I. From the Original Commission under the Great Seal of England, among the Archiepiscopal Records at Lambeth Palace, in the Eleventh Volume of "Chartæ Antiquæ." WILLIAM and MARY by the Grace of God King and Queene of England Scotland France and Ireland Defenders of the Faith &c. To the most Reverend Father in God Thomas Lord Archbishopp of Yorke, The Right Reverend Fathers in God Henry Lord Bishopp of London, Peter Lord Bishopp of Winchester, William Lord Bishopp of St Asaph, Thomas Lord Bishopp of Rochester, Thomas Lord Bishopp of Carlisle, Jonathan Lord Bishopp of Exeter, Gilbert Lord Bishopp of Salisbury, Humphry Lord Bishopp of Bangor, and Nicholas Lord Bishopp of Chester And to our Trusty and Welbeloved John Tillotson Doctor in Divinity and Deane of Canterbury, Edward Stillingfleet Doctor in Divinity and Deane of St Pauls London Simon Patrick Doctor in Divinity and Deane of Peterborough Richard Megott Doctor in Divinity and Deane of Winchester John Sharp Doctor in Divinity and Deane of Norwich Henry Aldridge Doctor in Divinity and Deane of Christ Church William Jane Doctor in Divinity and Regius Professor in Divinity in Our University of Oxford, John Hall Doctor in Divinity and Margaret Professor in Divinity in Our said University Joseph Beaumont Doctor in Divinity and Regius Professor in Divinity in our University of Cambridge John Mountague Doctor in Divinity and Master of Trinity Colledge in our said University John Goodman Doctor in Divinity and Archdeacon of Middlesex William Beveridge Doctor in Divinity and Archdeacon of Colchester John Battely Doctor in Divinity and Archdeacon of Canterbury Charles Alston Doctor in Divinity and Archdeacon of Essex Thomas Tenison Doctor in Divinity John Scott Doctor in Divinity Edward Fowler Doctor in Divinity Robert Grove Doctor in Divinity John Williams Batchelor of Divinity and Richard Kidder Batchelor in Divinity Greeting. WHEREAS the particular formes of Divine Worshipp and the Rites and Ceremonyes appointed to be used therein, being things in theire owne nature indifferent and alterable. and soe acknowledged it is but reasonable that upon Weighty and Important Consideracons according to the various Exegency of tymes and occasions such changes and alteracõns should be made therein as to those that are in place and Authority should from tyme to tyme seeme either necessary or expedient AND WHEREAS the Booke of Canons is fitt to be reveiwed and made more suitable to the state of the Church And Whereas there are defects and abuses in the Ecclesiasticall Courts and Jurisdiccõns and particularly there is not sufficient Provision made for the removing of scandalous Ministers and for the reformacon of manners either in Ministers or people AND AND WHEREAS it is most fitt that there should be a strict Method prescribed for the Examinacon of such persons as desire to be admitted into Holy Orders, both as to theire Learning and Manners Wee therefore out of Our pious and Princely Care for the good Order Edification and Unity of the Church of England comitted to Our Charge and for the reconciling as much as is possible of all differences among Our good Subiects and to take away all occasions of the like for the future have thought fitt to Authorise Empower and Require And by these Our Letters Patents Wee Doe Authorize Empower and Require You the said Thomas Lord Archbishopp of Yorke Henry Lord Bishopp of London Peter Lord Bishopp of Winchester William Lord Bishopp of St Asaph Thomas Lord Bishopp of Rochester Thomas Lord Bishopp of Carlisle Jonathan Lord Bishopp of Exeter Gilbert Lord Bishopp of Salisbury Humphry Lord Bishopp of Bangor Nicholas Lord Bishopp of Chester John Tillotson Edward Stillingfleet Simon Patrick Richard Megott John Sharp Henry Aldridge William Jane John Hall Joseph Beaumont John Mountague John Goodman William Beveridge John Battely Charles Alston Thomas Tenison John Scott Edward Fowler Robert Grove John Williams and Richard Kidder or any nyne or more of you whereof three to be Bishopps to meet