Altars Altar, Treatise
A ſhort Treatiſe of Altars, Altar-furniture, Altar-cringing, and Muſick of all the Quire, Singing-men and Choriſters, when the holy Communion was adminiſtred in the Cathedrall Church of Durham, by Prebendaries and Petty-Canons, in glorious Copes embroidered with Images. 1629.
Written at the ſame time by Peter Smart, ſenior-Prebendarie of the ſaid Church, a little before he was expeld, deprived, degraded and impriſoned for the ſpace of twelve yeares, till the ſecond yeare of this preſent Parliament, by the Biſhops and Commiſsioners of Durham, London and York, for preaching againſt ſuperſtitious vanities, and oppoſing then,Thus, by the meanes of B. Neal and his Chaplains Altars and Images, &c. were brought in. Then, after the death of B. Iames, in May. 1617. There, in the Cathedrall Church of Dutham, frō which they ſpread over all England. and alwayes before, their unlawfull innovations, brought into Durham Cathedrall, by B. Neal and his Chaplains, after the death of B. James, who died in May. 1617.
THus and then, and there began the ſetting up of Altars, and Images, with a multitude of ſuperſtitious Ceremonies, changing of ſervices, and corruptions of Sacraments: which beginning in Durham, have ſince that time ſpread themſelves over all the Cathedrall, Collegiate Churches, and Colledges in this Realme; yea and many pariſh Churches have ſet up Altars, Images, and Organs, where they were never before ſince the reigne of K. Philip and Q. Mary; of all ſuch alterations, and Popiſh Innovations in our Church, Biſhop Neale laid the foundation; who being an old Courtier, ambitious, violent and cruell againſt all that gainſaid him, and oppoſed his doings: and diſpairing to climbe to high preferment by learning and Preaching, (which he could not abide) hee ſet his minde wholly upon advancing Cathedrall pomp, and glorious Ceremonies, eaſier a great deale to be performed and practiſed by an ignorant ideot, who hath onelyonly the outſide of a man, then the making of Sermons, or writing books, ſo that in few yeares he got the government of many Cathedrals: firſt, Weſtminſter, which once was a Biſhoprick, and yet hath Epiſcopall juriſdiction: ſecondly, Rocheſter, thirdly, Coventry and Lichfield: fourthly, Lincolne: fifthly, Durham: ſixtly, Wincheſter: ſeventhly, the Archbiſhoprick of Yorke. Thus ſate Doctor Richard Neal upon 7. hils, 7. Seas, he Lorded it upon 7. thrones above thirty yeares, in the laſt twenty of which he preached not three Sermons, which is the principall office of a Biſhop, as S. Paul teacheth: Yet at the cenſure of Doct. Baſtwick, he ſaid openly, that he was made Biſhop by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and conſecrated by the Holy Ghoſt: unto what office? and what to doe? to hinder Preaching? to perſecute Orthodoxe and painfull Preachers? to countenance, cheriſh, and maintaine ſchiſmaticall, hereticall, and traiterous Arminians and Papiſts, Coſin, Linſell, Burgoin, Duncan, &c. to heape livings and Church dignities upon his creatures, and favourites, idle loiterers, unſatiable cormorants, ſeven or eight a peece, above all meane and meaſure: for what good of the Church and Commonwealth did our Lord Jeſus make him Biſhop, and the holy Ghoſt conſecrate him? to weare a Rochet? to ſet out Ceremonies? to defile the Church of God with Altars and Images? to gather riches by oppreſſion of his tenants, and to play the ravenous Wolfe, in devouring ſo many thouſand flocks which he tooke upon him to feed in ſeven Biſhopricks, the hundred part of which he never ſaw, nor one of a thouſand ever heard the voice of their Lordly ſhepheard, their Biſhop, their ghoſtly Father, and the Paſtor of their ſoules, as he would be taken to be, being choſen to the office of a Biſhop by Chriſt, and conſecrated by the holy Ghoſt. I have knowne this man about ſixty yeares, (for we were ſchoole-fellowes in Weſtminſter) when he was plaine Richard Neal, and I Peter Smart, under Deane Goodman, and Doctor Grant; hee was then counted an heavy-headed lubber, put out of that ſchoole for a dunce, and a droane, as himſelfe confeſſed at his laſt Viſitation in Durham, 1627. ſaying openly in the audience of many, that the three laſt yeeres when he was a Grammar ſcholar of Weſtminſter, he made no exerciſe at all, whereupon it came to paſſe, ſaid he, that when I went from Weſtminſter to Cambridge, I could not ſo much as write true Orthography (put letters and ſyllables rightly together in Latin) and I cannot do it yet: What? not make true Latin, being a Doctor 60. yeares old, when he had paſſed through five Biſhopricks, and was to be tranſlated to Wincheſter, and Yorke, the two greateſt in England,This Biſhop (ſaid M. Kirton in the Parl. 1628.) though he hath leapt thorow many Biſhoprtcks, yet he hath left Popery behind him. after Canterbury. But, howſoever he was an ignorant and unlearned Grammarian, he profited better in divinity, he had learning enough to run through 7. preferments, ſeven Biſhopricks, containing the one half of England, in all which, his principall care and ſtudy was to enrich himſelf, and his kindred, Chaplains, creatures, and favourites, which he made non-Reſidents, and Tot-quots, heaping upon them all manner of preferments, benefices and Q. Mary; of all ſuch alterations, and Popiſh Innovations in our Church, Biſhop Neale laid the foundation; who being an old Courtier, ambitious, violent and cruell againſt all that gainſaid him, and oppoſed