ARTICLES OF ACCUSATION AND IMPEACHMENT Of the House of Commons, and all the Commons of ENGLAND AGAINST William Pierce Doctor of Divinity and Bishop of Bath and Wells.  
London, Printed for George Thomlinson, and are to be sold in the Old-Baily. 1642.   

Articles of Accusation and impeachment by the Commons House of Parliament against William Pierce, Doctor of Divinity, and Bishop of Bath and Wells.  
1. THat he hath by his own arbitrary power against Law since he was Bishop of Bath and wells (being about ten year's space) of purpose to keep the people in ignorance, and hinder the Salvation of their Souls which he should promote, suppressed all Lectures within his Diocese, both in Market Towns and elsewhere, aswell those that the Ministers kept in their several cures, as others that were maintained by several yearly stipends (given by the founders) our of their piety and devotion, for such goodness or by the voluntary assistance of neighbour Ministers; some of which 
* Among thes he hath suppersed the ancient weekly lecture at the City of Bath, whither many Nobles, and other stranger's rosort, especially in the spring and fall, who by reason of their sickness, both desire & need preaching for the consolation & instruction of their souls, of which now they are there destitute, to their great discomfort.  Lectures had continued for 50.40.30. years, without interruption, and where countenanced by his predecessors, who used to preach at some of them in their turns.  
2. That in stead of encouraging he hath suspended, excommunicated and otherwise vexed the said Lectures; glorying in this so doing and thanking God that he had not a Lecture left in all his Diocese; the very name whereof he sa●d he disliked, and affirmed unto Master Cunnant a Minister, who desired a continuance of a Lecture, that he would not leave one within his Diocese; the B●shop alleging, that though there was need of Preaching in the infancy of the Church of the Apostles time, yet now their was no such need; and thereupon required the said Minister upon his Canonical obedience, not to Preach: and in like ma●ner he dealt with many other godly Ministers within his Diocese. And in particular he suspended Mastere Devenish the Minister of Bridgewater, for preaching t●e Lecture in his own Church on the market day there, (which Lecture had continued from Queen Elizabeth's time till then;) and refused to absolve him, till he had promised never to preach it more; upon which promise, the said Bishop absolved him with this admonition of our Saviour, most profanely applied, 
* john 5.14. I dare say no Commentator whatsoever, ever made so ill an application of this Text.  Go thy way sin no more, lest a worse thing happen to thee. And not content to put down Lectures in his own Diocese, he hath endeavoured the suppression of them in others by conventing some ministers of his Diocese before him, as namely one Master Cunnant and Master Stickland) and threatening to suspend them for preaching their turns at Lectures in other Dioceses near them.  
3. That in opposition to Preaching, and the Sirituall could of the people's Souls, 
* It appears by Act, 20.20.31. Act. 2 46. ●3. & 4. & 5. Lu. 21 37.38. joh. 8 22.19.47.2, tim 4.2. by Basil. Magnus Hexaemeron. Hom. 2.7 8.9. & Hom. in Psal. 114. by Saint Chrysostom. Hom. 10.22. & 34. in Gen. Ad Pop. Antioch. Hom. 19.13. & 5. De saceidotio. l. 6. hom. de Lazaro. by Augusti Concio. 2. in Psal. 68 Tract. 16.18. & 21. in joan. and other Fathers, that Christ, his Apostles, and the Fathers preached every day, and forenoon and afternoon on the Lo●ds day, how dare then this prelate thus to affront their practice?  he hath most impiously, and against Law put down all afternoon Sermons on the Lord's day, throughout his Diocese, and charged the Ministers both public in his visitation, and privately, not to preach at all on the Lords day on the afternoon, upon any occasion under pain of suspension: after which charge he suspended one Master Cornish a Minister, only for preaching a funeral Sermon on a Lord's day Evening.  
4. That divers godly Ministers of his Diocese, being restrained from Preaching did thereupon take great pains, to Chatechise the people in the principals of Religion, on the Lord's day in the afternoon, enlarging themselves upon the questions and answers of the Catechism, in the Common-prayer book, for the people's better instruction, using some short prayers before or after that exercise: of which the said Bishop having intelligence convented the said Ministers before him, reproving them sharply for the same, threatening to punish them if they persisted in that way, which he said, was a Chatechisme Sermon-wise, and as if they preached; charging them that they should ask no questions, nor receive any other answers from the people but such as were contained in the Catechism in the Service book, which some not observing, were convented threupon before the said Bishop, and punished, as namely Master Barret Rector of Barwick, who was enjoined Penance for transgressing the Bishops said order; and likewise Humphrey Blake, Churchwarden of Bridgewater, was enjoined penance by the Bishop, for not presenting Master Devenish Minister there, for that he expounded upon the Church-Catechisme on the Lord's day in the afternoon, and made a short prayer before he began the same; the Bishop alleging, that it was against his order and command, as is abovesaid.  
