Speeches and passages of this great and happy Parliament: from the third of November, 1640, to this instant June, 1641.: Collected into one volume, and according to the most perfect originalls, exactly published.

Articles against Doctor Piercie, Bishop of Bath and Wells; exhibited by M^r. James Mi∣nister within his Diocesse.

1 HEE hath Ex officio convented mee before him, for having two Sermons preached in my Church on Michaelmas day, to the great disturbance & hinderance of the sale of the Church Ale, as his Lord∣ship pretended, and further examined me upon Oath, whether I had not the said Sermons preached for the same purpose and intent, admonishing me for the fu∣ture, neither to preach my selfe, nor suffer any other to preach in my Cure, in the afternoon, of either the Lords-day, or holy dayes.

2 I heard him say to his Register, That whereas In∣formation had been given concerning certain Ministers, that they expounded upon the Catechisme, this Infor∣mation was too narrow to catch them, and therefore it should have runne thus, that they Catechised or ex∣pounded upon the Catechisme Sermon-wise, and then they would have been obnoxious to censure.

3 At the meeting to elect Clerks of the Convocati∣on he threatned to send forth Censures of the Church, against all that would not pay in the Benevolence, late granted, in the late Synod, within a fortnight after the second day of November last past; And further at the said election, his sonne gave eight single voy∣ces; two, as Arch-Deacon of Bath; two, as Prebend of the Church of Wells; two, as Parson of Buckland Saint

Mary; two, as Vicar of Kingsbury: and many others also there present, gave as many double voyces, as they had Benefices and Dignities; against which one Mr. Rosnell protested, saying, that it was illegall; The Bishop replyed, that they gave in severall capacities, and thereupon commanded him silence, saying, that he was a young man.

4. That upon the meer Information of Mr. Humphry Sydenham Rector of Buckington, that in a certain Ser∣mon Preached at the Visitation of the Arch Deacon of Taunton, I bespattered the Clergie; The Bishop sum∣moned me before him down to Wells, and there object∣ed unto mee, that I had preached a scandalous Sermon, wherein I had cast some aspersions on some of the Cler∣gy. Upon which charge I proferd to bring in an exact Copy of the Sermon I preacht, and to depose, that I spake neither more nor lesse, then was contained in the said Copy; This the Bishop would not accept of, say∣ing that he would not have the Ministers, who came to witnesse against mee, troubled with a second journey: One of my Proctors desired time, till the next Court day for me to give in my answer; the Bishop comman∣ded him to hold his Peace, and the other Proctor though he was retained by me, & had received a Fee, never ope∣ned his mouth, pretending unto me, that because the Bi∣shop was so highly displeased with mee, he durst not appeare in my behalf, being denyed time to give in my answer at the next Court day; I desired respit untill the afternoon, this also was denyed; In fine contrary to the rules of their own Court, he examined witnesses against me, and proceeded to Censure me, before he received my full answer, he would not heare the an∣swer, which I could give to the Articles objected to me, which I proferd to give, and which he had by oath required me to give; further by vertue of the oath he administred unto me, he questioned me not only con∣cerning

matters of outward fact, but also concerning my most secret thoughts, intentions and aymes. More∣over whereas the witnesses confessed that I only said, in the foresaid Sermon, that some put the Scriptures into a staged dresse; the Bishop perswaded them, that, that expression was equivalent with the Article objected, that some mens Sermons were Stage Playes, and they by his perswasion, swore down right, that I saidsome mens Sermons were Stage Playes; The Doctor made an Act and Order, that I should make publique retractation, which I refused to doe, and appeald unto the Arches; But upon either the Bishops, or M. Sidenhams Informa∣tion my Procter Hunt renounced my appeale, and Sir John Lambe dismissed the same cause, without hearing, unto the Bishop againe.

5 The Churchwardens of my Parish, by order from the Bishop, were enjoyned to turn the Communion Ta∣ble, and place it Altar-wise, &c. Now they, that they might neither displease the Bishop, nor transgresse a∣gainst the Rubrick of the Liturgie, made it an exact square Table, that so notwithstanding the Bishops or∣der, the Minister might still Officiate at the North side of the Table; M. Humphry Sydenham informed against this, and upon Information, the Bishop sent to view it; and upon his view he certified the Bishop, that it was like an Oyster Table, whereupon the Bishop or∣dered the Churchwardens to make a new one.

6 Upon M. Humphry Sydenhams Information that M. John Pym was a Parliamenteer, the Bishop would not suffer me any longer to sojourn in his house, al∣though before such Information he gave me leave: And when I demanded of some of his servants, the reason why his Lordship had thus changed his minde, they told me that his Lordship was informed by M. Sydenham that M. Pym was a Puritane.