ad omnem et qualemcunque juris effectum dispensamus; teque præfatum Georgium, archiepiscopum Cantuariensem, ac personam tuam ab omnibus et singulis inhabilitatibus, suspensionibus, irregularitatibus, aliisque pœnis, impedimentis, censuris, et coercionibus quibus- 5 cunque ecclesiasticis sive canonicis, si quas forsitan ratione præmissorum aut eorum alicujus incurristi, aut aliquibus incurrisse videaris, ad omnem et qualemcunque juris effectum liberamus, ac tenore præsentium pro liberato haberi decernimus et pronunciamus: quem- 10 que defectum, labem, notam, sive maculam, si quam forsitan ratione præmissorum aut eorum alicujus contraxisti, aut aliquibus contraxisse videaris, penitus abolemus, ac pro abolitis haberi discernimus et pronunciamus; teque etiam præfatum Georgium, archiepiscopum Can- 15 tuarien. ex superabundanti et ad majorem cautelam rehabilitamus et restituimus ad omnem et qualemcunque juris effectum. Et ut in susceptis ordinibus et archiepiscopatu prædicto, ac in omnibus et singulis jurisdictionibus, privilegiis, præeminentiis, prærogativis, digni- 20 tatibus, atque aliis rebus quibuscunque, aliquo modo ad dictum archiepiscopatum spectantibus et pertinentibus, libere ministrare valeas, concedimus et indulgemus, perinde ac si prædictum casuale homicidium commissum non fuisset; canonibus, legibus, decretis, ordinationibus, et 25 constitutionibus ecclesiasticis quibuscunque contrariis, si quæ sint in ea parte contraria, in aliquo non obstantibus. In cujus rei testimonium sigilla nostra episcopalia hisce præsentibus apponi fecimus. Dat. duodecimo die Decembris, anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo vicesimo primo. 30 Teste rege apud Westmon. 24. die Decembris, anno regni regis Jacobi. etc. XIX. et Scotia quinquagesimo quinto. CXXXI. Archiepisc. Cant. Anno Christi Reg. Angliæ The king's letter to the archbishop of Cant. and the bishop of Lincoln about a voluntary contribution from the clergy.-Reg. Abbot, II. fol. 195. b. RIGHT reverend father in God, our very good lord and brother. We have lately received from his majesty certain letters directed unto us the lord archbishop of Cant. and the lord bishop of Lincoln, lord 5 keeper of the great seal, but referring to the rest, whose names are under-written, the tenor whereof here ensueth: : The king's letter] King James' first parliament had been dissolved on the 7th of June 1614, and another was summoned to meet on the 13th of January 1621. Being jealous of uncontroled sovereignty he had 10 fallen into a great dislike of parliaments, and for many years had given way to projects and monopolies and many of his ministers perhaps fearing an inquiry into their own actions might suggest to him that he might better furnish himself by those ways, than by subsidies, usually accompanied with the redress of grievances. Nevertheless he was now 15 minded to call a parliament, conceiving it might be of special use. For he observed the affections of the people to be raised for the recovery of the palatinate; and then concluded that those affections would open their purses to the supply of his wants." (Rushworth, vol. i. p. 20.) In this matter the king was availing himself of an existing impulse, hoping 20 at the same time that events might spring up which would relieve him from the necessity of following it any longer than was convenient to him. He was not unwilling to assist his son-in-law in the recovery of the palatinate; but he was much more anxious to unite his son with the infanta of Spain. He might leave it to be decided by the progress 30 of events, which of these two opposing projects should eventually prosper; but only one of them could be made useful to him in his present difficulties. Supplies were absolutely wanted; and the honour of his Right reverend fathers in God, right trusty and right well beloved counsellors, we greet you well. What endeavours we have used by treaty, and by all fair and amicable ways, to recover the patrimony of our children in Germany, now for the most part withholden from them by 5 force, is not unknown unto all our loving subjects, since we were pleased to communicate unto them in parliament our whole proceedings in that business; of which treaty our hopes being at the last frustrate, we were enforced to take other resolutions, namely to recover that by the 10 sword, which by other means we see no likelihood to compass. For which purpose we did expect, that our people would in a cause so nearly concerning our children's interest and ours, have cheerfully contributed thereunto, as indeed they did by promise and declaration 15 to the proportion of one subsidy at their last meeting before Christmas: but the same failing to be legally per crown and the interests of protestantism, alike involved in the troubles that had taken place in the palatinate, afforded him an excellent opportunity for appealing to the liberality of his subjects. On the 25th of 20 October 1620 letters had been addressed by the members of the privy council to divers earls, viscounts, bishops and barons, and to the lord mayor of London, calling "for a voluntary gift unto his majesty ;" and the sums arising therefrom being found insufficient, and the demand being too urgent to wait for the slower movements of the house of 25 commons, the king issued his letter of the 12th of Jan. to the archbishop and the lord keeper Williams, requiring them and their brother bishops to collect contributions from the whole clergy; an expedient for which they had themselves furnished a precedent in the year 1614. See a letter of archbishop Abbot's in the Tanner MSS. vol. lxxiv. p. 57. 