trust; having robbed men of all, they have yet upon | Marlborough had hinted some such thing unto their complaint restored them again a cousi- him; and that they would have stood by him derable part of it. For this Order, Mr. Blisset's in it, and have made it good: for notwithson William would needs have 2s. 6d. which standing, when my brother had told them of I told him, was more than I should make of it. it, they seemed to make strange of it, and to And since I have mentioned this Order, let me be unwilling to own it, yet all this might be, observe something unto thee, touching the because they were then under another influCommissioners who made it: and all shall be ence; their polished shaft,' Oliver, was dead; to acquaint thee with the fittingness of these and his son Richard, their plant of renown,' men to be employed in matters of the meanest had called a parliament, which was at that and how little they regard a parliamen- time sitting, amongst whom there were many tary power, unless it be to serve themselves persons of honour; who (as I have been told) by it. For 1, they were by that act to allow had a resolution to question these Commisme a fifth, and yet all things considered, they sioners, both touching their power and their did not allow me a tenth. 2. This they were actings; which was enough to make the Marlto allow me, if not from the time of my eject- borough men to tremble, and possibly thereinent, yet from the time that the act com. fore they change their note, because the times menced, which was in Sept. 1656, and yet were changed. they allow me nothing till two years after. 3. They were by this act to settle this allow ance to me during my life, whereas this was only till further order.' And indeed this same until further order, was in much use with them; and I believe that it brought them in many a round sum. If any were discharged, it was only until further order: if any fifths were granted, it was until further order;' they ever kept us in a dependance and awe of them: and doubtless men's good behaviour was looked upon, accordingly as they or their wives were remembered: and indeed, as to myself, this same until further order,' cost me and my friends (considering how many journeys we made, how great expences we were at) even as much as the fifths came to, for we made one journey to Sarum, and two to Marlborough, before we could receive a penny. I remember that Mr. Bisset, when the Order was read, says (having pulled down his hat, and looking upon the table) that I had put Mr. Stern to`a great deal of charge, and seemed to intimate, that therefore they allowed me no more for a fifths. And here to see how this treasurer chargeth me with his crimes: for it was he and his son who had put Mr. Stern to so much charge, and not I. For, Sect. 6. Beside the 201. which Mr. Blisset had from him, of which I have spoken already, they (as Mr. Stern reported it) demanded another round sum of him for their incident charges for thrusting me out and upon this occasion Mr. Stern reported it, when Michaelmas was come, and that small pittance which they allotted me for a fifths became due, I employed some friends to demand it in my name, and to receive it to my use, by virtue of that order; to whom Mr. Stern makes his answer to this purpose, that he excepted not against the order, but that he expected that I should pay a fifth part to all taxes wherewithal he was charged: and being demanded what those charges were, he answers, That the Commis sioners demanded 157, of him for their incident charges in thrusting me out, of which he expected that I should pay a fifth part. Now I believe that Mr. Stern would never have spoken those words, unless his dear friends of | Sect. 7. I must tell thee likewise, that some of the witnesses who were so fierce against me, (reflecting belike on their own merits, and learning of the Commissioners) demanded and received from Mr. Stern, as he hath told me, considerable sums for their incident charges which they had been at in appearing so often against me, to swear me out of my living: conceiving belike, that if the Commissioners were so well paid for their injustice, then might they expect to be paid for their perjuries: and (considering the conditions of some of them) I believe that they did not (as some poor, cheap knights of the post) swear at a low rate, or for a few sixpences or shillings. William Pinchin doubtless knew how to value his oaths as well as he did his bread and cheese; and much according to those soldiers in the gospel, that would not be hired to bear false witness, but for large money. Sect. 8. And clearly those words of Mr, Stern, that he expected that I should pay a fifths of their incident charges, put me in mind of something which I had read of Phocion of Athens, who being unjustly condemned to death, was afterward inforced to buy his poison, and to be at charges for his own execution: these men serving me in the same manner for (as not content to take away all that I had) they would have made me pay them for undoing of me. And as in this, so in another particular likewise: for (as thinking they had not enough undone, in turning me out of my house, on the reparations whereof, and the mounds, I had laid out near 1007.) Mr. Stern prefers a bill against me in the Exchequer, (I guess being encouraged thereunto by these men) for dilapidations, to the value of more than I think he is honestly worth. Now I cannot think that Mr. Stern ever would have preferred such a bill