An appeale of the orthodox ministers of the Church of England against Richard Mountague late bishop of Chichester, now bishop of Norwich. To the most illustrious, high, and honourable court of Parliament. And to the nobilitie, orthodox clergie, gentry, and communaltie of England. With the proceedings against him in Bow-Church. And an epistle to B. Mountague himselfe. also [sic], A supplication of the ministers of Scotland against the said Mountague. Wherein his dangerous heresies are revealed; and the character of an Arminian or Mountaguists is added.

22^o. Augusti, 1628. in Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae de Arcubus.

In Dei komine Amen. Coram vobis Reverendissime & honorande Patre Georgie divina providentia Cantuariens. Archiepisc. vestrove Deligato, Of∣ficialt, Ʋicario in spiritualibus generali, ejusve Surregate aut alio Iudice Iudicibusve in hac parte competen. seu competitur. Willielmus Iones litera∣tus Stationarius Londinensis, omni quo possit aut de∣bet meliori via modo & juris forma, nec non ad om∣nem, quecun{que} juris effectum exinde quovismodo sequi valen. nomine accusatorio ac vt accusator. Rudi. Mountagu Clerici nuper in Episcopatum Cicestrens. vt dicitur elects, accusando querelando obijciendo & excipiendo contra prefat. Ricardum Mountagu Clericum & ad impediendum juxta Iuris in hac parte exigentiam & non aliter promo∣tionem & confirmationem ipsius Ricardi in Episeop. sic vt prefertur electi comperuit dictus Willielmus Iones allegando dicendo querelanda accusando & ob∣ijciendo articulatim vt sequitur.

1.

INprimis, That you the said Richard Mountagu haue caused to be printed and in your name to be published, one Booke called An Answere to the late Gagger of Protestants, and one other Booke entitu∣led A Treatise of the Invocation of Saints, and a third booke entituled An Appeale to Caesar. In every of which bookes you haue maintained and affirmed some doctrines contrary and repugnant to the Articles whereupon it was agreed by the Arch∣bishops

and Byshops of both Provinces, and the whole Clergie in the Convocation holden at London in the yeare of our Lord God, 1562. according to the computation of the Church of England for a∣voyding of diversitie of opinions, and for establish∣ing consent touching true Religion; And by your said Delicts you haue broken the lawes and Statutes of this Realme in that behalfe provided: And you thereby haue very much disturbed the peace of the Church and Common-wealth, to the high disho∣nour of Almighty God. Which your Bookes are Confuted by the late right reverend Bishop Carleton and divers other Orthodox and conformable Di∣vines of the Church of England. And I Article and object, Conjunctim divisim & de quolibet.

2

Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in severall places of your said Booke called the Gagger, and in your other booke called the Appeale, doe and haue advisedly maintained and affirmed, That the Church of Rome is and ever was a true Church, con∣trary to the Sixteenth Homilie of the second Booke of Homilies, and as is declared in the 35. Article of the aforesaid Articles, And I object as aforesaid.

3

Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu doe maintayne and affirme in your aforesaid booke, the Answere to the Gagger; That the Church of Rome hath ever remained firme upon the same foundation of Sacraments and Doctrine instituted by God: Contra∣ry to the Homily last named, and as is declared in the 28. Article of the said Articles. And I object as aforesaid.

4

Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in your booke called the Answere to the Gagger, doe and haue maintayned and affirmed, That Images may bee vsed for the instruction of the ignorant; Con∣trary to the second Homily intituled, against perill of Idolatry; which is approved by the 37. Article of the Articles aforesaid. And I obiect as aforesaid.

5

Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in your Treatise of the Invocation of Saints, doe and haue affirmed and maintained, That Saints haue not onely a memorie, but a more peculiar charge of their friends, and that it may bee admitted that some Saints haue a peculiar patronage, Custody protection and po∣wer, as Angels haue also, over certaine persons and Countries by especiall deputation, and that it is no im∣piety so to beleeue; Contrary to the doctrine in the Homily aforesaid: And I object as aforesaid.

