our Lord Jesus Christ I cannot but conceive it fit as a Primitive so an imitable Example to follow the Method of perswading and convincing Reason and Judgment before Changes in Religion are to be attempted especially since the Conversion is not to be from Paganism but concerns Modes of explaining Doctrines Jurisdiction of some Orders and Churches and such Rites and Usages as possibly enough Men may be saved without arriving at the knowledge of the Essentialness of them The Religions of Mankind are extreamly various Concerning Diversity of Religions diversifyed according to the Genius of the People their Education and Interests For as Dominions are circumscribed and bear one against another for the preserving of their respective Limits and Bounds so that a kind of Hereditary Hostility is continued betwixt them So we find together with that Native civil Enmity there is also some disagreeing in such Points of Religion as is sufficient to keep up the Feud betwixt the Learned Part as well as the Common People and the Earth is not more diversifyed by the large Tracts of Sands in Arabia Chains of Hills at Caucasus the Alps c. or with the Ribs of vast Rocks or the Fertile Plains Pools Morasses and Seas than it is variegated with Religions so that what is sacred in one Country is even piacular in another cum solos credit habendos Esse Deos quos ipsa colit What Application is to be made of God Almightie's Methods of Providence in this I leave to Divines whose Province it is Only we may observe since the Roman Church is obeyed in a large Portion of the World and Ethnicism and Turcism possess as great Territories and the different Modes in all these some insisting on old Usage others on Reformations and Refinings are so considerable it is not to be hoped there can be any Uniformity or Harmony of Religions in the Universe Therefore it seems to be the great concern of Princes in their several Dominions to use their utmost Endeavours that the great Fundamentals of Religion which consist in solid Piety Justice Temperance c. should be strictly observed and the particular Forms which by the Wisdom of foregoing Ages have been adapted to the Genius of their People should be protected and defended and no Innovations made in them upon private Mens Fancies of Reformation without a publick Sanction As to the third Particular concerning the Diversities of Notions in Religion Fanaticalness in Religion dangerous to Government which have been spawned in our late Wars during the Rebellion when every one pretended that the Liberty of propagating their several new found Opinions was what they had fought for and purchased with the expence of their Blood and Treasure we may consider these things following First That when Religion is only seated in the Brain it strangely infatuates and renders the possessed difficult to be cured for it either produceth downright Hypocrisie which hath Millions of Subservient Wheedles to accompany it or the Imagination is heightened That as a learned (g) Mr. Fr. White 's Sacred Laws Writer observes they think Salvation is only ordained for those of their fine Sculls the very mossy Notions of which they think sufficient cure for the falling Evil Judging Mankind till within a Century or so to have been dull indigested Masses of unthinking Animals whereas in Truth and Reality they are the tubera Terrae Insipid or Poysonous Fungs which sprung up by the Showres of Blood Under this Ecstasie of new Beams of Light they are ravished with the Opinion of their own Saintship and they indulge themselves in all the sweet Appetites of Spiritual Pride affected Sanctity and singularity of Perswasion for without some odd Notion more subtile than others have or a Revelation as if dropped from St. Paul's third Heaven they have no Hearts-ease and having the Maggot turn'd into a Butterflie O how it flutters and mutes its Eggs upon every fresh Colewort This kind of Brain-sick Religion is no sooner born Idem but presently like Cadmus's issue it falls to war under the Banner of Reformation which is that Fort Spiritual that Palladium they must defend and thereby promise to themselves Laurels and Palms which shall cover and protect them from all the bruta Fulmina as they repute them of the National Church thinking themselves above the Jurisdiction of any Ecclesiastical Court their Dominion being founded in Grace The pretence of maintaining Religion or the sham-affrights such People divulge they have of it being altering or taken from them may with the least danger to the Designers of any Revolution be used as a blind to carry on any Intriegue and the pretence of refining Religion hath powerful Philtres and Fascinations to bewitch the Unwary and tickle the Hypocrite While such like Religious People as I have been describing in the late miserable times when there was neither Lawful Civil or Ecclesiastical Authority obtained Power these Glow-worms were as plentiful as Locusts filling every place with new but not uniform Light nothing was more common in their Mouths than