THE BISHOPS MITTIMUS to go to Bedlam.  
Upon their accusation of high Treason by the Parliament for making their petition and protestation to his Majesty against the proceed of the same.  
Wherein is showed the principal causes of their distraction and the evil effects of this their distemper Anno. 1641.  
With a charge to the Master Warders, and Keepers of the prison for to use their best means to recover their wits again.  
LONDON, Printed for I.W. in the year 1641.   

THE Bishops Mittimus for Bedlam Anno. twenty nine of December.  
THe Bishops have verified the common Proverb, to much money makes men mad, and to much ease and security joined with plenty and society is the first Original of pride, avarice, Luxurie and lasciviousness, and being replenished almuch with these foul defects, nay enormities; as with wealth, they have now no longer place for virtue, piety, and godliness to reside with them, and having by this means forsaken the paths of righteousness, justice and uprightness, thereby provoking divine justice, to leave them to themselves and their own inventions, they join themselves to the Devil, become his instruments to commit all manner of wickedness, and villainy, to practise Tyranny over God's heritage as they are Governors to Innovate religion, as they are teachers to usurp Temporal jurisdiction to themselves, over the persons, lives and estates of the King's good Subjects, their function and offices being only spiritual by this their power in there unlawful Courts of Inquisition, high Commission I would have said (Camera Stellate) ordinaries and other their Courts of oppression) to prosecute good men by finding imprisoning Banishment under his Majesty's name, (so presumptions is pride, to set forth laws of their own devising, Books of liberty, and unlawful, and vicious sporting on the Lord's day, increasing thereby profaneness, swearing, drunkenness, whoredom and adultery, heinous, and crying sinews, that his Majesty's people being left thus to themselves and laid open as it were to all suggestions and temptations of the devil, as may be the readier, and willinger to join with them, their governor's, instructors and teachers; to act any design against the Religion, and laws of this Kingdom, to admit of Idolatry, Superstition, and Romish Ceremonies to join with Anti-christ the Pope, the original 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 Majesty 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 powerful, not having both the Magistrate and Ministers authority, aswell the sword of justice, as of the word and spirit of God (we are altogether spiritual) not so many necessary ceremonies, as bowing cringing, creeping, standing up at Gloria patri kneeling at the receiving the encharist, whereby we 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 certain ceremonies indifferent to be used before named.  
Thirdly to join with the Church of Rome, that it is a true Church, doth not err in fundamental points of doctrine, that the Pope is not Anti-christ, and the like which they have attained. They now labour with his Majesty's counsel, to draw them likewise to favour their defignes, or the most of them, and those they cannot to procure their removeall, or by undue means; compel their assent to their practices, having now prevailed thus fare, 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 proceed in their several courts, for their granting so many Prohibitions, to hinder troublesome and vexations suit in their illegal courts, having prevailed in this, they propound questions of the King's prerogative, in levying ship-money, raising of illegal taxes on the King's good Subjects, to enrich their own coffers, under pretence of relieving the King's necessity; for money, who I persuade myself have had very little thereof, now England being the most part thereof, at their beck, and perceiving these their practices are against the fundamental laws of the land, against religion established in this Kingdom against the rights and very being of Parliaments, and fearing if ever a Parliament should be called they should for these things be questioned, they endeavour 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 actual war, to be leavyed against that Kingdom, whereby this Kingdom being busily employed in that design, the state thereof may not have leisure to think of a Parliament.  
2. By procureing the judges to give forth their opinions the ship money is inherent and inseparable from the Crown, and may be levied with out parliament, that the King by his prerogative made leavy and raise taxes without a parliament, That the opinion of the judges is more validity than an Act of Parliament and the like.  
3. To Command Animate and encourage the inferior Clergy to preach altogether of the power and Prerogative of the King the weakness and unnecessarines of parliaments, the sacrednes and Power of Bishops both Ecclesiastical and Civil that they are the head of the Church and not the King and such like.  
4. To induce the Nobility and great officers and Councillors of state to persuade the King that he may by force of Arms leavy taxes on his Subjects, if they refuse to pay the same with out Parliament and that Acts made by a Council of state is more binding to the subject than an act of Parliament, that the present necessity of the King required a more speedy aid then by Parliament could be afforded and the like.  
And this they having acted their tragedy in this Kingdom thus far and by the providence and mercy of God hindered for any further Proseeding in their desperate and rash stratagems it come now to show the causes of their distraction, the signs of their distraction and then set down their Mittimus to Bedlam,  
1. The first cause of their distraction, I conceive was the calling of the Parliament. 12. Caroli which raised in them some distemper but it having not such predominance in their brains then as since their policy prevailed and caused the dissolution of that Parliament.  
2. At the Kings going to the North being at York divers petitions being delivered to his Majesty by the nobility by the City of London and many Counties of this Kingdom which produced the calling of another Parliament which began 3; Novembris. Anno Domini. 1641. This might be the second cause of their distraction.  
3. The quick and sudden accusing & prosecution of the Leivetennant of Ireland their Chiefest Councillor and defence, and his execution following thereupon not withstanding all their practices and plots did Aggravate some what their distemper.  
4. The accusation and Impeachment of high Treason their Primnum Mobile, the first mover and beginner of all their mischievous designs. The Archbishop of Canterbury Aggravated more their distraction.  
5. The Parliaments proceed against scandalous Ministers and delingnents in the Clergy iucreased still their distemper.  
6. The Parliament calling in question the proseeding of the late Convocation wherein they were chief Agitators condemning the Cannons by them there made voted the members of that Synod in a Preminire, for holding the same made them all most out of their wits.  
7. The several Charges of the Parliament against themselves particularly 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 daily meetings of the Citizens with petitions and Cryeinge against Bishops made them altogether mad.  
And thus much of their causes of distraction, I come now to give you a sign or two of their ffrencie by their desperate actions since their bistemper.  
1. First their obstinate opposing the proseeding of the house of Commons against relinquents and setting Religion which had they been well in their wits they would never have done.  
2. And secondly their desperate attempt against the whole state of the Kingdom by their petition to his Majesty and protestation against them.  

The Mittimus.  
Whereas I am given to understand to my great grief and sorrow that the reverend Fathers in God the Lord Archbishop of York etc. are by strange Casualties become altogether distracted and distempered in their wits so sarr as they are not to be governed by any ordinary means or brought again to their senses by any Act or persuasion whatsoever which is a great disturbance and grievance to all their friends and allyances but causeth in and about the Court great troubles and distempers requiring present provection for fear that greater inconvenience doth follow there upon, It is thought fit and commanded that the Master's Warders and Keepers of the Prison ordained for the entertainment of distracted and frantic persons do take into their Custody the persons of the said Archbishop of York etc. and use means for the restoring of them to their former understanding, as shall be requisite.  
Far you well given under our hand and seal this 29. of December 1641.   
FINIS.