Canterburys Doom, Floating text 2
ARTICLES OF The COMMONS Aſſembled in PARLIAMENT: In maintenance of their Accuſation againſt WJLLJAM LAƲD, Arch-Biſhop of CANTERBVRY: whereby he ſtands Charged with High Treaſon, Preſented and carryed up to the LORDS, by Mr. John Pym, Febr. 26. 1640.
Mr. Pym comming to the Lords barre to preſent the Articles, ſpake as followeth,
My LORDS;
I Am commanded by the Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes now aſſembled for the Maſter Pyme Speech.Commons in Parliament; to deliver to your Lordſhips theſe Articles, in maintenance of their Charge againſt the Archbiſhop of Canterbury. Their deſire is, that firſt your Lordſhips would be pleaſed to heare the Articles read, and then I ſhall endeavour to preſent to you the ſenſe of the Commons, concerning the nature of the Charge, and the order of their proceedings.
FIRST;
THat he hath traiterouſly endeavoured to ſubvert the Fundamentall Lawes, and government of this Kingdome of England, and inſtead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary, and tyrannicall Government againſt law; and to that end, hath wickedly and traiterouſly adviſed His Majeſtie, that he might at his owne will and pleaſure, leavie, and take money of his Subjects, without their conſent in Parliament; and this hee affirmed was warrantable by the Law of God.
2. Hee hath for the better accompliſhment of that his traiterous deſigne, adviſed and procured Sermons, and other diſcourſes to be preached, printed, and publiſhed, in which the Authoritie of Parliaments, and the force of the Lawes of this Kingdome, have beene denyed; and abſolute and unlimited power over the perſons and eſtates of His Majeſties ſubjects maintained and defended, not onelyonly in the King, but in himſelfe, and other Biſhops, againſt the Law: And he hath beene a great protector, ſavourer, and promoter of the publiſhers of ſuch falſe and pernicious opinions.
3. Hee hath by Letters, Meſſages, Threats, and promiſes, and by diverſe other wayes to Judges, and other Miniſters of juſtice, interrupted and perverted, and at other times by meanes aforeſaid, hath endeavoured to interrupt, and pervert the courſe of Juſtice in His Majeſties Courts at Weſtminſter, and other Courts, to the ſubverſion of the Lawes of this Kingdome, whereby ſundry of His Majeſties Subjects have been ſtopt in their juſt ſuits, deprived of their lawfull righte, and ſubjected to his tyrannicall will to their ruine, and deſtruction.
4. That the ſaid Archbiſhop hath traiterouſly and corruptly told uſtice to thoſe who have had cauſes depending before him, by colour of his Eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction, as Archbiſhop, High Commiſſioner, Referree, or otherwiſe, and hath taken unlawfull gifts, and bribes of His Majeſties Subjects, (and hath as much as in him lies) endeavoured to corrupt the other Courts of juſtice, by adviſing and procuring His Majeſtie to ſell places of Judicature, and other Offices contrary to the Laws and Statutes in that behalfe.
5. He hath traiterouſly cauſed a booke of Canons to be compoſed, and publiſhed without any lawfull warrant, and authoritie in that behalfe; in which pretended Canons, many matters are contained contrary to the Kings Prerogative, to the fundamentall Lawes, and Statutes of this Realme, to the right of Parliament, to the propriety, and libertie of the Subject, and matters tending to ſedition, and of dangerous conſequence, and to the eſtabliſhment of a paſt, unlawfull, and preſumptuous power in himſelfe, and his ſucceſſors: many of which Canons, by the practiſe of the ſaid Archbiſhop were ſurreptitiouſly paſſed in the late Convocation, without due conſideration and debate: others by feare and compulſion were ſubſcribed by the Prelates, and Clerkes there aſſembled, which had never beene voted, and paſſed in the Convocation as they ought to have beene. And the ſaid Archbiſhop hath contrived, and endeavoured to aſſure and confirme the unlawfull and exorbitant power, which he hath uſurped and exerciſed over His Majeſties Subjects, by a wicked and ungodly oath in one of the ſaid pretended Canons, injoyned to be taken by all the Clergie, and many of the Laitie of this Kingdome.
