monks of Saint Bennet's Order Two of his Sons succeeded him first his base Son called from his swiftness Harold Harefoot a man of a cowardly disposition He reigned but four years and the Kingdom fell to Hardiknout King of Denmark his Brother who when he had reigned two years being drunk at Lambeth suddenly was stricken dumb and fell down to the ground and within eight dayes after died without issue of his Body Thus ended the Danish Kings which Danes had vexed and wasted the Land two hundred fifty five years When England was freed from the Danes they sent into Normandy inviting over Edward the Confessor and brother to King Edmond He was crowned Anno 1045. In his time was the Law made which concerned the King's Oath at Coronation Mathew Paris describes the Manners of the Countrey at his coming thus The Nobles were given to gluttony and leachery they went not to Church in the morning but only had a Priest which made haste with the Mass and Mattens in their chambers and they heard a little with their ears The Clergy were so ignorant that if any knew the Grammar he was admired by them most men spent nights and dayes in carousing In his dayes England injoyed Halcion dayes free from Danish invasions The Ecclesiastical Laws made by this King in his reign were I. That every Clerk and Scholar should quietly enjoy their goods and possessions II. What solemn Festivals people may come and go of without any Law-suits to disturb them III. That in all Courts where the Bishop's Proctor doth appear his case is first to be heard and determined IV. That guilty folk flying to the Church should there have protection not to be reproved by any but the Bishop and his Ministers V. That Tithes be paid to the Church of Sheep Pigs Bees and the like VI. How the Ordal was to be ordered for the trial of guilty persons by fire and water VII That Peter-pence or Rome-scot be faithfully paid to the Pope This King is reported to have entailed by Heaven's Consort an hereditary vertue on his Successors the Kings of England only with this condition that they continue constant in Christianity to cure the King 's Evil. In this King's reign lived Marianus Scotus that wrote much of the deeds of the Kings of England King Edward died childless Harold the Son of Earl Godwin succeeded him Indeed the undoubted right lay in Edgar Atheling Son to Edward the Outlaw Grandchild to Edmond Iron-side King of England But he being young and tender and of a soft temper and Harold being rich and strong in Knights the Nobles chose Harold to be their King As soon as he was crowned he established many good Laws especially such as were for the good of the Church and for the punishment of evil-doers Harold was slain in a battel near Hastings in Sussex and William Duke of Normandy obtained the Crown of England by conquest within a few years he made a great alteration in England the most part of his Knights and Bishops were Normans and many English with Edgar fled into Scotland where King Malcolm had married Edgar's Sister Margaret They incited Malcolm to invade England and he entred into the North part At last a peace was concluded and a Mark-stone was set up in Stanmoor as the mark of both Kingdoms with the Pourtraict of both Kings on the sides of the Stone Although then corruptions crept into the Church by degrees and divine worship began then to be clogged with superstitious Ceremonies yet that the Doctrine remained still entire in most material points will appear by an Induction of the dominative Controversies wherein we differ from the Church of Rome as Fuller in his Church-History of Britain hath observed I. Scripture generally read For such as were with the holy Bishop Aidan either Clergy or Laity ●ed 〈◊〉 hist lib. 3. ca. 5. were tyed to exercise themselves in reading the holy Word and in singing of Psalms II. The Original preferred For Ricemath a Britain a right learned and godly Clerk Son to Sulgen 〈◊〉 in Chron. of 〈◊〉 Bishop of St. David's flourishing in this Age made this Epigram on those who translated the Psalter out of the Greek so taking it at the second hand and not drawing it immediately from the first vessel Ebreis nablam custodit litera signis Pro captu quam quisque suo sermone latino Edidit innumeros lingua variante libellos Ebreumque jubar suffuscat nube latina c. This Harp the holy Hebrew Text doth tender Which to their power whil'st every one doth render In Latine tongue with many variations He clouds the Hebrew rays with his translation Thus liquors when twice shifted out and pour'd In a third vessel are both cool'd and sowr'd But holy Jerome Truth to light doth bring Briefer and fuller fetcht from the Hebrew Spring III. No Prayers for the dead in the modern notion of Papists For though we find prayers for the dead yet they were not in the nature of propitiation for their sins or to procure relaxation from their torments but were only an honourable commemoration of their memories and a Sacrifice of thanksgiving for their salvation IV. Purgatory then not perfected though newly invented For although there are frequent Visions and Revelations in this Age pretended thereon to build Purgatory which had no ground in Scripture yet it stood not then as now it stands in the Romish belief V. Communion under both kinds For Bede relateth that one Hildmer an Officer of Egfride King of Northumberland entreated our Cuthbert to send a Priest that might minister the Sacrament of the Lord's Body and Blood unto his Wife that then lay a dying And Cuthbert himself immediately before his own departure out of this life received the communion of the Lord's Body and Blood So that the Eucharist was then administred entire and not maimed as it is by the Papists at this day And though the word Mass was frequent in that Age yet was it not known to be offered as a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quick and dead King William to testifie his thankfulness to God for his Victory founded in that place Battel-Abbey endowing it with Revenues and large immunities The Abbot whereof being a Baron of Parliament carried a pardon in his presence who casually coming to the place of execution had power to save any Malefactor The Abby-Church was a place of safety for any Fellon or Murtherer Here the Monks flourished in all abundance till the dayes of Henry the Eighth Then Dooms-day Book was
hundred committed within the Realm by Church-men Thomas B●cket Do●tor of Canon-law was by the King made Lord Chancellor of England Four years after upon the Death of Theobald Becket was made by the King Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 1160. Thirty Teachers come from Germany into England and taught the right use of Baptism and the Lord's Supper c. and were put to Death Then John of Sarum and others taught that the Roman Church was the Whore of Babylon Some were burnt with an hot Iron at Oxford that dissented from the Roman Church The King Commanded that Justice should be executed upon all Men alike in his Courts but Thomas Becket would have the Clergy so offending judged in the Ecclesiastical Court and by Men of their own Coat This Incensed the King against him To re●rench these enormities of the Clergy the King called a Parliament at Clarendon near Sarisbury to confirm the Antient Laws and Customs to which Becket with the rest of the Bishops consented and subscribed them but afterwards recanting his own Act renounced the same The same year the King required to have punishment of some misdoings among the Clergy The Archbishop would not permit and when he saw in his judgement the Liberties of the Church trodden under Foot he without the King's knowledge took Ship and intended toward Rome but by a contrary Wind he was brought back Then he was called to account for his Receipts that came to his hand while he was High-Chancellor He appealeth to the See of Rome and under pain of Excommunication forbad both Bishops and Nobles to give Sentence against him seeing he was both their Father and their Judge Nevertheless they without his consent gave Sentence against him Then he seeing himself forsaken of all the other Bishops lifted the Cross which he held in his Hand aloft and went away from the Court and the next day got him over into Flanders and so to the Pope Matthew Paris hath many Letters betwixt the Pope and this King and the King of France and sundry Bishops of France and England for reconciliation betwixt the King and the Archbishop who abode seven years in exile Thomas Becket quarrelled with Roger Archbishop of York for presuming to Crown Henry the King's Son made joint-King in the Life of his Father a priviledge which Becket claimed as proper to him alone He solemnly resigned his Archbishoprick to the Pope as troubled in Conscience that he had formerly took it as illegally from the King and the Pope again restored it to him whereby all scruples in his mind were fully satisfied But afterward by the Mediation of the French King Becket had leave given him to return into England howsoever the King still retained his Temporals in his Hand on weighty considerations namely to shew their distinct Nature from the Spirituals of the Archbishoprick to which alone they Pope could restore him Thomas returning into England Excommunicateth all the Bishops which had been at the Coronation of the young King The King sent and required him to absolve them seeing what was done to them was done for his Cause but Thomas refuseth The next year after he Excommunicated solemnly the Lord Sackvill appointed by the King Vicar of the Church at Canterbury because he did derogate from the rights of the Church to please the King He also Excommunicated one Robert Brook for cutting off an Horses tail that carried Victuals to the Archbishops House The King being then in Normandy grieved very sore before his Servants at the insolent cariage of Thomas Becket This moved Sir Richard Breton Sir Hugh Morvil Sir William Tracey Sir Reginald Fitz-Vrse to return into England and coming to Canterbury they found the Archbishop in Cathedral Church at three a Clock in the After-noon and calling him Traytor to the King they slew him and dashed his Brains upon the floor His last words when he died were I commend my self and God's Cause unto God and to the blessed Mary and to the Saints Patrons of this Church and to St. Denis Here see the lightness of the People for the same Men that detested the pride of that Thomas began to Worship him after his Death Thus they sang of Thomas Becket Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit By the Blood of Thomas which for Thee he did spend Make us O Christ to climb whither Thomas did ascend Multitudes of People flocked to Canterbury yearly especially on his Jubile or each fifty years after his enshrining an hundred thousand of English and Forreigners repaired thither The Revenues of peoples Offerings amounted to more than six hundred pounds a year Before Becket's Death the Cathedral in Canterbury was called Christ-Church it was afterward called the Church of St. Thomas though since by the demolishing of Becket's shrine the Church hath recovered it's Antient name King Henry protested himself innocent from the Death of Thomas Becket yet was he willing to undergo such a penance as the Pope would impose The Pope made him buy his Absolution at a dear rate He enjoyned him to suffer Appeals from England to Rome to quit his Rights and Claim to the Investitures to keep two hundred Men of Armes in pay for the Holy War of which pay the Popes Assignes were to be the Receivers and that in England they should celebrate the Feast of that glorious Martyr St. Thomas of Canterbury The words of the Bull are these We strictly charge you that you solemnly Celebrate every year the Birth-day of the glorious Martyr Thomas sometime Archbishop of Canterbury that is the day of his passion and that by devout Prayers to him you endeavour to merit the remission of your sins To make the satisfaction compleat King Henry passeth from Normandy into England stayeth at Canterbury strippeth himself naked and is whipped by diverse Monks of whom some gave him five lashes some three Concerning which penance Machiavel speaks thus in the first Book of I● quali cose surono da Enrico accettare et sotto M●sse si à quel g●●dicio un tauto Reche boggi ●● huomo privat● si vergognarebbe ottom●s● c. Tanto le cose che pai●no so●o piu da●icosto che ●●●●presse tom de the Hostory of Florence These things were accepted by Henry and so great a King submitted himself to that judgement to which a private man in our dayes would be ashamed to submit himself Then he exclaimeth So much things that have some shew are more dreaded afar off than near hand Which he saith Because at the same time the Citizens of Rome expelled the Pope out of the City with disgrace scorning his Excommunication This was done in the year of our Lord 1170. as appeareth by these Verses Anno Milleno Centeno Septuageno Anglorum primas corruit ense Thomas In the year 1179. Lewis King of France who had entertained Thomas at Sens passed over into England to Worship him and made his
thousand Marks besides two thousand Marks yearly out of the Bishoprick This Grant of first-fruits of Benefices to Boniface made way N. B. for Popes appropriating first-fruits and Annats to themselves soon after About this time was Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury Canonized for a Saint by the Pope to gratifie the King and facilitate the imposing and levying of his Papal exactions upon the Clergy and Realm The Bishops and Clergy of the Province of Canterbury to avoid the turbulent visitation and exactions of Archbishop Boniface made a Tax and Collection to defray the expenses of their Appeals and oppositions against him in the Court of Rome Some Abbots and Convents perceiving that Robert Grosthed and other Bishops intended to vex and oppress them by their new powers to visit them derived from the Pope combined together to make a common purse to oppose and withstand them by Appeals to the Pope whom they hoped would back them for Money as the Bishops combibined together to withstand the Archbishop's Visitation in his Province Notwithstanding this combination the Bishop of Lincoln proceeded to Visit both the Monasteries and Nunneries in his Diocess with great severity and Tyranny But although Robert Grosthed at first was a great stickler for the Pope and an oppressor of the Nobility and Laity of his Diocess with his Visitations appeals to Rome and Excommunications yet afterwards he opposed the Pope's Provisions directed to him for which the Pope suspended him from his Bishoprick Whereupon he sent a notable Letter to Pope Innocent rendring him the reasons why he was not bound to obey his unjust Letters and Provisions as most contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles tending to the ruine of Peoples Souls and that no Bishop or other Person was bound to obey any of the Pope's Mandates as Apostolical but what were warranted by the Doctrine and Practice of Christ and his Apostles The Letter is to be seen at large in Mr. Prynne's late History of Pope's Usurpations c. Tom. 2. A little before his death this Robert Grosthed called some of his Clergy to him and by strong reasons and arguments informed them That the Pope was Antichrist because he was a destroyer of Souls c. Matthew Paris gives this character of him Migravit ab hujusmode mundi quem nunquam dilexit exilio sanctus Lincolniensis Episcopus Robertus secundus apud Bugedonam manerium suum in nocte sancti Dionysii Papae Regis Redargutor manifestus Praelatorum correptor Monarchorum corrector Presbyterorum director Clericorum instructor Scholarium sustentator Populi praedicator Incontinentium persecutor Scripturarum sedulus perscrutator diversarum Romanorum malleus contemptor in mensa refectionis corporalis dapsilis copiosus civilis hilaris affabilis in mensa vero spirituali devotus lacrymosus contritus in officio Pontificali sedulus venerabilis indefatigabilis Vide Ranulph C●strens Polychron lib. 7. ca. 36. H●ur de Knighton de eventib Angliae Lib. 2. ca. 36. He died Anno 1253. Of which year Matthew Paris gives this Character Transiit igitur annus ille Papae Papalibus augurialis The Pope being much incensed against Grosthed wrote a Letter to the King of England to cause his bones to be digged up and to be cast out of the Church whereupon the Bishop's ghost appeared unto him that night expostulated with him pricked him in the side and haunted him till his death The Canons of Lincoln chose Henry of Lexinton to succeed him who was then Dean of the Church of Lincoln the King approved of his Election being Consecrated soon after by Bishop Boniface beyond the Seas Then the King issued out a Writ to the Bishop of Chichester to publish throughout his Diocess the priviledges he had granted to all such who should cross themselves for the holy Land being the same in termes with those the year before sent to the Archbishop of York to publish the Writ running in the same forme In the 38●h year of King Henry the third the Archbishops and Bishops having agreed to grant the King a Disme toward the relief of the holy Land by advice of the King's Council in Parliament appointed it to be collected by the Bishops of Norwich and Chichester and Abbot of Westminster for which they assigned them an annual stipend In August following the King issued forth Pa●ents to the Archbishops Bishop● Abbots c. in Ireland specially to promote this Croysado and Disme in Ireland and to assist those sent thither to promote it whereof one was the Pope's Subdeacon The King being in France issued his precept to the Barons of the Exchequer to issue Moneys for the repair of the Church of Westminster which he intended to have consecrated before his voyage to the holy Land He issued Writs to enquire of the real values of the Manors Lands 〈◊〉 's Hist Tom. 2. Rents and Revennes of Religious persons in nature of Dooms-day Book that he might the better improve them when they fell into his hand by vacancies or deaths of Abbots and Priors towards the debts he contracted by his forreign Wars Matthew Paris tells us of strange forgeries and devices set on foot by the Pope and his Agents to oppress the Clergy of England and involue them in bonds and debts to the Pope and King who served each others turns and that by the treachery of the Bishop of Hereford and and others to ingratiate themselves with both And the Bishop of Hereford and Rustand the Pope's Legate oppressed the Clergy of England that year 1254. and great complaints were made against them The King being unable by his absence to be personally present at the Feast of St. Edward at Westminster which he annually consecrated constituted several persons to solemnize this Feast and make Offerings Processions and give almes in his stead and commanded the Parishoners of St. Margaret and the Londoners to go to Westminster in Procession with Wax Tapers and other formalities for the honour of this Saint and holy-day The King in the 39th year of his Reign sent a pious Writ to the Ci●tercians and other Abbots in their general Assembly to make a special devout Prayer unto God for him his Queen and Children The Bishop Elect of Winton having forcibly and unjustly by his power deprived the Prior of Winton and thrust another into his place without his due Election the deprived Prior thereupon Appealed to the Pope and Court of Rome where he expected to be restored with great confidence but to shew how much more prevalent Money then was in that corrupt Court than Justice this intruder was confirmed and he returned after great expence frustrate of his expectation having some Manors assigned him for his support during life ou● of which the Pope had an annual pension of 365. Marks to support 〈◊〉 Table The Jews of Lincoln having crucified a Christian Child to the great dishonour and disgrace of Jesus Christ the King appointed special Justices
of it by their fecular power and levy it by force where there was need Hereupon the Chauncellor issued Writs to all the Sheriffs of England and some others to assist the Collectors accordingly It seems the Bishop of Winton compounded and paid a fine of five hundred Marks for his two years Dismes to the Pope's Collector At the same time the King wanting Moneys appointed special Collectors of the Arrears due upon the Dismes granted to his Father by the Pope towards the relief of the holy Land A new Archbishop of Dublin being elected the second year of this King's Reign who resided with the Queen of Scots in Scotland the ●ing at ●er special request granted him this priviledge to make Attorneys to appear for him in all his Courts and to exempt him from all Amercements for not appearing personally in them Pope Gregory the tenth usurping the Emperor's Sovereign authority of Summoning general Councils sent forth general Letters through every Nation concerning the gathering together a Council on May the first at Lyons Whence it was said of him Gregorius denus Colligit omne genus What Archbishops Bishops Abbots and Clergy-men repaired to this Council by the King 's special License who constituted Attorneys and Proxie● for them in the King's Courts to sue and be sued during their absence may be seen in the Records mentioned by Mr. Prynne King Edward the first himself sent four special Proctors to this General Council to propound assent or dissent unto in his Name and behalf whatever they or either of them should deem fit or expedient A clear evidence that He and his Proxies had an affirmative and negative voice in General Councils Matthew Westminster renders us an account of the proceedings in this Council and of the Greek Emperors Patriarcks and Bishops acknowledgement of the Supremacy of the Pope and Church of Rome over all other Prelates and Churches as an Article of their Faith which they never before assented to The Executors of John Maunsel Treasurer of York having by his last Will assigned to the Vicars of St. Peter's in York a Messuage of His in York to maintain an Anniversary for his Soul of which they were afterwards dispossessed by others the King upon complaint thereof issued a Writ of Inquisition to examine the truth thereof and restore the said Messuage to the Vicars to maintain the Anniversary for the salvation of John Maunsel's soul The next year the King issued Commissions for the apprehending some vagrant and Apostate Friers of the Order of St. Augustine who had deseted their Houses and Order to the prejudice of their Souls and scandal of their Order King Edward the first made at Westminster at his first Parliament General Vide Cok●s 2. Instit p. 156. 157. after his Coronation on Easter-Monday in the third year of his Reign many excellent useful Statutes some of them relating to the Priviledges and Jurisdiction of the Clergy controlling some Canons of the Pope formerly used to the obstruction of publick Justice Soon after the Council of Lions Pope Gregory the tenth sent Reymund de Nogeriis his Chaplain as his Nuncio into England Wales Scotland and Ireland for certain affairs of the Church especially to demand and receive from the King eight years Arrears of the annual Tribute and Peter-pence then due to the Church of Rome The Abbot and Covent of Feversham being greatly indebted to Merchants and others by their expences at Rome and Papal exactions the King to preserve Them and their House from ruine took them and all their Lands Moneys Goods into his Protection and committed them to the management of certain persons for discharge of their debts and necessary support The like Protections were granted in the same form to the Abbot and Covents of Bordesley and Byndon the same year and to the Prior and Covent of Thornholm but the custody of them their Lands and Goods to other Persons The Chalices Books Ornaments Goods and Lands of the Hermitage near Cripple-gate London being usually imbezilled for want of good Government and Regulation the King being Patron thereof committed it to the care and Government of the Lord Major of London for the time being The Chancellor and University of Oxford having at their proper costs founded a Chappelry in the Church of St. Maries in the midst of the Town to pray for the safety of the King his Queen and Children Ancestors and all their Benefactors the King highly commending their Piety therein and endeavouring to promote it wrote to all the Archbishops and Bishops of England and Ireland to grant some special Indulgences to all who should resort to this Chappelry to hear Mass or Prayers The King upon the Petition of the Prior and Covent of Bath and of the Dean and Chapter of Wells granted his License to them to elect a new Bishop that See being then void Upon this License they Elected Robert Burnel This Bishop soon after his Conse●ration to end the frequent Controversies between the King Abbots of Glastonbury and Bishops of this See by consent of the Dean and Chapter of Wells and of the Prior and Covent of Bath exchanged the Patronage of the Abbey of Glastonbury and some other rights therein granted to him by former Kings Patents for the City of Bath In pursuit and execution of which exchange the King issued two Patents to the Citizens of Bath and others to make Livery and Seisin thereof to the Bishop The King gave License upon the Petition of the Dean and Chapter of Hereford to Elect a new Bishop in the place of John Breton after his Decease and confirmed their Election of Thomas de Cantilupo and restored Pat. 3. Edw. 1. the Temporalties to him after his Confirmation by the Archbishop of Canterbury without the Pope's approbation or privity This King in the fourth year of his Reign to prevent the ruine of the Abbey of Redding issued Patents of protection and regulation of the expences of it and of the Cell belonging to it founded by his Ancestors committing it's Revenues to certain persons to defray the Debts thereof In the fifth year of his Reign he issued a Commission to enquire of all Christians who used usury in London and else-where and punish them according to Law by seizing their Goods as a thing unbeseeming Christians and Christianity About the same time Walter Bronescomb Bishop of Exeter and his Officials cited sundry of the King's Subjects and Officers into his Ecclesiastical Courts for Debts and Chattels that concerned not Matrimony or Testament and for Trespasses Free-holds and other things of 〈◊〉 Catal of Bish p. 320. 327. which they had no legal jurisdiction Excommunicating and putting them to pecuniary Redemptions and grievous penalties and withall exacted illegal Oathes and obligations from them the King upon the complaints of Edmond Earl of Cornwall and his Officers and of the whole County of Cornwall of these his exorbitances issued a speedy Commission in the sixth year of his Reign to some
