added unto us Let us consider the times past how they flourished in honour and abundance when Religion flourished amongst us but as Religion decayed so the honour and strength of this Kingdome decayed When the soule of a Common-wealth is dead the body cannot long over-live it If a man meet a Dogge alone the Dogge is fearefull though never so fierce by nature but if the Dogge have his Master by him he will set upon that man from whom he fled before This shewes the lower natures being backt by higher encrease in courage and strength and certainly man being backt with omnipotence is a kinde of omnipotent thing All things are possible to him that beleeveth and where all things are possible there is a kinde of omnipotence wherefore let us now with an unanimous consent of us all resolve to make a vow and covenant henceforth to hold fast our God and our Religion and we shall from henceforth certainly expect prosperity unto this Kingdome and Nation and to this covenant let every one say Amen Sir Francis Seymor If Religion be not a rule to all our actions what policie can we have if God fights not our battels the helpe of man is in vaine In our defects the cause thereof is our defect in Religion and the sinne thereof is Idolatrie and Popery Papists encrease more now then ever neither doe they want their Priests and Masses Nay his Majesties name is used to stop proceedings against Papists and that since the Parliament contrary to his Majesties goodnesse and publique profession and contrary to his many Proclamations and many Instructions to the Judges and whatsoever is done in the Country is undone above M. Kirton Master Speaker This businesse that we have in hand concerning our Religion is of dangerous consequence if it bee not throughly looked into I thinke that no man that sits here but is sensible in what danger now it stands if this Honourable House doe not finde some speedy remedy for it It was apparant to every man that new opinions are brought in by some of our Churchmen to disturbe our peace and the meaning of these Churchmen can be no other then to bring in the Romish Religion amongst us for it hath ever beene Jesuiticall policie first to worke a disturbance then afterward a change we must seeke the cause I shall briefely speake my opinion that is that this proceedeth from the ambition of the Clergie that are neare his Majestie for it is well knowne that at first the Church of Rome and that we professe were all one and that the ambition of the Clergie begot and brought in all these differences that are now betwixt us The highest dignitie they can here attaine unto is but an Archbishopricke but a Cardinals Cap is not here to be had I beleeve some of them affect that too well and in some we see the effects how they change their opinions for advancement and then they will turne white into blacke and blacke into white This being so our endeavour must be to take away the roote and then the branches will decay themselves It is not the calling of the Appeale to Caesar will doe it for if they can get Bishopricks for writing such books we shall have many men that will write bookes in that kinde It behoves us all every man according to his ability to imploy himselfe for the search of these things and that we may finde out the matter and the men that we may present them and the danger that this Kingdome stands in by them to his Majestie And for mine owne part as God shall enable me I will doe my best herein M. Sherland We have a Religion that is worth the loving with all our hearts it was setled by the bloud of Martyrs and kept by Miracles To have our noses wiped of this would grieve my heart to see more to behold our Religion goe away and designes daily made on it and Arminianisme still to encrease as it doth I admire I perswade my selfe the greater part of the Clergy Nobility and Gentry are firme but it is the desires of some few that labour to bring in a new faction of their owne and so they drop into the eares of his Majestie That those that oppose them oppose his Majestie and so they put him upon designes that stand not with publique liberty That he commands what he lists with Lives Goods and Religion and doth as he pleaseth And so they involve all true hearted Englishmen and Christians under the name of Religious Puritans and so involve his Majesties quarrels to be theirs which is Treason of the highest qualitie Tuesday the 27. of Ianuary A Petition was exhibited against one Lewis that said that about the 25. of December The Devill take the Parliament which was avowed by two witnesses and though it was spoken our of Parliament yet it was resolved to be an offence to the Parliament and it was ordered that he should be sent for Sir Nathaniel Rich tendred a Petition concerning the Fast which was agreed to be preferred to the King as followeth It was ordered that conference should be dosired with the Lords about this Petition who desired to joyne with the Commons The King sent a message by Secretary Cooke to this effect viz. His Majestie understanding that the Remonstrance was called for to take away all quesition commanded me to deliver it to you but hoping you proceed with the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage and give precedencie to that businesse and to give an end to further dispute betweene some of his Subjects or else he shall thinke his Speech which was with good applause accepted had not that good effect that he expected But before the message a report was made by M. Pymme from the Committee of Religion where a motion was made about the Remonstrance last Session concerning that part which concerneth Religion and