sides, it will afford your grace more leisure to look into your own affairs, which lie confused and unsettled. Lastly, (which is not the least thing) this act will be so plausible, that it may much advantage his majesty in point of subsidy.

opinion of virtue and wisdom: I know your grace doth not (nor needs not) affect popu larity. It is true that the people's love is the strongest citadel of a sovereign prince, but to a great subject it hath often proved fatal; for he who pulleth off his hat to the people, giveth Secondly, It were expedient (under correc- his head to the prince; and it is remarkable tion) that your grace would be pleased to allot what was said of a late unfortunate earl, who, some set hours for audience and access of a little before queen Elizabeth's death, had suitors; and it would be less cumber to your-drawn the axe upon his own neck, That he self and your servants, and give more content to the world, which often mutters for difficulty of access.

"Lastly, It were not amiss that your grace would settle a standing mansion-house and family, that suitors may know whither to repair constantly, and that your servants, every one in his place, might know what belongs to his place, and attend accordingly: for though confusion in a great family carry a kind of state with it, yet order and regularity gains a greater

was grown so popular, that he was too dangerous for the times, and the times for him.' "My lord, now that your grace is threatened to be heaved at, it should behove every one that oweth you duty and good-will, to reach out his band some way or other to serve you: among these, I am one that presumes to do it, in this poor impertinent paper; for which ĺ implore pardon, because I am, my lord, your grace's most humble and faithful servant, J. H. London, 13th Feb. 1626."

126. The Case of GEORGE ABBOT, Archbishop of Canterbury, for refusing to licence a Sermon preached by Dr. Sibthorp, in order to promote the Loan, and to justify the King's imposing Public Taxes without consent of Parliament: 3 CHARLES I. A. D. 1627. [1 Rushw. Coll. 422-431.] KING Charles finding himself much straitened by not obtaining the four Subsidies and three Fifteenths voted to him in his second parliament, which he rashly dissolved before the bills for raising that supply were perfected, endeavoured, as is well known, to relieve his necessities by means of forced loans from his subjects (many curious details concerning which are to be found in Rushworth). For the advancement of this project, one Dr. Sibthorp, (who appears to have been an eager seeker of preferment by an injudicious bustling course in recommending the measures of the court), published in print a Sermon preached by him at Northampton, February 22d, 1627, at Lent assizes, intituled, Apostolical Obedience.' This book was licensed by the bishop of Lon

*

* This matter is thus mentioned in Kennett: "Another great unhappiness was this; the bishops at the king's request were most of them zealous to promote this Supply of the public necessities; and earnestly pressed their clergy to contribute their best assistance in it. Hence, some were more officious than became their function in such a secular affair: And others were so indiscreet as to make it a doctrine of their pulpits to urge the duty of answering whatever the king demanded. In particular, Dr. Sibthorp, vicar of Brackley, preached upon this subject at Northampton on Feb. 22, 1627, at the Lent assizes; and having his Sermon licensed by the bishop of London, he published it under the title of Apostolic Obedience,' with a Dedication to the king. The whole

don, who did approve thereof, as a Sermon learnedly and discreetly preached. It was de dicated to the king, and expressed to be the doctor's meditations, which he first conceived upon his majesty's instructions unto all the bishops of this kingdom, fit to be put in execution, agreeable to the necessity of the times; and afterwards brought forth upon his majesty's commission, for the raising of monies by way of loan. His text was, Rom. xiii. 7, Render therefore to all their dues. Among other passages he had this, And seriously consider how as Jeroboam took the opportunity and 'breach betwixt Rehoboam and his subjects, to bring idolatry into Israel; so the papists 'lie at wait, if they could find a rent between our sovereign and his subjects (which the Lord scope of it was to advance the Loan, and to justify the king's imposing public taxes with out consent of parliament; and to prove that the people, in point of conscience, were bound to submit to the regal will and pleasure. For which he was afterward called in question, and censured by the parliament: But yet he gained his ends at court, being made Chaplain in Ordinary to his majesty, prebendary of Peterbo rough, and rector of Burton Latimers in Northamptonshire; from which he was ejected in the Civil Wars, and enjoyed them again at the Restoration, dying in April 1662. One who speaks most favourably of the royal party, says, He was a person of little learning, and of few parts, only made it his endeavours, by his forwardness and flatteries, to gain preferment."

