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of his superstitious ceremonies; who to ingra-trimony, and to offer a sum of money to this tiate themselves in his favour, did accordingly; petty-canon to contract matrimony between and being afterwards reproved for the same, by them in a private chamber; so thereupon to some of their friends, confessed that Dr. Cosin take advantage of his revenge upon him. first induced them to that practice, and encou- Which ARTICLES being read, raged them therein. Mr. Rouse proceeded thus:

XVII. That he used upon Communion-days to make the sign of the cross, with his finger, both upon the seats whereon they were to sit, and the cushions to kneel upon, using some words when he so did.

XVIII. That one Sabbath-day there was set up an unnecessary company of tapers and lights in the church; which Dr. Hunt being then dean, fearing they might give offence, being they were unnecessary, sent his man to pull them down, who did so. But Dr. Cosin being thereat aggrieved, came to the fellow, and there miscalled him in most uncivil manner, and began to beat him in the public view of the congregation, to the great disturbance of the same.

XIX. That the dean and chapiter of that church, where Dr. Cosin was one, with many others, being invited to dinner in the town of Durham; Dr. Cosin then and there spake words derogating from the king's prerogative. The words were these; The king hath no more 'power over the church, than the boy that rubs my horse's heels*.'

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"My Lords; I am now to discover the root of Mr. Smart's persecution. Your lordships have heard of a great design to bring in popery; you have heard of armies of soldiers, and particularly of the popish Irish army, the burthen and complaint of the commons. But there is another army not so much spoken of; and that is, an army of priests; For since altars came in, so they delight to be called. It is a saying of Gregory the great, That when antichrist comes, præparatus est exercitus sacerdotum,' there is an army of priests to receive him: This is fulfilled in our time for certainly this army of Priests doth many ways advance the design and plot of popery. A first is by the subversion of our laws and government: Our laws and popery cannot stand together; but either popery must overthrow our laws, or our laws must overthrow popery. But to overthrow our laws, they must overthrow parliaments; and to overthrow parliaments they must overthrow property; they must bring the subjects goods to be arbitrarily disposed, that so there may be no need of parliaments: This hath been done by Dr. Mainwaring *; (whom we find wanting, yet not- in the Seats, but at the bar of the lords house) and the like by Dr. Beale: And I think it was the intention of the late Canons.

XX. That there being many canons of the said church present at that time, amongst the rest there was one took more notice of his words than the rest, and acquainted one of his fellow-canons with them when he came home: This canon being a friend to Dr. Co-in, told the doctor that such a man exclaimed of him, and charged him with words that he should "A second way, by which this Army of speak at such a time: The doctor presently Priests advanceth the popish design, is the way sends for him; and when he came into the of Treaty. This hath been acted both by writhouse, the doctor desires him to follow him ings and conference. Sancta Clara himself into an inner room, who did so: but as soon saith, doctissimi eorum quibuscum egi;' So it he came in, the doctor shuts the door, and sets seems they have had conferences together: both his hands upon him, calling him rogue and And Sancta Clara, on his part, labours to bring rascal, and many other names: Insomuch, that the Articles of our Church to popery; and the man fearing he would do bim mischief, some of our side strive to meet him in that way. cried out. Mrs. Cosin coming in, endeavour-We have a testimony, that the great arch priest ed to appease her husband, and holding his himself hath said, it were no hard matter to hands, the other ran away. 'make a reconciliation, if a wise man had the handling of it.' But I.verily believe, that as the state of papacy stands, a far wiser man than he cannot reconcile us without the loss of our religion. For the pope being fastened to his errors, even by his chair of in-errability, he sits still unmoved, and so we cannot meet, except we come wholly to him. A man standeth in a boat tied to a rock, when he draws the rope, doth not draw the rock to the boat, but the boat to the rock. And Sancta Clara doth (in this somewhat honestly) confess it; for he saith, that he dealt in this way of treaty, not to draw the church to the protestants; but the protestants to the church.