6. He hath trayterouſly aſſumed to himſelfe a papall and tyrannicall power, both in Eccleſiaſticall, and Temporall matters, over his Majeſties Subjects in this Realme of England, and in other places, to the diſheriſon of the Crowne, diſhonour of His Majeſtie, and derogation of his ſupreme authoritie in Eccleſiaſticall matters; And the ſaid Archbiſhop claimes the Kings Eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction, as incident to his Epiſcopall Office, and Archiepiſcopall in this Kingdome and doth deny the ſame to bee derived from the Crowne of England, which he hath accordingly exerciſed, to the high contempt of his Royall Majeſtie, and to the deſtruction of divers of the Kings liege people, in their perſons, and eſtates.
7. That he hath traiterouſly indeavoured to alter and ſubvert Gods true Religion, by Law eſtabliſhed in this Realme, and in ſtead thereof to ſet up Popiſh ſuperſtition, and Idolatrie. And to that end, hath declared and maintained in Speeches, and printed books, diverſe popiſh doctrines, and opinions contrary to the Articles of Religion eſtabliſhed by Law. Hee hath urged and injoyned diverſe popiſh, and ſuperſtitious Ceremonies without any warrant of Law, and hath cruelly perſecuted thoſe who have oppoſed the ſame, by corporall puniſhments, and Impriſonments; and moſt unjuſtly vexed others, who refuſed to conforme thereunto, by Eccleſiaſticall cenſures of Excommunication, Suſpenſion, Deprivation and Degradation, contrary to the Lawes of this Kingdome.
8. That for the better advancing of his traiterous purpoſe and deſigne, he did abuſe the great power, and truſt His Majeſtie repoſed in him, and did intrude upon the places of diverſe great Officers, and upon the right of other His Majeſties Subjects, whereby he did procure to himſelfe the nomination of ſundry perſons to Eccleſiaſticall Dignities, Promotions, and benefices, belonging to His Majeſtie, and divers of the Nobilitie, Clergie, and others; and hath taken upon him the commendation of Chaplaines to the King; by which meanes he hath preferred to His Majeſties ſervice, and to other great promotions in the Church, ſuch as have been Popiſhly affected, or otherwiſe unſound, and corrupt both in doctrine and manners.
9. Hee hath for the ſame trayterous, and wicked intent, choſen and imployed, ſuch men to be his owne Domeſticall Chaplaines, whom he knew to be notoriouſly disaffected to the reformed Religion, groſly addicted to popiſh ſuperſtition, and erroneous, and unſound both in judgement and practiſe, and to them or ſome of them hath he committed the Licenſing of Bookes to be printed, by which meanes divers falſe and ſuperſtitious bookes have beene publiſhed, to the great ſcandall of Religion, and to the ſeducing of many His Majeſties Subjects.
10. Hee hath traiterouſly and wickedly endeavoured to reconcile the Church of England with the Church of Rome; and for the effecting thereof hath conſorted, and confederated with diverſe Popiſh Prieſts, and Jeſuites; and hath kept ſecret intelligence with the Pope of Rome, and by himſelfe his Agents and inſtruments, treated with ſuch as have from thence received authoritie, and inſtruction, hee hath permitted, and countenanced a Popiſh Hierarchie, or Eccleſiaſticall government to bee eſtabliſhed in this Kingdome: by all which trayterous and malicious practiſes this Church and Kingdome hath beene exceedingly indangered, and like to fall under the Tyrannie of the Roman See.
11. He in his owne perſon, and his Suffragans, Viſitors, Surrogates, Chancellors and other Officers, by his command, have cauſed divers learned pious, and Orthodox Miniſters of Gods Word to be ſilenced, ſuſpended, deprived, degraded, excommunicated, and otherwiſe grieved, without any juſt and lawfull cauſe: and by diverſe other meanes he hath hindered the preaching of Gods Word, cauſed divers of His Majeſties loyall Subjects to forſake the Kingdome, and increaſed, and cheriſhed Ignorance, and profaneneſſe amongſt the people, that ſo hee might the better facilitate the way to the effecting of his owne wicked and traiterous deſigne, of altering, and corrupting the true religion here eſtabliſhed.
