An Apology of an Appeal, Letter 1
TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE.
The humble Appeale of me Henry Burton Clerke, from the proceedings lately made in the name of ſome Commiſſioners, for cauſes Eccleſiaſticall againſt mee, together with an humble Apology of the ſaid Appeale.
THE occaſion of my Appeale was upon the reading of certaine Articles unto me by the Regiſter of the Court before Dr. Duke and by his appointment, who there upon tendering to me the ſaid Henry Burton an Oath to anſwere to the ſaid Articles, I replied in theſe words, or to the like effect. I humbly Appeale to the Kings Majeſty my Soveraigne and Patron, as my Iudge in this cauſe, before whom I ſhalbe both a defendant and a complainant; for I hold it unfit, that they who are my Adverſaries, ſhould be my Iudges.
Now the reaſons and grounds of this my Appeale are theſe following: Firſt, the generall matter of the Articles chargeth me with ſeditious preaching; more particularly objecting unto me my Sermons, which I preached to my ſtock on the 5th of Nouember laſt, upon this text of Scripture. Pro. 24. 21. 22. My Son feare thou the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change. For their calamity ſhall riſe ſuddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both? And in the Sermons ſundry ſpecialties, and thoſe chiefely concerning diverſe Innovations, which my text did naturally lead me to ſpeake of, and to reprove, to the end that my Pariſhioners might be admoniſhed to beware of them, in caſe they ſhould ever come to be obtruded upon them; as namely theſe Innovations in the Booke of Common Prayer: Firſt in the Collect for the Queen and royall Progeny theſe words are put out in the later Editions: Father of thyne Elect, and of theyr Seed: as if they would blotte out the King, Queene and the royall Progeny out of the number of Gods elect. Secondly, in the Epiſtle for the Sunday before Eaſter, they have put out IN, and made it AT the name of Ieſus every knee &c. Which alteration is directly againſt the Act of Parliament. The ſecond booke wherein I ſhowed a notorious alteration, was that, ordered by Parliament to be read on the 5th of November, in the Firſt Collect or Thankſgiving for the happy deliverance of his Maieſty; the Queen, the Prince, and the States of Parliament. For in the former booke it is thus ſaid. … their Counſell, and root out that Babyloniſt … Antichriſtian Sect, which ſay of Ieruſalem, Downe with it Downe with it even to the ground. But in the new book printed 1635. it is thus. Infatuate their Counſell and root out that Babyloniſh and Antichriſtian Sect OF THEM, which ſay of Ieruſalem &c. Againe in the old booke it is ſaid. And to that end ſtrengthen the hands of our gracious King, the Nobles and Magiſtrates of the Land with judgement and juſtice to cutte of theſe workers of iniquity, whoſe Religion is Rebellion, whoſe Faith is Faction &c. But in the new book they have altered it thus. And to that end ſtrengthen the hands of our gracious King, the Nobles, and Magiſtrates of the Land with judgement and juſtice to cutte of THESE workers of iniquity, WHO TVRNE RELIGION INTO REBELLION, AND FAITH INTO FACTION.
The third Booke, wherein they have made many alterations, is the Faſt-Book ſet forth by your Majeſties Authority in the firſt yeare of your Raigne, and which your Majeſty in your late Proclamation commaunded to be reprinted and publiſhed and read in Churches at this Faſt: Yet notwithſtanding we find theſe alterations in the laſt impreſsion this yeare in the firſt Collect theſe words are expunged: Thou haſt delivered us from Superſtition and Idolatry, wherein wee were utterly drowned, and haſt brought us into the moſt cleare and confortable light of thy bleſſed word, by the which we are taught how to ſerve and honour thee, and how to live orderly with our neighbours in truth and verity. Alſo they have left out in three ſeverall prayers the mention of the Lady Elizabeth your Majeſties only Siſter, and her iſſue. Alſo the prayer for the Navy, and the prayer for ſeaſonable weather. And a whole Collect begining thus. It had been beſt for us &c. Alſo in the laſt page. Order for the Faſt, are theſe words left out. To auoyd the inconvenience that may grow by the abuſe of Faſting, ſome eſteeming it a meritorious worke, others a good worke, and of it ſelfe acceptable to God, without due regard of the end &c.
