Therefore to deny the see apostolick, and its authority, were to contemn and set at nought the authority and decrees of those noble councils.

Secondly, We must forsake and fly from all canonical and ecclesiastical laws of Christ his church; whereunto we have already professed our obedience at the font, saying, Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam; that is, I believe the holy catholick church: which article containeth, That we must receive the doctrine and sacraments of the same church, obey her laws, and live according to the same; which laws do depend wholly upon the authority of the see apostolick. And like as it is here openly professed by the judges of the realm, that the laws agreed upon in the higher and lower Houses of this honourable parliament, to be of small or none effect, before the royal assent of the king or prince be given thereunto; even so ecclesiastical laws made, cannot bind the universal church of Christ, without the royal assent and confirmation of the see apostolick.

Thirdly, We must forsake and fly from the judgment of all other christian princes, whether they be protestant or catholick christians, when none of them do agree with these our doings: King Henry the Eighth being the first that ever took upon him thetitle of supremacy.

And whereas it was of late, here in this House, said by a nobleman, That the title of supremacy is of right due to a king, for that he is a king; then it would follow, that Herod, being a king, should be supream head of the church of Jerusalem: and Nero the emperor, supream head of the church of Christ at Rome; they being both infidels, and therefore no members of Christ his church.

And if our saviour Christ, at his departure from the world, should have left the spiritual government of his church in the hands of emperors, and kings, and not to have committed the same to his apostles; how negligently then should he have left his church!

It shall appear right well, by calling to mind, that the emperor Constantinus Magnus was the first christian emperor, and was baptized by Sylvester, bishop of Rome, about three hundred years after the ascension of Christ Jesus.

If, by your proposition, Constantine the first christian emperor, was the first head, and spiritual governor of Christ his church, throughout his empire; then it followeth, that our saviour Christ, for the space of three hundred years, unto the coming of this Constantine, left his church (which he had so dearly bought by effusion of his most precious blood) without any head at all.

But how untrue the saying of this nobleman was, it shall further. appear by example of Ozia, and also King David. For King Ozia did take the censor to do incense to the altar of God. The priest Azarias did resist him, and expelled him out of the temple, and said unto him, Non est officii tui, Ozia, ut adoleas inscensum Domini; sed est sacerdotum, et filiorum Aaron: ad hujusmodi enim officium consecrati. That is to say, "It is not thy office, Ozia, to offer incense to the altar of God: but it is the priest's office, and the sons of Aaron; for they are consecrated and anointed to that office."

Now I shall humbly demand this question; When the priest Azarias said to the king, Non est officii tui, whether he said truth or not? If you answer, that he spake the truth, then the king was not supream head of the church of the Jews. If you shall say, No; Why did God plague the king with leprosy, and not the priest?

The priest Azarias, in resisting the king, and thrusting him out of the temple, in so doing, did the priest play the faithful part of a subject, or no? If you answer, No, why then did God spare the priest, and not spare the king? If you answer, Yea, then it is most manifest, Ozia, in that he was king, could not be supream head of the church.

And as touching the example of King David, in bringing home the ark of God from the country of the Philistines to the city of David, what supremacy, or government of God's ark, did King David there take upon him? Did he place himself amongst the priests? Or take upon him any spiritual function unto them appertaining? Did he

approach near unto the ark? Or yet presume to touch the same? No, doubtless. For he had seen before, Ozia strucken to death by the hand of God, for the arrogance and presumption.

And therefore King David did go before the ark of God with his harp, making melody; and placed himself amongst the minstrels, and humbly did abase himself, (being king) as to dance and leap before the ark of God, like as his other subjects did; insomuch, as his queen, Michol, King Saul's daughter, beholding and seeing this great humility of King David, did disdain thereat. Whereunto King David, making answer, said, Ludam, et cilior fiam plus quam factus sum, &c. That is, That is, "I will dance and abase my self more than yet I have done; and abjecting myself in mine own eyes, I shall appear more glorious with those handmaids, that you talk of. I will play here before my Lord; which hath chosen me, rather than thy father's house." And whereas Queen Michol was therefore plagued at God's hand, with perpetual sterility and barrenness; King David received great praise for his humility.

Now, may it please your honours to consider, which of both these kings examples shall be most convenient for your wisdoms, to make the queen's majesty to follow; whether the example of proud Özia, moving her, by your perswasions and councils, to take upon her spiritual government, and thereby exposing her soul to be plagued at the hand of God, as King Özia was; or else to follow the example of the good King David, which, in refusal of all spiritual government about the ark of God, did humble himself, as I have declared unto you.

Whereunto our soveraign lady, the queen's highness, of her own nature being well inclined; we may assure ourselves, to have of her as humble, as virtuous, and as godly a mistress to reign over us, as ever had English people here in this realm; if that her highness be not, by your flattery, and dissimulation, seduced and beguiled.

Fourthly, and lastly, We must forsake, and fly from the holy unity of Christ's church: seeing that St Cyprian, that holy martyr, and great clerk, doth say, that the unity of the church of Christ doth depend upon Peter's authority, and his successors. Therefore, by leaping out of Peter's ship, we must be overwhelmed with waves of schisms, of sects, and divisions: because the same holy martyr, in his third epistle to Cornelius, testifieth, (that all heresies, sects, and schisms, do spring only from hence,) that men will not be obedient to the head bishop of God.