against me, unless it had been upon their encour gement; nor do I believe that they would have encouraged him thereunto, unless they had thought with the wise ones in the Psalm, that they should never be moved; their long success in their wickednesses having possessed them with that d lusion, that God did own them for his; and from this consideration, that the divine power made use of them as the instruments of his displeasure, to correct others by, (which sober men take to be an argument of his displeasure, rather than of his favour) they forthwith sooth themselves up that they were his beloved ones. These men little dreaming that their foundation was laid upon Oliver: and that Oliver's foundation was laid upon the most unparalleled wickedness that this land was ever guilty of and that a building raised upon wickedness is never without a woe; and that the higher such a building is carried up, the nearer it is to ruin. charge: nothing was too good, nothing too much for these Marlborough men and their wives. And now as touching such who were in my condition ejected, they had that art, that if they could get nothing by keeping of them in, they would be sure to get by turning them out. And here I can speak upon mine own knowledge, 201. Mr. Blisset had, I know not for what else, for putting Mr. Stern in, and 15. they demanded for thrusting me out; it is good being a hangman upon such terms; and questionless this was enough to make me scandaSect. 9. I told thee but a little before, that lous, because I would not daub, and they were Mr. Stern preferred a bill in the Exchequer resolved to get by me one way or other. I against me for dilapidations: I must tell thee have read of several persons, who in this pernow, that upon my answer he forbears to pro- ticular, have been somewhat like these Comceed, as likewise the reason why he let his suit missioners; but the fittest example for them, fall. When the bill was dismissed the court, for is that of some sheep stealers that I have heard want of prosecution, I had a subpœna for cost of, who have been so mischievously thievish, for non-prosecution, which an attorney serving that they would destroy the sheep for no other upon him, asks him, what his reason was that cause, but that they might have the wool. And (since he had began his suit) he did not go on now one would think that they had undone me with it? To whom Mr. Stern makes his answer as much as possible, and yet Mr. Stern bath to this purpose; that the times were various, told me that he is a greater loser than myself, every month bringing forth some change, and that I am 400/. the worse, but that he is 500%. that this was it which made him give over; for, the worse; so that to me he seems to have met said he, should it come to that pass, that' Carolus with some of such a disposition whereof I have 'Dei gratia' should be written instead of 'Custo-heard a miller to be, who stole five pecks out des Libertatis Angliæ,actum esset,'all his hopes would perish from which words of his it is evident enough, that he himself distrusted his own case, if proceedings should come to be legal; and that all the hopes he had that his suit should succeed, was only from this, that wickedness should still prevail; for that then he might expect to find such barons in the Ex-gone; for as Mr. Stern told me, he hath gotchequer, as he had found Commissioners at Marlborough. : Sect. 10. I have not yet done with this 157. charges incident (and when I have done with that I have done with all) for let me now observe to thee, what a beneficial trade these Marlborough men made of it, let the wind sit which way it would. I think in this particular, outdoing the Jews themselves, for they would so far improve their opportunities, that fall out what could, they would turn it to their advantage: for were if that ministers were summoned, or not summoned before them, ejected or not ejected, yet, be the chance what it could be, it proved always to be a winning cast for them. I shall say but little of the former, because it never was mine own case, yet there are those whom I know, that can tell you how often Tho. Cox their agent, visited them, and what his business was, what dangers he sets before them, and what advice he gives to prevent or remove those dangers; in brief the business is, Una cademq; manus- some quarterly feeling, he must be paid for preventing that storm which was of his own raising. And then for those who had been summoned to appear before them, I have told thee that all the discharge which they had, was only until further order;' which must needs keep them in a continual fear, and force them to a continual of a bushel. And if it be as Mr. Stern reported it, Mr. Blisset hath not been wanting to himself in this business: for he hath not only made the Vicarage of Box bring him in plentiful returns to his treasury for the present; but also he hath so providently provided it, that it shall yield him a crop after we are dead and ten the next presentation to the place; so that now it is not to be wondered, that he ruined me first, and, after he had received his largess from him, cared not how soon Mr. Stern were gone from the place, in order whereunto it was endeavoured, that he should be made weary of it; because his turn was next: and so upon Mr. Stern's avoidance, he might make use and benefit of his presentation. These, Mr. Blisset, are circumstances that supersede all former circumstances whatsoever. And now by way of conclusion, I had thought