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And the next Sunday primate Usher discoursed with the same CHARLES freedom on this subject. This resolution of the bishops prevailed with the government to waive the thoughts of a tolera- Cyprian. Anglic. tion, and pitch upon some other expedient.

P. 206.

Parr's Life

About this time the most learned Lancelot Andrews, bishop of Usher,

28, 29.

Andrews.

of Winchester, departed this life. He was buried at St. The death Saviour's in Southwark, the funeral sermon being preached by of bishop Buckridge, bishop of Rochester. To say something more particularly of him: he was a great orientalist, and thoroughly acquainted with the fathers, and other antiquities of the Christian Church. He was over and above a very exemplary person, had the mien and behaviour of a primitive bishop, and was no less commendable in his life than in his learning. While living, he only published in Latin his apology against cardinal Bellarmine; his "Tortura Torti," and a small tract, entitled, "Determinatio Theologica de Jurejurando exigendo." To these we may add a small volume of sermons in English. As for the book of catechetical doctrine printed without his consent, he expressly disowned it, as being no better than some imperfect collections taken by an unskilful hand from some discourses of his upon the Catechism in Pembroke-hall. But after his death ninety-six of his sermons, collected by Laud, then bishop of London, and Buckridge, bishop of Ely, were published and dedicated to the king in the year 1628. And the next year some other tracts of his in English and Latin were printed by the same prelates.

Cyprian.
Anglic.

Laud's

740.

The deanery of the chapel royal being void by the death of bishop Andrews, Laud was preferred to that station; and here he observed an over-ceremonious custom had prevailed through the late reign. When the king came into his closet to hear Archbishop the sermon in the chapel, it was the custom to break off divine Diary, p. 37. service and sing the anthem, that the preacher might go into the pulpit. This was excessive respect, and looked as if the king came into the house of God to be worshipped. The new dean therefore entreated his majesty to be present at the liturgy, no less than at the sermon; and that at whatever part of the prayers the king came in, the priest who officiated might proceed to the end of the service. The king, without being the least disconcerted, gave his consent, and thanked the bishop for so pious a suggestion. As for the deanery of the

C 2

ABBOT, chapel, though an ancient office, it had been discontinued from the year 1572 to the death of queen Elizabeth.

Abp. Cant.

To return to the loan: notwithstanding the instructions above-mentioned, not a few persons of figure declined contributing this way, and were imprisoned for their refusal. However, several of the clergy did their part with earnestness enough, and some went too far in their commission: for instance, one Dr. Sibthorp, at an assize sermon preached at Northampton, in February last, carried the prerogative to an unwarrantable length, and was too much a court divine. His text was Romans xiii. 7: "Render therefore to all their dues." Sibthorp In this sermon, amongst other exceptionable passages, he preaches up preroga- affirmed, "that as the prince is the head, and makes his tive too high court and council, it is his duty to direct and make laws:" and in proof of the chief magistrate's unlimited power, he cites Eccles. viii. 3, 4: "The king does whatsoever pleases him. And where the word of a king is, there is power, and who may say unto him, what dost thou?" But to argue from Palestine to England, and make the Jewish constitution a standard for all other governments, is slender reasoning, and shews the preacher was very defective, either in his honesty or understanding.

the

"If princes,"

To go on a little further with this sermon. says he, "command any thing which subjects may not perform, because it is against the laws of God, or of nature, or impossible: yet subjects are bound to undergo the punishment, without either resisting or railing, or reviling, and so to yield a passive obedience where they cannot exhibit an active one. I know no other case," continues Sibthorp, "but one of those three wherein a subject can excuse himself with passive obedience; but in all other he is bound to active obedience." This doctrine is arbitrary enough in all conscience; and were it pursued through its consequences, would make Magna Charta, and the other laws for securing property, signify little. However, Sibthorp was by some courtiers commended for his loyalty, and the sermon reported to the king as a serviceable discourse: upon this his majesty sent it to archbishop Abbot, with orders to license it; but Abbot being shocked with the passages above cited, not to mention other exceptions, refused to give it a pass. It was afterwards sent to Laud, who, having

I.

qualified and corrected some crude assertions, approved of the CHARLES rest. Upon this it was licensed by Montaign, bishop of Lon- Rushworth's don, and published under the title of "Apostolical Obedience." Hist. Coll. Cyprian. As for Abbot, the king was much displeased with his re-- Anglic. fusing to license this sermon. It was for this non-compliance, as the lord Conway confessed to him, that he was suspended from his archiepiscopal function. During this suspension, a Rushworth, commission was granted to the bishops of London, Durham, Rochester, Oxford, and Bath and Wells. runs thus:

The instrument

p. 447.