'forbid) to introduce superstition in England. 'I speak no more than what I have heard from 'themselves, whilst I have observed their for'wardness to offer double, according to an act of parliament to providing; yea, to profess, that they would depart with the half of their goods. And how, or why can this forwardness be in them, but in hope to cast the imputation of forwardness upon us? And so to them, that which the Jesuit will not suffer them to be, loving and loyal subjects.'

<

more generally, by several persons nominated and authorised by him, being learned in the ecclesiastical laws of this realm, in those several places whereunto they are deputed and appointed by the said archbishop: which several places, as we are informed, they severally hold by several grants for their several lives; as namely, sir Henry Martin, knight, hath and holdeth by the grants of the said archbishop, the offices and places of the Dean of the Arches, and Judge, or Master of the Prerogative Court, Also the said Sermon holds forth, That the for the natural life of the said sir Henry Martin. prince, who is the head, and makes his court-Sir Charles Cæsar, knight, hath and boldeth and council, it is his duty to direct and make by the grant of the said archbishop, the places laws. Eccles. viii. 3 and 4, He doth whatso- or offices of the Judge of the Audience, and ever pleases him. Where the word of the Master of the Faculties, for the term of the naking is, there is power, and who may say unto tural life of the said sir Charles Cæsar.-Sir bim, What doest thou? And in another Thomas Ridley, knight, hath and holdeth by the place he saith, If princes command any thing grant of the said archbishop, the place or office which subjects may not perform, because it is of Vicar General to the said archbishop.—And against the laws of God, or of nature, or im- Nathaniel Brent, doctor of the laws, hath and possible: Yet subjects are bound to undergo holdeth by grant of the said archbishop, the 'the punishment, without either resisting, or office or place of Commissary to the said archrailing, or reviling, and so to yield a passive bishop, as of his proper and peculiar diocese of obedience where they cannot exhibit an active Canterbury.-And likewise the several RegisI know no other case,' saith he,but ters of the Arches, Prerogative, Audience, ⚫ one of those three, wherein a subject may ex- Faculties, and of the Vicar General, and the 'cuse himself with passive obedience; but in Commissary of Canterbury hold their places by all other he is bound to active obcdience.' grants from the said archbishop respectively. "Whereas the said Archbishop, in some or all of these several places and jurisdictions, doth or may sometimes assume unto his personal and proper judicature, order, or direction, some particular causes, actions, or cases at his pleasure. And forasmuch as the said archbishop cannot at this present, in his own person, attend the services which are otherwise proper for his cognisance and jurisdiction, and which, as archbishop of Canterbury, he might and ought in his own person to have performed and executed in causes and matters ecclesiastical, in the proper function of archbishop of that province: we therefore, of our regal that nothing shall be defective in the order, power, and of our princely care and providence, discipline, government, or right of the church, have thought fit by the service of some other learned and reverend bishops, to be named by us, to supply those things which the said archbishop ought or might in the cases aforesaid to have done, but for this present cannot perform

' one.

The COMMISSION to sequester Archbishop Ab

bot from all his Ecclesiastical Offices.