to have addressed myself to our renowned patriots now sitting in the High Court of Parliament, and humbly to have begged this piece of justice from them, That they (who call greater oppressors to an account, and force them to cast up their ill-gotten morsels, the incomes of their oppressions, bribery, perjury, subornations and the price of blood) would not think it below them to look upon such men as these in their places indeed much inferior, but to their power altogether as mischievous. Nor should I have any aim or end of mine own in it; neither reparation nor satisfaction for my losses sustained, should I have looked for. Only this I conceive most equitable, that if I were content to sit down quiely by my losses unjustly sustained, then should they be inforced to surrender up those gains, which they have unjustly got, it would be too great a temptation to future ages to make them adven ture on the like, if they should hear that such who were guilty of such horrid crimes, should yet go clearly off with the profits of their wickedness. But since his Majesty's gracious pardon may extend even to these; I shall not go about either to enumerate their crimes, or to aggravate them. May they enjoy, if it be lawful to wish so, the returns of their injustice. May Mr. Blisset and his Marlborough friends, thrive better by their Commissioner-ship, than they are likely to do by their purchase at Purton. Yet this may we say safely of them, although we can call them to no other account; that they are such as those of whom the poet Caminibus debent hortos, præteria, mensas. They owe to their own crimes for their estates, [As the Puritans proceeded in gaining the ascendancy, it is not surprising that they proceeded likewise in retaliating religious prosecutions under which they had severely smarted. (See Dr. Leighton's Case, ante, vol. iii. p. 383, the 7th and 11th of the Articles against Laed, ante, vol. iv, p. 327, 328. Prynne's Complete History of the Trial of Archbishop Land. Neal's History of the Puritans, and the preceding writers concerning Church History, as quoted or referred to by him.) Some instances of such Proceedings have already appeared in this Collection. See the Case of Bishop Harsnet, vol. ii, p. 1253; of Dr. Mountague, vol. 2, p. 1257; of Dr. Cosin, vol. iv, p. 21; of Bishop Wren, vol. iv, p. 27; of Goodman, the Jesuit, vol. 4, p. 59; of Archbishop Laud, vol. iv, p. 315. (The Charges against Dr. Manwaring, vol. iii, p. 335,* were altogether of a political nature.) Among other such Proceedings antecedent to the death of King Charles the First, was the Case of Dr. Pocklington, which being but short, and partaking of the nature of the preceding, is here inserted, though not in exact chronological order.] Proceedings against Dr. JOHN POCKLINGTON, for Innovations into the Church of England: 17 CHARLES I. A. D. 1641. PETITION to the Right Honourable, the Lords * Several particulars of the Proceedings against Manwaring, are inserted from the Journals into Mr. Hatsell's Precedents, vol. 4, pp. 124, et seq.: where it appears, that on June 12, 1628, a Message from the Commons was sent to the Lords, "In consequence of its appearing, That the book complained of, had been printed by the king's command,' and was to desire the Lords to enquire, by what means this command was obtained; and, when the Lords shall have found the party who gave the warrant, the Commons demand to have him punished with as much severity, or more, than Doctor Manwaring himself. -Upon examining into this matter, on the 12th and 14th of June, it came out that Doctor Laud, Bishop of Bath and Wells, had signified, the king's express command to the Bishop of London, that the sermon should be printed.-Aud this declaration of the king's pleasure, confessed by Bishop Laud, is confirmed by the earl of Montgomery, the duke of Buckingham, and the earls of Suffolk and Dorset, who protested on their honours, That they had since heard Doctor of Divinity, rector of the parish church of Yelden in the county of Bedford, vicar of Waresly in the county of Huntington, prebend been a chief author and ringleader in all those of Lincoln, Peterborough and Windsor, hath innovations which have of late flowed into the church of England: for, his majesty affirm as much.'-Notwithstanding this, the Lords, on the 16th of June, address the king, that he will order this book to be burnt, and will give directions for prohibit ing the printing of it.-To which address, on the 18th of June, the king returns for answer, That he is well pleased at the Lords' request 'to suppress the book, and to forbid its being printed again, and has ordered a Proclamation accordingly.' "It may not be amiss," Mr. Hatseli observes, " to add, that within a few days after this transaction, Bishop Laud was translated to London; and, in 1635, Doctor Manwaring was made Bishop of St. David's; and this, though one of the articles of the judgment pro nounced against him was, That he shall be for ever disabled to have any ecclesiastical dignity, or secular office.' On the 18th of April, 1640, in the next Parliament that met after this transaction, the Lords took up this business again; and, having read the declaration of the Commons against the now Bishop of St. David's, and the sentence of the Lords, 1. "He hath within these few years, in his church of Yelden turned the CommunionTable altarwise.