1641.

the Ro

As in all compounded bodies the operations are qualified according to the predominant element, so in this mixed Wherein party, the Jesuited counsels, being most active and prevailing, manists may easily be discovered to have had the greatest sway in all have been chiefly their determinations, and if they be not prevented, are likely conspicuto devour the rest, or to turn them into their own nature. ous, having recently In the beginning of his majesty's reign the party began to increased. revive and flourish again, having been somewhat damped by the breach with Spain in the last year of King James, and by his majesty's marriage with France; the interests and counsels of that State being not so contrary to the good of religion and the prosperity of this kingdom as those of Spain; and the Papists of England, having been ever more addicted to Spain than France, yet they still retained a purpose and resolution to weaken the Protestant parties in all parts, and even in France, whereby to make way for the change of religion which they intended at home.

[A selection from the various articles follows.]

towards

51. The bishops and the rest of the clergy did triumph Tyranny in the suspensions, excommunications, deprivations, and pious degradations of divers painful, learned, and pious ministers, ministers. in the vexation and grievous oppressions of great numbers of his majesty's good subjects.

mission

52. The High Commission grew to such excess of sharp- Cruelty of ness and severity as was not much less than the Romish High ComInquisition, and yet in many cases by the archbishop's Court. power was made much more heavy, being assisted and strengthened by authority of the council table.

Church

53. The bishops and their courts were as eager in the Rigour of country, although their jurisdiction could not reach so courts. high in rigour and extremity of punishment, yet were they no less grievous in respect of the generality and multiplicity of vexations, which lighting upon the meaner

1641.

Consequent voluntary

exile,

and injury to trade.

Unfit persons preferred.

sermons

sort of tradesmen and artificers did impoverish many thousands,

54. And so afflict and trouble others, that great numbers, to avoid their miseries, departed out of the kingdom, some into New England and other parts of America, others into Holland,

55. Where they have transported their manufactures of cloth, which is not only a loss by diminishing the present stock of the kingdom, but a great mischief by impairing and endangering the loss of that particular trade of clothing, which hath been a plentiful fountain of wealth and honour to this nation.

56. Those were fittest for ecclesiastical preferment, and soonest obtained it, who were most officious in promoting superstition, most virulent in railing against godliness and honesty.

Absolutist 57. The most public and solemn sermons before his majesty were either to advance prerogative above law, and decry the property of the subject, or full of such kind of invectives;

preached.

Good ma

gistrates silenced.

Free debate gagged.

Oppo

nents discountenanced.

58. Whereby they might make those odious who sought to maintain the religion, laws, and liberties of the kingdom. And such men were sure to be weeded out of the commission of the peace, and out of all other employments of power in the government of the country.

59. Many noble personages were councillors in name, but the power and authority remained in a few of such as were most addicted to this party, whose resolutions and determinations were brought to the table for countenance and execution, and not for debate and deliberation, and no man could offer to oppose them without disgrace and hazard to himself.

60. Nay, all those that did not wholly concur and actively contribute to the furtherance of their designs, though otherwise persons of never so great honour and abilities, were so

far from being employed in any place of trust and power, that they were neglected, discountenanced, and upon all occasions injured and oppressed.

1641.

means still

61-64. This faction was grown to that height and entire- Further ness of power, that now they began to think of finishing in view. their work, which consisted of these three parts:—

(1). The Government must be set free from all restraint of laws concerning our persons and estates.

(2). There must be a conjunction betwixt Papists and Protestants in doctrine, discipline, and ceremonies: only it must not yet be called popery.

(3). The Puritans, under which name they include all those that desire to preserve the laws and liberties of the kingdom, and to maintain religion in the power of it, must be either rooted out of the kingdom with force, or driven out with fear.

Roman

65. For the effecting of this it was thought necessary to Scotland. reduce Scotland to such popish superstitions and innova- ized, tions as might make them apt to join with England in that great change which was intended.

coerced.

66. Whereupon new canons and a new liturgy were and pressed upon them, and when they refused to admit of them, an army was raised to force them to it, towards which the clergy and the papists were very forward in their contributions. . .

...

85. The archbishop and the other bishops and clergy Convocacontinued the Convocation, and by a new commission tion illegally conturned it into a provincial Synod, in which by an unheard- tinued. of presumption, they made canons that contain in them many matters contrary to the king's prerogative, to the fundamental laws and statutes of the realm, to the right of parliaments, to the property and liberty of the subject, and matters tending to sedition and of dangerous consequence, thereby establishing their own usurpations, justifying their altar-worship, and those other superstitious

1641.

Its illegal

oath and

innovations which they formerly introduced without warrant of law.

86. They imposed a new oath upon divers of his other majesty's subjects, both ecclesiastical and lay, for mainmeasures. tenance of their own tyranny, and laid a great tax upon the clergy, for supply of his majesty; and generally they showed themselves very affectionate to the war with Scotland, which was by some of them styled Bellum Episcopale; and a prayer composed and enjoined to be read in all churches, calling the Scots rebels, to put the two nations in blood and make them irreconcileable.

Penalties

87. All those pretended canons and constitutions were proposed. armed with the several censures of suspension, excommunication, deprivation, by which they would have thrust out all the good ministers, and most of the well-affected people of the kingdom, and left an easy passage to their own design of reconciliation with Rome.

Romanists tolerated, and

88. The popish party enjoyed such exemptions from penal laws as amounted to a toleration, besides many other abetted in encouragements and court favours.

various

ways.

89. They had a Secretary of State, Sir Francis Windebanck, a powerful agent for speeding all their desires.

90. A pope's nuncio residing here, to act and govern them according to such influences as he received from Rome, and to intercede for them with the most powerful concurrence of the foreign princes of that religion.

91. By his authority the papists of all sorts, nobility, gentry, and clergy were convocated after the manner of a parliament.

92. New jurisdictions were erected of Romish archbishops, taxes levied, another state moulded within this state independent in government, contrary in interest and affection, secretly corrupting the ignorant or negligent professors of our religion, and closely uniting and combining themselves against such as were found in this posture,

waiting for an opportunity by force to destroy those whom they could not hope to seduce.

93. For the effecting whereof they were strengthened with arms and munitions, encouraged by superstitious prayers, enjoined by the nuncio, to be weekly made for the prosperity of some great design.

94. And such power had they at court, that secretly a commission was issued out, or intended to be issued to some great men of that profession, for the levying of soldiers, and to command and employ them according to private instructions, which we doubt were framed for the advantage of those who were the contrivers of them. . . .

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all this a

184. We confess our intention is, and our endeavours In view of have been, to reduce within bounds that exorbitant power reduction which the prelates have assumed unto themselves, so con- of episcotrary both to the word of God and to the laws of the land, pal power is desired, to which end we passed the bill for the removing them from their temporal power and employments, that so the better they might with meekness apply themselves to the discharge of their functions, which bill themselves opposed, and were the principal instruments of crossing it.

no relaxa

185. And we do here declare that it is far from our yet with purpose or desire to let loose the golden reins of discipline tion of and government in the Church, to leave private persons or discipline. particular congregations to take up what form of divine service they please, for we hold it requisite that there should be throughout the whole realm a conformity to that order which the laws enjoin according to the word of God. And we desire to unburden the consciences of men of needless and superstitious ceremonies, suppress innovations, and take away the monuments of idolatry.

186. And the better to effect the intended reformation, Wherefore we desire there may be a general synod of the most grave, Church a general pious, learned, and judicious divines of this island; assisted Synod is with some from foreign parts, professing the same religion

advisable.