[Page] XVI. NEW QVÆRES Proposed to our Lord PRÆLATES.

Printed in the Yeare M. D. CXXXVII.

To our Holy Ghostly Fathers, the Lord Praeliglates of England M. E. sendeth greeting.

MY Lords temporall farre more then spirituall, I have heard you oft cracke exceedingly, on your owne dung-hills, both of your great learning, and likewise of your arch-love and loyaltie (yet invisible) to his Majestie and his prerogatives Royall, as if hee could not be a King unlesse you were Lord Bishops: I shall therefore not challendge, but beseech your Holynes, to give a reall demonstration to the world, both of your profound learning, and pretended peerlesse zeale and duetifullnes to his Majestie, in publishing a speedy full; and satisfactory answer to these fewe Questions here propounded to you of purpose to resolve them. Your Lordlynesses have had above halfe a yeares time (allmost half as much space as most of you take to penn or conne your annuall or bieniall Sermons, and yet cannot get them perfect into your heads or hearts, into which they seldome sinke, but onely into your Bookes:) and yet have given no resolution to them, as people exspected you should or would have done: which makes many suspect, they have put you to a Non plus; either therefore answer them now, at this second Somony and publication, or els I and thousands more shall proclaime to all the world, you cannot doe it, and so are open enemies to his Majestie, his Imperiall Crowne, Lawes, Subjects, and in severall premunires, for all you beare your heads so high, like petty Kings and Popes: Yea I dare pronounce you perjured to his Majestie in the highest degree, by infringing your oathes of Supremacie, so oft reiterated: And as you are the first men inioyned to take this oath, by the Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 1. because the likelyest of all others to violate it, so you are more guilty of the frequent, open, and professed violation thereof, then all other his [Page] Majesties subjects put together, who seldome infringe this oath, but either by your coaction or occasioning of them, by force or flatery to breake it, be sure you now give a fatherly satisfactory compleat answer to them with speed, at your utmost perills, and lay all other worldly imployments and affaires aside (as you have layed preaching by, long agoe) till you have done it, els these. Quaeligres will proove fatall to your Popedomes, Episcopalities, Consistories, Visitations, and elegall Ecclesiasticall Iurisdictions, and proceedings, and so I commit you to your studies for the present, as you (no doubt in imitation of your Saviour Christ and his Apostles, who had not any Pursevaunts, Iay­lors, Messengers, and Catch-poales, attending at their heeles upon every oc­casion, and many Jaoles and Prisons, to commit poore Christians and Mini­sters too at their pleasure, as your Lordships their Successors now have, though wee read not of them in any Author) commit others to your prisons and dungeons, and would doe me no doubt, if you could catch me napping, as Mose did his Mare, even for presuming to propound these questions to you in the behalf of my Soveraigne and Countrey.

M. E.

16. New Quaeligres proposed to our Lord Praeliglates.

I.

QUO IURE: Can our Arch-Bishops, Bi­shops, and their Officialls graunt Lycenses, for mo­ney, to any of his Majesties Subjects to marry with­out asking Banes, it being directly contrary to the Statutes of 2. & 3. Ed. 6. c. 21. 5. & 6. Ed. 6. c. 12. And to the Rubricke before the forme of solemnization of Matrimony in the Common-prayer booke, confirmed by Parliament, 1. Eliz. c. 2. which prescribes thus: First that the Banes must be asked three severall Sundayes or Holy-dayes in the time of service, the people being present, after the accustomed manner; and if the persons that should be marryed dwell in divers Parishes, the Banes must be asked in both Parishes, and the Curate of the one Parish shall not solemnize Matrimony, betweene them, without a Certificate of the Banes being thrice asked from the Curate of the other Parish.

Whether if Marriage be a Sacrament (as the Papists hold, who yet deny it, as an unholy-thing, to all their holy Cleargie-men, and religious persons, a strange contradiction) or an Ecclesiasticall thing, as our Praelig­lates deeme it (though common to pagans, and some kind of fowles and beasts, and so truely civill and naturall, rather then Ecclesiasticall, if it be not See Sum­ma Angeli­ca & Sum­ma Rosella tit. Simonia. Symony in them to sell Licenses, and take money for Marriages, and whether his Majestie, who can onely dispence with Lawes, and this Ru­bricke in the Common-prayer Booke, it being a chiefe branch of his Pre­rogative Royall) may not justly call all our Praeliglates, and their Officers to an account for all the money taken for such Licenses (and also for Ly­censes [Page 2] to marry in prohibited times, as they terme them, as meere oppres­sions and device to get money, there being no Law of the Realme nor Canon of our Church, prohibiting marriages in those or any other sea­sons whatsoever, which are alwayes free and lawfull for marriages, as­wel as for Christnings and Burialls &c.) from 21. Iacob. till now (which money amounts at least to 40000. p. or more) they having no right or title to it by any Law or Patent extant?