Archbishop Abbot having been long slighted at court, now fell under the king's high displeasure, for refusing to licence Dr. Sibthorp's Sermon, as he was commanded, intituled, "Apostolical Obedience;" and not long after he was sequestered from his office, and a commission was granted to the bishops of London, Durham, Rochester, Oxford, and doctor Laud, bishop of Bath and Wells, to execute archiepiscopal jurisdiction. The Commission was as followeth :

CHARLES, by the grace of God, king of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. To the right rev. father in God, George, bishop of London; and to the right rev. father in God, our trusty and well-beloved counsellor, Richard, lord bishop of Durham; and to the right rev. father in God, John, lord bishop of Rochester; and John, lord bishop of Oxford; to the right rev. father in God, our right trusty and well-beloved counsellor, William, lord bishop of Bath and Wells, greeting;

"Whereas George, now archbishop of Canterbury, in the right of the archbishopric, bath several and distinct archiepiscopal, episcopal, and other spiritual and ecclesiastical powers and jurisdictions, to be exercised in the government and discipline of the church within the province of Canterbury, and in the administration of justice in causes ecclesiastical within that province, which are partly executed by himself in his own person, and partly, and

the same.

cial trust and confidence in your approved "Know you therefore, That we reposing spewisdoms, learning, and integrity, have nominated, authorized, and appointed, and do, by these presents, nominate, authorise, and appoint you the said George, lord bishop of London; Richard, lord bishop of Durham; John, lord bishop of Rochester; John, lord bishop of Oxford; and William, lord bishop of Bath and Wells, or any four, three, or two of you, to do, execute, and perform all and every those acts, matters, and things, any way touching or concerning the power, jurisdiction, or authority of the archbishop of Canterbury, in causes or matters ecclesiastical, as amply, fully, and

effectually, to all intents and purposes, as the said archbishop himself might have done.

"And we do hereby command you, and every of you, to attend, perform, and execute this our royal pleasure, in, and touching the premisses, until we shall declare our will and pleasure to the contrary. And we do further hereby will and command the said archbishop of Canterbury, quietly, and without interruption, to permit and suffer you the said George, bishop of London; Richard, bishop of Durham; John, bishop of Rochester; John, bishop of Oxford; and William, bishop of Bath and Wells, any four, three, or two of you, to execute and perform this our commission, according to our royal pleasure thereby signified. And we do further will and command all and every other person and persons, whom it may any way concern, in their several places or offices, to be attendant, observant, and obedient to you, and every of you, in the execution and performance of this our royal will and command, as they and every of them will answer the contrary at his utmost perils.

place and years, who have done some service in the Church and Commonwealth, so deeply laden with some furious infirmities of body, should be removed from his ordinary habitation, and by a kind of deportation should be thrust into one end of the island (although, I must confess, into his own diocese) that I hold it fit, that the reason of it should be truly understood, lest it may someways turn to the scandal of my person and calling.-Which Declaration notwithstanding, I intend not to communicate to any, but to let it lie by me privately, that it being set down impartially, whilst all things are fresh in memory, I may have recourse to it hereafter, if questions shall be made of any thing contained in this relation.

And this I hold necessary to be done, by reason of the strangeness of that, which by way of censure was inflicted upon me, being then of the age of 65 years, incumbered with the gout, and afflicted with the stone, having lived so many years in a place of great service, and, for ought I know, untainted in any of my actions, although my master king James, who "Nevertheless we do hereby declare our resteth with God, had both a searching wit of royal pleasure to be, That they the said sir his own, to discover his servants whom he put Heury Martin, sir Charles Cæsar, sir Thomas in trust, whether they took any sinister courses, Ridley, and Nathaniel Brent, in their several or no; and wanted not some suggesters about offices and places aforesaid, and all other regis-him to make the worst of all mens actions ters, officers, and ministers, in the several courts, offices and jurisdictions, appertaining to the said archbishop, shall quietly, and without interruption, hold, use, occupy and enjoy their said offices and places, which they now hold, by the grant of the said archbishop, or any other former archbishop of Canterbury, in such manner and form, and with those benefits, privileges, powers, and authorities, which they now have, hold, and enjoy therein, or thereout severally and respectively, they, and every of them, in their several places, being attendant and obedient unto you the said George, bishop of London: Richard, bishop of Durham; John, bishop of Rochester; John, bishop of Oxford; and William, bishop of Bath and Wells, or to any four, three, or two of you, in all things according to the tenor of this our commission, as they should or ought to have been, to the said archbishop himself, if this commission had not been had or made.