that the Dispensation or Gospel of the Holy Ghost was to be expected that of God Almighty being passed away at the coming of our Saviour and His Sacred Establishments being to cease at the approach of this What wild fancies What Heresies revived were then in Vogue I had rather were forgot than shown upon the Stage and only shall observe that since Religion is like the Heart in the Body full of Vital Spirits it encreaseth the care of a Sovereign That neither the Divine Fire be sufflaminated or extinguished by Irreligion or Atheism nor by Enthusiasm so sublimed as it cause a Calenture As to the last Particular it is so nice a point now especially that I had once designed not to have touched upon it Concerning Toleration of Religion but that I may not wholly frustrate Expectation in saying nothing I shall Content my self with summing up some few Authorities from Lipsius and others upon this Subject (h) Polit. lib. 4. c. 3. Lipsius saith it is his firm Opinion That one Religion should be preferred in one Kingdom and bemoans the Condition of Europe wherein Religion hath kindled such disagreeing Flambeaus and endeavours to pour Water on that Sacred Fire (i) Publice peccare dico qui ipsi de deo receptisque sacris sentiunt alios ad sentiendum per turbas impellum Privaâ—im qui pariter male sentiunt sed sibi Ibid. He makes two kinds of those that sin in Religion First Those who have ill Sentiments of God and the received Holy Rites and do endeavour to force others by Riots and Tumults to be of the same perswasion Secondly Those who have as depraved opinions but keep them to themselves keeping this Fire on their own Hearths only to dress their own Viands with Concerning the first of these he concludes they ought to be punished lest as St. Cyprian saith The Prince be punished for them
they make the whole Scope and design of their Government the Prosperity of their People Among the chiefest of which Benefits that of Peace is to be most valued as being the end and mark that all good Governours direct their Actions to In another place he makes it a sure sign of good Princes when they wish themselves all the good qualifications and fittedness for Government and all the Vertues of the greatest Princes for their Subjects good this being a full Demonstration how precious and valuable the safety and quietness of their Subjects are to them The learned Lord Chancellor Bacon marshals the degrees of Sovereign Honours under five Heads Degrees of Sovereign Honour every one of which are as so many Characteristicks of great and good Kings First the (t) Essays of Honour and Reputation 1. Conditores Imperiorum Layers of the foundations of Empires as Romulus Cyrus Caesar â— (u) 2. Legislatores perpetui Principes Secondly the Founders of their Laws or Law-makers who by constituting good Laws are as second Founders perpetual Princes because they govern by their Ordinances after they are translated from this World Such were Solon Lycurgus Justinian and others (w) 3. Liberatores Salvatores Thirdly such as have freed their People and delivered their Country from Servitude or have put an end to and composed long civil Wars as Augustus Vespasian our King Henry the Seventh and the Fourth of France and most eminently our late Royal Sovereign (x) 4. Propagatores vel propugnatores Fourthly such as by honourable ways enlarge their Territories or make a noble Defence against Invaders Lastly such who reign justly and make the Age good wherein they live therefore stiled Fathers of their Country such both was and is our late and present Gracious Soveraigns So that such a Prince as others describe according to their Wish or as an Exemplar the English Nation Character of King Charlâ—s the Second and all his Majestie 's Subjects above all other Kingdoms in the World have been and are Blessed with under the Reigns of two such unparallell'd Royal Brothers We may justly give our late Sovevereign of immortal memory that Character which we find in Arnisaeas as the Idea of a good Prince That leaving entirely to his Subjects their Properties governed according to God's Nature's and his own Laws founded upon Equity and Justice or that of (y) Rem pepuli esse non suam privatam Dio. vita Hadriani Hadrian's that so managed his Government That all might know that he studied the Peoples not his own private Profit Surely we may hope for great happiness under our present Sovereign Character of King Jarâ— the Second who hath not only been a Copartner in his Royal Brother's sufferings but a Co-adjutor in the management of his great Empire and hath so signalized himself in the hazzard of his Life and glorious Atchievements for his Country and is endowed with all the Heroic Accomplishments that ennoble Princes in the Records of Fame so that we have the greatest Moral assurances if we disturb not his Reign by Sedition and Rebellion that he will out-go most of his Ancestors in the prosperous Government of his People as well for their Glory as their Peace and Tranquillity Religion in a Prince his Duty and