AFTer that yt had pleased the lorde God to take awaie for our syn­nes that noble prince off famous memorie / kinge Edwarde the sixthe / and had placed / Queene Marie in his roume: Sundrie godly men aswell stran­gers / as off the English nation / fledd / for the libertie off their consciences / ouer the seas / some into France / some into Flanders / and some in to the high countries off the Empire / and in the yere of oure lorde. 1554. and the 27. off Iune came Edmonde Sutton / William Williams / William Whittingham / and Thomas wood / with their companies / to the citie off Franckford in Germany the firste Englishe men / that the re arriued to remaine and abide. The same night came one Maister Valaren pullan Minister / vnto their lodginge / ād declared howe he had obtained a churche there / in the name of all suche as shuld come owte off Englande for the Gospell / but Especially from Glassenbury whiche were all french men. Answere was made him / that as god was to be praised / who had moued the Magistrats hartes to shewe the frenche su­che fauour: Euenso / for so muche as fewe off them vnder­stoode the frenche tonge / it woulde be small commoditie to them / or to suche as shulde come afterwarde to ioyne them­selues to that churche.

The nexte daye they communed with Maister Morellio another Minister of the frenche churche / and also with maister Castalio a Senior off the same / (bothe off them godly and ler­ned mē) By their aduise and counsaile it was determined / that a Supplication shulde be drawē owt / and offred to the Magigistrats / to knowe / firste whither they woulde be contented / that not onely the parties before named / but also all other En­glishe men that woulde repaire thither for the like cause / mi­ght through their fauour be suffred saffely to remaine within [Page VI] their city. This supplication was subscribed aswell by the sa­yed Sutton / whittingam / and the reste off the Englishe men / as also by Morellio / Castallio / and one Adrian a Cit­tezē there / with whom they lodged. And within three daies af­ter the offringe vp off their Supplication / they obtained their requestes.

The 8. off Iuly followinge / labor was made (by the counsaile and aduice off Morellio and Castalio (who duringe their lyues shewed them selues fathers to all Englishe men) to Maister Iohn Glawberge one off the chiefest Senators / for a place or churche / wherin they and all their country men might haue gods worde truly preached / and the Sacraments sincerely ministred in their naturall tonge / who ientlie pro­mised his furtherance / and that he also woulde move the whole Senate theroff / the whiche he did accordingly. And the 14. daie off the same monethe yt was graunted that they shulde haue libertie to preache and minister the Sacraments / in that churche which the frēche men had / the frēche one daie and the Englishe an other daie and vpō the Sundaie / to chuse also thē houres as they coulde agree amonge them selues / but yt was with this commandement / that the Englishe shulde not di­scent from the frenchmen in doctrine / or ceremonyes / least they shulde thereby minister occasion off offence / and willed farther / that before they entred their churche / they shulde ap­proue and subscribe the same confession off faith / that the frenche men had then presented / and abowte to put in printe / to the whiche all the afore named (and others whiche were by this time come thither) did subscribe.

When the churche was in this sorte graunted / they con­sulted amonge themselues / what order off seruice they shulde vse (for they were not so stricly bownde / as was tolde them / to the ceremonies off the frenche / by the Magistrats / but that iff the one allowed off the other it was sufficient.) At lenght / the englishe order was perused / and this by generall consente was concluded that the answeringe alowde after the Mini­ster shulde not be vsed / the letanye / surplice / and many other thinges also omitted / for that in those reformed churches / su­che [Page VII] thinges woulde seeme more then strange. It was farther agreed vppon / that the Minister (in place off the Englishe Confession shulde vse an other / bothe off more effecte / and also framed accordinge to the state and time. And the same ended / the people to singe a psalme in meetre in a plaine tune as was / and is accustomed in the frenche / dutche / Italian / Spanishe / and Skottishe churches / that don / the minister to praye for [...]hassistance off gods holie spirite and so to procea­de to the sermon. After the sermon / a generall praier for all e­states and for oure countrie of Englande was also deuised / at thende off whiche praier / was ioined the lords praier and a rehersall off thartic [...]es off oure belieff / whiche ended the peo­ple to singe and other psalme as afore. Then the minister pronouncinge his blessinge The peace off god / &c. or some other off like effecte / the people to departe.

And as touchinge the ministration off the Sacraments sundrie things were also by common consente om [...]tted / as supersti [...]ious and superfluous. After that the congregation had thus concluded and agreed / and had chosen their minister and Deacons to serue for a time: they entred their churche the 29. off the same monethe. Then was it thought good amonge themselues that forthwith they shulde aduertise their coun­trie men and betheren dispersed off this singuler benefit / the li­ke wheroff coulde nowhere else as yet be obtained / and to perswade hem (all worldly respectes put aparte) to repaier thi­ther / that they might altogether with one mouthe and one harte bothe lamēte their foremer wickednes and also be thankfull to their mercifull father that had geuen them suche a chur­che in a strange lande wherein they might heare gods worde truly preached / the Sacraments rightly ministred / and Disci­pline vsed / which in their owne countrie coulde neuer be ob­tained. And to this effecte were letters directed to Straus­burgh / Zurick / Densbrugh / and Emden in the 2. off Auguste. And for that it was thought the churche coulde not longe contynewe in good order withowte discipline / there was al­so a brieff forme deuised / declaringe the necessitie / the causes / [Page VIII] and the order theroff / wherunto all those that were present subscribed / shewinge therby that they were ready and willinge to submitt themselues to the same / accordinge to the rule prescribed in gods holie word / at whiche time it was deter­mined by the congregation that all suche as shulde come after / shulde doo the like / before they were admitted as members off that churche.

SHortlye after / the lerned men off Strausbrough answe­red to this generall letter before mentioned in this sorte: That they had considered the contentes theroff and perceiued that the effecte was no other but to haue one or two take the chieff charge and gouernaunce off the congregation. And that in case they might get. D. poinet. Maister Scory. D. Bale or D. Cox / or two off them / they shulde be well furnished / yff not / they woulde appointe one at Strausbrough and an other shuld come from Zurick to serue the turne at whiche tyme master Grindall wrote to master Scory at Emden perswa­dinge him to be Superintendent off this churche off Frankf. who (in 2. seuerall letters to his priuate frinds / offred his seruise to the congregation / but before the receipte theroff the congregation had writtē their letters to maister Knox at Ge­neua to master Haddon at Strausb. and master Leuer at Zu­rick / whom they had elected for their ministers and aduertised master Scory by a generall letter off the same.

[Page XIIII]Nowe / when the answere that came from Strausbrou­gh was read / and compared withe the letter written vnto them / it did not in anie pointe answere it▪ For the congregati­on wrote not particulerly for anie certeine nomber / but gene­rally wishinge all mens presence / nether did they require to haue anye superintendent to take the chieff charge and gouer­nement / for the choise and election theroff (yff suche a one had bene necessary) ought to haue byn reserued to the congrega­tion / whiche fully determined at that tyme to haue the chur­che gouerned by 2 or 3. graue / godly and lerned Ministers off like authoritie / as is accustomed in the beste reformed chur­ches.

The [...]1. off October the Students off Zurick wrote also an answere to the generall let­ters afore saied in this wise.

Abowte this tyme Letters were receyued from maister Haddon Wherin he desired for diuers considerati­ons to be excused / for comminge to take the charge vppon him at Franckford.

[Page XVII]The 24. off October came maister Whithea [...] to Franckford / and at the requeste off the congregation / he tooke the charge for a time / and preached vppon the Epistle to the Romains.

Abowte the 4. off Nouember came Maister Ch [...]mbres to Franckford with letters from Zurick whiche were partlie an answere to an other letter written vnto them from Franckforde the 26. off September / whiche was as followithe.

The answere to them off Franckford was / as foloweth.

When Maister Chambers had conferred with the congregation and sawe that they coulde not assure him the [...]u [...] vse off the Englishe booke withowte the hazardinge o [...]f their churche / he prepared to departe from whens he came / and by this time was Maister Knox come from Geneua / (and chosen minister) vppon the receipte off a letter sent him from the congregation / whiche letter was as fo­lowethe.

Nowe to ruturne to the tenor of the letter which the congregation off Franckford wrate by Maister Cham­bers to the students off Zurick.

The 28. off Nouember Maister Chambers ca­me againe to Franckford from S [...]rousbrough / and with him Maister Grindall with letters from the lerned men there / subscribed with 16. off their handes / whiche letter was as folowethe.

THis letter was red to the congregation / at whiche tyme maister Grindall declared the occasiō of ther cōminge w­hiche (amōge other things) was chieflie for thestablishinge of the booke off England not that they mente / (as he saied) to haue it so strictly obserued but that suche ceremonies / and thin­ges [Page XXIIII] whiche the countrie coulde not beare / might well be o­mitted / so that they might haue the substance and effecte the­roff. Ma [...]ster Knox and wh [...]ttingham a [...]ked them what they mente by the substance off the booke / It was answered by the other that they had no cōmission to dispute those matters / but they requested that the congregation would answere to cer­teine interogatories / whiche were thies First / that they might knowe wha [...] partes off the booke they woulde admit. The se­conde was for a seuerall churche / and the thirde what assurāce they might haue for their quiete hab [...]tation. To [...]he firste / ans­were was made that what they coulde proue off that Booke to stande wi [...]he gods worde / and the countrie permit / that shuld be graunted them. To the 2. whiche was for a church / it was tolde them / that they vnderstoode by the Magistrats / the tyme serued not to moue anie suche matter till the counsaile brake vp at Ausburge. To the third it was saied that a gene­rall graunt was made at their first comminge thither / to the whole nation / and the fredome off the citie offred to all su­che as were desyrous off it in as large and ample manner as they coulde require / whiche was to them assurance sufficient.

Theis 3. questions thus answered maister Chambers and Maister Grindall departe back againe with a let­ter from the congregation whiche was as followethe.

The answere to this letter from S [...]rausbrough was as foloweth.

WHen this letter was redd to the congregation / they re­quested that for so muche as the lerned men / coulde not cōdescend vppon any generall and certeine tyme off meetinge as nowe appeared by their letters / they might conclude vp­pon some certeine order by common consent still to contine­we and that wihowte farther delaye / and also to haue the ho­lie communion ministred / whiche the moste part ernestlie de­sired. At lenght (it was agreed that the order of Geneua wh­iche then was alreadie printed in Englishe and some copies there amonge them) shulde take place as an order moste go­dly and fardeste off from superstition. But Maister knox be­inge spoken vnto / aswell to put that order in practise / as to minister the communion / refused to do ether the one or the other / affirminge / that for manie considerations he coulde not consente that the same order shulde be practised / till the lerned men off Strausbrough / Zurik / Emden / &c. were made priuy. Neither yet woulde he minister the communion by the booke off Englande / for that there were thinges in it placed (as he saied) onely by warrant of mans authoritie and no grownde in godds worde for the same / and had also a longe ty­me verye superstitiously in the masse byn wickedly abused. But yff he might not be suffred to minister the Sacraments accordinge to his conscience / he then requested that some other might minister the Sacraments / and he woulde onely preache. Iff nether coulde be admitted be besought them [Page XXVIII] that he might be discharged. But to that the congregation woulde in no wise consente.