6

Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in your said booke called the Appeale, doe maintayne and haue maintayned and affirmed, that men justified may fall away and depart from that state which once they had, and that they may rise againe, and possibly be∣come new men, but not certaine or necessary; And the better to maintaine this your opinion you haue in the same booke wilfully added, falsified and changed divers words of the 16. Article of the booke of Ar∣ticles aforesaid, and divers other words both in the booke of Homilies, and also in the booke of Com∣mon prayer, And all the same places are so by you

misrecited and changed in your said booke called the Appeale to Casar, and you doe and haue endeauou∣red thereby to lay a most wicked and malicious Scandall vpon the Church of England, as if it did herein differ from the reformed Churches beyond the Seas, and you did and doe consent to those per∣nicious Errors which are commonly called Armini∣anisme, and which the late samous Princes, Queene ELIZABETH, and King IAMES (of most hap∣pie and blessed memorie) did piously and diligently labour to suppresse: And I object as aforesaid.

7

Item, That you the said Richard Mountagu in all your three seuerall Bookes afore-named, doe main∣tayne and haue maintayned and affirmed divers o∣ther vnsound and hereticall Doctrines and opinions, as is at large proued in the bookes of Confutation of your said bookes; which you haue, nor cannot re∣ply vnto; And I object as aforesaid.

8

Item, quod prefati Willielmus Iones & Richardus Mountagu Clericus fuerunt respectiue & sunt pro∣vinc. vestrae Cantuariens. jurisdictionis vestrae subsiditi in hac parte; & obijcit vt supra.

9

Item, quod omnia & singula premissa sunt vera pub∣lica notoria publica & manifesta tam infra Civitatem & Dioc. London & alia loca publica & famosa infra Regnum Angliae; & obijcit vt supra.

Omnia & singula premissa proponit & obijcit dictus Willielmus Jones conjunctim & divisim non arctan. se ad omnia & singula premissa probanda nee ad onus su∣perflue probationis, de quo protestatur, sed quatenus pro∣baverit in premissis catenus obtineat in petitis sub pro∣testatione de addendo prentissis, eadem{que} magis specifice declarando & specificando eadem{que} probando pro loco & tempore congruis & oportunius, semper sibi salvo omni Iuris beneficio in hac parte sibi competen, sen competitur ea{que} protestatione sibi semper salva petit Articulos Capitula sive Interrogatoria sua predicta ad omnem Iuris effectum admitti partem{que} aduersam eijsdem & torum cuilibet secundum luris extigentiam respondere compelli & protestatur de expensis. Et petit Jus & Iu∣sticiam (vestrum Officium Domine Judex antedict. hu∣militer implorando.

Per me Willielmum Iones.

Thus farre the Objections of the Objectour in due forme of Law:

And judge, O judge; yee worthie Iudges of the House, whether these objections were not in due of Law.

But the Iudge aforenamed, taking the paper of Objections; first seemed to read them ouer silently to himselfe, and then delivered them to the said Elect Bishop Mountagu: who seemed also to read them o∣ver silently to himselfe, and then with an vntoward looke and trembling hand, gaue the paper backe to the Iudge; Who, called to him one Doctour Samms of the Arches, advising with him what to doe in the businesse, and hee told him hee would runne into a Praemunire if hee did not proceed: Who thereupon

gaue the Obiectour Mr. Iones an answer to this effect: My friend, you haue giuen heere Objections against this my Lord elect of Chichester: but your Ob∣jections are not in due forme of Law, because they haue not a Doctour of the Arches hand vnto them, neither haue you an Advocate to plead your Objections; There∣fore, neverthelesse, by vertue of this his Majesties Com∣mission vnder the Great Seale (which hee tooke in his hand and turned) I will proceed to confirme him: And so did.

