The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods True Saints Part 1 and 2, Part 2 · Chapter 6 · Part 1 – Part 2
Canon II. Impug…ers of the Kings Supremacy censured.
Whosoever shall hereafter affirm, that the Kings Majesty hath not the same authority in causes Ecclesiastical, that the godly Kings had among the Jews, and Christian Emperours in the primitive Church, or impeach in any part his Regal Supremacy in the said causes restored to the Crown, and by the Laws of this Realm therein established, let him be excommunicated ipso facto, and not restored but only by the Archbishop after his repentance and publick revocation of those his wicked errors.
Canon XXXVI. Subscription required of all such who are to be made Ministers.
No person shall hereafter be received into the Ministry, …or either by Institution or Collation admitted to any Ecclesiastical living, nor suffered to preach, to Chatechize, or to be a Lecturer, or Reader of Divinity in either Univerfities, or in any Cathedral or Collegiate Church, City, or Market-Town, Parish-Church, Chapel, or in any other place within this Realm, except he be licenced by the Archbishop, or by the Bishop of the Diocesse, (where he is to be placed) under their Hands and Seal, or by one of the two Universities under their Seal likewise, and except he shall first subscribe to these three Articles following, in such manner and sort as we have here appointed.
1. That the Kings Majesty under GOD, is the only supreme Governour of this Realm, and of all other his Highnesse Dominions and Countries, aswell in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes, as Temporal: and that no forein Prince, Person, Prelate, State, or Potentate, have or ought to have Jurisdiction, Power, Superiority, Preeminence, or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual, within his Majesties said Realms, Dominions and Countreys, &c.
And Can. 55. They prescribed this form of prayer to be used by them in their prayers before all their SerLectures, and Homilies.
And herein I require you, most especially to pray for the Kings most excellent Majesty our Soveraign Lord CHARLES, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defendor of the Faith, and Supreme Governour in these his Realms, and all other his Dominions and Countries, over all persons, in all causes, aswell Ecclesiastical as Temporal. Ye shall also pray for the Kings most honourable Councel, and for all the Nobility and Magistrates of this Realm, that all and every of these in their several callings, may serve truly and painfully to the glory of GOD, and the edifying and well governing of his people, remembring the account that they must make. Also ye shall pray for the whole Commons of this Realm, that they may live in true Faith and Fear of God, in humble obedience to the King, and brotherly charity one to another. Which all Ministers and Preachers duly observed; usually adding this clause thereunto; That God out of his infinite mercy, would grant so to blesse the Kings Majestie, and his Royal issue with a perpetual Posterity, that there might never want a Man of that Royal race to sway the Scepter of these Realms, so long as the Sun and Moon should …ndure, and till all Scepters and Kingdoms should be resigned at the last day into the hands of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings.
The Lords Spiritual, Temporal and Commons of theAnno 1603. Realm of England, assembled in Parliament, in the first year of King James, do thus expresse and declare their own and the whole Kingdoms unspeakeable joys, acclamations and thanksgivings unto God, and their own and their posterities Signal Loyalty, affection, and Devotion to King James, his Heirs and Royal progeny for ever, in the Statute of 1 Jacobi ch. 1. intituled, A most joyfull and just Recognition, of the immediate, lawfull, and undoubted succession, descent and Right of the Crown…
Great and manifold were the benefits (most dread and most gracious Soveraign) wherewith almighty God blessed this Kingdom and Nation, by the happy union and conjunction of the two Nobles houses of York and Lancaster, thereby preserving this noble Realm, formerly torn and almost wasted with long and miserable dissention and bloodie Civil War. But more inestimable and unspeakable blessings are thereby powred upon us, because there i… derived and grown from and out of that union of those two Princely families, a more famous and greater …nion, (or rather a re-uniting) of two Mighty, Famous, and antient Kingdoms, (yet antiently but one) of England and Scotland, under one Imperial Crown, in your most Royal Person, who is lineally, rightfully, and lawfully descended of the body of the most excellent Lady Margaret, eldest daughter of the most renowned King Henry the 7th. and the high and noble Princesse Queen Elizabeth his wife, eldest daughter of King Edward the 4th. The said Lady Margaret being eldest sister of King Henry the 8th. father of the high and mightie Princesse offamous memorie, Elizabeth late Queen of England.