II.

By what Law can our Praeliglates (as now they begin to doe) conse­crate Churches, Chapples, or Church-yards, as if they were unholy and common places before, unfit to be prayed in: contrary to Acts 10. 14. 15. 1. Tim. 2. 8. Iohn 4. 20. to 25. contrary to the practise of Christ and his Apostles, who consecrated no Churches or Church-yards, and gave no such commission to Bishops or any others to doe it, but men together in private houses, and unconsecrated places to receive the Sa­craments and preach Gods word, Acts 2. 46. c. 5. 42. c. 20. 7. 8. 9. c. 18. 7. 11. c. 19. 9. 10. c. 28. 30. 31. Rom. 16. 5. 1. Cor. 16. 19. Col. 4. 15. Philem. 2. Marke 14. 12. to 27. Luke 22. 16. to 24. contrary to the practise of the primitive Christians for above 300. yeares after Christ (as the third part of the Homilie against the perill of Idolatry p. 66. 67. re­solves.) Contrary to the Statute of 15. R. 2. c. 5. which adjudgeth it Mortmaine, and contrary to the Statute of 3. and 4. Ed. 6. c. 10. 1. Eliz. c. 2. 8. Eliz. c. 1. which abolisheth and inhibites all other Rites, Ceremonies and formes of consecration (with all Popish Ceremonies and Pontificalls, wherein the manner of consecrating Churches, Chappells, and Church-yards is prescribed) but such as are onely prescribed in the Bookes of Com­mon-prayer and ordination, in which there is not one syllable of con­secrating Churches, Chappells, or Church-yards, or any one Statute of the Realme, or Canon of our Church since the beginning of Reforma­tion prescribing or allowing it.

If they say, that the Temple at Jerusalem was dedicated, and that the Tabernacle and Altar among the Jewes was also consecrated. Ergo our Churches, Chappells and Church-yards must be consecrated by their Lordships. I answer.

First, That the 2. Chron. 6 &c. 7. 7. Temple was consecrated by Salomon: and the Exod. 30. 22. &c. &c. 40. Ta­bernacle and Altar by Moses, the one a King, the other a temporall Ma­gistrate, [Page 3] (who consecrated Aaron alsó and bis sonnes, and ordained them Priestes) neither of them a Bishop or High-Priest, therefore if any such consecrations are to be made, the King and temporall Magistrats ought to make them, not their Lordships, as Hospinian prooves at large, de Origine Obedirationum c. 1. fol. 104. where hee concluds thus: Hoc autem authoritas antiquitus semper fuit Politici Magistratus: and that as well among the Pagans as Christians.

Secondly, They had a commaund from God for the one; but their Lordships have none for the other.

Thirdly, These Consecrations and purifyings were part of the Ceremo­niall Law; and so quite abolished by Christ, Acts 10. 14. 15. Iohn 4. 20. to 26. 1. Tim. 2. 8. Col. 2. 13. to the end. Heb. 8. and 9. therefore not now to be used.

Fourthly, The Temple, Tabernacle and Iewish Altars were conse­crated and hallowed, because Types of Christ, of which our Churches, Chappells and Church-yards are no Types.

Fiftly, The Iewes never consecrated their Synagogues (in which they had no Altars) nor yet their Burying-places, in lieu of which our Churches and Church-yards succeed: Therefore if their Lordships will imitate them, they must not consecrate Churches, Chapples or Altars, nor yet have any Altars in our Churches, much lesse take 20. 30. or 40. p. for consecrating them, as some of them have done, it being Summa Angelica & Rosella tit. Simonia & consecratio Ecclesiaelig. Si­mony in the highest degree, and nothing due by the Cannon Law but a din­ner.

III.

By what Law of the Land can our Bishops, Arch-Deacons and their visitors in their visitations take money for procurations of those Churches which they visite not in persone, or more money for procurations, then will defray their dyet and horse-meat, there being no Lindwode de Censibus & procura­tionibus, where all this is resolved. more due by their owne Canon Law, and that onely for the Churches they personally visite: Or by what Law or Canon can they take money of Ministers or Scholemasters for shewing their letters of order, or lycenses to preach, or teach schoole; or of Church-wardens and others for presentments. There being not one Lindwode ibid. & 23. Eli. c. 1. penny due by Law or Canon to them, much lesse by Patent or graunt from the King? And whether may not his Majestie lawfully call all our Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Arch-Deacons, [Page 4] and their visitors to an account for all the money and extorted Fees, thus taken by them in their visitations, and likewise in their Consisto­ries, for probate of wills and Letters of administrations, where they take twice, thrice, yea 4. or 5. times as much as the Statute of 21. H. 8. c. 5. allowes them, (which is but 5. s. at the highest, where the goods amount to 40. p. or vpwards) and punish them all in Starre-Chamber for ex­tortion (as hee hath lately done many Officers in his temporall Courts, since these their execrable extortions, taken duering his Highnes raygne, will amount at least to 100000. p. as much as the Cleargie gave to King Henry the 8. to exempt themselves from that premunire they had incurred by submitting themselves to Cardinall Woollseyds power legatine.