Advantage CHAP. XI The Care of Religion a duty incumbent upon Kings IT is not enough to give a Character of a good King in general but we must descend to Particulars and first of his Care of Religion according to that of (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polit lib. 7. c. 8. Aristotle That in all Government the first and principal Concern of a Prince is to take care of things Divine For according to the (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. â—pud Stohaeâ—m Stoick It becomes him that is the Best to be worshipped by the Best and that the great Sovereign of the Universe be worshipped by his Earthly Vicegerents For of old it hath been noted That many advantages both accru'd to the Sovereign and People when the Prince was truly Religious Therefore the (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polit. l. 5. c. 11. Philosopher tells us That it is the duty of the supream Governour principally to take care of those things which appertain to the Deity for thereby the People are more obedient to their Princes as not fearing injustice from them For that it is to be supposed that he that is Pious and Just will not do an Unjust and Impious Action and by it he is more secure in the assurance of Protection from the Deity whereby he may hope for its Defence and Patrociny from the Seditions and Treacheries of his Subjects having the Deity to fight for him Consentaneous to which is what (d) Omnia prospere eveniunt sequentibus deos Adversa autem spernentibus Lib. 5. Livy observes That all things happen to them prosperously that follow the Gods and as unprosperously to them that despise them Upon the same Ground it is that the Orator saith The Romans had not conquered the Spaniards by their Numbers or the French by their Strength the Carthaginians by their Stratagems or Grecians by their Arts nor the Italians and Latines and their Nation and Land by their Native and Inbred Wisdom but by Piety and Religion and (e) Atque hac una sapientia quod Deorum Immortalium numine omnia regi gubernarique perspeximus gentes nationesque superavimus De Aruspic by that Wisdom alone that they understood all things to be governed by the Deity they had overcome People and Nations Agreeable to this Affirmation is what we find recorded of Numa That his care of Religion was the chief cause of the succeeding Felicity of Rome For as the (f) Machiavel's Disc lib. 1. c. 12. Florentine Secretary observes That Romulus exercising his People wholly in Military Affairs his Successor Numa finding he had to deal with a Fierce Usefulness of Religion to civilize Subjects Rude Cruel and Ungovernable people thought the way to attemper and soften their minds was to devise some Religious Institutions which being once given credit to might make them more pliable to Government Therefore (g) Omnium primum ut rem ad multitudinem imperitam illis seculis rudem essicacissimam deorum metum injiâ—iendum ratus est Lib. 1. Livy saith That of all things he thought the fear of the Gods to be the most efficacious means for the ordering the unskilful Multitude rude in that Age. And (h) Numa Religionibus divino jure populum devinxit 3. Annal. Tacitus tells us That with Religions and Divine Laws he yoaked them in obedience and so intent he was in the Observance of the Service to the Gods he had introduced that Plutarch tells us That he being one time Sacrificing was told that the Enemies were advancing against him but he would not desist but returned (i) At ego rem divinam
facio Plutarch in vita Numae Numa 's Fiction Answer That he was performing a Divine Work and he would not leave till he had finished it It is by (k) Qui cum descendere ad animos sine aliquo commento miraculi non posset simulat sibi cum Dea Aegeria cungressus nocturnos esse ejus se monitu quae acceptissima diis essent sacra instituere Lib. 1. Livy noted of this Numa That he was forced to use some little Arts to possess the People with some Awe and Reverence to the Religious Worship he appointed For he saith that finding that without some shew of a Miracle these new Religious Institutions would be difficultly embraced by such a sort of Rude People He pretended he received them from the Inspiration of the Nymph Aegeria In the like manner it is reported that Sertorius to establish his manner of Religious Worship and to obtain the firmer Obedience to his Command pretended he conversed with an Hart inspired It is notoriously known Mahomet's Fictions to gain Credit to his Imposture how the greatest of Impostors Mahomet palliated his Natural Infirmity of the Falling-sickness with the subtil Fiction that he was transported at such times to Heaven and received the Instructions for his Alcoran there and having taught a Pidgeon to pick Corn out of his Ear he made use of that to delude the wild Arabs telling them It was the Holy Ghost which at such Seasons revealed to him certain hidden Mysteries From hence we may learn how great Deference hath been paid to Princes who have pretended Obedience to the Supreme Being