XXI. That the doctor did seek many unjust ways to ensnare this man, that so he might take a just occasion to put him out of his place: but none of them taking effect, he put him out by violence, having no other reason why he did so, but because he had no good voice, when he had served the place two years before Dr. Cosin came thither: For instance of which unjust ways to ensnare this man, Dr. Cosin hired a man and a woman to pretend a desire of ma

The utterance of these words had been alleged against Dr. Cosin in the year 1628; and an investigation was then had by the house of commons into the conduct of the Attorney General in not proceeding in a prosecution against Cosin for the same, and into the circumstances of a pardon granted to him upon that occasion. 2 Cobb. Parl. Hist. 458 et seq.

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"A third way is a way of violence; this violence they exercise partly by secular arms, and partly by priestly arms, which they call spiritual.

* See vol. 3, p. 335.

which he could get no release by any priestly mercy.

"And now it is prayed,. That as these Delinquents, by the cruel oppressions of Mr. Smart have advanced the cause of popery, so they may in such a degree of justice be punished; that in them priestly cruelty, and the very cause of popery may appear to be punished and suppressed; and that Mr. Sinart, suffering for the cause of protestancy, may be so repaired, that in him pious constancy, and the very cause of protestancy, may appear to be righted and repaired.”

To the above ARTICLES the Doctor put in his ANSWER upon oath, and so fully vindicated himself, during the five days the Allair was depending before the Lords, that most of them acknowledged his innocence: And Mr. Glover, one of Smart's own counsel, told him openly at the bar of the house of lords, That he was ashamed of him, and could not in conscience

For secular arms, we have their own confession, that the late war was bellum episcopale: and we have the papists confession, that it was bellum papale; for in their motives they say, That the war concerns them not only as subjects, but as catholicks;' for so they falsly call themselves; and if it be so, then bellum episcopale is also bellum papale In the episcopal war, the papal cause is advanced for the spiritual arms. Thus they come to execution. "When a great man is coming, his sumpters, his furniture, his provisions go before: The pope's furniture, altars and copes, pictures and images are come before; and, if we believe doctor Cosin, the very substance of the mass; a certain sign that the pope was not far off Now these fore-runners being come, if any man resist them, fire comes out of the brambles, and devours the cedars of Lebanon; the army of the priests falls upon him with their arms of suspension, sequestration, excommunication, degradation, and deprivation. And by these arms hath Mr. Smart been oppressed and un-plead for him any longer.' Whereupon, the done: He falls upon their superstitions and in- lords dismissed the Doctor upon his putting novations; and they fall upon him with their bail for his appearance: but they never sent arms, they beat him down, yea they pull him for him again*. -up by the roots, taking away all his means of maintenance and living; yet they leave him life to feel his miseries. Ita feriunt, ut diu se 'sentiat mori:' There is no cruelty to priestly cruelty: These are they that did put our Saviour to death: The calling is reverend, but the corruption of it most pernicious corruptio optimi pessima.' I know no reason of this change, except it be that of the Apostle, because when they knew God they did not worship him as God,' but made a God of the world, placing the excellency of priesthood in worldly pomp and greatness, and gave the glory of the invisible God to pictures, images, and altars, therefore God gave them up to vile affections, to be implacable, unmerciful, and without natural affection. But whatsoever is the cause of their corruption, certainly their arms have fallen heavily upon Mr. Smart; and priestly cruelty hath cast him into a long misery; from

* "John Cosin was master of Peter-house in Cambridge and Dean of Peterborough, in the reign of Charles 1, in which he enjoyed several other considerable preferments. He was accus d of introducing superstit ous innovations in the church of Durham, of which he was then prebendary, by Peter Smart, who had been prosecuted by him for preaching against Episcopacy. He held his deanery but a short time, as he was the first of the clergy who were sequestered from their dignities and benefices by the parliament. In 1643 he retired to Paris, where he was appointed chaplain to the Protestant part of queen Henrietta's family. lle succeeded Dr. Morton in the see of Durham and while he sat in that see, expended large sums in public and private charities and benefactions. He died Jan. 15, 1671-2, in the 78th year of his age." Granger.

