Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Floating text 1
By the King. A Proclamation for calling in a Booke, entituled, An Introduction to a Devout life, and that the ſame be publikely burnt.
VVHereas a Booke, entituled, AN INTRODVCTION TO A DEVOVT LIFE, was lately printed by Nicholas Oakes of London., and many of them publiſhed and diſperſed throughout the Realme, the Copy of which Booke being brought to the Chaplaine of the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury for Licence and allowance, was by him, upon diligens peruſall, in ſundry places expunged and purged of divers paſſages therein tending to Popery: Nevertheleſſe the ſame Book after it was ſo amended and allowed to be printed, was corrupted and falſified by the Tranſlater and Stationer, who betweene them inſerted againe the ſame Popiſh and unſound paſſages: And the Stationer is now apprehended, and the Tranſlator ſought for to be proceeded againſt according to Juſtice.
His Majesty, out of His pious and constant care, to uphold and maintaine the Religion prefeſſed in the Church of England in its purity, without Error or Corruption, Doth therefore hereby declare His Royall Will and pleaſure to be, and doth ſtraightly Charge and Command all perſons, of what degree, quality, or condition ſoever, to whoſe hands any of the ſaid Bookes are, or ſhall come, that without delay they deliver or ſend them to the Biſhop, or Chancellor of the Dioceſſe, whom His Majeſtie requireth to cauſe the ſame to be publikly burnt, (as ſuch of them as have beene already ſeized on, have beene by His Majeſties expreſſe Commande) And to this His Majeſties Royall Pleaſure, he requireth all his loving Subjects to yeeld all doe Conformity and Obedience, as they will avoid the cenſure of high Contempt.
God ſave the KING.
Given at Our Court at White-hall, the fourteenth yeare of Our Reigne.
VponUpon this Proclamation, ſome few of theſe Bookes were ſeiſed, and publikely burnt in Smithfield; the poore Printer Oakes impriſoned divers Monthes almoſt to his utter undoing, though he proved, he complained of it to Doctor Haywood who commanded him to proceed: but the Stationer was brought Ore tenus to the Star-Chamber, and charged with the inſertion of the Popiſh Paſſages after the Doctor had expunged them, which he denied; where the Archbiſhop made a Speech to cleare himſelfe and his Chaplaine, in which there was not one word of truth; after which the Stationer was ordered to be committed to Priſon, and to find out the Tranſlator, which he affirming he could not do if he were impriſoned, thereupon his impriſonment was reſpited, and no further examination had of this foule buſineſſe, then to cleare the Archbiſhop and his Chaplaine by this deviſe: in the meane time Mr. Prynnes Croſſe Bill, which truly related all the carriage of the buſineſſe, was ſuppreſſed, that ſo the truth of it (which he thou could & would have manifeſted by ſundry punctuall witneſſes had he been permitted) might never come to publike knowledge to the Archbiſhops and his Chaplaines ſhame, who abuſed his Majeſty and the People with falſe repreſentations of this buſineſſe: which was now charged, proved and teſtified againſt him at the Barre by Mr. Prynne, Miſtreſſe Oakes, Michaell Sparke Senior, and others to his ſhame.
The Epiſtle to a devout Soul, written by a *Iohn▪ Lanſpergius a Carthu ſign.Friar & then newly tranſlated into Engliſh, was licenced, the ſelfe ſame day for the ſame Stationer, that Sales book was, being as full of Popery as it; vvhichwhich Mr. Prynne likewiſe charging in his Croſſe Bill; thereupon ſome of the Bookes were ſeized by the Stationers and the reſt vented in private. But Sales, to make the Papiſts ammends, was ſoone after reprinted here withall the Popery in it, and ſould publikely without reſtraint, notwithſtanding his Majeſties Proclamation, which was but a meere Page…, and deviſe of the Archbiſhops, to cleare himſelfe and his Chaplaine.
Having thus given you a ſummary Catalogue of the Popiſh Bookes, Sermons licenced and publiſhed by him, his Chaplaines and Agents, we ſhall next preſent you A Catalogue of Popiſh Doctrines, Poſitions, Errors, licenſed and Printed, by the Archbiſhops and his Chaplaince meanes.with a Liſt or Extract of the ſeverall Popiſh Errors, Doctrines, Poſitions, Paradoxes authorized and maintained in them, moſt of them ſo groſſe, ſo execrable, that they never durſt appeare in any of our Impreſſions from the infancy of Reformation, till this Arch-Prelate became their Patriot. We ſhall begin with Auricular Confeſſion, and the power of Prieſts to remit ſinnes, the ſumme whereof is this.