Againe, they charge me that I ſpake againſt altering of Communion Tables into Altars, and againſt bowing unto them, and againſt ſetting up of Crucifixes over them, and againſt ſaying a ſecond Service at the High Altar at the end of the Chancel, whence the people cannot heare, eſpecially in greater Churches; and againſt putting downe of Sermons in the afternoones upon the Lords dayes, and inſteed thereof nothing allowed, but Catechiſing by bare Queſtion and Anſwere out of the Common Prayer Booke, without expounding the Principles of Religion layd downe in the Creed, ten Commaundements, and the Lords Prayer; ſo that the people and youth eſpecially are left in their ignorance. Alſo they charged me for ſaying, that Miniſters might not ſafely preach of the Doctrines of Grace and Salvation, and againſt the Arminians without being troubled for it. Alſo, that Miniſters in Norfolke and Suffolke were ſuſpended from their Miniſtry and meanes, for not conforming to new rites and Ceremonies impoſed upon them contrary to the Law of the Land. Theſe things, with ſundry other of like nature, were objected againſt me in the ſaid Articles, which becauſe a Copy cannot be procured from the Regiſters office, I cannot ſo punctually ſet downe; but referre unto the Articles themſelves, remaining with the Regiſter of the High Commiſsion. All which Innovations expreſſed, being found by evident proofe to be moſt true, contrary to the Lawes and Statutes of the Realme, the eſtabliſhed Doctrine and Diſcipline of the Church of England, your Maieſties Declarations and Proclamations; and many of them of very dangerous conſequence, tending to iuſtify and extenuate notorious treaſons and traitors, advance and vſher in Popery, Superſtition and Idolatry, and giving generall diſtaſte to all your Majeſties loyall and faitfull Subiects, who here upon grow iealous of ſome dangerous plot now in agitation by theſe Innovators, to undermine and overthrow both our Religion & good Lawes: yet my mentioning of them in my Sermons meerly out of loyalty and duty to your Maieſty upon that ſolemne day for which they were moſt proper to warne my flocke to take heed of ſuch Innovations, as whereby Popery and Superſtition doe not only craftily creep & ſteale in upon us, but is haled in with head and ſhoulders, is charged upon me as Sedition: Here then let your Maieſty be pleaſed to iudge whither this be matter of Sedition, as for which I ſhould be ſuſpended from my Miniſtry and meanes, and openly defamed as a ſeditious perſon. As if a Shepherd admoniſhing his ſheep of the danger of the wolfe, or a watchman the City of the approch of the enemy, or a faithfull and vigilant Servant to his Prince and Country, deſcrying Cunning traitors, who under a colour of freindſhip and fidelity to the King and State doe practiſe the overthrow of both, ſhould therefore upon the outcry of the wolfe, or the complaint of the enemy, or the recrimination of the Traitors, be adiuged and condemned of Sedition, for diſcharging that duty, which both God, and his word, and the ſoules of Gods people require of him. Thus much of the matter of the Articles, upon the very reſoltancy where of I was moved to Appeale, as aforeſayd.
Againe, for the further illuſtration of the iuſt cauſe of my Appeale, I except againſt the in competancy of thoſe Iudges, who plainly appeare to be both parties in the cauſe, and Adverſaries to my perſon for the cauſe ſake, and therefore both by the Common, Civil, and Canon Law, yea by the very Lawes of God and Nature, which prohibit any man to be a iudge in his owne cauſe, eſpecially when the party is an enemy to him, that is to be iudged by him; and therefore by the Lawes of God and man I have iuſt cauſe of Appeale from them unto your Royall Maieſty. Where in the firſt place, I diſtinguiſh and put a maine difference, between thoſe Honorable Nobles, Iudges, Counſeillors of State, and other Lay perſons of the High Commiſsion, whom I except not againſt, but mention with all honorable and due reſpect, and between all thoſe Prelates, who are Innovators (and eo nomine as they are Innovators onelyonly) together with all thoſe that have a neere relation unto them, and dependance upon them, as bearing office under them, and hoping for grace and preferment by them, which are the uſuall body of the Court, determining all cauſes brought before them.
Firſt, that theſe againſt whom I except, are parties, thus I prove; becauſe the Innovations which I charge the Innovators with, are both done by them, or by their Officers, and alſo they appeare in the cauſe, as Patrons to Defend and maintaine the ſame againſt me; ſo as upon the very reading of the ſaid Articles I could not but preſently apprehend, that the laying of theſe things to my charge by way of recrimination, did profeſſedly ingage them parties in the cauſe.