or had Conversation with Celestial Ministers Spirits or Angels and how useful true and untainted Religion in a Prince must be when the Umbrage of it is owned to make so pleasant and beneficial a shade Before I leave this Head I cannot but observe what Respect some Heathens paid to the Religious Worship of the Gods The Heathens Zeal for Religion and what Punishments have been recorded to be inflicted on those who have profaned their Rites When the Gaules besieged the Capital (l) Valerius Maxim lib. 1. c. 1. Caius Fabius Druso would not omit the Customary Sacrifices but carrying with him in his Hands the consecrated Vessels contemning the Danger passed to the Quirinal Hill and the Barbarians permitted him to solemnize his Worship and to return safely to the Capitol So (m) Herodotus lib. 9. Pausanias at the famous Battle of Platea though the Enemy pressed sore would not fight till he had a lucky Omen by his Sacrificing (n) Antiq. Judaic lib. 14. c. 8. Josephus tells us That Pompey the Great when he had taken Jerusalem and entred the Sanctum Sanctorum although he found a Table of Gold a Sacred Candlestick and many other Vessels and two Thousand Talents of Silver yet he touched nothing thereof but caused the Temple to be purged and the Sacrifices to be offered according to Law The Christians being about to build a Chappel at Rome wherein to perform Service to Almighty God were hindred by some claiming the Ground The matter was brought before Alex. Severus the Emperor who determined That the things which concern the Gods should be preferred before things that concern Men and so allowed the building the Chappel saying That though their God was unknown to them at Rome yet he ought to have Honour done him if but for that Respect alone that he bore the Name of a God All which and many more Instances which may be given ought to teach Christian Princes to perform a greater Veneration to the true God than the Heathens did to their false and imaginary Idols Disasters hapning to such as contemned the Heathen Gods As to the Examples of Signal Disasters that have happened to Princes and others who have sacrilegiously robbed the Shrines of the very Heathen Gods or used those feigned Deities contumeliously discovering thereby an Atheistical Temper there are many Instances recorded in such Writers as in other things are generally credited It is reported of (o) Diodorus Siculus lib. 20. p. 698. Agathocles that exacting fifty Talents of Silver of the Liparenses which they could not pay without taking something consecrated to Aeolus and Vulcan in his return the ten Ships which carried the Money were dashed in Pieces by Storm by which it was said Aeolus had his revenge and Vulcan's followed after for that Agathocles was burnt alive (p) Herodor lib. 3. p. 887. Cambyses King of Persia having conquered Egypt smote the Ox that was consecrated to Apis in the Hip that he died but mounting his Horse to go against the Counterfeit Smerdis the same Sword he had slain the Ox with fell out of the Scabberd by the prancing of the Horse and he falling upon the point of it was wounded in the same place of the Hip whereof he died shortly after I might instance in Nero's contempt of the Roman Gods and his sprinkling the Face of the Syrian Goddess with Wine and what an Exit he had we know as also how (q) Lampridiâ—s Heredian Heliogabalus extinguished the Vestal Fire would needs marry one of the Vestal Virgins and violated indifferently all the Rites and Ceremonies of Religion in Rome his End was violent being slain by his own Soldiers But I shall only remember what is reported of Philomelus Onomarchus and Phaillon who having spoiled the Temple of Delphos one of them was burnt alive another drowned a third thrown headlong from an high Place being the three sorts of Death the Grecian Laws appointed them to undergo that were Sacrilegious But I will refer the Inquisitive Reader to Lipsius his Monita Fulgosius Dinoth's memorabilia and others and only mark That it seems not safe out of an Atheistical Humor to contemn even salse Deities for that is seldom done without some Suspicion that the Persons who do so scarce reverence any Divinity The sence of which ought to make us resent the publick stabbing rending and burning of the Prints Pictures or Images of our Saviour and Saints which some too scornfully have done From these Remarks I shall now come to consider some of Machiavel's Positions about Religion First he (r) Of the Prince cap. 18. owns That it is necessary that a Prince appear careful of Religion and appear himself Religious and Devout But he thinks Machiavel would have his Prince only pretend Religion for a Prince to be truly conscientious is not conducible but rather disadvantageous to their Designs if great or the Art of Government This Principle must be owned to have been practised to the highest Improvement by Cromwel whose Master-piece lay in pretending extraordinary Sanctity whereby he won more to his Party than by any other of his Arts and out-did Machiavel's Original Caesar Borgia In Answer to which Answer to it I shall oppose first the Philosopher who in the place before cited by me in the beginning of the Chapter in commendation of the Prince's taking Care of