12. He hath traiterouſly endeavoured to cauſe diviſion, and diſcord betwixt the Church of England, and other reformed Churches; and to that end hath ſuppreſt, See the Charge of the Scottiſh Commiſsioners againſt Canterbury.and abrogated the Priviledges, and Jmmunities, which have beene by His Majeſtie and his Royall Anceſters granted to the Dutch, and French Churches, in this kingdome: And divers other wayes hath expreſſed his malice, and diſaffection to theſe Churches, that ſo by ſuch diſunion, the Papiſts might have more advantage for the overthrow, and extirpation of both.
13. Hee hath malitiouſly and traiterouſly plotted, and endeavoured to ſtirre up warre and enmity betwixt his Majeſties two Kingdomes of England and Scotland, and to that purpoſe hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdome of Scotland divers Innovations both in Religion, and Government all or the moſt part of them tending to Popery, and ſuperſtition, to the great grievance, and diſcontent of his Majeſties Subjects of that Nation: and for their refuſing to ſubmit to ſuch Innovations, hee did trayterouſly adviſe his Majeſty to ſubdue them by force of Armes, and by his owne Authority and Power contrary to Law did procure ſundry of his Majeſtyes, Subjects & inforced the Clergie of this Kingdome to contribute towards the maintenance of *Which Doctor Pierce Biſhop of Bath and Wels in his ſpeech to his Clergy to ſet on this contribution, ſtiled Bellum Epiſcopale; adding, that what ever his Majeſty had expreſſed in his Declarations to be the cauſe of this warre, yet in truth this warre is FOR VSUS, Biſhops.that war: And when his Majeſty with much wiſdom & Juſtice had made a Pacification betwixt the two Kingdomes, the ſaid Archbiſhop did preſumptuouſly cenſure that pacification, as diſhonourable to his Majeſty, and by his councells and endeavours, ſo incenſed his Majeſty againſt his ſaid Subjects of Scotland, that he did thereupon (by advice of the ſaid Archbiſhop) enter into an offenſive warre againſt them, to the great hazard of his Majeſties perſon, and his Subjects of both Kingdomes.
14. That to preſerve himſelfe from being queſtioned for theſe, and other his trayterous courſes, he hath laboured to ſubvert the rights of Parliament and the ancient courſe of Parliamentary proceeding, and by falſe and malitious ſlanders to incenſe his Majeſty againſt Parliaments.
By which words, counſels and actions, he hath traiterouſly, and contrary to his allegiance laboured to alienate the hearts of the Kings liege people from his Majeſty, and to ſet a deviſion betweene them, and to ruine and deſtroy his Majeſties Kingdomes; for which they doe impeach him of High Treaſon, againſt our Soveraigne Lord the King, his Crowne and Dignity.
The ſaid Commons do further averre, that the ſaid William Archbiſhop of Canterbury, during the times that the crimes aforementioned were done, and committed hath beene a Biſhop or Archbiſhop of this Realme of England, one of the Kings Commiſſioners for Eccleſiaſticall matters; and one of his Majeſties moſt honourable Privie Councell, and hath taken an oath for his faithfull diſcharge of the ſaid Office of Councellor, and hath likewiſe taken an oath of ſupremacy and Allegeance.
And the ſaid Commons by proteſtation, ſaving to themſelves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter, any other accuſation or impeachment againſt the ſaid Archbiſhop, and alſo of replying to the Anſwers, that the ſaid Archbiſhop ſhall make unto the ſaid Articles, or to any of them, and of offering further proofe alſo of the Premiſes or any of them, or of any other impeachment, or accuſation that ſhall be exhibited by them, as the cauſe ſhall, according to the courſe of Parliament require, do pray, that the ſaid Archbiſhop may be put to anſwer to all and every the premiſes, and that ſuch proceedings, examination, tryall, and Judgment may be upon every of them had and uſed, as is agreeable to Law and Juſtice.
The Articles being read Mr. PYMME proceeded in his Specch as followeth.
My Lords,
THere is an expreſſion in the Scripture, which I will not preſume either to underſtand, or to interpret; yet to a vulgar eye it ſeemes to have an aſpect ſomething ſutable to the Perſon and Cauſe before you: It is a deſcription of the evill Spirits, wherein they are ſaid to be ſpirituall wickedneſſes in high places. Crimes acted by the ſpirituall faculties of the Soule, the Will and the Vnderſtanding, exerciſed about ſpirituall matters, concerning Gods Worſhip, and the Salvation of Man; ſeconded with power, authority learning, and many other advantages, do make the party who commits them, very ſutable to that deſcription, Spirituall wickedneſſes in high places.