IV.

Quo Iure: Can any D. of the civill Law, or other Chancelor, Vicar generall, Officiall or Commissarie to any Prelate or Arch-Deacon, exercise any Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction vnder them, without speciall lycense and Patent from his Majestie or his predecessors Royall, it being directly contrary to the expres Statute of 37. H. 8. c. 17. which ordaines, that the Kings Majestie, his Heires and Successors shall or­daine, constitute, and depute all Bishops and Arch-Deacons, Chauncellors, Vicars generall, Commissaries, Officialls, Scribes and Registers (or els it gives them no power to execute any Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction) and that by speciall letters Patents, (as appeares by 1. Eliz. c. 1. and 8. Eliz. c. 1.) which Patents they all now wanting, cannot exercise any such Iurisdiction, and so all their proceedings are meerely voyd, and their places in his Majesties disposall, to whom they ought to be accountable for all the proffits they have already unjustly received in these their usurped offices.

V.

Whether is it not now meete and convenient for his Majestie to ap­point one of his Nobles, or some other learned Layman, to be his Vi­ce-gerent generall for good and due ministration of Iustice to be bad in all causes and cases, touching the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction, and for the godly Reformation, and redresse of all errors, heresies and abuses in our Church, to take place of and sit aboue the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and all other [Page 5] Lord Bishops in all places; according to the Statute of 31. H. 8. c. 10. yet in full force; to bridle the pride, curbe the insolencies, redresse the usur­pations, Extravagances, Innovations, and take away the pretended Ius Divinum, of our Lordly Prelates, directly repugnant to this Act, and to 26. H. 8. c. 1. 28. H. 8. c. 10. 31. H. 8. c. 9. 31. H. 8. c. 31. 34. and 35. H. 8. c. 17. 35. H. 8. c. 1. 37. H. 8. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1. 8. Eliz. c. 1. On which I would desire their Lordships to chew the cudd, to abate their favour.

VI.

By the Statute of 37. H. 8. c. 6. Every person or persons that shall cut out, or maliciously cause to be cut out the tongue of any person, or shall mali­ciously cut off, or cause to be cut of the eare or eares of any his Majesties Subjects, is to render trible damages to the partie, and so forfeite 10. p. ster­ling for every such an offence to the Kings Majesty and his Heires: And 5. H. 4. c. 5. makes it felony for any man maliciously to cut off any mans tongue, or put out his eye. Whether then our Lord Prelates and their Officers for cutting out our faithfull Ministers tongues, and closing up their mouthes that they may not preach Gods word to their people, and cutting of some Laymens eares, and threatning to have the eares of more, that they may not heare Gods word, (and that maliciously against the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme) are not fellons within the latter of these two Acts, and Malefactors in the first, to render ireble damages to the parties greeved, and maymed by them, and to make a fine to his Ma­jestie, is a question worthy resolution.

VII.

Whether these Lordly Prelates that have stood mute for one, two, or three yeares space and more, and never preached, nor given answer to these Quaeligres; refusing to put themselves to the tryall of God and their Countrey, for their Episcopall pretended Ius Divinum, and other their fore-mentioned usurpations and exactions upon his Majestie and his Subjects, are not by the 28. Ass. 19. 40. Ass. 40. 43. Ass. 30. Stamford. l. 2. c. 60. Fitz. Ca. 27. 30. 36. 51. 53. 56. 58. 71. 72. 191. 218. 225. 233. 283. 359. Br. Pa. 1. 2. 4. 5. 8. 9. 12. 13. 14. 15. 19. Common Law of the Land, to be pressed for Mutes, as other malefactors that stand mute and silent, are in like cases.

VIII.

Whether if the Apostles were now in England, and should preach Jesus Christ dayly in our Temples and from house to house, without ceasing, as they did Acts 5, 42. our Lord Prelates would not presently silence, suspend, and pursevant them into the high Commission, and there fine and imprison them for Convinticleers: And if they should preach not­withstanding their Lordships inhibitions, (as they did notwithstanding the chiefe Priests commaund to doe it,) whether their Lordships would not therevpon be filed with indignation, and put them in the Common-prison, and there keepe them fast, and beat them too, as their predecessors the High Priests did, Acts 5. 17. 18. 40. 41. since they thus serve our God­ly faithfull Ministers for the same causes.