And how true this saying of St Cyprian is, we may see it most apparent to all men that list to see, both by the example of the Germans, and by us the inhabitants of this realm of England.

And by this our forsaking, and flying from the unity of the church of Rome, this inconveniency amongst many, must consequently follow that either we must grant the church of Rome to be the true church of God, or else a malignant church. If you answer, that it is a true church of God, where Jesus Christ is truly taught, and his sacraments rightly administered; how can we disburthen our selves of our forsaking, and flying from that church, which we do confess, and acknowledge to be of God? When with that church, which is of God, we ought to be one, and not to admit of any sepa

ration.

If you answer, that the church of Rome is not of God, but a malignant church; then it will follow, that we, the inhabitants of this realm, have not as yet received any benefit of Christ; seeing we have received no gospel, or other doctrine, nor no other sacraments, but what was sent unto us from the church of Rome.

First, In King Lucius his days, at whose humble epistle the holy martyr Elutherius, then bishop of Rome, did send into this realm two holy monks, Fagatius, and Damianus; by whose doctrine and preaching, we were first brought to the knowledge of the faith of Jesus Christ, of his holy gospel, and his most holy sacraments.

Then, Secondly, Holy St Gregory, being bishop of Rome, did send into this realm two

other holy monks, St Austin, called the apostle of England, and Milletus, to receive the very self same faith, that had been before planted here in this realm, in the days of King Lucius.

Thirdly, and last of all, Paulus Tertius being bishop of Rome, did send hither the Lord Cardinal Pool, his grace, (by birth a nobleman of this land) his legate, to restore us unto the same faith which the martyr St Eleutherius and St Gregory had planted here many years before.

If therefore the church of Rome be not of God, but a false and malignant church, then we have been deceived all this while; seeing the gospel, the doctrine, faith, and sacraments, must be of the same nature as that church is, from whence it and they came; and therefore in relinquishing and forsaking that church, the inhabitants of this realm shall be forced to seek further for another gospel of Christ, other doctrine, other faith, and sacraments, than we have hitherto received; which will breed such a schism and error in faith, as was never in any christian realm. And therefore of your wisdoms worthy of consideration, and maturely to be pondered, and be provided for, before you pass this act of supremacy. Thus much touching the first chief point.

Now to the second deliberation, wherein I promised to move your honours, to consider what the supremacy is, which we go about, by virtue of this act, to give unto the queen, and wherein it doth consist; whether in spiritual government, or temporal. But if spiritual, (as these words in the act do import, supream head of the church of England, immediatly and next unto God ;) then it would be considered, in what points this spiritual government doth consist: and the points being well known, it would be considered, whether this House hath authority to grant them, and her highness ability to receive them.

And as concerning the points wherein spiritual government doth consist, I have, in reading the gospel, and the whole course of divinity thereupon (as to my vocation belongeth) observed these four, as chief among many others: whereof the first is, the power to loose and bind sins, when our Saviour, in ordaining Peter to be chief and head governor of his church, said unto him, Tibi dabo claves regni cælorum, &c. That is, "to thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven," &c. Now it would be considered by your wisdoms, whether you have sufficient authority to grant unto her majesty this first point of spiritual government; and to say unto her, Tibi dabimus, &c. To thee will we give the keys of the kingdom of heaven. If you say, yea; then do we require the sight of your warrant and commission, by virtue of God's word. And if you say, no; then you may be well assured, and perswade your selves, that you have not suf ficient authority to make her highness supream head of the church of Christ here in this realm.

The second point of spiritual government is gathered out of these words of our Saviour Christ, spoken to St Peter in the 20th chapter of St John's gospel, Pasce-et Pasce-et Pasce; that is, feed my lambs, feed my lambs, feed my sheep: Now whether your honours have authority by this court of parliament, to say unto our sovereign lady, Pasce, et Pasce, et Pasce, &c. That is to say, Feed you the flock of Christ, you must shew your warrant and commission for it. And further, it is evident, that her majesty, being a woman by birth and nature, is not qualified by God's word to feed the flock of Christ, appears most plainly by St Paul, in this wise, Taceant mulieres in ecclesiis, sicut et lex dicit. Let women be silent in the church: for it is not lawful for them to speak, but to be in subjection, as the law saith. And it followeth in the same place, Turpe est enim, mulieres loqui in ecclesia, that is, for that it is not seemly for a woman to speak in the church. And in his second epistle to Timothy, Dominari in virum, sed esse silentes; that is to say, I allow not that a woman be a teacher, or to be above her husband, but to keep herself in silence. Therefore, it appears likewise, as your honours have not authority to give her highness this second point of spiritual government, to feed the flock of Christ; so by

St Paul's doctrine, her highness may not intermeddle herself with the same. And therefore she cannot be supream head of the church, here in England.