against him and likewise to the King against this oppression desiring his favour that no Process might issue out of his Court against them and that he might constitute Attorneys in this Case since he could not come into England without great damage to his house The King this year constituted a special Proctor for three years by Patent to defend the Rights and Liberties of his free Chappels and Crown against all Papal and Episcopal invaders and opposers of them The King seizing the Advousons of several Churches in Wales as forfeited by their Patrons Rebellions against him gave them to the Bishop of St. David's with power to appropriate them to his Church of St. David's and Lekadeken Lancaden and make or annex them to Prebendaries there Hereupon the Bishop of St. Davids by his Charter with consent and approbation of the King and his Dean and Chapter made and erected a new Collegiate Church of Canons in Lan Caden in Wales constituted several Canons and Prebendaries therein annexing and appropriating the forecited Churches thereunto the Patronages whereof were granted him by the King who set his Seal to the Bishop's Charter and ratified it with his own Charter to make it valid in Law In the year 1285. a Parliament at Westminster laid down the limits and fixed the boundaries betwixt the Spiritual and Temporal jurisdictions The King having totally subdued the Welsh the Archbishoprick of York becomming void by the death of William Wickwane Archbishop thereof the King applied the profits thereof during the vacancy towards the building of Castles in Wales to secure it This year Stephen Bishop of Waterford was made chief Justice of Ireland In the fifteenth year of this King Henry de Branceston was elected and confirmed Bishop of Sarum The King granted and confirmed to the Bishop of Bangor and his Successors all the Rights Liberties Possessions and Customes they had formerly used and enjoyed In the sixteenth year of this King's Reign Gilbert de Sancto Leofardo was elected and confirmed Bishop of Chichester by the King 's Royal assent This year there was a great contest between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Abbot of St. Augustines about the carrying up his cross First The Abbot opposed the bearing up his own Cross before him in the Monastery of St. Augustines even within his own Metropolis and See of Canterbury when specially sent for thither to dine with the King Secondly Observe the Archbishop's pride and obstinacy in refusing to subscribe such a Letter as the King directed to reconcile this difference and preserve the Abbot's Privildges or repair to the King without his Cross carried before him together with his malice against the Abbot and Covent for not admitting him to carry up his Cross within their Monastery Bishop Godwin observes That from the year 1284. the See of Salisbury Pat. 17. 〈◊〉 had five Bishops within the space of five years whereof William de Corner as he stiles him was the fourth But Mr. William de Corner was his name as the King 's Writ for restoring of his Temporalties together with the Patent of the King 's Royal assent to his election assure us The King having Conquered Wales confirmed all the antient Rights Liberties Possessions and Customes of the Church of Asaph to the present Bishop and his Successors which they formerly used and enjoyed and that he might freely make his Testament Pope Nicholas the fourth being setled in his Pontifical Chair in the first year of his Papacy sent a Bull to King Edward the first to demand five years Arrears of the Annual pension of one thousand Marks granted by King John The King hereupon the better to promote his cousin Charles to the Realm of Sic●ly and expedite his own affairs in the Court of Rome concerning a dispensation for his Son to Marry the heir of the Crown of Scotland and other business touching Gascoign and France for which he had then sent special Ambassadors to Rome with Letters both to the Pope and Cardinals issued a Writ for the payment of these five years Arrears accordingly Mr. Prynne saith That this was the last payment made by King Edward the first of this Annual pension The Pope upon receipt hereof granted a dispensation to the King's Son Prince Edward to Marry with the heir of the Crown of Scotland thereby to unite these two Crowns and Kingdomes and prevent the long bloody Wars between them though within the prohibited degrees of Consanguinity King Edward upon the receipt of this Dispensation sent Letters and Proxies to Ericus King of Norway and likewise to the Guardians of the Realm of Scotland to consummate this Marriage upon diverse Articles and agreements King Edward likewise to perfect the Marriage between his Son Prince Edward and Margaret Queen of Scots with the general approbation of the Keepers Nobles and Natives of that Realm granted and ratified to the Nobles and People of Scotland diverse Articles agreed on by special Commissioners sent on both sides and approved by him by Letters under his great Seal which he took an Oath to observe under the penalty of forfeiting one hundred thousand pounds to the Church of Rome towards the holy Wars and subjecting himself to the Pope's Pat. 8. Edw. 1. m. 8. Excommunication and his Kingdom to an Interdict in case of Violation or Non-performance as the Patent attesteth enrolled both in French and Latine The King after this appointed the Bishop of Durham to be this Queen Margaret's and his Son Prince Edward's Lieutennant in Scotland for the preservation of the Peace and Government thereof At which time he and his Son likewise constituted Proctors to Treat with the King of Norway in his and his Son Edward's Name concerning his Sons Marriage and Espousals with his Daughter Margaret Queen of Scotland To facilitate this Marriage the Bishop of Durham at the King's request obliged himself to pay four hundred pounds by the year to certain persons in Norway to discharge which annuity the King granted him several Manors amounting to a greater value But the sickness and death of this Queen in her voyage toward Scotland and England frustrated this much desired Marriage between Prince Edward and her and raised new questions between the Competitors for the Crown Thomas Walsingham saith That about this time the Pope requiring it the Churches of England were taxed according to their true value to raise his Dismes and exactions higher In the same year 1290. the King our of his zeal to Christian Religion The Jews banished out of England by Act of Parliament banished all the Jews out of England by a publick Act in Parliament and Confiscated all their Houses and Lands for their Infidelity Blasphemy Crucifying of Children in contempt of Christ Crucified and clipping of his Coyn. In August they were commanded to depart the Land with their Wives and Children between that time and the Feast of all Saints with their moveable Goods Their number was said to be sixteen thousand five hundred
Pope at first grew afterwards into custom by degrees both in England and elsewhere As this Pope thus introduced these First-fruits into England so he likewise frequently sent abroad his Bulls of Provisions for Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions therein for his Favourites and Clerks which were then void or should afterwards fall void by death or otherwise Manifold were the Cautions inserted into Pope's Provisions for poor Clerks though Learned and Honest which must be confined to an Archbishop's Living in one Diocess of small value and those not formerly granted to any others and they bound to personal residence thereon when as others that were rich and more able to pay great sums for them were not clogged with so many Cautions Many Instruments under the hands of publick Notaries these poor Clerks must procure with vast sollicitation travel and expence before they get the least hopes of enjoying any small Prebend or Benefice by Popes Bulls and yet in fine not enjoy actual possession of them Many of the Pope's Provisions to every small as well as great Prebendary nor Benefice were granted to several persons in possession or expectacy by sundry Bulls at once contradicting repealing each other by Non obstantes engendring infinite Suits and Appeals in the Pope's Court to the great vexation of the Patrons Provisors and other Competitors and neglect of the Peoples souls during su●h Contests concerning them The King granted the Tithes and Appropriations of all his new Assarts within his Forrest of Deane which were extraparochial to the Bishop of Land●ff to augment his small Bishoprick and maintain a Chauntry in the Church of Newland The like Grant the King made this year of extraparochial Tithes within the Forrest of Sherwood to the Prior of Fell●y The King likewise ordered the Tithes of all his Mills in Holderness to be paid to the Parsons of all Parish-churches wherein they were as the Nobles and others there used to pay them Then the King according to the manner of that Age commanded Prayers and Masses to be made for the Soul of Joan late Queen of France and for Blanch late Dutchess of Austria deceased In Scotland there arose a great Rebellion through the treachery of the perjured Archbishop of St. Andrews the Bishop of Glasgo and Abbot of Schone who confederating with Robert Brus Earl of Carrick and others of the Scottish Nobility resolved to make and Crown Robert King of Scotland who being opposed therein by John Comyn his Cousin German a man of great power in Scotland he set upon and murdered the said John Comyn in the Church of Dunfrees and was soon after ●●owned King by the premised Bishops and Abbot Pope Clement the Sixth being informed of this murder of John Comyn by King Robert ordered the Archbishop of York and Bishop of Carlisie to excommunicate him and his Complices with sound of Bells and Candles in all places of England Scotland Ireland Wales and elsewhere though without their Diocess and to Interdict all their Lands and Castles till they should submit themselves This Bull was executed accordingly King Edward sent a great and strong Army into Scotland against Robert Brus. And Aymery de Valence Earl of Pembrook put to flight King Robert took his Wife his Brother Nigellus and others but himself escaped into the utmost Isles of Scotland The Earl of Athol was put to death at London and Nigellus at Barwick The Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgo and the Abbot of Scone were put in Iron chains and kept close prisoners in Porches●●●-castle King Robert was brought to such misery that he was sometime naked and hungry without meat or drink save only water and roots of Herbs and his life alwayes in danger Robert Brus came forth at length out of the Scottish Islands with such forces as he had gotten together taking the Castles of Carrick Innerness and many other To put an end to all which trouble King Edward appointed a great Daniel's Chron. in Edw. 1 Host to attend him at Carlisle three weeks after Midsummer-day There he held his last Parliament wherein the State got many Ordinances to pass for reformation of the abuses of the Pope's Ministers and his own former exactions wringing from the elect Archbishop of York in one year nine thousand five hundred Marks And Anthony Bishop of Durham to be made Patriarch of Jerusalem gave the Pope and his Cardinals mighty sums The Pope required the Fruits of one years revenue of every Benefice that should fall void in England Wales and Ireland and the like of Abbies Priories and Monasteries King Edward in July enters Scotland with a fresh Army and dyes at Burgh upon Sands having reigned thirty four years seven months aged sixty eight This King had founded the Abbey of Val-royal in Cheshire for the Cistercians and by Will bequeathed thirty two thousand pounds to the Holy Land He was obedient not servile to the See of Rome Edward the Second his Son called of Caeernarvan succeeded in the Kingdom in July 1307. He soon caused Walter de Langton Bishop of Chester Treasurer of England and principal Executor of the last Will of the deceased King to be arrested by Sir John Felton Constable of the Tower and imprisoned in Wallingford-castle seizing upon all his Temporalties till afterwards by means of the Papal authority he was restored and they were seemingly reconciled The Bishop's crime was a good freedom which he used in the late King's dayes in gravely reproving this Prince for his misdemeanours and shortening his wast of coin by a frugal moderation All the Bishop's Goods he gave to Piers Gaveston makes a new Treasurer of his own removes most of his Father's Officers and all without the advice and consent of his Council The King was married to Isabel Daughter of Philip the fair King of France which was performed magnificently at Boleign Piers Gaveston was the King's great Favourite who filled the Court with Buffoons Parasites Minstrels Stage-players and all kind of dissolute persons King Edward the Second by Letters to the Pope requested that Robert Winchelsey might be restored to his Archbishoprick which was done accordingly though he returned too late to Crown the King which solemnity was performed by Henry Woodlock Bishop of Winchester Shortly after his Coronation all the Knights Templers throughout The Order of the Knights Templars abolished throughout Christendom 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 Earl of Warwick surprised Gaveston carried him to his Castle Guy Earl of Warwick surpriseth P●●rs Gaveston and causeth him to be beheaded of Warwick where in 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 Cobbam 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 rend●r 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 Suff●lk 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 contriyer 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 Upon Candlemas-day Anno 132● 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 and the same fairly Fuller Church History 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 engr●ssed 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 Wi●e 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 notwithstanding this Law of Provision strugled for a time till the King's Power overswayed them Indeed this grievance continued all this and most of the next King's Reign till the Statute of praemunire was made and afterward the Land was cleared from the encumbrance of such provisions Three years after the Statute against the Pope's Provisions was made the King presented unto the Pope Thomas Hatlif to be Bishop of Durham one who was the King's Secretary but one void of all other Ep●scopal qualifications However the Pope confirmed him and being demanded why he consented to the preferment of so worthless a person he answered that rebus sic stantibus if the King of England 〈◊〉 presented an Ass unto him he would have confirmed him
fifty years four Months and odd dayes whose Body was solemnly buried at Westminster Richard the second born at Burdeaux the Son of Edward called The black Prince being but eleven years old succeeded his Grandfather in the Kingdom In the first year of his Reign Pope Gregory fendeth his Bull by the hands of one Ed nund Stafford directed to the Chancellor and University of Oxford rebuking them sharply for suffering so long the Doctrine of John Wickliff to take root At the same time also he directed Letters to Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury and to William Courtney Bishop of London with the Conclusions of John Wickliff therein enclosed commanding them to cause the said Wickliff to be apprehended and cast into prison and that the King and the Nobles of England should be admonished by them not to give any credit to the said John Wickliff or to his Doctrine in any wise Wickliff was summoned personally to appear before the Archbishop and the rest of the Bishops at his Chappel at Lambeth He came accordingly when in comes a Gentleman and Courtier named Lewis Clifford on the very day of examination commanding them not to proceed to any definitive sentence against the said Wickliff The Bishops affrighted Linwood's provi●● lib. ● fol. 183. proceeded no farther onely the Archbishop summoned a Synod at London in which he made four Constitutions three whereof concerned Confession grown now much into disuse by Wickliff's Doctrine The Popish Bishops and Monks obtained of King Richard that Wickliff should be banished out of England He therefore repairing into Bohemia brought a great Light to the Doctrine of the Waldenses where John Husse being but yet a young man had diverse Conferences with Comen histor Sclavon Eccles him about diverse divine matters But at length he was recalled home again from Exile and the year before he died he wrote a Letter to John Husse Encouraging him to be strong in the grace that was given to him to fight as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ both by word and work Doctrine and conversation c. John Husse hereby took heart very daringly in the University Church at Prague to inveigh against the overflowing abominations of the times and not onely at Prague but throughout the whole Kingdom of Bohe●●ia did he Preach against them The same year Jerome of Prague returning out of England and carrying Wickliff's Books with him rooted up the then prevailing error with the like boldness in the Schools as John Husse did in the Church Wickliff died the last of December 1387. and was buried in his Church of Lutterworth in Leicester-shire In the second year of the Reign of King Richard the second a Parliament was called at Westminster where the Laity moved That no Officer of the Holy Church should take pecuniary sums more or less of the people for correction of sins but onely enjoyn them Spiritual penance which would be more pleasing to God and profitable to the Soul of the offonder The Clergy stickled hereat for by this craft they got their gain But here the Ex Ro●ul●s ● T●●●i L●nd King interposed That Prelates should proceed herein as formerly according to the Lawes of the Holy Church and not otherwise Yea diverse things passed in Parliament in favour of the Clergy As That all Prelates and Clerks shall from hence-forth commence their Suits against Purveyors and Buyers disturbing them though not by way of crime by actions of Trespass and recover treble damages Also That any of the King's Ministers arresting people of the Holy Church in doing Divine Service shall have imprisonment and thereof be ransomed at the King's will and make gree to the parties so arrested In the Parliament held at Glocester the same year the Commons complained that many Clergy-men under the notion of Sylva caedna lop-wood took Tithes even of Timber it self requesting that in such cases Prohibition might be granted to stop the proceedings of Court Christian But this took no effect Then the Archbishop of Canterbury inveighed as bit●erly of the Franchises infringed of the Abbey-Church of Westminster wherein Robert de Hanley Esquire with a Servant of that Church were both horribly slain therein at the High Altar even when the Priest was singing high Mass and pathetically desired reparation for the same Complaints were also made against the extortion of Bishops Clerks to which as to other abuses some general Reformation was promised In the next Parliament called at Westminster one of the greatest grievances of the Land was redressed namely Forreigners holding of Ecclesiastical Benefices for many Italians had the best livings in England by the Pope collated on them yea many great Cardinals resident at Rome were possessed of the best Prebends and Parsonages in the Land who generally farmed out their places to Proctors their own Countreymen and by this means the wealth of the Land leaked out into Forreign Countries to the great impoverishing of this Land Therefore the King and Parliament now enacted That no Aliens should hereafter hold any such preferments nor any send over unto them the Revenues of such Benefices Then burst forth the dangerous rebellion of Wat Tyler and Jack Sir Rich. Baker's Chron. in Rich. 2. Straw with thousands of their wicked company who burnt the Savoy the Duke of Lancaster's house from the Savoy they went to the Temple where they burnt the Lawyers lodgings with their Books and Writings also the house of St. Johns by Smithfield they set on fire which burned for seven days together Then came they to the Tower where the King was lodged where they entred and finding there Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor and Sir Robert Hales Lord Treasurer they led them to the Tower-hill and there in most cruel manner struck off their Heads as also of diverse others Neither spared they Sacred places for breaking into the Church of the Augustine Friars they drew forth thirteen Flemmings and beheaded them in the open Streets as also seventeen others out of others Churches They committed outrages afterwards at St. Albans cancelling the antient Charters of the Abbots and Monks there At the same time there were gathered together in Suffolck to the number of fifty thousand by the instigation of one John Wraw a lewd Priest These destroyed the Houses of the Lawyers they beheaded Sir John Cavendish the Lord Chief Justice of England and set his Head upon the Pillory in St. Edmunds-bury Then Henry Spencer the valiant Bishop of Norwich gathered together a great number of Men Armed with which he set upon the Rebels discomfited them and took John Littester and their other Chieftaines whom he caused all to be Executed and by this means the Countrey was quieted Jack Straw John Kirkby Alane Tredder and John Sterling lost their Heads Wat Tyler was slain by William Walworth Lord Mayor of London These had to their Chaplain a wicked Priest called Stowes Chro in Rich. 2. John Ball who counselled them to destroy all
Margaret in the Town of Lyn but since of St. Osith in the City of London It seemeth he had formerly abjured those Arcticles 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 by taking from him 1. The Patin Chalice and plucking the Chasule from his Back 2. Deacon 2. The New Testament and the Stole 3. Subdeacon 3. The Alb and the Maniple 4. Acolyte 4. The Candlestick Taper Vrceolum 5. Exorcist 5. The Book of Constitutions 6. Reader 6. The Book of Church-Legends 7. Sexton 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 meeting● 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 After the Feast of the Epiphany the Archbishop of Canterbury Convocated Anno 1409. Stow●s Chro. in Henry 4. 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 sent before Sir John Colvil Knight and Nicholas Rixton Clerk with letters to be given to them A letter also was sent unto the Pope wherein the King chargeth him with Perjury At Pisa there assembled a great number of Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and Mitred Prelates who elected a new Pope viz. Alexander the fifth a man trained up at Oxford rejecting the two other Schismatical Popes Gregory and Benedict Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury came with a Pompous train to Oxford His intent was Juridically to visit the University expecting to be solemnly met and sumptuously entertained according to his place and dignity But Richard Courtney the Chancellor of Oxford with Benedict Brent and John Birch the two Proctors denied the Archbishop entrance into the
certain parts of him were covered and after certain dayes a Trumpetter of the King 's called Thomas Cliffe gat leave of the King to take him down and bury him The next Month after the Execution of these Men died Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury famished to Death not for want of Food but of a Throat to swallow it such the swelling therein that he could neither speak nor eat for some days After him succeeded Henry Chichely whose mean birth interrupted Godwin's Catal of Bish the chain of Noble Archbishops his two Predecessors and Successors being Earls Sons by Extraction Although many Laws had been made against the Pope's usurped Authority in bestowing Ecclesiastical preferments by way of Provision yet durst not this man consent unto his election made by the Covent of Canterbury but committed the matter unto the Pope's determination who first pronounced the election of the Monks void and then bestowed the Archbishoprick upon him The same year the King began the Foundation of two Monasteries one of the Friars observants on the one side of Thames and the other on the other side of the same River called Shene and Sion dedicated unto the Charter-house Monks with certain Nuns of St. Briget to the number of sixty dwelling within the same precinct so that the whole number of these with Priests Monks Deacons and Nuns should equal the number of thirteen Apostles and seventy two Disciples These were to eat no Flesh to touch no Money to wear no Linnen The King held a Parliament at Leicester in which the Commons put up their Bill again which was put up Anno 11. Henry the fourth that the Temporalties wasted so disorderly by the Clergy might be converted to the use of the King and of his Earls and Knights c. In fear of which Bill the Clergy put him upon a long War with the French offering to him in behalf of the Clergy great and notable sums by reason whereof the Bill was put off again The Archbishop Henry Chichley condemned John Claydon's Books and condemned him and shortly after ●●e was burnt in Smithfield with Richard Turning Baker Anno 1415. The next year the said Archbishop in his Convocation holden at London made sharper Com●itutions than were before against the Lollards There two Priests noted for Hereticks were brought before the Bishops the one John Barton the other Robert Chappel Barton was committed to Philip Bishop of Lincoln to be kept in prison till otherwise it were determined Chappel submitted himself and with much ado received pardon and was in stead of penance enjoyned certain Articles to publish at Paul's Cross Then divers persons were forced to abjure as John Tail●r of the Parish of St. Maries at Quern William James Physitian who had long lain in prison John Courdley of Lincoln-shire a learned man John Duerfer Katherine Dertford the Parson of Higley in Lincoln-shire named Mr. Robert William Henry of Tenterden John Gaul a Priest of London Richard Monk Vicar of Chesham in Lincoln-shire with divers others During the time of ●he Provincial Convocation Pope Martin had sent to the Clergy of England for a Subsidy to maintain the Pope's Wars against the Lollards of Bohemia Another Subsidy was demanded to persecute William Clerk Master of Arts in Oxford who sailing out of England was at the Council of Basil disputing on the Bohemians side A third Subsidy was also required to persecute William Russel Warden of the Grey-Friers in London who was fled having escaped out of prison Ralph Mungin Priest refusing to abjure was condemned to perpetual prison The recantation of Thomas Granter and Richard Monk Priests was read openly at Paul's Cross after which Granter was put to seven years imprisonment under the custody of the Bishop of London Edmond Frith recanted who was Butler to Sir John Oldcastle Besides these many other Wicklivites were sore vexed in Kent in the Towns of Romney Tenterden Woodchurch Cranbrook Staplehurst Bennenden and Rolvenden where Men and their Wives and whole Families were driven to forsake their Houses and Towns for fear of persecution Among whom were William White and Thomas Greensted Priests Bartholomew Chronemonger Joan Waddon Joan his Wife Thomas Evernden Stephen Robins William Chineling John Tame John Facolin William Somer Marian his Wife John Abraham Robert Munden Laurence Cook which persons because they appeared not were excommunicated by the Archbishop The Lord Cobham having lived four years in Wales and being at last discovered was taken by the Lord Powis yet so that it cost some blows and blood to apprehend him till a Woman at last with a stool broke the Lord Cobham's legs whereby being lame he was brought up to London in an Horse-litter At last he was drawn upon an Hurdle to the Gallows and there was hanged and burnt In the ninth year of King Henry the Fifth he suppressed the French Houses of Religious Monks and Friars and such like in England because Stow's chroh in Hen. 8. they spake ill of the King's Conquest over France Their Lands were given by him and King Henry the Sixth to Monasteries and Colledges of learned men King Henry died in France and was brought over and buried at Westminster This King ordained the King of Heraulds over the English which is called Garter In this King's Reign Richard Fleming Bishop of Lincoln founded a Colledge named Lincoln-colledge in Oxford King Henry the sixth an Infant of eight months old succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of England Anno 1422. In the eighth year of his Age he was crowned at Westminster and in the tenth year crowned King at Paris Cardinal Henry Bishop of Winchester being present at them both The Clergy had then a strong party in the Privy Council viz. 1. Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury 2. John Kemp Bishop of London 3. Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester lately made Cardinal 4. John Wackaring Bishop of Norwich Privy-seal 5. Philip Morgan Bishop of Worcester 6. Nicholas Bubwith Bishop of Bath and Wells Lord Treasurer In the first year of this King's Reign was burned a faithful Witness of God's Truth William Tailor a Priest under Henry Chich●ley Archbishop of Canterbury March 1. Anno 1423. In the year 1424. John Florence a Turner appeared before Will. 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 Beckles 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 Such was the Spleen of the Council of Sienna as they not only cursed Anno 1428. 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 Petries Church History denying that the substance of the Bread and Wine are changed in the Eucharist 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 Archivis 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 Gilbert Parson of St. Andrew's Holborn John Cote Parson of St. Peter's Cornhil 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-sighted enough in matters of this nature At this time William Heiworth sate Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield being translated thither from being Abbot of St. Albans At this time William Lynwood finished his industrious and useful Work Fuller's Chur. History of Britain 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 of Basil to which our Ambassadors were to represent both their Sovereign and the English Nation where they were received with honour and respect This was a troublesome Council and continued seventeen years In this Council it was concluded as before at Constance that the General Councils were above the Pope Fourteen Ambassadors were sent from the King unto Basil One Earl not that he was to vote in the Council but only behold the transactions thereof viz. Edmond Earl of Morton Five Bishops viz. Robert Bishop of London Philip Bishop of Lisieux John Bishop of Rochester John Bishop of Baieux and Bernard Bishop of Aix Two Abbots Nicholas Abbot of Glaston William Abbot of St. Maries in York One Prior William Prior of Norwich Two Knights Henry Brounfleet and