Whiles these things were thus in handlinge came mai­ster Leuer (before elected) who / assemblinge the congregation requested that he might withe their consentes appointe suche an order / as shulde be bothe Godly withowt respecte off the Booke off Geneua or anye other / requestinge farther / that for so muche as that office was off so great importaunce / ād that he had not byn in the like before / that he might betweene that and Easter haue a triall off them / and they off him / and so at the ende off that terme either take or refuse / whiche time off triall / as it was willingly graunted him: so when they vnder­stoode that the order whiche he woulde place and vse was not altogether suche as was fit for a right reformed churche / they woulde in nowise yelde to the same.

Knox / whittingham / and others / perceyuinge that theis beginnings woulde growe to some what / yff it were not staid in time / drewe forthe a platt off the whole booke off England into the lattin tonge / sendinge the same to maister Caluin off Geneua and requestinge his iudgement therin / and shewin­ge him that some off their countrie men went abowte to for­ce them to the same and woulde admit no other / sayinge / that it was an order moste absolute and that yff euer they came in to their countrie they woulde do their beste to establishe it a­gaine. Nowe folowethe the description.

THere fell a certeine controuersie the xiij. daie off Ian. at supper betwene Maister Horne the Pastor and Maister Asheley whiche controuersie was handled / with somewhat more sharpe wordes then was meete / but yet they so depar­ted / by the industrie and labour off some certeine persons / that they dranke wyne one to an other / and all that strife and con­tention was thought to be wholie taken awaie. Afterward / to witt / the 16. daie off Ian. at one off the clock in the after [Page LXIII] noone / thre off thelders sent for Maister Asheley in to an howse off one off the Elders and they began to debate the matter with him touchinge an iniurye done / not to the pastor alone / but to all the Elders (as they affirmed) and to their ministery which thinge / Maister Asheley denied that he euer did at any tyme.

The next daie beinge the 17. off Ian. After that publi­que praiers were ended / Maister Asheley was by the Pastor and all the Elders called into the churche / and there / in the na­me off them all it was obiected vnto him / that he had spoken vpon the 13. daie off Ian. in supper while / certeine wordes tendinge to the slander off them and their ministery.

Ashely answered that he perceiued and vnderstood that they all were offended as in their owne matter / and that therfore he wou [...]de n [...]t answere before them as competent iudges off the cause / but would referre the cause / that he had aga­inst the Pastor and them (seinge they shewed them selues an aduersarie parte to him) to the whole churche and Ec­clesiasticall discipline. Then the Pastor exhorted him that he would not so proceade / for yff he so did / that then they were minded to seeke and demaunde helpe off the magistrate aga­ynst him A [...]ter that the 24. off Ian. Asheley himselff hand­led his owne cause in his owne name before the pastor and el­ders / and thē in the afternoone / he sent 2. mē of the churche w­ho / in his name require the pastors and elders that they would not proceed against him in that cause / wherin they themsel­ues were a parte / and therfore not f [...]tt or competent iudges / but to geue ouer the whole ma [...]ter to 8. or 10. men vpright in conscience and inclininge to nether parte / by whose iudgementes / iff he were founde in faulte / he woulde willing [...]y submit himselff to all Ecclesiasticall discipline. Answere was made him by the Pastor in the name off them all / that they had re­ceiued their authoritie from the whole churche and vvould re­teine and keepe the same till such time as they from vvhom they had receiued it vvoulde againe demaunde it. And in the meane vvhile / they purposed to proceede thereafter againste [Page LXIIII] all suche as had offended and so muche the more seuerely and sharplie against Maister Asheley / by howe muche it mi­ght be more profitable for the whole churche / to make him beinge a wors [...]hipfull man / an ensample to others to take heed and beware by asheley (that answere beinge receiued the 26. off Ian. Whiche was a daie off solemne praier) fearinge those things whiche Horne had saide before / theateninge him with the Magistrate / when common praier was ended declared the whole ma [...]ter to the churche and desired that the churche woulde vnderstand off the whole matter betwene the pastor and elders / as the one partie and him selff as thother.

Wherupon certeine men did in the name off the whole churche demaunde off the pastor and elders whither they we­re a parte against Asheley. The pastor answered in all their names that they were not a parte against him / but that Asheley had slandered them all. Againe / it was demaunded in the name off the churche who were his accusers / to whiche / vv­hen the pastor answered nothinge / neither in his owne name / nor in the name of the seniors: Asheley was cōmaunded by the church publiquely and openlie to reade those things whiche he had comprehended in vvrytinge concerninge his cause. Afterward the pastor and elders were asked vvither those th­ings vvhiche Asheley had redd vvere true. The pastor ans­wered in all their names that they would not ansvvere either more largely or anie othervvise / to anie questions then they had ervvhile ansvvered and so the congregation vvas dismissed vvithowte ansvvere / yet not vvith ovvte cōtempt as was thought. The same daie at afternoone / Maister Hales / vvho vvas absent when theis thinges vvere done) vnderstanding that this matter tended to more greuous striffe and conten­tion / did vvryte his letters to some certeine personnes that se­med desirous off the peace off the churche / and desired / that they would come together the nexte daie after to the churche / to consulte / and deliberate what were the beste vvaie to paci­fie this trouble and turmoile before it waxed more stronge / or shulde be more published abroad and made better knowen to the senate or magistrats.

[Page LXV]The very dryfte and purpos off the letters / together vv­ith them that were called / as them also whiche came to the place appointed / dothe appeere by the letters themselues / the copie whereoff insewethe.

I pray yow / that so many off yow as will mette at the tyme and place apointed to put downe your names / lest some parhap maie come in vaine.

Nowe all those whose names are before reher­sed came except maister warcope.

[Page LXVI]After consultation and aduise taken / it semed best to al them that were called together and mett there / that the nexte daie after / one off them in all their names shulde deale withe the Pastor and elders / that sith Ashley complained that they were aduersarie parte vnto him / they woulde suffer the churche / or some suche certeine persons as the churche shulde ap­point / to take knowledge off the cause / and to heare firste w­hither they were an aduersarie parte to Ashley whiche iff they were not founde to be / then the knowledge off the matter shuld be put back againe to thē and that withe the ignominie and shame off him that had appealed from them. But yff they were founde to be aduersary parte / that then it shulde seeme vniuste / that they shuld sit in their owne cause as iudges / but more meete and vpright it would be / that then the churche shulde knowe and vnderstand off the whole matter / wheru­pon the next daie after / that is to saie / the 18 off Ian. when praiers were ended / the matter was proposed to the pastor and Elders / by one apointed for that purpose. When this counsaile was once knowē / the minister by the consent off the Elders drew owte off his bosome a decree whiche the magi­strate off that city had made / and redd it with a lowde voice before the whole churche. The decree beinge redd he added in graue wordes / that theis oure assemblies and meetinges woulde be verie daungerous no [...] to vs onelie but to all the congregations off strangers. for it was greatlie to be feared least the magistrate beinge offended withe such meetings / did not shut vp the gates off oure churche alone / but also off all the strange churches And therfore that he (to thend he might in good season prouide for suche daungers) would su­rely by Ecclesiasticall discipline handle according to his de­serte / maister Halee (who then by occasion of sicknes was ab­sente) the author of that assemblie / and that he woulde prono­unce of vs generally / that if it were not schismaticall / yet / that it did withowte dowte tēd to schisme / hovv so euer we excused oure mindes ād purposes. moreouer he affirmed / that we had don verie yll / in that we had excluded / and shut owte certeine [Page LXVII] which came in to the church in the time off oure consultation and meetīge· Answere was made in the names of the churche / that that decree off the magistrate was by them before bothe read ouer throughly / vnd also verie diligentlie waied / and that they iudged that decree to be most vpright and iustlie to be fe­ared off wicked and lewde men / such as were sectaries and factious persons and that they did assuredly knowe that the threats of that decree did nothinge at all concerne them who were mett together to make peace and vnitie / and that they for this deede did so litle feare the angre and displeasure of the magistrats that they trusted the magistrat woulde praise thē for this matter / yff parhappes he knewe off the thinge it selff and that therfore they were assembled and comme together that the whole matter might be quietlie ended amonge themselues and not brought before the magistrat. for where we (saie they) were banished men / and had by the meanes off a very good magistrate / receiued that singuler and moste ex­cellent benefit off reste and quietnes / we shulde do that whi­che shulde be most vnfit and vnseemly for vs / iff we shulde by occasion of our striffes and hurley burlies / trouble the ma­gistrate / and to render vnto that verie good Magistrate vn­quietnes / troubles and stirrs whiche shulde be verie euell thankes / for so great a benefit off quietnes and rest as we ha­ue receiued. And we affirmed that we so muche the more dili­ligentlie and wilingly labored in pacifiynge and endinge this controuersie bicause there were amongest vs certeine / who rashly and with owte aduise / brought vnto the Magistrat all light and small controuersies / whiche might easilie haue bin determined and ended amonge our selfes / herein deseruinge no fauour at all either at the the handes off so Good a Magi­strat / whom they oftimes withowte cause troubled / or of the­ir countrie men whom they by thies their priuie complain­ts and accusations did amonge strangers slander as vnqui­et and troublesome men / and that they had done no lesse dis­pleasure to the gospell we professe / (whiche by occasion off suche accusations / is comonlie euell spoken off amonge the ad­uersaries) [Page LXXVIII] then to that so good a magistrate and to their ow­ne countrie men. And that we therfore (to thende the Magi­strate might not be troubled / nor our nation slaundered as vnquiet and troublesome / nor the worde off God through vs e­uell spoken off) met together to take counsaile and auise howe al the matter might be peaceably ended and for no other cause or purpose. And where it was obiected that in that decree off the Magistrat there was no mention at all made / either off the whole churche / or off the authoritie off whole churche: We answere (say they) that we do not so interprete the Magist­rats decree / as though yt were the Magistrats minde and pleasure to take from the churche the right and authoritie due to the Churche and make the whole Churche subiecte to some certeine persons. For we bothe well inoughe knowe by the example off the frenche churche in a like controuersie / and we haue tried that so verie good a Magistrate hathe very great care off the churche. And as concerninge Ma [...]ster Hales / yt was answered / that he was then absente / by reason off his sicknesse / and not for feare / or that he was giltie to him selff off any ill.