* 2. "He bows to or before this altar, very low; as often as either he passeth by it, or makes his approach thereunto. and decency (for acceptable it was to such) yet introduced first murmurings amongst the people (upon the very charge and expence of it) and if the minister were not a man of discretion and reputation to compose, and reconcile those indispositions (as too frequently he was not, and rather inflamed, and increased the distemper) it begot suits, and appeals at law. The opinion that there was no necessity of doing any thing, and the complaint that there was too much done, brought the power and jurisdiction that imposed the doing of it, to be called in question, contradicted, and opposed. Then the manner, and gesture, and posture, in the celebration of it, brought in new disputes, and ad they refer the whole to their Committee of Privileges, with leave to the Bishop to alledge any thing before the said Committee, on his part, either by pardon, licence, or otherwise. On the 21st of April, they order the records to be brought, that the House may determine this cause. But on the 28th of April, the king sends a message by the Lord Keeper, That his majesty understanding there was some question concerning Doctor Manwaring, now Bishop of St. David's, had given command that the said Doctor Manwaring shall not come and sit in parliament, nor send any proxy to the parliament.' Thereupon, it was ordered to be entered so. Lords' Journal. I do not recollect to have seen this last very ex-ministered new subjects of offence, according traordinary, and illegal, exercise of the king's authority taken notice of in any history. See further, Cominous' Journal, the 23rd of Feb. 1640." This note was designed for insertion in Manwaring's Case, but was accidentally omitted there. to the custom of the place, and humour of the people: and those disputes brought in new words and terms (altar, adoration, and genuflexion, and other expressions) for the more perspicuous carrying on those disputations. New books were written for, and against this new practice, with the same earnestness, and contention for victory, as if the life of Christianity had been at stake. Besides, there was not an equal concurrence, in the prosecution of this matter, amongst the bishops themselves; some of them proceeding more remissly in it, and some not only neglecting to direct any thing to had a mind to it, from meddling in it. And this again produced as inconvenient disputes, when the subordinate clergy would take upon them, not only without the direction of their diocesans, but expressly against their injunctions, to make those alterations and reformations themselves, and by their own authority. "The remissness of Abbot and of other bishops by his example, had introduced, or at least connived at a negligence, that gave great scandal to the church, and no doubt offended very many pious men. The people took so little care of the churches, and the parsons as lit-be done towards it, but restraining those who tle of the chancels, that, instead of beautifying, or adorning them in any degree, they rarely provided against the falling of many of their churches; and suffered them at least to be kept so indecently, and slovenly, that they would not have endured it in the ordinary offices of their own houses; the rain and the wind to infest them; and the Sacraments themselves to be administered where the people had most mind to receive them. This profane liberty and uncleanliness, the arch-bishop resolved to reform with all expedition, requiring the other bishops to concur with him in so pious a work; and the work sure was very grateful to all men of devotion yet, I know not how, the prosecution of it with too much affectation of expence, it may be, or with too much passion between the ministers and the parishioners, raised an evil spirit towards the church, which the enemies of it took much advantage of, as soon as they had an opportunity to make the worst use of it. : "The removing the Communion Table out of the body of the church, where it had used to stand, and to be applied to all uses, and fixing it to one place in the upper end of the chancel, which frequently made the buying a new table to be necessary; the inclosing it with a rail of joiner's work, and thereby fencing it from the approach of dogs, and all servile uses; the obliging all persons to come up to those rails to receive the Sacrament, how acceptable soever to grave and intelligent persons, who loved order "The arch bishop, guided purely by his zeal, and reverence for the place of God's service, and by the canons, and injunctions of the church, with the custom observed in the king's chapel, and in most cathedral churches, without considering the long intermission, and discontinuance, in many other places, prosecuted this affair more passionately than was fit for the season; and had prejudice against those, who out of fear, or foresight, or not understanding the thing, had not the same warmth to promote it. The bishops who had been preferred by his favour, or hoped to be so, were at least as solicitous to bring it to pass in their several dioceses; and some of them with more passion, and less circumspection, than they had his example for, or than he approved; prosecuting those who opposed them, very fiercely, and sometimes unwarrantably, which was kept in remembrance. Whilst other bishops, not so many in number, or so valuable in weight, who had not been beholding to him, nor had hope of being so, were enough contented to give perfunctory orders for the doing it, and to see the execution of those orders not minded; and not the less pleased to find, that the preju 3. "He shews more outward reverence to the altar, than to the name of God: for one time in the church protesting before God, and his holy altar, when he made mention of the altar, he turned himself towards it, and made low obeysance before it, but at the name of God he shewed no such respect. 