John Colvil Mr. Thomas Brown Doctor of Laws Dean of Sarum Peter Fitz-Maurice D. D. and Mr. Nicholas David Archdeacon of Constance and Licentiate in both Laws John Bishop of Rochester here mentioned was John Langdon intruded by the Pope into that Bishoprick to the prejudice of the Archbishop of Canterbury But he was indeed a Learned man and died this year in his Ambassy at Basil This Council deposed Pope Eugenius and substituted in his room Amideus the most devout Duke of Savoy who was called Felix the Fifth and was crowned in the City of Basil Anno 1437. Henry Chichley Archbishop of Canterbury founded a Colledge in Oxford by the name of All-souls for a Warden and forty Fellows which number by Statute was never to be augmented or impaired and all void places by death or otherwise once in a year to be supplied Six years did he survive the first founding of this Colledge He founded another Colledge in Oxford called Barnard-colledge suppressed by King Henry the Eighth and renewed by Sir Thomas White who named it St. Iohn's-colledge one of the fairest of the University This Archbishop bestowed much money in repairing the Library at Canterbury Goodwin's Catal. of Bishops and then replenished the same with a number of goodly Books He gave unto his Church many rich Ornaments and Jewels of great price and built a great part of the Tower called Oxford-tower in the said Church He founded a goodly Colledge and an Hospital at Higham-ferries where he was born for eight secular Priests Fellows four Clerks and six Choristers it was so endowed as at the suppression of the same it was valued at 156 pounds per annum The Hospital was for poor people likewise liberally endowed Iohn Stafford Son unto the Earl of Stafford succeeded in the place of Henry Chichley deceased Pope Eugenius the Fourth translated him from Bath and Wells About the year 1446. King Henry the Sixth founded Eaton Colledge incorporate by the name of Praepositi Collegii Regaliis Col. Beata Maria de Eaton juxta Winsor This Colledge consisteth of one Provost Fellows a School-master and Usher besides many Oppidanes maintained there at the cost of their Friends This Eaton is a Nursery to King's-colledge in Cambridge Humfry Duke of Glocester the King's Uncle at a packt Parliament at Bury was condemned of High-treason and found dead in his Bed not without rank suspition of cruel practices upon his person He gave to the Library in Oxford many pretious voluminous Manuscripts He was buried in St. Albans to which Church he was a great Benefactor The same month with the Duke of Glocester died Henry Beanfort Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal He was a man of such Wealth that at once he lent King Henry the Fifth twenty thousand pounds who pawned his Crown to him He built the fair Hospital of St. Cross near Winchester The Clergy moved in vain against the recalling of the Statute of Praemunire About the year 1453. began the broyls to break out out between the two Houses of Lancaster and York so mutually heightened that scarce a County betwixt York and London but a set Battel hath been fought therein besides other Counties in the Marches of Wales besides many other Skirmishes Corrivals with Battels so that such who consider the blood lost therein would admire England had any left And such as observe how much it had left would wonder it had any lost In the midst of these Civil wars William Sirnamed Patin from his Parents but Wainfleet from the place of his Nativity now Bishop of Winchester founded the fair Colledge dedicated to Mary Magdalen in Oxford for one President forty Fellows thirty Demies four Chaplains eight Clerks and sixteen Choristers This William Wainfleet first founded Magdalen-hall hard by and afterwards undertook and finished this most stately piece of Architecture There is scarce a Bishoprick in England to which this Colledge hath not afforded one Prelate at the least doubling her files in some places At this day besides those forementioned there are one Schoolmaster and an Usher three Readers viz. of Divinity Natural and Moral Philosophy besides divers Officers and Servants of the foundation with other Students being in all two hundred and twenty Iohn Kemp Archbishop of Canterbury built the Divinity-School in Oxford and Paul's Cross King Henry being conquered in a fatal Battel at Touton in Nottinghamshire fled with his Queen into Scotland and to make himself the more welcome resigned Berwick to the King thereof Edward Duke of York reigned in his stead This King's Reign affordeth very little Church-story This good was done by the Civil Wars it diverted the Popish Prelates from troubling the Lollards Thomas Bourchier Son unto Henry Bourchier Earl of Essex Archbishop of Canterbury kept a Synod of his Clergy at London The Parliament sitting at the same time bestowed many priviledges on the Clergy In the time of this Archbishop Raynold Peacock Bishop of Chichester was afflicted by the Popish Prelates for his Faith and profession of the Gospel after he had laboured many years in translating the Holy Scriptures into English He was accused and convicted for holding and S●r Rich. Baker's Chron. publishing certain Opinions at that time held Heretical which at last openly at Paul's Cross he revoked but was notwithstanding deprived of his Bishoprick only a certain Pension was assigned him to live on in an Abby where soon after he died About the year 1465. there was here in England one Thomas Holden Fox Acts and Monuments Luke 8. 3. a Carmelite Friar who preached in Michaelmas Term at Paul's Cross in London That our Lord Iesus-Christ was in poverty and did beg in the world A manifest untruth For great is the difference betwixt begging and taking what the bounty of others doth freely confer as our Saviour did from such who did minister unto him of their substance This Sermon caused a great stir The principal Champions on both sides whose Pens publickly appeared were For Mendicants 1. Henry Parker a Carmelite bred in Cambridge living afterward in Doncaster-Covent imprisoned for preaching 2. Iohn Milverton bred in Oxford Carmelite of Bristol being excommunicated by the Bishop of London and appealing to the Pope found no favour but was kept three years captive in St. Angelo Against Mendicants 1. Thomas Wilson Doctor of both Laws and say some Dean of S. Paul's a zealous Preacher and Disputant 2. William Ivy Canon of S. Paul's who wrote in the Defence of Richard Hill Bishop of London who Imprisoned two Mendicants for their proud Preaching But after Pope Paul the second had interposed herein concluding that this ought to be declared in all places for a dangerous Doctrine and worthy to be trodden down under all mens feet the controversie ceased At this time George Nevil brother to Richard Nevil the Great Earl of Warwick that set up and pulled down Kings at his pleasure was Archbishop of York He was famous for a prodigious feast made at his Installation unto
which he invited as Guests all the Nobility most of the prime Clergy many of the Great Gentry of the Land The Bill of Fare may be read in Bishop Godwins Catalogue of Bishops Seven years after King Edward seized on all his Estate to the value of twenty thousand pounds among which he found so rich a Mitre that he made himself a Crown thereof The Archbishop he sent over prisoner to Callis where he was kept bound in extreme poverty justice punishing his former prodigality He was afterwards restored to his Liberty and Archbishoprick but went drooping till the day of his death It added to his sorrow that the Kingdom of Scotland with twelve Suffragan Bishops therein formerly subjected to his See was now by Pope Scotland freed from the Sec. of York Sixtus freed from any further dependance thereon S. Andrews being advanced to an Archbishoprick and that Kingdom in Ecclesiastical matters made entire within it self whose Bishops formerly repaired to York for their consecration Anno 1473. in August John Goos● sole Martyr in this King's Reign was condemned and burned at Tower-hill This man when ready to suffer desired meat from the Sheriff which Ordered his Execution and had it granted unto him I will eat saith he a good competent dinner for I shall pass a sharp shower ere I come to Supper King Edward IV. died April 9. 1483. In his Reign flourished Thomas Littleton a Reverend Judge of the Common-pleas who brought a great part of the Law into method which lay before confusedly dispersed and his book called Littletons Tenures Then John Harding Esquire wrote a Chronicle in English verse John Fortescue a Judge and Chancellor of England wrote divers Treatises concerning the Law and Politick Government Rochus a Charter-house Monk born in London wrote divers Epigrams William Caxton also wrote a Chronicle Miserable King Edward v. ought to have succeeded his Father but he by the wicked practice of his Unckle Richard Duke of Glocester chosen Protector was quickly made away The Protection of the young King's Person was by the last King appointed to Earl Rivers the Queen's brother and by the mother's side U●ckle to the said Prince who kept his Residence and Court at Ludlow The Queen with the Earl Rivers her brother and with her Son Richard Lord Gray and other Friends being guarded with a strong power of Armed men and Souldiers intended to bring the Young King from Ludlow to London to be Crowned But the Duke of Glocester wrought so cunningly with the Queen that she dispatched messengers to her Brother and Son who though unwilling upon her request were perswaded to Disband and Cashier all their Souldiers and attended only with their own Menial Servants they set forward with the Young King towards the Queen They came to Northampton and soon after the Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham dismounted themselves in the Earls Inn being accompanied with great store of resolute attendants There they surprized the Earl Rivers and committed him to sa●e Custody Then the two Dukes rode to St●nystratford Mart. Chron. in Edw. v. where the King then was There they seized on Richard Lord Grey the King's half-brother and on Sir Richard Vaugham and some others all which they sent under a strong guard to Pomfret-castle where without any judicial sentence or legal trial they were beheaded upon the same day that the Lord Hastings who conspired in that action with the two Dukes lost his head The Queen with the rest of her Children enters the Sanctuary at Westminster The young King is brought to London and the Duke of Glocester by the contrivement of the Duke of Buckingham is made Protector of the King and Kingdom by the Decree of the Councel-Table and now he wickedly plotteth to make away the young King and his Brother and in order thereunto he laboureth first to get into his hands the Duke of York the King's brother And to that end the Archbishop of Canterbury was employed with instructions to procure the Queen to part with her younger son to accompany the elder The Protector having gotten both the brothers into his hand causeth them within few days in great pomp and State to be convayed through London to the Tower The Sunday following he caused Doctor Shaa at Paul's cross to blazon the Honourable birth and parentage of the Protector to relate his vertues to commend his valour to weaken the Fame and Honour of the deceased King Edward by reason of his lascivious wantonness with Shore's wife and others to bastardize all his Children because the King was in the person of Richard Earl of Warwick before his said marriage affianced unto the Lady Bona sister to the wife of the French King He also accused the Protector 's own mother of great incontinency When King Edward and George Duke of Clarence were begotten Then setting forth the worthiness of the Protector he supposed that the people could not chuse but receive him for their King Pynkney the Provincial of the Augustinian Friars who in the same place used so loud adulation lost his credit conscience and voice altogether These two were all of the Clergy who engaged actively on his party His Coronation was performed with more pomp than any of his Predecessors Soon after followed the murther of King Edward and his Brother Richard Duke of York After this bloody act having visited his Town of Glocester which he endowed with ample Liberties and Priviledges he took his journey towards York At a certain day appointed the whole Clergy assembled in Copes richly vested and so went about the City in Procession after whom followed the King with his Crown and Scepter apparrelled in his Circot Robe Royal accompanyed with many of the Nobility of the Realm after whom marched in order Queen Anne his wife Crowned Sir Th. Moores History of King Rich. 3. leading in her left hand Prince Edward her Son having on his head a demy-crown appointed for the degree of a Prince The Northern people hereupon extolled and praised him far above the Stars After this glorious pomp and a solemn feast having done all things discreetly he returned by Nottingham and afterwards came to London whom the Citizens more for fear than love received in great Companies Now King Richard made good Laws in that sole Parliament kept in his time He began to found a Colledge of an hundred Priests which foundation with the founder shortly had end He built a Monastery at Middleham in the North and a Colledge at Alhallows Barking hard by the Tower and endowed Queens-Colledge in Cambridge with five hundred marks of yearly revenue Soon after the Duke of Buckingham requireth the Earldom of Hereford and the Hereditary Constableship of England laying title to them by discent The King rejected the Duke's request with many spiteful and minatory words Buckingham storms thereat and withdraws to Brecknock in Wales with his Prisoner John Morton Bishop of Ely committed to him by the King on some distast who tampered with him
eight Choristers twenty four Almes-men at this present Students of all sorts with Officers and Servants of the Foundation to the number of two hundred twenty three John Higdon first Dean of this Colledge was a great Persecutor of Protestants viz. John Clark John Frith Henry Sumner Baley + John Fryer Goodman + Nicholas Harmar + Michael Drumme William Betts Lawney Such whose names are noted with a-Cross did afterwards turn zealous Papists Richard Cox Richard Taverner All these were for their Religion imprisoned in a deep Cave under-ground where the Salt-fish of the Colledge was kept Some of them died soon after with the stench thereof and others escaped with great difficulty Taverner was well-skilled in Musick on which account he escaped though vehemently accused the Cardinal pleading for him that he was but a Musitian though afterward he repented to have set Tunes to so many Popish ditties The example of Wolsey's haughtiness made the English Clergy so Martin's Chr. in Henry 8. proud and insolent that their labours formerly applyed to the studies of moral ver●ues and of Divinity were now employed to devise curious fashions in their behaviour in their apparrel and in their diet In the fifteenth sixteenth and seventeenth year of King Henries Reign this proud Cardinal under colour of the King 's partaking with the Emperor in his Wars against the French King of his own authority and wi●hout the King's commandement granted forth Commissions under the Great Seal of England into every Shire and Province of the Kingdome and directed them unto the chiefest men And therein every man was required to depose the true value of their Estates and then of every fifty pounds there was demanded four shillings in the pound And in London he made himself the chief Commissioner The like Commissions he granted forth against all the Clergy of the Land of whom he demanded four shillings in the pound of all their livings These things grieved the Clergy and Common People at the heart The Cardinal perceiving this recalled those Commissions and sent forth others which also being not endured the King by his Letters directed into every County commanded a present cessation of all executions of the said Commissions and protested they were granted forth without his knowledge or consent But if they would by way of a Benevolence of their own accord enlarge themselves towards him he would take it as an infallible proof of their love toward him The Cardinal now resolved to revenge himself on the Emperor Charles the Fifth for not doing him right and improving his power in preferring him to the Papacy according to his promises and intends to smi●e Charles through the sides of his Aunt Katharine Queen of England endeavouring to alienate the King's affections from her Wolsey now put this scruple into the head of Bishop Longlands the King's Confessor and he insinuated the same into the King's Conscience King Henry greedily resented the motion and principles of pure Conscience puts him upon endeavours of a divorce The business is brought into the Court of Rome there to be decided by Pope Clement the Seventh But the Pope at this time was a prisoner to the Emperor who constantly kept a guard about him Yet after some delay the Pope dispatched a Commission to two Cardinals Wolsey and Campegius an Italian to hear and determine the matter at London The Pope draws back the cause unto himself and the King being impatient having the consent of both Universities as also of that of Paris he forsaketh Katharine and Marrieth Anna Bolen Anno 1533. And in the year 1534. he denieth obedience to the Pope and chargeth all his Subjects that they send no Money unto Rome nor pay Peter-pence unto any of the Collectors which vexeth the Roman Court. Then he published an Edict whereby he declares himself under Christ The supreme Head of the Church of England and chargeth upon pain of Death that no man ascribe any Power to the Pope within England and commandeth all the Collectors of Peter-pence to be gone These things were confirmed by the Parliament who also enacted That the Archbishop of Canterbury should invest all the Bishops of England and that the Church-men shall pay to the King yearly one hundred and fifty thousand pounds for defence of the Kingdom Wolsey was accused in Parliament for exercising his power Legantine without leave to the prejudice of the King's Crown and dignity Mr. Cromwel Servant to the Cardinal being a Burgess defendeth his Master yet were all his goods of inestimable value confiscated to the King and he outed of most of his Ecclesiastical promotions His enemies get the King to command him away to York leaving him the whole revenues of York-Archbishoprick then worth little less than four thousand pounds yearly besides a large pension paid him out of the Bishoprick of Winchester As he was preparing there in a Princely Equipage for his Installation he is Arrested by the Earl of Northumberland by Commission from the King in his own Chamber at Cawood By slow and short Journeys he setteth forward toward London and coming to Leicester he died where he was obscurely buried Then John Fisher Bishop of Rochester was imprisoned for refusing the Oath of Supremacy The Clergy in the Province of York did a long time deny the King's Supremacy Edward Lee Archbishop of York fomented this difference He was a virulent Papist one that wrote against Erasmus and a persecutor of Protestants witness John Bale Convented before him for suspition of Heresie who in vain pleaded Scripture in his own defence till at last he casually made use of a distinction out of Scotus which the Archbishop more valued than all which he had before more pertinently alledged out the Old and New Testament The King wrote a fair and large Letter to the Convocation of York claiming nothing more than what Christian Princes in the Primitive times assumed to themselves in their own Dominions so that it seems he wrought so far on their affections that at last they consented thereunto Soon after the Clergy in the Convocation so submitted themselves to the King that each one severally promised in verbo Sacerdotis never henceforth to presume to Alledge Claim or put 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 ver●ue of a Writ or Precept from the King For it was Enacted in the Parliament of the twenty fifth of Henry the Eight That all Convocations shall be thenceforth called by the King 's L. Herbert's Hist of Hen. 8. 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 Co●rt 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 Fox Acts and Monuments forgive and beware of his weakness He was shortly after apprehended 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 Dedha● overthrew a Cross in Stok●park 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 afterward 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 Archdeacon of Leicester was also of the same judgment To this also agreed the whole Clergy of the Church of England and subscribed with the hands of the Bishops and other learned Men to the number of forty six Doctors of Divinity and of both Laws Polydor Virgil who being sent into England had been the Pope's Collector General of the Peter-pence exacting them in the notion of a Rent and Tribute due to the Pope his Master was made Archdeacon of Taunton and Dignitary of the Cathedral Church of Wells on the Quire whereof he bestowed Hangings flourished with the Lawrel-tree and wrote upon them Sunt Polydori munera Virgilii He wrote a Latin History of Britain until the year of our Lord 1533. out of many rare Manuscripts which he had
collected together John Fisher Bishop of Rochester was beheaded soon after the Pope Anno 1535. had made him Cardinal of St. Vitalis He was Chaplain and Confessor to the Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond at whose Instance and by whose advice she founded and endowed Christ's and St. John's Colledge in Cambridge He died in the seventy seventh year of his Age on June 22. Sir Thomas Moor was beheaded the next month after Bishop Fisher and was buried at Chelsey He was a great Enemy to the Protestants On June the eighth began a Parliament which was dissolved on July the eighteenth following A parallel Convocation began the day after wherein the Lord Cromwel Prime Secretary sate in State above all the Bishops as the King's Vicar or Vicegerent General in all Spiritual matters Deformi satis spectaculo saith Bishop Godwin indocto Laico Godwin Annals Anno 1536. caetui Praesidente Sacratorum Antistitum omnium quos ante haec tempora Anglia unquam habuisset doctissimorum But the Lord Cromwel had in Power and Policy what he wanted in Learning In that Convocation the said Lord tendered unto them an Instrument to be publickly signed by all the Convocation concerning the nullity of the King's Marriage with the Lady Anna Bolen Some ten dayes before Archbishop Cranmer had pronounced it invalid frustrate and of none effect at Lambeth No particular cause is specified in that sentence Sure I am there is no dashing on the credit of the Lady nor any the least insi●uation of unchastity in that Instrument Praeclara Domina Serenissima Regina being the worst Titles that are given her therein King Henry got her Divorce confirmed both by Convocation and Parliament She was beheaded May 19. 1536. The King on the next day was married to the Lady Iane Seymour Soon after by little and little began the ruine of the Abbeys and Religious Houses for all Religious Houses whose possessions in yearly revenue exceeded not the sum of two hundred pounds were suppressed and dissolved and all their Sites and Possessions whatsoever were given for ever to the King The Clergy also at the same time of their own accord and to insinuate themselves into grace and favour with the King composed and published in printed Books certain Articles for the ordering and governing of the Church in which mention was made of three Sacraments only and the rest of them which former times did superstitiously receive and maintain were left out of the said Books These proceedings of the King and Clergy against the Pope and Holy Church were so generally disliked by the rude and ignorant people that they openly affirmed that the King's Council irreligiously directed him amiss and that the temporizing Clergy of the Land practised by all means possible to extinguish all Devotion and utterly to subvert all the ancient Rites Ceremonies and commendable Government of the Church And the unruly people in Lincoln-shire to the number of twenty thousand assembled themselves in Arms taking upon themselves to frame better Orders for the governing of the Church and Common-wealth But the King approaching near them with an Army they ran away and Doctor Mackarel their Ring-leader with some others were shortly after apprehended and executed Then there arose another Insurrection in the North and the number of those Rebels exceeded the number of forty thousand men who termed themselves The holy Pilgrims who intended nothing but the establishing of true Religion and the reformation of great abuses which defaced the Government of the Church The King's Army drawing near upon the faithful promise of the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk that commanded his Army that the King should pardon them the Rebels left the field and quietly departed to their own houses Now the King waxed more absolute in his Government especially concerning his Clergy and the ordering of the Church William Tindal who translated the New Testament in English and the five Books of Moses with many other godly Works was burned at the Town of Filford in Flaunders by vertue of the Emperor's Decree made in the Assembly at Ausburgh He was first strangled and after consumed with fire At the Stake he cried with a loud voice Lord open the King of England ' s eyes The King began with a little Book of Articles for the instruction of the people bearing this Title Articles devised by the King's Highness to establish Christian quiet and unity among the people It contained the Creed three Sacramen●s Baptism the Eucharist and Penance how Images might safely be worshipped and how Saints departed ought to be reverenced that the Parsons should teach their people that Christ is their only Mediator and how the Ceremonies of holy Water holy Bread Candles c. should without superstition be used It took away also the abuses which arose upon the imagination of Purgatory as Masses for Souls departed Pardons c. Not long after these Articles certain other Injunctions were also given out about the same year whereby a number of Holy-dayes were abrogated especially such as fell in Harvest-time Other Injunctions were also given out by the King concerning Images Relicks and blind Miracles for abrogating of Pilgrimages Also for the Lord's Prayer Creed and ten Commandements and the Bible to be done into English Anno 1538 the Parsons of Churches and the Parishes together were bound to provide in every Parish Church a Bible in English Also for every Parishioner to be taught by the Minister to understand and say the Lord's Prayer and Creed in their own vulgar tongue with other necessary Injunctions as for the free preaching of the Word of God against Images Pilgrimages Avies Suffrages of Saints c. and for a Register-book to be kept in every Church This year was Friar Forrest burned quick hanging in Chains in Smithfield for denying the King's Supremacy with this Forrest was Darvel Gatheren an abominable Idol of Wales burned The First-fruits Office first s●t up in 〈◊〉 Great was the King's profit at this time from the Office for the receipt of Tenths and First-fruits which was now first set up in London Such moneys were formerly paid to the Pope who had his Collectors in every Diocess which sometimes by Bills of Exchange but generally in specie to the great impoverishing of the Land yearly returned the Tenths and First-fruits of the English Clergy to Rome The Pope being now dead in England the King was found his Heir at Common Law as to most of the power and profit the other had usurped But now as the Clergy had changed their Landlord so their Rents were new rated Commissioners being employed in all Counties the Bishop of the Diocess being alwayes one of them to value their yearly Revenue that so their Tenths and First-fruits may be proportioned accordingly These Raters were the chiefest in all Counties under the degrees of Barons These Commissioners were impowred by the King to send for the Scribes and Notaries of all Bishops and Archdeacons to swear the Receivers