And cōcerninge oure whole purpose and busines / bycau­se it was said thoughe oure mynds parhaps were vpright / yet the dede it selff was / yff not schismaticall / yet verelie tendinge to schisme / answere was made in all our names that we woul­de render accompte aswell off oure mindes and purpose befo­re God / as off our dede before the whole churche / and that vnder perill and paine off the laste punishement that Eccle­siasticall discipline can apointe / or yff the matter so r [...]qui [...]e / before the ciuyll Magistrate in paine off oure lyffe. And as touchinge them that were not admitted in to the churche / to our consultation / it was answered that we were vniustlie accused / for that it was not a publick and common assemblie of the whole churche. But a metinge of some certeine persons to consulte of that whiche might be profitable / and that ther­fore they had no greater iniurie done thē in not beinge at the consultation to whiche they were not called or sent for / then if [Page LXIX] had not byn admitted in to some certeine priuate stone or ho­wse. for as touching the churche / seinge it was then emptie and voide off people / it was / as it were / a priuate howse. Ne­ther is euery assemblie mett there to be counted the churche. For when the pastor or some other readeth there a lecture / or moderateth the disputations / it is not then a church but a sco­ole. And therfore / not the place / but the company off men ga­thered together did make a churche or congregation. After­wards / it was skarcely by many wordes obtained off the pa­stor and Seniors / that the churche might withowt their fa­uour and good will meete together for the finishing and ta­kinge vp off this controuersie / and vprightly determine whe­ther the said pastor and elders were an aduersarie parte to a­shley yea or no whiche thinge yet at the lenght the pastor and elders graunted to the churche. And the pastor and Elders beinge required and desired that they would together be pre­sent with vs in the congregation / they answered that the­re was no suche nede / nether that they would at anie hand [...] hinder vs. The next daie after / to wit / the 29. off Ian. the pa­stor and Elders agreinge therto / as is saide before / when the whole churche was mette together / maister hales / who then was somewhat better / and was present when they began to take aduise and coūsaile / rose vp and spake to this purpose. My brethern (saithe he) seinge I am accused of the pastor be­fore the whole churche / as the author of schisme or of a schismaticall facte / or at the least rendinge to schisme / if yow also iud­ge of me in like sorte I will departe oute off this companie / as one beinge vnmeete to tarie amonge yow in this assemblie. This beinge saide / he addressed himselff to departe / Afterwards / he was called back by all the men there assembled and in­treated to abide amongest them. Afterwarde he drewe foor­the those letters by whiche he had called certaine men toge­ther to make peace and ende the stirre / as is before saide / and preferred them to the church to be openly redd. Whiche letter beinge redd / that / his dede was iudged off all them that were present / bothe honest and most meete for a Christian man ne­ther [Page LXX] that anie man that had called either others to make pea­ce by their meetinge / was for suche a facte to be accounted a schismatick. Then they were all desired / that seinge they had so iudged and determined / they would appoint this their sentence to be registred and put downe in writinge / that it might stande in steed off a recorde and testimonye / not for Maister Hales onely but for all other in the like case / and with all / that this newe and present vpstartinge matter might by their iud­gemēts be decided and ended least it might bringe forth and stirre vv new contentions amonge them. Wherupon it was put downe in wrytinge to this effecte. Iff two / foure / eight / twelue or mo or lesse / meete in the churche when it was voi­de off people / praier and other exercises / or els in priuate howses to make peace betwene some members off the churche / or to consulte off anie other thinge profitable for the church that that their dede and acte shulde not in anie case be iudged or esteemed vnorderlie / seditious / schismaticall / or tendinge to schisme.

Neither that he whiche either by writinge or vvorde off mouth had so called them together shulde be thought to be the author off anie schisme or a schismaticall facte or tendinge to schisme and diuision. And bicause nowe no place off spea­kinge in the congregation withowte offence did seeme anie more to be left to anie man / it was ordeined the saide 29. off Ian. that it shulde be lawfull for any man hauinge before desired / off the pastor / elders / and whole churche licence and libertie to speak / to shewe his iudgement and opinion in the churche withowt any reproch off a disordered dede therfore / so it be / that he did it godly quietlie and soberlie▪ yff he shulde speake anie vngodly thinge that thē it was lawfull for the pastor and Seniors / or anie off them foorthwith to commaun­de him to holde his toung. The laste daie off Ian. beinge the Sabath daie after morninge praier was ended / pardon was offred of all priuate offences / by the pastor in his owne name and the name off the elders to all the people off the churche ād in like sorte the people were desired to pardon them yet in su­che [Page LXXI] sorte this was done that the Pastor and Elders woulde reserue to themselues suche causes as concerned their Ministe­rie / to be pursued and followed off them. It was answered a­gaine in oure names off the churche that we in like sorte did pardon all men / all priuate grudges / yet / that the churche did accordinge to their example reserue vnto it selff publike cau­ses belonginge to the churche and the libertie theroff quietlie and Christianly to be pursued and folovved / vvhich ansvvere allthoughe it were measured by the rule off that pardon and forgeuenes vvhiche the pastor had before offred / yet / it did no white at al please him whiche thing also I warrāte yow he did not dissemble. Afterwards / the pastor and elders suffered that the same daie in the afternoone / the church shulde againe meete / and shulde trie owte and knowe the matter betvvene them and Asheley / to vvit / vvhither they vvere an aduersary parte / to Ashley yea or no / But the Pastor and Elders beinge desy­red that they also vvoulde be present / they vvoulde not therto agree. Wherfore the churche beinge gathered together in the afternoone / it was iudged by the testimonie off some meete mē and by this also / that in the vvhole churche there coulde no other be founde that woulde accuse Ashley but the pastor and elders (for it vvas 3. times verie diligently enquired of and published amōge the people / that if their vvere anie in the vvhole churche whiche either vvould or coulde accuse maister Ash­ley / he shulde then vter it) It vvas I saie iudged and determined that the Pastor and Elders / vvere an aduersarie parte to Maister Ashley and that therfore they vvere not fit and competent iudges in that matter. Furthermore / it vvas fullie decreed that the Pastor and elders in suche causes as in vvhiche they vvere an aduersary parte were not fit arbitres or iudges / but that suche causes did apperteine and belōge / either to the knovvledge off the congregation or off such as the congregation vvoulde appointe to that purpos. And bycause the pastor and elders haue bene oftētimes desyred to be present vvith vs and yet vvoulde not (notvvithstanding that they themselues suffred the congregation to meete together) leaste parhapp some deceite might be amonge many of the congregation as [Page LXXII] thoughe it were not off it selff lawfull / or to small purpose to apointe anie thinge with owte the pastor and elders (whiche thing afterwarde tried) it was decreed that iff the pastor and elders were required to be present at an assemblie and woul­de not come / that the assembly was laufull notwithstandin­ge their absence / and that those thinges whiche they decreed shulde be had and esteemed as a lawfull decree. Theis Eccle­siasticall decrees and ordinaunces / whiche euen nowe we re­hersed were subscribed vnto with the names off 33. persons whiche is a great deale the bygger parte off the churche / and the 2. off February were offred vpp to the pastor and Elders in the name off the whole churche with this protestation fo­lowinge. Maister No wel was the mouthe for the rest. We present vnto yow theis our decrees and ordinaū ­ces agreing withe right and reason and not contrary to the holie scriptures / desyringe to haue yow knowe them and fur­ther requiring that yow woulde with vs consent / yelde and subscribe to the same. Or yff ye will not so do / shewe we pra­ye yow vpright reasons and good causes why ye refuse. For we are ready to correcte and amend oure faultes yff they be shewed vs / at the monition off any priuate person / but mu­che more at yours the pastor and Elders. For as we desi­er their wisedomes to come to perfecte truthe: so we will not thorough stubbernes defende anie errour / beinge shewed vnto vs to be an errour in dede. Yet notwitstanding / afterward vpon in the aforesaie daie off February / the Pastor did in his owne name and in the name off the Elders / openly reade cer­teine written letters to whiche he and the Seniors had befo­re in the presence off the churche subscribed their names. The summe theroff was this. Seinge the churche had left vnto them a vaine shadowe onelie off authoritie withowte a­nie other matter / that therfore they did in oure presence sha­ke off from themselues and vtterly forsake all Ecclesiasticall ministerie and seruice to the churche.

Amonge other thinges they added this that we had ge­uen them a cause to complaine off vs to the magistrats / but that for oure sakes they worlde not do it. Afterward some of [Page LXXIII] them departed and sate downe in priuate mennes places / nei­ther woulde they suffer so muche as to be called by the name off pastors and Elders. Then one in the name off the whole / hauinge fullie shewed before / that there was no iuste cause geuen thē by the churche / so to forsake their ministerie / did af­terward in the name of the whole churche verie earnestly desi­er thē that they woulde not in suche manner forsake and leaue the churche that had deserued no suche thinge at their hands.

This was with moste e [...]rneste and effectuall wordes required off them / thre or foure tymes in the name off the w­hole churche / but they remained willfull and obstinate in their purpos / not so muche as once suffringe themselues to be cal­led by the name off pastors and elders. Then at the lenght / it was shewed vnto them in the name off the whole churche / that the churche woulde not admit that their forsakinge of their ministerie / but would stil take and esteme them for their pastor and Elders. And when one in the name off the churche did accuse the pastor and Chambers to be suche as had abused the churche / leauinge it and forsakinge it in suche manner wi­thowte anie cause or reason shewed / and did in the name off the churche desier them to make answere vnto him concernin­ge this their dede / they vtterlie refused the same. But horne who then was Pastor / hastely takinge a penne / wrote to this purpos in a pece of paper in his owne name and in the name off the elders. Where as we are vrged and pressed by one in the name off the churche to make answere / we generally ans­were / that when so euer we shal be ordinarelie demaunded before the churche or them whiche the churche shall apointe / we will then answere / or if we shall be called before the ciuill magistrate we will ther answeare. other answeare then this they woulde geue none / to anie off the questiōs whiche we had proposed in all oure names of the churche. (and they assigned this writinge by puttinge to their names) where as in dede this was not onelie to answere nothinge at all / but also to pretēd a cloaked cause of answeringe nothinge at all. Moreouer / they were desired in the name of the churche that they woulde deli­uer [Page LXXIIII] to the churche the letters signed withe their owne hādes / by whiche they had shewed their renounsall and denyinge of the ministerie: or if they woulde not do that / that thē against a certeine daie they woulde graūte and giue to the churche a coppie therof. But neither woulde they geue them the letters whiche they had in their bosome neither woulde promisse any co­pie to the churche / who moste earnestlie required the same off thē. At the laste / the pastor and elders departed / some certeine fewe folowinge thē / but the multitude remained and so farr­forthe as they coulde remember / committed to writinge the actes off that daie and the summe off those letters (by whi­che the Pastor and Elders had willingly put them selues from the ministerie) ād for witnesse subscribed thereto with thirtie and there names. The next daie after / that is / the 3. off Febru­ary the Pastor and Elders beinge called off the churche by the Deacon / to intreate off makinge peace / they came together ād met. But the Pastor and elders set them downe in priuate places. Afterwardes / the pastor (because one speakinge in the congregation did not by and by so soone as he bad him holde his peace) fayned that he woulde departe. But when he per­ceyued that verie fewe folowed him / and by some consailed / he returned / and suddanly placed himselff in the pastors pla­ce / and called the elders to him / whiche thinge / before he had refused to do although he were by the whole churche verie in­stantly and ernestlie required therto. Then / he spake to this ef­fecte: we in dede (saith he) did displace oure selues from the ministerie / not withstandinge / absolutely and fullie we did it not / but vnder this condition onely / yff yow shulde proceade to deale in suche sorte as yow haue done against the olde ād receiued discipline. Nowe then / yff ye goo forwarde as yow haue appointed and purposed / then will we wholie and alltogether displace oure selues from oure Ministeries / but yff yow will obaie the olde discipline then will we continew pastor and el­ders as we are. Answere was made that there was nothinge at all conteined in the olde discipline / wherby they might me­dle with / or proceed againste the pastor and elders / iff parhapps [Page LXXV] they were founde faultie and in some offence. Moreouer / that there was nothinge put downe concerninge suche cau­ses / as in whiche the pastor and elders were an aduersarie parte / and therfore it was desired that they woulde suffer the di­scipline in that behalff to be amended and to be made more perfect. Nowe the pastor beinge offended as it shuld seeme / with so free speeche woulde im̄ediatlie againe haue bin gone / and rann euen to the churche dore / but yet seinge but fewe fo­lowinge him / by the counsaile and aduise off certeine persons he returned / and sat him selff downe in the pastors place with the seniors.