Theſe crimes (My Lords) are various in their Nature, heynous in their quality, and univerſall in their extent. If you examine them Theologically, as they ſtand in oppoſition to the truth of God, they will be found to be againſt the rule of Faith, againſt the power of godlineſſe, againſt the meanes of Salvation.
If you examine them Morally, as they ſtand in oppoſition to the light of Nature, to right reaſon, and the principles of humane ſociety, you will then perceive pride without any moderation: ſuch a Pride as that is which exalts it ſelfe above all that is called God. Malice without any provocation; Malice againſt vertue, againſt innocencie, againſt piety, injuſtice without any meanes of reſtitution, even ſuch injuſtice as doth robbe the preſent times of their poſſeſſions; the future, of their poſſibilities.
If they be examined (My Lords) by Legall Rules in a Civill way, as they ſtand in oppoſition to the Publique Good, and to the Lawes of the Land; Hee will be found to be a Traytor againſt his Majeſties Crown, an Incendiary againſt the Peace of the State; he will be found to be the higheſt, the boldeſt, the moſt impudent Oppreſſour, that ever was; an Oppreſſor both of King and People.
This Charge (my Lords) is diſtributed and conveyed into 14. ſeverall Articles, as you have heard; and thoſe Articles are only generall: It being the intention of the Houſe of Commons (which they have commanded me to declare) to make them more certaine and particuler by preparatory Examinations to be taken with the helpe of your Lordſhips houſe, as in the Caſe of my Lord of Strafford.
I ſhall now runne through them with a light touch, only marking in every of them ſome ſpeciall point of venome, virulency and malignity.
1. The firſt Article (my Lords) doth containe his endeavour to introduce into this Kingdome an Arbitrary power of Government, without any limitations or Rules of Law. This (my Lords) is againſt the ſafety of the Kings Perſon, the honour of his Crowne, and moſt deſtructive to his people.
Thoſe Cauſes which are moſt perfect have not only a power to produce effects, but to conſerve and cheriſh them. The Seminary vertue, and the Nutritive vertue in vegetables, do produce from the ſame principles. It was the defect of juſtice, the reſtraining of oppreſſion and violence that firſt brought Government into the World, and ſet up Kings, the moſt excellent way of Government. And by the maintenance of juſtice all kinds of Government receive a ſure foundation and eſtabliſhment. It is this that hath in it an ability to preſerve, and ſecure the Royall power of Kings, yea, to adorne and encreaſe it.
2. In the ſecond Article, your Lordſhips may obſerve, abſolute and unlimited power, defended by Preaching, by Sermons, and other diſcourſes, printed and publiſhed upon that ſubject. And truly (my Lords) it ſeemes to be a prodigious crime, that the truth of God, and his holy Law ſhould be perverted to defend the lawleſneſſe of men. That the holy and ſacred function of the Miniſtry, which was ordained for inſtruction of mens ſoules in the wayes of God, ſhould be ſo abuſed, that the Miniſters are become the Trumpets of Sedition, the promoters and defenders of violence and oppreſſion.
3. In the third Article (my Lords) you have the Judges, who under his Majeſty are the diſperſers and diſtributers of Juſtice, frequently corrupted by feare, and ſolicitation; you have the courſe of Juſtice in the execution of it, ſhamefully obſtructed And if a wilfull Act of in juſtice in a Iudge be ſo high a crime in the eſtimate of the Law, as to deſerve death, under what burthen of guilt doth this man lye, who hath been the cauſe of great numbers of ſuch voluntary and wilfull acts of injuſtice?
4. In the fourth Article, hee will be found in his owne perſon to have ſold juſtice in Cauſes depending before him. And by his wicked councell endeavouring to make his Majeſty a Merchant of the ſame commodity, only with this difference, that the King by taking money for places of judicature, ſhould ſell it in groſſe; whereas the Archbiſhop ſold it by retaile.