Now Iudge, O Iudge, againe, (thrice Iudi∣cious Iudges) whether any person bee not invited by the former Proclamation to obiect, in due forme of Law: And whether any Doctours hand or Ad∣vocate are thereby required: And besides, the Court at that time for Confirmation is not any Court for pleading; What need therefore had the Obiectour of any Doctours hand or Advocate? He himselfe setting his hand vnto it and being there, Ore tenus.

Then when the Iudge had with a strong hand pe∣remptorily proceeded in the Confirmation of the a∣foresaid elect By shop Mountagu; This new con∣firmed Pontifex still with a brazen face and whorish forehead, made an Apologie for himselfe and his Bookes, and said most impudently, to this effect;

That he himselfe had subscribed to the Booke of Ar∣ticles, and the Booke of Homilies, and all other Books of Conformitie to the Church of England; and that if any whosoever could publikely or privately confute those his Bookes, hee would bee the first man that would cause those his Bookes to bee burnt; &c. Whereas, it is most manifest (as before) hee writes against the

Doctrine of those Bookes of Articles, and Homilies, &c. And who knoweth not? his owne Bookes are confuted by divers learned and pious men, as in the premisses: his Bookes condemned by a charge in Parlament, and other reformed Churches as in the premisses also: Nathelesse this Gamaliel, highly ap∣plauded with adulation this his confirmed Bishops (base) Apologie, and said: You haue well said my Lord: and he also said, That those Objections were nothing but the blattering of a Tradesman, who was too busie to meddle with such high mysteries of Divini∣tie: but indeed it was the disease of the Time now for mechanicall Tradesmen so to doe, &c.

Also the aforesaid Doctour Rives, and one Drake the Register, and one Fish the Proctour, (all three employed in the said Confirmation) did all joyntly vse other disgracefull, scoffing, scorne∣full and geering words, gestures, and behavi∣ours towards the Objectour, and the Objections: They also checked and taunted a religious Gentle∣man who tooke the Objectours part: Whereof there were divers, not a few, we may say, a Cloud of witnesses, and some of them Ministers, our Bre∣thren, there present, the reverend Rectour of the Church, and others: So as, We doe also complaine to this Honourable House, of Doctour Rives, Do∣ctour Samms, Drake and Fish, who all foure wee perceiue to bee Delinquents in the businesse: and none so fit as the Objector afore-named to produce witnesses to this Honourable and Noble Senate of the same:

The third day after this day of Confirmation, be∣ing Sonday, or the Lords day, Mountagu came to be Consecrated by the most reverend Archby shop

of Canterbury, then residing at Croydon, who, as it seemes, had no knowledge of the Objections: (concealed by Mountagu and his Adhaerents:) And the Ceremonies of Consecration were performed: Onely this happened, as we are informed, whiles Mountagu and his fautors were sitting at the feast or dinner of Consecration, the newes was brought to the most Reverend Archbishop, that the Duke of Buckingham (Mountagu's potent Patron) was stabb'd to death at Portsmouth, (and that on Saturday, the day after and a∣bout the same houre that Mountagu was op∣posed in his Confirmation;) which for the time as they say, helped to marre Mounta∣gu's myrth: and especially stopped the chir∣ping of a certaine Wren, which Bird, com∣ming lately out of an vncleane Cage, be∣gan to straine high his lascivious notes to make musicke against godly Ministers, &c.

Neverthelesse, by this time, you may see Moun∣tagu in his Pontificalibus, Elect, Confirmed and Consecrated Byshop of Chichester, in despight of all Opposition: and as hee is in his Pontificalibus, now to bee ranked inter Dominos Spirituales.