IX.

Whether if our Saviour Christ himself were now on earth, and should be convented before our High Priests, as hee was once before the Iewes High Priest, and they should offer to put him to an Ex offi­cio oath, and examine him concerning his Disciples and Doctrine; and Christ should refuse to take such an oath, and answer them as hee did the High Priest: (I spake openly to the world, I ever taught in the Syna­gogue, and in the Temple, whether the Iewes and people alwayes resort, and in secreet have I sayd nothing. Why askest thou mee? Aske them that heare me, what I sayd unto them: Behold they know what I sayd:) refusing to bring in a coppie of his Sermons, or to accuse himself, would not their Lordships Pursevants Officers upon such an answer as this stricke Iesus with the palme of their hands, (as the High Priests Officer did) Saying: Answerest thou the High Priest (our Lord Arch-Bishop and Bishops) so? Iohn 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. And would not their Lordships for such an answer (which satisfied the High Priest) commit our Sa­viour forthwith to prison, to the Clinke, the Gate-house, Fleete, New-prison, Kings Bench or Counter, as they committed Petition to Q. Eliz. p. 77. Mr. Bambridg and M r. Johnson of old, and many of Christs Ministers since, for the same answer.

X.

Whether if S t. Paul were now alive, and should preach so diligently in England, as he did amongst the Iewes, our High Priests, the Prelates, would not lay the selfsame accusation against him before the Kings [Page 7] Majestie, as Ananias (the Iewes High Priest) did by Tertullus his Ora­tor before Felix, and informe his Majestie, that they had found this man a pestilent fellow, and a moover of sedition among all the Iewes (now English men) throughout the world, or Kingdome, and a Ringleader of the sect of the Nazarens (the Puritanes as they terme them, Acts 24. 5.) since they lay the selfsame accusations to the chardge of most Godly Mini­sters, as many late instances evidence.

XI.

Whether if Christ himself should preach Luke 19. 47. c. 20. 1. c. 21. 37. 38. c. 22. 53. dayly in some of our Pre­lates Diocoese, as he did in the Temple & Jewish Synagogues, and S t. Paul Acts 20. 20. 21. 31. c. 19. 9. preach night and day (morning and evening) in our Churches, as he did at Ephesus, against our Prelates inhibitions, and the people flocke from all parts and Parishes to heare them, as they did to them; our Prelates would not forthwith suspend them from preaching, and clapp them by the heeles, and likewise present and punish all their hearers, for goeing out of their owne Parishes, where they had no sermons, to heare them, since they thus use our painefullest Preachers and hearers, who imitate their examples, contrary to the very doctrine of our Homilies of the right of the Church, p. 3. 4. which themselves have subscribed too, but refuse to practise?

XII.

Whether if our Saviour should now descend in person from heaven, and give his precept to our Lord Prelates, which once he gave to his Apostles Luke 22. 25. 26. Mat. 20. 25. 26. 27. yee know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them: But it shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your Minister, and whoso­ever will be chiefe among you, let him be your servant, &c. they would presently convent and arraigne him for it, as an open oppugner of their Lordly Iurisdiction and temporall Offices and power, and censure him as severely as ever they did D r. Bastwick, or any other, that hath writt against their pretended Divine right to their Lordly Hierarchie?

XIII.

