The Lord Bishop of Rochester's LETTER to the Right Honourable the Lord's Commissioners of His Majesty's Ecclesiastical Court.  
MY LORDS,  
I Most humbly entreat your Lordship's favourable Interpretation of what I now Write, that since your Lordships are resolved to proceed against those who have not Complied with the King's Command in Reading his Declaration, it is absolutely impossible for me to serve his Majesty any longer in this Commission. I beg leave to tell your Lordships, That tho' I myself did Submit in that particular, Yet I will never be any ways Instrumental in Punishing those my Brethren that did not: For as I call God to Witness, that what I did was merely on a Principle of Conscience, so I am fully satisfied, that their forbearance was upon the same Principle. I have no reason to think otherwise of the whole Body of the Clergy, who upon all Occasions have signalised their Loyalty to the Crown, and their Zealous Affections to his present Majesty's Person, in the worst of Times. Now my Lords, the Safety of the Church of England, seeming to be exceedingly Concerned in this Prosecution, I must Declare I cannot with a safe Conscience sit as Judge in this Cause upon so many Pious and Excellent Men, with whom (if it be God's Will) it rather becomes me to suffer, than to be in the least accessary to their Sufferings: I therefore Earnestly Request your Lordship to interceded with his Majesty, That I may be Graciously dismissed any further Attendanee at the Board, and to assure him, that I am still ready to Sacrifice whatever I have to his Service; but my Conscience & Religion.  
My Lords, Your Lordship's most Faithful and Humble Servant R—