And in like sorte / by and by againe vppon the suddaine / he ran̄ for the thirde tyme / but within a litle while after here turned and planted himselff in the pastors accustomed place. Afterwards intretie was made with the pastor and elders in the name off the church / that they would suffer Ashleis cause (in whiche matter they themselues were founde at the lenght to be an aduersarie parte) and the hearinge theroff to come before the churche / And that the churche woulde (yff Ashley were founde faultie) verie sharply and seuerely punishe him / and in this behalff aboundantly satisfie the pastor and El­ders and all good men. But the pastor and Elders would at no hande suffer that. And as concerninge the amendinge off the discipline / the pastor saide that he and the elders with certeine others by the authoritie off the church beinge ioined vnto them woulde (yff the churche so thought good▪ amende the discipline. But answere was made vnto bothe / in the name off the churche. First that it was verie vniust that / the chur­che shuld not be suffred to haue iudgement and determinati­on. For therby the authoritie and right off churche was who­lie as it were / taken from the churche. To the seconde it was answered that sith suche ordinaunces and decrees were to be made / as by whiche the Pastor and Elders shulde be here­after deteined in dutie (some off them also beinge already ac­cused) it shulde be vniuste dealing to admit them to the fra­minge and makinge off suche decrees. And when they affir­med [Page LXXVI] they would answere no other thinge / and they were de­sired to suffer thos things to be cōmitted to writinge whiche were done alreadie / they woulde not agree / but the pastor say­inge he was a colde made himself ready to departe / ād goinge his waie a fewe folowinge him / he pronownced / that he dis­solued the assemblie. But the companie that taried in the chur­che and wrote the doings of that daie by their decree / and ap­pointed 8. men to amend the discipline / and Afterward to of­fre it the churche to be seene of thē / did also apointe other. 8. men (of whiche 8. three / allwaies stuck the pastor) arbitres and iudges to decide the cause betweene the pastor and elders / ād Ashley. Theis are their names. maister Railton / maister Warcope / M. Kelke M. faulconer / M. Bentham M. Cockroft / M. Carell and M. Wison. Three off theis were addicted the to pastor but M. Bentham and M. Kelke alwais shewed themselues indifferent and equall to bothe sides. From that time for­warde the pastor and elders and certaine others beinge often times called of the churche / by the Deacons and certeine other to intreate of making peace and agrement / would neuer ape­ere or be present.

Morouer the pastor and the Deacons / and certaine pai­nefull poore men / ceased bothe from preachinge and also the Ecclesiasticall lectures and other ordinary functions and charges whiche they ought to haue executed / neither woulde they come to solemne and publick praiers in the churche. notwith­standing the churche yet thorough Gods fauour obserued bothe publike praiers / sermons and Ecclesiasticall lectures / and all other things accustomed and minded to keepe them so longe as the godlie Magistrats shulde suffer and graunt the same. And no other matter did so muche spread abroad throughowt the citie as the fame and reporte off oure striffes and as the dede off maister Horne and Maister Chambers. For when they off themselues had forsaken the churche and had by their example stirred vp some other with their families to do the like / and some off theis nowe frequented and went / partely to the frenche churche / and partly to the Germanie [Page LXXVII] churches / the matter nowe coulde not anie longer be hyd and in secret seinge it was published and knowen not thorowe the citie alone / but the fame theroff ran̄ to other strangers al­so▪ whiche matter and busines withe their brethern / woulde to God they had chosen rather to haue had it ended quietlie and peaceablie in their owne churche / then in such troblesome sorte to haue consulted so greatly / bothe to their owne disho­nestie and oures. The fourth daie off Februarie which was Thursdaie and appointed for publick praier / the pastor who that daie shuld haue preached / and all the Elders were ab­sent. Nowe the pastor beinge before by the Deacon desired in the name off the churche that either he himselff would prea­che or apoint some other in his place / made answere / that nei­ther woulde he preach him selff nor apointe anie other. For that matter did nothinge at all belong vnto him. After prai­ers were ended some there were that disputed and reasoned in the pastors behalff and saide / that that assemblie whiche re­mained after the pastors departure (in as muche as he had au­thoritie to call together the churche and to breake vp the as­semblie and he goinge his waie saide / that he brake vp that assemblie) was no lawfull assemblie. To whom it was (in the name off the churche) answered / that Maister Horne had put owte himselff from his pastorall dewtie / and therfore / both for that matter and manie other recited before amonge the Act. of the 2. daie of Feb. he had not anie authoritie / or any māner of right either to gather together or to break vp the assemblie. And although it were graunted that he were their lawfull pastor / yet / it was affirmed that the churche was aboue the pastor and not the pastor aboue the churche ād that therfore thowghe the pastor departed / before the actes off that daie were confirmed / and pronounced that he brake vp the assemblye yet was the assemblie whiche remained ād taried behind a lawfull assemblie / ād had authoritie to make effectuall decrees / by w­hiche they might binde all ād euery mēber of the churche with owte exception. And that this question (whither the pope was aboue the churche or the churche aboue the pope) was stirred vp in the councelles off constance and Basill / and vvas deci­ded [Page LXXVIII] also by the authoritie off the schole off parise ioyned ther­to. Nowe they whiche reasoned in the pastors behalff did see­me by the space off certein daies after / to approue thes 2. co­uncells / for they placed the pastor aboue the churche. They brought foorth openly all the olde store and howsholde stuffe of Pighius and Eckius of the primacie of the pope vnder the name off the Pastorall authoritie and for the proffe theroff. The actes and disputations off that daie were in testimonie / signed and confirmed vvith two and thirtie names. The 5. off Februa. Maister horne and the seniors beinge required off the congrega [...]ion by a deacon to come and treate off reconciliation woulde not appeare. After this there were 3. Messen­gers sente from the congregation vnto them / off whom / one was to be specially reuerenced off all that be off the congre­gation bothe for his age and grauitie / the other [...] specially well lerned / to the intent they shuld be moued by theis so honest a company off Messengers sent by the congregation. Theis men / whē they had in the churches name instantly desired / and praied them that they woulde come to the congregation and there common brotherly amonge themselues for a quyete a­grement to be had / so as the matter might not come to the magistrates eares / nor be bruted anie farther abroade to the great infamie of oure nation / coulde do no good with them at all. for they saide they woulde not come vnlesse they were ordinarily called. As for other answere at that present they would make none. When this answere was declared to the congre­gation / it was determined that for asmuche as R Horne had openly put himself owte off his pastorshipp by writinge sub­scribed with his owne hand / and confirmed the same by wordes and deedes in lōge absteining from preachinge and other pastorall functions / and affirminge that suche matters were no point off his charge. In as muche as now beinge called of the churche / he will not appere / and so absteinethe all together from publicke praiers and all Ecclesiasticall meetīgs: And for asmuche also as the Seniors come not at the meetings of the churche / leaste the congregation thorough the forwardnes of [Page LXXIX] the saied Robart Horne and absence off the Seniors / beinge voide and destitute off common praier / preachinge / and rea­dinge the scriptures shulde be vtterly dissolued / that certein men shuld take charge off the churche and for all things to be done in the congregation as it hathe by Gods goodnesse byn yet hitherto done.

other decrees also whiche are specified in the Acts off the [...]. daie off Februa. they established: all whiche everie one that was present confirmed by his name subscribed with his ow­ne hande / as they were wont to do in other actes and decrees. And to the decrees off that daie subscribed 33. hands. But in this beha [...]ff bothe maister Horne and maister Chambers and other in their behalf did finde verie muche faulte with vs / for that we had proceaded vnordinarilie / that is (yow must vn­derstand) contrary to the olde discipline. For where they coul­de not iust [...]y finde faulte with those thīgs that the churche had done / they made cauillation at the manner off doinge off things as an vnordinary man̄er. And we answered as well manye other things grewe now by occasion off that matter / as this chiefly: in case Maister Chambers or anie other man / either woulde or coulde shewe anie ordinarie waie in the olde disci­pline wherby the congregation / or anie other might com [...] mence matter / and proceade against him or againste a Se­nior or Seniors beinge accused: or howe we might proceade ordinarely according to the olde discipline in causes / wherin he ād the seniors were the one parte as they nowe were proued to be: And yff Maister Horne / or anie other man either woulde or coulde shewe the tytle or wordes in the ould Dis­cipline / wherin this ordinarie waie is set forthe and conteined: Then we would confesse thvt we had gon amisse owt off the ordynary way and olde discipline. But yff neither he nor anie other woulde or coulde shewe in deede / that they wo­uld not be discontent at vs that reduced the congregation to their right authoritie and amended that olde discipline as a­thinge amisse / or filled it vp as a thinge vnperfect and brought the matter to the hearinge off the churche as it ought to be: [Page LXXX] And that they woulde at lenght geue ouer to vaunte them selues so off the order whiche they neuer had / or to blame vs he­reafter for proceading vnordinarely. The summe off this answere / we dyuyded in to certein Articles / and sent them pryuately to Maister Horne to peruse / requiring his answere to the same vnd also we sticked them vpon the pu [...]pit in the churche where they remained a great many daies. And where it was required in that same writinge that Maister Horne / or the Seniors or some other man shulde make answere vn­to thes matters / there is no man yet hitherto that hather ma­de anye answere / either by worde or by writinge / sauinge that Maister Horne fallinge to his olde generall answere / saide / he woulde make answere when he were ordinarely cal­led or questioned withe for by this shift he thinkethe he vn­doeth all dowtes at once / where as in dede / to answere after that sorte / is to answere nothing at all / but to pretend false causes to holde his tonge when he is able to shewe no rea­son for himselff. For this was his meaninge that he is not or­dinarely called nor questioned with all / nor accused ordinare­ly / sauinge onely before him selff / and the Seniors as Iud­ges / Where as they bothe in their geuinge ouer off their ministery / and in the principall cause against maister Ashley were the aduersary parte so that by his iudgement there is no ordinary waie to medle against the pastor and Seniors excepte they call themselues to be hearers of their owne cause and the­ir owne Iudges themselues. For other ordinary waie against the pastor and Seniors in that olde discipline off theirs / nei­ther he nor anie other shall be hable to shewe.