Fuller Church history and Auditors of Incumbents to view their Register-books Easter-books and all other Writings and to use all other wayes to know the full value of Ecclesiastical preferments with the number and names of persons enjoying the same They were to divide themselves by Three and Three allotting to every number so many Deaneries and to enquire the number and names of all Abbies Monasteries Priories Brotherships Sisterships Fellowships c. Houses Religious and Conventual as well CHARTER-HOVSE as others these Carthusians being specified by name because pretending priviledge of Papal exemption and meeting together to certifie into the Exchequer at the time limited in their Commission the true value of such places or preferments This work took up some years in the effecting thereof Devon-shire and Sommerset were done in the twenty seventh Stafford-shire and many other Counties in the thirty fourth year of King Henry the Eighth and most of Wales not till the Reign of King Edward the Sixth In Ireland the Commissioners found the work so troublesome that they never came into the County of Kerrey the South-West extremity of that Island so that the Clergy thereof are put into their Benefices without any payments But in England all were unpartially rated and Vicaridges valued very high according to their present Revenue by personal Requisites Idem ibid. In that Age he generally was the richest Shepherd that had the greatest Flock where Oblations from the living and Obits for the dead as certainly paid as predial Tithes much advanced their Income In consideration whereof Vicaridges mostly lyinig in Market-Towns and populous Parishes were set very high though soon after those obventions sunk with superstition And the Vicars in vain desired a proportionable abatement in the King's Books which once drawn up were no more to be altered Now Queen Mary did by Act of Parliament exonerate acquit and discharge the Clergy from all First-fruits As for Tenths the same Statute ordered them to be paid to Cardinal Pool who from the same was to pay the Pensions allowed to Monks and Nuns by her Father at the dissolution of Abbeys yet so that when such persons who were but few and aged all named in a Deed indented should decease all such payments of the Clergy reserved Nomine Decimae should cease and be extinct for ever But her Sister Queen Elizabeth succeeding her was exact to have Vide 〈◊〉 1 El●● cap. 4. her Dues from the Clergy Sir Christopher Hatton who was Master of this First-fruits Office was much indebted to her for Moneys received All which Arrears her Majesty required so severely and suddenly from him that the grief thereof cost him his life I say this Queen in the first of her Reign resumed First-fruits and Tenths only with this case to Parsonages not exceeding ten Marks and Vicaridges ten pounds that they should be freed from First-fruits In the months of October and November Anno 1538. the Abbeys and Monasteries in England were dissolved Cromwel being made General Visitor employed Richard Layton Thomas Lee William Detre Doctors of the Law Doctor John London Dean of Wallingford with others giving them instruction in eighty six Articles for visiting Monasteries every where by which they were to enquire into the government behaviour and education of the persons of both Sexes to find out all their offences and to this purpose give them encouragements to accuse both their Governors and each other To command them to exhibit their Mortmains Evidences and Conveyances of their Lands to produce Lord Herbert in vit Henr. 8. their Plate and Money and give an Inventory thereof The King also gave forth Injunctions to be observed some tending to the establishing of his Supremacy Some touching the good Government of the Houses As that no Brother go out of the Precinct That there be but one entrance That no Woman frequent the Monks nor any Man the Nuns c. And some for Education As that a Divinity-lecture be every where read and frequented That the Abbot daily expound some part of the Rule of their Order shewing yet that these Ceremonies are but Introductions to Religion which consisteth not in Apparel shaven Heads c. but in purity of mind That none shall profess or wear the Habit till twenty four years of age That no feigned Relicks or Miracles be shewed no Offerings to Images c. Lee and the rest at their return gave that account of their feigned Miracles and Relicks as well as sinful and sluggish life of the Religious O●ders as not only Cromwel said their Houses should be thrown down to the foundation but the whole Body of the Kingdom when it was published to them became so scandalized thereat as they resolve if the King ever put it into their hands to give remedy thereunto Yet were not all alike criminal for some Societies behaved themselves so well as their life being not only exempt from notorious faults but their spare times bestowed in writing Books Painting Carving Graving and the like Exercises their Visitors became Intercessors for them But these being not many were at last involved in the common fate Not long after this the King caused all Colledges Chantries and Hospitals to be visited not omitting to take a particular survey of all the Revenues and Diguities Ecclesiastical within his Kingdom which was returned to him in a Book to be kept in the Exchequer Then King Henry sent Fox Bishop of Hereford to the Protestant Princes in Germany assembled at Smalcald to exhort them to an unity in Doctrine wherein he offered his assistance by conference with their Divines Immediately after the ruine of Monasteries in the Month of November followed the condemnation of John Lambert that faithful Servant of Christ On a set day Lambert was brought forth where he had not only the King 's fierce countenance against him but also ten Disputers against him from twelve of the clock till five at night among which were the Archbishop Stephen Gardiner C. Tunstal Bishop of Durham and J. Stokesley Bishop of London Through Winchester's perswasion to gratifie the people the King himself condemned Lambert and commanded Cromwel to read the Sentence He was burned in Smithfield where he suffered most horrible torments before he expired The King after the burning of many Images caused the bones of Thomas Becket Archbishop in the time of Henry the Second to be burned He also seized on that immense Treasure and Jewels that were offered to his Shrine there being few since the time of Henry the Second that passed to Canterbury that did not both visit his Tomb and bring rich Presents to it Among which there being one Stone eminent which it was said Lewis the Seventh coming hither on Pilgrimage from France Anno Dom. 1179. bestowed Our King wore it in a Ring afterwards The number of Monasteries first and last suppressed in England and Wales were as Mr. Camden accounts them six hundred forty five whereof these had voices among the Peers The
his protection took speedy order for Reformation of Religion and having chosen Wise and Learned Men to be his Commissioners in that behalf divided them into several Diocesses to be visited appointing likewise unto every company one or two Godly Learned Preachers to instruct the people at every Session in the true Doctrine of the Gospel To those Commissioners were delivered thirty six Injunctions and Ecclesiastical Laws which they should enquire of and also command in his Majesties name and behalf all tending to the abolishing of Popish superstition and establishing the Truth of the Gospel Besides which general Injunctions for the estate of the whole Realm there were also certain others particularly appointed for the Bishops onely whereby they were enjoyned to see the other put in Execution besides others which did more particulary confirm them These Injunctions may be seen at large in the first Edition of the Acts and Monuments Fuller church History p. 372 373. fol. 684. and you may read them in a smoother Abstract in Fuller's Church History Some Homiles were left with the Parish-Priests which the Archbishop had composed not onely for the help of unpreaching Ministers but for the regulating and instructing even of the Dr. P. Helyns History of K. Edw. 6. Learned Preachers Besides the points contained in the said Injunctions the Preachers above mentioned were more particulary instructed to perswade the people from Praying to the Saints from making Prayer for the Dead from Adoring of Images from the use of Beads Ashes and Processions from Mass Diriges Praying in unknown Languages and from other such like things whereunto long custom had brought a Religious observation All which was done to this intent That the people in all places being prepared by little and little might with more ease and less opposition admit the total alteration in the face of the Church which was intended in due time to be introduced While these Commissioners were occupied abroad the King desirng a Reformation appointed a Parliament Novemb. 4. in the first year of his Reign Anno 1547. wherein all Acts made before against the Professors of the Truth were Abrogated In the same Parliament also it was Decreed That the Sacrament should be ministred to all under both kinds Then also were Candles on Candlemas-day forbidden and Ashes on Ash-wednesday according to the Popish custom About the sa●e time also all Images were taken away in most places of the Kingdom The first who declared his aversness to the King's proceedings was Dr. Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who stomaching his being left out of the list of the Council appeared more Cross to all their doings than others of his Order for which being brought before their Lordships they sent him Prisoner to the Fleet. Albeit Edmond Bonner Bishop of London at first seemed to comply yet at length he bewraied himself by suffring daily to be Sung the Apostles Mass and our Ladies Mass c. in diverse of his Chappels in Pauls ●l●aking them with the name of the Apostles and our Ladies Communions whereof the Council being informed caused him to reform the abuse Sir Anthony Cook and Sir John Goodsale Knights John Goodsal and Christopher Nevinson Doctors of the Laws and John Madew Doctor of Divinity the King's Commissioners called before them the said Edmond Bonner John Royston Polydor Virgil and many others of the Dignitaries of the said Cathedral to whom the Sermon being done and their Commission openly read they ministred the Oath of the King's Supremacy according to the Statute of thirty one of King Henry the eighth requiring them withal to present such things as needed to be reformed Which done they delivered to Bishop Bonner a Copy of the Injunctions forementioned together with the Homilies set forth by the King's authority received by him with protestation That he would observe them if they were not contrary to the Law of God and the Ordinances of the Church But afterwards he revoked his protestation and humbly submitted himself to his Majesties pleasure Yet for a Terror to others Bishop Bonner was committed to the Fleet. During the short time of his restraint viz. Septemb. 18. the Litany was Sung in the English Tongue in St. Paul's Church between the Quire and the High Altar the Singers kneeling half on the one side and half on the other And the same day the Epistle and Gospel was also read at the High Mass in the English Tongue And in November next following Bishop Bonner being then restored to his former liberty the Image of Christ then called the Rood and all other Images in that Church as also in all the other Churches of London were taken down And in speeding of this work as Bishop Bonner together with the Dean and Chapter did perform their part in the Cathedral of St. Paul so Bellassere Archdeacon of Colchester and Doctor Gilbert Bourn being at that time Archdeacon both of London and Essex were no less diligent in doing the like in all the Churches of their respective Jurisdictions according to the charge imposed upon them by his Majestie 's Visitors The first Translation of the Bible was set forth in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth Anno 1541. with a Grave and Pious preface of Archbishop Cranmer and Authorized by the King's Proclamation Dated May 6. Seconded also with Instructions from the King It was called the Bible of the greater Volume Few Countrey-parishes could go to the cost of them though Bishop Bonner caused six of them to be chained in the Church of St. Pauls in convenient places The second Translation of the Bible was set forth in the Reign of King Edward the Sixth and not onely suffered to be read by particular persons but ordered to be read over yearly in the Congregation as a principal part of Divine Service Two Editions there were thereof one set forth 1549. the other 1541. but neither of them divided into verses The third Translation of the Bible was set forth in the second year of Extant in Sir Tho. Cotton Library Queen Elizabeth The last Translation was again reviewed by some of the most Learned Bishops appointed thereunto by the Queen's 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 sounded 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 a●d not by the election of the Deans ●nd 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 was Heylin Hist Edw. 6. 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 Whereas 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 f●r 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 ●slip was also put into the s●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 accordingly Thus Benson saved the Deanery but fell into great disquiet of mind and died a few moneths after To whom succeeded Doctor Cox being then Almoner to the King Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Dean of Christ-Church Bishop Latimer in his printed Sermons complaineth That the Gentry Latimer Ser. p. 38. 71 91 114. at that time invaded the profits of the Church leaving the Title onely to the Incumbent and that Chantery Priests were put by them into several Cures to save their pensions that many Benefices were laid out in Fee-farmes and for making of Gardens and finally that the poor Clergy being kept to some sorry pittances were forced to put themselves into Gentlemens houses and there to serve as Clerks of the Kitchin Surveyours Receivers c. All which Enormities were generally connived at by the
Gray and the Lord Russel with forces conjoyned so strongly charged the Rebels that they beat them out of their works and then forced them with great slaughter to raise their siege After the like success in some following fights the Lord Russel enters that City on August 6. where he was joyfully received by the half-starved Citizens Miles Coverdale gave publick thanks to God for the Victory in the view of Exeter and soon after was made the Bishop thereof Arundel Berry Winslade and Coffin were sent to London and there executed Six Popish Priests were hanged and the Vicar of S. Thomas one of the Grand Incendiaries hanged on the top of his own Steeple apparrelled in his Popish Weeds with his Beads at his Girdle The Norfolk Rebellion brake forth on June 20. and that especially for a grievance about Enclosures The Rebels had gotten one Robert Ket a rich Tanner of Wimondham for their Leader and were grown to a Body of twenty thousand seating themselves at Moushold near Mount Surrey where they carried a face as it were of Justice and Religion for they had one Coniers an idle fellow to be their Chaplain who read solemn Prayers to them Morning and Evening Sermons also they had often And as for Justice they had a bench under a Tree which Tree was called by them and so hath ever since been called the Tree of Reformation where Ket usually sate and with him two Companies of every Hundred whence their Companies had been raised to hear complaints and give judgement They sent certain complaints to the King requiring he would send a Herrald to them to give them satisfaction The King returned this answer that in October following he would call a Parliament wherein their complaints should be heard and their grievances should be redressed requiring them in the mean time to lay down Arms and return to their houses and thereupon granting them a general pardon But this not satisfying the seditious hereupon they first assaulted the City of Norwich took it and made Thomas Cod the Mayor of Norwich attend them as their servant At length He and others of the Gentry detained Prisoners in Ket's Camp were admitted to the Counsels of the Rebels for the better credit thereof Doctor Matthew Parker afterward Archbishop of Canterbury getting up into the Oak of Reformation Preached to the Rebels of their Duty and Obedience where his life was in danger many Arrows being Shot at him Conyers set the Te Deum during the singing whereof the Doctor withdrew and went to his own house William Par Marquess of Northampton with the Lords Sheffield and Wentworth Sir Anthony Denny Sir Ralph Sadler and other persons of Honour is sent to quell this Rebellion But success sailed them the Lord Sheffield was barbarously butchered Sir Thomas Cornwallis taken prisoner and the City fired by the Rebels but the clouds melting into tears pittying the Cities calamity quenched the flames and the Marquess quitting the service returned to London Then was John Dudley Earl of Warwick sent to undertake the task and was attended by the Marquess of Northampton Coming to Norwich he easily entred the City and entertained the Rebels with many Sallies with various success but generally the Earl of Warwick came off with the better The Rebels deserted Moushold-hill and came down into Dussing-dale Here their superstition fancied themselves sufficiently fenced by the vertue of an old prophecy Hob Dick and Hick with Clubs and Clouted Shun Sall fill uy Dussmdale with blood of slaughtred bodies soon In this place was a bloody battel two thousand of the Rebels were slain in the fight and chase the Residue of them scattered all over the Countrey the Principals of them taken and Executed Robert Ket hanged on Norwich-Castle William his brother on the Top of Wimondham steeple nine of his followers on as many boughs of the Oak where Ket held his Courts On August XXIX a solemn thanksgiving was made to God for their deliverance in the City of Norwich and is Annually observed As for the Rebellion at the same time in York-shire it was soon quelled on the Execution of Omler and Dale the chief promoters thereof These things quickned the Lords of the Council to a sharper course against all those whom they suspected not to advance the publick Liturgy Among whom none was more distrusted than Bishop Bonner of London who is commanded to attend the Lords of the Council on Aug. 11. by whom he was told that by his negligence not only many people within his Diocess forgat their duty to God in frequenting the Divine Service than by Law established but divers others despising the same did in secret places often frequent the Popish Mass Therefore he is commanded to Preach against the Rebels at Paul's Cross on Septemb. 1. and there to shew the unlawfulness of taking Arms on pretence of Religion But on the Contrary he spent most part of his Sermon in maintenance of the Cross Carnal and Papistical presence of Christ's body and bloud in the Sacrament of the Eucharist complaints whereof being made a Commission is Issued out to the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishops of Rochester and Peterborough Sir Thomas Smith and Doctor May before whom he was convented at Lambeth where after many shifts on his part and much patience on theirs he is taken pro confesso and in the beginning of October deprived of his Bishoprick To whom succeeded Doctor Nicholas Ridley Bishop of Rochester There passed an Act of Parliament in the following Session which took beginning Novemb. 4 for taking down of such Images as were still remaining in the Churches as also for the bringing in of all Antiphonaries Missals Breviaries Offices Horaries Primars and Processionals with other Books of false and superstitious worship The Tenour of which Act signified to the Subject by the King's Proclamations and seconded by the Missives of Archbishop Cranmer to the Suffragan Bishops requiring them to see it diligently put in execution Also the Bishops were required to punish all those that refused to give to the charge of bread and wine for the Communion Now was there no further opposition against the Liturgy by the Romish party during the rest of the King's Reign But then there started up another faction as opposite to the publick Liturgy as were those of Rome The Archbishop and the rest of Prela●es which co-operated with him in the work of Reformation were resolved now to go forwards with a Reformation in point of Doctrine And therefore Letters were directed by Archbishop Cramner to Martin Bucer and Peter Martyr two eminent Divines Martyr came over in Heylin ●s Hist Edw. VI. the end of November and having spent sometime with the Archbishop in his house at Lambeth was dispatched to Oxford where he was made the King's Professour for Divinity and about two years after made Canon of Christ-Church His readings were so much disliked by some of that University that a publick disputation was shortly had betwixt him and some of
great encrease of vitiousness in all sorts of men So that it was not without cause that it was called for so earnestly by Bishop Latimer in a Sermon Preached before the King Bring into the Church of England saith he the open Discipline of Excommunication that open sinners may be stricken withal Then upon the Complaint of Calvin to Archbishop Cranmer and Peter Martyr's bemoaning the miserable condition of the Church for want of Preachers it was ordained by the advice of the Lords of the Council that of the King 's six Chaplains which attended in Ordinary two of them should be always about the Court and the other four should travel in Preaching abroad About this time Sermon●●t Court were encreased also Then followed the taking down of Altars by p●blick A 〈…〉 This being resolved on a Letter cometh to Bishop 〈…〉 of the King subscribed by Sommerset and other of the Lords of the Council concerning the taking down of Altars and setting up Tables in the stead thereof He appointed the form of a right Table to be used in his Diocess and caused the wall standing on the back-side of the Altar in the Church of S. Paul's to be broken down for an example to the rest No universal change of Altars was there into Tables in all parts of the Realm till the repealing of the first Liturgy in which the Priest is appointed to stand before the midst of the Altar in the Celebration and the establishing of the second in which it is required that the Priest shall stand on the North-side of the Table had put an end to the Dispute About this time David's Psalms were Translated into English metre by Thomas Sternhold Esq and of the Privy Chamber to King Edward the sixth John Hopkins Robert Wisdom c. and generally permitted to be Sung in all Churches Bishop Gardiner having been a Prisoner in the Tower almost two years the Lord Treasurer the Earl of Warwick and some others are sent with certain Articles Signed by the King and Lords of the Council unto him According to the tenour hereof he is not only to testifie his consent to the establishing the Holy-dayes and Fasting-days by the King's Authority the allowance of the publick Liturgy and the abrogating of the Statute for the six Articles but to subscribe the confession of his fault in his former obstinacy after such form and manner as was there required To which Articles he subscribed but refused to put his hand to the said Confession Then a Book of Articles is drawn up containing all the alteration made by the King and his Father as well by Act of Parliament as their own injunctions of all which doings he is required to signifie his approbation to make Confession of his fault with an acknowledgment that he had deserved the punishment which was laid upon upon him but no such submission and acknowledgment being made as was required on Feb. 14. 1550. he was deprived and so remitted to the Tower Notwithstanding this severity yet some of the Bishops were so stiff in their old opinions that neither terrour nor perswasions could prevail upon them ei●her to approve of the King's proceedings or otherwise to advance the King's commands And some complyed so coldly with the King's commands as that they were laid open to the spoil though not to the loss of their Bishopricks of which last sort were Kitching Bishop of Landaff Salcot Bishop of Salisbury and Sampson of Coventry 〈◊〉 Hist ●●w VI. and Lichfield Heath of Worcester Voysie of Exeter Day of Chichester and Tonstal of Durham would not any way comply Voisy made such havock of his Lands before he was brought under a deprivation that he left but seven or eight of the worst mannours and those let out into long Leases and those charged with pensions and not above two houses both bare and naked He was deprived a sew moneths after Gardiner but lived to be restored again as Gardiner also was in the time of Queen Mary Day and Heath were both deprived October 10. and were both restored in Queen Maries Reign Tunstal was cast into the Tower December 20. and was there kept until the dissolution of his Bishoprick by Act of Parliament To Gardiner in the See of Winchester succeeded Doctor John Poynet Bishop of Rochester To Voisy in the See of Exeter succeeded Doctor Miles Coverdale one who had formerly assisted Tyndal in translating the Bible into English and for the most part lived at Tubing an University belonging to the Duke of Saxony where he received the degree of Doctor Scory being Consecrated Bishop of Rochester in the place of Poynet on the thirtieth of August in the next year following succeeded Day of Chichester Of which Bishoprick he was deprived in the time of Queen Mary and afterwards preferred by Queen Elizabeth to the See of Hereford in which place he died The Bishoprick of Worcester was given in Commendam to Bishop Hooper The Princess Mary having been bred up in the Romish Religion would not change her mind And although the King and the Lords of his Council wrote many Letters to her to take off those affections which she bear to the Church of Rome yet she keeps up her Mass with all the Rites and Ceremonies belonging to it and suffers divers persons besides her own domestick Servants to be present at it By the Emperor's mediation her Chaplains were permitted to celebrate the Mass but with this Restriction that they should do it in her presence only For the transgression of which bounds Mallet and Barkley her two Chaplains were imprisoned Then a Plot is laid to convey the Princess Mary out of the Realm by stealth but the King being secretly advertised of the design puts a stop thereunto She is brought to the King and appointed to remain with him but none of her Chaplains permitted to have any access unto her And notwithstanding the mediation of the Emperor in her behalf and his threatening War in case she were not permitted the free exercise of her Religion and although the Lords of the Council generally seemed very inclinable thereunto yet the King would not be perswaded thereunto And when the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London sent by the Lords to the King used divers Arguments to perswade him he declared a Resolution rather to venture life and all things else that were dear unto him than to give way to any thing which he knew to be against the Truth Then the King burst forth into a flood of tears and the Bishops on sight thereof wept as fast as He. The Bishops thereupon withdrew admiring at such great Abilities in so young a King and blessed God for giving them a Prince of such eminent piety Then the reviewing the Liturgy and the composing of a Book of Articles were brought under consideration This last for the avoiding diversities of Opinions and for the establishing consent touching true Religion the other for removing such offences as had been taken by
Calvin and his followers at some parts thereof The Liturgy so reviewed was ratified by Act of Parliament in the year following By the learned Writings of Erasmus and Melancthon together with the Augustan Confession a Book of Articles being thought necessary to be composed the Composers of those Articles were much directed using them as subservient Helps to promote the service Now followed the fatal Tragedy of the Duke of Sommerset and we must recoyl a little to fetch forward the cause thereof Thomas Seymour Baron of Sudely and Lord Admiral the Protector 's younger Brother had married the Lady Katherine Par the Relict of King Henry the Eighth A contest arose between their Wives about place The Women's discords derived themselves into their Husbands hearts whereupon not long after followed the death of the Lord Thomas Seymour arraigned for designing to translate the Crown to himself Soon after the Lords of the Council accuse the Protector of many high offences his greatest Enemy and Accuser was John Dudley Earl of Warwick Hereupon he was imprisoned at Windsor yet he was acquitted though outed his Protectorship restored and continued Privy Counsellor But after two years and two months his Enemies assault him afresh He was indicted of Treason and Felony he was condemned for Felony by a new made Statute for plotting the death of a Privy Counsellor namely the Earl of Warwick Here a strange oversight was committed that he craved not the benefit of the Clergy which could not legally be denied him Not long after he was beheaded on Tower-hill with no less praise for his piety and patience than pity and grief of the beholders In the beginning of the year 1551. happened a terrible Earthquake at Croydon and some other Villages thereabouts in the County of Surrey Afterwards six Dolphins were taken up in the Thames three at Queenborough and three near Greenwich the least as big as any Horse Their coming up so far beheld by States-men as a presage of those storms and Tempests which afterwards befel this Nation in the death of King Edward and the tempestuous Reign of Queen Mary But the saddest presage of all was the breaking out of a Disease c●ll●d the Sweating-sickness appearing first at Shrewsbury on April 15. and afterwards spreading by degrees over the Kingdom wherewith if any man were attacqued he died or escaped within nine or ten hours if he slept as most persons desired to do he died within six hours if he took cold he died within three hours Sir Michael Stanhop Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Miles Partridge were arraigned and condemned to dye The two first were beheaded and the two last hanged at what time they solemnly protested taking God to witness that they never practised Treason against the King c. Vane adding after all the rest that his Blood would make the pillow of the Earl of Warwick lately made Duke of Northumberland uneasie to him Then fifty six Articles are drawn up against Robert Farrars Bishop of St. Davids and a Commission issued March 9. to enquire into the merit of those Articles charged against him on the return whereof he is indicted of a Praemunire at the Assizes at Carmarthen committed thereupon to prison where he remained all the rest of King Edward's time never restored to liberty till he came to the Stake in Queen Maries Reign On the twenty ninth of January 1552. The Bishoprick of Westminster was dissolved by the King's Letters Patents by which the County of Middlesex which had before been laid unto it was restored unto the See of London The Book of Articles made in the Synod at London may be truly said to be the work of that Convocation though many Members of it never saw the same till the Book was published in regard as Mr. Philpot saith that they had a Synodical Authority to make such spiritual Laws Fox Acts and Monuments fol. 1282. as to them seemed to be necessary or convenient for the use of the Church Moreover the Church of England for the first five years of Queen Elizabeth retained these Articles and no other as the publick Tenents of the Church in point of Doctrine which she had not done had they been commended to her by a less Authority than a Convocation These R●giâ authoritate in lucemed●ti Articles were confirmed and published for such by the King's Authority as appears further by the Title in due form of Law And so it is resolved by Philpot in behalf of the Catechism which came out Anno 1553. with the approbation of the said Bishops and learned Men. The Liturgy being setled and confirmed in Parliament was by the King's command translated into French for the use of the ●sles of Guernsey and Jersey and such as lived within the Marches and command of Calais But no such care was taken for Wales till the fifth year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth nor of the Realm of Ireland from that time to this as Doctor Heylin observeth Then that which concerns as well the nature as the number of such Feasts and Fasts as were thought fit to be retained were determined and concluded on by an Act of Parliament Which Statute though repealed in the first of Queen Mary and not revived till the first year of the Reign of King James yet in effect it stood in force and was more punctually observedin the time of Queen Elizabeth's Reign than after the reviving of it The next care was that Consecrated places should not be profaned by fighting and quarrelling as they had been lately since the Episcopal Jurisdiction and the ancient Censures of the Church were lessened in Authority and reputation This Parliament ending on April 15. the Book of Common-prayer was printed and published which had been therein authorized And the time being come which was set for the officiating it there appeared much alteration in the outward solemnities of Divine service to which the people had formerly been so long accustomed For by the Rubrick of that Book no Copes or other Vestures were required but the Surplice only whereby the Bishops must forbear their Crosses and the Prebends of St. Paul ●s leave off their Hoods To give a beginning hereunto Bishop Ridley then Bishop of London did the same day officiate the Divine service of the Morning in his Rochet only without Cope or Vestment he preached also at St. Paul's in the afternoon the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Companies in their best Liveries in their Companies being present at it the Sermon tending for the most part to the setting forth the said Book of Common-prayer and to acquaint them with the Reasons of such alterations as were made therein On the same day the new Liturgy was executed also in all the Churches of London Not long after the upper Quire in St. Paul's Church where the high Altar stood was broken down and all the Quire thereabout and the Communion-table was placed in the lower part of the Quire where the Minister
