11. When any place is found remarkably obscure, letters JAMES I. were to be directed, by authority, to the most learned persons in the universities, or country, for their judgment upon the text. 12. The directors in each company were to be the deans of Westminster and Chester, and the king's professors in Hebrew and Greek in each university. 13. The translation of Tindal, Matthews, Coverdale, Whitchurch, and Geneva, to be used when they come closer to the original than the Bishops' Bible. Lastly, Three or four of the most eminent divines in each of the universities, though not of the number of the translators, were to be assigned by the vice-chancellor, to consult with other heads of houses for reviewing the whole translation. This undertaking being managed with great care and deliberation, it was about three years before it was finished. 1607. death, &c. Dr. John Reynolds died soon after his engaging in this May 21, work. He was born at Pinboe, in Devonshire, bred in Dr. ReyOxford, where he was king's professor. His brother nolds' William and himself happened to divide in their persuasion: John was a zealous Papist, and William as heartily engaged in the Reformation. Afterward the two brothers entering into a close dispute argued with that strength that they turned each other. This surprising event gave occasion to a handsome copy of verses. Bella inter geminos plusquam civilia fratres, Crackan Defence, &c. This Dr. Reynolds, notwithstanding his appearing for the Dissenters at the Hampton-court conference, conformed himself to the Church ceremonies. For instance, he constantly wore the hood and surplice, and received the holy thorpe's eucharist kneeling. And on his death-bed he earnestly against desired absolution in the form prescribed by the rubric: and Spalato. having received it with imposition of hands by Dr. Holland, Church expressed his satisfaction in a particular manner. He had book 10. Fuller's Hist. BAN the reputation of a great scholar, and was unusually happy Abp. Cant. in his memory. CROFT, The pope's against the oath of allegiance. The next considerable occurrence, is pope Paul V.s second brief second brief to the English Roman Catholics. The design of it is to dissuade their taking the oath of allegiance. The pope had been informed the authority of his first brief had been questioned: that the directions in it were not the result of his holiness's judgment, but that he was over-ruled into it by the importunities of others: and that, for this reason, the practice of the English Roman Catholics, ought not to be governed by this instrument. To remove this mistake, he assures them the declaration against the oath of allegiance in the brief above-mentioned was drawn by his special direction, after he had thoroughly debated the matter: and that therefore they are bound to practise by the plain and obvious construction of the brief, rejecting all strained interpretations for indulgence. This second admonition is dated from Rome, August the 22nd, A. D. 1607. The arch priest Black cell's letter, Ang the nath This brief was seconded by a letter of cardinal Bellarmine to Blackwell. This arch-priest had lately been committed to prison, and enlarged himself by taking the oath of allegiance. To prevent being censured for this compliance, he justifies his conduct in a letter to the English clergy of his communion: I shall give the reader the letter in his own words. "My very reverend assistants, and dear brethren, "You know how many years I have passed over amongst commend you in much tribulation, and how often under God his holy taking this protection I have escaped dangers, albeit they were still imminent, and hanging over my head. But now of late it hath pleased our gracious Lord to suffer me to fall into the mouth of one who long hath gaped after me; for the safety of whose soul, if I be as careful as he hath been forward upon the apprehension of my body, I shall but perform the duty of a good Christian. I thank God, that in all my afflietions of twelve days' close imprisonment, and of eight examinations at Lambeth, I have given no offence to any person to speak evil of me, neither (as I trust) shall I run upon their hard censures for any thing I have done; I must JAMES I. confess, but not without much grief, that in the course of mine examinations, I espied great defects of sincere dealing among ourselves; for the lord archbishop made an heavy present unto me of his holiness's briefs, and of the copies of my letters about the publication of the same, with such 695. other pressing evidences of all my proceedings, that I could not avoid, without a reproachful note, and much discredit, the force of truth in the points objected against me but the urging super-eminent point was to know, whether I had altered or retained still the continuance of my former opinion about the lawfulness of taking the oath of allegiance: for answer, finding what hatred and jealousies we have incurred in the opinion of his majesty and the state, for the refusal of the oath and thereupon making a review of the reasons drawing me into the former public approbation thereof, and relying upon very moving considerations delivered by his majesty, 19 Martii, anno 1603, which are now in print and further, being informed how the parliament did purposely avoid to call into question the authority of the pope to excommunicate, but did only intend to prevent the dangers which might ensue, by the supposed doctrine of such inference, as thereupon hath been made, and are mentioned in that oath : upon these respects and others I granted and made known the admittance of my former opinion, and did accept of the oath of allegiance, and have taken the same, word for word, as it is set down in the statute.