Secondly, becauſe they are my Adverſaries in the Cauſe, that this is ſoe I prove as followeth. Firſt, becauſe they are Adverſaries to thoſe truthes delivered by me, and charged by them as matter of Sedition againſt me; which notwithſtanding I am ready to maintaine againſt them with my life, although I never ſo much as once dreamed, that impiety and impudency it ſelfe in ſuch a Chriſtian State as this is, and under ſuch a gracious Prince, durſt ever thus publickely have called me in queſtion, and that upon the open ſtage, not only for the manifeſt truth of thoſe notorious and audacious Innovations contrary to the Law, but alſo (and which I can never ſufficiently admire) that theſe things ſhould be obiected againſt me, which I preached upon the foreſaid text and day, alledged in the ſaid Articles. My Sonne feare thou the Lord, and the King, &c. Wherein, according to my duty, and the text, I ſo much urged and preſſed all maner of obedience and ſervice to God, and to the King (as all thoſe who heard me can teſtify) earneſtly admoniſhing Gods people and the Kings Subiects to beware, and not to meddle with ſuch Innovators, (as according to my text) are enemies of God and of the King, and divide between the King and his people.
Secondly, they againſt whom I except, as aforeſaid, are my Adverſaries, in that they uſurpe ſuch a title of their Iuriſdiction, as cannot conſiſt with that title of Iuriſdiction, which the Law of the Land hath annexed to your Imperiall Crowne, from whence all maner of Eccleſiaſticall Iuriſdiction what ſoever hath its immediate and ſole dependance and derivation, as appeareth by the Statute of 26. H. 8. c. 1. 37. H. 8. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1. and 1. Iac. c. 25. which repealed Queen Maries Act. of repeale of the ſaid Statute of Ed. 6. c. 2. whereby the ſame Statute ſtandeth now in force. And the ſaid Statute of 1. Eliz. c. 1. uniting all manner of Eccleſiaſticall Iuriſdiction whatſoever unto the Imperiall Crowne of this Realme, enacteth the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance eo nomine to that very end and purpoſe, that none ſhould preſume to exerciſe any Eccleſiaſticall Iuriſdiction within this Realme, but by vertue of the Kings Letters Patents, and in the Kings Maieſties name and right: notwithſtanding theſe men againſt whom I except, as aforeſaid, haveing all of them ſeverally often ſolemnely taken the ſaid Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance, & being undoubtedly bound thereby, doe continually exerciſe their Epiſcopall Iuriſdiction without any ſuch Letters Patents of your Maieſty, or your Progenitors in their owne names and rights only, and not in your Maieſties name and right, to the manifeſt breach of their Oathes aforeſaid, and to the manifeſt vſurpation of your Maieſties right, and in high contempt of your Majeſty contrary to your Maieſties peace, your Crowne, and dignity. And therefore under your Maieſties royall favour I account all ſuch my Adverſaries, and ſo in competent Iudges of my cauſe aforeſaid. The rather, becauſe this very Act, which they thus notoriouſly tranſgreſſe, is the ground whereupon their Commiſsion in cauſes Eccleſiaſticall is erected, and that principally for the better obſervation of the ſaid Act, and the puniſhment of all Delinquents againſt it, as appeares by all the Commiſsions Eccleſiaſticall into which this clauſe of the Statute is inſerted. Now if theſe men thus dayly infringe this Act themſelves, and ſoe abuſe that very power and Commiſſion by which they now clame to be my Iudges, in affront of your Maieſties royall Iuriſdiction, what indifferent juſtice I may expect from them, I humbly referre unto your Majeſties juſt and royall conſideration.
Thirdly, they who are Adverſaries of God and of the King, are my Adverſaries, But all Innovators either in matters of Religion, or of the Common weale, are Adverſaries of God, and of the King: therefore they are my Adverſaries. The firſt Propoſition noe good Chriſtian, or loyall Subject will deny, but that the Adverſaries of God, and of the King, are his Adverſaries. And for the other Propoſition, the text proveth it: for Innovators are there oppoſed to the feare of the Lord, and of the King. And thoſe men againſt whom I have excepted, as aforeſaid, either are the Innovators themſelves, or chiefe Authors, Abbetters, or Countenauncers of thoſe Innovations; and therefore they are my Adverſaries, and ſo incompetent Iudges of my Cauſe.