After this / when those 8. Persons which were appoin­ted by the Churche to heare the variance betwene Maister Horne and Maister Chambers one thoneside / and Maister Asley one the other side / shulde proceade in the hearinge off that matter / Maister Horne and Maister Chambers whiche had absented themselues nowe 11. daies from the churche were commaunded by the Magistrate the 12. off February (for that daye / they and certeyne others were seen with the [Page LXXXI] Magistrate) that they shuld in no wise comme at our church. when we harde off yt / we had maruell / fyrste that the mat­ter was comme to the Magistrats eare (for Maister Horne and the reste testified the 2. off February by their owne hand writinge / that they would neuer open it to the Magistrate) and secondarely / seinge Maister Horne and Maister Cham­bers coulde by no meanes be intreated to come to the churche yt semed awonder that yt was commaunded by the Magi­strats that they shulde not come / as though they had byne desyrous to come / whiche in dede neded not.

Therfore / the moste parte thought that that commaun­dement was obtained by their owne sute / at the Magist­rates hands / bothe that such persons as knewe not the mat­ter / shuld be perswaded that yt was longe off the Magist­rats commaundement that they did not their offices in the Church. Where as before this Commaundement was geuen they had off a purposed frowardnes absented them­selues now allready more then ten dayes from the con­gregation. And also besides / that the congregation might not proceade agaynst them seinge the Magistrate com­maunded them that they shulde not appeere. And this was the very let in dede why the congregation proceaded not in hearinge and determining off the varyance betweene Maister Horne and Chambers off the one partie and Ashley on the other.

And in this they burthen vs maliciously with ow­te cause / As thoughe we woulde haue Ashley ridd from Iudgment off that matter / and as though that were the onely thinge whiche was sought in oure conten­tion / where as in deede yt was longe off them that his cause was not determined. Wetherfore / hauing knowledge off this matter / for feare least we shulde be falsely accused / as though we had vttered yt to the Magistrate / and had seemed / first to haue accused our brethern vnto the Magistrate / whiche we might not abide to do / assembled together [Page LXXXII] in the churche the 13. off Februar. and there was openly recited in writing this that folowith. Forasmuche as oure contention is alreadie bruted abroad not onely through this citie but also come to the Magistrats eare (for we heare saie that maister Horne and maister Chamber were commaunded by the magistrat yester daie that is the 12. off Febr. that they shulde in no wise come at the congregation till the magistra­te had fuller knowledge off the ma [...]ter) we professe that nei­ther Maister Horne nor Maister Chamber nor no man els was complained vpon to the magistrate by vs or any off vs / or by oure meanes / but that we sought rather by all diligent endeauor / that the matter shuld not come abroade / but that all matters might haue byn secretly agreed amonge oure sel­ues and that we woulde all men shulde vnderstand by this oure writinge. This done / those that knewe themselues to be of an vpright cōsciēce in this behalf were req [...]red to set their handes to that writinge / and so there were 37 hands subscri­bed as appearethe in the actes off the 13. off Febru. And were Maister Horne and Maister Chamber beinge so often desy­red by all instant means off the congregation that they woulde be content to haue all ma [...]ters pacified amonge [...]e by bro­therly communication / did neuer suffer them selues to be [...]al­ked with all off anie matter / leaste they shuld afterward alle­adge to suche as knewe not the matter / that they did it off for­ce bicause off the magistraies commaundement / whiche for­bad them to come to the congregation. All the tyme wherin they absented them selues / and contemned so manie desires and intreties off the churche to haue met vpon agrement ma­kinge / before anie commaundement was geuen them off the magistrate (whiche commaundement notwithstandinge ma­ie seeme that they at lenght for the causes before mentioned procured themselues) was recorded amonge the Acts off that 13. off Febru and confirmed by the testimonies off 37. na­mes subscribed as in the acte app [...]arethe more at large.

The 14 off Febru. those 8. whiche were appointed the [...]. off Febru: by the congregation to amende the discipline / pre­sented [Page LXXXIII] the booke off the Discipline to the congregation agay­ne and the congregation allowed it. And those matters that were altered or augmented in the discipline were such as spe­cially perteined to those causes / wherin the pastor and seniors were the one parte / and howe it muste be proceaded against the pastor and seniors / in case anie off them were accused. For concerninge theis thinges there was neuer a worde in the ol­de discipline. And where in the olde discipline there was no certeine mention / howe the churche shulde be gouerned / and seinge maister Horne and other had now vtterly forsaken the congregation / who in leauinge there offices had drauen awa­ie with them the moste parte off them that were appoynted preachers / and disposinge off the churche monie / were more largely and more trulie set forthe and expressed.

For where maister Chamber had authoritie to gather all godly mennes almese for the poore off the congregation con­firmed vnto him (as he him selff required) in writinge / signed by the pastor and seniors and certeine other off the chieff men off the churche with their owne hands / and had exercised the same gathering nowe a yere / and half / that he alone / shulde receiue all / he alone distribute / and be accomptable to no mā and he alone to be priuie to the mony / that matter) were he neuer so faithfull a man) semeth verie suspitious to him and [...]urte­fu [...]l to the churche / yff he shulde dye suddanly as the state off man is casuall: And the example also shulde seeme pernitious to the churche least parhapp an other man off small fidelitie shuld by the same reason drawe all the churche mony in to his owne onely handes.

And for as muche as the Deacons (vnto whom the charge off the churche monie semeth to apperteine by the worde of God / and by the example off all right [...]y instituted churches) in oure congregation had not a mite to bestowe: for their were made Deacons honest men in dede / but yet such as for their poueritie semed not fit men to whom the common mony shuld be cōmitted: and by that coulour Maister Chamber th­ought he might with owte controlinge receiue all the cōmon [Page LXXXIIII] monye in his owne handes alone. The congregation thought good to haue a deaconshipp appointed more vprightly according to the rule described in the Actes off the Apostles / and the example off other Godly instituted churches / and to the intent the Church mony might be medled with all by the Deacons with owte all suspition it is prouided in the amendinge off the discipline that suche men shulde be chosen Deacons / as be not onely off a most aproued Good fidelitie / but also su­che as were able hansomly to liue off their owne withowte anie nede off the Churches Almes. And in dede this seemed to be nowe so muche the more necessary / for that many complained: some that the almes whiche they receyued before priuatlie off priuate frinds was taken vpp by the waye / sythens Maister Chamber began to gather / as in dede Maister Horne then Pastor threatned openly owte off the pulpit in his Sermon sayinge that he woulde stoppe all mennes vents (as he termed it) and receiptes. Againe / some complaine that they coulde haue nought at Maister Chambers hande / but after beseching and vnreasonable longe delais / some that they coulde haue nothing with owte bytter vpbraid [...] and some / that they could obtaine nothing off gyfte but onely off loane / and other some that they coulde gett nought at all. So that nowe it semed requisite off necessytie to seeke some remedie for theis misheues. All whiche complaints we shall be constrained off extreame necessitie to put in to one seuerall peece off worke touching the whole matter and communicatinge it to good men. And concerning the Discipline / seinge there was no certeine expresse waye in the olde disciplyne how the congregation shuld be gouerned / neither coulde anie longe quietnes indure so longe as Maister Horne had the gouernement by that discipline. And seing nowe Mai­ster Horne and Maister Chambers haue vtterlie forsaken the Churche / not onely themselues / but also haue drawen awaie with them many other / and of them / the most parte such as were appointed preachers and readers off the Scriptures: so as they might plainely appeere to seke nothinge ells but that [Page LXXXV] the congregation beinge destitute off preaching and reading (as thoughe it coulde not stand withe owt those men) shul­de be vtterlie broken vpp / the congregation was off necessitie enforced to deuise and prouide for some certeine waie for the gouerning off the churche / wherby the congregation might be set at a fyrme and a constant quietnes.

After this 14. off Februar. preachers off the frenche and Flemishe Churches and Maist [...]r Valeran pullain came to the congregation with the Magistrats Edicte. The meaninge off the edicte was / that Ma [...]ster Horne / Maister Chambers / Maister Isaac and the reste off the Seniors shulde be resto­red into their former full authoritie and that Maister Hor­ne shulde do the office off pastor / and they off Seniors in our churche till the Magistrates might haue the hearing and de­termining off the matter more at large. And yt was com­maunded / that all suche men as had anie thing to saie against Maister Horne and the reste shulde exhibit the same to the Magistrate in writing. Maister Horne / the decre beinge red consulting first with some off his complices / as in a ne­we matter that he neuer knewe before / said to this effecte: that he was ready to obeie the honorable Magistrate / as con [...] cerninge other functions belonginge to the Pastor / that is to saie consultations with the Seniors and administration off discipline / but he woulde not medle with preaching / bicause his ministerie was infamed by some men / he coulde not do yt with owt the offence off himselff and off many. Answere was made in the Churches name for that the honorable Ma­gistrate had sent the Seniors againe to the Churche / the churche was glad off it. For they were all sory for their departu­re and nowe were verie ioyous off their comminge againe. Concerninge Maister Horne for so muche as he refused the chiefeste parte off the Pastors office wherin he hathe behaued himselff well (yff in anye thinge well) that is / in the office off preachinge. Againe / where he woulde take vppon him that parte wherin he is iustly reprehended / as wantinge discretion / and sobernes therin / that is / the administration [Page LXXXVI] off Ecclesiasticall discipline with the Seniors / he ouer sho­teth him selff in bothe thes pointes.

Therfore in as muche as he exempteth himself from that office wherin he might profit the congregation: the congre­gagatiō in like case will not admit him to that office wherin he bothe ill behaued him selff before / as the congregation (yff ne­de be) shall declare vnto the Magistrats: wherin likewise the congregation cannot admit Maister Chambers to the office off Senior for certe [...]n Causes. And for the rest off the Seni­ors / We (saie they) geue vnto the Magistrats right humble thankes.

This done / those 3. men whiche came vnto them with the Magistrats edicte / did earnestlie exhorte / firste in the ma­gistrates name and ef [...]sones in their owne / to fall to a quiet agremente amonge them selues / for that were more honestie then to accuse one an other vnto the congregation: Whiche thinge / as it is most vnworthly off Christen men / so is it vnto vs specially that professe our selues banished for the gospell sake. Answere was made in the name off the churche as folo­weth. We wishe for a brotherly peace from the bottome off our hartes praing Maister Horne and Maister Chambers instantly to bend their mindes vnto quietnes / and moste har­tely besechinge theis 3 men our bretherē / and banished for the same gospell that we are / that they will helpe with their au­thoritie to set a quietnes amonge vs / so as the matter shulde come no more to the Magistrats eare. Theis 3. answered that they woulde heare what answer Maister Horne and Maister Chambers would make / hereto Maister Horne answered / seing the matter is allready before the M the magistrat shall haue the hearing and determining off it. Iff anie had ought against him let them put it vp in writing before the magist­rate / for he was ready to answere all men and either he woul­de trie his innocencie or (being founde faultie) suffer punishe­ment for the same. Maister Chambers made like answere for himselff.