153. Proceedings against Dr. MATTHEW WREN,* Bishop of Ely, ELY, on an Impeachment for High Crimes and Misdemeanors: 16 CHARLES I. A. D. 1640. [4 Rushw. Coll. 351. 2 Cobb. Parl. Hist. 682.]

ON the 19th of December 1640, a Mes-Hampden, to let their lordships know, “That sage was sent to the house of lords by Mr.

* Mr. Grimston, with an attempt at wit which probably had its admirers, inveighing against Manwaring, Piers, Bancroft, and Wren, called this last "the least of all those birds, but one of the most unclcan ones." He was dean of the chapel to Charles the First. Clarendon calls him a man of a severe, sour nature, but very learned, and particularly versed in the old Liturgies of the Greek and Latin churches.

they had received Informations of a very high nature against Matthew Wren, lord bishop of Ely, for setting up Idolatry and Superstition in divers places, and exercising and acting some things of that nature in his own person; and because they hear the said bishop of Ely endeavours to make an escape out of the kingdom, he was commanded to desire their lordships to think of some such course, that he may put in security for his forth-coming, and to abide the judgment of parliament." Then the

him.

That the communion-table, which is appointed by the said Rubrick, at the time of the celebration of the holy communion, to be placed in the body of the church or chancel, where divine prayers are usually read, and where the people might best hear, should be set up close under the wall at the east-end of the chancel, altarwise, and not to be removed from thence; whereby the minister, who is by the law to officiate at the north side of the table, must either stand and officiate at the north-end of the table so standing altarwise, or else after the popish and idolatrous manner, stand and offciate at the west-side of the table with his back towards the people.

bishop of Ely was commanded to withdraw; | and the lords ordered him to give 10,000l. bail for his forth-coming. Hereupon the Bishop was called again, and the Lord Keeper acquainted him with the order, which he consented to, hoping to get friends to be bound with Then it was moved, That the bishop of Ely might be bound by recognizance of 10,000l. for his appearance, until he put in such security as the house should approve of; which be consenting to, did immediately before the Lord Keeper in the house acknowledge as followeth, viz., Matthew Wren, Episcopus Elien'sis, recognovit se de beredomino regi decen 'mille libras, levari de terris et tenementis 'bonis et cataliis suis, &c. ad usum domini III. He in the same year 1636, enjoined 'regis.' The condition was, That he should that there should be a rail set on the top of the appear from day to day, until Wednesday next; new raised steps before the communion-table, against which day he is to provide suficient so set altar-wise as aforesaid, which rail should bail for 10,000l. such as this house shall ap-reach from the south-side of the chancel to the prove of, to be bound for his forthcoming, and abiding the judgment of parliament.

July 5th, 1641.

north within, which the minister only should enter, as a place too holy for the people, and some of the people were punished for entering into it, as namely Daniel Whayman, and others.

Sir Thomas Widdrington brought in to the House of Commons twenty-five Articles of Im- IV. The more to advance blind superstipeachment against Matthew Wren, late bishoption, he in the same year 1636, ordered that of Norwich, now bishop of Ely; which being all the pews in the churches should be so alread, and singly voted, were ordered to be en- tered, that the people might kneel with their grossed. These Articles were as follows: faces eastward, towards the communion-table ARTICLES of IMPEACHMENT against should be no seats in the chancel above, or on so set aitarwise, as aforesaid; and that there MATTHEW WREN, D. D. late Bishop of either side, even up with the said table. NORWICH, and now Bishop of ELY. That the said Matthew Wren, being popishly and superstitiously affected, did, at his first coming to be bishop of Norwich, which was in the year 1635, endeavour by sundry ways and means to suppress the powerful and painful preaching of the word of God, did introduce divers orders and injunctions, tending to superstition and idolatry, did disturb and disquiet the orderly and settled estate of the ministers and people, and churches of that diocess, to the great prejudice of his majesty, the great grief and disquict, and hazard of the estates, consciences, and lives of many of his majesty's loyal subjects there, to the manifest bringing in and encreasing of prophaneness, ignorance and disobedience in the common people, as by the particulars ensuing may appear:

