Bishops in the Parliament.
Bishops have the same Right to sit in Parliament as the best Earls and Barons, that is, those that were made by Writ: If you ask one of them [Arundel, Oxford, Northumberland] why they sit in the House? they can only say, their Fa∣thers sate there before them, and their Grandfather before him, &c. And so say the Bishops, he that was a Bishop of this Place before me, sate in the House, and he that was a Bishop before him, &c. Indeed your latter Earls and Barons have it express’d in their Patents, that they shall be called to the Parliament. Objection, but the Lords sit there by Blood, the Bishops not. Answer, ’Tis true, they sit not there both the same way, yet that takes not away the Bishops Right: If I am a Parson of a Parish, I have as much Right to my Gleab and Tithe, as you have to your Land which your Ancestors have had in that Parish Eight Hundred Years.
The Bishops were not Barons, be∣cause they had Baronies annex’d to their Bishopricks (for few of them had so, unless the old ones, Canterbury, Winchester, Dur∣ham, &c. the new erected we are sure had none, as Glocester, Peterborough, &c. be∣sides few of the Temporal Lords had a∣ny Baronies.) But they are Barons, because they are called by Writ to the Parliament, and Bishops were in the Parliament ever since there was any mention, or sign of a Parliament in England.
Bishops may be judged by the Peers, tho’ in time of Popery it never hapned, because they pretended they were not obnoxious to a secular Court; but their way was to cry Ego sum Frater Domini Pa∣pae, I am Brother to my Lord the Pope, and therefore take not my self to be judg∣ed by you; in this Case they impanell’d a Middlesex Jury, and dispatch’d the Busi∣ness.
Whether may Bishops be present in Cases of Blood? Answ. That they had a Right to give Votes, appears by this, al∣ways when they did go out, they left a Proxy, and in the time of the Abbots, one Man had 10, 20 or 30 Voices. In Richard the Second’s time, there was a Protestati∣on against the Canons, by which they were forbidden to be present in Case of Blood. The Statute of 25th. of Henry the Eighth may go a great way in this Busi∣ness. The Clergy were forbidden to use or cite any Canon &c. but in the latter End of the Statute, there was a Clause, that such Canons that were in usage in this Kingdom, should be in force till the thir∣ty two Commissioners appointed should make others, provided they were not con∣trary to the King’s Supremacy. Now the Question will be, whether these Canons for Blood were in use in this Kingdom or no? the contrary whereof may appear by many Presidents in R. 3. and H. 7. and the beginning of H. 8. in which time there were more attainted than since, or scarce before: The Canons of Irregula∣rity of Blood were never receiv’d in Eng∣land, but upon pleasure. If a Lay-Lord was attainted, the Bishops assented to his Condemning, and were always pre∣sent at the passing of the Bill of Attainder. But if a Spiritual Lord, they went out, as if they car’d not whose Head was cut off, so none of their own. In those Days, the Bishops being of great Houses, were often entangled with the Lords in Mat∣ters of Treason. But when d’ye hear of Bishop a Traytor now?
You would not have Bishops meddle with Temporal Affairs, think who you are that say it. If a Papist, they do in your Church; if an English Protestant, they do among you; if a Presbyterian, where you have no Bishops, you mean your Presbyterian Lay-Elders, should meddle with temporal Affairs as well as Spiritual. Besides all Jurisdicti∣on is Temporal, and in no Church, but they have some Jurisdiction or other. The Question then will be reduced to Magis and Minus; They meddle more in one Church than in another.
Objection. Bishops give not their Votes by Blood in Parliament, but by an Office annext to them, which being taken away they cease to vote, there∣fore there is not the same Reason for them as for Temporal Lords. Answ. We do not pretend they have that Pow∣er the same Way, but they have a Right: He that has an Office in Westminster-Hall for his Life, the Office is as much his, as his Land is his that hath Land by Inheritance.
Whether had the inferior Clergy ever any thing to do in the Parlia∣ment? Answ. No, no otherwise than thus, There were certain of the Clergy that used to assemble near the Parliament, with whom the Bishops, upon occasion might consult (but there were none of the Con∣vocation, as ’twas afterwards settled, (viz.) the Dean, the Arch-Deacon, one for the Chapter, and two for the Diocess) but it happened by continuance of time (to save Charges and Trouble) their Voices and the Consent of the whole Clergy were involved in the Bishops and at this Day the Bishops, Writs run, to bring all these to the Parliament, but the Bi∣shops themselves stand for all.
Bishops were formerly one of these two Conditions, either Men bred Ca∣nonists and Civilians, sent up and down Ambassadors to Rome and other Parts, and so by their Merit came to that Greatness, or else great Noble Men’s Sons, Brothers, and Nephews, and so born to govern the State: Now they are of a low Condition, their Education no∣thing of that way; he gets a Living, and then a greater Living, and then a greater than that, and so comes to go∣vern.
Bishops are now unfit to Govern, be∣cause of their Learning, they are bred up in another Law, they run to the Text for something done amongst the Jews that nothing concerns England; ’tis just as if a Man would have a Kettle, and he would not go to our Brazier to have it made, as they make Kettles, but he would have it made as Hiram made his Brass-work, who wrought in Solo∣mon’s Temple.
To take away Bishops Votes, is but the beginning to take them away; for then they can be no longer useful to the King or State. ’Tis but like the little Wimble, to let in the greater An∣ger. Objection. But they are but for their Life, and that makes them always go for the King as he will have them. Answer. This is against a Double Charity, for you must always suppose a bad King and bad Bishops. Then again, whether will a Man be sooner content, himself should be made a Slave, or his Son after him? [when we talk of our Children, we mean our selves,] besides, they that have Posterity are more obliged to the King, than they that are only for them∣selves, in all the Reason in the World.
How shall the Clergy be in the Parliament, if the Bishops are taken away? Answer. By the Laity, because the Bi∣shops, in whom the rest of the Clergy are included, are sent to the taking away their own Votes, by being involv’d in the major Part of the House. This fol∣lows naturally.
The Bishops being put out of the House, whom will they lay the Fault upon now? When the Dog is beat out of the Room, where will they lay the Stink?