great Ceremonies swear the points of their Contests He also further declared that those who usurp'd upon the Limits of others Possessions were not only to be punished here but were doomed to Torments in Hell to the end that every Man might be afraid to seize on the Goods of another Mans. These therefore I look upon as the Fundamentals of civil Religion in the rendring so venerable the Faith by Oaths whereby not only Allegiance to the Prince but Society was established upon that firm Basis of mutual Confidence and by the securing Propriety the whole Compages of Government was preserved We ought likewise to consider that there are moral Vertues which conciliate such a Reverence to the Practisers of them Moral Vertues very useful to Government that they are great helps to preserve and make flourishing every Kingdom and Commonweal and which constitute a considerable Religious Portion of civil Government and when Princes and People exercise them both live happilier than when without them great Sanctity and Devotion are only pretended The Vertues I put in the Balance against Bigotry in Religion Better than Hypocritical Holiness are Justice Temperance Charity Fortitude Magnanimity which are branched out into many flourishing Boughs that bear the Golden Fruit upon them such as these Not to do to another that which we would not have done to our selves To live contentedly in our Station To be obedient to our Magistrates and Superiours To live in Charity with all Men To be Compassionate to the Poor and Needy To give no evil Example in any sort of Debauchery To consider that we come into this World to live according to the rules of Life the Sovereign Being of all hath pleased to reveal That we do nothing here which may forfeit our more durable Inheritance in the other World These were the Buttresses of Government in the Heathen World when the whole train of Moral Vertues without Hypocrisie and Dissimulation were practised and can Machiavel or any of his Disciples find that the same things are not pressed as a duty upon all in the Christian Religion there seeming to me this only advantageous difference That the Foundation and Basis upon which these Moral Vertues rest in the Christian Religion is more firm more regular and more curiously hewen and polished and more consentaneous to the Dictates of right Reason in that they are implanted and promulged as standing Laws by one God Omnipotent than in the multiform jarring Polytheism of the Heathens who for every different Species of things or qualifications of Beings introduced a presiding Spirit In answer to the second Plea of the Secretary That Religion doth not dis-spirit Men. That our Religion hath dis-spirited Christians I think every one will be furnished out of the Armory of his own Experience or the perusing of antient and modern Histories with Shield and Buckler against such false Thrusts and will own that there have been as considerable and glorious Atchievements performed by Christians as by Heathens as may be instanced in Constantine the Great Theodosius Valentinian Justin Charlemain Scanderbeg and infinite more modern Christian Princes who neither yield for Manhood Valour or Conduct to Turks or Pagans and how Patient and Meek soever Christianity teacheth Men to be yet it no ways hinders Subjects from using offensive or defensive Arms when commissioned by Lawful Authroity nor discourageth adventuring of Life for the defence of Kings or their Countries nor is it an Extinguisher of Endeavours to serve God the Soveraign or his People in the Honourablest Imployments It must be confessed True Piety lessened by subtile Disputes that since Religion hath been reduced from Precepts and Axioms to Systems and that the practical part of Justice Moral Vertues and Honesty were no longer in Esteem than as they were found subservient to the promoting Speculations there hath been a way found out to render these fundamental and substantial Qualifications of less value in very good Men unless withal they added some quaint Notions that might sublime their Heathenish Moralities as they call them into Elixirs and quintessences of Religion as in our late Times If one could not give a certain Diagnostick when Grace was wrought in him he was not fit for reforming Employment Men being more distinguished by Tests and Oaths than by good Manners By which we forgo the Substance of Moral Piety for a fleeting Shadow and many are so bigotted in their several Sentiments that it is a more arduous task of late than formerly for Princes to comport themselves in this particular so as to keep in one Uniformity Subjects of so different Perswasions whereby they may command that obedience Subjects ought to pay to their Sovereigns To find Expedients or offer any directions to Princes in this Case were to involve ones self in an endless