likewise to Preach or by way of reading in Churches or other publick or private places except in Schools of the Universities to Interpret or Teach any Scripture or any points of Doctrine concerning Religion Hereupon many of the people in divers places received their old Religion erected again their Altars and used the Mass and Latin Service as was wont to be in King Henrie's time In Cambridge the Vice-chancellor chalenged one Peirson on Octob. 3. for officiating the Communion in his own Parish Church in the English Tongue and on the 26. displaced Doctor Madew Master of Clare-hall for being Married In like manner some of the Popish party in King's Colledge on the 28th of the same moneth officiated the Divine Service in the Latin Tongue At Oxford John Jewel was chosen to pen the first gratulatory Letter to the Queen in the name of the University an Office imposed on him by his Enemies Doctor Tresham a Van-eurrier before authority repaired the great Bell in Christ-church and named it Mary Harley Bishop of Hereford and Taylor of Lincoln two of the last of King Edward's Bishops were present at the opening of the Parliament Octob. 10. But no sooner was the Mass begun though not then restored by any Law than they left the Church For which the Bishop of Lincoln being first examined and making profession of his Faith prevented the malice of his enemies by a timely Death And Harley upon information of his Marriage was presently excluded from the Parliament-house and not long after from his Bishoprick also Hereupon Bishop Barlow of Wells and Scory of Chichester passed beyond the Seas followed not long after by Bishop Poinet of Winchester On November 3. Archbishop Cranmer was arraigned at the Guild-hall in London with the Lord Guilford Dudley the late Queen Jane his Wife and others all of them being attainted and condemned of Treason After Peter Martyr had quit the Realm his Wive's Body having been buried in the Church of St. Frideswid was afterward by publick order taken out of the Grave and buried in a common dunghill John a Lasco was forced to dissolve his Congregation and He with his Strangers to quit the Countrey The like hast made the French Protestants also At which time many of the English as well Students as others depar●ed also The principal of those were Katherine the last Wife of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Robert Berty Esq Husband to the Dutchess the Bishops of Winchester and Wells as before was said Sir Richard Morison Sir Anthany Cook and Sir John Cheek Doctor Cox Doctor Sands and Doctor Grindal The News of Queen Maries succeeding her Brother to the Crown of England posted to Rome and was very welcome to Pope Julius the Third because it gave him some assurance of his re-admission into the Power and Jurisdiction of his Predecessors in the Realm of England in pursuance of which hopes it was resolved that Cardinal Pool should be sent Legate into England who being of the Blood-royl and a man of eminent Learning and of exemplary life was looked on as the fittest Instrument to reduce that Kingdom The Parliaments first Act was to take away all Statutes passed by the two last Kings wherein certain Offences had been made High Treason and others brought within the compass of a Pramunire This was done especially for Pool's security that neither He by exercising his authority nor the Clergy by submitting to it might be entangled in the like snares as Cardinal Wolsey and the whole Clergy of his time had before been caught Then an Act was passed for repealing certain Statutes of King Edward thereby they took away all former Statutes for administring the Sacraments in both kinds for establishing the first and second Liturgy c. In a word by this one blow the Queen cut down all that had been done in the Reformation in seven years before And then for want of Canonical Ordination on the one side and under colour of Uncanonical Marriages on the other there was presently such a remove among the Bishops and Clergy as it is not any where to be paralelled in so short a time An Act was passed likewise Entitled An Act against offenders of Preachers c which two Acts were seconded by the Queen with two Proclamations December 5. By one of which it was declared that all Statutes made in the time of the late King Edward which concerned Religion were repealed by Parliament and therefore that the Mass should be said as formerly to begin on the twentieth of that moneth And by the other it was commanded that no person should dare from thenceforth to disturb any Priests in saying Mass or executing any other Divine Office Accordingly the Mass was publickly officiated in all parts of the Kingdom and so continued during the Reign of the Queen without interruption Another Act was passed wherein it was Enacted That the Marriage between King Henry the Eighth and Queen Katherine his first Wife was lawful and to stand with God's Laws and his Holy Word c. That the Decree of Divorce heretofore passed between the said King Henry and the said Queen by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury should be reputed to be void and null with a Repeal of all such Statutes wherein the Queen had been diclared to be Illegitima●e There also past another Act in which there was a clause for the invalidating of all such Commissions as had been granted in the time of the late Queen Jane and one in confirming the Attainders of the late Duke of Northumberland Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury c. Together with this Parliament the Queen summoned a Convocation that all matters of Religion might first be debated and concluded in a Synodical way before they were offered to the Parliament In the Writs of which Summons she retained the Title of Supreme Head on Heylin Hist of Q. Mary Earth of the Church of England c. the want whereof in those of the present Parliament occasioned dispute among some of the Members Whether they might lawfully proceed or not in such publick business as were to be propounded to them in that Session The Presidentship of the Convocetion was transferred upon Bishop Bonner priviledged in respect of his See to preside in all such Provincial Synods which were either held during the vacancy of the See of Canterbury or in the necessary absence of the Metropolitan The lower House of the Clergy also was fitted with a Prolocutor of the same affections Doctor Hugh Weston Dean of Westminster in the place of Doctor Cox So partially had the elections been returned from the several Diocesses that we find none of King Edward's Clergy among the Clerks and but six of the Deans and Dignitaries to have suffrage in the Convocation viz. James Haddon Dean of Exeter Walter Philips Dean of Rochester John Philpot Archdeacon of Winchester John Elmer Archdeacon of Stow in the Diocess of Lincoln Richard Cheiney Archdeacon of Hereford one more mentioned by Mr. Fox
although Wyat at his death cleared them both as unacquainted with the matter Many trains were laid to ensnare the Lady Elizabeth And being on a time asked what she thought of the words of Christ This is my Body whether she thought it is the true Body of Christ it is said that after some pausing she thus Answered Christ was the Word that spake it Sir Richard Bakers Chron. He took the Bread and brake it And what the Word did make it That I Believe and take it One Elizabeth Crofts about eighteen years old was by practice put into a Wall and therefore called The Spirit in the Wall who with a whistle made for that purpose whistled out many Seditious words against the Queen the Prince of Spain the Mass Confession c. for which she did Penance standing upon a Scaffold at Pauls Cross all the Sermon-time where she made open Confession of her fault Queen Mary altereth her stile leaving out the latter part of her Title which is Supreme Head of the Church of England and Ireland because in this Parliament holden at Westminster in April the Supremacy being given away from the Crown of England to the Pope thereupon this Parcel of the Title was also taken away Then followed a communication between Bishop Ridley and Secretary Bourn Mr. Fecknam and others at the Lieutenants Table in the Tower described at large by Mr. Fox touching the Sacrament On April 10. Archbishop Cranmer Bishop Ridley and Latimer were sent down to Oxford by the Lord Williams of Thame there to dispute with the Divines of both Universities about the presence substance and sacrifice of the Sacrament Of Oxford Dr. Weston prolocutor Dr. Tresham Dr. Cole Dr. Oglethorp Doctor Pie Doctor Harpsfield Mr. Fecknam Of Cambridge Dr. Young Vice-Chancellor Doctor Glyn Dr. Seaton Dr. Watson Dr. Sedgwick Dr. Atkinson The Questions whereon they should Dispute were these 1. Whether the natural body of Christ be really in the Sacrament after the words of Consecration be spoken by the Priest 2. Whither any substance do remain after the words saving the body and blood 3. Whither the mass be a sacrifice propitiatory The order and manner of the disputation against these three worthy Martyrs the disordered usage of the University men the rude tumult of the multitude the fierceness and interruption of the Doctors the full pith and ground of all their Arguments the Censure of the Judges the railing Language of the Prolocutor with his blast of triumph in the latter end is set forth fully by Mr. Fox The disputation being ended on April 20. they were again brought upon the stage and then demanded whether they would persist in their opinion or else recant And affirming that they would persist they were all Three adjudged Hereticks and condemned to the fire but their execution was respited to a longer time May 19. the Lady Elizabeth was brought out of the Tower and committed to the custody of the Lord of Thame who gently entreated her afterwards she was had to Woodstock and there committed to the keeping of Sir Henry Bennefield who dealt hardly with her Prince Philip arriveth at Southampton July 20. 1554. and on the twenty third came to Winchester where the Queen met him and on the twenty fifth day the marriage between them there was openly Solemnized At which time the Emperour's Ambassadour presented to the King a donation of the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily which the Emperour his Father had resigned unto him Which presently was signified and the Titles of the King and Queen Proclaimed by sound of Trumpet in this following Style Philip and Mary by the Grace of God King and Queen of England France Naples Jerusalem Ireland Defenders of the Faith Princes of Spain and Sicily Archdukes of Austria Dukes of Milan Burgundy and Brabant Counts of Auspurg Flanders and Tirrol c. At the Proclaiming of which Style which was performed in French Latine and English the King and Queen shewed themselves hand in hand with two Swords born before them for the greater State or in regard of their distinct capacity in the Publick Government From Winchester they removed to Basing and so to Windsor where Philip on August the fifth was Installed Knight of the Garter On the eleventh of the same Moneth they made a Magnificent Passage through the Principal Streets of the City of London The King prevailed with the Queen for discharge of such Prisoners as stood committed in the Tower either for matter of Religion or on the account of Wyat's Rebellion or for engaging in the practice of the Duke of Northumberland which was done accordingly among which were the Arcbishop of York ten Knights and many other persons of name and quality He also procured the enlargement of the Lady Elizabeth and of the Earl of Devonshire who travelled through France into Italy and died at Padua Anno 1556. the eleventh and last Earl of Devonshire of that Noble Family of the Courtneys Marriage and Heresie were the crimes of Holgate Archbishop of York for which being deprived during his imprisonment in the Tower Dr. Nicholas Heath succeeded him in the See of York and leaves the Bishoprick of Worcester to Doctor Richard Pates who had been nominated by King Henry VII● Anno 1534. and having spent the intervening twenty years in the Court of Rome returned a true servant to the Pope Goodrick of Ely died April 10. leaving that Bishoprick to Dr. Thomas Thurlby Bishop of Norwich And Dr. John Hopton is made Bishop of Norwich Doctor Gilbert Bourn Archdeacon of London Heylin's Hist of Q. Mary is made Bishop of Wells Harley of Hereford is succeeded by Purefoy of S. Asaph Old Bush of Bristol and Bird of Chester the two first Bishops of those Sees were deprived also The first succeeded to by Holiman once a Monk of Reading the last by Coles Master of Baliol Colledge in Oxford Dr. Randolph Bayn who had been Hebrew Reader in Paris in the time of King Francis was Consecrated Bishop of Coventry and Litehfield The Parliament began Novemb. 12. where a way was opened for Cardinal Poole's Reception by preparing a Bill 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
of the See of Canterbury as an Usufructuary was altogether as solicitous for getting a right and title to them as sole proprietary No way to pacifie one and to satisfie the desires of the other but by bringing him when he least looked for it to the fatal Stake And thither they brought him and first he retracts his retraction and after punisheth that hand which had subscribed it by holding it forth into the flame and suffering it to be consumed before the rest of his body had felt the fire The residue of his body being burnt to ashes his heart was found entire and untouched in the midst of the cinders which possibly may serve as a witness for him that his heart stood fast unto the Truth though with his hand he had subscribed some Popish errors Cardinal Pool received Consecration to the See of Canterbury the very next Sunday after Cranmer's death No fewer than two hundred are reported to have been burnt by bloody Bonner the most eminent of all which number was Mr. John Philpot Archdeacon of Winchester who though of Gardiner's Diocess was condemned by Bonner Gardiner being well enough contented to find out the Game and leave it to be followed by that bloody Hunter Dr. John Christopherson Bishop of Chichester is recorded to have burnt ten in one fire at Lewis and seventeen others at several times in sundry places among which was Richard Woodman of Warbleton in Sussex that notable Martyr and four at Mayfield viz. John Hart Thomas Ravensdal a Shoomaker and a Collier Harpfield Archdeacon of London and Thornton the Suffragan of Dover are said to have poured out blood like water The same is said of Griffin of Rochester and Downing Chancellor of Norwich The same character is given of Bishop Bayn of Coventry and Litchfield who burned many faithful Ministers and others In all the Province of York I find none brought to the Stake but George Marsh of Chester condemned thereto by Bishop Coles Besides the burning of Bishop Farrar at Carmarthen by Bishop Morgan and of Rawlins and White at Cardiff by Bishop Kitching No great cruelty seems to have been acted in the four Welsh Diocesses In the Diocess of Exeter Wells Peterborough and Lincoln though this last the greatest in the Kingdom I find mention but of one a piece of two in that of Ely and of no more than three apiece in that of Bristol and Sarisbury for at Newbury were burnt that famous Julius Palmer with two others Doctor Tunstal Bishop of Durham was in Queen Maries time no great persecutor his Bishoprick had dayes of quiet under him When Mr. Russel a Preacher was brought before him and Doctor Himner his Chancellor would have had him examined more strictly the Bishop stayed him saying Hitherto we have had a good report among our Neighbours I pray you bring not this mans blood upon my Head The Bishop of Carlisle also was a man of a moderate temper The Pope had published a Bull in print Anno 1556. in which he threatened excommunication to all persons that kept any Church-lands unto themselves as also all Princes and Magistrates that did not put the same in execution Which though it did not edifie much in the Realm of England yet it found more obedience in that of Ireland in which a Parliament being called in June 1557. there passed an Act for repealing of Statutes Articles and Provisions made against the See of Rome since the twentieth year of King Henry the Eighth and for abolishing of several Ecclesiastical possessions conveyed to the Laity as also for the extinguishment of First-fruits and Twentieth parts no more than the yearly payment of the Twentieth part having been laid by Act of Parliament upon the Clergy of Ireland in the first and last clause whereof as they followed the example of the Realm of England so possibly they might have given a dangerous example to it in the other point if by the Queens death which followed shortly after King Philip and the Popes had not lost all their power and influence on the English Nation by means whereof there was no farther progress in the Restitution of the Abbey-lands no more re-edifying the old Religious houses and no intention for the founding any new Cardinal Poole having visited his own Diocess and given out divers printed Articles to shew his great care for the suppressing the growth of Heresie sent his Commissioners to Cambridge who interdicted the two Churches wherein Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius had been interred and the Writ being taken out de comburendo Haer●tico and being come down and sent to the Mayor of Cambridge on February 6. the two dead Bodies were taken out of their Graves and being laid in their Coffins on mens shoulders were carried to the Market-place with a guard of men well armed and weaponed chained unto several posts as if still alive the wood and fire put to them and their Bodies burned together with so many of their Books as could be gotten which were cast into the same flames also Queen Mary now engageth in her Husband's quarrel and King Philip having made up an Army of thirty five thousand Foot and twelve thousand Horse besides a thousand Horsemen four thousand Footment and two thousand Pioners sent out of England under the command of the Earl of Pembrook sate down before St. Quintin the chief Town of Piccardy On August the tenth the Battels joyn in which the French were vanquished and their Army routed the Constable of France the Prince of Mantua the Duke of Montpensier and Longueville with six others of the prime Nobility and many others of less note being taken prisoners The Duke of Anguien the Viscount Turin most of the Foot-Captains and the common Souldiers to the number of two thousand five hundred were slain upon the place King Philip stormed St. Quintin on the eighteenth day After which service the English finding some neglect from King Philip desired to be dismissed into their Country which was indulged unto them By whose dismission King Philip could do no action of importance in the rest of the War But the Queen shall pay dearly for this Victory The English were then possessed of the Town of Calais with many other Forts thereabout as Guisness Hames Ardres c. together with the whole Territory a Town situate on the mouth of the English Chanel opposite to Dover and distant not above twenty five miles from it King Edward the Third after a Siege of more than eleven months became Master of it Anno 1347. by whom it was first made a Colony of the English Nation and after one of the Staple-Towns for the sale of Wooll kept with great care by his Successors who as long as they had it in their hand were said to carry the Keys of France at their Girdle a Town which for more than two hundred years had been in possession of the English The Queen had broke the peace with France and taken no care to fortifie this place
Nature and Polity that a Woman should be declared to be the Supreme Head on Earth of the Church of England But the Queen declined the Title of Head and assumed the name of Governor of the Church of England This Act having easily passed the House of Commons found none of the Temporal Lords in the House of Lords to oppose it save onely the Earl of Shrewsbury and Anthony Brown Viscount Montacute As for the Bishops there were but fourteen and the Abbot of Westminster then alive of whom four being absent the rest could not make any considerable opposition In the Convocation of the Clergy there passed certain Articles of Religion which they tendered to the Parliament which were these I. That in the Sacrament of the Altar by the vertue of Christ assisting after the word is duly pronounced by the Priest the natural Body of Christ conceived by the Virgin Mary is really present under the Species of Bread and Wine also his natural Blood II. That after the Consecration there remains not the substance of Bread and Wine nor any other substance save the substance of God and Man III. That the true Body of Christ and his true Blood is offered a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quick and dead IV. That the supreme power of feeding and governing the Militant Church of Christ and of confirming their Brethren is given to Peter the Apostle and to his lawful Successors in the See Apostolick as unto the Vicars of Christ. V. That the Authority to handle and define such things which belong to Faith the Sacraments and Discipline Ecclesiastical hath hitherto ever belonged and onely ought to belong unto the Pastors of the Church whom the Holy Spirit hath placed in the Church of God and not unto Lay-men This Remonstrance exhibited by the lower house of Convocation to the Bishops was according to their Requests presented by Edmond Bonner Bishop of London to the Lord Keeper of the Broad-seal of England in the Parliament Both Universities did concur to the truth of the foresaid Articles the last onely excepted This Declaration of the Popish Clergy hastened the disputation appointed on the last of March in the Church of Westminster wherein these Questions were debated I. Whether Service and Sacraments ought to be celebrated in the vulgar Tongue II. Whether the Church hath not power to alter Ceremonies III. Whether the Mass be a propitiatory Sacrifice for the living and the dead Popish Disputants White Bishop of Winchester Watson Bishop of Lincoln Baynes Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield Scot Bishop of CHESTER Protestant Disputants John Scory late Bishop of Chichester David Whitehead Robert Horn. Edmond Gwest Edwyn Sandys John Elmer Edmond Grindal John Juel Moderators Nicholas Heath Archbishop of York Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Besides the Disputants there were present many of the Lords of the Queens Council with other of the Nobility as also many of the lower House of Parliament For the manner of their conference it was agreed it should be performed in writing and that the Bishops should deliver their Reasons in writing first Many differences arose between them so that the conference broke off and nothing was determined The Bishops of Lincoln and Winchester thought meet that the Queen and the Authors of this defection from the Church of Rome should be Excommunicated who for this cause were imprisoned Then a Peace being made was Proclaimed over all England betwixt the Queen of England the King of France the Daulphin and the Queen of Scots The Parliament being dissolved by Authority of the same the Liturgy was forthwith brought into the Churches in the Vulgar Tongue the Oath of Supremacy offered to the Popish Bishops and others of the Ecclesiastical profession which most of them had sworn unto in the Reign of King Henry the Eighth All the Bishops refused except Anthony Bishop of Landaff As many as refused were turned out of their Livings Dignities Bishopricks In the Sees of the Prelates removed were placed Protestant Bishops Matthew Parker was made Archbishop of Canterbury who was Consecrated by three that formerly had been Bishops namely William Barlow of Bath and Wells John Scory of Chichester and Miles Coverdale of Exeter And being Consecrated himself he afterward Consecrated Edmond Grindal Bishop of London Richard Cox Bishop of Ely Edwyn Sandys Bishop of Worcester Rowland Merick Bishop of Bangor Thomas Young Bishop of St. David's Nicholas Bullingham Bishop of Lincoln John Juel Bishop of Salisbury Richard Davis Bishop of St. Asaph Edward Guest Bishop of Rochester Gilbert Barkley Bishop of Bath and Wells Thomas Bentham Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield William Alley Bishop of Exeter John Parkhurst Bishop of Norwich Robert Horn Bishop of Winchester Richard Cheiney Bishop of Glocester Edmond Scambler Bishop of Peterborough William Barlow Bishop of Chichester John Scory Bishop of Hereford Thomas Young Archbishop of York James Pilkinton Bishop of Durham John Best Bishop of Carlile and William Dounham Bishop of Chester Nicholas Health Archbishop of York lived privately many years in his Mannor of Chobham in Surrey never restrained to any one place and died in great favour with the Queen who bestowed many gratious visits upon him during his retirement Tonstal of Durham spent the remainder of his time with Archbishop Parker by whom he was kindly entertained and honourably buried The like civility was afforded to Thurlby Bishop of Ely in the same house and unto Bourn of Wells by the Dean of Exon in which two houses they both died about ten years after White though at first imprisoned for his faults after some cooling himself in the Tower of London was suffered to enjoy his liberty and to retire himself to what friend he pleased Which favour was vouchsafed unto Turbervil also who being a Gentleman by extraction wanted not friends to give him good entertainment Watson of Lincoln after a short restraint spent the remainder of his time with the Bishops of Rochester and Ely till having practised against the State he was shut up in the Castle of VVisbich where at last he died Oglethorp died soon after his deprivation of an Apoplexy Bayn of the Stone and Morgan in December following Pool enjoyed the like freedom and died in a good old age Christopherson lived on his Estate Bonner alone was doomed to a perpetual imprisonment the prison proving to that wretch saith Dr. Heylin his greatest Sanctuary whose horrid Butcheries had otherwise exposed him to the popular sury We find no more to have been deprived of their preferments than fourteen Bishops six Abbots Priors and Governors of Religious Orders twelve Deans and as many Archdeacons fifteen Presidents or Masters of Colledges fifty Prebendaries of Cathedral Churches and about eighty Parsons or Vicars The whole number not amounting to two hundred men which in a Realm consisting of nine thousand Parishes and twenty six Cathedral Churches could be no great matter But there was not a sufficient number of Learned men to supply the Dr. P.