I. Whereas many chancels of churches, during all the time of queen Elizabeth, king James, and of his majesty that now is, had laid and been continued even and flat, without any steps ascending towards the east end of the same, and are by the Rubrick in the Book of Common Prayer, ordered to continue as they were, and so ought to have continued; be, of his own mind and will, without any lawful warrant or authority, in the year 1636, being then bishop of Norwich, ordered and enjoined, that the same should be raised towards the eastend, some two, some three, some four steps, that so the communion-table there placed altarwise, might be the better seen of the people.

II. He in the same year 1636, ordered,

V. He in the same year 1636, enjoined that every minister, after he had finished the reading of some part of morning prayer at the desk, should go out from the same to the holy table, set altarwise, as to a more holy place, and there, when no communion was to be administered, read at the said table a part of the communion service, now commonly called the second service, whereby the consciences, both of the ministers and people, have been not only very much offended and grieved; but also the service itself was made very unprofitable to the people, who could not hear what was said, or prayed in that place.

VI. That both he in his own person, his chaplains, and others of the clergy; as namely, Mr. John Nowel, Mr. William Guest, Mr. John Dunkon, and others, following his example, did ever, after the table was so set altarwise, use and perform such, so many, and so frequent bowings, and adorations, examples, to draw others to the like superstitious gestures, as have given great scandal, and offence to the sound, sincere, and well-affected Christians.

VII. He in the said year 1636, enjoined all the people to come up to the rail to receive the holy communion, and there kneel, and do reverence before the holy table placed altarwise, and gave directions to the ministers, not to administer the communion to such people as should not so come up, and do such reverence as aforesaid; and that the minister should within the rail deliver the bread to such people only as should so come up and kneel

before the said table as aforesaid; this was an suppress the benefit and power of prayer in the offence to the consciences of many good peo-year 1636, enjoined, that no minister should ple, who for fear of idolatry and superstition, durst not come to kneel at the said rail before the table so placed altarwise; and many people not coming up thither, though presenting themselves upon their knees in chancel, have not had the communion delivered unto them; and afterwards for not receiving have been excommunicated; as namely, John Shyming, Samuel Dunckon, Peter Fisher, Thomas Newton, Edward Bedwell, Edmund Day, John Frowar, and many others.

VIII. He did in the same year 1636, enjoin and command that there should be no sermons on the Lord's days in the afternoon, or on the week days at all, without his license; and also enjoined that there should be no catechising; but only such questions and answers, as are contained in the Book of the Common Prayer, not allowing the ministers to expound or open the points of the same to the people; he and his under officers affirming in public places that such an exposition might be as ill as a sermon; and the more to hearten and confirm the people in prophaning the Lord'sday, he enjoined the ministers to read publicly in their churches, a book published touching sports on the Lord's-day, for not reading whereof, some ministers were by the command and directions of the said bishop, suspended, viz. Mr. William Leigh, Mr. Richard Proud, Mr. Jonathan Burr, Mr. Matthew Brownrigg, Mr. Mott, and divers others; some deprived, Mr. Powell, Mr. Richard Raymond, Mr. Jeremy Borrowes, and some otherwise troubled; by all which, knowledge was suppressed, and ignorance and prophaneness introduced in that diocess.

IX. There having been formerly two kinds of ringing of bells, and calling people to the church in that diocess, viz. one kind when there were only prayers to be read, and another kind when there were both prayers to be read, and a sermon preached, whereby the people did apply themselves to the service of God in those places, where both prayers and preaching was to be: he, to hinder the people in their good desires in serving of God, and edifying their souls, did in the same year 1636, command and enjoin, that there should be no difference in ringing of bells to church when there was a sermon and when there was none.

