Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 6 · Floating text 7 – Letter 8
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD RICHARD LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH.
The humble Remonſtrance and Petition of the two Congregations of Strangers in the City of Norwich.
IT hath pleaſed my Lords Grace of Canterbury to ſend forth lately two Injunctions to the three Congregations of Strangers, Canterbury, Sandwich, and Maidstone in his Graces Dioceſſe, to this effect. 1. That their Engliſh Natives ſhould ſeparate from them, and reſort to the Engliſh Pariſh Churches where they dwell. 2. That the Remainder of them, being ſtrangers borne, ſhould receive and uſe the Engliſh Liturgy, tranſlated into their own language, upon the firſt day of March next. The which is generally conceived to be a leading caſe for all the Strangers Congregations that are in England.
1 Now foraſmuch as the ſaid Injunctions ſeeme to be oppoſite, not only to ſundry Orders of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Councell heretofore upon ſeverall occaſions granted unto ſeverall Congregations of the ſaid Strangers; but chiefly to all the gracious Liberties, and Priviledges granted unto them of old, and continued during the Reigne of three moſt famous Princes, King Edward, Queene Elizabeth, and King Iames of glorious memory; And confirmed by his now Majeſties Regall word our gracious Soveraigne (whom God long preſerve) which he was pleaſed graciouſly to give unto the Deputies of all the ſtrangers Congregations in England, proſtrate at his Majeſties feet, the 30 of April 1625.
2 And alſo, that the obſerving of the ſaid Injunctions will neceſſarily draw after it many great and unavoydable Inconveniences both common and perſonall; as namely that
1 The Pariſhes ſhall be needleſſely charged with a great multitude of poore Strangers that are Engliſh Natives.
2 Many ſuch Natives ſhall ipſo facto loſe the benefit of their Toleration in exerciſing their Manufactures, having not ſerved their ſeven years Apprentiſhips, and be in danger of ruine or moleſtation.
3 Many ſuch alſo that underſtand not well the Engliſh tongue, ſhall be little edified by the Engliſh Prayers and Sermons which they ſhall heare.
4 Their Families ſhall be divided, ſome going one way, ſome another to their appointed Aſſemblies; which may miniſter an unhappy opportunity of licentiouſneſſe to ſervants and children that are looſely minded.
5 The Alien ſtrangers that ſhall remaine, being not the fourth part of the now ſtanding Congregations (eſpecially in this City) for want of competent ability to maintaine their Miniſter and poore, muſt needs be utterly diſſolved and come to nothing.
6 So the ancient and much renowned Aſyla, and places of refuge for the poore perſecuted and other ignorant Chriſtians beyond the Seas, ſhall be wanting; whereat Rome will rejoyce, and the Reformed Churches in all places will mourne.
7 Many Miniſters (and thoſe ancient) having no other meanes but their Congregations, which ſhall then faile them, ſhall be to ſeek for themſelves and their deſtituted Families.
8 The Forraigne poore will be added to the Native poore, and encreaſe the charge and burden of their ſeverall Pariſhes, who will be to them no welcome gueſts; or elſe be ſent away beyond Sea, where they will open many mouthes againſt the authors of their miſery.
9 The Common-wealth ſhall loſe many skilfull workmen in ſundry Manufactures, whom in times paſt the Land hath ſo much deſired.
10 Many thouſand Engliſh of the poorer ſort ſhall miſſe their good maſters that ſet them on work and paid them well, which will cauſe them to grieve at their departure, if not to murmure.
11 And ſay a handfull of Aliens ſhould remaine to make up a poore Congregation, where ſhall they baptize their new-borne Infants? If in their Pariſh Churches, then ſhall the ſtrangers loſe one of their Sacraments; and if in the ſaid ſtrangers Congregation, then it would be known when they ſhall be ſent away to be admitted as Natives in their Engliſh Pariſhes.
12 A greater difficulty will yet ariſe about the Engliſh Rites and Ceremonies enjoyned to ſuch Aliens as ſhall remaine. For though they miſlike them not in the Engliſh Churches, unto the which upon occaſion they do willingly reſort; yet when this Innovation ſhall come upon them, it will bee ſo uncouth and ſtrange, as it is doubtfull whether it, or the ſeparation of the Natives from the Aliens, will bring the more trouble; And whether they will not both be followed (though not aequis paſsibus) with the utter diſſolution of their Congregations.
13 And the rather, becauſe it is not likely that upon their want of a Miniſter, any will be ready to come (though ſent for) from beyond the Seas to ſerve them upon theſe two Conditions. The one, to be contented with ſo meane a ſtipend as they ſhall then be able to afford, and that uncertaine too. The other, to obſerve ſuch Rites and Ceremonies as they were never acquainted withall, yea are offenſive to ſome beyond the Seas, from whence they ſhall be called.