Heylins History of Queen Eliz. Cures which filled the Church with an Ignorant Clergy whose Learning went no further than the Liturgy or the Book of Homilies but otherwise conformable which was no small felicity to the Rules of the Church And on the other side many were raised to great preferments who having spent their time of exile in such Forreign Churches as followed the platform of Geneva returned so disaffected to Episcopal Government unto the Rites here by Law established as not long after filled the Church with most sad disorders On which account we find the Queens Professor in Oxford among the Non-conformists and Cartwright the Lady Margaret's in Cambridge VVhittingham the Ring-leader of the Franckfort dividers was preferred to the Deanery of Durham Sampson to the Deanery of Christ-church and within few years after turned out for a rigid Non-conformist Hardiman one of the first twelve Prebendaries of the Church of VVestminster deprived soon after for throwing down the Altar and defacing the Vestments of the Church Whether it were by the Pope's instigation or by by the ambition of the Daulphin who had then Married the Queen of Scots the Scottish Queen assumeth unto her self the Style and Title of Queen of England quartereth the Armes thereof upon all her Plate and in all Armories and Eschutcheons as she had occasion A folly that Queen Elizabeth could never forget nor forgive and this engaged her the more resolutely in that Reformation so happily begun And to that purpose she sets out by advice of her Council a certain Body of Injunctions accommodated to the temper of the present time wherein severe course was taken about Ministers Marriages the use of Singing and the Reverence in Divine Worship to be kept in Churches the posture of the Communion-table and the Form of Prayers in the Congregation By the Injunctions she made way to her Visitation Executed by Commissioners in their several Circuits and regulated by a Book of Articles printed and published for th●● purpose Proceeding by which Articles the Commissioners removed all carved Images out of the Church which had been abused to Superstition defacing also all such Pictures Paintings as served for the setting forth feigned Miracles They enquired also into the life and doctrine of Ministers their diligence in attending their several Cures the decency of their apparel the respect of the Parishioners toward them the reverent behaviour of H●yli●'s Hist of Q. Elizab. all manner of persons in God's Worship c. by means whereof the Church was setled and confirmed in so good an Order that the work was made more easie to the Bishops when they came to Govern than otherwise it could have been In London the Visitors were Sir Richard Sackvil Father to Thomas Earl of Dorset Robert Horn soon after Bishop of VVinchester Doctor Huick a Civilian and one Salvage a Common Lawyer who calling before them divers Persons of every Parish gave them an Oath to enquire and present upon such Articles and Injunctions as were given unto them In pursuance whereof they burnt in St. Paul's Church-yard Cheapside and other places of the City all the Roods and other Images which had been taken out of the Churches And in some places the Copes Vestments Altar-cloathes Books Banners Sepulchres and Rood-lofts were burned altogether A Peace being concluded betwixt England and France although Queen Elizabeth had just cause to be offended with the young King Francis the Second for causing the Queen of Scots his Wise to take upon her self the Title and Armes of England yet she resolved to bestow a Royal obsequy upon the King deceased which was performed in St. Paul's Church on the eighth and nineth of September in most solemn manner Kellison the Jesuite and Parsons from him slaunderously affirmed That Archbishop Parker was consecrated at the Nags-head Tavern in Cheapside This slaunder was raised on this occasion In order to his Consecration the first thing to be done after the passing the Royal Assent for ratifying the election of the Dean and Chapter was the confirming it in the Court of the Arches according to the usual form in that behalf Which being accordingly done the Vicar General the Mason's Consecration of Bishops in the Church of England lib. 3. cap. 4. Dean of the Arches the Proctors and Officers of the Court whose presence was required at this Solemnity were entertained at a Dinner provided for them at the Nags-head Tavern in Cheapside for which though Archbishop Parker paid the shot yet shall the Church be called to an after-reckoning But the Records of the Archbishoprick declare that he was Consecrated in the Chappel within his Mannor of Lambeth These slaunderers knew right well that nothing did more justifie the Church of England in the eye of the World than that it did preserve a Succession of Bishops and consequently of all other sacred Orders in the Ministration without which as they would not grant it to be a Church so could they prove it to be none by no stronger Argument than that the Bishops or the pretended Bishops rather in their Opinion were either not Consecrate at all or not Canonically Consecrated as they ought to be And now we may behold the face of the Church of England as it was first setled and established under Queen Elizabeth The Government of the Church by Archbishops and Bishops These Bishops nominated and elected according to the Statute in the twenty sixth of King Henry the Eighth and Consecrated by the Ordinal confirmed by Parliament in the fifth and sixth year of King Edward the Sixth never appearing publickly but in their Rotchets nor Officiating otherwise than in Copes of the Altar the Priests not stirring out of doors in their square Caps Cowns or Canonical Coats nor Executing any Divine Service but in their Surplice The Doctrine of the Church reduced Heylin Hist of Q. Elizab. unto it's antient purity according to the Articles agreed upon in Convocation Anno 1552. The Liturgy conform to the Primitive paterns The Festivals preserved in their former dignity observed with their distinct Offices peculiar to them the weekly Fasts the time of Lent the Embring weeks and Rogation severely kept not now by vertue of the Statute as in the time of King Edward but as appointed by the Church in her publick Calendar before the Book of Common-Prayer The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper celebrated in a Reverend manner the Table seated in the place of the Altar In the Court the Liturgy was officiated every day both Morning and Evening not onely in the publick Chappel but the private Closet celebrated in the Chappel with Organs and other Musical Instruments and the most excellent voices both of men and children that could be got in all the Kingdom The Gentlemen and Children in their Surplices and the Priests in Copes as oft as they attended the Divine Service at the Altar The Altar furnished with rich Plate two fair gilt Candlesticks with Tapers in them and a Massy Crucifix in
and other places that there were thought to be Butchered no less than an hundred thousand of the natural Franch between the first of March and the twentieth of August then last past that with the like violence they had caused to be spoiled and imprisoned such of her Majestie 's Subjects as Traded in the Ports of Bretaign and such as sought to preserve themselves to be killed their goods and Merchandize to be seized without charging any other crime upon them but that they were Hugonots and that in consideration of the premises she could do no less than endeavour the preserving the Reformed Religion from an universal destruction and the maintaining her own Subjects and Dominions in peace and safety The ayd amounting to six thousand men was divided into two equal parts of which the one was destined to the defence of Roven and Deep then being in the hands of the Confederates the other to take possession of the Town of New-haven which by the Inhabitants was joyfully surrendred to the English The Lord Ambrose Dudley the eldest Son then living of the late Duke of Northumberland she sent to command that place whom on Decemb. 26. She had created Lord Lisle and Earl of Warwick where he was solemnly received with a peal of Ordnance A petit Rebellion hapned in Merton-colledge in Oxford The Wardenship of that house being voyd by the death of Gervase one Man is chosen to the place one Hall and his Popish faction opposed his admission and raised such a persecution that it was poenal for any to be a Protestant Archbishop Parker hearing of it summoneth Hall to appear before him but the seal of the citation was torn off by some of that party Hereupon the Archbishop made a solemn visitation of that Colledge wherein all were generally examined Man confirmed Warden Hall justly expelled his party publickly admonished the young Scholars relieved Papists curbed and suppressed Protestants countenanced and encouraged in the whole University Now many strange whispers were abroad and no small hopes conceived by those of the Popish faction for suppressing the Protestants in all parts of the Kingdom and setting up their own Religion as in former times of the plot were Arthur Pool younger brother to Reginald Pool the late Cardinal Legate and Geoffry Fortescue who had married his sister and others The substance of their charge was a design of levying War against the Queen c. with a particular intention of advancing the Queen of Scots to the Crown of England and Pool himself unto the Title of Duke of Clarence All which they Confessed upon the Indictment and did all receive the sentence of death but were all afterwards pardoned by the Queen out of that great respect which she bare to their Royal Extraction Then was that elegant discourse published by Bishop Jewel Entitled The Apology of the Church of England first writ in Latine translated presently into English French Italian Dutch and at last in Greek to the publishing whereof he was much encouraged by Peter Martyr with whom he had spent the greatest part of his time when he lived in exile But Martyr lived onely to see the Book which he so much longed for dying at Zurich on the twelfth of November following and laid into his grave by the Magistrates and people of that City with a solemn funeral The five Bishopricks erected by King Henry the eighth were so impoverished in this Queen's Reign that the new Bishops were necessitated to require the benevolence of their Clergy at their first coming to them to furnish their Episcopal houses and to enable them to maintain some tolerable degree of Hospitality in their several Diocesses The Parliament called January 12. 1562. passed an Act for Assurance of the Queen 's Royal power over all Estates and Subjects in her Dominions In which it was provided That no man Residing in the Queen's Dominions should from thence-forth either by-word or writing c. endeavour willingly to maintain the power and jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome heretofore usurped within this Realm It was also enacted that none should be admitted unto Holy Orders or to any Degree in either of the Universities or to be Barrester or Bencher in any of the Inns of Court or to Practise as an Attourney c till He or They should first take the Oath of Supremacy on the Holy Evangelists with a power given to every Archbishop and Bishop within this Realm and the Dominions of the same to Minister the said Oath to all and every Spiritual Person in their proper Diocesses as well in places exempt as els-where It had been declared by the Bishops and Clergy assembled at the same time in their Convocation To be a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God and the Custom of the Primitive Church to have publick Prayer in the Church or to administer the Sacraments in a Tongue not understood by the People therefore it was Enacted That the Bishops of Hereford S. David's Bangor Landaff and S. Asaph should take care for Translating the whole Bible with the Common-prayer-book into the Welch Tongue The like care was also taken for Translating the Books of Homilies Then were the Nine and thirty Articles composed in the Convocation The 39. Articles compiled in Convocation at London published soon after both in English and Latine with this following Title viz. Articles agreed upon by the Archishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London Anno 1562. for the avoyding of Diversities of opinions and establishing consent touching true Religion These Articles came forth much about the time that the Decrees of the Council of Trent were published Many of which Decrees begin with lying and all end with Cursing threatening Anathema's to all dissenters Anno 1571. the Parliament confirmed these Articles so far that every Clerk should before Decemb. 25. next following subscribe the same And hereafter every person promoted to an E●clesiastical living should within a time prefixed in the time of Divine Service publickly read and profess his consent to the same on pain of deprivation ipso facto if omitted This subscription was extended only to men of Ecclesiastical Function After the return of the Queen of Scots out of France into Scotland Besides the Ratifying the Act of Oblivion formerly condescended to in the Treaty at Edenburgh there were also past some other Acts viz. one Act for repairing and upholding Parish Churches and the Church-yards of the same for burial of the dead Another against letting Parsonages Gleabes or Houses into long Leases or Fee But on the other side no safety or Protection could be found for the Queen 's own Religion no not so much as the Chappel Royal or the Regal City In contempt whereof a force was violently committed in the moneth of August in the Chappel of the Palace of Holy-rood house where certain of the Queen's servants were assembled for their own devotions the doors broke open some of
innodated with the Anathema The news thereof flying over into England variously affected the Catholicks according to their several dispositions John Felton who fastened the Pope's Bull to the Palace of London being taken and refusing to fly was hanged on a Gibbet before the Pope's Palace Then Hugh Price Doctor of the Civil Law procured the foundation of Jesus Colledge in Oxford on a Ground where White hall had been formerly situated which with Edifices and Gardens thereto belonging being then in the Crown Queen Elizabeth gave to so pious an use and therefore is stiled the Foundress in this Mortmain In the year 1570. Murray sueth to have the Queen of Scots delivered unto him But soon after he was shot with a leaden Bullet beneath the Navil at Lithguo as he rode in the street Hamilton the murtherer escaped into France Then Matthew Lenox the young King's Grandfather was made Regent of Scotland Now began Popery to encrease and the word Recusant to be born and bred in mens mouths A Parliament sate at Westminster which acted against Papists That to write print preach or affirm that the Queen was an Heretick Schismatick c. should be ad●udged Treason Also That it should be so accounted and punished to bring and put in execution any Bulls Writings Instruments c. from the See of Rome from the first of July following A severe Act was made also against Fugitives who being natural born Subjects of this Realm departed the same without license Against Non conformists it was provided That every Minister should before December the twenty fifth next following in the presence of his Diocesan or his Deputy declare his assent to all the Articles of Religion agreed on in the Convocation 1562. upon pain of deprivation on his refusal thereof Against covetous Conformists it was provided That no Spiritual person Colledge or Hospital shall let lease other than for the term of one and twenty years or three lives the usual rent or more reserved payable yearly during the said Term. Now began Queen Elizabeth's favour to decline toward the Queen of Scots principally for practising with the Pope and forreign Princes Anno 1571. Queen Elizabeth went in Royal state to see a most beautiful Burse which Sir Thomas Gresham Knight Citizen of London had built for the use of Merchants and by the voice of the Crier and the found of Trumpets as it it were by way of Dedication she named it The Royal Exchange A little before that Florentine Ridolpho who had for the space of fifteen years exercised Merchandise at London secretly conveyed Letters from the Pope to the Queen of Scots wherein he promiseth all kindness and aid for advancing the Catholick Religion and Her c. Ridolpho also by his own Letters apart prayeth the Queen to acquaint the Duke of Norfolk with these things c. Anno 1572. died William Alley Bishop of Exeter a diligent Preacher and John Jewel Bishop of Salisbury The Canons made in 1563. were not for nine years after confirmed by Act of Parliament but now being ratified by Parliamentary Authority the Bishops began the urging of them more severely than before which many dissenters keep their private meetings in Woods Fields their Friends Houses c. And now Thomas Cartwright chief of the Non-conformists presents the Parliament with a Book called An Admonition This was seconded with another more importunate to the same effect Great bandying there was of Books between two eminent Authors of opposite parties 1. The Admonition first and second made by Mr. Cartwright 2. The Answer to the Admonition by Doctor John Whitgift 3. The Reply to the Answer by Mr. Thomas Cartwright 4. The Defence of the Answer by Doctor John Whitgift This last kept the field and received no solemn refutation The Non-conformists after the dissolution of the Parliament presumed The first Presbytery in England to erect a Presbytery at Wandsworth in Surrey Eleven Elders were chosen therein and their Offices and general Rules by them to be observed agreed upon and described as appears by a Bill endorsed with the hand of Mr. Field Lecturer it is supposed of that place but living in London Mr. Smith of Micham and Mr. Crane of Roughampton are mentioned for approving all passages therein This was the first-born of all Presbyteries in England Here were two sorts of Ministers First Mr. 1. Field 2. Wilcox 3. Standen 4. Jackson 5. Bonham 6. Seintloe 7. Crane 8. Edmonds Afterwards Mr. 1. Chark 2. Travers 3. Barber 4. Gardiner 5. Cheston 6. Crook 7. Egerton The former of these were principally against Ministers Habits and the Common-prayer-book The latter endeavouring the modelling of a new Discipline But it was not long before both Streams uniting together Non-conformity began to bear a great Channel in the City of London Then Ross the Queen of Scots Ambassador and the Duke of Norfolk were sent to the Tower for plotting against Queen Elizabeth The Duke of Norfolk was arraigned and condemned by his Peers and beheaded on Tower-hill This year happened a cruel Massacre in Paris the Queen of Navar and all the choicest of the Protestants being bidden thither to a Marriage between Henry of Navar and Madam Margarite the King's Sister No sooner was the Marriage solemnized but there followed bloody Butcherings committed upon men of all estates throughout all the Cities of France And Admiral Coligny the Pillar of the Reformed Church was slain in his Bed on Bartholomew-eve In November following a new Star was seen in the Constellation of Cassiopeia which continued full sixteen months being carried about with the daily motion of the Heaven Theodor. Beza wittily applyed it to that Star which shone at the Birth of Christ and to the murthering of the Infants under Herod and warned Charles the ninth King of France who had confessed himself to be the Author of the Massacre at Paris to beware in this Verse Tu Vero Herodes sanguinolente cave Camden's History of Queen Eliz. And look thou bloody Herod to thy self And he was not altogether deceived in his belief for the fifth month after the vanishing of this S●ar the said Charles after long and grievous pains died of exceeding bleeding Now begin the Anabaptists to encrease in England On Easter-day was disclosed a Congregation of Dutch Anabaptists without Aldgate in London whereof twenty seven were taken and imprisoned and four bearing Faggots at Paul's-cross solemnly recanted their Opinions In the next month one Dutch-man and ten Women were condemned of whom one Woman renounced her errors eight were banished the Land Two more so obstinate that command was issued out for their burning in Smithfield where they died in great horror with crying and roaring Anno 1573. one Peter Burchet who had perswaded himself that it was lawful to kill any that had opposed the truth of the Gospel drew his Dagger upon Hawkins that famous Navigator in the open street and wounded him supposing him to be Hatton who was then in great favour with
and her Boxes searched Fourteen of the Conspirators were Arraigned Condemned of High-treason and executed Afterwards in the Star-chamber sentence was pronounced against the Queen of Scots And in a Parliament presently following the Lords petition the Queen that the sentence passed against her may presently be promulged The King of Scots and the King of France sollicit for her life But when this would not prevail L' Aubespine the French Ambassador thinks no way so effectual for saving the Queen of Scots life as to take away the life of Queen Elizabeth The plot was discovered And at length the Sentence against the Queen of Scots was put in execution and she ended her doleful life at Fothringhay Castle She was buried in the Quire of Peterborough and Doctor Wickham Bishop of Lincoln Preached her Funeral-sermon Some twenty yaars after King James caused her Corps to be solemnly removed from Poterborough to Westminster where in the South-side of the Chappel of King Henry the Seventh he erected a stately Monument to her Memory The Earl of Leicester having raised great offence is called home again into England by the Queen giveth over his Government and the free Administration of his Government is left to the States Now Conformity was pressed to the height The power of the High Fuller Church Hist in An. 1537. Commission began to extend far and penalties to fall heavy on offenders whereupon the favourers of Non-conformists much opposed it in their Printed Books some questioning the Court as not warranted by Law others taxing their proceedings as exceeding their Commission But the most general exception against the High Commission was this That proceeding Ex Officio mero by way of enquiry against such whom they suspected they tendred unto them an Oath which was conceived unjust that in cases criminal a party should be forced to discover what might be penal to himself The lawfulness of which Oath was learnedly canvassed with arguments on both sides Because many did question the Legal●ty and Authority of the High Commission Archbishop Whitgift so contrived the matter that the most sturdy Non-conformists especially if they had any visible Estates were brought into the Star-chamber the power whereof was above dispute where some of them besides imprisonment had very heavy fines imposed on them And because most of the Queens Council were present at the Censures this took off the odium from the Archbishop This year died Mr. John Fox the Industrious compiler of the Acts and Monuments of the Church and was buried at St. Giles near Cripplegate in London It is said he foretold the destruction of the Invincible so called Spanish Armado in the year 1588. which came so to pass though he survived not to see the performance of his own prediction About this time Mr. William Lambert finished his Hospital at Greenwich Camd Brit. in Kent founded and endowed by him for poor people He was the first Protestant who erected a charitable house of that nature saith Camden But King Edward the Sixth ●ounded Christ-church and St. Thomas Hospital Now the sticklers against the Hierarchy appeared more vigorous though for a time they had concealed themselves The Parliament now sitting a● Westminster the House of Commons presented to the Lords a petition complaining how many Parishes especially in the North of England and Wales were destitute of Preachers and no care taken to supply them Sixteen were the particulars whereof the six first were against insufficient Ministers Of all the particulars the House fell most fiercely on the debate of pluralities and Non-residents The Arch-bishop pleads for Non-residency in divers cases He affirmed whatever was pretended to the contrary that England then flourished with able Ministers more than ever before yea had more than all Christendom besides The Lord Grey rejoyned to this Assertion saying That England had more able Ministers than all the Churches in Christendom was onely to be attributed to God who now opened the hearts of many to see into the truth and that the Schools were better observed The Lord Treasurer seemed to moderate betwixt them Matters flying thus high the Archbishop with the rest of the Clergy Petition the Queen To the Petition were annexed a Catalogue of those inconveniences to the State present State to come Cathedral Churches Universities to her Majesty to Religion in case pluralities were taken away Nothing was effected in relation to this matter but things left in statu quo prius at the dissolution of this Parliament This year died Richard Barnes Bishop of Durham In the year 1588. when there was a Treaty of Peace between England and Spain out cometh their Invincible Navy and Army perfectly appointed for both Elements Land and Water to Sayl and March compleat in all Warlike Equipage but that great Fleet was wonderfully defeated by the English and dissipated by stormy Winds and many of the Spaniards were Barbarously butchered by the Irish For the happy success of this action Queen Elizabeth appointed Prayers and Thanksgivings over all the Churches in England and she with a great Train of the Nobility came into St. Pauls Church where the Banners taken from the Enemy were placed in view and there in most humble manner gave thanks to Almighty God the giver of all Victory About this time many Papists were committed to custody in Wisbych Castle At this time many Libels flew abroad thus named 1. The Epitome 2. The Demonstration of Discipline 3. The Supplication 4. Diotrephes 5. The Minerals 6. Have ye any work for the Cooper 7. More work for the Cooper 8. Martin Senior Mar-prelate 9. Martin Junior Mar-prelate The main drift of these Pamphlets was to defame the English Prelates scoffing at them for their Garb Gate Apparel Vanities of their Youth natural Defects and personal Infirmities It is strange how secretly they were Printed how speedily Dispersed how generally Bought how greedily Read how firmly Believed especially of the Common sort Some precise men of that side thought these jeering pens well employed but these Books were disclaimed by the more descreet and devoutsort of men And how highly the State distasted these Books will appear by the heavy censures inflicted on such as were but accessary thereunto To pass by John Vdal and John Penry Ministers accused for making some of them together with the Printers and Humfry Newman a Cobler chief disperser of them The Star-chamber deeply fined Sir Richard Knightly and Sir 〈…〉 Wigston for entertaining and receiving the press Gentlemen But upon their submission they had their liberty and were eased of their fines A Synod of the Presbyterians of the Warwick-shire Classis was called at Cov●ntry wherein the questions brought the last year from the Brethren of Cambridge-Synod were thus resolved I. That private Baptism was unlawful Ep. ●●●cro●t's Book called Englands Sco●izing for Discipline by practice II. That it is not lawful to read H●miles in the Church III. That the sign of the cross is not to be used in Baptism IV.
Queen and Her Council finding both the Jesuites and the Secular 〈◊〉 Ba●●●● Chron. 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 ●en 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 secre●y 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 King James Spectators 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 Institution named in express words Heb. 6. 2. The Bishop of Carlile Learnedly urged the same And the Bishop of Durham urged something out of S. Mathew for the Imposition of hands on Children The Conclusion was this for the fuller explanation that we make Confirmation neither a Sacrament nor a Corroboration thereof their Lordship should consider whether it might not without alteration be entitled an Examination with a Confirmation As for Absolution the Archbishop told His Majesty that it is clear from all Superstition as it is used in the Church of England as will appear on the Reading both of the Confession and Absolution following it in the beginning of the Communion-book Here the King perused both liked and approved them The Particular and Personal Absolution in the Visitation of the sick was also Read by the Dean of the Chappel and approved by the King
Rookwood Keys and Faux were executed as the former in the Parliament-yard in Westminster Keys followed Grant in his obstinacy and Faux shewed more penitency than all the rest On March twenty eight following Henry Garnet Provincial of the English Jesuites was arraigned in Guild-hall for concealing the foresaid Treason where he had judgment to be hanged drawn and quartered and accordingly on May the third was drawn from the Tower to the West-end of Paul's-church and there executed At his death he confessed his fault asked forgiveness and exhorted all Catholicks never to plot any Treason against King or State as a course which God would never prosper The memory of this deliverance was perpetuated by Act of Parliament Anno 1605. died that Religious Prelat Matthew Hutton Archbishop of York one of the last times ●e preached in his Cathedral was on this occasion The Papists in York-shire were commanded by the Queens Authority to be present at three Sermons and at the two first were so uncivil that some of them were forced to be gagged before they would be quiet The Archbishop preached the last Sermon most gravely and solidly taking for his Text John 8. 47. He that is of God heareth God's Word y● therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Not long after died John young Bishop of Rochester and Anthony Watson Bishop of Chichester The Parliament enacted many things for the discovering and repressing of Popish Recusants Whereof none was more effectual than that Oath of Allegiance which every Catholick was commanded to take The Pope hereupon dispatched two Breves into England prohibiting all Catholicks to take this Oath so destructive to their own souls and the See of Rome exhorting them to suffer persecution and manfully to endure Martyrdom Notwithstanding all which this Oath being tendred to was generally taken by Catholicks without any scruple And particularly George Blackwell Archpriest of the English being apprehended and cast into prison by taking this Oath wrought his own enlargement This Oath was ministred immediately after the putting forth of a Proclamation which commanded all Seminaries and Jesuits to depart the Land Now the Alarm being given whether this Oath was lawful or no both parties of Protestants and Papists wrote against each other King James wrote an Apology for the Oath of Allegiance together with a Premonition to all most mighty Monarchs Kings free Princes and States of Christendom effectually confuting the Pope's Breves Bishop Andrews wrote against Bellarmine Bishop Barlow against Parsons Doctor Morton Doctor Robert Abbot Doctor Buckeridge Doctor Collins Doctor Burrel Mr. Tomson Doctor Peter Du-moulin maintain the legality of the Oath against Suarez Eudaemon Becanus Coftetus Peleterius and others Anno 1607. That Religious design of King James for a new Translation of the Bible was now effectually prosecuted and the Translators being forty and seven in number were digested into six companies and several Books were assigned them according unto the several places wherein they were to meet confer and consult together so that nothing should pass without a general consent Westminster X. The Pentateuch the Story from Joshua to the first Book of the Chronicles exclusively Doctor Andrews then Dean of Westminster after Bishop of Winchester Doctor Overal then Dean of St. Pauls after Bishop of Norwich Doctor Saravia Doctor Laifield Rector of St. Clement Danes Being skilled in Architecture his judgment was relyed on for the fabrick of the Tabernacle and Temple Doctor Leigh Archdeacon of Middlesex Parson of Alhallows-Barking Mr. Burley Mr. King Mr. Tompson Mr. Bedwel Vicar of Tottenham nigh London Oxford VII The four great Prophets with the Lamentations and the twelve lesser Prophets Doctor Harding President of Magdalen Colledge Doctor Rainolds President of Corpus Christi Colledge Doctor Holland Rector of Exeter Colledge and Regius Professor Doctor Kilby Rector of Lincoln Colledge and King's Professor Mr. Smith after D. D. and Bishop of Glocester Mr. Brett of Quainton in Bu●kingham-shire Mr. ●airclough Cambridge VIII From the first of the Chronicles with the rest of the Story and the Hagiographa viz. Job Psalms Proverbs Canticles Ecclesiastes Mr. Edward Lively Mr Richardson after D. D. Master first of Peter-house then of Trinity Colledge Mr. Chaderton after D. D. and Master of Emmanuel Colledge Mr. Dillingham of Christ's Colledge Mr. Andrews after D. D. Brother to the Bishop of Winchester and Master of Jesus Colledge Mr. Harison Vice-master of Trinity Colledge Mr. Spalding Fellow of St. John's in Cambridge and Hebrew Professor therein Mr. Bing Fellow of Peter-house in Cambridge and Hebrew Professor therein Cambridge VII The Prayer of Manass●h and the rest of the Apocrypha Doctor Duport Master of Jesus Colledge Doctor Branthwait after Master of Gonvil and Caius Colledge Doctor Radcl●ffe a Senior Fellow of Trinity Colledge Mr. Ward after D. D. Master of Sidney Colledge and Margar●t Professor Mr. Downes Greek Professor Mr. Boys Fellow of St. John's Colledge Parson of Boxworth in Cambridge-shire Mr. Ward Regal after D. D. Rector of Bishop's Waltham in Hampshire Oxford VIII The four Gospels Acts of the Apostles Apocalypse Doctor Ravis Dean of Christ-church after Bishop of London Doctor George Abbot Master of Vniversity Colledge afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury Doctor Eedes Mr. Tompson Mr. Sa●●l Doctor Beryn Doctor Ravens Mr. Harmer Westminster VII The Epistles of St. Paul the Canonical Epistles Doctor Barlow of Trinity-hall in Cambridge after Bishop of Lincoln Doctor Hutchinson Doctor Spencer Mr. Fenton Mr. Rabbet Mr. Saunderson Mr. Dakins The King's Instructions to the Translators were these following I. The ordinary Bible read in the Church to be followed and as little altered as the Original will permit Fuller Chur●h History Anno 1607. II. The names of the Prophets and the holy Writers with the other names in the Text to be retained as near as may be accordingly as they are vulgarly used III. The old Ecclesiastical words to be kept c. IV. When any word hath divers significations that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most eminent Fathers being agreeable to the propriety of the place and the Analogy of Faith V. The division of the Chapters to be altered either not at all or as little as may be c. VI. No Marginal notes at all to be affixed but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek words which cannot without some circumlocution so briefly and fitly be expressed in the Text. VII Such Quotations of places to be marginally set down as shall serve for the fit reference of one Scripture to another VIII Every particular man of each company to take the same Chapter or Chapters and having translated or amended them severally by himself where he thinks good all to meet together confer what they have done and agree for their part what shall stand IX As any one company hath thus dispatched any one Book they shall send it to the rest to be considered of seriously and judiciously X. If any company upon the review
