Legal and Rational Plea, Title page – To the reader
JUS PATRONATUS, OR A Briefe Legal and Rational Plea for Advowſons, or Patrons Ancient, Lawfull, Juſt and Equitable Rights, and Titles to preſent Incumbents to Pariſh Churches or Vicaridges, upon Vacancies.
Wherein the true Original of Advowſons and Patronages, together with their Juſtice, Legality, Equity, are demonſtrated; and a full Jury of Legal Writs and Remedies (provided by our Municipal Lawes for Defence and Recovery of Patrons Rights, againſt all Ʋſurpations or Encroachments on them) produced; as a ſeaſonable Antidote, againſt the late Anomolus Vote paſſed to their prejudice, without any Hearing of Patrons by their Councel, or Lawful Tryal by their Peers. Whoſe duty is here declared; and our Fundamental Laws defended.
Compiled for the preſent and future Benefit of our Churches, Miniſters, and all true Patrons of them.
By WILLIAM PRYNNE of Swainſwick Eſq
Lam. 3. 35, 36.
To turn aſide the RIGHT of a man before the face of a Superiour, to ſubvert a man in his CAƲSE, the Lord delighteth not.
Job. 34. 17. 30.
Shall even he that hateth RIGHT, Govern? &c. Whether it be done againſt a Nation or man onelyonly; that the hypocrite reign not, leſt the people be enſnared.
Mich. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Wo to them that deviſe iniquity and work evil upon their beds, when the morning is ligh they practiſe it, becauſe it is IN THE POWER OF THEIR HAND. And they covet fields and take them BY VIOLENCE, and Houſes and take them away: So they oppreſſe (or defraud) a man and his Houſe, even a man and HIS HERITAGE. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord, Be old againſt this family do I deviſe an evil from which ye ſhall not remove your necks, neither ſhall ye go haughtily; for this time is evil. &c.
London, Printed for Edward Thomas, and are to be ſold by him, dwelling in Green Arbour. 1654.
To the Unprejudiced READER.
Courteous Reader,
PReventing Phyſick being ever held more ſafe then removing, I preſume this Jus Patronatus, and Brief Plea for Patrons of our Churches Rights, though it come forth ſome *And after its firſt pening on that occaſion.months after the ſodain unexpected Votes againſt them, without hearing or ſummons; will neither ſeem unſeaſonable nor unneceſſary, ſeeing it may prove a Special Antidote and Demurrer to its future execution, or revival to the prejudice of our Church, Miniſters, Religion, Nation in general, and diſinheriting all Patrons of their Antient, Juſt and Legal Inheritances, and Advowſons in particular. I conceive the Power, Animoſity, Activity, Hopes of the Jeſuitical and Anabaptiſtical Contrivers, Proſecutors of that grand Deſign and Vote, are not yet ſo inconſiderable, deſpicable, dead or languiſhing, in theſe times of ſodain great Revolutions, Changes of our Government and Governors (three of which we have unexpectedly ſeen and admired at within the ſpace of ten whole months) but that they ſtill expect during this running wheel of our fluctuating State & Church affairesaSee Hey lins Microcoſ. p. 125, 165, 166, 168, 218. 219, 227, 406, to 434, 487, 546, 560. to 571, 579, 580, 597, 598 613, 614, 618, 629, 640, 641, 642, 643, 648, 661, 667, 678, 684, 693, 694, 702, 704, 707, 708, 710, 713, 714, 751, 752, 753, 721. divers preſidents of this kinde. thoſe ſpokes in few months time may poſsibly be uppermoſt, which now are low, or loweſt; and thoſe who now are higheſt, ſecureſt, as low as the very duſt. Peruſe but theſe ſac e l Texts, Dan. 4. 29. to 34. Dan. 5. throughout, ſpecially v. 30, 31. Judges 1. 4. to 8. Exod. 14. and 15. 2 Kings 7. 7, 8, 9. 10. c. 19. 35, 36. Prov. 24. 21, 22. c. 29. 1. Pſal. 90. 5, 6, 7. 2 Sam. c. 15. and 16. and 18. and 19. Eſther c. 5. to 10. Pſal. 73. 18, 19. Job 20. 