Then / for as muche as there could be no other ende the [Page LXXXVII] congregation requested those 3. graue and lerned preacher [...] to make reporte to the magistrate off their desier And readi­nes to haue agrement. And so they (as soone as theis things were put in writinge) departed. And the churche also made an acte off that daie subscribing with their hands to the sa­me. The same daie at after noone the Magistrates hauing more plaine intelligence off the matter / commaunded by the­ir edicte / subscribed with their handes / that Maister Horne and Maister Chambers shulde medle no more the one with the pastorshipp and the other withe the Seniorshipp till all the controuersies were throughly harde and decided. And commaundement was geuen / that the eight daie after (whi­che was the 3. off marche / suche as had to saie off anie parte shuld be present This matter was greuous to the church (as ma [...]e be thought) that things shuld growe to suche extre­mitie.

When they had gathered certeine matter / they exhibited it to the Magistrates when as they came to the Englishe churche where all the company were assembled before them whiche was the last off February. Where the Magistrates made an ende (by their owne authoritie) off the controuersie as shall be saide here after.

The laste off Feb. the Magistrate came to oure Temple a litle before ten off the clock and there off his authoritie re­concilied certeine off the congregatiō that were at variaunce amonge them selues / and tooke order that all former offen­ces shulde be vtterly extincte and buried in the graue off for­getfulnes. Wheruppon at the commaundement / and in the presence off this Magistrate / the parties ioined handes together in token that they were reconcilied and were Good frinds and lovers. Afterwarde / the pastor / Elders and Deacons / were put from their Ecclesiasticall functions by an Edict si­gned and subscribed with three off the Magistrates handes and were all made priuate men / as the rest off the congregation: And by the same edicte off the Magistrates it was decreed that that congregation might freely / when they woulde [Page LXXXVIII] chuse either them or other ministers. likewise / it was permit­ted and graunted / that accordinge to the abilitie off the con­gregation they might chuse one / or many ministers off the worde or doctors. Moreouer / order was taken by the same Edicte / that the treasure or common monie off the congrega­tion shulde be kept and distributed by the Deacons. And that the Deacons shulde at certeine appointed times geue vpp an accounte off it before the Ministers off the worde and Se­niors.

We were licenced by the same Edicte off the magistrats. to drawe owte an Ecclesiasticall Discipline wherby the con­gregation shuld be gouerned. Afterward / there was thankes geuen to the magistrate in the name off the whole congregation for his singuler good will and affection to the congregati­on. And the magistrate depar [...] / wisshinge well in like sorte to the companie. But by wh [...]e meanes the magistrat came thus vnto vs and toke such order / or whither the Magistra­te off himselff wrought this deuise we cannot certeinly saie. But that we off the churche were not the cause / that anie su­che thinge was done / we take God and oure consciences / and the magistrate to witnes / who knoweth the whole matter.

The morowe after / whiche was the firste off marche the Magistrate gaue vs Counsaile by a fewe lynes that he wra­te vnto vs to drawe forthe the Ecclesiasticall Discipline ow­te of hande / whiles we were as yet all priuate men and therfo­re might best take counsaill / for that that shulde be moste behouable for the whole companie: leste / that yff we differred the doinge off it vntill the Ministers were chosen and appointed / oure cōsultation shulde be more troublesome / whiles the mi­nisters on the one side and the congregation on the other / might pluck and force more vnto them selues then off right they ought. This most wholsome and profitable counsell off the Magistrate was the nexte daie after / whiche was the 2. off marche proposed in the congregation / and it liked and ple­ [...]sed the whole company, notwithstanding bicause Maister [Page LXXXIX] Horne made some matter / for that some were absent the mat­ter was differred vnto the nexte daie.

The thirde off marche / by the aduise off that Good and godlie magistrate / eight and thirtie off the congregation cho­se by voices 15. men to write Ecclesiasticall lawes. Maister Horne and Maister Chambers and almoste to the nomber off 14 moo sa [...] by and woulde geve no voices / notwithstan­standinge that we requested and intreated them: But they re­quired they might haue leaue to put downe there minds in writinge. So then beinge requested to write downe their min­des Maister Horne rose vpp and wrate in the paper in theis wordes folowinge. My minde is that the olde discipline be kep [...]e still and not mended. Maister Chambers and Maister Isaac and other to the no [...]ber off 14. wrote downe their mynds to the selff same purpose. Nowe when we saw far [...] beyounde oure expectation and otherwise then we looked for that there was a newe dissention ar [...]singe betweene vs / being set at one and recōciled one to the o [...]her / not scarse 3. daies be­fore and in witnesse therof had geuē handes eche to other (we coulde not otherwise doo but be greued and sorowe greatly / to se the growndworke of mo troubles and dissentions laide.

And bicause those. 14. gaue to vnderstande by their hands put downe vnto it in writinge that they thought it no [...] Good to alter their olde discipline / to the ende that it might euidently appeare / howe many we were that had consented vppon the choise off 1 [...]. men whiche shulde set downe in wri­tinge a forme off discipline accordinge as the magistrate had commanded / we on the otherside trusted / that we thought it for the behouff and profit off the congregation that a forme of discipline shuld be made and put downe as the magistrate had commaunded. And to this determination and sentēce be­inge put in writinge / we in nomber eighte and thirtie subscribe doure names / with protestation that we did nothinge but that was Good and lawfull and accordinge to the magistra­tes will and mind requestinge them to geue their consent and to agree with vs.

[Page XC]But they / after muche debatinge and many wordes to and fro for their olde discipline / that it neded not to be displaced or altered / The simple sutteltie off [...]. factious head. came to this passe at the lenght / that they sai­de (we had to consulte off correctinge but not off makinge a discipline and verie instantly vnd earnestlye vrged the same v­pon the wordes off that aduice and councell whiche the ma­gistrate had geuen touchinge the spedie dispatche off the disci­pline of the churche before the election of the ministers. we th­erfore which thought it not muche materiall whither it were termed a newe made / or a corrected discipline to haue no occasion of dissentiō / chaunged / oure copie and put in in steade of the is wordes / discipline shulde be made / shuld be corrected. And so those 14. whiche made ashewe before as though they wol­de not suffer anie one iote of the olde discipline to be altered / ād chaunged / callinge to minde (I suppose / either their fewnesse off their nomber or the oddes off the matter bycause [...]hat ol­de discipline was vtterly taken awaie by the Magistrates edi­cte / the laste off Februa. as the chiefest cause off oure contro­uersies: or ells foreseinge / that the magistrate would be offended with that their dissention: they all ioyntly together Mai­ster Horne and Maister Chambers beginninge the daunce put their hands to oures / for the correction off the discipline.

Horne and his compa­nie subscribs to the other parte.Then did Maister Horne request that seinge nowe they had consented vnto vs / for the wrytinge downe off the disci­pline / he and the residewe for that fourtene might freely geue their voices for the chosinge of those fourtene whiche they had alreadie appointed or some suche other as they woulde. But we bicause we had before requested them to geue their voices and three refused / cōsidering that those fourtene drew all one line and were fullye bent in all points to do one as the other / beinge all like affected and by that meanes / might off purpos wholie bestowe their voices vpon some certeine / and so ouer­throw oure election whiche they knewe already / denied to graunt and suffer them and yet we saide / that yff they woulde we wold not refuse to appointe an o [...]her daie / to chuse the say­de 14. men or other. yet geuinge Maister Horne in the meane [Page XCI] while to wit / that that matter whiche might haue bin quietlie dispatched in three houres / would scarsly by his meanes be fynished in three daies.

At the lenght Maister Horne / after consultation had with certain / spake alowde in the name off the fourtene in this wise.

Although (saide he) it were meete that we all seuerally geue oure voices / yet that we maie be no longer an hinderan­ce / I pronoūce in all their names / that we all do by our voices chuse those 14. men Whom yow haue alreadye appointed. When the residew were asked whither they consented to this or no▪ Maister Isaac / answered that all agreed: otherwise / yff anie were contrarie minded he woulde speake. And thus by a generall consente off all not one man excepte fiuetene men were chosen to write Ecclesiastical lawes the thirde off mar­che.

The 15. M. Horne came not til two. Elected agreed betwene themselues to assemble and come together the fourth of marche at one of the cloke at afternoone. Whē they came together ther was muche a doo a great while whither the olde discipline shulde be corrected or a newe made. We (of the churche) alleadged that all occasions off olde controuersies (wheroff the olde disciplie but vnperfe­cte and naught was one) were vtterly taken awaye by the ma­gistrates Edicte. some vrged this worde corrected / or amen­ded which was in the aduise and counsaile that the Magistrat gaue vs for the spedie dispatche off discipline. For / saide they / that is not corrected whiche is cleane taken waie. The book of discipline brought fo­orth and read. At lenght / the booke off the olde discipline and an other off the newe di­scipline / whiche was corrected in the absence off maister Horne and others were read / and so they departed for that daie appoynting to meete agayne the 8. off marche the same houre.

The 8. off marche the 15. men assembled againe and the­re agreed vpon articles for makinge off discipline / M. Horne came at 3. whiche were set downe in a paper and subscribed all vnto them / sa­uinge that maister Horne / Maister Chambers and Maister [Page XCII] Isaac and Maister Bentham woulde not subscribe to that Article concerning the hauinge off two ministers off the worde / and yet notwithstandinge they all agreed vpon this that is was a matter indifferent whither there shuld be one or ma­ny ministers off the worde. for it is not defined in the scriptu­res but left free. Afterward Maister Hales gaue to Maister Chambers a booke off discipline (which was writen in the ab­sence off maister Horne and others / and was off the same Articles as the congregation had made and agreed vpon) that maister Horne / and he / and maister Isaac might reade it ouer / and if they allowed ought therin that it might be annexed to the discipline that was in hande. But afterwarde / when mai­ster Horne through occasion off talke abowte the correctinge off the discipline / saide that there had byn no other discipline in the churche / but that olde discipline / and that therfore the magistrate / spake off correctinge off that no [...] off the v [...]ter abo­lishinge theroff and that it was answered / that that same o­ther booke off discipline beinge written when he was absent might as well be vnderstoode to be ment / as that same olde discipline▪ bothe for that there was more equitie in it and also was suscribed vnto off so many as well as that olde discipli­ne whiche he so extolled: Then maister Horne brake owte in to most spitefull wordes against all his countrie men that had agreed to that discipline which were at the leaste 36. persons / affirminge that all they that had thus conspired together for the establishing off those articles (accordinge to the shortnes off the time wherin they met) that they were in a certeine de­gree / giltie off treason againste the magistrat / against the Se­nate / and (to be shorte) against the whole citie.

Then maister Hales vnderstandinge by maister Hornes wordes that nothinge was sought but newe trouble / and beinge put in minde also aff maister Bentham) reherseth agayne that booke off discipline which a litle before was offred to maister Chambers affirminge that he vnderstode / they went abowte to seeke rather an occasion off chalinginge at the boo­ke by readinge off it / then a way off makinge a new discipline.

[Page XCIII]The eleuenth off marche the fiftene men meete againe vpō certeine Articles to whiche (excepte one whiche maister Hor­ne and M. Chambers would not subscribe) they al subscribed.