"In witness whereof, We have caused these our letters to be made patent. Witness our self at Westminster, the ninth day of October, in the third year of our reign. Per ipsum Regem. EDMONDS."

For a Memorial of these Proceedings, the Archbishop left to posterity this following Narrative, penned with his own hand.

ARCHBISHOP ABBOT'S NARRATIVE.
Pars Prima.

It is an example, so without example, that in the sunshine of the gospel, in the midst of profession of the true religion, under a gracious king, whom all the world must acknowledge to be blemished with no vice; a man of my

whom they could misreport: yet this innocency and good fame to be over-turned in a month, and a Christian bishop suddenly to be made fabula vulgi, to be tossed upon the tongues of friends and foes, of Protestants and Papists, of court and country, of English and foreigners, must needs in common opinion, presuppose some crime, open or secret: which being discovered by the king, albeit not fully appearing to the world, must draw on indignation in so high a measure.

I cannot deny, that the indisposition of my body kept me from Court, and thereby gave occasion to maligners to traduce me as withdrawing myself from public services, and therefore misliking some courses that were taken; which abstaining perhaps neither pleased the king, nor the great man that set them on foot.-It is true, that in the turbulency of some things, I had no great invitements to draw me abroad, but to possess my soul in patience, till God sent fairer weather: but the true ground of my abstaining from solemn and public places, was the weakness of my feet, proceeding from the gout; which disease being hereditary unto me, and having possessed me now nine years, had deliberated me inore and more: so that I could not stand at all, neither could I go up or down a pair of stairs, but besides my staff, I must have the service of one, at least, of iny men, which was not fit to be admitted in every place where I was to come.

And although I was oft remembered, by the wisest of my friends, that I might be carried as the old lord treasurer Burleigh was, yet I did not think my service so necessary for the commonwealth, as his lordship's, by long experience, was found to be, I did not value

myself at so high a rate, but remembered, that it was not the least cause of overthrow to Robert earl of Essex, that he prized himself so, as if queen Elizabeth and the kingdom could not well have stood, if he had not supported both the one and the other.

now earl of E. and had so treated her, that both for safeguard of her honour, blemished by him scandalously, and for her alimony or maintenance (being glad to get from him) she was forced to endure a suit in the High Commission Court: So to strengthen his party, he was made known to the duke, and by means of a dependant on his grace, he got a letter from the king, That the commissioners should proceed no further in hearing of that cause, by reason that it being a difference between a gentleman and his wife, the king's majesty would hear it himself. The solicitor for the lady, finding that the course of justice was stopped, did so earnestly, by there was a relaxation of the former restraint, and the commissioners ecclesiastical went on: But now, in the new proceeding, finding himself by justice like enough to be pinched, he did publicly in the court refuse to speak by any counsel, but would plead his cause hiniselt; wherein he did bear the whole business so disorderly, tumultuously, and unrespectfully, that after divers reproofs, I was inforced for the honour of the court, and reputation of the High Commission, to tell him openly, That if he did not carry himself in a better fashion, I would commit him to prison.

Now for me, thus enfeebled, not with the gout only, but with the stone also, and gravel, to wait on the king, or the council-table, was by me held a matter most inconvenient. In the courts of princes, there is little feeling of the infirmities belonging to old age, they like them that be young and gallant in their actions, and in their cloaths, they love not that men should stick too long in any room of great-petition, move the king, that by another letter, ness, change and alteration bringing somewhat with it. What have they to do with kerchieves and staves, with lame or sick men? It is certainly true, there is little compassion upon the bodily defects of any. The scripture speaketh of men standing before kings, it were an uncouth sight to see the subject sit the day before the coronation, when on the morrow I had work enough for the strongest man in England, being weak in my feet, and coming into Whitehall to see things in a readiness against the next day; yet notwithstanding the stone and gout, I was not altogether an inutile servant in the king's affairs, but did all things in my house that were to be done, as in keeping the HighCommission Court, doing all inferior actions inducing thereunto, and dispatching references from his majesty that came thick upon me.