Labyrinth and discover an unpardonable Presumption the Difficulties being very great if not insuperable how to frame Laws that should combine such varieties and diversities of Opinions in one Yoak Order or Rule without such an universal and absolute Monarch as scarce in Idaea much less in Practice can ever be I shall therefore concern my self no way in tugging at the end of that Saw of Controversies which how pleasant soever it may be to such as have an over-weening Opinion of their Knowledge in such Subtilties is very harsh and ungrateful to my Temper This one Hypothesis or Postulatum however I hope few will deny That since Monarchy is the Established Government in his Majestie 's Dominions and however maliciously and potently assaulted in our Memories yet never can be altered here The Government of the Church of England agreeable to the English Monarchy Princes by small searches into the aptitude of the several Schemes of religious Worship and Government may soon find which is most agreeable to the Constitution of the Monarchy and will be most subservient to it In which particular the Church of England as established by Law in its Doctrine and Discipline and all the true Members of it and the Subjects of all Conditions who act according to the Principles of it have obtain'd a Royal and Gracious Character founded upon the constant Experience the Kings of England have had That upon all the most critical trials the Members of it have stood firm to the Crown even when worn by Princes of different Religion Therefore till other Forms practised in the late times can give as undeniable Proofs of their unconditionate Loyalties I think it but reasonable they should allow His Majesty liberty to consult his own and the interest of his Government rather than their inconsistent Models One of the Principles of the Church of England conformable to that of the Christian Religion is That it teacheth Obedience to the Soveraign not for Fear only but for Conscience sake and all considerate as well as Pious Men where they are convinced That it is better to obey God than Man if any thing should be commanded that
properly as Somner renders it with the Advice Counsel Instruction or Exhortation as our modern word Lore imports of Cenred my Father and Heddes my Bishop and Ercenwold my Bishop and with all my Aldermen i. e. Princes Dukes Earls Viceroys Military Officers Senators or Ministers of State as the word then signified those old Wites i. e. principal or chief Noble Men Chieftains Governours or Wisemen of my Kingdom do command and likewise with mycelre somnug Godes Theowena The great Assembly Congregation or Synagogue of Gods Servants i.e. the Clergy (f) Waes 〈◊〉 thaere hae le 〈…〉 be thâ—m stâ—â—hâ—le ures rices meditating or studying the Health of our Souls and upon the Estate or establishing of our Kingdom That ryht AE (g) Not Aew Nuptiâ—e 〈…〉 observes and appears in the 〈…〉 Gefasâ—inedâ— and ryhte cynedomas thurh ure Folc Gefaestenode getrymmed waeron That right Laws and right or just Judgment or Dooms of the King or Office and Dignity of Magistrates and Somner be fastned or established and trimmed perfected or accomplished That no Alderman or under our Jurisdiction or as probably the Compound word may be rendred any Prince under us Theoden signifying a Lord Prince or Ruler or as in the Saxon Chronology a King after them shall turn from break corrupt or change Awendan these ure domas these our Decrees Sentences or Ordinances Then in the First Chapter it follows We beodaeth that ealles Folces AE domas thus synd gehealden We bid or command that all our People shall after hold fast or observe these Laws and Dooms From this Preface the candid Reader may observe First Observations on this Preface That Kings are the gift of God and that Godes Gyffe signifies the same with Dei Gratia they are not the Creature of the People Secondly That Princes for the better Government of their People in the setling of Laws in Church and State consult deliberate and advise with their Bishops Noblemen and eminently Wise men of their Kingdoms whom for their Wisdom they honour with public Imployments in their Dominions Thirdly That after such Consultation Deliberation and Advice the Sovereign establishethâ— and instituteth the Laws And Lastly That such Laws are not to be broken or infringed by the Judges or supremest Officers under the King much less by the Subjects The next (h) Spelman Câ—ncil vol. 1. p. 313. Other Great Councils in the Saxon times of Offa. Council I find is that of Colchyth in the Kingdom of Mercia Anno 793. wherein are said to be Nine Kings present viz. Offa and Egferd his Son and seven more numbred by Sir Henry Spelman Fifteen Bishops and Twenty Dukes and so in another at (i) Id. p. 314. Verulam it is said to be under Offa who called together his Bishops and Optimates but these are only about Religious matters So (k) Id. p. 3â—0 Ad Aâ—â—um 8â—â— Kenulph Kenulph King of Mercia writing to Pope Leo the III. begins Kenulphus Gratia Dei Rex Merciorum cum Episcopis