delictorum suorum condignis, usque ad dignitatum, officiorum, et ministeriorum respective privationem et amotionem inclusive, ad stipendiorum, et emolumentorum suorum sicut in dividentiis excrescentium, communiis, annona, cæterisque proventibus suis ecclesiasticis indies 5 pervenient. sequestrationem, vel quamcunque aliam congruam et competentem coercionem, puniend. et corrigend. ad probatiores vivendi mores, et canonicum magis officiorum suorum ministerium, modis omnibus, quibus poteritis, reducend. contumaces item et rebelles, si quos inveneritis, 10 cujuscunque fuerint status vel conditionis, tam per censuras ecclesiasticas et alia juris remedia compescend. aliisque jurisdictionem ecclesiasticam durante visitatione vestra in ecclesiis et locis prædictis exercere inhibend. prout inhibemus per præsentes. Insuper chartas regias, 15 indulta, privilegia, immunitates, libros, statuta (si quæ sint) registra, computa, et alia scripta, seu munimenta quæcunque dictarum ecclesiarum, hospitalium, domorum, scholarum, episcoporum, decanorum, capitulorum, canonicorum, præbendariorum, ministrorum, officiariorum præ- 20 dict. fundationem, incorporationem, dotationem, negotia, vel statum quoquomodo tangen. sive concernen. petend. exigend. vobisque proferri et exhiberi mandand. et faciend. ea recipiend. et diligenter examinand. necnon injunctiones et statuta, quæ vobis pro commodiori ordine 25 et gubernatione ecclesiarum, hospitalium, domorum, scholarum, decanorum, capitulorum, canonicorum, præbendariorum, ministrorum, et officiariorum prædict. videbuntur idonea, tam durante visitatione prædicta quam postea condere et edere, eisque nobis propositis, et per 30 nos stabilitis, ea decanis, capitulis, canonicis, præbendariis, ministris, officiariis, atque aliis quibuscunque in eisdem ecclesiis, hospitalibus, domibus, scholis, et locis commorantibus vel ministrantibus, per ipsos et eorum successores observanda, nomine nostro tradend. et auctoritate 35 nostra eis indicend. et injungend. in eorum violatores pœnas infligend. decernend. et ordinationes et consuetudines (si quas inveneritis) eisdem inidoneas tollend. et penitus abolend. et omnia alia, quæ circa præmissa requisita aut necessaria fuerint vel opportuna, faciend. et 5 exequend. vobis, de quorum sinceritate, religione, et doctrina ac morum probitate, et rebus gerendis provida circumspectione, et industria plenius in hac parte confidimus, ex certa scientia et mero motu nostris, ac suprema auctoritate nostra regia vices et auctoritatem 10 nostras, omni appellatione remota, conjunctim et cuilibet et quibuslibet vestrum separatim vel divisim committendo, plenam tenore præsentium damus et committimus potestatem; vosque ac singulos vestrum et quoslibet vestrum separatim vel divisim delegatos et commissarios nostros 15 ad præmissa omnia et singula exequend. nominamus, ordinamus, et deputamus per præsentes, eatenus duratur. donec eisdem supersedend. fore decreverimus; etiamsi hujusmodi sint, quæ specialia magis et expressa verba requirunt. Ac licet ecclesiæ, hospitalia, domus, scholæ, episcopi, decani, capitula, canonici, præbendarii, cæterique ministri et officiarii aut alii in eisdem ecclesiis sive locis sint de patronatu nostro vel de fundatione nostra, vel progenitorum nostrorum, et sint exempta vel nobis immediate subdita, vel non exempta, cum auctoritate proce25 dendi in præmissis summarie et de plano et sine strepitu et figura judicii, solum rei veritate inspecta, æquitate attenta, ac cum cujuslibet legitimæ coercionis potestate; mandantes omnibus et singulis episcopis, decanis, archidiaconis, canonicis, præbendariis, ministris, et officiariis in 3o ecclesiis et locis prædictis, ac aliis in eisdem degentibus, vel minister. exercentibus, necnon omnibus et singulis vicecomitibus, custodibus pacis, constabulariis, ballivis, præpositis, necnon rectoribus ecclesiarum, vicariis, hospitalium et scholarum præfectis, ac clero et populo per 35 totam diœc. et provinciam Cant. constitutis, quod vobis et quibuslibet et cuilibet vestrum in præmissis sint inten 20 dentes, auxiliantes, et obtemperantes in omnibus, prout decet. Nolumus tamen quod vos prædictus episcopus, Nathanael, Thomas, Isaacus, Johannes, Thomas, Richardus, Arthurus, vel Robertus, vel vestrum aliqui in legibus et statutis prælibatis condendis vel edendis statuatis, vel 5 aliquis vestrum statuat vobis præfato archiepiscopo inconsultis. In cujus rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri fecimus patentes. Teste meipso apud Westm. tricesimo primo die Martii, anno regni nostri decimo tertio. CXLV. Archiepisc. Cant. Anno Christi Reg. Angliæ Proceedings and judgments about ecclesiastical courts. IN Ibid. fol. 272. a. N camera stellata coram consilio ibidem 12. die Maii, 10 anno decimo tertio Caroli regis. This day several petitions being read in open court, presented on the behalf of John Bastwick, doctor in physic, Proceedings