X. Whereas many godly ministers, for the preventing of the great sin in the people of unworthy receiving of the holy communion of the Lord's Supper, did use to preach, two or three days before every communion, a preparation sermon to prepare and instruct the people in the right and worthy receiving of the communion, he the said bishop did in the said year 1636 forbid ministers to preach any such preparation sermon in that diocess; as namely, Mr. Devereux, Mr. Swan, and other ministers. XI. Whereas all godly ordinances are sanctified, and made fruitful by the blessing of God upon them by prayer, he endeavouring to

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use any prayer before his sermon; but move the people to pray only in the words of the 50th canon, made anno 1603, which canon was not warranted by the law, and that no prayer should be used before or after the sermon, and he in his own person having been at the sermon in the town of Ipswich, when the preacher did use or make any other prayer, did sit upon his seat, without using or giving any reverence of kneeling, or otherwise, thereby to discountenance such prayer: and he, in the said year 1636, enjoined that no prayer should be made in the pulpit for the sick, and that such as were prayed for in the reading-desk, should be praved for only in the two collects prescribed for the visitation of the sick in private houses.

XII. He, the more to alienate the peoples hearts from hearing of sermons, in the said year 1636 commanded and enjoined all ministers to preach constantly in their hood and surplice, a thing not used before in that diocess, and much offensive to the people as a scandalous innovation; and the parishioners of Knatshall wanting a surplice, he did by his officers, in the year 1637, enjoin the churchwardens there, that no prayers should be read in that church, till they had got a surplice, which they not getting for the space of two Lord's days after, had no prayers during that time there.

XIII. That during the time of his being bishop of Norwich, which was about two years and four months, there were, for not reading the second service at the communion table set altarwise, for not reading the book of sports, for using conceived prayers before and after sermons, and for not observing some other illegal innovations by him and his under-officers, by and upon his directions and injunctions, sundry godly, painful, preaching ministers, that is to say, master William Powel, master John Carter, master Robert Peck, master William Bridges, master William Green, master Mott, master Richard Raymond, master Thomas Scot, master Greenhill, master Nicholas Beard, master Hudson, Robert Kent, Jeremy Burrows, master Thomas Allen, and others, to the number of fifty, excommunicated, suspended or deprived, and otherwise censured and silenced, to the undoing of many of them, their wives and children; and they could not be absolved without giving promise to conform to his directions, editis et edendis; by means whereof some ministers were enforced to depart this realm into Holland, and other parts beyond sea, viz. the said master Thomas Bridges, master Jeremy Burrows, master Thomas Allen, master John Ward; and others of Norwich, to remove into other peaceable dioceses, as namely, Mr. Edmund Calamy, Mr. Broom, Mr. Beard, and others; and some of them so prosecuted, as hath been suspected to be the cause of their deaths, as namely Mr. Thomas Scot and others; the terror of which proceedings hath caused other ministers to leave their cures, and go away, viz. Mr. William Kirington, Mr. Thomas

the seas, and there set up and taught the na tives there, the said manufactures, to the great hinderance of trade in this kingdom, and to the impoverishing, and bringing to extreme want, very many who were by those parties formerly set on work, to the great prejudice of his ma

Warren, Mr. John Allen, and others: and if a |
stranger preached at the cure of such a parson
suspended, the churchwardens permitting such
parson so to preach, were enjoined penance,
and otherwise troubled; as namely the church-
wardens of Snailwell, and the stranger for
preaching, was also therefore molested, viz. Mr.jesty and his people.
Ash, Mr. Eades, Mr. Manning, and other mi-
nisters.