the Clerke answered that by command from the King he delivered it to the Lord Privie Seale and so the Committee proceeded no farther Sir Walter Earle replyed to the message the last part of the message calls me up for point of Precedencie Religion challengeth Precedencie and Right of our best endeavours Vbi dolor ibi digitus I know Justice and Liberty is Gods cause but what good will Justice and Liberty doe if Popery and Arminianisme joyne hand in hand together to bring in Spanish Tyranny under which those Lawes and Liberties must cease what hath beene done for Religion since the last Session we know what Declarations have beene made what Persons advanced what Truths confirmed by all authority of Church Councels and Kings for my part I will foregoe my life estate and liberty rather then my Religion and I dare boldly affirme That never was more corruption then is at this time Humana Consilia castigantur ubi caelestibus se praeferunt Let us hold our selves to this methode and that God that carried us out of so many difficulties the last Session will not be wanting
to us now M. Coriton Let us not doe Gods worke negligently We receive his Majesties messages with all duty for our proceedings let us so proceed as it may soone conduct us to his Majesties desire Religion concernes the King aswell as us The unitie of this House is sweet especially in Gods cause Let us cry and cry againe for this Let us be resolved into a Committee and presently to debate hereof M. Pymme There are two diseases the one old the other new the old Popery the new Arminianisme There are three things to be enquired after concerning Popery First of the cessation of the execution of Lawes against Popery Secondly how the Papists have beene imployed and countenanced Thirdly the Law bringing of superstitious Ceremonies amongst us For Arminians be advised First that a way be opened for the truth Secondly that by the Articles set forth 1502 and by the Catechisme in King Edward the sixths dayes and by the writing of Peter Martyr and Martin Bucer Wickliffe and others and by the constant profession sealed with the bloud of so many Martyrs Cranmer Ridley and others and by the 36. Article set forth in Queene Elizabeths time and by the Articles set forth at Lambeeth as the Doctrine of the Church of England which King Iames sent to Dorte and to Ireland as the truth professed here and by his Majesties Declaration and Proclamation to maintaine unitie in the settled Religion as appeared by his Proclamation and other courses tending that way which were perversted and abused to the ruine and subversion of Religion which bred a feare of Innovation as also by the preferment which such have received since the last Parliament who have heretofore taught contrary to the truth Then to consider againe for what act these men have beene countenanced and advanced what pardons they have had for false Doctrines what Preachings hath been lately before his Majestie what prohibiting of bookes as have beene written against their doctrine and permitting such bookes as have beene for them It belongs to the duty of the Parliament to establish true Religion and to punish false And howsoever it is alleadged that the Parliament are not Judges in matters of Faith yet ought they to know the established and fundamentall Truths and the contraries unto them For Parliaments have confirmed generall Councels which have not beene received untill they have beene so authorized and Parliaments have enacted Lawes for tryall of Heretiques by Jury The Parliament punished the Earle of Essex for countenancing of Heretiques and there is no Court can meet with this mischiefe but Courts of Parliament The Convocation cannot because it is but a Provinciall Synod onely of the Jurisdiction of Canterbury and the power thereof is not adequate to the whole Kingdome and the Convocation at Yorke may perhaps not agree with that of Cunterbury The High Commission cannot for it hath its authority from Parliaments and the decivatiâ—e cannot prejudice the originall The judgement of Parliament being the judgement of the King and of the three Estates of the whole Kingdome Wednesday the 28 of Ianuary Master Secretary Cooke delivered another Message 〈◊〉 his Majestie viz. His Majestie upon an occasion of dispute in this House about Tonnage and Poundage was pleased to make a gracious Declaration wherein he commended to the speedy finishing thereof and to give a precedencie thereunto And since his Majestie understands the preferring the cause of Religion His Majestie expects rather thankes then a Remonstrance yet he doth not interrupt you so that you doe not trench of that that belongs not to you But his Majestie still commands me to tell you that he expects precedencie in Tonnage and Poundage assuring himselfe he hath given no occasion to put it backe and so you will not put it off M. Long. I cannot but with much sorrow see that we are still pressed to this pount I hoped that those neare the Chaire would have informed his Majestie of our good intentions But we see how unhappy we are still some about his Majestie makes him diffident of us Sir Thomas Edmonds I am sorry this House hath given occasion of so many Messages about Tonnage and Poundage after his Majestie hath given us so much satisfaction You may perceive his Majestie is sensible of the neglect of his businesse We that know this should not discharge our duties to you if we should not perswade you to that course which should procure his Majesties good opinion of you Your selves are witnesses how industrious his Majestie was to procure your gracious Lawes in his Fathers time and since that what