Chap. 3. 75e HISTORY of the PURITANS. Fenian, ,ddams, Lajas, and others. The books of Syndal, Frith, goy, Icing ,Barnes, and other proteftants, were ordered to be burnt; and the importa. Heir 5IIlr tion of all foreign books relating to religion was prohibited, without fpe- cial licence from the king. Upon the whole, the reformation very much declined, the three or four State the lafl years of the king's life, as appears by the ftatute of 35 Henry Si etreKing, cap. a. which leads the people back into Come of the ftrong holds of popery: Death. It fays, " That recourfe muff be had to the catholickand apoflolick church " for the decifion of controverfies; and therefore all books of the old and " e new teftament in Englifh, being of 2yndal's falfe tranflation, or compri " fing any matter of chridian religion, :articles of faith, or holy fcripture, " contrary to the do&rine fet forth by the king [in the fix articles] 154o, " or to be fet forth by the king, fhall be abolifhed. No perfon (hall fing " or rhime contrary to the faid do&rive. No perfon fhall retain any En- " glilh books or writings againfl the holy and bleffed .facrament of the al- " tar; or other books abolifhed by the king's proclamation. There fhall " be no annotations or preambles in bibles or new teflaments in Engles. " The bible fall not be read in Englifh in any church. Nowomen, or arti- " ficers, apprentices, journey-men, ferving-men, husband-men or labourers, " fhall read the new tfament in Englifh. Nothing (hall be taught or " maintained contrary to the king's inftru&ions. If any fpiritual perfon " fhall be convi& of preaching, or maintaining any thing contrary to the king's inftru&ions already made, or hereafter to be made, he (hall for " the firft offence recant, for the fecond bear a fagot, and for the thirdbe " burnt." Here are popery and fpiritual flavery in their full extent. Indeed the pope is difcharged of his jurifdi&ion and authority ; but a like authority is veiled in the crown. His majefty's infiru&ions are as binding as the pope's ca- nons, and upon as fevere penalties. He is abfolute lord of the confciences of his fubje&s. No bifhop or fpiritual perfon may preach, any do&rine;but what he approves; nor do any ad of government in the church but by his fpecial commiffion. This feems to have been given his majefty by the ad offupremacy, and is'further confirmed by one of the lafl flatutes of his -reign, which declares, that " Archbifhops, bithops, archdeacons, and other 37 H. g. ecclefiaftical.perfons, have no manner of jurifdi&ion ecclefiaftical, but by, cap. 17. " under, and from . his royal majefty ; and that his =jetty is the only fu- " preme head of the church of _England and Ireland; to whom, by holy " fcripture, all.authority and power is wholly given to hear and determine ".all manner of caufes ecclefraftical, and to corre& all manner of herefies, " errors, vices, and fins whatfoever; and to all fuch,perfons as his majefty (hall appoint thereunto." .E ;>a Thus
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