XVII. That he the said bishop, finding the people to distaste his innovations, hath often in public and private speeches, declared in the said year 1636, that what he did in the same, was by his majesty's command; whereby he, contrary to the duty of his place, which he held under his majesty, being dean of his majesty's royal chapel, and contrary to the duty of a good and loyal subject, endeavoured to free himself of blame, and to raise an ill opinion of his royal majesty, in the hearts of his loving subjects. XVIII. That he the said Matthew Wien,

XIV. That during the time he was bishop of the said see of Norwich, he did unlawfully compel the inhabitants of the several parishes within that diocess, to raise the floors of the chancels of their respective churches, to rail in their communion tibles, to remove the pews and seats, and to make other alterations in the respective churches; in the doing whereof the sad inhabitants were put to great, excessive, and unnecessary charges and expences, amounting in the whole, to the sum of 5,000/. and up-being bishop of Norwich in the said year 1636, wards; which said charges and expences, he did by unlawful means and courses, enforce the said inhabitants to undergo; and such of the said inhabitants, as did not obey the same, he did vex, trouble, and molest by presentments, citations, excommunications, tedious and frequent journies, and by attendances at the courts of his chancellor, and other his officials, viz. the churchwardens of Linne, Ipswich, St. Edmundsbury, and others.

in the tower church in Ipswich, and other places, did in his own person use superstitions and idolatrous actions and gestures in the administration of the Lord's Supper, consecrating the bread and wine, standing at the West side of the table with his face to the East, and his back towards the people, elevating the bread and wine so high, as to be seen over his shoulders; bowing low, either to or before them; when he, after the elevation, had set them down on the table.

XV. That for not coming up to the rail to receive the holy communion, kneeling there XIX. That be the more to manifest his before the table altarwise, for not standing up Popish affections, in the said year 1636, caused at the Gospel, and for not observing and per- a Crucifix, that is to say the figure of Christ forming of his unlawful innovations and injunc-upon the cross, to be engraven upon his episcotions, many other of his majesty's subjects, viz. pal seal, besides the arms of the see. Peter Fisher, Samuel Duncon, James Percival, John Armiger, Thomas King and others, have been by him, his chancellors, visitors, commissaries, and officials, by commands and injunctions, much molested, disquieted, and vexed in their estates and consciences, by citations to the courts, long attendance there, dismission, fees, excommunications, penances, and other cen

sures.

XVI. That by reason of the rigorous prosecutions and dealings in the last precedent Articles mentioned, and by reason of the continual superstitious bowing to, and afore the table set altarwise, the suspending, silencing, driving away of the painful preaching ministers, the suppressing and forbidding of sermons and prayers, the patting down of lectures, the suppressing means of knowledge and salvation, and introducing ignorance, superstition, and prophaneness; many of his majesty's subjects, to the number of three thousand, many of which used trades, spinning, weaving, knitting and making of cloth, stuffs, stockings, and other manufactures of wool; that is to say, Daniel Sunning, Michael Metcalf, John Berant, Nicholas Metcalf, John Derant, Busby, Widow Maxes, Richard Cock, John Dicks, Francis Laws, John Senty, and many others; some of them setting an hundred poor people on work, have removed themselves, their families and estates, into Holland, and other parts beyond

VOL. IV.

XX. That he hath chosen and employed such men to be his commissioners, rural deans, and to be his houshold chaplains, whom he knew to be, and stand affected to his innovated, courses, and to Popish superstition, and to be erroneous and unsound in judgment and pac tice, as namely Mr. John Nowell, Mr. Edmund Mapletoft, Mr. John Dunkin, Mr. Boucke, Mr. Dun and others.

XXI. That he hath very much oppressed divers patrons of churches, by admitting, without any colour of title, his own chaplains, and others whom he affected, into livings which be came void within his diocess; unjustly enforcing the true and right patrons to long and chargeable suits to evict such incumbents, and to recover their own right; some of which he did against his priestly word given to the said patrons, or their friends, in verbo sacerdotis, not to do the same; this he did in the case of one Mr. Rivet.

XXII. That he and others, in the year 1635, sold, or granted away the profits of his primary visitation for 500l. over and above the charges of the visitation, and for the better benefit of the farmer, set forth a Book in the year 1636, intituled, Articles to be enquired of within the Diocess of Norwich, in the first visitation of Matthew, lord bishop of Norwich, consisting of 139 articles; and wherein are contained the number of 897 questions, according

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