These relations which are made concerning me, be of certain truth, but reach not to the reason whereof I was discarded.

To understand therefore the verity, so it is, That the duke of Buckingham being still great in the favour of the king, could endure no man that would not depend upon him; among other men, had me in his eye, for not stooping unto him so as to become his vassal. I that had learned a lesson, which I constantly bold, to be no man's servant but the king's (for mine own royal master, which is with God, and mine own reason, did teach ine so) went on mine own ways, although I could not but observe, that so many as walked in that path, did suffer for it upon all occasions, and so did I, nothing wherein I moved my master taking place: which finding so clearly, as if the duke had set some ill character upon me, I had no way but to rest in patience, leaving all to God, and looking to myself as warily as I might. But this did not serve the turn, his undertaking was so extraordinary, that every one that was not with him, was presently against him; and if a hard opinion were once entertained, there was no place left for satisfaction or reconciliation.

What befell the earl of Arundel, and sir Randal Crew, and divers others, I need not to report; and no man can make doubt but he blew the coals.

For myself, there is a gentleman called sir H. S. who gave the first light what should befall me: This knight being of more livelihood than wisdom, had married the lady D. sister to the

This so troubled the young gallant, that within few days after, being at dinner, or supper, where some wished me well, he bolted it out, That as for the Archbishop, the duke had a purpose to turn him out of his place, and that he did but wait the occasion to effect it. Which being brought unto me constantly, by more ways than one, I was now in expectation what must be the issue of this great man's indignation, which fell out to be as followeth.

There was one Sibthorpe, who not being so much as a batchelor of arts, as it hath been credibly reported unto me, by means of doctor Pierce, dean of Peterborough, being vice-chancellor of Oxford, did get to be conferred upon him the title of doctor. This man is vicar of Brackley in Northamptonshire, and hath another benefice not far from it in Buckinghamshire. But the lustre of his honour did arise from the being the son-in-law of sir John Lamb, chancellor of Peterborough, whose daughter he maried, and was put into the commission of peace. When the Lent assizes were in Feb. last at Northampton, the man that preached before the Judges there, was this worthy doctor; where magnifying the authoritykings, (which is so strong in the Scripture, that it needs no flattery any ways to extol it) he let fall divers speeches which were distasteful to the auditors, and namely, That they had power to put Pollmoney upon their subjects heads, when against those challenges men did frequently mourn.

Ile being a man of a low fortune, conceived, that putting his Sermon in print, he might gain favour at court, and raise his fortune higher, on he goeth with the transcribing of his Sermon, and got a bishop or two to prefer this great service to the duke; and it being brought unto the duke, it cometh in his head, or was sug

and in a sort to destroy it; and therefore upon his return, a day or two after, I expressed inyself thus:

6

gested unto him by some malicious body, that | thereby the Archbishop might be put to some remarkable strait. For if the king should send the Sermon unto him, and command him to Mr. Murrey, I conceive, that the king in allow it to the press, one of these two things tendeth, that this Sermon shall promote the would follow, that either he should authorise it, | service now in hand about the Loan of Money, and so all men that were indifferent, should but in my opinion it much crosseth it; for he discover him for a base and unworthy beast; layeth it down for a rule, and because it shall or he should refuse it, and so should fall into not be forgotten, he repeateth it again, That the king's indignation, who might pursue it at Christians are bound in duty one to another, his pleasure, as against a man that was contrary especially all subjects to their princes, to his service. according to the laws and customs of the kingdom, wherein they live.' Out of this will men except this Loan, because that there is neither law nor custom for it in the kingdom of Eugland.-Secondly, In my judgment, there followeth a dangerous Speech, Habemus necessitatem vindicandæ libertatis. For this was all that was then quoted out of Calvin, no mention being made of any the other words which are now in the printed copy: For when by the former rule he hath set men at liberty, whether they will pay or no, he imposeth upon them a necessity to vindicate this liberty, and