Whether these severall actions and writs at Common Law (men­tioned in the Register) will not lye against the Prelates? Namely; The write intituled Ad Iura Regia, for violating the Kings Lawes and prerogative Royall, by their owne extravagant Lawes, Articles, Decre­talls, and Canons, to reduce them to the Kings Lawes, in Ad quod dam­num, to inquire, what great dammages they have done to his Maje­sties Subjects soules, bodies, estats, and to informe his Majestie what Nusances they are: An Apostata capiendo: to imprison them, for their Apostatie, from the doctrines and faith of the Church of England, to the faith and Ceremonies of the Church of Rome, and casting off their spirituall cares and functions, to follow temporall affaires and manage offices like so many temporall Lords: An assisa de nocumento: for the great musances they have lately done to our Religion, Church, State, Ministers, and people? A writt of Association, to ranke Ministers and temporall Lords in aeligquipage with them, over whom they now so much Lord it, like Lords paramount over all other people. Regist. par. 2. f. 36. Ras. Pro­hibition 5. An Attachment on a prohibition: That Lay-men shall not be cited before them to take any oath, or make any recognition, unlesse in matters of Testament and Marriage usuall in former ages, and necessary now: An Attachment against them for refusing to admit prohibitions in cases whereby Law they lie, and stop­ping the current of this write: An Audita Quarela, to heare the Mi­nisters and peoples severall complaints against them: An Acquiet ando de Servitijs, to free the Ministers and people from their late imposed Ceremonies, services, & vassaladge: A Cautione admittenda, to make people more warie of them, and to procure absolutions for their vniust Censures: A Cercierari, to remoove them from their temporall of­fices and imployments, and have spirituall and temporall causes out of their unlawfull Consistories and visitations (kept in their owne name without Patent or Commission from his Majestie into the Kings owne temporall Courts: A Cessavit de cantaria & Servitijs, per biennium; for not preaching in their Diocoese to their people by two yeares space and more (the case of divers of them.) De Clerico admittendo, to inforce them to admite our suspended, silenced Ministers to preach againe freely, as in former times: De Clerico infra sacros ordines constituto non eligendo in officium; to hinder them from being chosen, and being thrust into temporall offices and affaires, incompitable with their functions: [Page 9] De Cognitionibus admittendis; to hinder them from medling with all causes and affaires of which they have no cognisance: A writt of Collu­tion and deceipt; for their hypocrisie and jugling, both with God, his Majestie, and his Subjects, and for seeming holy, pious, just, religious, yea Fathers and Pillars of our Church, our faith, and being nothing lesse: An Action of the case; for vexing, excommunicating, suspending and si­lencing Ministers and others against Law, and without iust cause: An Action of accompt; to call them to an accompt for all their extortions and usurpations, both upon the King and Subject: An Action upon the Statutes against Ingrossers, Regraters, and Forestallers; for forestalling all good Bookes against their Papall Antichristian Hierarchie, Iurisdi­ction, extortion, injustice, and other Episcopall vertues, both at the Presse and Porth, and ingrossing them all into their owne Hucksters hands, of purpose to enhaunse the prises of them, and deprive the Kings good Subjects benefite of them. A writt of Conspiracie; for conspiring together against the Kings Ecclesiasticall Prerogative, and the Subjects Liberties, and to set up new Ceremonies, innovations and taxes: A Contra formam collationis; for mis-using their jurisdiction and office, and mis-imploying their temporallities and revenues (which should be spent in releeving the poore) upon their children, kindred, purchase of greater dignities and preferments, or maintenance of their owne pompe, pride, state, luxury, venery, and lust. A copia libelli deliberanda; to enioyne them to give coppies of Libells and Articles to his Majesties Subjects, beforethey force them to sweare or answer to them. A Cu­ria claudenda; to cause them to shut up their Consistories, visitations, and Ecclesiasticall Courts, till they have a Patent from his Majestie to keepe them in his name and right alone, and grace to use them better, and to better purposes then hetherto they have done. A Quo warren­to: to question them by what authority they keepe their Consistories, Visitations, and make out proces, private Articles, impose new oathes, Ceremonies, and Iurisdictions in their owne names upon his Majesties Subjects. De custode Amovendo & alio admittendo; to remoove them from their Bishopprickes, and put better and other kinde of men in their places. An Ejectione custodiaelig, for suspending and ejecting Mini­sters from their Churches and Cures: An Errore corrigendo; to cause them to amend their manifold errors, both in life, doctrine, practise and proceedings. An essendo quietum de Theolonia; to exempt Mini­sters [Page 10] and people from their intollerable exactions, extortions, and new imposed Fees and Contributions, both in their visitations and Consi­stories. An Excommunicato deliberando: To cause them to absolve and free all those Ministers and people they have most unjustly excom­municated. An Executione judicij; To gett some judgements in Starre-chamber and other his Majesties temporall Courts executed against them, and their most unjust proceedings. Ex gravi querela; To heare the grievous complaints, both of Ministers and people, against their tyranny, Lordlynes, pride, oppression, impietie, and other vices, their Altars, Crucifixes, Popish Ceremonies, Ex officio, and visita­tions Oathes, Articles, proceedings and late dangerous Innovations. A writt of false judgement; For their wrong late unjust Censures, Ex­communications, Suspencions, Sentences, and determinations, both in their Consistories, Visitations, and high Commission, and resolving their Episcopall Lordlynes and Iurisdiction to be Iure Divino; contra­ry to the expresse Acts of 25. H. 8. c. 19. 21. 26. H. 8. c. 1. 31. H. 8. c. 9. 10. 37. H. 8. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1. 8. Eliz. c. 1. and other Statutes, as 1. and 2. Phil. and Mary c. 8. resolving the con­trary. De fine Adnullando; To anull their severall fines illegally im­posed upon his Majesties Subjects in their High Commissions, and late­ly in their Consistories and Visitations, where they have gotten a tricke to fine Church-wardens and others, contrary to Law, as is re­solved Fitzh Nat. Brevium fol. 50. P. 51. K. 52. ff. 53. A. 14. H. 4. 88. A. 20. E. 4. 10. B. 22. E. 4. 20. 12. H. 7. 22. 23. Artic. cliri. c. 4. Cooke 4. Report to 6. 22. Ass. 70. A fieri facies Episcopa; To cause them diligently to preach, and follow their spirituall Ministeriall functions. An habeas corpora & homine Replegianda; To free the Sub­jects wrongfully imprisoned by them and their Pursevants. An habere facias seseinam & possessionem; To restore good silenced, deprived, and suspended Ministers againe, to the seisine and possession of their livings and lectures, and the exercise of their Ministry. An habere facias visum; To cause them to shew men their Articles in their Courts and high Commissions, before they put them to answer, or take an oath. An Idemptitate nominis; To restore Ministers to their ancient stile and titles of Bishops, which they have ingrossed to themselves, though the Scripture gives onely to Ministers and Presbyters, Acts 20. 17. 28. [Page 11] Phil. 1. 1. 1. Timot. 3. 1. 2. 3. Tit. 1. 5. 7. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 2. 