In confideration whereof, albeit we your Majesties l…yal and faithfull Subjects of all Estates and Degrees, with all possible publike Joy and Acclamation, by open Proclamations within few houres after the decease of our late Soveraign Queen, acknowledging thereby, with one full voice of tongue and heart, that your Majesty was our only, lawfull and rightfull Leige Lord and Soveraign, and by our unspeakable and general rejoycing, and applause at your Majesties most happy inauguration, and Coronation: by the affectionate desire of infinite numbers of us of all degrees, to see your Royal Person, and by all possible outward means, have indeavoured to make demonstration of our inward love, zeal, and devotion to your most excellent Maj…stie, our undoubted rightfull Leige Soveraign Lord and King: yet, as we cannot do it too often or enough, so can there be no means or way, so fit both to sacrifice our unfeined and heartie thanks to Almighty God, for blessing us with a Soveraign, ador…ed with the rarest gifts of mind and body, in such admirable peace and quietnesse, and upon the knees of our hearts to agnize our most constant faith, obedience, and loyalty to your Majestie, and your Royal Progenie, as in this high Court of Parliament, where all the whole body of the Realm, and every particular Member thereof, either in Person or Representation (upon their own free Elections) are by the Laws of this Realm, deemed to be personally present.
To the present acknowledgment whereof to your Majestie, we are the more deeply bounden and obliged, as well in regard of the extraordinarie care and pains, which with so great wisdom, knowledge, experience, and dexteritie, your Majestie (since the Imperial Crown of this Realm descended to you) have taken for the continuance and establishment of the blessed peace both of the Church of England in the true and fincere Religion, and of the Common-wealth, by due and speedy administration of justice, as in respect of the gracious care and inward aff…ction, which it pleased you on the first day of this Parliament so lively to expresse by your own words, so full of high wisdom, learning, and virtue, and so repleate with Royal and thankfull acceptation of all our faithfull and constant endeavours, which is, and ever will be to our inestimable consolation and comfort.
We therefore your most humble and loyal Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, do from the bottom of our hearts, yield to the divine Majestie, all humble thanks and prayses, not only for the said unspeakable, and inestimable benefits, and blessings above mentioned, but also that he hath further enriched your Highnesse with a most Royal Progenie, of Most rare, and excellent gifts and forwardnesse, and in his goodnesse is like to increase the happy number of them. And in most humble and lowly manner, do beseech your most Excellent Majestie, that (as a memorial to all posterities, amongstNota. the Records of your high Court of Parliament for ever to endure, of our Loyalty, Obedience, and harty and humble Affection) it may be published and declared in this high Court of Parliament, and enacted by authority of the same, That we (being bounden thereunto, both by the Laws of God and Man) do recognize and acknowledge, (and thereby expresse our unspeakable Ioyes) That immediately upon the dissolution and decease of Elizabeth late Queen of England, the Imperial Crown of the Realm of England, and of all the Kingdoms, Dominions, and Rights belongiug to the same, did by inherent Birthright, and lawfull and undoubted Successien, descend and come to your most Excellent M…jestie, as being Lineally, Iustly and Lawfully, next and sole Heir of the Blood Royal of this Realm, as is aforesaid. And that by the goodnesse of God Almighty, and lawfull Right of descent, under one Imperial Crown, your Majestie is of the Realms and Kingdoms of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, the most Potent, and migh…y King, and by Gods goodnesse, more able to protect, and govern us your loving Subjects, in all Peace and Plentie, than any of your noble Progenitors. And thereunto we most humbly, and faithfully do submit, andNota. oblige our selves, our heirs and posterities for ever, until the last drop of our Bloods be spent And do beseech your Majestie to accept the same, as the first fruits in this high Court of Parliament, of our Loyalty and faith to your Majestie and your Royal Progenie, and posterity for ever. Which if your Majestie shall be pleased (as an argument of your gracious acceptation) to adorn with your Majesties Royal Assent, (without which, it can neither be complete and perfect, nor remain to all posteritie according to our most humble desire, as a memorial of your Princely and tender affection towards us) we shall adde this also to the rest of your Majesties unspeakable and inestimable benefits.
