his Maiesties displeasure, and be punished according to their de seruings.

And further his Maiestie, vppon necessary occasions which may fall foorth by diuers maner of wayes among the clergie, vppon humble supplication made vnto his Highnesse, will not refuse to graunt them licence to assist the bishops, commissioners, and some of the most vertuous, learned, and godly of their diocesse, where such ecclesiasticall matters, as appertaineth to the vniformitie of doctrine, and conseruation of a godly order in the church, may be intreated and concluded in his Maiesties owne presence, or some of his Maiesties honourable counsell, who shall assist for the time: where, if necessity so require, a publike fast throughout the whole realme may be commaunded, and by his Maiesties authoritie, proclaimed, to auoide the imminent displeasure and daunger of the wrath of the Lordes iudgements; which is the right ende of publike humilitie, and not, vnder pretence thereof, to couer such enterprises, as hath heretofore greatly disquieted and troubled the peace of this commonwealth.

The xx. acte ratifieth, and approoueth, and establisheth the estate of the bishops within the realme, to haue the oversight and iurisdiction, euery one in their owne diocesse. Which forme of gouernment, and rule in ecclesiasticall affaires, hath not onely continued in the church from the dayes of the apostles, by continuall succession of tyme, and many martyres in that calling shed their bloud for the trueth: but also, since this realme embraced and receiued the Christian religion, the same estate hath beene mainteined to the welfare of the church, and quietnesse of the realme, without any interruption, vntill within these few yeares, some curious and busie men haue practised to induce in the ministerie an equalitie in all thinges, as well concerning the preaching of the word, administration of the sacraments, as likewise in discipline, order, and pollicie; the which confusion his Maiestie finding, by most dangerous experience, to haue bene the mother and nurse of great factions, seditions, and troubles within this realme, hath, with aduise of his Highnesse estates, aduisedly concluded the saide pretended paritie in discipline, orders, and pollicie in the church, to be no longer tollerate in this countrey: but the sollicitude and care of all churches in one diocesse, to appertain to the bishop and commissioner thereof, who shall be aunswerable to God, and his Maiestie, and estates, for the right administration and discharge of the office of particular ministers, within the boundes of their iurisdiction. For, as it becommeth his Maiestie, as Eusebius writeth of Constantinus the Great, to be a bishop of bishops, and uniuersall bishop within his realme, in so far as his Maiestie should appoint euery one to discharge his duetie: which his Highnesse cannot, his countrey beyng large and great, take him to euerie minister that shall offend, and transgresse agaynst duetie, or quarrell with the whole number of the ministerie: but it behooueth his Maiestie to haue bishops and ouersecrs vnder him, which may be aunswerable for such boundes, as the lawe and order of the countrey hath limited and appointed vnto euerie one of them. And that they, hauing accesse to his Maiesties parliament and counsell, may

intercide for the rest of the brethren of the ministeric, propone their griefe vnto his highnesse and estates and receiue his Maiesties fauourable auns were therin. The which forme doth preserue a godly quietnes, vnitie, concorde, and peace in the estate, and an vniforme order in the church: as, contrariwise, the pretended equalitie deuideth the same, and, vnder the pretence of equality, maketh some of the most crafty and subtill dealers to be aduaunced and enriched; and, in pretending of paritie, to seeke nothing but their own ambition, and aduancement aboue the rest of the simple sort. And, notwithstanding that his Maiestie hath restablished the saide estate, it is not his highnesse wil and intent, that the foresaide bishop shall have such full power, as to do within his diocesse what he pleaseth: for, as his Maiestie cannot allow of any popular confusion, wherein, as the pro uerbe saith, Nulla tyrannis æquiparanda est tyrannidi multitudinis. That is no tyranny can be compared to the tyranny of a multitude, hauing commaundement and power in his hands; so, on the other part, his Maiesties wil is, that the bishops authoritie, in any graue matter, be limited to the councell of thirteen of the most auncient, wise, and godly pastors of his diocesse, selected out of the whole synodall assemblie of the province; by whose aduise, or at least the most part therof, the weightie affaires of the church may be gouerned, to the glory of God, and quietnes of the realme. Further, it is his highnesse wil and commaundement, that their bishops or commissioners, twise in the yeere, to wit, ten dayes after Easter, and the sixth of September, hold their synodall assemblies, in euerie diocesse, for the keeping of good order therin. And, if any be stubborne, or contemne within their bounds the good order of the church, that it may be declared vnto his Maiestic, and punished, to the example of others, according to their deseruings. Neither is it his Maiesties meaning or intent, that such bishops or commissioners, as shall be appointed, shall receiue their onely and full commission of his Maiestie, without admission ordinary, by such as are appointed to that effect in the church; but hauing his highnesse nomination, presentation, and commendation, as lawfull and onely patron, they to be tried and examined, that their qualities are such as thei are able to discharge their cure and office: and if it shall happen any of the said bishops, or commissioners, to be negligent in their office, or to be slanderous and offensiue in their behaviour, life and maners, in tyme to come; it is not his highnesse wil, that they shalbe exempted from correction, notwithstanding any priui lege of his highnesse estate, counsell, or parliament, but their labors, trauels, diligence, and behauiour, to be tried in the generall assemblie, not consisting of a confused multitude, as it was before, but of such worshipfull persons, as is heretofore prescribed, in his highnesse presence, or his deputies to that effect. Lastly, his Maiestie giueth commission to the saide bishops, or commissioners, at their visitations, to consider in what part of the countrey, the exercise, or interpretation of the scripture, by conference of a certaine number of the ministerie within those bounds, may be most commodiously once in euery fifteen days. For, as his Maiestie inhibits all unlawfull meetings, that may ingender trouble and contention in the countrey, so his Maiestie is well affected

