Impeachment Against the Bishops, Impeachment proceedings
THE IMPEACHMENT AGAINST THE Biſhops.
Sent up by Serjeant Wylde, and delivered at the Barr in the Lords houſe by order of the Houſe.
Auguſt the 4. 1641.
LONDON Printed by I. N. for Henry Twyford, and are to be ſold at the three Daggers in Fleet-ſtreet. 1641.
Auguſt 4. 1641.
The impeachment againſt the Biſhops, ſent up by Serjeant Wylde, and delivered at the B…rr in the Lords houſe verbally, by order of the Houſe.
My Lords,
THe Knights, Cittizens, and Burgeſſes of the Commons houſe of Parliament, being ſenſible of the great Infelicities and Troubles which the Cō mon-wealth hath ſuſtained by the exorbitant courſes of the Biſhops, and knowing well what the wiſeman ſaith, That if ſentence be not ſpeedily executed againſt an evill work, the hearts of the ſonnes of men are ſet upon further miſchiefe. The timely redreſſe whereof doth better become the wiſedome of Parliament, then a too-late wofull Repentance, Have commanded me to repreſent unto your Lordſhips, That
Walter Biſhop of Wincheſter.
Robert Biſhop of Coventry and Leichfield.
Godfry Biſhop of Glouceſter.
Ioſeph Biſhop of Exceſter.
Iohn Biſhop of Aſaph.
William Biſhop of Bath and Wells.
George Biſhop of Hereford.
Mathew Biſhop of Ely.
William Biſhop of Bangor.
Robert Biſhop of Briſtoll.
Iohn Biſhop of Rocheſter.
Iohn Biſhop of Peterborough.
Morgan Biſhop of Landaffe.
Together with William Archbiſhop of Canterbury, and others of the Clergie of that Province, at a Convocation or Synod for the ſame Province begun at London in the yeare 1640, did contrive, make, and promulge ſeverall Conſtitutions and Canons Eccleſiaſticall, containing in them divers matters contrary to the Kings Prerogative, To the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of the Realme, To the Rights of Parliament, To the Propriety and Liberty of the Subjects, and matters tending to ſedition, and of dangerous conſequence.
And to add the more weight and efficacie to this their monſtrous deſigne, They did at the ſame Synod under a ſpecious and faire Tytle grant a Benevolence or Contribution to his Majeſty, to bee paid by the Clergie of that Province, contrary to Law: It reſted not there, for though this had been enough to have affrighted and terrified the Kings People with ſtrange apprehenſions and feares, yet that theſe might not ſeeme to be contrivancies of the Braine or Fancies onelyonly, They were put in Execution, and were executed upon divers with animoſity and rigour, to the great oppreſſion of the Clergie of this Realme, and other his Majeſties Subjects, and in contempt of the King, and of the Law.
Whether theſe perſons, my Lords, that are culpable of theſe Offences, ſhall be thought fit to have an Intereſt in the Legiſlative power your Lordſhips wiſedome and Iuſtice is able to judge.
But for theſe matters and things, The Knights, Cittizens, and Burgeſſes of the Commons houſe in Parliament, in the name of themſelves, and of all the Commons of England, doe impeach the ſaid Biſhops before-named of the Crimes and Miſdemeanours before expreſſed, and doe therefore pray that they may bee forth-with put to their Anſwers in the Preſence of the Commons, and that ſuch further Proceedings may be had againſt them as to Law and Iuſtice ſhall appertaine.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Wilde, Impeachment Against the Bishops (1641)