A litle before our departure it was thought profitable that those thinges which we had collected and agreed vppon shulde be brought in to a certeine forme of a booke / adding ei­ther owte off the olde discipline / or by occasion / as we were gatheringe theis thīges together such things as might seeme profitable. Maister horne / and maister Chambers beinge in­treated / that they would gather those things in suche sorte / or ells be present to conferre withe other that reade: Maister Horne answerethe that he woulde not / neither that there was any suche neede. The 16. daie of marche they met againe in the churche and there a certeine bill (in whiche were writen certei­ne articles tendinge to discipline) is exhibited vnto them that amonge the fiften it might be deliberated vpon and debated. maister Isaac spake many things verie sharplie against one Article as verie daungerous and perilous againste those good men through whose liberalitie the poore off the church we­re susteined / and makinge wise as thoughe he woulde knowe the matter better / he requested the bil / whiche / beinge reached vnto him / he putteth it vp in his bosome / neither woulde he geue it againe. And so by this meanes / he tooke away the matter for vs to worke vpon sith that we had no other copie.

Afterwarde / the booke in whiche those thinges were written that were agreed vppon amonge the 15. and certeine thinges owte off the olde discipline / and other also were ga­thered in to some order was brought owte amōge them to be consulted vpon / and beinge redd / maister Horne and Maister Chambers fyrste off all complained / that booke was gathered they not wittinge theroff / and had byn longe beatten vppon amonge certeine of them / and therfore that it was reason that a copie shuld be geuen to them / and to maister Isaac and a farther tyme also to delyberate / maister Isaac affirmed that he neded 2. monethes / or one at the leaste to consider off that bo­oke. It was answered that although Maister Horne and [Page XCIIII] Chambers complained that they were not admitted to the collectinge off the booke) in that they did vs wronge / for beinge of vs therunto required they refused it and left it to others. In that they required a copie / it semed vniuste / (seinge that the church had decreed / that we the 15. shulde debate tog [...]ther as concerninge the writinge off the discipline) for that thin­ge tended againe to a newe dissention. Againe / that they re­quired so longe a tyme to deliberate / and especially Maister Isaac / it was moste vniuste. For seinge the marte was nowe at hande / it was profitable or rather necessarie that oure chur­che shulde with spede be established and oure ministers ele­cted leaste / to oure great infamie / men comminge h [...]ther owte off all Europe / they might also se the broyles off oure churche and so spread them farr abroad amoge all nations: more ouer: that it woulde fall owte to the great hurte off the poore / yff godly men being offended / with oure dissentions / (beinge be­fore beneficiall to the poore) withdrawe nowe their liberalitie / and that [...]herforee there was nede off spedie helpe in pacifiyn­ge and quietinge the churche before the mar [...]e beinge no­we at hande. Maister Horne answereth / that he requireth not to muche tyme 2. or 3. daies shulde be enough for him to del [...]berate / notwithstandinge that the copie ought to be graunted for no lesse tyme / seinge many thinges were conteined in that booke / and some also darke and dowtefull thinges and to him before that tyme vnharde off / or / at the least / vnknowen: and that therfore he requested that all shulde be asked mā by mā whither they thought not this reasonable ād iuste that he required. For if to the moste it shulde seeme reasonable he would at anie hande hauie a copie off that booke Euery man therfore was asked / beginninge at Maister Bentham: he / aswell forthe causes before alleadged as also that no occasion off wranglinge might arise off the booke / and leaste the booke shulde come to the handes off anye other before it were bro­ught to the congregation / and for certeine other causes / tho­ught it not meete that anie copie shulde be geuen to anie / but that the booke shulde be brought foorthe amonge them / and [Page XCV] all they hearing it that were appointed off the congregation / it shulde be after read and that tyme enoughe shulde be ge­uen to stande vpon euerie decree and sentence and more exac­tly to examin them: and that this seemed to him very iuste and reasonable. And this iu [...]gement is condescended to off all the reste / and so Maister Horne leaueth off from requestinge the copie. Afterwardes / the booke is begonne to be redd / from the beginnige / and in examininge off euerie off the decrees longe time is spente / and off some articles in the beginninge mutche disputation and debatinge is had. But Maister Horne / Maister Chambers and Isaac beinge asked their iudgemēts would not answere / no / not in the moste plaines [...]e maters / and knowē of all men / either to allowe or disalowe / as for exāple: There was one article: we professe the selfsame doctrine which is conteined in the Canonicall bookes off all the holie scrip­ture / to witt / Yff maister Horne too­ke such de­liberattō before he wo­uld subscri­be to that article: w­hat meane­the this that poore ignorant men and wemen must thus subscribe vpō the sudden or ells to newgate. in the bookes off the olde and newe Testamen­te / in whiche is conteined fullie all doctrine necessary for oure saluation. To this and suche other beinge moste plaine and manifeste maister Horne answered as to all thother that he woulde answere nothinge with owte great deliberation. By whiche his doinges / he gaue occasion to all men to wonder. And so / some other decrees off that booke beinge examined a meetinge off the 15. was appointed againste the nexte daie / and so they departed. The nexte daie beinge the 17. off march and againe the daie folowinge beinge 18. twelue off the 15. mette. For Maister Isaac / Maister Horne and Chambers came not. Vpon bothe daies the discipline was more diligently read and examined / and off eleuen off them whiche were appoin­ted / alowed and subscribed vnto. Vpon the 20. daie off marche the discipline was offred to the whole congregation / that it might of them either in the whole or in parte be alowed or disalowed / and the same daie was it twise reade ouer.

After the readinge Maister Horne and Maister Cham­bers require a copie off the discipline / that at their leasure they might farther deliberate vpō it. It was answered that it was to be opēly read and reade againe / bothe to them and o­thers [Page XCVI] / as often as they woulde / with time ynough geuē to e­uery man more diligently to examine euerie Artikle / but sein­ge the Magistrate had commaunded that we shulde exhibite to them a copie off the discipline turned in to laten / so soone as possible might be / Therfore we durste not scatter any copi­ce before the Magistrate had seene it. Besydes that we feared leaste Maister Horne and Maister Chambers (Who were a­monge the 15. (appointed) off the churche for the writinge off the discipline who might also when they woulde not onely he are the discipline but also examine the same diligently / and yet woulde not meete with the others at the appointed time) would requeste a copie not so muche to knowe the discipline as to sturre vpp newe broiles. Neuertheles when the Magi­strate had once seene it / leaue to be geuen to anye man that woulde to se it. Withe this answere they and some others beinge offended / at the second readinge off the discipline they departed a waye and abstained agayne with their whole ho­wsoldes from the churche / from publick prayers and sermons whiche thinge blewe vp and increased the reporte off our di­sagrements and striffes. Neither woulde they from that ti­me forwarde vnlesse they were commaunded by the magist­rate come to the churche when as notwithstandinge they coulde not shewe vs anie iuste cause to be giuen them why they shulde so departe from the churche and refraine the publicke prayers and godly sermons / as yff we had byn Ethnickes or publicannes.

The 25. daie oure discipline was read the 3. time / and the 26. daie it was read the forthe tyme by the commaundement off the Magistrate at the reading wheroff all Englishe men that were off the churche were commaunded to be present. The 30. off marche it was read the fyfte tyme and so at diuers times there subscribed 42. in the good allowance theroff w­hiche was the greater parte by a greate deale off the churche. For the whole churche at that present had not aboue: 62. And bycause nowe the marte was at hande / that there might be some better forme off a well ordred churche: fiue were ap­pointed [Page XCVII] off the churche the 20. off marche to nominate certei­ne from amonge whom / accordinge to the Magistrates de­cree shulde be chosen / the Ministers off the worde / Seniors and Deacons. The 21. off marche the names off twentie men or there abowte were proponed to those fiue appoynted off the churche and therwithall declared that yff anye woulde or coulde reproue anye off them that were named / either in doctrine or manners / they shulde shewe it the 23. daie af­ter. Vpon the 2 [...]. daie / none fyndinge anie faulte in anie of tho­se whose names were propounded / it was agayne decreed that yet / yff they had anie thinge to saie against anie man they shulde declare that the 21. daie folowing.

The 25 off marche Maister Chambers / maister Binkes Maister Ade / Maister Brikbek maister Ben [...]ham / who were amonge them that were named / tolde the churche / that yf pe­raduenture they shulde be chosen / for certeine causes they coulde not serue the churche / and that they signified this to the churche in time leaste the election were frustrat. But w­hen no man coulde obiecte anie faulte in theis or other that were named: the election off the Ministers was made the 29. off marche / and the ordeininge off them that were chosen was appointed of the churche the daie folowinge. In the me­ane season Maister Horne and Maister Chambers and cer­taine other lefte not off to sue to the Magistrates that bothe oure election might be hindred / and also that it might be law­full for them to be off our churche / and yet not to subscribe to oure Dysciplyne / the thinge that they them sel­ues notwithstanding would neuer graunt to anye o­thers.

The 2 [...]. off Marche after dmner it began to be muttred off certeyne that the Magistrate had forbydden that we shulde go forwarde in the election / the whiche thin­ge surely greued vs: for by that meanes we sawe that we shulde haue no forme of a Churche before the marte and that th­erfore we shulde become a reproche to all men / which seemed [Page CXVIII] shulde be spred amonge all nations. But this rumor was altogether vaine / for the 29. of marche which was the daie be­fore the election shulde be / after the sermon / the decree of the Magistrate was openly reade in the churche / wherin it was commaunded that we shulde take in hand and performe the election off the Ministers in the same order and vpon the sa­me daie that we had apointed / and that all Englishe men that were off oure churche shulde be present the same daie / at the election / and geue their voices.

The 29. daie off Marche after praiers / the sermon and publique faste / a litle before twelue / the election off the Mini­sters began to be made and when we were in the middeste off the election▪ Maister Horne Maister Chambers / and others to the nomber off 18. men / (who before were neither with vs at the sermon / nor at praiers / but had kepte themselues in so­me howses not farre from the churche / beinge warned of their side that had watched vs in the churche) came in suddanlie on a troupe together in to the churche and there eche one striue­the who shall caste in his bill firste / vpon the table standinge in the middeste off the churche / all whiche bylles conteined one matter and writen almost with like wordes / to witt / that they coulde not geue their voices in the same election / bicause they coulde not off their consciences alowe that discipline by whiche the election was made. And that they might enlarge their nomber / they brought with them 2. billes off those that were absent and off some others whiche neuer were accom­pted off the churche. And so after they had troubled oure ele­ction / and after Maister Horne also / walking with an other a litle while ouerwhart in the middest off the churche / all in a manner departed againe.

Afterwards the election was fully ended / at one off the clock at afternoone / there were chosen 2. Ministers off the worde .6. Seniors and 4. Deacons. Nowe the Deacons we­re (besides the wonted custome off oure churche) off the nom­ber off those that coulde lyue of their owne / for that the com­mon treasure might seeme withowte all suspition to be com­mitted [Page XCIX] to suche rather then to the poorer sorte▪ Nowe / in that maister Horne neither anie off the other that were before in the Ministerie (excepte onely maister Willforde) were chosen againe to the Ministerie / was specially through their owne faulte. For Maister Horne neuer almoste ceased for certeine daies to professe openly that he woulde neuer exercise againe anie Ecclesiasticall ministerie in that churche / and beinge before appointed by the magistrate to preache in oure churche he would neuer so muche as once preach. And maister Cham­bers / when his name amonge the reste to be chosen / was pro­pounded / the 25. off marche he professed openly in the churche / (all men hearinge it) before the election / that though he were chosen off vs to some Ministerie / yet that he woulde neuer v­se it: And therfore that we shulde not in anie case chuse him vnlesse we woulde haue oure election to be frustrate.

