wanted not many, that renewed with no little earnestness the questions before determined, and many more as well about the book of Common Prayer, as other matters of church-government, and importuned us for our assent to many alterations therein; but yet with such success, as 5 when they had heard both our own speeches made unto them at sundry times, shewing the reasons of our former proceedings in those matters, and likewise had had conference with some bishops and other lords of the upper house about the same, they desisted from further prosecu- 10 tion thereof; finding that of all things that might any way tend to the furtherance of religion, and establishment of a ministry fit for the same, we had before with the advice of our council had such consideration, as the present state of things would bear, and taken order how 15 the same should be prosecuted by such means, as might be used without any public disturbance or innovation: and so the end of all their motions and overtures falling out to be none other in substance, than was before at the conference at Hampton court, that is, that no apparent or 20 grounded reason was shewed, why either the book of Common Prayer, or the church discipline here by law established, should be changed, which were unreasonable, considering that particular and personal abuses are remediable otherwise, than by making general alterations; we 25 have thought good once again to give notice thereof to all our subjects by public declaration, who we doubt not but will receive great satisfaction, when they shall understand that after so much impugning, there appeareth no cause, why the form of the service of God, wherein they 30 have been nourished so many years, should be changed; and consequently to admonish them all in general to conform themselves thereunto, without listening to the troublesome spirits of some persons, who never receive contentment, either in civil or ecclesiastical matters, but in 35 their own fantasies, especially of certain ministers, who under pretended zeal of reformation, are the chief authors of divisions and sects among our people. Of many of which, we hope that now, when they shall see that such things, as they have proposed for alteration, prove upon 5 trial so weakly grounded, as deserve not admittance, they will out of their own judgment conform themselves to better advice, and not omit the principal and substantial parts of their duties, for shadows and semblances of zeal, but rather bend their strength with our intent to join in Io one end, that is the establishing of the gospel, and recovering of our people seduced out of the hands of the common adversaries of our religion, which shall never be well performed but by an uniformity of our endeavours therein. But if our hope herein fail us, we must adver15 tise them, that our duty towards God requireth at our hands, that what untractable men do not perform upon admonition, they must be compelled unto by authority; whereof the supreme power resting in our hands, by God's ordinance, we are bound to use the same in nothing more, than in preservation of the church's tranquillity, which by God's grace we are fully purposed to do. And yet by advice of our council, and opinion of the bishops, although our former proclamations, both before the conference and since, ought to be a sufficient warning 25 and admonition to all men who are within the danger of them, we have thought good to give time to all ministers disobedient to the orders of the church, and to ecclesiastical authority here by law established, and who for such disobedience, either in the days of the queen our sister of 30 famous memory deceased, or since our reign have incurred any censures of the church, or penalties of laws, until the last of November now next ensuing, to bethink themselves of the course they will hold therein. 20 35 In which mean time both they may resolve either to conform themselves to the church of England, and obey the same, or else to dispose of themselves and their families some other ways, as to them shall seem meet: and the bishops and others whom it concerneth, provide meet persons to be substitutes in the place of those, who shall wilfully abandon their charges upon so slight causes; assuring them, that after that day, we shall not fail to do 5 that, which princely providence requireth at our hands; that is, to put in execution all ways and means that may take from among our people all grounds and occasions of sects, divisions and unquietness: whereof as we wish there may never be occasion given us to make proof, but 10 that this our admonition may have equal force in all men's hearts, to work an universal conformity; so we do require all archbishops, bishops, and other ecclesiastical persons, to do their uttermost endeavours by conferences, arguments, persuasions, and by all other ways of love and 15 gentleness to reclaim all that be in the ministry, to the obedience of our church laws: for which purpose only