LAUD, troversy, and furnished with abilities to defend the Church,Abp. Cant. and he offered to produce a list of those dignitaries who had signalized themselves this way;-that the taking away these encouragements would disserve the commonwealth of learning, and dishearten young students; that the bare prospect of this misfortune had occasioned slender admissions in the universities already, and struck a damp into the booksellers' business; and, lastly, he took notice there was something remarkable in the buildings themselves, and that cathedrals were the most ancient monuments of Christianity.

De Schism.
Anglic.

"From things he passed on to persons, and observed that the maintenance of many thousand persons depended upon this establishment; that all these, by the dissolution of deaneries and chapters, must be reduced to starving. His next instance was, how much the tenants to deans and chapters would suffer by such alienations; and that these men, being sensible of the advantage of their tenures, had petitioned the house that their old landlords might be continued. Lastly, he suggested that the towns where these cathedrals stood, being many of them but slenderly furnished with trade, were enriched by the hospitality of the clergy, and the frequent resort of strangers.

"From hence he proceeded to urge, that the endowments of deaneries and chapters were a handsome provision for many younger brothers, and encouraged to industry and learning.

"And since it was remarked by travellers, that all degrees of the English laity lived more to plenty and fashion than in other countries, he hoped the clergy might be allowed a share in the common advantage, and not be distinguished in poverty and disregard, and be made like Jeroboam's priests, the lowest of the people.'

"That the bigoted Papists would be much pleased to see the Church of England thus disfurnished; and that Saunders himself seems to complain, that queen Elizabeth had left these cathedral promotions standing in the Reformation.

"From hence he advanced to show, that the lands belonging to these foundations were particularly serviceable to the public; and that their first-fruits, tenths, and subsidies, exceeded the proportion of other estates; and that, in case they were called upon, they were ready to contribute to the necessities of the State, and assist their country in an extraordinary manner.

"And, to conclude, he put them in mind that the interest of

I.

religion and the honour of God were deeply concerned in the CHARLES subject before them; that those structures and estates were a sort of homage paid to Heaven, and consecrated to divine worship; and that, for this reason, they were guarded against alienation with most dreadful imprecations. He observed, that the censers of Corah and his faction were declared 'hallowed,' and made plates for the altar, because they had been employed in God's service: neither was the wickedness of the men a sufficient reason for bringing what they had consecrated to common use. And that this was no Levitical particularity, might be collected from the text in the Proverbs: That it is a snare to the man who devours that which is holy.' To this Prov. xx. 25. he added that remarkable question put by St. Paul: Thou Rom. ii. that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? He con- May 12, cluded, that nothing but ignorance could be expected from A.D. 1641. withdrawing the encouragements of learning; and that ignorance would carry us to profaneness and confusion."

This speech, being thus significant in the sense, and handsomely delivered, made an impression upon the house insomuch, that had the alienation of those lands been then put to the question, it is thought it would have gone in the negative by a majority of one hundred and twenty.

Fuller's
Ch. Hist.

a Burges

speaks on

the other

side.

In the afternoon, Dr. Cornelius Burges appeared at the bar book 11. of the house of commons for the Puritan party, and made violent invective against deans and chapters, endeavoured to set forth the unprofitableness of their corporations, and dilated upon the immorality of those who sung in the choirs. But, notwithstanding all this satire, he declared himself strongly against alienating these endowments to secular use and private advantage.

A petition to the same sense, in favour of deans and chapters, Rushworth, was presented to the parliament by both universities.

part 3.

Dr. Hacket's argument being supported by addresses from the universities, there was a warm debate in the house: the episcopal party alleging, that, by the late protestation, they had engaged themselves to defend the Church as by law established. This motion brought the house to a further explanation of the protestation; and the point being put to the question, it was carried by a considerable majority, that, by The prothese words," the true reformed Protestant religion expressed plained. in the doctrine of the Church of England against popery and

testation ex

LAUD, popish innovations in this realm,"-by these words, the house Abp. Cant. declared, "that they only intended to comprehend the public

doctrine professed in the said Church; and that the said words are not to be extended to any form of worship, disRushworth's cipline, or government, nor of rites or ceremonies."

Hist. Coll.

vol. 3. P. 273.

To proceed a bill was brought up from the commons to the lords, against bishops and clergymen, which, consisting of several branches, was voted by parts. The branches were,— 1. That they should have no votes in parliament.

2. That they should not be in commission of the peace, nor judges in temporal courts.

3. That they should neither sit in the Star-chamber nor be privy-councillors.

Williams, archbishop of York, made a long and learned speech against all the parts of this bill particularly, as to the latter heads, he endeavoured to prove the clergy's being concerned in temporal affairs was both lawful and serviceable to the public, and supported his argument with good reasoning and authority. But, having had occasion to treat this subject Supplement in both the volumes of this history, I shall omit the archDictionary, bishop's discourse. The reader, if he pleases, may see the article abstract of it in another performance.

to Moreri's

Williams.