Ducibus omni sub nostra ditione dignitatis gradu So at the Synod at (l) Idem fâ—â— 328. Colichyth 6 Kal. Aug. Ann. Dom. 8â—6 Wulfred the Archbishop being Praesident it is expressed that Caenulf the King of the Mercians was present cum suis Principibus Ducibus Optimatibus So we find a Synodal Council at Clovesho (m) Iâ—em fol. â—32 〈…〉 rum praesidente Beornâ—lpho Rege Merciorum and Wulfrid the Archbishop the other Bishops Abbats and the Nobility of all Dignities treating concerning the profit of Ecclesiastical and Secular Persons and the stability of the Kingdom That which I shall note from these is this That in these Synodal Councils sometimes it is said the King praesided other times the Archbishop but mostly all the Persons that constitute such Councils are the King the Archbishops Bishops Abbats Priors and the Optimates The next Council I find is called (n) Idem pag. 336. Anno 833. Withlasius Concilium Pananglicum held at London 26 May Anno 833. wherein Withlasius King of the Mercians gives several immunities to the Abby of Croyland and more than once he saith volo praecipio and this he saith he doth in the (o) In praesentia Dominorum meorum Egberti Regis West-Saxoniae Aethelwulphi filii ejus coram Pontificibus Proceribus presence of his Lords Egbert King of the West Saxons and Aethelwulph his Son and before the Bishops and the greater Noblemen of all England in the City of (p) Majoribus totius Angliae in Civitate Londonia ubi omnes congregati sumus pro consilio capiendo contra Danicos Piratas litora Angliae assidus infestaâ—tes London where they were all gathered to take Counsel against the Danish Pirates daily infesting the Coast of England Therefore Sir Henry Spelman judgeth this Council properly to be called for secular Affairs and to be such as we now call our Parliaments The Witnesses to it are the said Withlase the Archbishop of Canterbury Celnoth and Eadbald Archbishop of York and after nine more Bishops and three Abbats Egbert and his Son Adelwulph sign and after them Wulhard Athelm and Herenbrith Dukes Swithin the Kings Presbyter and Bosa his Secretary But I shall leave these and come to more direct secular great Councils The Laws of King Alfred Regnare coepit 871. desiit 900. as that of King Alfred who in the first part of his Laws recites the Commandments and Laws by Gods appointment delivered by Moses to the Children of Israel to be observed and some of the New Testament and from that of our Saviour quod vobis fieri non velitis id aliis non faciatis concludes that Jâ—Plgment of Right ought to be given to every one and that on (q) On thissum anum Dome mon maege gethencean that he aeghwelâ—re on riht gedemeth LL. Alured p. 21. this one Sentence That Man must bethink him much that judgeth Right to every one and he adds That after the propagating of the Gospel in England as well as in other places were gathered for making of Laws both for Church and State it is to be supposed he means Holy (r) Haligra Bisceopa eac othera gethungenra Witena Ibid. Bishops and other famous wise Men or Wites Then in the Conclusion of the Laws about Religion and Prefatory to the secular Laws he saith I Alfred King have gathered (s) Thaes togaeder gegaderod awritan het these Sanctions together and caused them to be written many of them being observed by his Ancestors Those that he liked (t) Tha the me ne licodon Ic awearp mid minra witena getheat on othre wifan behead to heoldanne Ib. p. 22. not with the Council of his Wites he rejected and those he liked he bid or commanded to be holden and concludes Ic tha Aelfred West-Seaxna Cyning eallum minum Witun thaes geeowde hi tha cwaethon that him that licode eallum to healdenne which thus I
Commons in his said Parliament assembled By Authority of the said Parliament by Authority of the same Parliament Our Sovereign Lord the King hath ordained and established divers Statutes Declarations and Ordinances The Preface to the Statutes at (c) Idem Anno 1452. fol. 286. Reading 31 Regni hath these words Our Lord the King by Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons being in the said Parliament and by Authority of the same Parliament hath made ordained and established divers Acts and Statutes Here the Commons Assent is joyned with the Lords whereas in most others of his Reign it is At the special request of the Commons So it is in that at Westminster which is like the first only it saith Our Sovereign Lord c. the Thirty ninth of his Noble and Gracious Reign Of the Parliaments in King Edward the Fourth 's Reign THE Preamble to the Statutes of (a) Idem Anno 1461. fol. 291. King Edward by the Grace of God Westminster 1 Regni is Edward by the Grace of God c. to the Honour of God and Holy Church to nourish Peace Unity and Concord within his Realm which he much desireth by the Advice and Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the same Realm and at the special Request of the Commons of his said Realm assembled by Authority of the same Parliament hath ordained The rest of the Prefaces vary very