5. In the fift Article there appeares a power uſurped of making Canons, of laying obligations on the Subjects in the nature of Law, and this power abuſed to the making of ſuch Canons as are in the matter of them very pernitious, being directly contrary to the prerogative of the King, and the liberty of the people. In the manner of preſſing of them, may be found fraud and ſhuffling, in the concluſion violence and conſtraint; men being forced by terrour and threatning to ſubſcribe to all: which power thus wickedly gotten, they labour to eſtabliſh by perjury, injoyning ſuch an Oath for the maintenance of it, as can neither be taken nor kept with a good conſcience.
6. In the ſixth Article, you have the King robbed of his Supremacy: you have a Papall power exerciſed over his Majeſties Subjects in their conſciences, and in their perſons: You have Eccleſiaſticall juriſdiction claimed by an Incident right, which the Law declares to proceed from the Crowne.
And herein your Lordſhips may obſerve that thoſe who labour in civill matters to ſet up the King above the Lawes of the Kingdome, doe yet in Eccleſiaſticall matters endeavour to ſet up themſelves above the King. This was firſt procured by the Arch-biſhop to be extrajudicially declared by the Judges, and then to be publiſhed in a Proclamation. In doing whereof he hath made the Kings Throne but a footſtoole for his owne and their pride.
7. You have (my Lords) in the ſeventh Article, Religion undermined and ſubverted: you have Popery cheriſhed and defended: you have this ſeconded with power and violence, by ſevere puniſhment upon thoſe which have oppoſed this miſchievous intention: and by the ſubtile and eager proſecution of theſe men, hath the power of Eccleſiaſticall Commiſſioners, of the Starre-Chamber and Councell Table beene often made ſubſervient to his wicked deſigne.
My Lords,
8. You may obſerve in the eighth Article, great care taken to get into his owne hand the power of nominating to Eccleſiaſticall Livings and promotions: you have as much miſcheivous, as much wicked care taken in the diſpoſing of theſe preferments, to the hinderance and corruption of Religion. And by this meanes (my Lords) the Kings ſacred Majeſtie, inſtead of Sermons, fit for ſpirituall inſtructours, hath often had invectives againſt his people, incouragement to injuſtice, or to the overthrow of the Lawes. Such Chaplaines have beene brought into his ſervice, as have as much as may be, laboured to corrupt his owne houſhold and beene eminent examples of corruption to others, which hath ſo farre prevailed, as that it hath exceedingly tainted the Vniverſities, and beene generally diſperſt to all the chiefe Cities, the greateſt Townes and Auditories of the Kingdome. The grievous effects whereof is moſt manifeſt to the Commons Houſe, there being diverſe hundred complaints there depending in the Houſe againſt ſcandalous Miniſters, and yet (I believe) the hundred part of them is not yet brought in.
9. The ninth Article ſets out the like care to have Chaplaines of his owne, that might bee promoters of this wicked and trayterous deſigne: Men of corrupt judgments, of corrupt practice, extreamely addicted to ſuperſtition: and to ſuch mens cares hath been committed the Licencing of Bookes to the Preſſe; by meanes whereof many have beene publiſhed that are full of falſhood, of ſcandals; ſuch as have beene more worthy to be burnt by the hand of the Hangman in Smithfield (as I thinke one of them was) than to be admitted to come into the hands of the Kings people.
10. In the tenth Article it will appeare, how he having made theſe approaches to Popery, comes now to cloſe and joyne more neerely with it; he confederates with Prieſts and Jeſuites. He, by his inſtruments negotiates with the Pope at Rome, and hath correſpondence with them that he authorized from Rome here. He hath permitted a Roman Hierachie to be ſet up in this Kingdome. And though he hath bin ſo carefull that a poore man could not goe to the neighbour Pariſh to heare a Sermon, when he had none at home, could not have a Sermon repeated, nor prayer uſed in his own Family, but he was a fit ſubject for the High Commiſſion Court; yet the other hath beene done in all parts of the Realme and no notice taken of it, by any Eccleſiaſticall Judges or Courts.