5. That he hath both by precept & example most profanely opposed the due sanctification of the Lords day, by approving and allowing of profane Wakes and Revels on that day, contrary to the Laws and Statutes of this Realm, for which purpose he 
* O profane Impiety and Injustice, to punish ministers for preaching, Catechising, and doing that which God enioynes them.  commanded afternoon service on the Lord's day not to be long, that so the people might not be hindered from their Recreations; pressed and enjoined all the Ministers in his Diocese in their proper persons, to read the book of sports, in their several parish Churches, in the midst of Divine Service at morning prayer on the Lord's day, contrary to the words, and perport of the said book, which some Ministers (as Master Humphrey Chambers, and Master Thomas refusing to do, 
* Impiety and profaneness which no age can pattern, many minister have been suspended and censured for shortening the Service, that they might preach the longer, and yet they are commanded to cor●al it by this Bishop, that the people might have more time to play in Gods own day  he therefore suspended them both from their Office and Benefice and kept them excommunicated for divers years, notwithstanding the said book was by the Bishop's Order published in their churches by others he convented the ministers of Beererockham before him for having two Sermons on the said parish revel day, alleging that it was a hindrance, to the said Revel, and to the 〈◊〉 of the Church-Ale, provided to be spent on that day. He converted and punished one Master Thomas ●●ford a Minister, for Preaching at the Parish of Mountagu, upon the Revel day upon the Praphet joels exhortation, to fasting, weeping and mourning, charging him, that not only his Sermon, but his very Text was 
* A pious, ●…pall reason, fit for an Alewife than a Bishop an Atheist than a Prelate.  scandalous to the Revel, and gave offence to the meeting. And or the same reason, the said Bishop commanded the said Church-warde's of the Parish of Batcombe, to blot out of the Church wall, this Text of Scripture therein written, taken out of Esay 58.13.14. 
* O blasphemy why was not the Revel rather scandalous to the text.  If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing the own waie●s nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed thee with heritage of Jacob thy Father, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And he likewise caused to be razed out this clause in Doctor Bisse his monument in that Church, formerly P●stor there; he was an enemy to heathenish Revel. To countenance which Revels, the said Bishop (in opposition to the orders of the Judges of Assize, and Justices of Peace of , for the suppressing of Sports and Revels and their Petition to the King, to that purpose) did call before him divers ministers of his Diocese and presented unto them a writing in approbation and commendations of the said sports and Revels, whereupon many of the said Ministers subscribed their names, by the Bishop's persuasions, which writing the said Bishop sent up to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who after the receipt thereof suppressed the Justice's Petition. And partly after the book for sports and Revels on the Lord's day was published.  
6. That he hath both by example and cammand, contrary to the Laws of the Land, introduced into all or most Churches in his Diocese sundry Innovations in the Rives and Ceremonies of the Church, and other new inventions of his own, tending to Popery and Superstition: (as namely, setting up of Altars, and enjoining the seats about them to be taken away, saying, 
* O the desperate impiety and profaneness of this Bishop, who might as well obliterate this Scripture out of the Bible, as out of the Church wall. This speech he borrowed from Canterbury, who might do well to prove that God almighty sits actually on the Lord's Table, & that as well when there is no Communion there, as when there is.  none shall sit equal with or above God Almighty; bowing and cringing to the said Altars, (and reading the second and third service at the Altar) and enjoined the strict observation of them under the heaviest Censures of the Church; in so much that the Communion Table of Stretton in his Diocese, which he had caused to be railed in Altarwise, being brought down again in his former place and not turned to the East, thereupon no Communion was there permitted to the Parishioners on Palme-Sunday and Easterday 1637. the minister having received an Order from the said Bishop, 
* O monstrous superstition sacrilege & impiety, to deprive the people of the Sacrament, because the Table stood not after his new ●ancy No age I am certain yields such a precedent.  not to administer the Communion until the Table was again set up Alterwise: and caused deverse to be punished for not standing up at the Gospel and Gloria Patri. And he hath likewise forced divers parishes, as Tanto Shepton Mallet, and others, to their intolerable cost, to set up Organs, 
* It seems his Lordship delighted more in piping then preaching, and will have men go merrily dancing not mouthing to heaven.  where there were none at all, or not a long time before; causing the Churchwarden, to levy money towards the building of them, upon the Parishioners against their wills and punishing them in his Ecclesiastical Court that would not pay towards them, and that he hath put the County of Somerset to excessive oxpences, by reason of such Innovations as aforesaid.  