3. and knoweth no other Bishops, but them alone of Divine institution. De intrusione in hereditatem; To shew by what Divine title they have in­truded themselves into the Church, Christs owne inheritance, into temporall Offices, imployments, and State affaires, and into those great Lordships and honors they now possesse. Ad Inquirendo de damnis; To inquire what great hurt and damages they have done to their severall Diocoese, his Majesties Prerogative, his peoples Liber­ties and estates, the Ministers and Preachers of Gods word, our Reli­gion and to the whole state of England. An Inquirendo de vasto; To inquire of the great waste and havocke they have made of late amongst the Ministers and Preachers of Gods word, and the purity of his Ordi­nances, and thereupon to render treble dammages A Leproso amo­vendo; To remoove these Leopards out of our Church, before they have so farr infected it with the leven and leprosy of Rome, that she become incurable, and to remoove them farr from his Majesties Court, no place for Lepers. A libertate; To free both Ministers and people from their late encrochments, visitations, Articles, Oathes, Altars, Bowings, Ceremonies, and unjust Censures, and proceedings. A li­bertatibus allocandis; To enforce them to allow and no wayes to en­croach upon the Subjects Liberties. A mandamus; To commaund them to give over Lording and Loyetering, and sett themselves to fre­quent and diligent preaching. A melius inquirendo; To inquire bet­ter of their pretended Ius Divinum, their oppressions, exorbitances, lives, proceedings, and underhand juglings, and to certify them into the Starre-chamber, or some other Court of Record. An Action up­on the Statute of Monopolies; For engrossing all temporall and Eccle­siasticall Iurisdiction, the sale of Letters of order, lycenses to marry, preach, keepe schoole, &c. (all grosse Symony into their owne hands.) A ne admittas; To prohibite them to admit any Altars, Images, Cru­cifixes, Taxers, new Articles, Ceremonies, Doctrines, or innovations into our Church. A ne injuste vexes; To restraine them from all un­just vexations, suspentions, excommunications, and proceedings against Ministers and others. A writt of nusans; To remoove their late nu­sances, Altars, Crucifixes, new Oathes, Articles, Innovations, Rayles, Ceremonies, Arminian and Popish Doctrines, out of our Church. [Page 12] A non distringas ad respondendum, sive breve Regis: To force them to summon all their visitations by the Kings writt, as they ought, 25. H. 8. c. 19. And to make out all proces, Citations, Commission of Administration, Probat of wills &c. in the Kings name and sti [...]e alone, and under his Seale, according to 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1. A non molestando; to hinder them from molesting good Ministers, Preachers, people, and other his Majesties Subjects without just cause. A moderata misericordia; to moderate their illegall and excessive fines, and teach these holy Fathers more mercy: A writt of false im­prisonment; for pursevanting and imprisoning men against Law, which they have no power at all to doe: A writt de odia & atia; to examine their malicious unjust accusations, imprisonments, and pro­ceedings of and against his Majesties Subjects. A parco fracto; for breaking the pales and hedges, both of the Lawes of God and the Realme, and ruling onely by their meere lusts and wills. A peram­bulatione facienda: to bound out the true limites of their Ecclesiasti­call and Episcopall Iurisdiction, Courts, and power, and to cause them to give those prisoners they have a long time shut vp: and the com­mon Law and course of Prohibitions, which they have pent up of late, to walke freely abroad. A ponendo in Ballyam; to enforce them to dischardge and bayle those they have unjustly imprisoned. A praeligcipe in capite; to render to God and the King those their seve­rall rights, Iurisdictions, and prerogatives, they have a long time un­justly detayned from them as their owne. A Prohibition: to hinder all their Innovations, Oathes, Visitations, Articles, extravagant pro­ceedings, fines, imprisonments, extortions, excommunications, suspentions, encroachments on the Common Law and the like. A Pro rata portione; to give them onely that power and authority, and such competent maintenance as Gods Lawes allowes them, and no more. A Quale jus: to examine their Divine title of their Bi­shopprickes, what right it is? A Quare impedit; to force them to shew good cause, why they hinder Ministers from preaching to their people, and prohibit those to heare Sermons abroad, who have none at home. A Quare incumbravit; to shew cause why they have lately incombred our Churches, Ministers, people, with so many innova­tions, Alterations, Injunctions, Articles, Oathes, Fees, Taxes, Rayles, [Page 13] Ceremonies, Erronious, and licentious Bookes, and false doctrines, and to censure them severely for doeing it. A Quare non admisit: to shew cause why they permit not Ministers to preach on Lords dayes afternoone, on lecture dayes, and other occasions, or so osten as here­tofore, and why they resuse to admit those into the ministry, or to li­vings, who will not subscribe to their new Innovations, and those Ar­ticles they secretly tender to them under hand. A Quod permittat: To permit the Lords table to stand quietly in the midst of the Church or Chauncell, without being rayled in and remooved Altar-wise against the wall, and to suffer Ministers to preach, and people to heare and re­ceive the Sacrament, in such manner as they have formerly used. A Querela coram Rege, & consilio discusiendo & terminando; to bring all these Quaeligres and the complaints of the Subjects against the Bishops, and their Officers, before the King and his Counsell, to be there heard and determined by them. A Quo Iure: To examine by what Law they have turned Communion Tables into Altars, set up Crucifixes, si­lenced our Ministers, put downe Lectures, and preaching, made and printed new Oathes, Articles and Injunctions in their owne names &c. and by what Law, and in what Court they may be punished for them. A Restitutione abstracti ab Ecclesia: To restore our silenced Ministers and Preachers to their Chruches. A salva conductus; to suffer his Majesties Subjects to goe peaceably and safely about their busines, and Ministers without danger of their Pursevants and Catch-poles. A Securitate pacis; to bind them to the peace and good behaviour, that they may no longer disturbe the peace, both of our Church, State, and people. A supersedeas; to stay all their Innovations, and proceedings in their Consistories and visitations, till they have a Pa­tent and Commission under the Kings great Seale, to keepe them in his name and right alone. A writt of trespase against them, and their Pursevants, for rifling and breaking vp mens Howses, Clossets, Trunckes, Chests, and carrying away their Bookes and Papers violent­ly, against Law and Iustice, as if they were Felons and Traytors. An Action upon the Statute of vagarant Rogues and Vagabonds; for wan­dering abroad from their owne callings Ecclesiasticall, Imployments, and Diocoeligse, into temporall carnall worldly State affaires, and follow­ing the Court like a company of flattering fawning Beggers, hunting [Page 14] after greater preferments and revenues, and being seldome resident at their Cures. A writt of ventre inspiciendo; To inquire after and in­spect, how many great Bellyes their Lordships with their Officers, and servants have impregnated of late yeares, and to take the full measure of their Lordships pampered bellyes, which they onely feed and take care of; which must needs be monstrous great, when as their very tayles are so vaste, as to require an whole Cathedrall Church to make a seat for them; Pauls it self, being litle enough to make a Lord Prelates Chayre; and two or three sheires scarce able to make up one Diocoeligse, or Parish bigge enough for his oversight. A vi laica removenda; To remoove all lay force and violence out of the Church, and take away the temporall power of fining, imprisoning, pursevating, breaking open mens houses, &c. from their Lordships, with all other lay power and Iurisdiction now crept into the Church. And A fieri facias; For their Lordships to shew cause, why they with their oppressing Arch-Deacons, Commissaries, Registers, and other Officers, should not forthwith be indicted and convicted in a Premunire (and that Ex offi­cio by his Majesties Atourney generall and his Iudges) or deepely fined in Starre-chamber, for all their severall misdemeners specified in the premises.