The third chief point of spiritual government is gathered out of those words of our Saviour Christ, spoken to St Peter in the 22d chapter of St Luke's gospel, Ergo rogavi pro te, ut non deficiat fides tua; et tua liquando conversus, confirma fratres tuos. That is, I prayed for thee, that thy faith shall not fail; and when thou art converted, confirm thy brethren, and ratifie them in wholesome doctrine, and administration of the sacrament; which are the holy instruments of God, so instituted and ordained for our sanctification, that without them his grace is not to be received. But to preach, or to administer the sacraments, a woman may not be admitted to do; neither may she be supream of Christ's church.

The fourth and last chief point of spiritual government, which I promised to note unto you, doth consist in the excommunication and spiritual punishment of all such as shall approve themselves not to be the obedient children of Christ's church.

Of which authority our Saviour Christ speaks in St Matthew's gospel, in the 18th chapter, saying, "If your brother offending will not hear your charitable admonition, whether secretly at first, or yet before one or two witnesses, then we must complain of him to the church, and if he will not hear the church, let him be taken as a heathen or publican."

So the apostle did excommunicate the notorious fornicator that was among the Corinthians; and by the authority of his apostleship, unto which apostles, Christ ascending into heaven, did leave the whole spiritual government of his church, as it appeareth by those plain words of St Paul, in his epistle to the Ephesians, chap. 4. saying, Ipse dedit ecclesiæ suæ, &c. He hath given to his church, some to be apostles, some evangelists, some pastors and doctors, for consummation of the saints, to the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. But a woman in the degrees of the church, is not called to be an apostle, nor evangelist, nor to be a pastor, (as much as to say, a shepherd) nor a doctor, or a preacher; therefore she cannot be supream head of Christ's militant church, nor yet of any part thereof. For this high government God hath appointed only to the bishops and pastors of his people; as St Paul plainly witnesseth in these words, in the 20th chap. of the Acts of the apostles, saying, Attendite vobis, et universo gregi, &c. And thus much I have here said, right honourable and my very good lords, against this act of supremacy, for the discharge of my poor conscience, and for the love, and fear, and dread, that I chiefly owe unto God, to my sovereign lord and lady the queen's majesties highness, and to your honours all. Where otherwise, without mature consideration of all these premises, your honours shall never be able to show your faces before your enemies, in this matter; being so strange a spectacle and example in Christ's church, as in this realm is only to be found, and in no other christian realm.

Thus humbly beseeching your honours to take in good part this my rude and plain speech, which here I have used, of much zeal and fervent good will: And now I shall not trouble your honours any longer.

The Oration of Dr. Feckenham, Abbot of Westminster, made in the Parliament House, Anno 1559.

FROM A MANUSCRIPT IN THE COTTONIAN LIBRARY.

Westminster was not the only last Mitred Abbey which sent a lord to parliament, and Feckenham the last of those abbots; but, I think, the first parliament of Queen Elizabeth was the last in which he was permitted to enjoy that privilege. Her Majesty had taken a laudable resolution to establish the Reformation, which her royal father and brother had set on foot; and, consequently, the Romish system, which had recovered strength enough, under the protection of Queen Mary, to avenge itself on its enemies, though not to secure its own existence, was now in its last agonies. The Bill of Uniformity, which gave life to the church of England, was the bane of the church of Rome; and while that was under consideration, it was, that Feckenham, like the god-smith Demetrius, made this notable, but vain effort, to save the Craft, by which he had his living.

HONORABLE, and my very good lords; having at this present, two sundry kinds of teligion here propounded and set before your honors, being already in possession of one of them, and your fathers before you, for the space of 1400 years past, here in this realm, like as I shall hereafter prove unto you; the other religion being here set in a book, to be received and established by the auctority of the high court of parliament, and to take effecte here in this realm at midsommer next coming; and yow being, as I know, right well desirous to have some perfect and sure knowledge which of both those religions is the better, and most worthy to be established here in this realm, and to be preferred before the other; I will, for my part, and for the discharging of my duty, first, unto God; secoundlye, unto our soveraigne lady the quene's highness; thirdlye, unto your honours, and to the whole commons of this realm, here set forth and express unto you three brefe rules and lessons, whereby your honours shall be able to put difference betwixt the true religion of God and the counterfaite, and therein never be deceived. The first is, In your search and tryal making, your honors must observe which of them hath been of most antiquitie, and most observed in the church of Christ of all men, at all times and seasons, and in all places.

The second, Which of them is of itself more stedfast, and always one and agreeable with itself.

The third and last rule to be considered of by your wisdomes is, which of these two religions doth breed the more humble and obedient subjects unto God, and next unto

'Cambden tells us, that " he was a learned and good man, lived a good while, did a great deal of good to the poor, and always solicited the minds of his adversaries to good will." (See a conference between Feckenham and Lady Jane Grey Dudley, upon the sacraments of the Christian church, in Harl. Miscellany, vol. iii.) Dr Story, in vindicating himself from the charge of cruelty, says, that he, with the abbot of Westminster, "a very pitiful minded man," begged the lives of twenty-eight heretics, who had been condemned to the flames. Prepared by the committee of the divines, who sate in conformity to the resolution of Elizabeth's council.