to see the ministerie increase in knowledge and vnderstanding, and by all meanes to fortifie and aduance the same. Wherein his highnesse commaundement is, that a grauc, wise, and sage man shalbe appointed president, who may haue the ouersight of these bounds, and be aynswerable therefore to the bishop, his counsell and synode, and he to be respected reasonably for his paines, at the modification of stipends; that all things may be orderly done in the church, peace. and quietnes mainteined in the realme, and we delyuered from apparant plagues, and the blessing of God continued, to the comfort of our posteritie, And in the meane time his highnesse inhibits and expresly forbids, vnder the paines conteined in his Maiesties actes of parliament, and all other paines arbitral, at his Maiesties sight and counsell, that no ministers take in hand to assemble themselues for the foresaide cause, without the appointment and order taken by the saide bishops or commissioners; wherby his highnesse may be certeinly enformed, that the foresaide ministers assemble not, to meddle with any ciuill matters, or affaires of estate, as was accustomed before, but onely to profit in the knowledge of the word, and to be comforted one by another in the administration of their spiritual office; which his highnesse wisheth them faythfully to discharge, and then to call to God, that his Maiestie may in a prosperous reigne enjoy good and long life, and continue and increase into the feare of the Almightic.

The Kings Maiesties Intention.

HIS Maiestics intention is, by the grace of God, to mainteine the true and sincere profession of the gospell, and preaching thereof, within this realme.

2. His Maiesties intention is, to correct and punishe such as sedi, tiously abuse the trueth, and factiously apply or rather bewray the text of the scripture, to the disquieting of the estate, and disturbing of the commonwealth, or impayring of his highnesse and counsells honour.

3. His Maiesties intention is, if any question of faith and doctrine arise, to conuocate the most learned, godly, wise, and experimented pastors, that by conference of scriptures the veritie may be tryed, and all heresie and schisme by that means repressed,

4. His Maiesties intention is, that, for the keeping of good order in cuerie parish, certeine ouerseers to the good behauiours of the rest be appointed at the visitation of the bishop, or visitour, who shal haue his Maiesties authoritie, and officers of armes concurring, for the pu nishment of vice.

5. His Maiesties intention is, to mainteine the exercise of prophe sie, for the increase and continuing of knowledge amongst the ministerie in which a wise and graue man, selected by the bishop, or commis sioner, at the synodall assemblie, shall render an account of the administration of those bounds, where the exercise is holden; for which

cause, some respect of liuing shal be had vnto him who sustaines that burthen.

6. His Maiesties intention is, not to derogate vnto the ordinarye iudgement of matters of the church, by the ordinary bishops, their councells, and synods; but, if any of them do amisse, and abuse their calling, to take order for correcting, amending, and punishing thereof. 7. His Maiesties intention is, not to hinder or stay any godly or solide order, grounded vppon the worde of God, and order of the primitiue church; but that the ministers of the word meddle themselues onely with their owne calling, and iudge not fearfully of the estate.

8. It is his Maiesties intention, that the presbyteries consisting of many ministers and gentlemen, at Landwart or other waise, be no further tollerate in this his realme; but the exercise of iurisdiction of all churches, to be in the hands of the bishop or commissioner, and their councells and synods,

9. It is his Maiesties intention, that the bisbops or commissioners assemble not any generall assemblie out of the whole realme, without his Maiesties knowledge and licence obteined thereunto; which, upon supplication his highnesse will not denie: that an uniforme order may be obserued in the whole realme, and the bishops and their diligences there tryed and examined, and the complaints of euery perticular heard and discussed.

10. It is his Maiesties intention to assist this assemblie himself, or by a nobleman of his counsaile, his highnesse deputie.

11. It is his Maiesties intention, that, when any parish findeth necessitie of any fast, they enform the occasion to the bishop or commissioner, their counsaile, that they may vnderstand the cause to be lawfull; as lykewise the bishop of the diocesse, finding lawfull occasion, may, within the same, with his counsaile, prescribe any publike humiliation,

12. It is his Maiesties intention, that a generall fast throughout the whole realm shall not be proclaimed but by his Majesties commaundement, or by a gencrall counsaile, wherin his Maiestie, or his highnesse deputy, is present.

13. It is his Highnesse intention, that the bishops in the realme in euery diocesse, with their counsaile, proceede into the ecclesiasticall gouernment; but, as is saide, with a counsaile, that both tyranny and confusion may be avoided in the church.

14. It is his Highnesse intention, that commissioners be directed vniuersally throughout the whole realme to establish a godly order, and that his Maiesties commissioners take order presently for the transla➤ tion of such ministers, whose trauels they esteeme may more conue niently and profitably scrue in another place,

END OF VOL. I,