Rome do presume to confer Ecclesiastical Orders or exercise Ecclesiastical Function or Jurisdiction toward any of his Natural Subjects in any of his Dominions c. On Candlemas-day King Charles was Crowned Bishop Laud had the chief hand in compiling the form of the Coronation and had the honour to perform this Solemnity instead of the late Lord Keeper Williams who through the King's di●favour was sequestred from this service which belonged to his place as he was Dean of Westminster Dr. Senhouse Bishop of Carlile Preached at the Coronation The Coronation Oath was tendred to the King by the Archbishop of Canterbury The Ceremonies of the Coronation being ended the Regalia were offered at the Altar by Bishop Laud in the King's Name and then reposited Bishop Williams fallen into disgrace by the displeasure of the Duke of Buckingham besought his Majesty That he would mitigate the Duke's causeless anger towards him and that in his absence in the Parliament no use might be made of his Majestie 's sacred Name to wound the Reputation of a poor Bishop c. On Monday February the sixth began the second Parliament of the King's Reign The House of Commons began where they left at Oxford with matters of Religion and publick grievances They made strict enquiry into what abuses had been of the King's grace since that time and who were the Authors and Abbettors thereof for they had been informed of many Pardons and Reprieves to Priests and Jesuites An Act ●a● tendred against scandalous Ministers It was moved that some p●●●●sion might be made against scandalous Livings as well as against scandalous Ministers A Committee was named concerning Religion and the Growth of Popery and Mr. Mountague's Appeal to Caesar was again brought in question This Book the Commons referred to the Committee for Religion the contents whereof were reported from Mr. Pym to the House and the House passed their Votes thereupon That Mr. Mountague endeavoured to reconcile England to Rome and to alienate the King's affections from his well affected Subjects Divers Articles were exhibited by the Commons against Mr. Mountague They prayed That the said Mr. Mountague might be punished according to his Demerits and that the Book aforesaid might be suppressed and burnt Many resorting to hear Mass at Durham house in the Lodgings of a Forreign Ambassador the Bishop of Durham was required to apprehend such of the King's Subjects as should be present at the Mass and to commit them to prison There was also a Letter sent from the Attorney General to the Judges of the circuits to direct their proceedings against Recusants During the sitting of this Parliament at the procurement of Robert Fuller Church Hist An. 1626. Rich Earl of Warwich a conference was kept in York house before the Duke of Buckingham and other Lords betwixt Dr. Buckeridge Bishop of Rochester and Dr. White Dean of Carlile on the one side and Dr. Morton Bishop of Coventry and Dr. Preston on the other chiefly About the possibility of one elected to fall from grace The passages of which conference are variously reported Soon after a second conference was in the same place on t●e same points before the same persons betwixt Dr. White Dean of Carlile and Mr. Mountague on the one side and Dr. Morton Bishop of Litchfield and Dr. Preston on the other But these conferences rather increased the differences than abated them An old Hall in Oxford formerly called Broad-gates-Hall was this year turned into a new Colledge and called Pembrook Colledge partly in respect to William Earl of Pembrook then Chancellor of the University This Colledge consisteth of a Master ten Fellows and ten Scholars with other Students and Officers to the number of one hundred sixty nine Now Dr. Preston decline's in the Duke's favour and the Duke betakes himself to the opposit Interest This year died Arthur Lake Bishop of Bath and Wells and Lancelot Andrews who had been Dean of Westminster Bishop of Chichester Ely and at last of Winchester Doctor Nicholas Felton Bishop of Ely died some days after Bishop Andrews About this time the Marshal of Middlesex petitioned to the Committee of the House of Commons touching his resistance in seizing of Priests goods A Warrant was made by Mr Atto●ney-General to John Tendring Marshal of Middlesex and all other therein named to search the prison of the Clink and to seize all Popish and superstitious matters there found A Letter also was directed to Sir George Paul a Justice of Peace in Surrey to pray him to take care in expediting that service Upon search four several Priests were found in the Clink viz. Preston Candon Warrington Prator Preston was committed to the Clink about sixteen years since and discharged of his imprisonment about seven years ago yet remained there in the Prison still attended with two Women servants and one Man servant who as it was suspected had continued with him ever since the Gunpowder-Treason Anno Rushw Collec Anno 1626. 1605. He kept there by himself apart from the Keeper of the prison and had for his lodging part of the Bishop of Winchester's house into which there was a passage made through the prison-yard There were found in his Chamber five or six Cart-loads of Books set up with shelves as in a Library or Book-seller's shop supposed to be worth two thousand pounds at least besides which it was affirmed by the Keeper of the prison that he had a greater Library abroad There were also found two Altars ready furnished for Mass one more publick in an upper Chamber the other more private in a Study many rich Copes Surplices Wax-candles Crosses Crucifixes very rich Beads Jewels Chaines Chalices of Silver and of Gold five or six bags of money which were not opened and loose money to the quantity of an hundred pound thrown up and down in his Desk abundance of Manuscripts and a pacquet of Letters bound up together with a thread In Candon's Chamber 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 with 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 〈◊〉 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 general 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 Vid. Rushw Collects Ad Anno 1627. Order 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 both the Bars in Parliament Where he appeared on June the three and twentieth following and on his knees before both Houses submitted himself with much outward expression of sorrow On Thursday May 26. 1628. ended this Session of Parliament 1628. wherein divers abuses of the Lord's day restrained All Carriers Carters Waggoners Wainmen Drovers of Cattle forbidden to travel therein on the forfeit of twenty shillings for every offence c. A Law was also made that whosoever goeth himself or sendeth others beyond the seas to be trained up in Popery c. shall be disabled to sue c. and shall lose all his goods and forfeit all his lands for life On July 20. died D. Preston of a Consumption and was buried at Fawsley in Northa●pton-shire Mr. Dod Preaching his Funeral-sermon an Excellent Pr●acher a subtil Disputant and good Polititian About this time Georgo Carleton that grave and godly Bishop of Chichester ended his Pious life He was bred and brought up under that holy man M. Bernard Gilpin whose life he wrote in
compliance with their desire make an Order to suppress such Revels in regard of the manifold inconveniences daily arising thereby enjoyning the Constables to deliver Sir Rich. Baker's Chro. 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. P●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 very hospitably and had great concourse Among others Sir John Lamb Dean of the Arches formerly a favourite of the Bishop of Lincoln fetcht off from being prosecuted in Parliament and Knighted by his means with Dr. Sibthorp Allen and Burden two Proctors came to visit him and being at dinner with him there was much discourse about Nonconformists The Bishop knowing these to be busie men in the prosecution of such advised them to take off their heavy hand from them informing them that the King intended to use them hereafter with more mildness c. adding that He had communicated this unto him by his own mouth A few years after Sir John Lamb upon some difference with the Bishop informed against him for revealing the King's secrets whereupon an Information was put in against him in the Star-chamber unto which Bishop Williams by good advice of Counsel did plead and demurre as containing no matter fit for the Cognisance of that Court as concerning word spoken of matters done in Parliament and secrets pretended to be revealed by him a Privy-counsellour and Peer of Parliament and
publickly burned But that which did most generally vindicate the Archbishop's reputation was the enlarging and re-printing of his Conference with Fisher the Jesuite even then when the Libellers were most fierce against him to which he had been moved by some private friends and afterwards advised to it by the King himself at the Council Table Now as he laboured by these means to preserve the Church of England from the growth of Popery so he took care for preventing the subversion of it by the spreading of Socinian Heresies He also procured a Decree to pass in Star-chamber to regulate the Trade of Printing and prevent all abuses of that Excellent Art to the disturbance of the Church Many Lecturers who had been super-inducted into other Men's Cures Heylin's Hist of Archbish Laud. had deserted their Stations because they would not read the Common-prayer in their Hoods and Surplices And as for the position of the Communion-Table it was no longer left to private Instructions as it was at the first It now began to be more openly avowed in the Visitation Articles of several Bishops and Archdeacons The people in many trading Towns which were near the Sea having been long discharged of the bond of Ceremonies no sooner came to hear of the least noise of a Conformity but they spurn at it And finding that they had lost the comfort of their Lecturers and that their Ministers began to shrink at the name of a Visitation it was no hard matter for those Ministers and Lecturers to perswade them to remove their dwellings and transport their Trades Among the first which separated upon this account were Goodwyn Nye Burroughs Bridge and Symson who taking some of their followers with them betook themselves unto Holland Goodwyn and Nye retired to Arnheim a Town of Gelderland Symson and Bridge fixed at Rotterdam where Burroughs placed himself I am yet to seek These men embraced Robinson's moddel of Church-government in their Congregations consisting of a co-ordination of several Churches for their mutual comfort not a subordination of one to the other in the way of direction or command Hence came that name of Independents continued unto those among us who neither associate themselves with the Prebyterians nor embrace the frenzies of the Anabaptists But Rotterdam grew too narrow a place for Bridge and Symson and Symson was forced to leave it and Ward who succeeded him tarried not long More unity there was at Arnheim But the Brethren of the Separation in England desiring elbow-room cast their eye chiefly on New-England a Countrey first discovered to any purpose by Captain Gosnold Anno 1602. and in the next year surveyed more perfectly by some of Bristol afterwards granted by King James Anno 1606. unto a Corporation of Knights Gentlemen and Merchants to be planted and disposed of for the Publick under the direction of Chief Justice Popham by whom a Colony was sent thither in the year next following at what time they built St. George's Fort to secure their Haven It never setled into form till the building of New-Plinmouth Anno 1620. New-Bristol New-Boston and New-Barnstable being quickly added to the other De Laet a good Chorographer informeth us in his Description of De Laet lib. 3. ca. 8. America that the first Planters and those which followed after them were altogether of that Sect which in England were called Brownists many of which had formerly betaken themselves to Holland but afterwards departed thence to joyn with their Brethren in New-England In this estate they stood Anno 1633. when John de Laet gave that character of them Whatsoever were the causes of their separation Doctor Heylin saith the crime was laid on the Archbishop of Canterbury and among the Articles of his Impeachment by the House of Commons we find this for one viz. That in his own person and his Suffragans Visitors Chancellors c. he had caused divers learned pious and orthodox Preachers of God's Word to be silenced susppended deprived excommunicated or otherwise grieved and vexed without any just cause c. and caused divers of his Majesties Subjects to forsake the Kingdom Hereupon saith Doctor Heylin so is the Judge to be accused for all those mischiefs which the condemned Malefactors when they once break prison may design and execute And saith my Author further the principal Bell-weathers of these Flocks were Cotton Chauncy Wells Hooker and perhaps Hugh Peters It was once under consultation to send a Bishop over to them for their better government and back him with some Forces to compel if he he were not otherwise able to perswade obedience But this design was strangled in the first conception by the violent breakings out of the Troubles in Scotland where the Covenanters now began to raise Arms levy Souldiers invite home their Commanders abroad impose Taxes upon the people seize some of the King's Castles raise Fortifications prepare for a War and chose old David Lesley for their General To pacifie these distempers Hamilton is designed for the King's High-Commissioner Saunderson of the Reign of King Charles into Scotland The Bishops and others advised the King to have delegated the Marquiss of Huntley for his High-Commissioner to manage the Affairs of Scotland Hamilton trifleth away the time from July 32. 1637. until June 6. 1638. with Declarations Proclamations Messages Letters while the Scots raised Officers Arms Ammunition from abroad four months more in vain Disputes and three Journeys to the King and back again with the expence of so much money as might have reduced them by reward or power On May 26. he sets forward for Scotland and coming to Edenborough puts himself into Holy-Rood-house where the first thing he did was the waving of his attendance at the reading of the English Liturgy Then he published the King's gratious Proclamation for the nulling of Service-book and High-Commission promising an Assembly to be held at Glascow November 21. 1638. and a Parliament at Edenborough May 15. 1639. But nothing satisfied But before the Assembly at Glascow was indicted the Covenanters had so laid the plot that none but those of their own party should have suffrage in it not suffering the Archbishops and Bishops to sit as Moderators in their Presbyteries where the Elections were to pass and citing them to appear as Criminal persons at the said Assembly The Archbishops and Bishops in the name of themselves and of all their Adherents prepared their declinator or protestation against the said General Assembly and all the Acts and Conclusions of it as being void and null in Law to all intents and purposes whatsoever The day being come Hamilton marcheth to the place appointed for the Session in the equipage of an High-Commissioner the Sword and Seal being carried before him c. The reading of his Commission the putting in and rejecting of the declinator the chusing of Henderson to be Moderator of the Assembly the constituting of the Members of it and some debates touching Votes and Suffrages challenged
together on April 13. 1640. instead of acting Short view of the life and Reign of King Charles p. 77. any thing for his Majesties service they were at the point of passing a Vote for blasting his War against the Scots To prevent which his Majesty was forced to dissolve them on May 5. the Convocation still continuing who granted him a Benevolence of four shillings in the pound for all their Ecclesiastical promotions to be paid six years together then next ensuing The Convocation sate after the breaking up of the Parliament A new Commission was brought from his Majesty by vertue whereof they were warranted to sit still not in the capacity of a Convocation but of a Synod to prepare their Canons for the Royal assent thereunto But Doctor Br●wnrigg Doctor Hacket Doctor Holdsworth Mr. Warmstrey with others to the number of thirty six the whole House consisting of about sixscore protested against the continuance of the Convocation To satisfie these an Instrument was brought into the Synod signed with the hands of the Lord Privy-seal the two chief Justices and other Judges justifying their so sitting in the nature of a Synod to be legal according to the Laws of the Realm Now their disjoynted meeting being set together again they consulted about new Canons I shall set down the number and titles of the several Canons 1. Concerning the Regal power 2. For the better keeping of the day of his Majesties Inauguration 3. For suppressing of the growth of Popery 4. Against Socinianism 5. Against Sectaries 6. An Oath enjoyned for the preventing of all Innovations in Doctrine and Government 7. A Declaration concerning some Rites and Ceremonies 8. Of preaching for Conformity 9. One Book of Articles of enquiry to be used at all Parochial visitations 10. Concerning the Conversation of the Clergy 11. Chancellors Patents 12. Chancellors alone not not to censure any of the Clergy in sundry cases 13. Excommunication and Absolution not to be pronounced but by a Priest 14. Concerning the Commutations and the disposing of them 15. Concerning some Concurrent Jurisdictions 16. Concerning Licenses to marry 17. Against vexatious Citations The Oath it self I shall set down as I find it in the Life of Archbishop Laud written by Doctor Heylin in this form following viz. I A. B. do swear That I do approve the Doctrine and Discipline or Government established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to salvation And that I will not endeavour by my self or any other directly or indirectly to bring in any Popish doctrine contrary to that which is so established Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the Government of this Church by Archbishops Bishops Deans and Archdeacons c. As it stands now established and as by right it ought to stand nor yet ever subject it to the usurpations and superstitions of the See of Rome And all these things I do plainly and seriously acknowledge and swear according to the plain and common sence and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And this I do heartily willingly and truly upon the faith of a Christian So help me God in Jesus Christ Toward the close of the Convocation Doctor Griffith made a motion that there might be a new Edition of the Welsh Church-bible some sixty years first translated into Welsh by the endeavours of Bishop Morgan but not without many mistakes and omissions of the Printer The matter was committed to the care of the Welsh Bishops but nothing was effected therein Near the ending of the Synod Godfrey Goodman Bishop of Glocester privately acquainted the Archbishop of Canterbury that he could not in his Conscience subscribe the new Canons The Archbishop being present with the Synod in King Henry the Seventh his Chappel said unto him My Lord of Glocester I admonish you to subscribe and presently after My Lord of Glocester I admonish you the second time to subscribe and immediately after I admonish you to subscribe To all which the Bishop pleaded Conscience and returned a denial Some dayes after he was committed to the Ga●e-house Soon after the same Canons were subscribed at York and on the last of June following the said Canons were publickly printed with the Royal assent affixed thereunto Various were mens censures upon these Canons But most took exception Fuller Church History ad An. 1640. against that clause in the Oath We will never give any consent to alter this Church-governmet as if the same were intended to abridge the liberty of King and State in future Parliaments and Convocations if hereafter they saw cause to change any thing therein Yet others with a favourable sence endeavoured to qualifie this suspitious clause whereby the taker of this Oath was tied up from consenting to any alteration saying that these words We will never give any consent to alter are intended here to be meant only of a voluntary and pragmatical alteration when men conspire and endeavour to change the present Government of the Church in such particulars as they do dislike without the consent of their Superiors Bishop Goodman on July the tenth made acknowledgment of his fault before the Lords of the Council and took the Oath enjoyned in the sixth Canon for preserving the Doctrines and Discipline of the Church of England against all Popish doctrines which were thereunto repugnant Upon the doing whereof he was restored by his Majesty to his former liberty Yet in the time of his last sickness it is said that he declared himself to be a Member of the Church of Rome and caused it so to be expressed in his last Will and Testament On December 27. 1639. at night and the night following there was such a violent Tempest that many of the Boats which were drawn to Land at Lambeth were dashed one against the other and were broke to pieces and that the shafts of two Chimneys were blown down upon H●ylin's Hist of Archbishop Laud. ad ●n 1640. 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 Sco●s 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 Upon this his Majesty was assaulted by a Petition from some Lords in H●ylin Hist of Archbi●h ●aud 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 Archbishop 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 sitting 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 handselled 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 Sabbath the other The Christian Alter Not many days after the Earl of Strafford was impeached of High Treason by Mr. Pym in fourteen Articles The Earl was forthwith Sequestred the House and committed to the Black Rod and sent not long after to the Tower December 18. Archbishop Laud and Bishop Wren were voted by the Commons Guilty of High Treason and a charge was immediately brought in against Bishop Laud upon the Reading of which on March 1. he was sent to the Tower The same moneth Alderman Pennington with a great multitude out of London petitioned the House against Episcopal Government and the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church A Committee was appointed to consider of matters of Religion setled in the Upper House of Parliament Ten Earls ten Bishops ten Barons At the same time the Lords appointed a Sub-committee to prepare matters fit for their cognizance the Bishop of Lincoln having the Chair in both authorized to call together divers Bishops and Divines to consult together for correcting what was amiss and to settle peace viz. The Archbishop of Armagh The
Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Exeter Dr. Samuel Ward Dr. William Twisse Dr. Robert Sanderson Dr. Daniel Featley Dr. Ralph Brownrigg Dr. Richard Holdsworth Dr. John Hacket Dr. Cornelius Burgesse Mr. John White Mr. Stephen Marshall Mr. Edmond Calamy Mr. Thomas Hill The place of their meeting was Jerusalem-chamber in the Dean of Westminster's house where they had solemn debates six several days First they consult on innovations in Doctrine Then they enquire into Preter-canonical conformity and innovations in Discipline and concerning the Common-Prayer Lastly they entred on the Regulating of Ecclesiastical Government which was not brought in because the Bishop of Lincoln had undertaken the draught thereof but not finished it as employed at the same time in many weighty matters of State This consultation continued till the middle of May. But the Bill against Deans and Chapters put such a distance between the foresaid Divines that never their Judgments and scarce their persons met after together The Canons made in the late Convocation were condemned in the House of Commons as being against the King's Prerogative the Fundamental Laws of the Realm the Liberty and Property of the Subject and containing divers other things tending to Sedition and of dangerous consequence Many things were charged against the Archbishop by the Scots Commissioners viz. That he had pressed upon that Kirk many Innovations in Religion contained in the Liturgy and Book of Canons contrary to the Liberties and Laws thereof That he had required Ballentine Bishop of Dumblane and the rest of the Bishops to be present at the Divine Service in their Whites and blamed the said Bishop for his negligence in it c. That he gave order for the taking down Stone-walls and Galleries in the Churches of Edenborough to no other end but for the setting up of Altars and Adoration toward the East That for their Supplicating against these Novations they were declared Rebels in all the Parish-Churches of England and a War kindled against them by his Arts and Practices That their Covenant by him was called ungodly and that divers Oathes were imposed upon their Countrey-men to abjure the same That he in the presence of the King spared not to rail against the General Assembly held at Glascow and put his hand to a Warrant for imprisoning some of those Commissioners sent from the Parliament of Scotland for the Peace of both Nations That when the late Parliament could not be moved to assist in the War against them he had caused the same to be dissolved and continued the Convocation to make Canons against them and their Doctrines c. Such was the charge exhibited by the Scots Commissioners in which many thought there was nothing criminal enough to deserve Imprisonment much less to menace him with death The Bishop of Ely was impeached for many reputed misdemeanours in the See of Norwich That he deprived or banished within the space of two years fifty Godly Learned Painful Ministers His placing the Communion-Table Altar-wise and causing a Rayl to be set before it The practising of Superstition in his own person his bowing toward it Consecrating the Bread and Wine at the West-side of the Table with his back toward the people and elevating the same above his Head that the people might see it causing the seats in all places to be so contrived that the people must of necessity kneel towards the East Appointing no Prayers to be used by Preachers before their Sermons but that prescribed by the Canon c. In the midst of these troublesom times died Dr. John Davenant Bishop 1641. of Salisbury A little before his death he prayed emphatically for half a quarter of an hour Among many heavenly passages therein He thanked God for this his fatherly correction because in all his life-time he never had any one heavy affliction which made him often much suspect with himself whether he was a true child of God or no. Deans and Chapters being now opposed by Parliament the Cathedral-men endeavour to preserve their Foundations and by their friends obtain leave to be admitted into the House of Commons and to be heard what they could alledge in their own behalf They made choice of Doctor John Hacket Prebendary of St. Pauls to be the mouth for all the rest He shewed that to supply the defects of Prayer committed by private Fuller Church Hist Cen● 17. lib. 11. men the publick duty thereof should be constantly performed in some principal place in imitation of the Primitive practice and this is done in Cathedrals He spake much also in praise of Church-musick when moderated to Edification He took occasion to refell that slaunder which some cast on Lecture-preachers as an upstart Corporation alledging that the local Statutes of most or all Cathedral Churches do require Lectures on the week-days And in the name of his Brethren he requested that Honourable House that godly and profitable Preaching might be the more exacted Then he insisted on the advancement of Learning as the proper use and convenience of Cathedrals each of them being a small Academy for the Champions of Christ's cause against the Adversaries by their Learned pens Here he proffered to prove by a Catalogue of their Names and Works which he could produce that most excellent labours in this kind excepting some few have preceeded from persons preferred in Cathedrals Now what a disheartning would it be to young Students if such promotions were taken away He alledged also that the antient and genume use of Deans and Chapters was as Senatus Episcopi to assist the Bishop in his jurisdiction He said that Cathedral-Churches were the first Monuments of Christianity in England From things he passed to persons and began with the multitude of such members as had maintenance from Cathedrals the total amounting to many thousands All which by the dissolution of Deans and Chapters must be exposed to poverty Next he instanced in their Tenants who holding Leases from Deans and Chapters are sensible of their own happiness as enjoying six parts of seven in pure gain and therefore have petitioned the House to continue their Antient Landlords Moreover such Cities wherein Cathedrals stand if Maritime being very poor in Trade are enriched by the hospitality of the Clergy and the frequent resort of Strangers unto them Then he shewed that divers of low degree but generous Spirits would labour by qualifying themselves by Industry and Vertue to attain a share of Cathedral endowments as the common possession of the Realm c. He trusted their Honours would account it reasonable that the Clergy had in some sort a better maintenance than in neighbouring reformed Churches and not with J●roboam's Priests to be the basest of the people Then he instanced in some famous forreign Protestants who had found relief by being installed Prebendaries in our Cathedral and Collegiate Churches as Dr. Saravia preferred by Queen Elizabeth Dr. Casaubon Father and Son by King James Dr. Primrose Mr. Vossius in the reign of