In which Act there are these particulars, very seasonable and observable, in respect of the present posture of our publike affairs.
1. That the happy union and conjunction of our divided Kingdoms, formenly torn and wasted, with long and miserable dissentions and bloody civil wars, between Competitors for the Crown, and the King and Subjects, is a great and unspeakable benefit and blessing to the Kingdom and Nation, bestowed on them by God himself.
2. That the re-uniting not only of the two, but three mighty, famous and antient Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, under one Imperial Crown, and Heredirary King, is a far more inestimable and unspeakable blessing to all 3. Kingdoms and Nations.
3. That there is no Interregnum in Law in the Realm and Crown of England, but that immediately upon the decease of the King thereof; the Imperial Crown of the Realm of England, and of all the Kingdoms, Dominions, and Rights belonging to the same, do by inherent bi…thright, and lawfull and undoubted Succession, Lineally, Justly, and lawfully descend to the next heir of the blood Royal, before he be publikely crowned King. As this Act in direct Terms declares, and (aCooks 7. Rep. Calvins Case …. 10, 11. 3 Instit. p. 7.) all the Judges of England, unanimously adjudged in the case of Watson, and Cleark, 2. Popish Priests, (who held King James no lawfull King, before he was Crowned, and thereupon conspired…rook Treason 29. Graftons Cronicle p. 1326, &c. …ox Acts and Monuments, vol. 3. Holinshed, and Speed, 1. Mariae. My Plea for the Lords, p. 494, 10 499. to imprison him in the Tower, &c. for which they were both condemned and executed as Traytors) Hill. 1. Jacobi; as had been oft adjudged before in the first 7. years of King H. 6. and in the cases of Queen Jane, the Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk, the Lord Rochford, Sir John Gates, Sir, Thomas Palmer and others, condemned, in levying War against her, and executed 1 Mariae, for Treason against Qu. Mary, before she was Crowned, to deprive her of the Crown; which both the Peers and Judges of the Realm, and the Parliament of 1 Mariae, ch. 16. adjudged Treason within 25 E. 3. against the mistaken Doctrine of Mr. Thomas Scot, and some temporizing Lawyers of late years.
4. That it is the duty and practice of all loyal and saithfull Subjects, of all estates and degrees, with all po…sible publike joyes, unspeakable general rejoycings, acclamations, applauses, affectionate desires, & by other means to proclaim, acknowledge and Crown their lawfull hereditary Kings, after the decease of their Ancestors, and to make all possible demonstrations of their cordial loyalty, love, zeal and affection to them both in and out of Parliment, being obliged thereunto both by the Laws of God and Man.
5. That this Act of Parliament, and the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance, do both in point of Law, Loyalty, Justice, Conscience, oblige the whole English Nation, their heirs and posterities for ever, to be true, faithfull, loyal and obedient to King James, his heirs and poste…itie for ever, (and so to our present King) till the last drop of their blood be spent, as to their undoubted, lawfull, and hereditary Kings and Soveraigns.
6. That a numerous hopefull royal Progeny, likely to continue and perpetuate the hereditarie succession of the Crown in the true Regal line, is an extraordinarie blessing and happinesse to the Kingdom, for which they are all bound both in and out of Parliament, to render all humble thanks and praises unto God.
To this I shall subjoyn the Statute of 3 Iaco…i, ch. 1. entituled,