intercide for the rest of the brethren of the ministeric, propone their griefe vnto his highnesse and estates and receiue his Maiesties fauourable aunswere therin. The which forme doth preserue a godly quietnes, vnitie, concorde, and peace in the estate, and an vniforme order in the church; as, contrariwise, the pretended equalitie deuideth, the same, and, vnder the pretence of equality, maketh some of the most crafty and subtill dealers to be aduaunced and enriched; and, in pretending of paritie, to seeke nothing but their own ambition, and aduancement aboue the rest of the simple sort. And, notwithstanding that his Maiestie hath restablished the saide estate, it is not his highnesse wil and intent, that the foresaide bishop shall have such full power, as to do within his diocesse what he pleaseth: for, as his Maiestie cannot allow of any popular confusion, wherein, as the prouerbe saith, Nulla tyrannis æquiparanda est tyrannidi multitudinis. That is no tyranny can be compared to the tyranny of a multitude, hauing commaundement and power in his bands; so, on the other part, his Maiesties wil is, that the bishops authoritie, in any graue matter, be limited to the councell of thirteen of the most auncient, wise, and godly pastors of his diocesse, selected out of the whole synodall assemblie of the province; by whose aduise, or at least the most part therof, the weightie affaires of the church may be gouerned, to the glory of God, and quietnes of the realme. Further, it is his highnesse wil and commaundement, that their bishops or commissioners, twise in the yeere, to wit, ten dayes after Easter, and the sixth of September, hold their synodall assemblies, in euerie diocesse, for the keeping of good order therin. And, if any be stubborne, or contemne within their bounds the good order of the church, that it may be declared vnto his Maiestie, and punished, to the example of others, according to their deseruings, Neither is it his Maiesties meaning or intent, that such bishops or commissioners, as shall be appointed, shall receiue their onely and full commission of his Maiestie, without admission ordinary, by such as are appointed to that effect in the church; but hauing his highnesse nomination, presentation, and commendation, as lawfull and onely patron, they to be tried and examined, that their qualities are such as thei are able to discharge their cure and office: and if it shall happen any of the said bishops, or commissioners, to be negligent in their office, or to be slanderous and offensiue in their behauiour, life and maners, in tyme to come; it is not his highnesse wil, that they shalbe exempted from correction, notwithstanding any priuilege of his highnesse estate, counsell, or parliament, but their labors, trauels, diligence, and behauiour, to be tried in the generall assemblie, not consisting of a confused multitude, as it was before, but of such worshipfull persons, as is heretofore prescribed, in his highnesse presence, or his deputies to that effect. Lastly, his Maiestie giueth commission to the saide bishops, or commissioners, at their visitations, to consider in what part of the countrey, the exercise, or interpretation of the scripture, by conference of a certaine number of the ministerie within those bounds, may be most commodiously once in euery fifteen days. For, as his Maiestie inhibits all unlawfull meetings, that may ingender trouble and contention in the countrey, so his Maiestie is well affected

to see the ministerie increase in knowledge and vnderstanding, and by all meanes to fortifie and aduance the same. Wherein his highnesse commaundement is, that a graue, wise, and sage man shalbe appointed president, who may haue the ouersight of these bounds, and be answerable therefore to the bishop, his counsell and synode, and he to be respected reasonably for his paines, at the modification of stipends; that all things may be orderly done in the church, peace and quietnes mainteined in the realme, and we delyuered from appa rant plagues, and the blessing of God continued, to the comfort of our posteritic, And in the meane time his highnesse inhibits and expresly forbids, vnder the paines conteined in his Maiesties actes of parliament, and all other paines arbitral, at his Maiesties sight and counsell, that no ministers take in hand to assemble themselues for the foresaide cause, without the appointment and order taken by the saide bishops or commissioners; wherby his highnesse may be certeinly enformed, that the foresaide ministers assemble not, to meddle with any ciuill matters, or affaires of estate, as was accustomed before, but onely to profit in the knowledge of the word, and to be comforted one by another in the administration of their spiritual office; which his highnesse wisheth them faythfully to discharge, and then to call to God, that his Maiestie may in a prosperous reigne enjoy good and long life, and continue and increase into the feare of the Almightie.

The Kings Maiesties Intention.

HIS Maiesties intention is, by the grace of God, to mainteine the true and sincere profession of the gospell, and preaching thereof, within this realme.

2. His Maiesties intention is, to correct and punishe such as seditiously abuse the trueth, and factiously apply or rather bewray the text of the scripture, to the disquieting of the estate, and disturbing of the commonwealth, or impayring of his highnesse and counsells honour.

3. His Maiesties intention is, if any question of faith and doctrine arise, to conuocate the most learned, godly, wise, and experimented pastors, that by conference of scriptures the veritie may be tryed, and all heresie and schisme by that means repressed,

4. His Maiesties intention is, that, for the keeping of good order in euerie parish, certeine ouerseers to the good behauiours of the rest be appointed at the visitation of the bishop, or visitour, who shal haue his Maiesties authoritie, and officers of armes concurring, for the pu pishment of vice,

5, His Maiesties intention is, to mainteine the exercise of prophesie, for the increase and continuing of knowledge amongst the ministerie in which a wise and graue man, selected by the bishop, or commissioner, at the synodall assemblie, shall render an account of the administration of those bounds, where the exercise is holden; for which

cause, some respect of liuing shal be had vnto him who sustaines that burthen.

6. His Maiesties intention is, not to derogate vnto the ordinarye iudgement of matters of the church, by the ordinary bishops, their councells, and synods; but, if any of them do amisse, and abuse their calling, to take order for correcting, amending, and punishing thereof. 7. His Maiesties intention is, not to hinder or stay any godly or solide order, grounded vppon the worde of God, and order of the pri mitiue church; but that the ministers of the word meddle themselues onely with their owne calling, and iudge not fearfully of the estate.

s. It is his Maiesties intention, that the presbyteries consisting of many ministers and gentlemen, at Landwart or other waise, be no further tollerate in this his realme; but the exercise of iurisdiction of all churches, to be in the hands of the bishop or commissioner, and their councells and synods,

9. It is his Maiesties intention, that the bishops or commissioners assemble not any generall assemblie out of the whole realme, without his Maiesties knowledge and licence obteined thereunto; which, upon supplication his highnesse will not denie: that an uniforme order may be obserued in the whole realme, and the bishops and their diligences there tryed and examined, and the complaints of euery perticular heard and discussed.

10. It is his Maiesties intention to assist this assemblie himself, or by a nobleman of his counsaile, his highnesse deputie.

11. It is his Maiesties intention, that, when any parish findeth necessitie of any fast, they enform the occasion to the bishop or com. missioner, their counsaile, that they may vnderstand the cause to be lawfull; as lykewise the bishop of the diocesse, finding lawfull occasion, may, within the same, with his counsaile, prescribe any publike humiliation.

12. It is his Maiestics intention, that a generall fast throughout the whole realm shall not be proclaimed but by his Maiesties commaundement, or by a generall counsaile, wherin his Maiestie, or his highnesse deputy, is present,

13. It is his Highnesse intention, that the bishops in the realme in euery diocesse, with their counsaile, proceede into the ecclesiasticall gouernment; but, as is saide, with a counsajle, that both tyranny and confusion may be avoided in the church,

14. It is his Highnesse intention, that commissioners be directed vniuersally throughout the whole realme to establish a godly order, and that his Maiesties commissioners take order presently for the translation of such ministers, whose trauels they esteeme may more conueniently and profitably serue in another place,

END OF VOL. I.