3 Laſtly, foraſmuch as we have given no occaſion of offence that might deſerve the taking away of our former Liberties, but have ſtill demeaned our ſelves peaceably and reſpectively toward the Engliſh Diſcipline; Neither do we harbour any factious Engliſh perſons as members of our Congregations; And alſo that by two ſeverall Orders of his Majeſties moſt Honourable Privy Councell, your Lordſhip and your Succeſſors have power to order the diſordered in both the Congregations, if any ſhall happen.
Therefore we humbly entreat your good Lordſhip ſeriouſly to take the premiſes into your grave and judicious conſideration; And as occaſion ſhall ſerve, to acquaint his Grace of Canterbury with them if your Lordſhip think it ſo fitting. VntoUnto whoſe Grace we deſire our humble duties to be preſented; humbly beſeeching his Grace that he will be pleaſed to be graciouſly and favourably enclined to us and the reſt of the ſtrangers; And (if it be poſſible) to ſtay the proceedings of his Graces Commiſſaries upon the ſaid three Congregations of his Graces Dioceſſe; that ſo they and we all may yet continue under the ſhadow of His Majeſties moſt gracious protection and Toleration, as before. And wee ſhall pray for his Graces and your Honours long life and proſperity.
Theſe weighty motives not prevailing, they preſented an humble Petition to the Archbiſhop himſelfe Iun. 26. 1635. endorſed with his owne hand, and ſeiſed in his ſtudy by Mr Prynne, the ſame in ſubſtance with their Remonſtrance to the Biſhop of Norwich; beſeeching his Grace to be pleaſed to take theſe their motives into his pious and charitable conſideration, and to ſuffer them yet to enjoy the benefit of his Majeſties and his Noble Predeceſſours grace of Toleration.
To this Petition after much ſollicitation, meanes and friends made to the Archbiſhop, he returned a very peremptory Anſwer in a Letter of his to the Dutch and Walloone Congregations at Norwich, dated Auguſt, 19. 1635. the Copy whereof was found in his ſtudy; wherein all the favour he would grant to them (or any other forraigue Churches) was this;
That his Majeſty was reſolved, that his Injunctions ſhall hold, and that obedience ſhall be yeelded to them by all the Natives after the firſt deſcent, who might continue in their Congregations, to the end the Aliens might the better look to the education of their children; and that their ſeverall Congregations might not be too much leſſened at once; but that all of the ſecond deſcent borne here in England, and ſo termed, ſhould reſort to their ſeverall Pariſh Churches whereas they dwell; concluding his Letter in thoſe words: And thus I have given you anſwer fairely in all your particulars, and doe expect all obedience and conformity to my Injunctions; which if you ſhall performe, the State will have occaſion to ſee how ready you are to practiſe the obedience which you teach. And for my part, I doubt not but your ſelves, or your poſterity at leaſt, ſhall have cauſe to thank both the State and the Church, for this care taken of you; But if you refuſe (as you have no cauſe to doe, and I hope you will not) I ſhall then proceed againſt the Natives according to the Lawes and Canons Eccleſiaſticall. So hopeing the best of your ſelves and your obedience, I leave you to the Grace of God, and reſt
Your loving Friend W. Cant. Auguſt. 19. 1635.
By theſe Injunctions theſe Churches were moleſted and diſquieted ſome three or foure yeares ſpace; ſome of them interdicted, ſuſpended and ſhut up for a time, for refuſing conformity; others of them diſſolved, their Miniſters deſerting them rather then ſubmitting to theſe Injunctions, all of them much diminiſhed, diſcontented, the maintenance of their Miniſters and poore Members much impaired almoſt to their utter deſolation, notwithſtanding all the great friends they could make to intercede in their behalfe; and they brought quite under that Epiſcopall Iuriſdiction and Tyranny, from which they were formerly exempted. Hereupon many conſciencious Aliens and their children deſerted the Kingdom, who could not in conſcience ſubmit to the Ceremonies, Innovations in our Churches, and moſt of their Families were miſerably diſtracted, as appeares by a Summary Relation of the Archbiſhops proceedings herein, preſented to the Parliament, and by a late printed Book, entituled, A Relation of the Troubles of the three Forraigne Churches in Kent, cauſed by the Injunctions of William Laud Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Anno Dom. 1634. (ſet forth by Iohn Bulteel Miniſter of Gods Word to the Walloon Congregation of Canterbury, printed Anno 1645.) to which we ſhall referre the Reader for fuller ſatisfaction.