My Lords;
11. You may perceive preaching ſuppreſſed in the eleventh, divers godly and Orthodox Miniſters oppreſſed in their perſons and Eſtates; you have the Kings loyall ſubjects baniſhed out of the Kingdome, not as Elimelecke to ſeeke for bread in forraigne Countries, by reaſon of the great ſcarcity which was in Jſrael; but travelling abroad for the bread of life, becauſe they could not have it at home, by reaſon of the ſpirituall Famine of Gods Word, cauſed by this man and his partakers. And by this meanes you have had the trade, the Manufactury, the induſtry of many thouſands of his Majeſties ſubjects carried out of the Land.
It is a miſerable abuſe of the ſpirituall Keyes to ſhut up the doores of heaven, and to open the gates of Hell, to let in prophaneneſſe, ignorance, ſuperſtition, and errour. I ſhall neede ſay no more: Theſe things are evident, and abundantly knowne to all.
12. In the twelfth Article (my Lords) you have a diviſion endeavoured betweene this and the forraine reformed Churches. The Church of Chriſt is one body, and the Members of Chriſt have a mutuall relation, as members of the ſame body, Vnity with Gods true Church every where is not only the beauty, but the ſtrength of Religion: of which beauty and ſtrength he hath ſought to deprive this Church by his manifold attempts to breake this union. To which purpoſe hee hath ſuppreſſed the priviledges granted to the Dutch and French Churches. He hath denyed them to be of the ſame Faith and Religion with us, and many other wayes hath he declared his malice to thoſe Churches.
13. In the thirteenth Article, as he hath ſought to make an Eccleſiaſticall diviſion or religious difference betweene us and forraine Nations, ſo he hath ſought to make a Civill difference betweene us and his Majeſties ſubjects of the Kingdome of Scotland. And theis he hath promoted by many innovations, there preſt, by himſelfe and his owne authority, when they were uncapable of ſuch alterations, He adviſed his Majeſty to uſe violence. He hath made private and publique Collections towards the maintenance of the Warre, which he might juſtly call his owne warre. And with all impudent boldneſſe, hath ſtruck Tallies in the Exchequer for divers ſummes of money procured by himſelfe, Pro defenſione Regni; when by his Counſels the King was drawne to undertake not a Defenſive, but an Offenſive Warre.
14. He hath laſtly, thought to ſecure himſelfe and his party by ſeeking to undermine Parliaments, and thereby hath laboured to bereave this Kingdome of the Legiſlative power, which can only be uſed in Parliaments: and that we ſhould be left a Kingdome without that which indeed makes and conſtitutes a Kingdome; and is the only Meanes to preſerve and reſtore it from diſtempers and decayes. He hath hereby endeavoured to bereave us of the higheſt Judicatory, ſuch a Judicatory, as is neceſſary and eſſentiall to our government. Some Caſes of Treaſon, and others concerning the Prerogative of the Crowne, and liberty of the People. It is the ſupreame Judicatory to which all difficult Caſes reſort from other Courts. He hath fought to deprive the King of the Love and Counſell of his People, of that aſſiſtance which he might have from them, and likewiſe to deprive the People of that reliefe of grievances which they moſt humbly expect from his Majeſtie.
My Lords,
The Parliament is the Cabinet wherein the chiefeſt Jewells both of the Crowne and Kingdome are depoſited. The great Prerogative of the King, and libertie of the People are moſt effectually exerciſed and maintained by Parliaments. Here (my Lords) you cannot paſſe by this occaſion of great thankes to God and His Majeſty for paſſing the Bill, whereby the frequent courſe of Parliaments is eſtablished; which I aſſure my ſelfe, he will by experience finde to bee a ſtrong foundation both of his honour, and of his Crowne.
This is all (my Lords) I have to ſay to the particulars of the Charge. The Commons deſire your Lordſhips that they may have the ſame way of Examination that they had in the caſe of the Earle of Strafford: That is, to examine members of all kindes, of your Lordſhips Houſe and their owne, and others, as they ſhall ſee cauſe. And thoſe examinations to be kept ſecret and private, that they may with more advantage be made uſe of when the matter comes to tryall.
They have declared that they reſerve to themſelves the power of making Additionall Articles, by which they intend to reduce his Charge to be more particular and certaine, in reſpect of the ſeverall times, occaſion, and other circumſtances of the offences therein Charged. And that your Lordſhips would bee pleaſed to put this cauſe in ſuch a quicke way of proceeding, that theſe great and dangerous crimes together with the offendors may be brought to a juſt judgment.