Fourthly, they are my Adverſaries for this reaſon o… argument. They which are Chriſts enemies, are my enemies. But theſe are Chriſts enemies: therefore my enemies. That they are Chriſts enemies, I prove. They who oppoſe the word of God in the Miniſtry of it, in ſtopping the mouthes of Gods Miniſters and perſecuting of them without and againſt all Law, are Chriſts enemies. But theſe doe ſo. Therefore &c. That they doe ſo is cleare by their practiſe, which will aboundantly appeare upon due examination.
Fiftly, they who are the Kings enemies, are my enemies. But theſe Innovators, by overturning the State of Religion, in bringing in their new Superſtitious rites and Ceremonies, whereby both God is juſtly incenſed to wrath againſt the Land, and the peace of the ſame is diſturbed, are the Kings enemies. Therefore they are my enemies. They are the Kings enemies, that openly and affrontingly with a high hand and ſhameleſſe forhead trangreſſe and oppoſe his Majeſty royall Lawes, Proclamations and Declarations againſt all Innovations in matters of Religion &c. And thereby diſturbe the peace of his Majeſties Kingdome, and weaken the State thereof diſtracting the peoples hearts, by making them both to feele their preſent oppreſſions eſpecially upon their Conſciences, and to feare the utter ſubverſion of the true Religion by your Majeſties Lawes eſtabliſhed amongſt us. Againe▪ they who with all their might and maine perſecute and op…ign… thoſe faithfull, loyall Subjects, Miniſters and people who moſt plead and ſtand for his Majeſties juſt and royall Prerogative in Cauſes Eccleſiaſticall, his Lawes, Declarations, Proclamations, and the eſtabliſhed Doctrine and Religion of Chriſt in the Church of England, and moſt oppoſe all Innovations, and enemies to them, muſt needs be the Kings enemies. But thus do thoſe from whom I Appeale. Therefore they are the Kings enemies, and ſo myne. This ſuffice to prove thoſe my Adverſaries, and ſo incompetent Iudges of me and of my Cauſe.
Finally, I have juſt cauſe to Appeale from thoſe Commiſſioners excepted againſt unto your royall Majeſty, for their illegality, which I have obſerved in their Proceedings partly in their uſuall practiſe, and partly in this preſent cauſe. Firſt, for their uſuall practiſe, and that in adminiſtring the Oath, which they terme Ex officio, in which they tranſgreſſe in theſe particulars. Firſt, in inforceing the ſame upon men before any Copy given them of the Libel or Articles exhibited againſt them, yea for the moſt part before any Articles drawne, upon their very firſt appearance: whereas in all other your Majeſties Courts of Iuſtice, noe Oath is either exacted or adminiſtred, till after a Copy of the Information or Bill delivered to the party and his anſwere thereunto drawne up and ingroſſed by adviſe of counſell upon the putting in of his Anſwere into the Court and not before: which as it is contrary to the very Commiſſion itſelfe, which expreſſely limits them to adminiſter Oathes in ſuch manner and forme as is uſed in the Chauncery before the Maſters thereof, where no man is forced to take an Oath, till the putting in of his Anſwere to the Bill on Plaint againſt him: So as it deprives him of the uſe and benefit of Law, by way of demurrer unto the Articles, if there be occaſion; no party being in forced, either in Star-chamber, or any other Court of Iuſtice in the Realme, to take anſwere, where there is juſt cauſe of Demurrer, but puts in a Demurrer by adviſe of counſell, without any Oath at all. And his ſo taking of a raſh Oath, is directy againſt the 39 Article of our Religion: Of a Chriſtians mans Oath: In theſe words: As we confeſſe that vaine and raſt ſwearing is forbidden Christian men &c. So we judge, that Chriſtian Religion doth not prohibit, but that a man may ſweare when the Magiſtrate requireth in a cauſe of faith, and charity, ſo it be done according to the Prophets teaching juſtice, judgement and truth: Now ſuch ſwearing to what a man knoweth not, is vaine and raſh. It is alſo againſt fayth and charity, when the Oath is extended to accuſe a mans ſelfe, or his neigbour unlawfully. Secondly in makeing the Oath which they adminiſter, an uſuall ſhare to thoſe which take it. For although it be pretended, that thereby they are bound to anſwere to Articles in Court againſt them no further then the Law of the Land bynds them, yet being taken, they preſſe it upon the mans conſcience to anſwere in thoſe things, which neither Law nor conſcience bynds him unto. And in caſe he ſhall except againſt any Article, as not bound by Law to anſwere it, then they take it pro confeſſo, and ſo (although it be for accuſing himſelfe, or others, wherein he ought not, being a breach of charity and of that Maxime, Nemo tenetur prodere ſeipſum: and contrary to all Lawes of God and man) they illegally proceed to Sentence without any juſt or further proofe of the things objected.
