The English concord in ansvver to Becane's English iarre: together with a reply to Becan's Examen of the English Concord. By Richard Harris, Dr. in Diuinitie.

English Concord.* 1.1

THese are the very expresse words of the law of England, which is now in force.* 1.2

That Ec∣clesiasticall Iurisdiction, vvhich was exercised heeretofore, or lawfully might be exercised, by any spiri∣tual

or Ecclesiasticall power, to visit the Ecclesiasticall state & order, also to reforme, & to bring into order, and to correct Ecclesiasticall persons, all errours, heresies, schismes, &c. is for euer vnited, and annexed to the im∣periall Crowne of this kingdome: vvhereby the King of England, through his full power, by his Letters Patents, may assigne & authorise such persons being naturall borne subiects, as he shall think meet, to exercise & execute vn∣der his Highnes, all manner of Iurisdictions, priuiledges, and preheminences, in any wise touching or concerning any spirituall or Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction, within his High∣nesse Dominions.

Now all Protestant English Writers, in the Oath of Supremacy which they haue takē,* 1.3

haue openly testified, & in their conscience declared, that they will with all their power, ayde & defend all Iurisdictions, Priuiledges, and prehemi••e••ces vnited and annexed to the Crowne of this kingdom.

Wherefore, all plainly agree in the thing it self. But that, which the Iawes of Engl. call Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction, & define to be the supreme Gouernmet in all Ecclesiasticall things, & ouer all Ecclesiasticall persons, M. Thomson would rather call, Supreme Gouernment.

The R:* 1.4 Bishop touching this matter writeth thus:

This I vrge, that the Iurisdictiō which Abbesses haue with you, is ordinary spirituall Iurisdictiō. For the Abbat hath ordinary: & in her administration, the Abbess is equalled with the Abbat. And what should let it? Because they can∣not exercise censures, excōmunicate? But excōmunication doth not directly belong to the key of order.* 1.5 Aquinas as∣serteth this; Excommunication is no act of the key direct∣ly, but rather of the externall court. And it is a common o∣pinion with you, that he that hath not the key of order, may

excommunicate. Those things which are of order, and the inner court, are denied to women: but things belonging to the outward court, are cōmunicated to Layiks: & of those things there is no reason but that women may be capable; As Stepha. d'Aluin doth stiffly argue for his Abbesses, and therein takes our part: the Sorbon approuing his opi∣nion therein (Although we ascribe not to our King power of Censure) and therein you giue much more to your Ab∣besses, then we to our Prince.

Ma. Burhill demes the King to haue any Iurisdiction in the outward court, to weet, Sacerdotall.

So the King of England hath all Ecclesiasticall Iuris∣diction, that is, Supreme and Regall (wherof onely our controuersie is): but no Sacerdotall, no, none at all; and yet without any Iarre whatsoeuer.

But oh Becane, can you without blushing (if there be but a graine of pudency in you) obstinatly detract frō most religious Kings all supreme Iurisdiction, proper∣ly Regall, when women (of whom S^t. Paul, 1. Tim. 2. v. 12. I permit not a woman to vse authority ouer the man) with you, are capable,* 1.6 and partakers of Spirituall Iu∣risdiction, Sacerdotall, or Episcopall? viz. Of power to ex∣cōmunicate Clerks, to absolue, to visit, to institute, to present to Benefices, Prelatures, & dignities Ecclesiasticall: yea of hauing all administration as wel spirituall as temporall, but only of those things of order, wherof a woman is incapable.

Lastly, al those things which Salobrigiensis doth heer recite, touching Kings anointed with sacred oyle, &c. Mixt persons, &c. which may dispense against lawes Ecclesiasti∣call, are transcribed out of the expresse words of the common lawes of England: which, in this kind of ar∣gument, might haue satisfied to the full.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pag. 38
• * 1.2

  Star. 1. El∣zab.
• * 1.3

  Lorament. Primat. in Apol. Reg. pag. 56.
• * 1.4

  Tortur. Tort. p. 151
• * 1.5

  In 4. Sentē. Dist. 18. q. 2. art. 2.
• * 1.6

  Fran. Steph. D' Aluin de Potestat. E∣pisc. Abbatú Abbatiss. ca. 2.3. 4.11. &c.