inlargement hath he made of our Liberties and still we give him cause to repent him of the good he hath done consider how dangerous it is to alien his Majesties heart from Parliaments M. Coriton When men speake here of neglect of duty to his Majestie let them know we know no such thing nor what they meane and I see not how we doe neglect the same I see it is all our hearts to expedite the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage in due time our businesse is still put backe by their Messages and the businesse in hand is of God and his Majestie Things are certainly amisse and every one sees it and woe be to us if we present them not unto his Majesty Sir Iohn Elliott I have alwayes observed in the proceedings of this House our best advantage is in Order And I was very glad when this noble Gentleman my Country-man gave occasion to stay our proceedings for I feare it would have carried us into a sea of confusion and disorder And having now occasion to present my thoughts unto you in this great and weighty businesse of Religion I shall be bold to give a short expression of my owne affection and in that order that I hope will conduce best to the effecting of your worke and direct our labours to an end To enter into a particular disquisition of the writings of Divines I feare it will involve us in a Labyrinth that we shall hardly get out and perchance hinder that way and darken that path in which we must tread before wee know what other men declared It is necessary we presently lay downe what is the truth and as I presume we come not hither now to dispute of Religion farre be it from the thought of the Church that hath thus long confessed it now to dispute it Shall posteritie thinke that we have enjoyed our Religion fourescore yeares almost and are now doubtfull of the sence God forbid It may be Sir and out of some thing lately delivered I have not unnecessarily collected that there is a jealousie conceived as if we meant to deale in matter of Faith it is our profession this is not to be disputed neither will that truth be receded from this long time held nor is that Truth decayed it is confirmed by Parliament because it was Truth And as this Sir before I shall come to deliver my selfe more particularly give
done it will be time to take into consideration the breakers and oftendors against this rule in the next place But before we have laid downe that our worke will be in vaine therefore first to lay downe the proposition wherein we differ from the Arminians and in that I shall be ready to deliver my opinion and this is my humble motion It was ordered that a Committee should be appointed to pen an answer to his Majesties messages and to shew him that it is their resolutions to give him all expedition in his service and that they hold it not onely fit to give him thankes but rather to shew what perills we are in and that Tonnage and Poundage is their owne gift and it is to arise from themselves and that they entend not to enter into any thing that belongs not to them Thursday the 29. of Ianuary The former part of the day was spent in debating of the transportation of Corne and Victuals into Spaine and it was ordered that a message should be sent to his Majestie That it is now evident that divers Ships are bound for Spaine and to desire a stay of them after the House sate at a Committee about Religion After long debate it was resolved by the Commons House of Parliament concerning Religion as followeth That We the Commons now in Parliament assembled claime professe and avow for the Truth the sence of the Articles of Religion which were established in Parliament in the 13. yeare of our late Queen Elizabeth which by the publique Acts of the Church of England and by the generall and current Exposition of the Writers of our Church have beene delivered to us as we erect the sence of the Articles of Religion which were established in Parliament in the thirteenth yeare of our late Queene Elizabeth which by the publique Acts of the Church of England and by the generall and current Exposition of the Writers of our Church have beene delivered to us and we reject the sence of the Jesuites and Arminians and all other wherein they differ from us The House received an answer from his Majestie touching the Ships which was that he would consider of it and send them word in due time Friday the 30. of Ianuary A Committee of the Lower House went to the King in the Privy Chamber with the Petition of the â—ast and the Archbishop of Yorke after hee had made a short Speech presented it to his Majestie in the name of both Houses The Petition of both Houses for the Fast. Most Gratious Soveraigne It is the hearty and very earnest desire of us your most dutifull and loyall Subjects the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled that this our meeting be abundantly blessed with all happy successe in the great and urgent affaires of Church and State upon which we are to consult and that by a cleare understanding both of your Majesties goodnesse to us and of our ever faithfull and loyall hearts to your Person and service all feare and distractions which are apparant signes of Gods displeasure and of ensuing mischiefe being removed there may be this Session and for ever be a perfect and most happy union and agreement between your Majesty and all the estates of your Realme but humbly acknowledging that this nor any other blessing can be expected without the favour of Almighty God upon the observation of the continued and encreasing miseries of the reformed Churches abroad whose cases with bleeding hearts we compassionate as likewise of those punishments