4." He hath placed a cross in a cloth be hind the altar, called the altar cloth. teen of his parishioners, though they had acquainted him before, that they intended to receive on that day, according to their usual custom; and though at the time of the administration of the Sacrament, even from the beginning thereof to the end, they kneeled at the rails, for otherwise he would not administer it to them at any time, yet he still passed them by, and sent them away without it, to their great reproach and discomfort: having no just cause so to do. 5. "He useth much to magnify the cross; and once in his sermon speaking of Moses his prayer against Amalek, he said, that Moses spread forth his arms in the form of a cross, and that that posture of his was more available" with God than his prayer. 6. "He hath caused a bell to be hung up in his chancel, called a sacring-bell, which the clerk always rings at the going up to second service, which he performs with variety of postures, sometimes turning his face towards the South, sometimes towards the East, and sometimes towards the West. 7. "He hath caused two cloaths to be made, which he calls corporals, and these he useth to lay over the bread in the Sacrament; and each of these hath five crosses on it, one at each corner, and one in the middle. "8. That he refused to give the Sacrament on Easter-day, anno 1638, to twelve or four dice of that whole transaction reflected solely upon the archbishop. "The bishop of Lincoln (Williams) who had heretofore been Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England, and generally unacceptable whilst he held that office, was, since his disgrace at Court, and prosecution from thence, become very popular; and having several faults objected to him, the punishment whereof threatened him every day, he was very willing to change the scene, and to be brought upon the stage for opposing these innovations (as he called them) in religion. It was an unlucky word, and cozened very many honest men into apprehensions very prejudicial to the king, and to the church. He published a discourse and treatise against the matter, and manner of the prosecution of that business; a book so full of good learning, and that learning so close, and solidly applied (though it abounded with too many light expressions) that it gained him reputation enough to be able to do hurt; and shewed that, in bis retirement, he had spent his time with his books very profitably. He used all the wit, and all the malice he could, to awaken the people to a jealousy of these agitations, and innovations in the exercise of religion; not without insinuations that it aimed at greater alterations, for which he knew the people would quickly find a name; and he was ambitious to have it believed, that the arch. bishop was his greatest enemy, for his having constantly opposed his rising to any government in the church, as a man, whose hot and hasty spirit he had long known." Clarendon. See also the Cases mentioned in the introduction to this Case. "9. He hath also composed and published two books or pamphlets, the one intituled Sunday no Sabbath," the other "Altare Christianum," wherein he justifies and defends all those innovations in religion that have been unhappily introduced into this church, which also he practises by himself; and besides, in those books he asserts and maintains divers wicked, Popish and Antichristian points, to the great danger and damage of this church and state; justifies sundry popish canonized saints for true saints and Martyrs of God, and censures our own English Martyrs (mentioned in Master Fox's Calender, before his book of Acts and Monuments, set forth by the public autho rity, and approved by the whole convocation anno 1579,) for traitors, murderers, rebels and heretics. "May it therefore please this honourable house, to take the premises into your just and pious consideration, and to convent the said Doctor Pocklington before you, to answer the same, that so he may receive such condign and exemplary punishment, as may deter all others from the like dangerous attempts and innovations: and your Petitioner shall ever pray, &c." The first eight of these Articles being evidently proved against him, and also acknow ledged by himself; the ninth was thus managed against him, as follows. A Discovery and Declaration of divers wicked, Popish and Antichristian innovations and doctrines, published and taught, and peremptorily affirmed and defended by Joux POCKLINGTON, D. D. to the great disho nour of God, the great reproach and scandal of true religion, and to the great hurt and danger of the Church of Eng land: collected word for word out of his own books, viz. " Altare Christianum," and "Sunday no Sabbath;" and humbly presented to the knowledge, consideration, and just sentence of the right honourable the Lords of the higher house of parlia ment. 1. Touching Churches. 1. He affirms and maintains the dedication and consecration of them by prayers: and that, * See Oldmixon's Hist. of England under the Stuarts, vol. 1. p. 165, where it is said that for the rare doctrine of Sunday no Sabbath, he (Harvey) was made the king's chaplain. |