30 The archbishop was very desirous that assistance should be given to the king of Bohemia in the recovery of the palatinate, and the public feeling on the subject may be inferred from the following extract of a letter that he had written to Mr. Secretary Nanton. "It is a great honour to the king our master that he hath such a son whose virtues 35 have made him thought fit to be made a king. And methinks I do in this and that of Hungary foresee the work of God, that by piece and piece the kings of the earth, that gave their power unto the beast (all fected by the wayward divisions of some few, we are constrained in a case of so great necessity to try the dutiful affections of our subjects in another way, as our predecessors have done in former times, by propounding a 5 voluntary contribution unto them; and knowing the faithful and loving service performed unto us by our clergy of this realm at all times upon the like urgent occasion, have thought good to make use thereof at this present, and do therefore require you to give notice 10 thereof to all the bishops, who are not as yet departed from the city of London; and together with them, to write your letters to all the bishops of both provinces, for the speedy collecting, and receiving of the voluntary contributions of the whole clergy, towards the support of this 15 so necessary and justifiable a warlike defence, wherein not only our crown and dignity, but the true religion the word of God must be fulfilled) shall now tear the whore and make her desolate, as St. John in his Revelation hath foretold. I pray you therefore with all the spirits you have, to put life into this business, and 20 let a return be made into Germany with speed and with comfort; and let it really be prosecuted, that it may appear to the world, that we are awake when God in this sort calleth us." (Cabala, p. 110.) According to bishop Goodman's Memoirs (vol. i. p. 239.) the archbishop had been consulted whether the palsgrave should accept the crown of Bohemia, 25 and had advised "by all means that he should, yet so that he should not acquaint king James beforehand; but when all things were past, then he doubted not but the king would so far assist him, if not to keep Bohemia, yet at least to preserve his own inheritance." The king's application to his parliament having been answered with a petition, 30 remonstrance and protestation, instead of the wished for subsidies, it was dissolved on the 6th of Jan. 1622, and letters were then addressed by him to the judges, sheriffs and magistrates of the kingdom, " to try the dutiful affections of all his loving subjects in another way, as his predecessors had done in former times, propounding unto them a volun35 tary contribution." (Rushworth, vol. i. p. 60. Lingard, vol. vi. p. 174.) Similar applications had certainly been made by queen Elizabeth, but in most instances under the name of loans, which she appears to have repaid. See Hallam, vol. i. p. 263. also, which you and they teach and profess, is so much interested. And we do further require, that you and the other bishops do likewise m ve the same to all the schoolmasters, which have license to teach within your or their several dioceses, not doubting of either your care, or 5 their forwardness in this so necessary a service. Given under our signet at our palace of Westm. the 14th day of January in the nineteenth year of our reign of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the five and fiftieth. Your lordship by these letters may see how far it con- 10 cerneth his majesty in honour, and the realm in safety, that the patrimony of the king's children should be recovered again by force of war, since it cannot be obtained by treaty. And inasmuch as arms are not maintained but by large expense, and his majesty hath not lately received 15 such supply as otherways was expected, it may well stand with our most bounden duty, that in this time of necessity, we of the clergy should by way of voluntary contribution testify our observance and loyal respect unto so gracious a prince. We therefore, who upon the receipt 20 of these his majesty's letters have met together and duly considered what was most convenient to be done, have resolved, that three shillings and ten pence in the pound is as little as we can possibly offer towards so great an enterprize; yet hoping that such as be of ability will exceed 25 the same. You shall therefore do well by all forcible reason, drawn from the defence of religion and justice, to incite all your clergy, as well within peculiars as otherwise, as also the lecturers and licensed schoolmasters, within your diocese, that with all readiness they do con- 30 tribute unto this noble action. And whereas there be divers commendataries, dignitaries, prebendaries, and double beneficed men, that have livings in several dioceses, we hold it fit, that for every one of these within your lordship's diocese the contribution be rateable, so 35 that the monies in such sort given, may be brought to |