already inflicted and which are likely in great measure to fall upon our selves We have just cause to conceive that the Divine Majesty is for our sinnes exceedingly offended with us We doe in these and all other pious respects Most Deare Soveraigne humbly beseech your Majestie that by your Royall commandement not onely our selves but all the people of your Kingdomes may be speedily enjoyned upon some certaine day by your Majestie prefixed by publique Fasting and Prayer to seeke reconciliation at the hands of Almignty God so that the Prayers of your whole Kingdome joyned with your Majesties most Princely care and the faithfull and hearty endeavours of this great Councell now assembled may procure glory to Almighty God in the preservation of his true Religion much honour to your Majestie prosperitie to your people and comfort to all your Majesties friends and Allyes The Kings Answer to the Petition for the East My Lords and Gentlemen The chiefest motive of your Fast being the deplorable estate of the reformed Churches abroad is too true and our duties are so much as in us lyeth to give them all possible helpe but certainly fighting will doe them much more good then fasting though I doe not wholly disallow of the latter yet I must tell you that the customes of Fasts every Session is but lately begun And I confesse I am not fully satisfied with the necessitie of it at this time yet to shew you how smoothly I desire your businesse to goe on eschewing as much as I can Questions or I doe willingly graunt your requests herein but with this note that I expect that shall not hereafter be brought into president for frequent Fasts except upon great occasions As for the forme and time I will advise with my Lords the Bishops and then send you a particular answer to both Houses The Declaration of the Commons Most Gratious Soveraigne We have within these three dayes received from your Majestie a message putting us in minde of our present entring upon the present consideration of a grant of Tonnage and Poundage but the manner of the possessing the House therewith being disagreeable to our orders and priviledges so that we could not proceed therein and finding our selves in your Majesties name pressed in that businesse and that we should give precedencie thereunto we cannot but expresse some sence of sorrow fearing least the most hearty and forward affections wherewith we desire to serve your Majestie are not clearely represented unto you besides such is the sollicitous care we have of preserving our selves in your Majesties most gratious and good opinion that it cannot breed but much trouble in us when ever we finde our selves as now we are enforced to spend that time in making our humble Apologies from whence doe usually arise long debates which we conceive might be very profitably applyed in the great services of your Majesty and the Common-wealth which we did with all humble diligence apply our selves unto and finding the extreame dangers wherewith our Religion is threatned clearely presenting themselves to our thoughts and considerations we thinke we cannot without impiety to God disloyaltie to your Majesty and unthankfullnesse to those from whom we are put in trust retarde our proceedings untill something be done to secure us in this maine point we preferre our lives and all earthly things whatsoever And here we doe with all humble thankfullnesse acknowledge your most pious care and Princely intentions to
and there delivered to the Printer divers papers with divers hands to them and on the back side was endorsed these words We will and command you that these Coppies be printed Friday the 23. of Ianuary His Majestie sent the House a message to this effect That he willed them to cease from further debate of Tonnage and Poundage till the next day in the afternoone and that he would speake with them in the Banquetting House at White Hall Saterday the 24. of Ianuary The Kings Speech My Lords and Gentlemen The care I have to remove all obstacles that may hinder the correspondencie betwixt me and this Parliament is the cause that I have called you hither at this time the particular occasion being a complaint made in the Lower House And as for you my Lords I am glad to take this and all other occasions whereby you may clearely understand both my words and actions For as you are nearer in degree so you are the fittest witnesses for Kings The complaint I speake of is for staying mens goods that denied Tonnage and Poundage this may have an easie and short conclusion if my words and actions be rightly understood for by passing of the Bill as my Ancestors have had it my past Actions will be included and my future authorized which certaintie would not have beene struck at if men had not imagined that I have taken these duties as appertaining to my Hereditary Prerogative in which they are much deceived For it ever was and still is my meaning by the guift of my people to enjoy it And my intention of my Speech at the ending of the Session concerning this point was not to challenge Tonnage and Poundage as of right but De bene esse shewing you the necessitie not the right by which I was to take it untill you had granted it unto me assuring my selfe according to your generall professions that you wanted time not will to give it me Wherefore now having opportunitie I expect that without losse of time ye make good your professions and by passing of the Bill to give an end to all the Questions arising from this subject especially since I have cleared the onely scruple that can trouble you in the businesse To conclude let us not be jealous of one anothers actions