4, 5. &c. Pſal. 37. Pſal. 92. 6, 7. Job. 1. and 2. and 42. Mich. 7. 8. 9. Iſay 10. and 13. With other Texts: and conſider the ſodain great changes, Revolutions recorded in them both in relation to Kings, Kingdomes, Nations, Armies, Grandees, Rulers, good and bad, Saints and Sinners, Jews and Gentiles; and then the Higheſt and moſt Secure (who know not what one day may bring forth, Prov. 27. 1. Jam. 4. 13. &c.) may yet juſtly fear, expect changes in our Church, State, and prepare to prevent all Plots and Deſigns for the ruine of both; long ſince layd by Thomas Campanella, De Monarchia Hiſpaniae. c. 25. 27. &c. the Jeſuit Parſons (diſcovered by Watſon in his Quodlibets) Carddinal Richelieu, and others; ſince vigorouſly proſecuted by our forraign Common Popiſh Adverſaries and their Agents under a pretext of friendſhip, and other ſpecious ends, to effect our aSee the excellent prologue of the Statute of 25 H. 8. c. 22.Deſolation in concluſion. The chief Particulars whereof in reſpect to our Religion are, b See the excellent prologue of the Statute of 25 H. 8. c. 22.cWatſon… Quodlibets. p. 92. 93. 144 385. Williā Clark his reply to Perſons Lible f. 74. 75. Campanella De Monarchia Hiſpaniae. c. 18. 19. 23. 25. 27.To put all Churches, Colledges, Lands, Rectories, Tithes, Revenues into Feoffees hands; to allow only arbitrary Penſions out of them to Miniſters and Schollers for their maintenance, and convert the reſt to other uſes: To erect Itinerary Predicants fixed to no certain places, inſtead of Parochial Miniſters, allowed and choſen only by a ſelect Committee, not preſented by our Patrons. To broach old Hereſies and new Opinions in Religion by Jeſuitical Emiſſaries and Seminaries in all places: To ſow the ſeeds of Schiſms and Diviſions not only in Divinity but likewiſe in Philoſophy and all other Arts and Sciences, to diſtract and divide us: To promote and cry up the ſtudy of Aſtrology, to alienate mens minds from Religion and Piety. To ſet up new Orders, Sects, Religions, and procure a general toleration of all Religions: To revile and diſgrace our antient Miniſtry, Miniſters: queſtion all antient Truths, Principles of Religion, and Articles of the Creed; which Joannis Baptiſta Poza and ſome other Engliſh and Spaniſh Jeſuites have done: as you may read at large, in Societatis Jeſu NOVUM FIDEI SYMBOLUM: and in Impia, ſcelerata & horrenda ANGLICORUM: & HISPANICORUM JESUITARUM CENSURA IN SYMBOLUM APOSTOLORUM: printed 1641. at the end of Alphonſi de Vargas, Toletani, Relatio ad Reges & Principes Chriſtianos. De Stratagematis & Sophiſmatis Societatis Jeſu ad Monarchiam orbis terrarum ſibi conficiendam: out of which all the late Blaſphemous Monſtrous Opinions and Hereſies broached amongſt us, have been originally extracted and vented by the Jeſuites under other Diſguiſes, as thoſe who compare them may at firſt diſcover. What their Deſigns have been to change and ruine our Monarchy, Kingdomes, Government, Lawes, State; you may read at large in Thomas Companelle: De Monarchia Hiſp. c. 25. 27. Watſons Q…odlibets (ſpecially p. 309. to 334.) Romes Maſter-piece, Hidden works of Darkneſſe brought to publique Light, and my Speech in Parliament. Take the main of all, in the Politique Inſtructions of that Arch-Machiavilian, Cardinal Richeleiu: who afterdSee Romes Maſterpiece p. 19. Exact Collection. pa. 206. he had (by the Jeſuites and Popes Nuncioes aſſiſtance) raiſed the firſt Wars between England and ScotlandeHidden W…rks of Darkneſs. p. 204. to 217. 130. 131. 138. 232. 233. 