A short vievv of the prælaticall Church of England wherein is set forth the horrible abuses in discipline and government, layd open in tenne sections by way of quære and petition, the severall heads whereof are set downe in the next page : whereunto is added a short draught of church-government.

3. There be threescore Archds. vnder these Bishops.

Dependents on these.

They have threescore Courts, to which doe belong, Com∣missaries, Officials, Surrogates.

• 60 Registers with their servants.
• ...

• 120 Proctours, if but two to every Court.
• 200 Apparitours at least.

The whole number appertaining to Archbishops, Bi∣shops, Archdeacons, with the many peculiars are judged to bee no fewer then ten thousand persons, which need yearely two hundred thousand pounds to maintaine them all, the greater and inefriour ones, reckoning but 20 l. a man, when many have 100 l, a yeare, some 200 l. o∣thers more.

QVAERE.

Whither these swarmes of Waspes be of necessary vse in the spirituall Kingdome of Christ?

Whether their Courts be reformative or deformative?

Whether there is any likelyhood, that their grosse ab∣buses of Gods Ordinances; in sending out excommunica∣tions, and their commuting of penance, &c. can please God, to bring an holy reformarion?

Whether it can be probably imagined, that those Courts can reforme others, who in themselves are so corrupt and mercenary, and will employ such base and lewd compani∣ons in a spirituall businesse, as be the Apparitors, whom either they cannot, or will not reforme?

Whether their Courts being taken away, as in all other reformed Churches, their want should be bewailed, and their setting vp againe be desired?

Whether the masse of mony which is spent by these so many thousands, might not well be spared, and farre bet∣ter employed,

The humble Petition.

THat these Courts be not longer permitted to take in so many thousand presentments every halfe yeare,

onely to make such gaine of the people, as they doe, for they reforme no mens persons, but plague their purses?

That some other way might be considered of agreeable to Gods Word, and the godly practise of other Churches, for suppression of vice, and the maintenance of vertue in every Parish.

That their lewd Apparitours, so many, and so many be not long suffred.

That in their Courts, their proceedings may be open to the hearing of all, and that they lap not vp businesses in se∣cret, as their manner is to shut their Consistory doore, where they doe as they please with delinquents.

That they delay not men in their Courts, forcing and vexing poore men to come very often, before they can bee dismissed, a grievous vexation to needy labouring men.