English Puritan & Reformed

Impeachment Against the Bishops

John Wilde (1590-1669) · 536 words · 2 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A96498.0001.001

Project Note

This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

THE IMPEACHMENT AGAINST THE Bishops.

Sent up by Serjeant Wylde, and delivered at the Barr in the Lord's house by order of the House.

August the 4. 1641.

LONDON Printed by I. N. for Henry Twyford, and are to be sold at the three Daggers in Fleet-street. 1641.

August 4. 1641.

The impeachment against the Bishops, sent up by Serjeant Wylde, and delivered at the B • rr in the Lord's house verbally, by order of the House.

My Lord's,

THe Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the Commons house of Parliament, being sensible of the great Infelicities and Troubles which the Cōmon-wealth hath sustained by the exorbitant courses of the Bishops, and knowing well what the wiseman saith, That if sentence be not speedily executed against an evil work, the hearts of the sons of men are set upon further mischief. The timely redress whereof doth better become the wisdom of Parliament, then a too-late woeful Repentance, Have commanded me to represent unto your Lordships, That

Walter Bishop of Winchester.
Robert Bishop of Coventry and Leichfield.
Godfry Bishop of Gloucester.
Joseph Bishop of Excester.
John Bishop of Asaph.
William Bishop of Bath and Wells.
George Bishop of Hereford.
Matthew Bishop of Eli.
William Bishop of Bangor.
Robert Bishop of Bristol.
John Bishop of Rochester.
John Bishop of Peterborough.
Morgan Bishop of Landaffe.

Together with William Archbishop of Canterbury, and others of the Clergy of that Province, at a Convocation or Synod for the same Province begun at London in the year 1640, did contrive, make, and promulge several Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical, containing in them divers matters contrary to the Kings Prerogative, To the fundamental Laws and Statutes of the Realm, To the Rights of Parliament, To the Propriety and Liberty of the Subjects, and matters tending to sedition, and of dangerous consequence.

And to add the more weight and efficacy to this their monstrous design, They did at the same Synod under a specious and fair Tytle grant a Benevolence or Contribution to his Majesty, to be paid by the Clergy of that Province, contrary to Law: It rested not there, for though this had been enough to have affrighted and terrified the Kings People with strange apprehensions and fears, yet that these might not seem to be contrivancies of the Brain or Fancies only, They were put in Execution, and were executed upon divers with animosity and rigor, to the great oppression of the Clergy of this Realm, and other his Majesty's Subjects, and in contempt of the King, and of the Law.

Whether these persons, my Lord's, that are culpable of these Offences, shall be thought fit to have an Interest in the Legislative power your Lordships wisdom and Justice is able to judge.

But for these matters and things, The Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses of the Commons house in Parliament, in the name of themselves, and of all the Commons of England, do impeach the said Bishops before-named of the Crimes and Misdemeanours before expressed, and do therefore pray that they may be forth-with put to their Answers in the Presence of the Commons, and that such further Proceedings may be had against them as to Law and Justice shall appertain.

FINIS.