his doings: and diſpairing to climbe to high preferment by learning and Preaching, (which he could not abide) hee ſet his minde wholly upon advancing Cathedrall pomp, and glorious Ceremonies, eaſier a great deale to be performed and practiſed by an ignorant ideot, who hath onelyonly the outſide of a man, then the making of Sermons, or writing books, ſo that in few yeares he got the government of many Cathedrals: firſt, Weſtminſter, which once was a Biſhoprick, and yet hath Epiſcopall juriſdiction: ſecondly, Rocheſter, thirdly, Coventry and Lichfield: fourthly, Lincolne: fifthly, Durham: ſixtly, Wincheſter: ſeventhly, the Archbiſhoprick of Yorke. Thus ſate Doctor Richard Neal upon 7. hils, 7. Seas, he Lorded it upon 7. thrones above thirty yeares, in the laſt twenty of which he preached not three Sermons, which is the principall office of a Biſhop, as S. Paul teacheth: Yet at the cenſure of Doct. Baſtwick, he ſaid openly, that he was made Biſhop by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and conſecrated by the Holy Ghoſt: unto what office? and what to doe? to hinder Preaching? to perſecute Orthodoxe and painfull Preachers? to countenance, cheriſh, and maintaine ſchiſmaticall, hereticall, and traiterous Arminians and Papiſts, Coſin, Linſell, Burgoin, Duncan, &c. to heape livings and Church dignities upon his creatures, and favourites, idle loiterers, unſatiable cormorants, ſeven or eight a peece, above all meane and meaſure: for what good of the Church and Commonwealth did our Lord Jeſus make him Biſhop, and the holy Ghoſt conſecrate him? to weare a Rochet? to ſet out Ceremonies? to defile the Church of God with Altars and Images? to gather riches by oppreſſion of his tenants, and to play the ravenous Wolfe, in devouring ſo many thouſand flocks which he tooke upon him to feed in ſeven Biſhopricks, the hundred part of which he never ſaw, nor one of a thouſand ever heard the voice of their Lordly ſhepheard, their Biſhop, their ghoſtly Father, and the Paſtor of their ſoules, as he would be taken to be, being choſen to the office of a Biſhop by Chriſt, and conſecrated by the holy Ghoſt. I have knowne this man about ſixty yeares, (for we were ſchoole-fellowes in Weſtminſter) when he was plaine Richard Neal, and I Peter Smart, under Deane Goodman, and Doctor Grant; hee was then counted an heavy-headed lubber, put out of that ſchoole for a dunce, and a droane, as himſelfe confeſſed at his laſt Viſitation in Durham, 1627. ſaying openly in the audience of many, that the three laſt yeeres when he was a Grammar ſcholar of Weſtminſter, he made no exerciſe at all, whereupon it came to paſſe, ſaid he, that when I went from Weſtminſter to Cambridge, I could not ſo much as write true Orthography (put letters and ſyllables rightly together in Latin) and I cannot do it yet: What? not make true Latin, being a Doctor 60. yeares old, when he had paſſed through five Biſhopricks, and was to be tranſlated to Wincheſter, and Yorke, the two greateſt in England,This Biſhop (ſaid M. Kirton in the Parl. 1628.) though he hath leapt thorow many Biſhopricks, yet he hath left Popery behind him. after Canterbury. But, howſoever he was an ignorant and unlearned Grammarian, he profited better in divinity, he had learning enough to run through 7. preferments, ſeven Biſhopricks, containing the one half of England, in all which, his principall care and ſtudy was to enrich himſelf, and his kindred, Chaplains, creatures, and favourites, which he made non-Reſidents, and Tot-quots, heaping upon them all manner of preferments, benefices and dignities, to the intent they might flaunt it out bravely, and aſſiſt him their Lord and Maſter couragiouſly, in ſetting up Altars, Images, Organs, Copes, Candleſticks, and all manner of Maſſing furniture, eſpecially in perſecuting painfull Preachers, under the name of Puritans, though more conformable then themſelves, and in hindring Preachers from confuting Popiſh opinions, and Arminian doctrines, concerning Altars and Images, and other ſuperſtitious trinkets, with which he peſtered the Church of Durham, and many other places where he had authority, as remaines upon Record in the Parliament, 1628. and printed lately, 1641. In the 45. page thus weeThe Kings Chaplaine and Prebend of Wincheſt. Pag. 45. reade, Doctor More called in to the houſe of Commons, ſaith, he was referred to the Biſhop of Wincheſter (Doct. Neal) to be cenſured for a Sermon preached by him: The Biſhop he had heard him preach and deliver many paſſages againſt Papiſts, which pleaſed King Iames, but he muſt not do ſo now: this and more Doctor More himſelfe told me, before Doct. Sibs: Againe, the Biſhop ſaid to him, you have a brother that preacheth againſt bowing at the holy name of Jeſus, and of bowing to the high Altar: and that the Communion Table ſtood as in Ale-houſes, but heP…g. 45. would have them ſet as high Altars: This Doct. More delivered in writing to the Parliament: And in pag. 33. we reade, that Sir Dudley North informed the Houſe, how the ſaid Biſhop Neale told Doct. More, that hee had often heard him preach againſt Popery (which he ſaid was wellThe Prince was then in, Spain. D. Marſhall relat…d as much ſaid to him by the Biſhop of Wincheſter. pag. 40. liked of then) but now you muſt not doe ſo, whereupon the Doctor ſaid, that if occaſion did ſerve, he would not ſpare to do the like now, to whom the Biſhop further replied, the times were not the ſame, & therfore you muſt not.