and judgments] The union that had taken place between the rulers of the church and the supporters of high prerogative, aided 15 and brought to a point by the odium which, in the progress of this combination, the former had inevitably contracted, had now induced the discontented party to direct their attack against what appeared to them to be the most vulnerable part of the constitution, the power and authority of bishops. In Trinity Term 1637, an information was 20 brought before the star-chamber against Bastwick, Prynne and Burton, for publishing seditious, schismatical and libellous books against the hierarchy and the government. The most offensive books published by the first were entitled, " Apologeticus ad præsules Anglicanos" and “The letany of John Bastwicke;" the libel of Prynne was "The news 25 from Ipswich," a severe commentary on the strict discipline then exer and William Pryn gent. defendants, at the suit of his majesty's attorney general, the most reverend father in God, the lord archbishop of Cant. his grace informed the court, that in some of the libellous books and pamphlets 5 lately published, his grace and others the reverend bishops of the realm are said to have usurped upon his majesty's prerogative royal, and to have proceeded in the high commission and other ecclesiastical courts, contrary to the laws and statutes of the realm; about which he prayed the judges might be attended, and they prayed and required by this court to certify their opinion therein. Upon consideration whereof, the court hath ordered, that the two lord chief justices, now present in court, the lord chief baron, and the rest of the judges and barons shall 15 be attended by his majesty's learned council, touching the particulars hereafter ensuing, videlicet, 10 I. Whether process may not issue out of the ecclesiastical courts in the name of the bishops? II. Whether a patent under the great seal be neces20 sary for the keeping of the ecclesiastical courts, and enabling of citations, suspensions, excommunications, and other censures of the church; and whether the citation ought to be in the king's name, and under the seal of arms, and the like for institutions and inductions to bene25 fices, and correction of ecclesiastical offences? cised in the diocese of Norwich; and all of them charged the bishops in coarse and scurrilous language with invading the prerogative, with countenancing profaneness, with despising the holy Scriptures, and promoting popery, superstition and idolatry. On this occasion (June 30 14, 1637.) archbishop Laud made his memorable speech against the charge of " innovation," and summed up his opinions as to the power and authority of bishops in the following words: "Our being bishops by divine right takes nothing from the king's right or power over us. For though our office be from God and Christ immediately, yet may 35 we not exercise that power, either of order or jurisdiction, but as God hath appointed us; that is, not in his majesty's, or any Christian king's kingdoms, but by and under the power of the king, given us so to do." Rushw. vol. iii. App. p. 117. 66 The III. Whether bishops, archdeacons, and other ecclesiastical persons may or ought to keep any visitation at any time, unless they have express commission or patent under the great seal of England to do it, and that as his majesty's visitor only, and in his name and right alone? M. GOAD. Irrotulat. in memorand. scaccarii domini regis nunc Caroli apud Westm. de anno regni sui decimo tertio, videlicet, inter communia de termino sanctæ Trinitatis rot. Ex parte rememoratoris regis. Irrotulat. coram domino rege apud Westm. termino sanctæ Trinitatis, anno regni domini Caroli, nunc regis Angliæ, etc. tertio decimo rot. tertio inter placita regis. Jo. KELLYNGE. Irrotulat. coram justic. de banco termino sanctæ Trinitatis anno regni domini Caroli, nunc regis Angliæ, decimo tertio inter placita rot. lv. 5 IO 15 R. BROWNLOWE. 20 14. Julii M.DC.XXXVII. Fideliter registratur in registro "The bishops before the reformation issued process from their courts in their own names. By the statute i Edw. VI. c. 2. all ecclesiastical jurisdiction is declared to be immediately from the crown; and it is directed that persons exercising it shall use the king's arms in 25 their seal, and no other. This was repealed under Mary; but her act is itself repealed by 1 Jac. I. c. 25. §. 48. This seems to revive the act of Edward; but the question being referred by the star-chamber to the twelve judges, they gave it under their hands that the statute of Edward was repealed, and that the practice of the ecclesiastical courts 30 in this respect was agreeable to law." Hallam, vol. i. p. 503. The measures adopted in the time of archbishop Bancroft (see No. CXXIII.) and now continued by archbishop Laud, for the purpose of extending the authority of ecclesiastical courts at the expense of the |