XIV.

Whether those bloudy Prelates, who out of their desperate malice to our Saviour (to evacuate the use of this his last Supper, instituted pur­posely by himself to shew forth his death till he come, 1. Cor. 11. 25. 26. Coll. 3. 1. (which now these Crucifixes must doe as if this Sacra­ment were not sufficient to doe it, no not when it is administred, un­lesse there be a Crucifixe then standing on or over the Altar) and to reduce us backe againe to Rome) now crucify him dayly in their new erected Crosses and Crucifixes, both in Cathedralls, private Chapples, and elsewhere, and that in the direct opposition to the 35. Article of our Church, and the Homilie of the perill of Idolatry; which they have prescribed ost times too; (expresly prohibiting the very making and setting up of Crucifixes, and other Images in Churches, or Chappells, [Page 15] as unlawfull and Idolatrous: Yea to his Majesties Declarations prohi­biting all Innovations and backesliding unto Popery in the least degree:) To be guilty of perjury to God, and disobedience to his Majestie in the highest degree, and to be deprived of their Bishopprickes for it, by the Statute of 13. Eliz. c. 12. confirming the sayd Articles of Religion and Homilies? And whether their Cathedralls, Chappells and Churches, wherein they have sett up such Crosses to crucify their Sa­viour owne (whose holy, paynefull, dayly, preaching life, they have never before their eyes; and therefore represent his death in these dumbe Pictures, because they are growne so lazy, that they seldome or never preach it) be not ipso facto forfeited to the King by the Sta­tute of 13. E. 1. c. 33. against setting up of Crosses and Crucifixes, and their very Bishopprickes too; which they better deserve to loose for this their open insolent erecting of Crucifixes, Altars, Tapers, and other Romish superstitions to usher in Popery, then any Godly Ministers to be deprived of their livings for not wearing of a Surpluse, or not bowing at the Name of Iesus, or not kneeling at the Sacrament, or not yeelding to any other late Innovations, for which their Lordships against all Law and conscience have deprived, and suspended so many of their Godly Brethren, more worthy a Bishoppricke, and farr more innoxious, pious, obedient to his Majesties and Gods Lawes, then themselves?

XV.

Whether the Prelates, for disguising themselves with strangevest­ments, disguises vizors, and playe like apparell, as Rochetts, Copes, Stoles, Abbies, and other massing trincketts to difference themselves from all other men, and daunceing, cringing and playeing the Mum­mers, with divers new antique gestures, piping Organs and Minstrelsy, before their new erected Altars, hopping, limping and dauncing be­fore them like the ancient Pagan Priests about their Idolatrous Al­tars, or like Mummers about a cobloase, and putting on a meere vizor of piety & gravity on their faces, when as they have neither of them nor any other true Christian graces in their hearts; and under these disguises [Page 16] doeing greater hurt and mischiefes, both in Church and State, be not finable, and to be imprisoned for the space of three monethes without buyle or mayne­prise; for every time they shall be thus masked and disguised, by the expres words of 3. H. 8. c. 9. intituled: An Act against Mummers and Delinquents within that Law: And whether the best use these Lord Bishops, thus disguised in their Pontificallibus, can be put unto, be not to make Skarrecrowes in some Cornefeild or other, or to stand in the Church-porch to keepe out Dogges, from their holy consecrated Temples, which would be so affrighted with their mumming vest­ments and disguises, that they never durst come neare the Corne or Church, for feare of these terrible Lordly Bugbears and Skarre­crowes.

XVI.

Whether by the Statutes of 25. Ed. 1. c. 4. and 34. Ed. 1. c. 5. every Arch-Bishop and Bishop of England, ought not personally to read the Sta­tutes of Magna Carta, and of the Forest, with King Edward the first his Confirmations of them, in their severall Cathedrall Churches twice every yeare, and upon the reading thereof, openly to denounce, excommunicated, banned, and accursed, all those that willingly doe or procure to be done any thing contrary to the tenour, force and effect of them, or either of them, by word, deed, or counsell: Whether they ought to be destrayned, suspended and excommunicated for not doeing of it, with farr greater justice and reason, then themselves suspend and silence Ministers, for not reading their Lordships Declaration for Sports on the Lords day (coulored over with his Majesties Name, to dishonor his Highnes, and excuse themselves) these two Statutes enjoyning them, the one in expresse termes, and in­flicting these Penalties on them for neglecting it, but no Law, Pre­cept or Canon prescribing Ministers the other, nor yet that Booke it self? Whether their Lordships both by word, deed and counsell in­fringing Magna Carta, these Statutes sundry wayes, especially by their imprisoning, fining, excommunicating, suspending and depriving men against Law, and by their new invented Taxes, and Talleges, to pill and poll the Subjects, and in procuring Iudges and others by me­naces, flatery, or ill counsell, to deny Prohibitions, and habeas corpore, [Page 17] to doe many things against the tenour and effect of these good Lawes, now miserably every-where trampled vnder feet, be not ipso sacto ex­communicated by divers ancient excommunications, fulminated against such desperate infringers and transgressors of those Acts in a most direfull manner by their Predecessors, and by the tenour of these Statutes themselves, and so altogether Irreguler, and to be shut out of all Churches, his Majesties Court and Chapple, all Christian mens so­cietie, and sequestred both from their Office and Benefice, till they have done publicke penance, and given sufficient satisfaction to the whole Realme of England, for their enormious dayly multiplyed crimes, under which both Church and Kingdome groane and languish at this present.

FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.