Wherfore / it is no maruell / yff they were not chosen / who / least they shulde be chosen did them selues openly deno­unce it. And therfore / in this they do vs great wronge / that would seeme to beare men in hande / that they were at the fir­ste thruste owte off their ministerie by vs / or longe off vs they were not chosen in againe.

Maister Isaac in like manner / Maister Binks Maister Brickbek and Maister Escote openly professed that they woulde in nowise vse any publique ministerie in oure churche. And here vpon it came specially to passe that onely Maister will­ford / (who had not made anie suche exception) was from a­monge thē / which were before in the ministery chosen agayne.

The thirde off Aprill the Magistrate / who desired that theis churche dissentions off oures might be pacified and qui­etted / and he now bicause off the marte had no leasure to do the same / writeth his letters to D. Cox / D: Sandes and mai­ster Bartue in whiche he exhorteh them / that they / yff they coulde by anie conueniente meanes / as arbitres off some esti­mation ende this striffe amonge vs.

Nowe when either side was come before them and all we in the name off the churche (for all had graunted oure con­trouersies [Page C] to be harde and determined with owte anye excep­tion at all to them and to other arbytres / what so euer / whom they shulde call vnto them) and had offred this thinge to the arbytres written and all oure names subscribed vnto it: Maister Horne / Maister Chambers and others firste reque­sted that maister Horne might be restored to his office off pastorshippe / Maister Isaac Maister Chambers and others / into their offices off Seniors and the olde discipline into his former place and autoritie / so as they were in the beginninge off theis controuersies. For then (said they) will we leaue all controuersies to the arbitres. When we had refused this as moste vniuste and vnreasonable / then they requested that se­inge we woulde not restore the olde discipline / and them to their former authoritie / that then we would suffer oure disci­pline and Mynisters to be none otherwise then their olde wi­thowte all authoritie and no minister at all nor discipline to be in oure churche but that the matter shulde remaine in that state and condition that it was in the last off February / when the Magistrate hauinge put all the ministers from their offi­ces departed frō vs / and so shuld the mater be lefte to arbitres

Whan we remembred what and howe great trauelles that discipline election off Ministers had coste vs and sawe that by this meanes oure churche shulde be made destitute off Ministers and a large windowe to be opened for newe con­tentions / and had also denied that thinge / Maister Horne re­quested that it might be lawfull for him to goo a litle a side and to consulte with some off his side abowte the whole matter. A litle after returninge againe and sainge / that they woulde leaue no waie vnsought after / wherby peace might be got­ton / although they yelded muche from their right. Then he re­adeth a certeine bill to those 3. (appointed off the magistrate) and to vs writen in his owne name and the names off others which I haue added vnder here writen worde for worde / least anie man shulde thinke that anie thinge off purpose were al­tred by vs.

And that the indifferent reader / maie / by comparinge their offre and oures / se whiche is moste resonable / we haue added oures also / writen owte worde for worde as we offred it vpp before the forsaied Maister Bartue / D. Coxe and D. Sandes and to the dissentinge brethern.

The copie wheroff is this.

Thow maiste se here / gentle reader / that albeit we had oure Discipline writen and allowed off a 11. off the 15. men whom the congregation by the Magistrates authoritie had apointed / to wit / the Dyscipline / and therupon confirmed wi­th the hands off 42. men which was the greateste parte off our churche by a great deale: Albeit we had also / all eccleasticall ministers / by the magistrats decree / and the authoritie of the congregation [Page CII] lawfully elected / yet for quietnes sake / we put all to the Arbitres wholie / either to be allowed or disalowed with owte anie manner off exception. But maister Horne and mai­ster Chambers / and others / sekinge more their owne will then anie quiete agremente / woulde not at the first admit those three Arbitres appointed off the magistrates. For Maister Horne made exception againste some off them. And afterwardes woulde abide no order or offre / vnlesse we wolde with oure subscriptions suffer and commit oure discipline / the ele­ction off ministers / and all other matters off oure churche to stande in suspence (as they call it) so that by their dryfte we shulde haue had no discipline / no certein ministery / no order and so consequently no churche They would that thies Arbi­ters shulde be chosen indifferenly from amonge suche as we­re oure countrie men / But not of oure congregation / so that it shulde be lawfull for them to chuse where they lyste and wh­om they liste. Theis three arbytres had their beinge ow­te from the Englishe churches. Nowe consider with me / who so euer thow arte (indiffent reader) yff we / firste hauinge geuen and sealed oure writinge in the name off the whole churche had granted our discipline / ministers / and all other orders off oure churche to stande in suspence / vntill they shulde either be allowed or disalowed of the arbitres chosen in suche sorte / and till maister Horne and Maister Chambers accordinge to their canuasin­ge craftines / nowe ynough and more then ynough knowen vnto vs / had chosen Arbitres for their parte owte off farr pla­ces / who either coulde not or ells woulde not meete together abowte this matter / or (whiche was moste certeine to come to passe) yff Maister Horne / and Maister Chambers wher­soeuer at lenght they had choosen arbitres / had not for all that chosen suche for their side / who vnlesse thinges vvere don accordinge to their ovvne minde / vvould decree nothinge at all. But the Arbitres disagreinge on bothe sides / the matter shulde be lefte vndon; vvhat then shulde haue become off oure churche / vvith thies their suspensyue ministers / and vvitherhe discipline and all other thinges? For the condition off­red vpp off Maister Horne and Maister Chambers vvas de­clared [Page CIII] to be this / that so longe all shulde remaine in suspence till they shuld be allowed or disalowed by the arbytres: so that yff the arbyters shulde haue bin deuided equally (as many times it comethe to passe) the Ministers off the chur­che might determine nothinge / but the Discipline and all other thinges muste continually hange in suspence. Againe / the churche (thoughe it were in great perill and daunger / yet / least it shulde leaue anye waye vnproued for the obtayninge off peace (bicause they thought that some off those three were not meete whom the magistrates had appointed for Arbitres / offred vpp an other bill conteining alltogether the selff same matter / and write withe the same wordes / that they woulde stande to the Iudgement off any other Arbitres who so euer beinge chosen indifferently by the other partie from amonge oure countrie men / and leaue all thinges to them plainely and symplie withowte anie exception or condition to be determi­ned and decided. But they would allowe no condition offred off vs vnlesse we woulde firste / by the subscribinge off oure names allowe that moste vniuste and vnreasonable condition off thers / and by oure preiudice condemne oure Mynisters / oure Discipline and all other thinges that we had donne. And so by this meanes had opened a gapp to them to ouerthowe oure churche. And when they had thus behaued them selues before Maister Bartue D. Cox and D. Sandes / yet certeine off them (when nowe the marte was in the chieff flowre) re­ported through owte the whole cytie that we had reiected th­eir most iuste and paeceable requestes and that we were alltogether troublesome men / and plainely bent to suffer no pea­ce nor quietnes / howbeit / we had rather that they shuld she­we theis thinges that are false off vs to others / then that they together with others shulde openly deride oure follie (yff we had yelded to such requests) as they that with oure great [...]oile and trauell had (to the quiete off the churche) establyshed some churche / and nowe vppon a suddaine by the subscri­binge off one bill thorough headinesse and foolishe facilitie shulde haue ouerthrowen the whole. But they / when they [Page CIIII] coulde not obtaine this / went abowte this verie buselie / that the whole churche might then be dissolued and broken vpp. For Maister Chambers for halff a monethe space and more would geue nothinge to anie man that remained in the chur­che / and folowed not maister Horne and him departinge from the churche.

To certeine other also he woulde geue nothinge at all whiche were in the publique Ministerie / to preache the word and reade lectures / and also in the exercise of disputinge by his owne appoyntemente and the order taken by Maister Hor­ne alwais from the time sithens they came to oure churche / when nowe they were for their bourde in debte to their ho­stesses for 4. monethes / neither had don anie other faulte / vn­lesse it were bicause they remained in their functions off pre­achinge and readinge lectures in whiche they were placed by Maister Horne and Maister Chambers / leaste the churche shuld altogether be destitute bothe off sermons and lectures: Onely bicause in this dissention they agreed not with them and tooke their partes / and had with them withdrawen them selues from the churche that it might be vtterlie scattered / w­hē as notwithstandinge (which is moste vnhonest) they had promised to geue 3. monethes warninge before they woulde forsake them: whiche / notwithstandinge Maister Chambers affirmed they woulde neuer do vnlesse it were that they were constained by extreame necessitie. Abowte the middest off the marte or a litle after ther began̄e a rumor to be spread off the departure of maister Horne and maister Chambers from this citie / but whither they woulde go / or whither they woulde at all departe / it was yet vncerteine. For neither was it likely that maister Chambers hauinge gathered so muche common mony / and that by the authoritie and in the name off the churche seinge he had bin here so longe with owte makinge off a­nie accoumpte to the churche / woulde go awaie in suche sor­ [...]e. Neither was it credible that M. Horne / who had gouerned in his pastorall office and charge so longe (no reconciliation nor pacification beinge made for so great offences) woulde so [Page CV] departe / yea / not so muche as haue taken his leaue of the chur­che. In the meane time it is incredible to be spoken / but more shameful to be hearde / what reportes certeine had spred that marte tyme secretly and especially amonge the rycher sorte that were able to helpe the poore off oure churche / forsoothe / that there were certeine traitors amonge vs. That we desired to knowe the names off those persons that were liberall to­wardes the poore off oure churche / to the ende to betraie them and vndoo them: That we had caste our Pastor and Ministers owte headlonge from ther ministeries and offices. In all w­hiche thinges / they went aboute nothinge ells but to stirre vp newe braules and contentions. And that they maie alie­nate the hartes off the welthie sorte from vs / and so bringe the poore of oure churche / first to famine and then vs into deadly hatred off them / as thoughe they were by vs throwen in to theis miseries / But foras muche as all theis thinges are vaine and vntrue / and fained by the secret sleightes off those priuie whisperers / who dare speake nothinge openly: we ha­ue thought them rather to be contemned thē to be answered: hopinge that at laste when they are weary off lyinge / they will be quiet. But iff they go forwarde still to belie vs so im­pudently and outragiously / surely we will not neglec [...]e oure fame and honest estimation: but we wil diligently wipe awaie all their slanders with one spunge / and there with all will o­pen to the worlde / their wicked endeauors against oure churche. In the meane time nothinge distrustinge the lordes mercie (how soeuer the deceites off men would let it) hopinge / that neither liuinge nor foode shall euer want to oure poore congregation / who also feedeth the rauens / and that he will allwaies be present by his spirit to vs and to oure whole chur­che continually whiche thinge that it maie please him to bringe to passe / we beseche the good reader (who so euer thow art) praie vnto god togither with vs / and fare­well.

The Englishe Thus.