JII.

apart, distinctly by name required to understand their opin- BOOK ions therein; they all (saving one, which was the abbot of Westminster, having some more consideration of order, and his duty of obedience, than the other) utterly and plainly denied to have their book read, some of them as more earnestly than other some, so also some others more indiscreetly and irreverently than others.

Whereupon giving such example of disorders, stubbornness, and self-will, as hath not been seen and suffered in such an honourable assembly, being of the two estates of this realm, the nobilities and commons, besides the persons of the queen's majesty's most honourable privy council, the same assembly was dismissed, and the godly and most Christian purpose of the queen's majesty made frustrate: and afterwards, for the contempt so notoriously made, the bishops of Winchester and Lincoln, who have most obstinately disobeyed both common authority, and varied manifestly from their own order; specially Lincoln, who shewed more folly than the other, were condignly committed to the Tower of London; and the rest, saving the abbot of Westminster, stand bound to make daily their personal appearance before the council, and not to depart the city of London and Westminster, until further order be taken with them for their disobedience and contempt.

An address made by some bishops and divines, to queen
Elizabeth, against the use of images.

To the queen's most excellent majesty.

We knowing your gracious clemency, and considering the necessity of the matter that we have to move, the one doth encourage us, and the other compel us (as before) to

II.

PART make our humble petition unto your highness, and to renew our former suit, not in any respect of self-will, stoutness, or striving against your majesty, (God we take to witness ;) for with David, we confess that we are but as canes mortui, aut pulices, in comparison. But we do it only for that fear and reverence which we bear to the majesty of Almighty God, in whose hands to fall, 'tis terrible; for it lieth in his power to destroy for ever, and to cast both body and soul into hell fire. And lest in giving just offence to the little ones, in setting a trap of errors for the ignorant, and digging a pit for the blind to fall into, we should not only be guilty of the blood of our brethren, and deserve the wrathful Væ, and vengeance of God, but also procure, to our reclaiming consciences, the biting worm, that never dieth, for our endless confusion. For in what thing soever we may serve your excellent majesty, not offending the divine majesty of God, we shall, with all humble obedience, be most ready thereunto, if it be even to the loss of our life; for so God commandeth of us, duty requireth of us, and we with all conformity have put in proof. And as God, through your gracious government, hath delivered unto us innumerable benefits, which we most humbly acknowledg, and with due reverence daily give him thanks: so we do not doubt, but that of his mercy he will happily finish in your majesty that good work, which of his free favour he hath most graciously begun; that following the examples of the godly princes which have gone before, you may clearly purge the polluted church, and remove all occasions of evil. And for so much as we have heretofore, at sundry times, made petition to your majesty concerning the matter of images, but at no time exhibited any reasons for the removing of the same. Now, lest we should seem to say much, and prove little, to alleage consciences without the warrant of God, and unreasonably require that, for the which we can give no reason, we have at this time put in writing, and do most humbly exhibit to your gracious consideration, those authorities of the scriptures, reasons, and pithy persuasions, which as they have moved all such our brethren, as now bear the office of

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bishops, to think and affirm images not expedient for the BOOK church of Christ; so will they not suffer us, without the great offending of God, and grievous wounding of our own consciences, (which God deliver us from) to consent to the erecting or retaining of the same in the place of worshipping; and we trust, and most earnestly ask it of God, that they may also persuade your majesty, by your regal authority, and in the zeal of God, utterly to remove this offensive evil out of the church of England, to God's great glory, and our great comfort.

Here follow the reasons against them, of which I have given a full abstract in the History, and therefore do not set them down here, for they are very large. The address concludes in these words.

Having thus declared unto your highness a few causes of many, which do move our consciences in this matter, we beseech your highness, most humbly, not to strain us any further, but to consider that God's word doth threaten a terrible judgment unto us, if we, being pastors and ministers in his church, should assent unto the thing, which in our learning and conscience we are persuaded doth tend to the confirmation of error, superstition, and idolatry; and finally, Heb. 13. to the ruine of the souls committed to our charge, for the Pet. 5. which we must give an account to the Prince of pastors at the last day. We pray your majesty also, not to be offended with this our plainness and liberty, which all good and Christian princes have ever taken in good part at the hands of godly bishops.

I

St. Ambrose, writing to Theodosius the emperor, useth these words; Sed neque imperiale est libertatem dicendi ne- Epist. lib. 5. gare, neque sacerdotale quod sentiat non dicere.