This viscount was afterwards earl of Kingston. May 21. May 24.

The viscount Newark's speech in

defence of

However, the viscount Newark's two speeches in the house upon this occasion must not be altogether unmentioned.

In his first speech, this noble lord argues against the bishops

being deprived of their votes in parliament.

In the first place, he takes notice of their being possessed of this privilege for many hundred years. He "does not think the bishops their assisting in parliament any inconsistency with their and clergy. office; but that they have time enough to serve their country in the legislature, and discharge their spiritual employments." And for this he appeals to experience.

804.

From hence he proceeds to the ill consequences of the bill. He conceives, "dangers and inconveniences are best prevented at a distance; that this precedent, though it strikes directly upon the bishops, may reach the temporal lords at the rebound. For what right and dignity is secure, if bare affirmation passes for proof? And what lord can be assured of continuing a member of the house, when six-and-twenty are thus unexpectedly struck off together."

He desires their lordships "to recollect in what condition of

I.

disadvantage the bishops must be left, if the bill passes. The CHARLES meanest commoner is represented in the lower house, but the bishops will be thrown out of this common benefit. Now, what justice can tie them to the keeping those laws, to the making of which they never gave any consent?"

He desires their lordships to consider, "that, by proceeding in this manner, the Church must suffer in her principal members, and lose the honour she has enjoyed for so many ages through all Christendom: and that even the heathen, whether polished or barbarous, have always paid a great regard to religion, so that this universal practice seems founded upon the principles of common reason and nature itself.”

His second speech refers to that part of the bill which strikes out the clergy from intermeddling with temporal affairs. And here his lordship observes, "that the lawfulness of the clergy's concerning themselves this way is plainly asserted in the bill for the universities, and such persons as shall have honour descend upon them, are excepted in this restraint. Now, circumstances and chance cannot alter the nature of things, nor weaken the force of an universal proposition." He takes it for granted, that, by the English constitution, the bishops and clergy have a right to engage in secular business; and secondly, that the law of God, at the lowest, leaves this matter at liberty. From hence he goes on to argue briefly from four topics: first, he considers the clergy only as men; secondly, as parts of the commonwealth; thirdly, he reasons from the best manner of the legislature; and, lastly, from the practice of all times and religions.

Under the first head his lordship conceives, "that those who were farthest improved are best qualified for public service for knowledge and conscience often go together; whereas ignorance has seldom any force of principle, or anything for precept to take hold of. Now, why should we throw people out of that capacity they are bred and born to, and bar them an employment they are so well prepared for?

"The body politic," as he continues, "has some resemblance to the body natural: every part contributes something to the benefit of the whole. Now to be part of a body, and perform no function, is to serve no purpose. To make this reasoning bear, he argues that the commonwealth subsists by the legislative and the executing part. Those, therefore, who have

LAUD, neither head in the making, nor hand in the executing the Abp. Cant. laws, can be looked upon as no better than persons insignificant to the constitution."

2 Tim. ii.

This lord having repeated somewhat in his former speech, proceeds to answer objections.

"1. As to the text, That no man that wars entangleth himself with the affairs of this life.' This makes nothing against the clergy, except it can be proved that meddling and entangling are words of the same force and meaning. Besides, though the apostle writes to an ecclesiastic, the advice reaches the laity no less than the clergy, as is unanimously agreed by the best expositors.

2. It was by some objected, that engaging in temporal affairs was inconsistent with the spiritual office. To this his lordship replies, "That grace in many cases agrees with nature, carries it to a higher improvement, and fits it for those great functions of Providence, making laws, and doing justice. It is plain, therefore, there is nothing resulting from a solemn character which can any way disable a man from these things."

:

But notwithstanding there is no strict inconsistency, it is possible such engagements may be a clog upon a holy calling. To be better prepared for this objection, "he declares strongly for preaching; but thinks there is not the same necessity for such instruction as there was in the primitive times for God forbid that sixteen hundred years of Christianity should make us no better acquainted with the Gospel. He observes, further, that the business of a churchman does not consist wholly in preaching; that they are not altogether without leisure for serving the public; that the bishops are seldom called to parliament above once in three years; and which way can they be better employed than in appearing at such solemn assemblies, and promoting the joint interest of Church and State?" And here his lordship cites a testimony from Eusebius, that Constantine the Great had bishops in his camp, and conEuseb. Vit. sulted them in military affairs.

Constant. lib. 4.

cap. 56.

"And whereas it is said, rewards have a great stress in business, and that bishops may be tempted by such motives to give their conscience a loose. Granting all this, does not this exception come with equal force against the laity? Are ecclesiastics the only persons of flexible tempers and unguarded