Good Lord! Hee who by the doome of God, in his Word, and all good Orthodox men, not thought worthy to liue, at leastwise not to enjoy any further Spirituall promotion in our Reformed Church of England, nor ever could haue the grace of the Vniversitie to Commence so much as Doctour in Divinitie: and in stead of bee∣ing censured by Parlament and degraded from any Ministeriall office: Hee, wee say, to become

a Byshop and a Governour in our Church! woe must needs bee to that Diocesse, especially, that hath such a Byshop, such a Governour. Yea, it is well knowne, hee spareth not already since his Consecration, to say and sweare in his Table-talke, hee will plague the Puritans in his Diocesse? And they say he hath already silenced some Lecturers) and by Puritans his meaning is alwayes, according to his garb and writings, all honest Orthodox Di∣vines, that doe oppose and will not adhaere vnto his unsound and unsavorie opinions and Doctrines; though they otherwise bee never so conformable to the orders and Caeremonies of the Church of England.

And these his Errours and Haeresies are so noto∣rious and manifest, both by his writings, as in the premisses and in his Preachings, when he gets into the Pulpit, that all the water in the (Pontifi∣cian) Sea of Chichester can never wash off these blacke staines from him: For, can a Leopard change his spots?

Let vs craue leaue of this honourable House, a little to digresse: And then We are also not to con∣ceale but reueale unto You, that this notable Moun∣tebank is familiarly acquainted with divers knowne Papists who haue resort unto him, hee recourse unto them, and by name which wee can proue, hee hath often priuate conference with one Hugh Holland, a professed Papist and sworne slaue to his Lord God the Pope; and some say a lay-Iesuite, (if there bee any such order:) however a ruffianly Locust, and seducer of the Kings Liege-people, a vilifier of Parlaments: And what this fellow else is our reverend brother the Rector of Fan-church

can, if hee be pleased; informe this House: And so wee leaue this base Associate of B. Mountagu, and returne to himselfe.

But how long, therefore, how long Lord, most holy, most wise, most just and true? Wilt thou suffer the Grapes of thy Ʋintage to bee destroyed, the Corne of thy Harvest to bee spoyled by such a Fex, such a Wolfe, and such like Foxes and Wolves? (For more uncleane Birds there bee of the same Cage, &c. as will appeare hereafter in our Catalogue of them.)

Pardon, O pardon, our digression and fervent de∣precation; since our zeale, in Gods cause, hath trans∣ported us so farre. And now returne wee, most ho∣norable House, our Appeale unto You; and to draw to a Conolusion therof; Amongst your many weigh∣tie matters and of high Consequence for Church and Common-wealth, Wee most humbly suppli∣cate that this now made Byshop Mountagu, who though hee now raungeth him selfe amongst the Spirituall Lords and temporall Peeres in the Vpper House of this high Assemblie of Parlament, may yet bee taken into consideration, that hee may no lon∣ger Lord it over Gods people and his Heritage, us the poore (despised) orthodox Ministers of the Gospell in this Church of England; And that hee having deserved (as wee conceiue) rather Fire and faggot than further Preferment, may come mature∣ly to bee censured and degraded; if the House shall so be pleased at the least, by this High and honoura∣ble Court, and his pernicious Bookes to be at length called-in and burned. The which, againe, we: most humbly implore on our bended knees, and That for GOD our Creatours sake, for CHRIST

our Redeemers sake, for the holy Spirit our Com∣forters sake: Vnto which Almightie and All-suffi∣cient Three in One, Wee most humbly commend and betake You all of this honourable Court, and your serious Consultations for Church and Com∣mon-wealth.

By those that daily and incessantly pray for the Peace of Syon and Consolation of Ierusalem, The orthodox Ministers of the Church of England.

Post-script.

IF this Honorable House (or any other whatsoever) shall doubt of the assent of our Brethren of the Church of England to this our Appeale or Remonstrance, Wee pray, let any by deputation from the House (or other) take the paines to goe and get the hands of Byshops and Ministers in every Diocesse of the Kingdome, and wee the exhibiters hereof (being on good grounds well assu∣red) will pawne our liues, that the major part of By∣shops and Ministers will subscribe thereto: And then wee hope it will not bee denyed but the major part of the Clergie is the Church of England: Ergo the whole Church of England is against this one man B. Moun∣tagu.

Notes

• Tit. 3.10.
• 2. Pet. 5.3.