And as he thus endeavoured to ſubvert the Forraigne Dutch, French, and Walloon Churches at home, and to preſſe the Engliſh Liturgy upon them; ſo he attempted to diſturbe our Engliſh Regiments and Congregations abroad in Forraigne parts and Plantations, by impoſing the ſtrict obſervation of the Engliſh Liturgy and Ceremonies on them not formerly uſed, by Orders from the Councell Table (eſpecially by that of October 1. 1633. to the Merchant-Adventurers) which bred great diſturbances among them, as appeares by ſundry Letters from Sir William Boſwell, Mr Stephen Goffe, and others, found in the Archbiſhops ſtudy, which we ſhall pretermit for brevity ſake; only we ſhall inſert the Copy of his owne Letter to the Merchants at Delfe (found in his ſtudy) dated Iune 17. 1634.
AFter our hearty Commendations &c. We are commanded by his Majeſty to ſignifie unto you, that this Bearer Mr Beaumont, choſen by joynt conſent of your Company to be your Preacher at Delfe, or where elſe you ſhall at any time reſide, is a man learned, ſober, and conformable to the Doctrine and Diſcipline eſtabliſhed in the Church of England; And that you are to receive him with all decent and curteous uſage fitting his Perſon and Calling, and to allow him the uſuall ancient ſtipend which Mr Forbes lately, or any other before him hath received. And farther we are to let you know, that it is his Majeſties expreſſe Command, that both you, the Deputy, and all and every other Merchant, that is, or ſhall bee reſiding in thoſe parts beyond the Seas, doe conforme themſelves to the Doctrine and Diſcipline ſetled in the Church of England: And that they frequent the Common Prayers with all religious Duty and Reverence at all times required, as well as they doe Sermons: And that out of your Company you doe yearly about Eaſter, as the Canons preſcribe, name two Church Wardens, and two Sideſmen, which may look to the Orders of the Church, and give an Accompt according to their Office. And Mr Beaumont himſelfe is hereby to take notice that his Majeſties expreſſe pleaſure and Command to him is, that he doe punctually keep and obſerve all the Orders of the Church of England as they are preſcribed in the Canons and the Rubricks of the Liturgy. And that if any of your Company ſhall ſhew themſelves refractory to this Ordinance of his Majeſty (which we hope will not be) he is to certifie the name of any ſuch Offender and his offence to the Lord Biſhop of London for the time being, who is to take order and give remedy accordingly. And theſe Letters you are to regiſter and keep by you, that they which come after may underſtand what care his Majeſty hath taken for the well ordering of your Company in Church affaires. And you are likewiſe to deliver a Copy of theſe Letters to Mr Beaumont, and to every Succeſſor of his reſpectively, that he and they may know what his Majeſty expects from them, and be the more inexcuſable if they diſobey. Thus not doubting but that you will ſhew your ſelves very reſpectfull of theſe his Majeſties Commands, we leave you to the Grace of God and reſt.
Your very loving friend W. Cant.
By all which premiſes compared with his forementioned judgement of the Forraign Churches, that they were no true Churches of Chriſt becauſe they had no Biſhops; their Miniſters no Miniſters, and their Religion not the ſame with ours; it is infallibly evident, that his deſigne was to ſuppreſſe and ſubvert the Dutch and French Churches by degrees at home, and to embroyle them and our Engliſh Congregations abroad, for the better advancement of the Roman Catholike Church and Religion both at home and in Forraign parts. And ſo we have fully made good the twelfth Originall Article againſt him in all particulars.
Our eigth and laſt Evidence to prove his trayterous deſign to ſubvert the Proteſtant Religion and bring in Popery, is compriſed in the 13 Originall Article; That he hath trayterouſly and trecherouſly plotted and endeavoured to ſtirre up warre and enmity betwixt his Majeſties two Kingdoms of England and Scotland, and to that purpoſe hath laboured to introduce into the Kingdom 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 theſe Innovations, he did trayterouſly adviſe his Majeſty to ſubdue them by force of Arms &c. Nay joyned in confederacy with the Papiſts, Prieſts, Ieſuites, and employed Popiſh Captains and Commanders to make warre againſt them; all which we can abundently prove by ſundry Papers, under his own hand; by Originall Letters found in his ſtudy, and ſundry Additions, Alterations in the New Scottiſh Liturgy *See A Neceſſary Introduction to the Archbiſhops Triall, p. 148, to 156.elſewhere recorded, the Originall Copy whereof we have ready to produce under his own hand. But becauſe he hath pleaded the Act of Pacification and Oblivion made ſince his Impeachment in barre of this Article, and the Scottiſh Liturgy (which doubtleſſe it extends not to) and thereby hath tacitely acknowledged the truth of this Article, of which he dares not abide the triall; we ſhall forbeare to give any evidence thereon, till his plea be over-ruld; which the Commons did not preſſe the Lords to do, becauſe they would avoyd expence of time, and conceived their forementioned evidence very full to convict him guilty of the firſt branch of his firſt generall Charge (abundantly proved by all the premiſes) That he hath trayterouſly endeavoured to ſubvert Gods true Religion, by Law eſtabliſhed in this Realm, and inſtead thereof to ſet up Popery, Superſtition, and Idolatry.