234., promoted, foment…d the horrid Rebellion in Ireland; and raiſed an unnatural Diviſion and Warre between our King and Parliment, in his life, recommended theſe Inſtructions to the French King (and Mazerin his ſucceſſor) at his death, An. 1642. ſince publiſhed to the World by a noble Italian Earl, Conti de Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato, in his Hiſtoria, part 3. (printed at Venice in quarto, Anno 1648. in Italian, and dedicated to the King of Poland) p. 175. 176. Che Sopra, &c. That above All Other Things, HE (the French King) ſhould endeavour to keep the Government of GREAT BRITAIN DIVIDED and DISUNITED,fThat this was punctually purſued by the French King & Car. Mazerin: appears by the Lord Digby's Cabinet printed in the Collection of Ordina…ces of Parliament. p. 849. 858. 862. 863, 867. 868. by upholding the weakeſt party, that the other might not make it ſelfe over powerful, Reducing the three Kingdomes of ENGLAND, SCOTLAND and IRELAND, TO BE DIVIDED; either, BY NOMINATING OTHER KINGS; or, BY REDUCING IT TO A COMMON…WEALTH; yet with this Caution, that WHEN IT IS REDUCED TO A COMMONWEALTH, ſo to order it, THAT IT MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY ONE, BUT DIVIDED. For Republiques, ever enemies to potent Neighbours, ought to be ſuſpected by the State of France. How ſucceſsfully theſe Plots have been purſued, we all viſibly behold and feel by ſad experience. The Lord open our hearts to conſider it now at laſt and prevent our intended ruine by them before it be overlate.
I confeſſe I have ever met with very poor Encouragements, and gSee a new Diſcovery of the Prelates Tyranny; whom others ſince have equalled.manifold grand Diſcouragements, Affronts, from pretended Chriſtian friends, as well as Foes, and men of all ſorts, for writing, publiſhing or acting any thing for the Common-weal, defence, ſafety of our Church, State, Religion, Laws and publique Liberties, or diſcovering any Jeſuitical Deſigns to undermine them; having been ſo ingratefully requited, ſo deſpitefully uſed, by ſeiſing my Writings, Papers, Letters, Records, Books; denying me the uſe of pen, ink, paper, books, intelligence by letters, or free conference with any; the liberty of Gods own publique Ordinances (to omit all publique Injurious calumnies, cenſures, corporal ſufferings) and cooping me up for many years cloſe Priſoner in remoteſt parts under ſtricteſt Guards, of purpoſe to hinder me from ſuch good publique ſervices, to my great temporal loſſe & Republikes prejudice. But the cordial zeal, love, duty, I bear to my great Saviour, Deliverer, Enlarger, his Church, Miniſters, People, Truth, Cauſe, and the Weal of my Native Countrey, Religion, Nation, have engaged me to neglect, contemn all Difficulties, Remoraes, Oppoſitions, to do them all the Services I can in my Generation; to adventure my eſtate, liberty, life, and ſpend all m… ſtudies in their behalfe, according to the impulſe of my Conſcience; expecting my whole hMat. 5. 12. Luke. 6. 35. 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17.reward in Heaven above, what ever befalls me for it here. And this, this only, without private ends, ſiniſter reſpects, or prejudice againſt any ſincere Patriots deſignes, or real publique endeavours for our Churches or Nations ſettlement upon iProv. 16. 12. c. 14. 34. c. 25. 5. c. 29. 4. Pſal. 72. 1▪ 2, 3, 4. Pſal. 85. 16. Heb. 7. 2. Job. 34. 17. 2 Kings 20. 19. Iſay 32. 17. Zech. 8. 16. 19. Lu. 2. 14.ſure foundations of Juſtice, Righteouſneſſe, Truth, Piety, Sincerity, reſtitution of all to their juſt Rights and Publique Liberty) hath engaged me to the compiling of this ſhort (and I hope ſeaſonable uſeful) Plea for Patrons; (and occaſionally, for our fundamental Laws and Liberties now ſtruck at (which I humbly ſubmit to thy impartial cenſure (being a Theam which few or none have purpoſely and particularly handled) and commend, with my prayers, to Gods Tuition and Benediction alone, to whom I devote it.
Farewell.