therby were dryven from their function: but the Kinge replied with derision of their allegacon, and sayd that those weake consciences were such as ought to strengthen others, and in all matters of faction shewed themselves most headstronge, proude and violent. The third point was judged impossible, because ther were not Ministers sufficient to furnishe everie parishe: nor everie parishe able to finde a sufficient minister: and so that point was passed over. For ther last point of Jurisdicon: there desire was that they Bishopps should not execute yt alone by themselves, but joyntly with the Presbiterie of their Brethren the Pastors and Ministers of the Churche. Wherunto the Kinge replied merily sayeinge he would have the Presbitery buried in silence for these 7 yeares, and yf then he grewe idle, lasie, fatt and pursie, I will sett up Presbitery (saith he) to exercise my body and my patience, otherwise yt shall never up for me, and so rest contented for that matter. This is the Truthe and nothinge but the truthe, yf anie contradict this, you maie resist hym. They had a could pull of yt and are utterly foyled. They are greived at nothinge so muche, as the continuance of a Popishe Relique of the Surplice. It is thought they sewe for connivencie in yt behalfe, and rather loose theyr lyvinges, then weare yt, God graunt yt. Puritan Actors in thes Pointes. Dr. Reynolds. Oxon. the principall mouthe and speaker. Dr. Sparke. spake verie sparingly. Dr. Feythe (Feilde) went in with the Puritans, he never spake but once, and that altogether ageinst them. Furthermore Chaderton must conforme, and his irregular colledge to weare the surplice, and receive the communion kneelinge or els be putt owt of yt. The Kinge imposed this by reason of Information, gyven him from the Lord Henry. The Chancellors of both the Universities must send their letters downe, that none shall be admitted without subscription. This is the Triumphe they so longe expected. Dr. Reynolds and his brethren are utterly condempned for silly men. PURITAN ACCOUNTS OF THE HAMPTON COURT CONFERENCE 1 Letter of January 15, 1603. (Barlow, Summe and Substance of the Conference at end of the Edition of 1604.) Sir: I cannot conceale from you, the good successe, which it hath pleased God to sende us, by the Conference, which his Maiestie had with the Bishops at the court. There appeared none but the Bishops which were with the King aboue three houres: Can. Lon. Win. fell downe on their knees, and desired, that all things might remaine, least the Papists should think we haue bene in an error. The King replied, that in 42 yeares corruptions. might creep in. He spake of confirmation, priuate Baptisme, the Crosse, dumbe Ministerie, non residence, the Courtes; which he promised to amend; especially he spake bitterly against priuate Baptisme; sayinge hee had as liue an Ape as a woman should Baptise his childe, and againste Courtes which hee saide he would put downe. The Lo: chiefe Iustice, and the Lo: Cecil, against Excommunications by Laymen. Maister Deane of the Chappell, speaking something to the King in his eare, the Bishop of London, insolently said unto him, Doctor Montague speake out, that we may heare you, and seeke not to crosse us. At their departure, they said, that if the King should use the Ministers in such sort as they were used, they would be too insolent. The King said they were his subiectes, and if hee would not heare them, then they had iust cause to complayne. The Bishops brought foorth many Popish arguments which the King very ernestly answered, and learnedly, more then tenne times calling them Popish arguments. and saide by those reasons, they might prooue Popery. The Bishop of Winchester saide, that if he tooke away priuate Baptisme, he ouerthrew all antiquitie. The Bishop of Peterbrough brought a foolish argument, with much disgrace to himselfe. The Bishops haue taken Wednesday to consider the Kings speech. The Ministers come to the King on Munday at nine of the clocke. Honest People about the Court are comforted. Conformitans hang down their heads, and the bishops men curse the Puritanes. Sic. explicit: 1. dies. II I haue sent you the declaration of the Conference which was in this manner: The firste day the Bishoppes mette before his Maiestie: Bishops of Canterburie, London and Winchester, making earnest sute, that all things might stand as they did, least the Papists should take offence, who might say, we would perswade them to come to a church hauing errors in it: and the Puritans will say, they haue bin persecuted long: The King answered, that the best state would gather corruptions, and that it was no argument for them, to say, they would not be cured of the pox because they had had it 