Whereupon Sir Rob. Philips ſaid, By this you may gueſſe, that this Biſhop had a hand in ſetting up thoſe Ceremonies in Durham, and that he beares good will towards them, labouring to make Durham and Wincheſter Synonimaes: This reflects upon his Majeſty, ſaid he, as if the King ſhould not be pleaſed, that men in their Sermons ſhould refell Popery, pag. 33.
The like D. More told me of Biſhop Neals Chaplin, D.D. Beard ſaid that D. Alabaſterpreached flat Popery at Paule Croſſe The Biſhop of Wincheſter commanded him as he was his Dioceſan, that he ſhould preach nothing to the contrary. pag. 40. Duncan now Prebendary of Durham, how inſolently he ſhooke him up, being an ancient Doctor, and Prebendary of Wincheſter, about an high Altar to be ſet up there, and to be bowed unto, as in Durham. But concerning Biſhop Neals protection of his Chaplin Cozens when he was accuſed of high treaſon, for denying the Kings Supremacy, and giving as much authority to the fellow that rubs his horſes heeles, as to his Majeſty: you ſhall have more out of the Diurnal of the ſaid Parliament, 1628. when that Article of the impeachment, and the proofe thereof ſhal be examined in its order and place. To conclude, that which Biſhop Neale could not doe in his owne perſon, his Chaplains and favourites of the Arminian faction, did in other places: D. Laud B. of S. Davids, B. of Bath and Wels, B. of London, and Archbiſhop of Canterbury, D. Linſell Dean of Lichfield, B. of Peterborough, and B. of Hereford, D. Corbet B. of Oxford, and B. of Norwich, beſides his followers, B. Wren, B. Mountague, B. Howſon, B. Goodman, B. Manwaring, B. White, B. Field, B. Wright, and B. Harſnet who made this Epitaph of himſelfe,
Samuel Harſnet
Epiſcopus Ciceſtrenſis Indignus.
Epiſcopus Norwicenſis Indignior.
Archiepiſ. Eboracenſis Indigniſsimus.
Moſt true, he Lorded it ſo long til he ſhould have come to Grace, but the longer he lived he decreaſed in grace, he deſcended from bad to worſe, from worſe, to worſt, as he aſcended from high to higher, from higher to higheſt, even the titular grace of a moſt unworthy Archbiſhop. Al theſe Biſhops were zealous maintainers of Altars, and Images, and other ſuperſtitious ceremonies, depending upon Altars, ſo that B. Neal and B. Laud with their factious aſſociates, and creatures, have beene Noſtri fundi calamitas, the ruine, the calamity and miſery of the noble Church of England, which they have peſtered with Ceremonies, and corrupted with unlawful Innovations, wherewith they have hindred edification, and inſtruction of the people by preaching, ſo that for the moſt part they are as ignorant, as ever they were in the blinde times of Popery. they are as ignorant in the grounds of Religion, and as unable to render an account of their ſaith, as they were when all the Service was in Latin before the firſt reformation in the reign of K. Edward the ſixt. And how can it otherwiſe be in thoſe places where Liturgies are onelyonly read by unlearned Curats, or learned loyterers in the Miniſtery, without preaching: or with ſuch ſcarcity of Sermons, not above one in a monethmonth, nay one in a whole yeare, as it was and is in moſt Pariſhes, if not all the countrey towns of Wales, and too many in England, where atheiſme, profaneneſſe or idolatrous Popery abound. No one thing (ſaith B. White) hath been a greater ſcandall to our B. White in his Epiſtle to Archbiſhop Lawd in his book of the Sabbath.Church, then the profane negligence of conformable Miniſters: then their looſneſſe of life, their avarice and ambition in heaping together benefices and promotions, and then a groſſe neglect in diſcharging their duty. On the contrary (ſaith he) nothing is of greater moment to perſwade the people, then when they ſhall obſerve their Miniſters diligent and induſtrious in ſerving God, and promoting the ſalvation of Chriſtian ſoules committed to their charge. O ye reformers of the Church, learn this of a Biſhop, and amend this fault, which B. Laud would never do.