Moreouer, their proceeding is illegall, in that the Deponent is not permitted to have a Copy of the Articles againſt him, and to anſwere them by the adviſe of counſell, as in all other Courts of Iuſtice within the Kingdome hath ever been uſed, but muſt make a ſuddaine anſwere without adviſe of counſell, wherein men commonly through ignorance of the Law, ambiguity of certaine termes, and captious Interrogatories, are inforced to inſnare themſelves even in caſes wherein they are Innocent.
Beſides all this, after their firſt Articles, whereby they often draw men unto the Oath, when they ſee they cannot have the advantage, of them, thereby, they put in Additionals, and Additionals upon Additionals contrary to the courſe of Iuſtice in all other your Majeſties Courts within the Realme, which admitt of no Addition to the firſt Bill, Indictment, or Information exhibited, after anſwere given to it, leaſt cauſes ſhould be infinitely protracted, and men continually vexed, whereby many of your Subjects are there intolerably grieved and oppreſſed, their cauſes protracted, expenſes multiplied, and ſo never given over or diſmiſſed the Court, till they have brought them into their lurch. And in fine, their impoſing of fines, and impriſoning in ſuch caſes and for ſuch matters, as they neither may nor ought to doe by Law. Thus for their illegalities in their uſuall proceedings.
Secondly, their illegality in this their proceeding againſt me in particular is a juſt cauſe of my Appeale; which conſiſt of two particulars: Firſt, in the ſubject matter of the Articles objected againſt me, which themſelves terme therein Sedition, of which (admit it true) yet they have no cogniſance in point of Law; Sedition being no Eccleſiaſticall offence againſt the Church, but a Civil againſt the King and State; and therefore to be tryed only in your Majeſties Courts of Civill Iuſtice, and not before the Eccleſiaſticall Commiſſioners, who have no cogniſance of it. And therefore the Apoſtle Paul, when he was moſt unjuſtly accuſed (as I am now) by Ananias the High Preiſt with the Elders, and Tertullus their Advocate, that they had found him a peſtilent fellow, and a mover of Sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world, and a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens (Acts 24. 5.) they did noe convent him before them in their Eccleſiasticall Conſiſtory, but before Faelix the Governour a temporall Magiſtrate, knowing well, that Sedition was not an Eccleſiaſticall, but a Civill offence, of which Paul there purged himſelfe, without being put to any Ex officio Oath, putting them to prove the crime objected by witneſſes, ſaying, Neither can they prove the things, whereof they now accuſe me: as I preſume my Accuſers likewiſe cannot doe in any Court of Iuſtice againſt me. Since therefore they are ſoe unjuſt as to queſtion and Article againſt me for Sedition, of which they have no cogniſance, I conceive it to be a gravamen, and ſo a juſt cauſe of Appeale from them.
Firſt, in the manner of their proceding againſt me, which hath been very exhorbitant, illegall, and extraordinary, in theſe particulars- Firſt, in ſerving me with a Citation to appeare only before one ſingle Commiſſioner at his private houſe, when and where there was not then, nor ever hath been heretofore any High Commiſſion kept; whereas all appearance are to be made in Court; and there tendering me Articles and an Oath to anſwere to them, contrary to the Law, and their owne uſuall courſe.
Secondly in excluding my neighbours and friends that accompagnied me thither, out of the houſe, that they might not heare, or ſee what was done, and tendering me both the Articles and the Oath in a private roome where Dr. Ducke and the Regiſter only were preſent: Whereas all Courts of Iuſtice ought to be publicke, that all that will may ſee and know their proceedings, in them, and not in a corner.