little except that in the 3 E. 4. it is By the Advice and Assent of his Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons c. Of the Parliament in King Richard the Third's time THE Preamble to the Statutes at (a) Idem Anno 1483. fol. 315. Westminster 1 R. 3. runs thus Richard by the Grace of God c. to the Honour of God and of Holy Church and for the Common-wealth of his Realm of England Advice and Assent of Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Request of the Commons c. By the Advice and Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and at the Request of the Commons of the said Realm summoned to the said Parliament by the Authority of the same Parliament hath ordained and established for the Quietness of his People certain Statutes Of the Parliaments in King Henry the Seventh 's time THE Prefaces to all the Acts in his (a) Idem Anno 1485. fol. 324. Reign are much alike thus The King our Sovereign Lord Henry c. To the Honour of God c. By the Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in the said Parliament assembled and by Authority of the said Parliament hath done to be made certain Statutes and Ordinances Of the Parliaments in King Henry the Eighth 's time MOST of the Prefaces to the 20th of his Reign are the same as in King H. the 7th mutatis mutandis The Title of the 21 H. 8. (a) Id. fol. 392. only is Statuta ad Rempublicam spectantia edita in 1 Sessione Parliamenti c. Anno Regni invictissimi Principis Henrici c. In the 5th Chapter of the Acts of the (b) Id. fol. 435. 24th of his Reign The King our Sovereign Lord. it is thus Be it enacted by the King our Sovereign Lord with the Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons of this present Parliament assembled and by Authority of the same So most of the rest are excepting that in the second Chapter of the 26. of (c) Id. fol. 465. his Reign it is said Therefore be it enacted by Authority of this present Parliament So in the first Chapter of the (d) Id. fol. 485. 28 Regni it is said For the Remedy whereof May it please the King c. it be enacted may it please the King our Sovereign Lord by the Assent c. it may be enacted The Title of the Acts 31 H. 8. (e) Id. fol. 537. H. 8. Defender of the Faith and in Earth Supreme Head c. runs thus Henry the 8th c. Defender of the Faith and in Earth supreme Head immediately under Christ of the Church of England to the Honour of Almighty God Conservation of the true Doctrine of Christian Religion and for the Concord Quiet and Wealth of this his Realm and Subjects of the same held his most high Court of Parliament c. wherein were established these Acts following and in the first Chapter it is said Be it enacted c. Be it enacted by the King our dread Sovereign Lord and by the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and by the Commons of this present Parliament assembled The Thirty second of H. 8. hath these Expressions which day the said Parliament continued by divers Prorogations was by His Graces Authority finished and dissolved amongst many other the Acts following By his Highness with the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons assembled in the said Parliament have been Established Ordained and Enacted Of the Parliaments in King Edward the Sixth 's Reign IN the first Chapter of the first (a) Id. fol. 687. Statutes made 1. Regni it is said The Kings most Excellent Majesty King 's Excellent Majesty Princely Serenity Highness minding the Governance and Order of his most loving Subjects to be in most perfect Unity and Concord in all things c. as his most Princely Serenity and Majesty hath already declared by evident Proofs Be it enacted by the Kings Highness with the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and of the Commons of this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same In the second and third Year of Ed. 6. they are called (b) Id. fol. 712. Acts in the Session c. humbly prayen That it may be Ordained and Enacted by His Majesty with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same The rest are much what like these foregoing Of the Parliaments in Queen Mary's Reign IN the Title of her first (a) Id. fol. 817. Acts she is stiled Ordained and enacted by the Queen our Sovereign Lady and Assent of Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Defender of the Faith and Supreme Head of the Church c. Be it therefore ordained and enacted by the Queen our Sovereign Lady with the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and of the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same After the Marriage of (b) Id. fol. 831. Queen Mary with King Philip of Spain the title is only Acts made in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord and Lady Philip and Mary Defenders of the Faith leaving out Supreme Head c. In the fourth and (c) Id. fol. 863. fifth of Philip and Mary in the Body of the Acts it is thus Be it Enacted Ordained and Established by the King and Queens Majesty the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons