THE ANTIPATHIE OF THE ENGLISH LORDLY PRELACIE , BOTH TO REGALL MONARCHY , AND CIVILL UNITY : OR , An Historicall collection of the severall execrable Treasons , Conspiracies , Rebellions , Seditions , State-schismes , Contumacies , oppressions , & Anti-monarchicall practices , of our English , Brittish , French , Scottish , & Irish Lordly Prelates , against our Kings , Kingdomes , Laws , Liberties ; and of the severall Warres , and Civill Dissentions occasioned by them in , or against our Realm , in former and latter ages .

Together with the Judgement of our owne ancient Writers , & most judicious Authors , touching the pretended Divine Jurisdiction , the Calling , Lordlinesse , Temporalties , Wealth , Secular imployments , Trayterous practises , unprofitablenesse , and mischievousnesse of Lordly Prelates , both to King State , Church ; with an Answer to the chiefe Objections made for the Divinity , or continuance of their Lordly Function .

The first Part.

By WILLIAM PRYNNE , late ( and now againe ) an Utter-Barester of Lincolnes Inne .

LONDON , Printed by Authority for Michael Sparke senior . An. 1641.

IT is a received principle in Law , (a) (a) H. 3. H. 7.10 C●r●ne . 55. S●●nford . Pl●●● del Coro●● , f. 3. ● . 40.44 that there are no Accessories in Treason ; whence to conceale a Notorious Traytor , is really to be one . The consideration of the Capitalnesse of such a Concealement in these proditorious times , and the discharge of my bounden Duty to my Soveraigne Lord the King , this Church and Kingdome , ( of which I am a true , though unworthy member ; ) and to this Honourable Court ( to whose impartiall Iustice , next under God I owe the fruition of my present Liberty , my Native Soyle , and Quondam Profession of the Law ) hath induced me by way of Gratitude , to present your Honours with this large Discovery , not of one or two , but of an whole Tribe and succession of nota●le Arch-Traytors , Rebels , Conspirators , and des●erate Enemies to our Kings , Kingdomes , Lawes , Liberties , ( to say nothing of our Church and Religion ) masked under the innocent disguise of an Episcopall whi●e Rotchet , and the specious much abused Title of , The Church ; which our Prelates have monopolized to themselves , the better to palliate their mischievous designes , and boulster out their vil●anies ; when as ( if we beleeve either our learned Martyr , (b) (b) An answere to sir T●omas Moores Dialogue , what the Church is in his workes . p. 250. Master William Tyndall , or (c) (c) The true difference between Christian Subjection & unchristian Rebellion . p. 124. Bishop Bilson himselfe ) The Church is ne●e● taken in the new nor old Testament , for the Bishops or Priests alone , but generally for the whole Congregation of the faithfull ; and oft times for the (d) (d) Acts 14.23 . c. 20 28. 1 Cor. 14.4.5.12 . 1 Tim. 3.5 . ●5 . Sed & ubitres Ecclesa ●st licet laici . Te●tul . Exhort , ad Cast. p. 179● people alone , without the Priest or Minister ; which is worthy your observation , and will utterly subvert one principall Pillar of our Prelates suppo●t .

I could not but conjecture , that this Antipathy , would be very distastfull to our Lordly Prelates ; ( the Malefactors ) whose long-concealed Treasons , Conspiracies & seditious practises it lays open to your publick view and justice ; so that I can expect nothing but such extreame Malignity , opposition and Calumnies from them and their confederates , as might in some sort have deterred me from divulging it . Yet , when I considered that the detectiō of grosse Traytors & Conspirators , hath bin ever reputed , not only an inoffensive , but acceptable and meritorious service both to Kings and States in al other persons , and that I have no cause to doubt , but that it will receive the selfe-same benigne interpretation in me , especially from your Honours , ( by some of whose earn●st desires , and ●peciall approbations I committed these Historicall Colections to the Presse ) I could not but with all alacrity proceede on in this service , for the Common good , to the which I have beene the more incouraged by a Divine Providence .

For being a Prisoner in the Tower of London , stript of my Profession and all other imployments by some Prelates undemerited malice , considering with my selfe , how I might there passe my solitary houres in the usefullest manner , for the publicke benefit of this Church and Kingdome ; it pleased God among other subjects , to pitch my thoughts upon a Collection of the severall Treasons , Rebellions , Warres , Seditions , and Anti-monarchicall Practises of Lordly Prelats of all Countries and ages ( especially of our owne English Bishops ) which I found scattered in Histories : wherupon ( taking my hint from the Title of a now-non-extant Booke , written by one Thomas Gybson a Physitian in King Edward the 6. his dayes , stiled Proditiones Praelatorum a Conquestu , seene by our laborious Iohn Bale and mentioned in his * * C●nt●r . 9. Scr●pt . Brit. p. 719. Centuries ( which booke it seemes the Prelates since suppressed ) I gathered with no facil labour , the most of those Materials I here present unto your Honours , and Marshalled them into distinct files , with an intention to make them publick , so soone as a seasonable opportunity should present it selfe . But the * * See a new Discovery of the Prela●es Tyranny . Arch Prelate of Canterbury not long after , persecuting me afresh in the Starcham●er without any just occasion , procured me there , not onely to bee most inhumanely censured , but likewise to be sent thence close prisoner , first to Carnarvan , then to Mount-Orguile Castle in the Isle of Iersie , and there cloystred up so narrowly that I could neither have the use of pen , inke , paper , writings nor Bookes to benefit my selfe or others ; and withall searching both my Chamber and friends houses sundry times by his Pursevants , seized on all my bookes and Papers he could meete with . But these Collections escaping his clutches , fell into the hands of another persecuted Gentleman , who without my privity carried them beyond the Seas , where they were preserved till after my late returne from Exile ( by the justice of this Honourable House , ) and not many moneths since , ( when I gave them over as lost ) were unexpectedly returned to my hands in safety , whiles the businesse of Episcopacy was in agitation before your Eminencies ; which speciall Providence , put me in minde of that speech of Morde●ay to Ester , * * Est●r . 4.14 . Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdome for such a time as this ? and made me strongly apprehend , that God had restored me to Liberty , and these Collections to my hands , for such a time as this , ( which blessed be our good God we now live to see , ) wherein our domineering Prelates lewde practises and Conspiracies against our Religion , Lawes , Liberties , Lives , Soules , and Estates , are not onely detected , but questioned ; and some of the Potentest and pestilentest of them , charged with no lesse than High Treason , and other most grosse Misdemeanors , in , and by your Honorable Assembly ; which have rendred them so generally detestable to the whole Kingdome , that divers Petitions have beene presented to your Honours , both by Ministers and People out of many entire Countries , for their utter extirpation ; which long efflagitated difficult worke , ( which your Honours have now set upon ) I conceive the publishing of this Antipathy , will much facilitate and advance , being thus specially preserved , and reserved by Gods Providence , for such a time as this .

The principall motives which originally induced me to undertake this worke , were the very same which have now perswaded me to publish it .

First , an unfeined desire to dispossesse the seduced and mis-informed judgements of Princes , Nobles , and others , of that over-weaning opinion they have hitherto generally embraced of Lordly Prelats extraordinary fidelity , sincerity , Piety to Kings & Kingdomes in Chur●h and State affaires ; and of the necessity of their Supportation & continuan●e , both for the Security , Tranquillity and felicity of all Christian Kings States , Churches ; to all which , in verity , they have beene the greatest Plagues and Opposites . This notable mistake , proceeding , either out of a meere nescience or inadvertency of the Prelates trecherous plots and turbulent Actions in all Climes and times ; or , from the deception of this false Paradox , No Bishop , no King ; or , from the immoderate panegyricall applauses of their Parasites , ( who almost deifie them in Presse , in Pulpit , especially in Court Sermons ) and their owne selfe-commendations , which are now most frequent in their writings and discourses ; or , from their owne outward Pompe , Splendor , and Superficiall shewes of Sanctity and Piety ; backed with their sordid flattery of , and temporizing with the greatest men , the better to effect their owne designes ; will soonest and best bee rectified by this bare Historicall discovery of their Trecheries and villanies in all ages ; the very knowledge whereof ( as the Prophet Malachy and Christ informe us ) * * Mal● 2 , ● . will make them contemptible and base before all the people , and like * * Mat. 5.13 . L●k . 14.35 . unsavory salt , fit neither for the Land nor for the Dunghill , cause them to be cast out and trod●n under foote of men , as good for nothing .

Secondly , a sincere indeavour , to the uttermost of my power , to prevent those blacke imminent stormes of warre , sedition , schisme , oppression , with s●ndry other miseries , which the desperat● proceedings , practises , and counsells of our all-swaying Prelates , in my weake apprehension , then threatned suddenly to bring downe upon us , to the apparent danger , if not ruine and desolation to our Religion , Lawes , Liberties , King , Kingdomes , of which we have since had most visible reall experiments , to the insupportable charge , and infinite disturbance of his Majesty and the whole Realme ; who have cause eternally to detest our Lordly Prelacy , as the very * * Heb. 12● 15. root of bitternes whence al our ancient and present calamities have issued . To anticipate and redresse which sad events then , and secure us against the like effects of Prelacie both now and hereafter , I could not ( in my poore Judgement ) finde out any readier course within the narrow spheare of my Activity , than the publication of this History , of our Prelates practises and disloyal●y , Quorum perfidiam exposuisse , supera●se est , as Saint * * ●pi●t . 54. Hierom witnesseth in a like case .

