The Archbishop of York to King James.
May it please your Majestie,
I Have been too long silent, and am afraid that by silence, I have neglected the duty of the place it hath pleased God to call me unto, and your Majestie to place me in. But now I humbly beseech, that I may discharge my Conscience towards God, and my dutie towards your Majestie. And therefore I beseech you Sir, to give me leave freely to deliver my self, and then let it please your Majestie to do with me as you please.
Your Majestie hath propounded a Toleration of Religion, I be∣seech you to take into your Consideration, what your Act is, and what the Consequence may be. By your act, you labour to set up that most damnable and heretical doctrine of the Church of Rome, the Whore of Babylon. How hateful will it be to God, and grievous to your Subjects (the true professours of the Gospel) that your Ma∣jestie who hath often defended, and learnedly written against those wicked heresies, should now shew your self a Patron of those do∣ctrines which your Pen hath told the world, and your Conscience tells your self are superstitious, idolatrous, and detestable: Also what you have done in sending the Prince without Consent of your Councel, and the privitie and approbation of your People: For although Sir, you have a large interest in the Prince, as the Son of your flesh, yet have your People a greater as the Son of the Kingdom, upon whom (next after your Majestie) are their eyes fixed, and their Welfare defends. And so slenderly is his going apprehended, that believe Sir, how ever his return may be safe, yet the drawers of him unto that action, so dangerous to himself, so desperate to the King∣dome, will not passe away unquestioned, and unpunished.
Besides, this Tolleration you endeavour to set up by your Procla∣mation, it cannot be done without a Parliament, unlesse your Majestie will let your Subjects see, that you now take unto your self a libertie to throw down the Lawes of the Land at your pleasure. What dread∣ful