Thirdly intendering me an Ex officio Oath, to anſwere and accuſe my ſelfe, in a matter of Sedition, (which if true) might call not only, my reputation, but alſo my life & liberty into queſtion; whereas Whitgift Archbiſhop of Canterbury in the Conference at Hampton Court, printed by Authority, there publickly averred, that in matter of life, liberty or ſcandall, it is not the courſe of that Court to require any ſuch Oath, or to inforce any man that hath taken the Oath, to anſwere to any ſuch Articles. And Paul himſelfe, when he was accuſed for Sedition by Ananias the High Preiſt & Tertullus, was neither required nor inforced to take any ſuch. Oath, as appeares by Acts. 25.
Fourthly, in that they would inforce me to anſwere upon Oath, and bring in a Copy of what I publickly preached in my Pariſh Church, which I conceive I am not bound by the Law of God or man to doe, nor ought they to require. For (Iohn the 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23.) when the High Preiſt asked Ieſus (being convented before him) of his Diſciples, and of his Doctrine: Ieſus anſwered him, ſaying. I ſpake openly to the world, I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple, whither the Iewes allwayes reſort, and in ſecret have I ſaid nothing. Why askest thou me? Aske them which heard me what I have ſaid unto them. Behold they know what I ſaid. And when he had thus ſpoken, one of the officers which ſtood by, ſtrooke Ieſus with the palme of his hand, ſaying. Anſwereſt thou the High Preist ſo? Ieſus anſwered him: If I have ſpoken evil, beare witneſſe of the evil, but if well, why ſmiteſt thou me? A plaine teſtemony from our Saviours owne Doctrine and Example (which no man can condemne as unjuſt or illegall) that no Miniſter ought to be put ſo much as to give an anſwere, much leſſe a Copy of what he publickly preached in the Church, and that upon Oath to prejudice or accuſe himſelfe thereby, but what ever he delivered, ought to be proved by witneſſes, that heard him: and the High Preiſt being ſatisfied with this anſwere of our Saviour, I hope no High Commiſſioner, but ought to have reſted ſatisfied with the like from me, though as yet they ſtill proceed to preſſe …e to an Oath.
Fiftly, in calling a Private Commiſſion out of Terme, …n or neere Dr. Duckes private Chamber at Doctors …ommons, and no publick Court, and there proceeding to ſuſpend me in my abſence, under pretence of a contempt in not appearing before them, when as firſt I had …o lawfull Citation under Seale then and there to appeare. Secondly no ſufficient legall notice of the time and place of the ſaid Commiſſioners meeting, and ſo was not bound by Law to appeare before them, eſpecially in a Corner, out of Terme, in an unuſuall manner.
Sixtly in ſuſpending me, notwithſtanding my Appeale to your Sacred Majeſty entred formerly at Dr. Duckes houſe at Cheſwick by their owne Regiſter before the ſaid ſuſpenſion, of which my Appeale, being regiſtred in the Court, they ought all to have taken notice.
Seventhly, in ſuſpending me againſt all Law and Iuſtice, both from my Office and Benefice, in my abſence, as if formerly lawfully convented before them, and publiſhing the ſaid ſuſpenſion in an unuſuall manner in my Pariſh Church, and commaunding all Parſons, Vicars, Curats, Clerkes and Miniſters within the City of London to whom rhe ſaid ſuſpenſion is directed upon the Sunday next, and immediately following the receipt thereof, openly to publiſh and declare me to be ſuſpended both from my Office and Benefice in their ſeverall Pariſh Churches, when the Congregation ſhalbe then and there aſſembled to my intollerable diſgrace and ſcandall.
Eightly in taxing and condemning me of Sedition, and other miſdemeaners in their ſaid ſuſpenſion, before either heareing my Anſwere, or the Cauſe,
Ninthly, in denying me a Copy of the Articles exhibited againſt me, to perfect this my Appeale to your Majeſty by, and to annex them thereunto and refuſing to give me a Copy of the Acts of the Court and proceedings againſt me, though I have often ſent for them.
Theſe, my moſt Gratious Soveraigne, are the grounds & reaſons of my Appeale from the ſaid Commiſſioners excepted againſt, to your Majeſty, my Soveraigne Lord and Patron, which together with my perſon and cauſe I here humbly proſtrate at your Majeſties royall feet, imploring the juſtice of your royall Throne (which is eſtabliſhed by righteouſneſſe) and that in ſo important a Cauſe of God and of the King, which I am certaine you will never deny to your meaneſt Subject, much leſſe to your auncient Servant and dayly Orator to the Throne of Grace,
Henry Burton.