Thirdly , to ●ase our Church , State , with all conscientious godly Ministers and people , from the importable heavie yoakes of our Prelates tyranny , under which they have miserably groaned , and against which they have lamentably declaimed for many hundred yeares , ( and could never yet bee throughly eased thereof ) as I have manifested by the Testimonies of our owne writers and Martyrs in the * * See C●ap . ● . latter part of this Antipathy ; to accomplish which long desired and now expected worke , I presume nothing can be more effectuall than such an Anatomy as this , of our Prelates villanies of this nature .

Fourthly , to further the propagation of religion , the frequent and sincere preaching of the Gospell , the powerfull practise of true piety , the salvation of mens soules , and tranquillity of our Church and State : to all which , I dare confidently averre , our Lordly Bishops have beene greater enemies and obstacles in all ages , ●hen all other professions of men whatsoever .

Fiftly , to s●cure our long enjoyed , oft confirmed fundamentall Lawes , and the hereditary Libertie● both of our persons , States , Lives , from small losse and utter subversion : to all which our Prelates have commonly shewed themselves Arch-enemies , endeavouring e●ther secretly to undermine them by treachery , or openly to trample them under their po●tificall feete by violence , of which our present time● have had large experience , especially in Canterbury● who hath oft times publikely protested in a most insolent manner ; that he wo●ld breake both the Necke and back of Prohibitions & so of the Common Law , or else they should break his , which now he findes they are like to doe . And to defend our lawes and liberties against Prelaticall incroachments , is one principall part of a Lawyers Profession ; so that in this regard this Antipathy is neither without , nor besides my calling .

Sixtly , to vindicate the sin●ere professors of Religion ( for I will be no Patron of Frantike Enthusiasts , or dissembling Hypocrites ) in generall , and my selfe in particular from the Calumnies of the Prelates and their Instruments . There is nothing more frequent in late Prelaticall Factious discourses , * * See Bishop● Whites Preface before the Book of the Sabbath . Dr. H●ylin● Antid●tum , Linc●linensi . And his modera●e answer to Henry Burton , Lysimacus Nican●r and others . Sermons , * * Fox Acts and Monuments . passim . 5. R. 2 , c. 5.2 , H. 4. c. 15.2 . H. 5. c. 7. Writings , then to accuse the true servants of God , and most zealous Christians , of Sedition , Treason , Rebellion , Faction , and Conspiracie against their Soveraignes and Superiours . In this sort have they slandered our Sermon . 3.4 . and 5. Before King Edward . Martyrs , * * Haddon and Fox Contr. Osorium . l. 2. f. 212. Latymer , * * Haddon and Fox Contr. Osorium . l. 2. f. 212. Luther , and others heretofore , and many poore Christians now : and this practise hath beene so common that the Century-writers observe . (a) (a) Cent. Magd. 2. Col. 420. Solemne est ut Christianis crimina seditionis , & laesae Majestatis a persecutoribus affingantur , quibus tamen non sunt obnoxii . And for my owne particular , though conscious to my selfe of no seditious or disloyall Act , it hath beene my unhappinesse , to be not onely slandered , but Censured by our Prelates , as a (b) (b) See A New Discovery of th● Prelates Tyranny . Seditious Person , for Bookes authorized by their owne Chaplain●s approbations , and to be accused to his Majestie and proclaimed both in Print and Pulpit , by (c) (c) Cant●rburi●s speech in Star-Chamber the Epist. Dedicat. H●ylin An●id . Lin● . And a Moderate answer to Henry Burt●n . Du●k●rs Sermon See a new Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny● p. 9● . Canterbury and his Agents , for a Malevolent against State and Church , a Traytor , Rebell , Factious Spirit , Monster , worse than any Priest or Iesuite , one deserving to be forfeited to the Gallowes , and as ●ad as Corah , Dathan , and Abiram ; onely for oppugning their Arminian and Popish Innovations , their desperate (d) (d) See A breviate of the Prelates intolerable usurpations both upon the Kings prerogative Royall and the Subjects Liberties . incroachments upon his Majesties Royall Prerogative , the Lawes and Subjects Liberties , according to my Oath and Duty . I could doe no lesse therefore for the vindication of my owne personall Innocencie ( which your Honours by your unanimous Votes have now abundantly cleared ( with the ruines of that Court which censured me ) the justification of all sincere Professors from these Prelaticall black Calumnies , and the perpetual silencing of our Prelates slanderous Tongues & Quils in this kinde , then present your Honours and the world with an irrefragable Catalogue of their most horrid Treasons , Rebellions , and Seditions in all ages , which alone out-vie all other mens whatsoever , both for quality and numerosity , and so returne these malicious defamations with infinite disadvantage upon their own guilty Pates ; (e) (e) Optatus adver . Parmin . l. r. p. 23. Qui ut crimina in silentium mitterent sua , vitam infamare conati sunt alienam , & cum possent ipsi ab innocentibus argui , innocentes arguere studuerint , mittentes ubique liter as livore dictante conscriptas , as some delinquents did of old , whose steps our Prelates trace . These were the speciall reasons both of my compiling and publishing this Antipathy ; wherin your Excellencies may clearely discerne ; that these Exorbitances of our Prelates , are not so much the vices of their Persons , as of their Function ; which though their many late published Pamphlets , would prove to be of Divine Right , yet the pernicious evill fruits thereof infallibly proclaime , to be of meere humane wrong . And in my weake judgement , there can be no such safe , short , and infallible way to decide this controversie , Whether Episcopacy be of Divine institution or not ? then to consider the fruits thereof in all ages : that of our Saviour being of eternall verity , (f) (f) Mat. 7.16.20 . Ye shall know them by their fruites . Since then the fruites of our Lordly Prelates , in this ( and in other kindes too as I could abundantly manifest ) have beene so desperately evill , and they generally the greatest (*) (*) See ●alaeus de vitis Pontificum . Monsters of impiety , that ever pestred the world , ( as appeares by the lives of sundry forraine and Domesticke Pontifs ; ) I may infallibly conclude , their calling not to be Divine , but Antichristian , or meerely humane at the best , and inconsistent with the safety , both of our Prince , Church , State ; and by this unanswerable reason dissipate into smoake all those specious flourishes and shadowes of arguments made in their defence , which I have (h) (h) Cap. 8.9 . See the unbishoping of Timothy and Titus . And a Catalogue , &c. else-where fully answered .