Epist. 29.

And again; In causa vero Dei quem audies, si sacerdotem Epist. 29. non audies, cujus majore peccatur periculo? Quis tibi verum

audebit dicere, si sacerdos non audeat?

These, and such-like speeches of St. Ambrose, Theodosius, and Valentinianus, the emperors did take in good part; and we doubt not, but your grace will do the like, of

PART whose, not only clemency, but also beneficence, we have largely tasted.

II.

We beseech your majesty also, in these and such-like controversies of religion, to refer the discusement, and deciding of them, to a synod of the bishops, and other godly learned men, according to the example of Constantinus Magnus, and other Christian emperors, that the reasons of both parties being examined by them, the judgment may be given uprightly in all doubtful matters.

And to return to this present matter; we most humbly beseech your majesty to consider, that besides weighty causes in policy, which we leave to the wisdom of the honourable counsellors, the establishing of images by your authority shall not only utterly discredit our ministeries, as builders of the thing which we have destroyed, but also blemish the fame of your most godly brother, and such notable fathers as have given their lives for the testimony of God's truth, who by publick law removed all images.

The Almighty and everliving God plentifully endue your majesty with his Spirit and heavenly wisdom; and long preserve your most gracious reign, and prosperous government over us, to the advancement of his glory, to the overthrow of superstition, and to the benefit and comfort of all your highnesses loving subjects. Amen.

Number 7.

The queen's commissions to the visitors that were sent to the northern parts.

ELIZABETHA Dei gratia Angliæ, Franciæ, et Hiberniæ regina, fidei defensor, &c. charissimis, consanguineis et consiliariis nostris Francisco comiti Salop. domino præsidenti consilii nostri in partibus borealibus, et Edwardo comiti de Darbia, ac charissimo consanguineo nostro Thomæ comiti Northumb. domino guardiano sive custodi marchiarum nostrarum de le east march, et middle march versus Scotiam, ac perdilecto et fideli nostro Willielmo domino Evers, ac etiam di

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lectis et fidelibus nostris Henrico Piercy, Thomæ Gargrave, BOOK Jacobo Crofts et Henrico Gates militibus, necnon dilectis, nobis Edwino Sandys sacræ theologiæ professori, Henrico Harvy legum doctori, Richardo Bowes, Georgio Brown, Christophero Estcot, et Richardo Kingsmell, armigeris, salutem. Quoniam Deus populum suum Anglicanum imperio nostro subjecit, cujus regalis suscepti muneris rationem perfecte reddere non possumus, nisi veram religionem et sincerum numinis divini cultum in omnibus regni nostri partibus propagaverimus: nos igitur regalis et absolutæ potestatis nostræ, nobis in hoc regno nostro commissæ, respectu, quoniam utrumq; regni nostri statum, tam ecclesiasticum, quam laicum visitare, et certas pietatis ac virtutis regulas illis præscribere constituimus, præfatum Franciscum comitem Salop. Edwardum comitem de Darbia, Thomam comitem Northumb. Willielmum dominum Evers, Henricum Piercy, Thomam Gargrave, Jacobum Crofts, Henricum Gates, milites; Edwinum Sandys, Henricum Harvy, Georgium Brown, Christophorum Estcot, Richardum Bowes, et Richardum Kingsmell armigeros, ad infrascriptum vice, nomine, et authoritate nostris exequendum, vos quatuor, tres aut duo vestrum ad minimum deputavimus, et substituimus ad visitandum igitur, tam in capite, quam in membris ecclesias cathædrales, civitates et dioceses Eboracen. Cestrens, Dunelmen. et Carlionen. necnon quascunque alias collegiatas, parochiales et præbendales ecclesias, ac loca alia ecclesiastica quæcunque, tam exempta, quam non exempta in et per easdem civitates et dioceses visibiliter constitutas, clerumq; et populum earundem in eisdem degentes sive residentes; deque statu ecclesiarum et locorum hujusmodi, necnon vita, moribus et conversatione, ac etiam qualitatibus personarum in ecclesiis et locis prædictis degentium, sive commorantium modis omnibus, quibus id melius aut efficacius poteritis inquirendum et investigandum: criminosos, ac susceptæ religioni subscribere obstinate et peremptorie recusantes, vel quocunque alio modo delinquentes; atq; culpabiles condignis pænis, etiam usq; ad beneficiorum, dignitatum, sive officiorum suorum privationem, fructuum vel red