from tyme to tyme as often as shall be needfull and to prepare such Alteracons and Amendments of the Liturgy and Canons and such proposalls for the Reformacōn of Ecclesiasticall Courts and to Consider of such other matters as in your Judgment may most conduce to the ends above mencõned soe that the Things by you soe considered and prepared may be in a readinesse to be offered to the Convocacon at theire next meeting and when approved by them may be presented to Us and Our two houses of Parliament that if it shall be Judged fitt they may be establisht in due forme of law. IN WITNES whereof Wee have caused these Our Letters to be made Patents. WITNES Ourselves at Westminster the seaventeenth day of September in the first yeare of Our Raigne. Per Breve de privato Sigillo. (Indorsed) Barker. Comission for Regulateing and Inspecting into Ecclesiasticall Affayres. Barker. The foregoing is a true copy of the Original Letters Patent preserved among the Archiepiscopal Records at Lambeth Palace, examined by me. There is also, among Bishop Gibson's Manuscripts, in the Library, (Lambeth MSS. No. 933, article 12,) a document intitled, "A Copy of the Ecclesiastical Comission A. 1689, taken from y Original by Th. Tenison D. D." But it is both defective and inaccurate in several respects. The same Commission is inrolled in the Records of the High Court of Chancery, in the fourth part of the Patent Roll of the first year of William and Mary, number 35; as appears by an Office-copy in the Archbishop's possession. Wm. H. Black. Lambeth, 1 May 1854. II. A DIARY Of the proceedings of the Commissioners appointed by K. William & Q. Mary to revise the Common prayer, 1689. Taken by Dr. Williams now Bishop of Chichester, one of the Comm". every night, after He went home from the several Meetings. There was an appointment made by direction from the Lord Bishop of London, for their meeting at the Jerusalem Chamber at 9 o Clock, Octo'. 3. 1689. Sess. 1. The first thing done was the opening of the Comiss". D'. The tenor of it was in these Words "We do authorise, empower & re"quire you Archb of York &c. and any Nine or more of You "whereof 3 to be Bishops, to meet from time to time, as often as shall be "needfull and to prepare such alterations and amendments of the Liturgy "& Canons, and such proposals for the Reformation of Ecclesiastical "Abuses and to consider of such other matters as in Your Judgment may "most conduce to the ends above mentioned; so that the things so by you "considered and prepared may be in readiness to be offered to the Con"vocation at their next Meeting, and when approved by them may be "presented to Us & Our 2 houses of Parliament, and that if it shall "be judged fitt they may be established in due form of Law "1689. The Names of the Persons appointed to be Commissioners. 1 -Sept. 17. Ten BP, viz. D'. Lamplugh Arch B'. of York, Dr. Compton B3. of London, Dr. Smith BP. of Carlisle, Dr. Mews B". of Winches 2 5 3 6 4 ter, Dr. Floyd B'. of St. Asaph, D'. Sprat Bo. of Rochester, D'. Burnet* B. of Salisbury, Dr. Trelawny B. of Exon, Dr. Humfreys 1 8 2 Six Deans, Tillotson of Canterbury, Stillingfleet of St. Pauls, Patrick of Peterb: Meggot of Winton, Sharp of Norwich, Aldridge 6 of Xt. Church. 3 4 Professors & Dr. of Universities 4 Arch Deacons-Goodman, Beveridge, Alston, Battley. 6 of the London Clergy-viz, Tenison, Grove, Scott, Fowler, Kidder, Williams. Of those there met at that time 17 viz. 5 BPS. whereof 2 Elect, 5 Deans and 7 others. Stilling. B. of London, Rochester, St. Asaph-Elect of Worcest. and Patr. Chich'. Deans of Canterb. Norwich, Winchest. X. Church, Glouces- NB. 1. Before the 2a Sess. Dr. Stillingfleet was BP. of Worcester 2. In Sess. 9 Dr. Tillotson appears as Dean of Pauls, and 3. Of the aforesaid Comss". never sat York, Carlisle, Exeter, Beaumont, Mountague, Battley-BP. of Rochester came After the reading of the Comission the first point proposed to be debated was the reading the Apochrypha in the Church. For it there were 3 things offered, 1. That leaving it out wou'd give great offence to the People—thus 2. That if not the whole allowed to be read yet some parts of the 3. It was desired that We should not proceed in these matters till To the two former it was answered, That besides the Objections against particular parts of it, the Whole was of no Authority, That it gave too great a Countenance to the Pretentions of the Church of Rome, and shewed too great a Respect to the Books themselves- -To the last it was said-That the Time was short and the matter would not admit long delays. 