Episcopacy Not Prejudicial to Regal Power, Title page – Dedication
EPISCOPACY (As established by Law in England) NOT PREJUDICIAL TO REGAL POWER.
A Treatise written in the time of the Long Parliament,
By the special Command of the late KING.
And now published by the Right Reverend Father in God ROBERT SANDERSON Lord Bishop of Lincoln.
LONDON, Printed by R. Norton, for Timothy Garthwait in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1661.
TO THE Most High and Mighty King CHARLES the IId, By the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.
Most Gracious and Dread Soveraign,
THat I take the boldness humbly to present this short discourse to your Majesties Sacred hand and piercing eye; it is upon this one and onelyonly account, that how mean soever the performance be, the undertaking was in obedience to the command of a most Gracious Master, your Majesties Royal Father of Blessed Memory. The Occasion this. When the Army had gotten the King into their own custody out of the hands of those that had long holden him in durance at Holdenby: to put a blind upon the world, they made a shew of much good towards him, which (as soon after appeared) they never meant him. Amongst other the pompous civilities, wherewith (the better to cloak their hypocrisie) they entertained him; it was their pleasure to vouchsafe him the attendance of some of his own Chaplains: which, though it could merit little (for such a kindness could not with justice have been denyed to a far meaner person;) was yet a boon his former Goalers thought too big for him. In that Summer Progress (such as it was) four of us of his own naming, with the Clerk of his Closet, were suffered to wait upon him. In which time of waiting, (which was in August MDCXLVII.) His Majesty, being then at Hampton-Court, one day called me to him, and told me he had a little work for me to do. Some about him, it seems, had been often discoursing with him about EPISCOPACY, as it was claimed and exercised by the Bishops within this Realm. Which (whether out of their good-will to him, or their no-good-will to the Church, I am not able to say,) they had endeavoured to represent unto him, as not a little derogatory to the REGAL AUTHORITY, as well in the point of Supremacy, as of Prerogative: in the one, by claiming the function as of Divine Right; in the other, by exercising the Jurisdiction in their own names. His Majesty said farther, that he did not believe the Church-Government by Bishops as it was by Law established in this Realm, to be in either of the aforesaid respects, or any other way prejudicial to his Crown; and that he was in his own judgement fully satisfied concerning the same: yet signified his pleasure withal, that for the satisfaction of others I should take these two Objections into consideration, and give him an Answer thereunto in writing. In Obedience to which his Majesties Royal pleasure, after my return home, I forthwith (according to my bounden duty) addressed my self to the work; and was drawing up an Answer to both the Objections, as well as I was able; with a purpose to present the same (as soon as it should be finished) to his Majesty in writing, upon the first offered opportunity. But behold, before I could bring the business ad umbilicum, and quite finish what was under my hand, the Scene of affairs was strangely changed. The King trepann'd into the Isle of Wight; the mask of Hypocrisie, by long wearing now grown so thin and useless, that it was fit for nothing but to be thrown by; no kind of impiety and villany, but durst appear bare-faced and in the open Sun; high insolencies to the contempt of Authority every where committed; Majesty it self trampled upon by the vilest of the People; and the hearts of all loyal honest men sadly oppressed with griefs and fears. Yet had the men who steered the Publick as they listed, (that they might give themselves the more recreation, amuse the world anew, and grace the black Tragedy they were acting with the more variety,) a mind to play one game more the next year; to wit, the Treaty at the aforesaid Isle of Wight. Where, assoon as I understood, that by his Majestie's nomination, I was to give my attendance; I looked out the old Papers which I had laid aside a good while before; made up what was then left unfinished, and took the Copy with me to the Isle; thinking that when the Treaty should be ended (for whilest it lasted his Majesty was taken up with other thoughts and debates of higher concern) I might possibly have the opportunity to give his Majesty an account thereof. What became of that Treaty, and what after ensued, is so well known to the world, that there is no need, and withal so sad, that it can be no pleasure, to remember. But thenceforward were those Papers laid aside once again, and destined to perpetual silence, had not a debate lately started, concerning one of the principal points therein handled, occasioned some persons of eminent place and esteem in the Church (and one of them conscious to the aforesaid command laid upon me by the late King,) to desire a sight of those Papers. Which being by their encouragement now made publick (though having little other to commend them, either to the world but Truth and Plainness, or to your Majesty but that they had their first rise from his command whose Throne and Vertues you inherit;) I humbly beseech your Majesty graciously to accept; together with the Prayers of
Your Majesties most Loyal Subject and devoted Servant ROBERT LINCOLN. LONDON, August 10. MDCLXI.