for if I had beene easily moved at every occasion the Order made on Wednesday last might have made me startle there being some shew to suspect that you had given your selves the liberty to be inquirers after Complaints the words of your Order being some what largely penned but looking into your actions I finde you are onely complainers not seeking complaints for I am certaine you neither pretend nor desire the liberty to be Inquisitors of mens Actions before particular complaints be made This I have spoken to shew you how slow I am to beleeve harshly of your proceedings likewise I assure you that the Houses resolutions not particular mens Speeches shall make me judge well or ill not doubting but according to my example you will be deafe to ill reports concerning me till my words and actions speake for themselves That this Session beginning with confidence one towards another may end with a perfect good understanding betweene us which God grant Monday the 26. of Ianuary M. Walter did informe the House that there were divers Shippes laden with Corne for Spaine Hereupon a Committee was appointed to enquire about the Trading into Spaine and other enemies and transporting Corne and other Munition thither It is also ordered that some of the Privie Councell should presently move the King about the stay of the Shippes Then after M. Secretarie Cooke moved that the Bill of Tonnage and Poundage might be read and after some debate it was diverted and they fell upon point of Religion M. Rowse concerning Religion Master Speaker We have of late entred into the consideration of the Petition of Right and the violation of it and upon good reasons for it concernes Goods Liberties and Lawes but there is Right of a higher nature that preserves for us farre greater things eternall life our selves yea our God himselfe Right of Religion derived to us from King of Kings conferred upon us by the King of this Kingdome enacted by Lawes in this place streaming downe upon us in the bloud of Martyrs that witnesses from Heaven by miracles even miraculous Deliverances And this Right in the name of this Nation I this day claime and desire that there may be a deepe and serious consideration of the violations of it I desire first that it may be considered what new paintings are laid upon the old face of the Whore of Babylon to make her more lovely and to draw so many Suitors unto her I desire that it may be considered how the See of Rome doth eate into our Religion and fret into the Walles and Bankes of the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme especially since those Lawes have beene made in a manner by themselves and by their owne treasons and bloudy designes And since their Popery is a confused masse of errours casting downe Kings before Popes the precepts of God before the traditions of men living and reasonable men before dead and sencelesse stockes and stones I desire that we consider the increase of Arminianisme an errour that makes the grace of God lacquey it after the will of man that makes the sheep to keepe the Shepheard and makes a Mortall seed an Immortall God I desire we may looke into the very belly and bowels of this Trojane Horse to see if there be not men in it ready to open the gate of Romish Tyranny and Spanish Monarchy for an Arminian is the spawne of a Papist and if there come the warmth of favour upon him you shall see him turne to one of those Frogges that rise out of the bottomlesse pit And if you marke it well you shall see an Arminian reaching out his hand to a Papist a Papist to a Jesuite a Jesuite gives one hand to the Pope and another to the King of Spaine and these men having kindled a flame in our neighbour Countrey have brought over some of it hither to set on flame this Kingdome also Yea let us further search and consider whether these be not the men that breake upon the Goods and Liberties of this Common-wealth for by this meanes they make way for the taking away of our Religion It was an old tricke of the Devill when he meant to take away Iobs Religion he began at his goods Lay thine hand on all and he will curse thee to thy face either they think thereby to set a distaste between Prince and people or to finde some other way of supply to avoid or breake Parliaments that so they may breake in upon our Religion and bring in their owne errors But let us doe as Iob did he held fast his Religion and then his goods came againe with advantage and if we hold fast God and his Religion these things shall be
of the Church He was a Batchelour of Divinity I would know how hee came to be a Bishop two men are named in the last Remonstrance that are Privie Counsellours and it is very probable that these Ecclesiasticall Officers did give that advice to his Majestie Sir Humphrey May. I will let you know what I am privy unto It is true those two were named in the Remonstrance This point was pressed before the King and his Councell The King doth utterly dislike those Novellours then were these Bishops with teares in their eyes present and protested they hated those opinions and the Questions and they renounced them upon their knees Sir Iames Parrat It is said that these two Bishops were before the Councell and with teares did disclaime the opinions but we see their facts The Bishop of London Doctor Land did entertaine for his Chaplaine in his house one that did dispute the Arminian points who said what Arminians hold and write this I will maintaine and justifie upon my oath It was ordered that the complaint against Master Mountague should be taken into consideration and that a Committee should make search after the pardon A Petition was