entituled; An Act to restrain the Queen's Majesty's Subjects in their due obedience. LE 69 ET the Reader now confider with what Contagion, and Leprofy, many poor Souls had like to have been infected through the divul ging of their wicked Libels, and dangerous Pofitions, tending to Innovation and Rebellion, had not the ftroke of Juftice, and providence of the State, wifely prevented the fame; felecting as out of an hundred thousand feditious Mutineers (for, fo many they confessed Only four Per were ready for that purpose) only four fons profecuted Perfons, as the chief Ring-leaders, of a very great whole lot it was to be proceeded withal, for the quenching of the fiery outrage of the reft, kindled already to the like Great Troubles Attempts, as thofe in Germany of the in Germany; Cabinet-teachers, and Reformers, both just cause of fears here at Mulhufin, and Munster in Weftphalia: from like Prin- Which Seditions could not be appealed, ciples and Pre- till Fifty thousand of them were killed, and cut in pieces by the united Forces of most of the Princes of the Empire: And though fome, not of the greatest forefight, may think that the fear which our Archbishop conceived of Dangers. to enfue out of thefe Sectaries Attempts, Number. tences of Reformation. was 8 was far greater than there was just cause, yet the Examples of thofe foreign Pretenders of like Reformation as is aforefaid, compared with thefe our Reformers Designs, taught him not to be without fear, or care, for preventing thefe dangerous Events at home. For all their Intendiments forted to one end, viz. Reformation, and to be brought to pafs by one and the felf-fame means; viz. by commotion of the unbridled multitude. 6: Affemblies to 70. For was it not in their Affemblies The Discipline Claffical and Synodical concluded, "That decreed in their "the Difcipline fhould, within a time be put in Pralimited, be put in practice, and erect, &c. "ed all in one day by the Minifters together with the People? whom these Disciplinarians bragged to be already "enflamed with Zeal to lend fo many "thousand hands, for the advancement "of their Cause, by whom they hoped, "and faid, fuch Reformation must be "brought in: And how, I pray you, "did they incenfe the common People, σε not only in their private Conventicles, "(decreeing that the Queen's Authori- The Queen's ty ought to be reftrained in Caufes Authority Ec"Ecclefiaftical) but in their publick be restrain'd, clefiaftical to "Sermons, and Exhortations; alienaE 4 "ting "ting the hearts of their Auditors from "all obedience of the Ecclefiaftical Magiftrates? As namely Mafter Cartwright, who faith, That no obedience Seditious Do- 66 ought to be given unto them,either in doing that which they command, or Cartwright's Arines. charitable abstaining from that which they pro"hibit: And that it should not be law"ful for any one of the Brother-hood to "take an Oath, whereby he may difco"ver any thing prejudicial to himself, or his Brother, efpecially if he be per"fuaded the matter to be lawful, for "which the punishment is like to be "inflicted; or, having taken it, he "need not difcover the very truth. "And in his Prayer before his Sermons, Cartwright's "he ufed thus to fay; Because they Prayer for the (meaning the Bishops) which ought to "be Pillars in the Church, do band themfelves against Chrift, and his Truth, "therefore, O Lord, give us grace and power, all, as one man, to fet our felvés against them. Which words, by way "of Emphafis, he would often repeat. "And how, I pray you, doth Penry, with Plagues. in his Supplication to the Parliament, "incite both the Lords and Commons, "threatning them with Plagues, and Bloodshed, if they gathered not Cou Bishops, in his Penry's Sup- ning them rage, $ rage, and Zeal? And withal, fcoffing at their unwillingness hitherto "for difturbing of the State, forfooth, C. to set upon the Hierarchy of the Bi"fhops; telling them, if they refused "fo to do, they fhould declare unto "their Children, That God had raifed up but a company of White-livered Soldiers to teach them the Gospel in the fincerity ❝ under Queen Elizabeth. And doth not Udall threaten that the Presbytery Udall's "shall prevail, and come in by that Threats gainst the Re gc way, and means, as fhall make all fifters of the "their hearts to ake, that shall with. Presbytery: "ftand or hinder the fame? . 71. And when, I pray you, were These Stirs fet thefe Claffical Affemblies, and thefe Se- on foot at the time of the ditious Stirs, and Hurli-burlies of Mar- Spanish Inva timifts, and that Reforming Sect put fion, 1588. in practice? In the Year 1588. at that time, when the Invincible Spanish Navy (as fome vainly termed it) was upon our Coasts, and fhould have invaded us; albeit it was by the gracious Providence of our Omnipotent God, prevented, and their Ships fo difperfed, as that no Enemy was able to put foot on English Shore, but as a Prifoner or Captive. At which time, as the Care of her Majefty, for the preparation of Forces The ArchbiShop's preparation for Defence of his Prince and Forces to encounter and refift them, was very great; fo might her Grief alfo be, to behold a difcord and diffention of her own Subjects within her Realm. The Archbishop alfo himself had not the meaneft part to perform in fo great and weighty an Action; when the whole Forces of the Clergy, not only within his particular Diocefs, but through his Clergy of his whole Province, were committed unto his care, and charge, to have in readinefs, befides his own Family, and Tenants, which were by him gathered together, and all prepared, muftered and trained for defence of Prince and Country. The whole Province Armed. the Puritan Party. 72. Now, of the aforefaid Stirs, and Seditious Attempts of fundry Perfons in this our Archbishop's time, that MaCartwright fter Cartwright was the Fountain, and the Head of principal Author, it may appear by fundry Paffages, and alfo by the Opinion and Dependencies which all the Fore-named had upon him, especially in their Proceedings; as their Conferences, and Conventicles do fufficiently declare, which are extant in the Records of the Star-chamber; whence I have taken my chiefeft Inftructions in this behalf. The recourfe of Hacket, Cop |