30 yeares: he concluded against absolution, confirmation, priuate Baptisme, the dumbe and scandalous Ministers: pluralities, the Courtes, and the authoritie of Bishoppes by the high Commissioners, etc. The second day the Ministers were conuented before the King, who answered fearefully and modestly. The Bishop of London behaved himselfe insolently, sayinge these are Cartwrightes schollers, scismatikes, breakers of your Maiesties lawes; you may know them by their Turkie gownes, and silke Grogorum: the third day they met all where the King spake much to unitie, that they might ioyne against the Papists: All the three dayes the King behaued himselfe admirable to the beholders, graunting to the Ministers their earnest request, that the Ceremonies of the Crosse in Baptisme, and the Surplisses, reuerent for antiquitie, should not be urged upon the consciences of the Ministers, so that they were peaceable men, and that they should haue time to consider of them; many hundreds being resolued rather to haue lost their places, then to haue yeelded to those superstitions, against which they had Preached. The last day, the Bishop of Cant: was intreated, to be a meanes that the ceremonies might not be pressed: but he answered they had bene urged as necessary, and should be so still. But it pleased God to moue his Maiestie to a more peaceable course: the Bishop of Peterborow came in with his argument about Baptisme, which the King made voide to his great reproach: The King saide many times that the Bishoppes reasons were popish, and that they might establish Poperie by them: it is thought that the King will be shortly in Huntingdonshire. The Lord Chancellor, the Lord Cecil, the Lord Chiefe Iustice, and the Atturnie Generall, must set downe some course for the high Commission and the Spirituall Courts. III Some of the speeches that are bruited upon or after Maister Doctor Reynolds returne to Oxon. concerning the late conference before his Maiestie: I That the Kinges Maiestie did gratifie Maister Doctor Reynolds in euery thing which he proposed: or that Doctor Reynolds obtained and preuailed in euerie thing he did desire. II That if anie man reporte the contrarie, hee doth lye: or that they should giue him the lye, from Maister Doctor Reynolds. III That these thinges now obtained by the reformers were but the beginning of reformation: the greater matters were yet to come. IV That my Lord of Winton stoode mute: and said little or nothing. V That my Lord of London called Doctor Reynolds schismatick indeede: (he thankes him for it) but otherwise said little to purpose. VI That the Kinges Maiestie used the Bishops with very hard words: but imbraced Maister Doctor Reynolds, and used most kind speeches to him. VII That my Lo: of Canterbury or my Lo: of London, falling on his knees, besought his Maiestie to take their cause unto his owne handes, and to make some good end of it: such as might stand with their credite. IV (Harleian MSS. 828, f. 32.) A declaration of the conference had before the kings most excellent Majesty and diuers of his most honorable priuie counsell, to wit: The Lord Chancellor, the Eearle of Nottinhame, the Earle of Deuonshire, the Lord Treasurer, the Lo: Chamberlin, the Lo: Cecill, the Lo: Worcester, Lo: Northampton, the Lo: Chiefe Justice at Kingston (sic) between the ArchBp of Canterbury, B. of London, B. of Winchester, Bishop of Durham, B. of Carlisle, B. of St. Dauies, B. of Chichester, B. of Peterborough, B. of Worcester, B. of Bristowe, with the Deanes of Paules, Westminster, Winsor, Worcester, Winchester, Chester, Christchurch, Sarum, of the Chappell, one the one side, and Doctor Sparkes, Doc. Reynolds, Doctor ffielde, Mr. Chadderton, Mr. Knewstubbes on the other side. Upon thursday the xij of January, 1603, (being the appoynted day of the conference) Came before kinges Majesty at Hampton Court the B. B. abouesayde, at which time his Majesty charged them, as they woold answer at the last day, that they shoold deliuer upon the Saturday following what they thought in their consciences was needfull to be reformed in the churche of God. On Saturday followinge the Bishops being before the King in the privy Chamber, the King's Majesty declared the purpose for which he had called them thither, as is aboue noted. The BBs of Canterbury, London, and Winchester fell down upon their knees, and humbly beseeched his Majesty yt there might not be any alteration of any thing before prescribed and used in the gouernement of the Church and deuine seruice of god in England, alleadging these reasons, first for yt the papists woold take offence that they had bene 40 yeares and more compelled to come to the Churche and to submit themselues to the Religion therein |