Out of this fountain flowed all the water that afterwards so wet: in rehearsing whereof, I must set down divers particulars, which some men may wonder how they should be discovered unto me. But let it suffice once for all, that in the word of an honest man, and of a bishop, I recount nothing, but whereof I have good warrant, God himself working means.

violence cum vi. But for my part, I would be most unwilling to give occasion to sedition and mutiny in the kingdom.-Again, here is mention made of Poll-money, which, as I have heard, hath already caused much distaste where the Sermon was preached.Moreover, what a speech is this,That he observes the forward

The matters were revealed unto me, although it be not convenient, that in this Paper I name the manner how they came unto me, lest such as did by well doing further me, should receive blame for their labour. Well! resolved it is,aindicare may be extended to challenge with that I must be put to it, and that with speed; and therefore Mr. William Murrey, nephew (as I think) unto Mr. Thomas Murrey, sometimes tutor unto prince Charles, and the young man now of the king's bed-chamber, is sent unto me with the written Sermon; of whom I must say, That albeit he did the king his master's business, yet he did use himself civilly and temperately unto me. For, avoiding of inquit and inquam (as Tully saith) I said this, and he said that,' I will make it by way of Dialogue, not setting down every day's conference exactly by itself, but mentioning all things of importance in the whole, yet distinguishing of times, where, for the truth of the relation, it cannot

be avoided.

Murrey. My lord, I am sent unto you by the king, to let you know, that his pleasure is, That whereas there is brought unto him a Sermon to be printed, you shall allow this Sermon to the press.

Archb. I was never he that authorised Books to be printed; for it is the work of my chaplains to read over other men's writings, and what is fit, to let it go; and what is unfit to expunge it.

Murrey. But the king will have you yourself to do this, because he is minded, that no books shall be aliowed, but by you and the bishop of London: And my lord of London authorised one the other day (Cousens his Book) and he will have you do this.

Archh. This is an occupation that my old master king James did never put me to, and yet I was then young, and had more abilities of body than now I have; so that I see I must now learn a new lesson: but leave it with me, and when I have read it, I shall know what to say unto it; a day or two hence you shall understand my mind. When I had once or twice perused it, I found some words which seemed unto me to cross that which the king intended,

VOL. II.

ness of the Papists to offer double,' according to an act of parliament so providing, yea, to profess, that they would part with the half of their goods, where he quoteth in the margin, anno 1 Caroli; the Act for the Subsidy of the laity, whereby Popish Recusants were to pay double; when indeed there is no such act. And in the fifth place it is said in this Sermon, That the princes of Bohemia have power to depose their kings,' as not being hereditary, which is a great question. Such a one as hath cost much blood, and must not in a word be absolutely defined here, as if it were without controversy. I pray you make his majesty acquainted with these things, and take the Book with you, (where it is to be noted, that all this time we had but one single copy, which was sometime at the court, and sometime left with ́ me.)

Murrey. I will faithfully deliver these things to the king, and then you shall hear further from me.

Some two or three days after he returned again unto me, and telleth me, That he had particularly acquainted the king with my Objections; and his majesty made this answer: First, for the laws and customs of the kingdom, he did not stand upon that, he had a precedent for that which he did, and thereon he would insist.

Archb. I think that to be a mistaking, for I fear there will be found no such precedent. King Henry the 8th, as the Chronicle sheweth, desired but the sixth part of men's estates, ten groats in the pound; our king desireth the

5 A