СНАР.

II.

16

Articles of Inquiry in the Archdeaconry

48. Whether is there in your parish any priest or deacon that hath forsaken his holy calling, and useth himself in his course of life as a gentleman or mere layman?

THE

SUM AND SUBSTANCE

OF THE

CONFERENCES LATELY HAD AT YORK HOUSE

CONCERNING

MR. MOUNTAGUE'S BOOKS,

WHICH IT PLEASED THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM TO APPOINT, AND WITH DIVERS OTHER HONOURABLE PERSONS TO HEAR,

AT THE SPECIAL AND EARNEST REQUEST OF THE

EARL OF WARWICK AND THE LORD SAYa.

THE

SUM AND SUBSTANCE,

&c.

THE FIRST DAY'S CONFERENCE.

THE day first appointed by the duke of Buckingham was Thursday the ninth of February, on which the dean of Carlisle and Mr. Mountague were suddenly sent for, came and attended at York House, and after two or three hours' expectation, it pleased the duke's grace to signify unto them that the lords who desired the conference, and the opposers, (who were hereafter to be brought forth, but as yet concealed even from himself,) being either not ready with their objections, or not at leisure for other occasions, had failed both himself and them for that day; and so wishing them to attend no more until further and more certain notice were given unto them, they went their way.

All the day following Mr. Mountague still attended in London, expecting when he should be called, but as yet no message came; and therefore he resolved to go and despatch some serious business the next day at Windsor, and to return upon the Monday morning after, which, as he thought, would be the soonest time that was now likely to be assigned for any conference".

Yet upon the next day, which was Saturday the 11th of February, (when Mr. Mountague was but newly gone out of

Francis White, afterwards Bishop having some extraordinary and urgent of Carlisle.

c' deceived.' Orig.

d'And therefore that they should attend no more until he sent some more certain and more special message unto them for that purpose.' Orig. The next day Mr. Mountague,

business to despatch at Windsor, he gets him thither, expecting no conference till the week after, at soonest, and yet in the mean while taking order with Mr. Cosin, that if need were, he might be speedily sent for to London again.' Orig.

I.

CONF. town,) were both he and the dean sent for again, and wished to be ready at York House, by two of the clock after noon. The dean of Carlisle (finding Mr. Mountague gone) was desirous, as he came along by Durham House, to have Mr. Cosin with him to the conference, and together they went at the time assigned, from whence Mr. Cosin was immediately sent by the duke for my lord of Rochester, and instantly returned back with him again.

At their entrance into the chamber they found there the duke of Buckingham, the earl of Pembroke*, the earl of Carlisle +, together with the earl of Warwick, the Lord Say', Secretary Cook, and the bishop of Lichfield, who was the man that appeared as one of the accusers of Mr. Mountague's books". After a few salutations passed, the doors were commanded to be shut, and the lords, &c. desired by the duke to order and place themselves at the table; where the bishop of Lichfield, preventing all others?, began his speech, and said, that in all humble wise he should crave of his Grace, and the rest of the honourable assembly, not to conceive of his appearing that day against Mr. Mountague' to be other than what he was forced unto out of a sincere love which he bare to the truth of God, and out of the zealous desire he

John Buckeridge, from 1610 to 1628.

Upon Saturday, the 11th of February, there came a message from the duke accordingly; and Mr. Mountague, who had expected all Friday, being but newly gone forth of town that morning for the despatch of some urgent business at Windsor the same day, the dean of Carlisle was desirous to have Mr. Cosin along with him to the conference, and so they went together unto York House, where, in a fair inner chamber, they found certain lords with the duke, and the bishop of Lichfield standing by the Lord Say, from whence Mr. Cosin was immediately sent by the duke for my lord of Rochester, the rather because the bishop of Lichfield was the man that appeared to be Mr. Mountague's

accuser.

'As soon as the bishop of Rochester was come, and instantly,' &c. Orig.

h William Herbert, earl of Pembroke, was Chancellor of the University

of Oxford, and Chamberlain to the King. Dugd. Baron. ii. 260. Lord Chamberlain.' Orig.

James Hay, earl of Carlisle, gentleman of the robes to James I., and gentleman of the bedchamber to Charles I. Dugdale's Baronage, ii. 428. +And Secretary Cook.' Orig.

* Robert Rich, earl of Warwick. Dugd. Bar. ii. 388.

Richard Fiennes, Lord Say and Sele, Dugd. Bar. ii. 247.

m Thomas Morton, bishop of Lichfield from 1618 to 1632, when he became bishop of Durham.