There are but (i) (i) This is the summe of the Remonstrance newly set out by Sir Thomas Aston , though written by some other Divines and Lawyers , who have contributed their best assistance to it . two chiefe arguments of moment , for the continuance of Episcopacy , which sticke with any judicious men . The first in point of State Polity ; No Lord Bishop , no King . The second in point of Church Polity ; No Bishops , no peace , no government , and nothing but Schismes in the Church : The first , I trust , I have abundantly cleared by this Antipathy ; The second ( God willing ) I intend to dissipate in an Historicall Treatise of the Schismes of our English Lordly Prelates among themselves , enough to make a volume ; and then by a larger Remonstrance , experimentally evidencing out of Ecclesiasticall Histories That Bishops have beene , if not the sole , yet at least the chiefe Authors of all the Schismes that ever infested and rent the Church of God . And if this be made good ( as it easily may be against all the world ) the proud Hierarchy of our Lordly Prelates will fall to ground of it self without helpe of hands to pull it downe .

If any further alleadge ; If (k) (k) See Sir Tho. A●tons Remonstrance . you remove away Bishops , you take away government , and introduce an Anarchy into the Church . The answer is very easie .

THere is nothing more frequent in these latter day●s in the mouthes of our domineering Lordly Prelates , than this triviall Paradox of Archbishop Bancroft ( which some would Originally father upon our late Soveraigne * * The Relator of the Conference at Hampton Court , p. 36. King James ) NO BISHOP , NO KING ; as if Kings could neither bee , nor continue Kings , unlesse Prelates were suffered both to be , and continue Lords ; and Princes Crownes irreparably lost , if Bishops Miters were but once cast downe . This absurd and groundlesse Assertion , as it is evidently disproved by those many flourishing Kings and Kingdomes , which have well subsisted with●ut Lord Bishops , both before these Mushrome Lords ( Spirituall onely in Title , but wholly Temporall in reality ) first sprouted up by insensible degrees in the Church of Christ , so it is most infallibly convinced of notorious falshood , by the multitude of those most execrable Treasons , Treacheries , Conspiracies , Rebellions , Contumacies , Insurrections , Seditions , and Anti-Monarchiall practises of Lordly Prelates , against their Soveraignes , in all ages since they grew rich and potent , in all Kingdomes and Churches where they have beene admitted ; of which there are so many presidents , as would fully fraught many Folio Volumes , and require another Baronius or Tostatus , to digest into severall vast Tomes . And I dare further adde , to the immortall prayse of this loyall generation of Lordly Prelates , that there is no one calling or profession of men whatsoever in the Christian World guilty of so many traiterous , treacherous , perfidious , seditious , rebellious , contumacious practises and conspiracies against their lawfull Princes ; or that have proved such execrable firebrands of dissentions , commotions , bloody warres , Rebellions , and detestable Schismes both in Church and State , as these Prelaticall Lords . Yea , I supp●se I may confidently averre without any errour or calumny , that Lordly Prelates have beene the Originall Authors and contrivers of more Treasons , Conspiracies , Rebellions , Schismes , Warres , and Contentions in Christian Kingdomes , than all other rankes and callings of men whatsoever , not severally considered , but united .