— Afterwards falling into speech of excommunication, I delivered my mind: First, that I thought his holiness would not at any time excommunicate his majesty. Secondly, That no lawful excommunication can or ought to enforce such grievous effects, as have been made, and are mentioned in that oath. Thirdly That if any such excommnuication should come from his holiness, that by virtue thereof it should be thought that his majesty's subjects were discharged of their oaths and duties of allegiance, or that they were bound to bear arms against him, or to offer violence unto his royal person, or to commit any treachery or treason against any of his dominions; I would hold myself, nevertheless, for my part and estate, bound by the law of God to continue his majesty's most BANCROFT, loyal and faithful subject: and my judgment further is, that Abp. Cant, all good Catholics ought to concur with me herein, and to do the like, for this is my conscience and resolution, that no lawful excommunication can be justly denounced and published by the pope against his majesty, which can or ought (as I have said) to inculcate, command, or work, and bring forth any such effects: and that all his majesty's subjects, the same notwithstanding (if any such should ever happen) do still continue as firmly obliged to his majesty to all intents and purposes, as they were ever obliged at any time before, or as if such an excommunication had never been thought of, framed, denounced, or published. And therefore, not knowing whether ever I shall have opportunity again to write unto you, I have thus at large discharged my conscience in this matter, persuading myself that you, my assistants and dear brethren, will take the oath as I have done, when it shall be offered unto you; and that you will instruct the lay Catholics that they may so do when it is tendered unto them; so shall we shake off the false and grievous imputations of treasons and treacheries; so shall the lay Catholics not overthrow their estates, so shall we effect that which his holiness desireth, that is, to exhibit our duties to God and the prince. Surely this will bring us gain and increase of many comforts; and so to conclude in the Apostle his words, Charitas mea Paper-office, cum omnibus vobis in Christo Jesu. Amen. July 7, 1607. "GEORGIUS BLACKWELLUS, Archipresbyter et "Protonotarius Apostolicus." Se. to Bellarmine's Bellarmine, not pleased with Blackwell's management, dissive, writes to him in an expostulatory strain; and tells him, Blackwell. "that notwithstanding the modifications, pretensions of civil homage, and all the specious colours put upon the oath of allegiance, it was levelled against the pope's supremacy; and that the tendency of it was to transfer the government of the Church from St. Peter's successor to the successor of King Henry VIII. That it was no better than a snare laid to surprise the Catholics; that the imposing this oath might be compared to the art made use of by the emperor Julian ; that this prince, to bring the Christians under a dilemma, : See Records, num. 101. mistakes and distress them, either in fortune or conscience, planted JAMES I. the figures of his pretended deities about his own and thus if the Christians paid a respect to the emperor's statue, they lay under the imputation of idolatry: and if they refused this customary regard, they were charged with disaffection, and punished as malcontents. For a further dissuasive, the cardinal reminds Blackwell of the fortitude of Eleazar, the Jewish high-priest, who resigned himself to the extremity of torture, rather than eat swine's flesh. That the great St. Macc. 2. Basil despised the menaces of the emperor Valens, and chose rather to run the utmost hazard than give up the least syllable of the consubstantial belief. He likewise mentions the constancy of bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas More, who lost their lives for their adherence to the see of Rome." But here, not to mention the inconclusiveness of the cardi- The cardinal nal's reasoning, not to mention this, I say, he goes upon a the oath of wrong ground, and quite mistakes the question. He takes allegiance for that of it for granted the pope's spiritual authority was struck at, supremacy. Apology for argues upon that supposition, and brings his instances in the Oath of defence of that privilege. In short, he mistakes, as the king Allegiance. observes, this oath for that of supremacy. For the oath of Works, allegiance touches nothing of this nature, nor makes any decision between the pontificate and regale. It is designed for no more than a test of loyalty: it was contrived only to distinguish those who believe the pope a temporal monarch over all Christendom; and suppose the king had forfeited his dominions by his revolt, as they call it, from the see of Rome: it was to distinguish, I say, such intolerant bigots from other Roman Catholics of sounder principles; from such who are ready to stand by their prince, though under never so great a mispersuasion; who readily grant that neither schism nor heresy can affect a title to the crown, or disable the prince's government. That this is the meaning of the oath of allegiance will appear from the recital. It stands thus:— K. James's p. 263. I, A. B., do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, The oath of allegiance. testify, and declare in my conscience before God and the 696. world, that our sovereign lord king James is lawful and rightful king of this realm, and of all other his majesty's |