long after These were as likely persons to have kept up Episcopacy if God's providence had soappointed as any could have been culled out of England The Bill was again brought in against Bishops Votes in Parliament 1642. 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 Archbishop's 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 he had an order for securing of his Heylin Hist of Archbish Laud. 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 o● 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 a● 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. 1●42 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 importuni●y 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
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 Pr●vince of London January 7. 1645. An Ordinance for making Covent-garden Par●chical 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 where after several Discourses and meetings 〈◊〉 Hist 〈…〉 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 fi●test 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 le●t 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 Colone 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 h●mself 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 Scriptu●e-times 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. ●●st 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 Presby●ers 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 kept in custody by the General 's command in the Queen's Court and Court of Wards These were removed to the King's-Head Inn near Charing-Cross and to the Swan Inn in the Strand under Guards of Souldiers The Army put forth a new Representative called The Agreement of the People The King is brought up to London arraigned before a select Committee for that purpose called An High Court of Justice indicted and upon his refusal to own their Authority finally condemned Having received the sentence of death Dr. Juxon Bishop of London Preached privately before him at St. James's on the Sunday following his Text Romans 2. 16. Nex● Tu●sday being the 〈◊〉 of ●i● dissolution in the morning alone he received the Commu 〈…〉 ●●om the hands of the said Bishop At which ●ime he read for the 〈…〉 the 27th chapter of St. Matthew containing the History of the death and passion of our Saviour Sermon ended the King heartily thanked the Bishop for selecting so seasonable and comfortable a portion of Scripture seeing all Humane hope and happiness is founded on the sufferings of our Saviour The Bishop answered He had done it meerly
with him to St. Johnstons where a grand Convention is held and divers of the Royal Nobility are received into the favour of this Assembly Cromwel fortifieth Lieth and lays close siege to Edinburgh Castle Mr. John Guthry Mr. Patrick Gelespy Mr. Samuel Rutherford with many other Ministers withdrew from the Assembly at St. Johnstons and in print remonstrated in the name of themselves and the Western Churches against the present proceedings and with these Colonel Ker Straughan the Laird of Warreston Sir John Chiesly and Sir James Stuart and others Confederated By this division Cromwel's Conquest was made very easie and his fomenting that Rent in their Church made their subjection to his Authority more lasting than otherwise it would have been The King was desirous to compose this disorder or at least to prevent the dividing so great a Force as was under Ker and Straughan from his Service and to that end the Earl of Cassels the Lord Broody and Mr. Robert Douglas the Minister were sent to treat with them but they were somewhat averse to a composure yet they declared against any conjunction with Cromwel professing equally against Malignants as they called the King 's Loyal Subjects and Sectaries Soon after Colonel Ker being defeated was taken prisoner by Major General Lambert Mr. Rutherford wrote divers consolatory Letters to him during his imprisonment both in Scotland and in England Edinburgh Castle was surrendered by Dundasse the Governor Son in Law to old Leven upon conditions unto Cromwel on December 24. 1650. Shortly after all the Forts on this side of Sterling were taken by the English The King was solemnly Crowned at Scoone near unto St. Johnstons the accustomed place of the Coronation of the Kings of Scotland his Coronation being celebrated with loud Acclamations Bonfires shooting off of Guns and with as much pomp and Ceremony as the present State of things would permit About the beginning of June the Parliament of Scotland ended having Addition to Sir 〈…〉 Chron. before their dissolution given large Commissions and Instructions for the pressing of men in all parts of the Kingdom beyond Fife a●d in the Western parts for a new Army which was to consist of 15000 Foot and 3000 Horse and Dragoons Then was the intended rising in Lancashire unfortunately disapointed A●no 651 by the taking of a Ship at Ayx in Scotland which had been bou●d to the Earl of Darby in the Isle of Man and the seizing of Mr. Berkinhead an Agent in the business by whose Letters all was detected and thereupon were apprehended Mr. Thomas Cook of Grays-Inn Mr. Gibbons a Tailor and Mr. Potter an Apothecary together with Mr. Christopher Love Mr. William Jenkin Mr. Thonas Case Dr. Roger Drake and some other Presbyterial Ministers who were brought before a High Court of Justice and tried for their lives and about the latter end of July Potter Gibbons and Mr. Love were sentenced to death and a while after Gibbons and Love were executed After the defeat of Sir John Brown by Lambert and the taking of Brunt-Isla●d and Inchgarvy-Castle by the English Cromwel resolved to set upon St. J●hnstons which after one days siege he gained Hereupon the King leaves Scotland and enters England with his Army by the way of Carlile on August 6. 1651. At his first entrance upon English ground he was Proclaimed King of G●eat Britain at the Head of the A●my with great Acclamations and shooting off the Canons on August 22. he came to Worcester The Earl of Darby coming with Forces to the King was routed by Colonel Lilburn Cromwel having with the conjunction of the Militia of divers Counties drawn together an Army of fifty thousand men surroundeth the City of Worcester Duke Hamilton who behaved himself with undaunted courage received a shot on his thigh whereof presently after he died The King's Army being over-powred they were forced to retreat into the City and many of Cromwel's Army got in with them About seven at night the Cromwellians gained the Fort Royal at which time his Majesty left the City passing out at St. Martin's gate accompanied with about Sixty Horse of the chiefest of his Retinue The Town was taken and miserably plundered There were slain in the Field in the Town and in Pursuit some two thousand and about eight thousand were taken prisoners in several places most of the English common men escaping by their Shibboleth But at Newport there were taken in the pursuit the Earls of Lauderdale Rothes Carnworth Darby Cleveland Shrewsbury the Lord Spyne Sir John Pakington Sir Ralph Clare Sir Charles Cunningham Colonel Graves Mr. Richard Fanshaw Secretary to the King and many others Six Colonels of Horse eight Lieutennant Colonels of Foot six Majors of Horse thirteen Majors of Foot thirty seven Captains of Horse seventy two Captains of Foot fifty five Quarter-masters eighty nine Lieutenants There were taken also some general Officers with seventy six Cornets of Horse ninety nine Ensignes of Foot ninety Quartermasters eighty of the King's Servants with the King's Standard which he had set up when he summoned the Countrey the King's Coach and Horses and Collar of S. S. but the King's person God wonderfully preserved delivering him from the Hand of all his Enemies and after many difficulties he is safely transported from Bright-helmston in Sussex into France by Tattersall Cromwel comes with his prisoners to London and having left Lieutennant General Monk in Scotland Sterling with the Castle was surrendred unto him and Dundee was taken by Storm and soon after St. Andrews Aberdeen with other Towns Castles and Strong places either voluntarily submitted or rendred upon summons The Earl of Darby was beheaded at Bolton in Lancashire The Isles of Man and Jersey c. are surrendred to the Parliament The Isle of Barbadoes is yielded up to Sir George Ascough Now the Parliament of England resolves upon an union of England and Scotland and an incorporating of both Nations into one Common-wealth This was much opposed and remonstrated against by the Scotch Kirk but in vain Anno 1652. began the War with Holland An Act was passed entitled An Act against unlicensed and scandalous Books and Pamphlets and for the better regulating of Printing Anno 1653. The Officers of the Army consult about change of Government on April 20. Cromwel Lambert Harison and eight Officers more of the Army entred the House of Commons and after a short speech made by Cromwel shewing some reasons for the necessity of their dissolution he declared them dissolved and required them to depart but the Speaker would not leave the Chair till Harison pulled him out by the Arm. Then Cromwel commanded the Mace to be taken away and no more to be carried before him Then they caused the doors of the Parliament House to be locked up and placed a Guard thereon to prevent the reassembling of the Members The first thing done after this change was to constitute a Council of State of the chief Officers of the Army These agreed upon
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 Du●kirk 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 Walling ford-house in further consideration of a Module of Government Sapplem to Sir Ri●h 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 hi● 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
Leases from Colledges and Hospitals Now some sixty Fifth-monarchy men under the conduct of one Thomas Venner a Cooper broke forth into Rebellion This Venner was a Preacher to a Conventicle of that opinion in Coleman-street in London Such was the madness of these men that they believed that They and the rest of their judgement were called by God to reform the world and make all the earthly powers which they called Babylon subservient to the Kingdom of Jesus and in Order thereunto never to sheath their swords till the carnal powers of the world were subdued They were taught and believed that one of them should subdue a Thousand making account when they had done their work in England to go into France Spain Germany and other parts of the world there to prosecute their pretended holy design The place where they plotted and continued their conspiracy was the meeting-place for their devotion and thither they had at several times convayed arms On Sunday January 6. which was the day before their excursion they were very late at their Assembly which made one Martin the Landlord of the House inquisitive after their doings He peeping through a chink in their door saw them arming themselves with Back breast and head-piece and thereupon immediately gave notice to the next Officers Half an hour after they came down and first marched to S. Thomas the Apostle to call some of their party from thence to Bishops-gate and after to White-cross-street They escaped to S. John's Wood and from thence to Canc-wood betwixt High-gate and Hampsted On Wednesday morning the Rebels came again into London and divided themselves into two parties one whereof about five or six in the morning appeared about Leaden-hall and from thence marched to little Eastcheap where they fought desperately but were dispersed by the trained bands Venner and another ●●rty came to my Lord Mayor's house thinking to have taken him Prisoner but missing him they marched into Woodstreet where Colonel Corbet and nine of his party charged through the Rebels and broke them They fought with admirable courage and if they had not been hindred from encreasing their numbers a Thousand men so resolved might have done much mischief Venner himself was much wounded before he was taken and about five or six were killed that refused quarter About eight or ten dayes after Venner with about sixteen or seventeen of the most notorious were arraigned at Justice-hall in the old Baily found guilty and executed in several parts of London About this time there was a conference at the Savoy between divers Episcopal and Presbyterian Divines about the Church discipline but to little effect A new Parliament was called which assembled at Westminster May 8. 1661. In the first Session whereof an Act was passed Entitled An Act for disenabling all Persons in Holy Orders to exercise any temporal jurisdiction or Authority Repealed The Bishops were brought to sit again as Peers in the House of Lords and their Ecclesiastical jurisdiction restored to them The Parliament explained a clause contained in an Act of Parliament made in the seventeenth year of King Charles the first Entitled An Act for Repeal of a branch of a Statute Primo Elizabethae concerning Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical At the second Session of this Parliament an Act was made against Quakers and others denying to take a Lawful Oath with several penalties to be inflicted on them for several offences An Act was also passed for Uniformity of publick Prayers and Administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies and of ordering and consecrating Bishops Priests and Deacons in the Church of England The King's Majesty according to his Declaration of the 25th of October 1660. had granted his Commission under the Great Seal of England to several Bishops and other Divines to review the Book of Common-Prayer and to prepare such additions and alterations as they thought fit to offer And afterwards the Convocations of both the Provinces of Canterbury and York being by His Majesty called and assembled His Majesty was pleased to Authorize and require the Presidents of the said Congregation and other the Bishops and Clergy of the same to review the said Book of Common-Prayer and the Book of the Form and manner of making and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons c. Since which time upon full and mature deliberation they the said Presidents Bishops and Clergy of both Provinces having accordingly reviewed the same Books and made some alterations which they thought fit to be inserted to the same and some additional Prayers to be used upon proper and emergent occasions and having presented the same unto His Majesty in Writing in one Book entitled The Book of Common-Prayer and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of England together with the Psalter or Psalms of David pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches and the form and manner of making Ordaining and Consecrating of Bishops Priests and Deacons All which His Majesty having duly considered fully approved and allowed the same and recommended to this present Parliament then sitting and yet continuing to sit that the said Book of Common-Prayer c. be the Book which shall be appointed to be used by all that officiate in all Cathedral and Collegiate Churches and Chappels and in all Chappels or Colledges and Halls in both the Universities and the Colledges of Eaton and Winchester and in all Parish-Churches and Chappels within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed and by all that make or consecrate Bishops Priests or Deacons in any of the said places under such sanctions and penalties as the Houses of Parliament shall think fit And accordingly it was Enacted by the King's Majesty and both Houses of Parliament That Morning and Evening Prayers in the said Book contained should upon every Lord's day and upon all other days and occasions and at the times therein appointed be openly and solemnly read by all and every Minister and Curate in every Church Chappel or other place of publick worship within this Realm of England and places aforesaid It was also Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Parson Vicar or other Minister whatsoever who then had and enjoyed any Ecclesiastical Benefice or Promottion within this Realm of England c. should in the Church Chappel or place of publick worship belonging to his said Benefice or Promotion upon some Lord's day before the Feast of St. Bartholomew which should be in the year of our Lord God one thousand six hundred sixty two openly publickly and solemnly read the Morning and Evening Prayer appointed to be read by and according to the said Book of Common-Prayer at the times thereby appointed and after such reading thereof openly and publickly before the Congregation there assembled declare his unfeigned Assent and Consent to the use of all things in the said Book contained and prescribed in these words and no other I A.
Awdley 63. Thomas Savage 64. Richard Fitz-Iames 65. Iohn Fisher 66. Iohn Hilsey 67. Nicholas Heath 68. Nicholas Ridley 69. Iohn Poynet 70. Iohn Scory 71. Maurice Griffin 72. Edmond Guest 73. Edmond Freak 74. Iohn Piers 75. Iohn Young 76. William Barlow 77. Richard Neile 78. Iohn Buckeridge 79. Walter Curle 80. Iohn Bowles 81. Iohn Warner 82. Iohn Dolben Bishops of Oxford About the year 730. Didan Duke of Oxford by the request of his Daughter built a Monastery there for Nuns and appointed her the Abbess Anno 847. in the time of King Ethelred certain Danes flying into this Monastery to save their lives from the cruelty of the English pursuing them the Monastery was burnt and they all burnt in the same but it was shortly after re-edified by the said King and further enriched with divers Possessions This Monastery was neglected but Anno 1110. Guimundus Chaplain to King Henry the First became Prior of this renewed Monastery repaired its ruines and by the favour of the King recovered unto it what Lands soever had been given heretofore unto the Nuns In this state it continued until Cardinal Wolsey got license to convert it into a Colledge Anno 1524. calling it Cardinals-colledge He leaving it unperfect King Henry the Eighth gave it a foundation the stile whereof he first appointed to be Collegium Regis Henrici Octavi but afterwards he entitled the Church Ecclesia B. Mariae de Osney He translated that See to the foresaid Colledge placing in it a Bishop a Dean eight Prebendaries a Quire and other Officers and finally stiled it Ecclesia Christi Cathedralis Oxon ex fundatione Regis Henrici Octavi The Bishops were 1. Robert King 2. Hugh Curwyn 3. Iohn Underhill 4. Iohn Bridges 5. Iohn Howson 6. Richard Corbet 7. Iohn Bancroft 8. Robert Skinner 9. William Paul 10. Walter Blandford 11. Nathanael Crew Son to the Lord Crew Bishops of Glocester Osrike King of Northumberland founded a Nunnery in the City of Glocester in the year 700. Kineburg Eadburg and Eva Queens of Mercia were Abbesses of this Monastery one after another it was destroyed by the Danes and lay waste until Aldred Archbishop of York re-edified the same Anno 1060. and replenished it with Monks and erected from the very foundation that goodly Church which is now the Cathedral See of that Diocess Being given into the hands of King Henry the Eighth by Parliament he allotted the Revenues of it unto the maintenance of a Bishop a Dean six Prebendaries and other Ministers The Bishops were 1. John Wakeman Abbot of Tewksbury he was consecrated the first Bishop of this new erection September 7. 1541. 2. John Hooper He was burnt at Glocester for the profession of the Gospel in Queen Maries dayes 3. James Brooks 4 Richard Chemey 5. John Bullingham 6. Goddfry Gouldsborough 7. Thomas Ravis 8 Henry Parry 9. Giles Thomson 10. Miles Smith 11. Godfry Goodman 12. William Nicholson 13. Prichard Bishops of Peterborough Penda the Son of Penda the first King of Mercia that was a Christian began the f●undation of a Monastery there Anno 656. but was taken away by Treachery before he could finish the work But this Monastery was afterward built up in stately-manner by his Brother Wolpher This Monastery he dedicated to St. Peter and appointed one Saxulf to be the first Abbot thereof Two hundred years after it was destroyed by the Danes and having lain desolate one hundred and nine years Ethelwold Bishop of Winchester a great Patron of Monkery re-edefied it King Edgar assisted the Bishop much in this foundation and Adulf Chancellor to the said King who became Abbot there After him Kenulph another Abbot compassed this Monastery with a strong wall about the year of our Lord 1000. through the liberality of divers Benefactors it grew to that greatness of wealth as that all the Countrey round about belonged to it King Henry the Eighth converted it into a Cathedral Church and the Revenues upon the maintenance of a Bishop a Dean six Prebendaries and other Ministers The Bishops were 1. Iohn Chambers Doctor of Physick he was last Abbot of Peterborough and first Bishop thereof Anno 1541. 2. David Pool Doctor of Law 3. Edmond Scambler 4. Richard Howland 5. Thomas Dove 6. William Peirs 7. Augustine Lindsel 8. Iohn 9. Benjamin Laney 10. Ioseph Henshaw Bishops of Bristol Robert Sirnamed Fitz-Harding because his Father that was Son unto the King of Denmark was called Harding this Robert I say being a Citizen of Bristol founded the Monastery of St. Augustines and placed Canons in the same Anno 1148. This Foundation was afterwards confirmed and augmented by King Henry the Second who preferred the Author of the same to the marriage of the sole Heir of the Lord Berkley Of them are descended all the Lords Berkley In that place King Henry the Eighth erected an Episcopal See and converted the Revenues of the same unto the maintenance of a Bishop a Dean six Prebendaries and other Officers 1. Paul Bush was the first Bishop of Bristol 2. Iohn Holyman 3. Richard Cheiney 4. Iohn Bullingham 5. Richard Fletcher 6. Iohn Thornborough 7. Nicholas Felton 8. Rowland Searchfield 9. Robert Wright 10. George Cook 11. Robert Skinner 12. Iohn Westfield 13. Gilbert Ironside 14. Carlton Bishops of Chester King Henry the Eighth converted the Monastery the Church whereof there first built by that famous Earl Leofricus and dedicated unto St. Wergburg into a Cathedral Church erected a new Bishoprick there The Bishops were 1. Iohn Bird He was deprived in Queen Maries dayes 2. Iohn Coates 3. Cuthbert Scot 4. VVilliam Downham 5. VVilliam Chadderton 6. Hugh Bellot 7. Richard Vaughan 8. George Lloyd 9. Thomas Morton 10. Iohn Bridgeman 11. Iohn VValton 12. Henry Fern 13. George Hall 14. Iohn VVilkins 15. Iohn Pearson Bishops of S. Davids 1. David Vnkle to King Arthur removed his See from Caerleon to Menevia which ever since from him is called St. Davids He sate sixty five years and died Anno 642. having first built twelve Monasteries in the Countrey thereabout being now one hundred forty six years of age 2. Cenauc who was first Bishop of Patern 3. Teilaw 4. Cenew 5. Morwal 6. Haerunen 7. Elwaed 8. Gurnuen 9. Lendivord Anno 810. the Church of St. David was burnt by the West-Saxons 10. Gorwyst 11. Gorgan 12. Elvoed 13. Anian 14. Elvoed 15. Ethelmen 16. Elanc 17. Molscoed 18. Sadermen 19. Catellus 20. Sulhaithnay 21. Nonis 22. Etwal 23. Asserius called in the Chronicle of VVales Archbishop of all VVales He died Anno 906. he was Vnkle to Asserius Bishop of Sherborn 24. Arthvael 25. Sampson Henceforth the Bishops of St. Davids never subjected themselves unto Canterbury until the time of King Henry the First King of England 26. Kueline 27. Rodheric 28. Elquin 29. Lywarch 30. Nergu 31. Hubert 32. Everus 33. Morgenu This man of all the Bishops of St. Davids first refused to eat flesh saith Giraldus 34. Nathan 35. Ievan He continued only one
His Death 236 The French Massacre 238 The Millenary Petition 269 Richard Middleton entitled Doctor Fundatissimus 107 Sir Thomas Moor a Great enemy to the Protestants he was beheaded the next moneth after Bishop Fisher 149 Moratus an old British writer 3 N THe Names of those that were Archbishops of Lo●don 3 Numbers of the Bishops Abbots Priors c. that were deprived in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's Reign 213 George Nevil Archbishop of York his Prodigious Feast his Estate seized and his person Imprisoned 1●3 The Numbers of Colledges and Chaunteries Demolished in the Reign of King Henry the eighth 154 Kingdom of Northumberland subdivided into two Kingdoms viz. of Bernicia and Deira 10 Nuns of the Abbey of Ambresbury Convicted for Incontinency 51 Non-conformists in Queen Eliz●beth's time of two sorts 229 231 James Nailor the Ring-leader of the Quakers publickly whipped pillored and Stigmatized 359 O OFfa King of Mercia founder of the Monastery of S. Albans bestoweth great lands upon it he was buried at Bedford 23 Osmond Bishop of Sarum deviser of that Service which after was observed in the whole Realm all Service Ordered to be secundum usum Sarum 39 Oswald second son of King Ethelfred converted by Aidan he disdained not to Preach to his Subjects and Nobles in the English Tongue 15 Oswald Bishop of Worcester Oswald●s Law 31 William Occham the Author of the Sect called Nominales 112 The first use of Oaths in Ecclesiastical Courts in England 78 Oath of the King's Supremacy established 145 Writers for and against the Oath of Allegiance 272 The form of the Oa●h framed in the Convocation Anno 1640 319 The form of the Oath taken by every Student admitted into the Popish Seminaries 235 Oak of Reformation 167 Oliver Cromwel his Sory from 350 ad 361 The form of the Oath taken unto the Pope by every Popish Bishop at the taking of his Pall 139 Ordal for the trial of guilty persons 35 P PAtern Preacher at Lanpatern in 〈◊〉 shire 11 P●l●gius born in B●itain broacheth his Heresies publickly 7 Pelagi●●●sm condemned in Britain in two Synods 8 S. Petrock Captain of the Cornish Saints 11 Pau●●us baptizeth King Edwyn with all ●is Nobles and much people at York 15 P●●d● King of Mercia embraceth Christianity 16 Ple●g●●und Consecrateth seven Bishops in one day Mathew Parker Consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury Divers Bishop● Consecrated him 212 Kellison's and Parson's slandering him to be Consecrated at the Nag's Head-tavern in Cheap-side 214 His Story 223 S. Paul's Church and Steeple in London burnt 222 Pope Pius Excommunicates Q. Elizabeth 235 The first setled Presbytery in England at Wandsworth in Surrey 237 Popish Priests and Jesuites executed 242 The Little Parliament 353 The Humble Petition and Advice Framed 358 Statute of Praemunire when enacted 117 Players forbidden by Proclamation in King Edward the sixth his time 161 Piers Gavesion surprized by Guy Earl of Wa●wick who caused him to be beheaded 106 The first Patent of a Commenda Retinere granted by the King to any Bishop Elect 84 Geoffry Plantaginet Archbishop of York his Story 52 53 Per●wigs and long hair forbidden in the Clergy 77 Priests forced to forgo their wives 42 When the Pope made his first encroachment on the Liberties of the English Crown 38 Cardinal Pooles reception into England 191 He absolveth the Parliament and whole Kingdom for withdrawing their obedience to the Church of Rome 192 Consecrated to the See of Canterbury next Sunday after Cranmer's death 202 English Ambassadours sent to Rome arrived there on the first day of the Papacy of Pope Paul the fourth Pembrock-colledge in Oxford founded 296 Pinckney the Provincial of the Augustine-friars and Dr. Shaa onely of all the Clergy engage for King Richard the third 134 135 Parsonages not exceeding ten Marks and Vicaridges ten pounds freed from First-fruits 152 King Philip Married to Queen Mary 190 A Great Plague in London 381 Hugh Pudsey Bishop of Durham made Earl of Northumberland by King Richard the first 48 Penry Barrow and Greenwood condemned and executed 256 John Piers Archbishop of York derided by Martin Mar-prelate 256 Q QVeen's-colledge in Oxford when and by whom founded 111 Queen of Scots assumeth to her self the Style and Title of Queen of England 213 She flies into England and endeth her doleful life at Fatheringhay Castle She is buried in the Quire at Peterborough and twenty years after removed to Westminster 249 Queen Eleanor a solemn Anniversary instituted to be kept for her by King Edward the first her Husband 97 R ROmans forsake the Isle of of Britain 7 Rumold called M●chlinensis Apostolus 16 King Richard the first his Story 48 49 50 George Ripley a great Mathematitian 140 John Rouse a great Antiquary 140 King Richard the second his Story from 114 ad 118 Philip Rippinton of a Professour became a cruel persecutor of the Gospel He is made Bishop of Lincoln 121 Master John Rogers burnt in Smithfield the first Martyr in Queen Marie's 194 Cardinal Richlieu an Incendiary between King Charles the first and the Scots 313 When the word Recusant first came up 236 Reformed Religion advanced in Ireland 217 The Rites of the Church of England for a time remained the onely form of Worship for the Kirk of Scotland 216 Thomas Rudbourn a Monk of Winchester an old Writer 3 The R●mish Translation cometh forth 247 Rogers his exposition on the thirty nine Articles of the Church of England 247 Roger a Monk of Chester and an Historiographer 113 Doctor Fulk and M. Cartwright their answer to the Rhemish Translation 247 Richard Cromwel his Story 361 362 S THat cruel Statute pro Haeretico comburendo first hanselled on William Sautre Priest 119 120 See of Sarum had five Bishops in five years space 94 Scotland when freed from the See of York 133 Secular Priests ejected 31 A Survay taken of all the Glebe-land of the Clergy 110 Severus cometh into Britain and assisteth in condemning Pelagianism 8 Sampson Scholar to Iltutus being made Archbishop of Dole he carrieth away the Monuments of British Antiquity 11 S●bert King of Essex embraceth Christianity by the Ministry of Mellitus 14 Sigebert King of East-Angles enters into a Monastery 21 Saxons invade Britain 8 South-saxons converted to Christianity the last of the seven Kingdoms 19 A Survay taken of all the Revenues and Dignities Ecclesiastical in England returned in a Book to be kept in the Exchequer 152 John Spottiswood Archbishop of S. Andrews his death 314 John Story a great persecutor executed 234 A Statute made that all Convocations should be called by the King's Writ 146 The bloody Statute for the six Popish Articles enacted 155 A Statute made for the recovery of Tithes 156 Edward Seymour Duke of Sommerset Lord Protector of the Realm in the Reign of King Edward the sixth his story from 159 ad 174 Sommerset-house how and when erected 165 The Sweating-sickness 174 Richard Sutton the Founder of Charter-house Hospital 280 M. Antonius de Dominis Archbishop
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 consul●●tion 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 But the Parliament had now entred on the Rents and profits of all the Heylin Hist of Archbishop Land 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 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 1643. 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 Burroughes William Bridge Fourthly Some Members of the Lords and Commons were mingled among them and Voted joyntly in their Consultations as the Earl of Pembrook the Lord Say The most Learned Antiquary Mr. Selden Mr. Francis Rouse Mr. Bulstr●de Whitlock c. Commissioners from Scotland were also joyned with them as the Earl of Lothian the Lord Lauderdale the Lord Warriston of the Nobility others of the Clergy as Mr. Alexander Henderson Mr. Gelaspy c. Doctor Twisse Preached the first Sermon at the meeting of the Assembly Fuller Church Hist Ad An. 1643. though the Schools not the Pulpit was his proper Element witness his Controversal writings and in his Sermon he exhorted them Faithfully to discharge their high calling to the glory of God and honour of his Church He much bemoaned That the Royal Assent was wanting to give encouragement to them yet he hoped That by the efficacy of their fervent Prayers it might in due time be obtained and that a happy union might be procured betwixt him and the Parliament Sermon ended the Ordinance was read by which was declared the Cause Ground