2 That what was done here was no determination and that the whole was to be left to the Convocation-It was carry'd against the Apochrypha. The next point in Debate was the Version of the Psalms in the Common Prayer. It was debated whether keep the Old Translation, or have y altered, or wholly take in the new. Here Mr. Kidder was desired to give some account of what He (at the desire of some of the BP.) had observed. He shewed that the first half was faulty, the latter much better, (and from thence he collected that the Translator by that Time he had gone through the first half grew weary of his Work, and rather chose to Translate it a new, then patch it up as before) and that it differed from the LXX as well as from the Hebrew. Mr. K. Page 3.] Page 4.] Mr. K. and Mr. W. then withdrew (about 12 a Clock) going out of Town. It seems They gave several Their parts, and Adjourned till Monday, On Monday Oct. 14 only 7 or 8 met viz. and adjourned till Sess. 21On Wednesday Oct. 16. at 10 o'Clock, met 18 of the Comiss". 6 Bishops, London, Winton, Rochester, St. Asaph, Worcester, 6 Deans, Canter, Norwich, Winchest'. X Church, Gloc1. Peterbro, 6 others, Beveridge, Tenison, Grove, Scot, Alston, Williams. In the first place the BP. of Rochester spoke to this purpose, That He questioned the Authority of this Comiss"; and whether it was not Pmunire to meet according to it, That a burnt Child dreads the Fire, and that he shou'd not think himself safe unless He had it under the hands of the 12 Judges, having in his former Case had Judges on his Side, That if it was legal, yet however He questioned whether this was not dissolved, and that there needed a new Commission, and that 1. Because the quality of some of the Persons therein concerned was altered; Such as He a few days ago had the Honour to lay his hands upon; and 2. because there were but 7 at the last meeting that Adjourned the Court; and that the Comiss made 9 at least of the Quorum. He urged further that He could not See how We could enter upon such matters having given Assent and Consent to Them; That it was to accuse the Church, and Condemn it as if it needed; That this was to prevent the Convocation, and that it could not be taken well by them to be called together to Confirm that which They had no hand in: That this wou'd provoke the Parliament. This ended, the D". of Gloc". Dr. Jane stood up and said, that what the BP. of Rochester said, had convinced him and He was of the same mind. To this was reply'd especially by D'. Patrick B'. of Chichest', 1. That sure there was no comparison between the late Eccical Comission and this: For here was nothing to be determin'd, and They were only called together to advise and give their Opinion; not to determine concerning right and wrong "[The B3. of Rochest". said He would not compare Them].” 2. Nor betwixt the Judges then that were corrupted and gave Verdict against Law, and these that acted according to Law; and that They had consulted some of them (as well as the King had) and They said it was lawfull; for there was no Law to hinder the King from calling any Persons together for Their Advice, and this the Words of the Commission shewed was no more. 3. The Bishop of London said, that it was approved by the Lords House, and besides if this Comission shou'd end without effect, the Work wou'd be taken out of Our hands and done without the Clergy. 4. That this was not to prevent the Convocation but to shorten their |