we have enlarged the time formerly prefixed for their remove or reformation, to the end that if it be possible, that uniformity, which we desire, may be wrought by clemency 20 and by weight of reason, and not by rigour of law. And the like advertisement do we give to all civil magistrates, gentlemen, and others of understanding, as well abroad in the counties, as in cities and towns, requiring them also, not in any sort to support, favour, or countenance, any 25 such factious ministers in their obstinacy; of whose endeavours we doubt not but so good success may follow, as this our admonition, with their endeavours, may prevent the use of any other means to retain our people in their due obedience to us, and in unity of mind, to the 30 service of Almighty God. Given at our manor of Otelands the 16th day of July, in the second year of our reign of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the seven and thirtieth, anno Domini MDCIV. 35 CXXI. Sede Cant. vacante. Anno Christi Reg. Angliæ The king's letter to the bishop of London about translating the Bible.-Reg. III. Whitgift, fol. 155. AFTER my hearty commendations unto your lordship. I have received letters from his most excellent majesty, the tenor whereof followeth: Right trusty and wellbeloved, we greet you well. Whereas we have appointed 5 certain learned men, to the number of four and fifty, for the translating of the Bible, and that in this number, divers of them have either no ecclesiastical preferment at all, or else so very small, as the same is far unmeet for The king's letter] The determination to make a new translation of the 10 Bible grew out of the proceedings at Hampton Court, in the 2nd day's conference; when Dr. Reynolds proposed it, alleging that "those translations which were allowed in the reigns of king Henry VIII. and Edward VI. were corrupt and not answerable to the truth of the original." It appears from what passed at the time, that the bishops did 15 not think it desirable to engage in such an undertaking; and from the 80th canon, which was adopted in the ensuing convocation, enjoining that the Bishops' Bible should be provided for all parish churches, it may be inferred that they did not expect the undertaking to be carried so promptly into execution. But the king had not only expressed himself 20 in favour of it, and with much shew of learning, when it was first proposed, but had also stated at the same time his general views as to the plan on which it was to be conducted. He accordingly took the proper means for carrying it into effect, and all his proceedings connected with this matter display great knowledge and judgment. The transla25 tion appears to have been delayed by the death of one of its principal conductors, and was not actually published till the year 1611. See No. CXXIV. Lewis, Hist. of Transl. p. 306. Todd's Vindication. Barlow's Conference, 2nd day. Wood's Ann. an. 1604. Strype, Whitg. vol. ii. p. 527. men of their deserts, and yet we of ourself in any convenient time cannot well remedy it; therefore we do hereby require you, that presently you write in our name as well to the archbishop of York, as to the rest of the bishops of the province of Cant. signifying unto them, that we do 5 will, and straitly charge every one of them, as also the other bishops of the province of York, as they tender our good favour towards them, that (all excuses set apart) when any prebend or parsonage, being rated in our book of taxations, the prebend to twenty pound at the least, 10 and the parsonage to the like sum and upwards, shall next upon any occasion happen to be void, and to be either of their patronage and gift, or the like parsonage so void to be of the patronage and gift of any person whatsoever, they do make stay thereof, and admit none 15 unto it, until certifying us of the avoidance of it, and of the name of the patron (if it be not of their own gift) we may commend for the same some such of the learned men, as we shall think fit to be preferred unto it; not doubting of the bishop's readiness to satisfy us herein, or 20 that any of the laity, when we shall in time move them to so good and religious an act, will be unwilling to give us the like due contentment and satisfaction; we ourselves having taken the same order for such prebends and benefices as shall be void in our gift. What we 25 write to you of others, you must apply it to yourself, as also not forget to move the said archbishop and all the bishops, with their deans and chapters of both provinces, as touching the other point to be imparted otherwise by you unto them. Furthermore we require you, to move 30 all our bishops to inform themselves of all such learned men within their several dioceses, as having especial skill in the Hebrew and Greek tongues, have taken pains, in their private studies of the scriptures, for the clearing of any obscurities either in the Hebrew or in the Greek, or 35 touching any difficulties or mistakings in the former |