preferred against Cozens Master Sherland made report from the Committee about the search for the Pardons that they found Pardons sealed one to Bishop Mountague one to Cozens one to Doctor Mannering and one to Doctor Sibthorpes Sir Robert Phillippes If ever there came here businesse of like consequence I have lost my memory if ever King of England was abused in his mercy it is our King what persons are pardoned the greatest enemies to the Church and State that ever was standing under the judgement of Parliament they are pardoned betweene Parliaments If every man be not warned to search this into the bottome I would we might never regard any thing Yee see an offendor complained of and in stead of punishment Grace the goodnesse of our King is thus abused Let a select Committee consider of it and let Master Attorney certifie what is done and by whom and I hope we shall find those originall Instruments who have mis-led his Majestie It was ordered that a sub-Committee should have power to send for the Records and the Privy Seale and other Instruments belonging to the Pardons and to send for the parties and also to send to Master Attorney about his knowledge by whose signification the Pardons were obtained which was done accordingly Sir Robert Phillippes made report that we went to Master Attorney and found him in the Starre-Chamber and acquainted him with the Message He answered that he received a command from his Majestie in the last long Vacation presently after the end of the last Session to draw a Pardon and delaying it till Michaelmas Terme he said that he met with the Bishop of Chichester who intimated unto him his Majesties favour and requested him to draw his Pardon Master Attorney said he desired him to advise whither it would be any advantage to him or no after he met with a great Lord and a Privy Counsellour the Earle of Dorset who asked him if the Pardon for the Bishop of Chichester were drawne and desired him to dispatch it After this he said the Lord Carlton sent to him a warrant under the Kings hand to command him to draw the Pardon which he did and sent it to the Bishop of Winchester who interlined it And whereas the Pardon was but for one he put in foure Montague Cozens Sibthorpe Mannering Thursday the 5. of February Anno 1628. Secretary Cooke brought the Kings Answer to the House concerning the Fast viz. That it was his Majesties pleasure that the Fast should be kept by both Houses of Parliament on the eighteenth day of this instant February and for the whole Kingdome the 20. of March Friday the 6. of February Anno 1628. One Witherington was petitioned against who had formerly beene examined before the Lords of the Councell for depraving our Religion oftentimes calling the Protestants Heretiques wishing that an hundred of their throats were cut And to one that was a Papist and lately turned to our Religion he said he would be hanged and otherwise disgraced him It was ordered that he should be sent for The House being informed about two dayes agoe that a little before Cozens obtained his Pardon he was accused to Master Attorney by two witnesses for speaking words against the King and sent to Master Attorney about it Sir Robert Phillippes and others were appointed to examine this businesse whereupon report was made to the House by Sir Robert Phillippes as followeth Sir Robert Phillippes My part is to give accompt about the affidavits against Cozens and the diversion of the cause against him in the Starre-Chamber Master Attorney said that one Master Heath of Graies Inne came to him about Michaelmas Terme and affirmed that Cozens in a publique meeting said that the King had nothing to doe to be Head of the Church and that he had no more power to excommunicate then his servant that rubbed his horses heeles the Attorney acquainted his Majestie with it but his Majestie was not willing to beleeve that any man would dare say so much but that the compliant did arise from malice but hee charged the Attorney to make a carefull disquilition of it and if it were strongly proved that then hee should repaire to his Majestie Master Attorney did againe enquire after this businesse and said to Master Heath the matter is found and very improbable there is some mistake in it hereupon there were two Affidavits taken and they did sweare it point blancke Yet Master Attorney sent his Letters to Master Deane and others that were present when the words were spoken to require them to certifie whether the words were spoken or no upon that Certificate there was some variance about the words and thereby the businesse was lessened and being demanded if he had directions from any to desist he said no But casually he met with the Bishop of Winchester and hee told him of the complaint The Bishop said it will be nothing For King one of them that made the Affidavit is but a baggage fellow Sir Iohn Elliott It was our honour and duty not to passe these things over too sleightly I finde the Kings Honour and his Right is in question which we are all sworne to If I mistake not it is high Treason and that proved upon oath and presented to the Attorney His Majestie was acquainted with it who gave command to examine it and the Attorney was to certifie his Majestie In ordinary Felonies the Law doth not allow oathes contrary to the proceedings for the King here against two Affidavits a Letter and a Certificate must dath them all The Attorney informed the Bishop of Winchester with it who said that hee heard of such a complaint against Iacke Cozens but it was upon malice Let the persons that made these affidavits be sent for and let Master Attorney be sent for to answer why