THe Bishops have verified the common Proverbe, to much money makes men mad, and to much ease and security joy­ned with plenty and society is the first Originall of pride, avarice, Luxvrie and laciviousnesse, and being replenished almuch with these foule de­fects, nay enormities; as with wealth, they have now no longer place for vertue, piety, and godli­nesse to reside with them, and having by this meanes forsaken the pathes of righteousnesse, Iustice and uprightnesse, thereby provoking di­vine Iustice, to leave them to themselves and their owne inventions, they ioyne themselves to the Divell, become his instruments to commit all manner of wickednesse, and villany, to practise Tyranny over Gods heritage as they are Gover­nours to Innovate religion, as they are teachers to usurpe Temporall Iurisdiction to themselves, over the persons, lives and estates of the Kings good Subiects, their function and offices being [Page 2]onely spirituall by this their power in there un­lawfull Courts of Inquisition, high Commission I would haue said (Camera Stellate) ordinaries and other their Courts of oppression) to prosecute good men by finding imprisoning Banishment under his Majesties name, (so presumptions is pride, to set forth lawes of their owne devising, Books of liberty, and unlawfull, and vitious spor­ting on the Lords day, increasing thereby Pro­phannesse, swearing, drunkennesse, whoredome and adultery, heynous, and crying Synues, that his Maiesties people being left thus to themselves and laid open as it were to all suggestions and temptations of the divell, as may be the readier, and willinger to joyne with them, their gover­nours, instructors and teachers; to act any designe against the Religion, and lawes of this Kingdom, to admit of Idolatry, Superstition, and Romish Ceremonies to ioyne with Anti-christ the Pope, the originall and first beginning thereof. And when thus the hearts of licivious, and pernicious people be thus framed to their desires, then dare they presume to attempt the seducing of his Ma­iesty in his Religion, to take dislike in some things therein, that it is not so glorious in outward ap­pearance, as the Church of Rome, not decked with such ornaments, not attended with such grave and learned Bishops, not so powerfull, not having both the Magistrate and Ministers autho­rity, aswell the sword of justice, as of the word and spirit of God (wee are altogether spirituall) not so many necessary ceremonies, as bowing cringing, creeping, standing up at Gloria patri [Page 3]kneeling at the receiving the encharist, whereby wee give more reverence, and holy respect to Christ and our religion, hereby inducing his Majesty to give first a toleration of the Romish religion.

Secondly, to admit of certaine ceremonies indifferent to be used before named.

Thirdly to ioyne with the Church of Rome, that it is a true Church, doth not erre in funda­mentall points of doctrine, that the Pope is not Anti-christ, and the like which they have attai­ned. They now labour with his Majesties coun­sell, to draw them likewise to favour their de­fignes, or the most of them, and those they can­not to procure their removeall, or by undue meanes; compell their assent to their practises, having now prevailed thus farre, and all things succeed according to their desires, then devise they how to draw to their part the judges of the land, to that purpose they call in question their proceedings in their severall courts, for their granting so many Prohibitions, to hinder troublesome and vexations suite in their illegall courts, having prevailed in this, they propound questions of the Kings prerogative, in leavying ship-money, raysing of illegall taxes on the Kings good Subjects, to enrich their owne coffers, un­der pretence of releiving the Kings necessity; for money, who I perswade my selfe have had very little thereof, now England being the most part thereof, at their beck, and perceiving these their practises are against the fundamentall lawes of the land, against religion established in this [Page 4]Kingdome against the rights and very being of Parlia­ments, and fearing if ever a Parliament should be called they should for these thinges be questioned, they indea­vour to prevent the same.

1. By endeavouring to innovate religion in Scotland, which being rejected more, the King by Proclamati­ons, and edicts to command their obedience to the Bi­shops which yet refused, and covenanted against pro­cure actuall warre, to be leavyed against that Kingdome, whereby this Kingdome being busily imployed in that designe, the state thereof may not have leasure to think of a Parliament.

2. By procureing the Iudges to give forth their opi­nions the shipp money is inherent and inseparable from the Crowne, and may bee levied with out parliament, that the King by his prerogative made leavie and raise taxes without a parliament, That the opinion of the Iudges is more validitie then an Act of Parliament and the like.

3. To Command Animate and incourage the inferior Clergie to preach altogether of the power and Preroga­tive of the King the weakenes and vnnecessarines of par­liaments, the sacrednes and Power of Bishops both Ec­clesiasticall and Civill that they are the head of the Church and not the King and such like.

4. To induce the Nobillitie and great officers and Councellors of state to perswade the King that he may by force of Armes leavie taxes on his Subiects, if they refuse to pay the same with out Parliament and that Acts made by a Councell of state is more bindeing to the subiect then an act of Parliament, that the present necessitie of the King required a more speedie aide then by Parliament could bee afforded and the like.

And this they haveing acted their tragedy in this King­dome thus farr and by the prouidence and mercy of God hindred for any further Proseeding in their despe­rate and rash stratagems it come now to shew the causes of their distraction, the signes of their distraction and then sett downe their Mittimus to Bedlam,

1. The first cause of their distraction, I conceave was the calling of the Parliament. 12. Caroli which raised in them some distemper but it haveing not such pre­dominance in their braines then as since their pollicy prevailed and caused the dissolution of that Parliament.

2. At the Kings goeing to the North being at Yorke divers peticions being delivered to his M [...]jestie by the nobillitie by the Cittie of London and many Coun­ties of this Kingdome which produced the calling of another Parliament which began 3; Nouembris. Anno Do­mini. 1641. This might bee the second cause of their distraction.

3. The quick and sudden accusing & prosecution of the Leivetennant of Ireland their Cheifest Councellor and defence, and his execution following therevpon not withstanding all their practises and plotts did Agravate some what their distemper.

4. The accusation and Impeachment of high Trea­son their Primnum Mobile, the first mover and beginner of all their mischeivous designes. The Archbishop of Canterburie Aggravated more their distraction.

5. The Parliaments proceedings against scandalous Ministers and delingnents in the Clergie iucreased still their distemper.

6. The Parliament calling in question the proseed­ings of the late Convocation wherein they were cheife Agitators condemning the Cannons by them there [Page 5]made voted the members of that Synod in a Preminire, for holding the same made them all most out of their witts.

7. The severall Charges of the Parliament against them selves perticularly of all those crimes and many more I have before mentioned voted againsted their sitting in the upper house of Parliament and their vots in the same together with the daylie meetings of the Cittizens with petitions and Cryeinge against Bishops made them altogether madd.

And thus much of their causes of distraction, I come now to give you a signe or two of their ffrencie by their desperate actions since their bistemper.

1. First their obstinate opposinge the proseedings of the house of Commons against relinquents and sett­ing Religion which had they bene well in their witts they would never have done.

2. And secondly their desperate attempt against the whole state of the Kingdom by their petition to his Majestie and protestation against them.