"Charles, by the grace of God, king of England, Scotland, A.D. 1627. France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. To the right reverend father in God, George, bishop of London; and to the right reverend father in God, our trusty and well-beloved counsellor, Richard, lord bishop of Durham; and to the right reverend father in God, John, lord bishop of Rochester; and John, lord bishop of Oxford; to the right reverend father in God our right trusty and wellbeloved counsellor, William, lord bishop of Bath and Wells, greeting:

Abbot sus

"Whereas George, now archbishop of Canterbury, in the Archbishop right of the archbishopric, hath several and distinct archiepis- pended." copal, episcopal, and other spiritual and ecclesiastical powers and jurisdictions to be exercised in the government and discipline of the Church, within the province of Canterbury, in the administration of justice in causes ecclesiastical within that province, which are partly executed by himself in his own person, and partly and more generally by several persons nominated and authorized by him, being learned in the ecclesiastical laws of this realm, in those several places whereunto they are deputed and appointed by the said archbishop; which several places, as we are informed, they severally hold by several grants for their several lives; as, namely, sir Henry Martin, knight, hath and holdeth by the grants of the said archbishop, the offices and places of the dean of the arches, and judge, or master of the prerogative court, for the natural life of the said sir Henry Martin.

"Sir Charles Cæsar, knight, hath and holdeth by grants of

ABBOT, the said archbishop, the places or offices of the judge of the Abp. Cant. audience and master of the faculties, for the term of the natural life of the said sir Charles Cæsar.

741.

"Sir Thomas Ridley, knight, hath and holdeth by the grant of the said archbishop, the place or office of vicar-general to the said archbishop. And Nathaniel Brent, doctor of the laws, hath and holdeth by grant of the said archbishop, the office or place of commissary to the said archbishop, as of his proper and peculiar diocese of Canterbury. And likewise the several registers of the arches, prerogative, audience, faculties, and of the vicar-general and commissary of Canterbury, hold their places by grants from the said archbishop respectively.

"Whereas the said archbishop in some or all of these several places and jurisdictions doth, or may sometimes assume unto his personal and proper judicature, order, or direction, some particular causes, actions, or cases, at his pleasure. And forasmuch as the said archbishop cannot at this present, in his own person, attend the services which are otherwise proper for his cognizance and jurisdiction, and which, as archbishop of Canterbury, he might and ought, in his own person, to have performed and executed in causes and matters ecclesiastical, in the proper function of archbishop of the province; we, therefore, of our regal power, and of our princely care and providence that nothing shall be defective in the orders, discipline, government, or right of the Church, have thought fit, by the service of some other learned and reverend bishops to be named by us, to supply those things which the said archbishop ought or might, in the cases aforesaid, to have done, but for this present cannot perform the same.

"Know ye, therefore, that we, reposing special trust and confidence in your approved wisdoms, learning, and integrity, have nominated, authorized, and appointed, and do by these presents nominate and appoint you the said George, lord bishop of London; Richard, lord bishop of Durham; John, lord bishop of Rochester; John, lord bishop of Oxford; and William, lord bishop of Bath and Wells; or any four, three, or two of you, to do, execute, and perform all and every those acts, matters, and things any way touching or concerning the power, jurisdiction, or authority of the archbishop of Canterbury, in causes or matters ecclesiastical, as amply, fully, and

1

effectually, to all intents and purposes, as the said archbishop CHARLES himself might have done.

"And we do hereby command you, and every of you, to attend, perform, and execute this our royal pleasure, in and touching the premises, until we shall declare our will and pleasure to the contrary.

“And we further hereby will and command the said archbishop of Canterbury, quietly, and without interruption, to permit and suffer you, the said George, bishop of London; Richard, bishop of Durham; John, bishop of Rochester; John, bishop of Oxford; and William, bishop of Bath and Wells; any four, or three, or two of you, to execute and perform this our commission, according to our royal pleasure thereby signified.

"And we do further will and command all and every other person and persons whom it may any way concern in their several places or offices, to be attendant, observant, and obedient to you and every of you, in the execution and performance of this our royal will and command, as they and every of them will answer the contrary at their utmost perils.

"Nevertheless, we do hereby declare our royal pleasure to be, that they the said sir Henry Martin, sir Charles Cæsar, sir Thomas Ridley, and Nathaniel Brent, in their several offices and places aforesaid, and all other registers, officers, and ministers in the several courts, offices, and jurisdictions appertaining to the said archbishop, shall quietly, and without interruption, hold, use, occupy, and enjoy their said offices and places, which they now hold by the grant of the said archbishop, or of any other former archbishop of Canterbury, in such manner and form, and with those benefits, privileges, powers, and authorities, which they now have, hold, and enjoy therein, or thereout severally and respectively, they and every of them in their several places being attendant and obedient unto you the said George, bishop of London; Richard, bishop of Durham; John, bishop of Rochester; John, bishop of Oxford; and William, bishop of Bath and Wells; or to any four, three, or two of you, in all things, according to the tenor of this our commission, as they should or ought to have been to the said archbishop himself, if this commission had not been had or made.

"In witness whereof we have caused these our letters to be

I.