7. That he hath contrary to Law, vexed and molested in his Ecclesiastical Courts divers of the Clergy and Laity of his Diocese for trivial and small matters; excommunicated and vexed divers Churchwardens, for not railing in the communion Table, and placing it Alterwise against the East wall of the Chancel; and by name, the Churchwardens of Beckington; whom he not excommunicated, but likewise caused them and others to be unjustly indicted at the open Assizes held in the County in Lent, 1636. as for a Riot in hindering the removing of the Table in that Church putting the said Parish to the expense of 1800. pound or more, and not absolving the Churchwardens from their excommunion till the they had done such open and ignominious penance, as the said Bishop enjoined them, in three eminent Parish Churches within his Diocese as likewise at the Market-crosse at Wells. The performance of which penance wrought so fare upon james Wheeler one of the said Churchwardens that thereupon he fell into a consumption through grief, and so died; saying often before his death, that the performance of the said penance being so ignominious and against his Conscience, was the cause of his death; and by his vexatious suits in his Ecclesiastical Courts he hath raised his Registers office in former Bishop's time not worth above 60, pound per annum, to the value of 3 or 4 hundred pounds or more by the year.  
8. That the said Bishop hath undoubtedly and against Law, pressed the Oaths Ex Officio upon divers inhabitants of Wells without complaint or accusation, and likewise the Oath of Deans Rural, with other unlawful Oaths, both upon the Clergy and Laity within his Diocese, and other places; and suspended and excommunicated divers of them that refused to take the said Oaths: and that not only in his Consistory Court but in his own private Chamber, there being none but a R●g●ster with him.  
9 That he hath for his own Lucre and gain extorted divers sums of money against Law, as of one Fort one of the Churchwardens of South Pederton twenty pounds. And also of one Master Francklyn the sorne of three pounds (besides the some of ten pounds given in Fees and rewards to the Bishop's servants) for instituting him into the Personage of Standerweeke. And hath likewise exacted the sum of six shillings eight pence or more, of divers Churchwardens and Parishes within his Diocese, only for not ringing the Bells when he passed through the bounds of their several Parishes, in his Visitation, though privately without giving them any notice of his coming that way,  
10. That he hath against Law deferred and denied Institutions upon presentations to Benefices, practising in the interim under hand to consetre the sonie upon his Son servants, or other dependants, and to deprive the Patrons of their rights: and hath even by force, against all law and equity, conseired s●me of the Benefices upon his son, servants, and dependants, viz upon his son, the Parsonage of Buckland, and endeavoured by the like force to confer the Personage of Standerweeke upon his said son, and other Parsonage upon his servants and a lives and did against Law and by force confer the Uicarage of Hynstridge upon his servant Flamstead.  
11. That he hath it ampered with witnesses examined by and before him upon Oath, to make them testify untruths, and hath falsified their depositions, setting down his own words, and what he would have them depose, instead of what they testified; as namely in the Case of the Church wardens of Becking●on, and in that of M. Inns Minister of Beer●rocombe.  
12. 〈◊〉 is a common vexer, persecuter and molester of worthy and 〈◊〉 Ministers, and a countenancer of those who are negligent 〈…〉 as namely, he hath vexed and, persecuted, Mr, Chambers Mr, Thomas Mr. Croak, Mr. Newton, Mr. Barnard, Mr. Cunnant, Mr. Roswell, and many, other good and pa●●efull Ministers of the Diocese, 〈…〉 him Chaplain Mr. Egl●rf●●ld Gawler, and 〈…〉 with other vicious Ministers, and Mr: 〈◊〉 and others 〈…〉  
13. If 〈◊〉 said Bishop according to Law, did severely exact and impose upon lives of the Clergy within his Diocese, the new Oath prescribed by thesixt Canon of the late pretended Synod and caused and and enforced them to take the said illegal Oath, himself kissing the Seal or the Commission which authorised him to exact the said Oath of his Clergy, and kneeling down upon his knees took the Oath first, and their administered it to others; saying, that he was glad in his heart that this Oath was imposed upon all the Clergy of England for now the true Children of the Church, would be known, from the spurious and Bastards. And 〈…〉 hath 〈◊〉 to confer Orders upon such who refused to take the Oath, as namely upon one Mr. Gibbens. And hath enforced the said Oath upon divers, he hath ordained Ministers since the making thereof.  
14. That the said Bishop was a great fomenter and incourager of the late-divisions and wars between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland conventing and urging the Clergy of his Diocese to contribute a a liberal benevolence towards the maintenance of the said wars, using this speech as one motive to induce them to this contribution; that it was 
* Bishop Hall labours to excuse it, in his Answer to the vindication. p. 14.15. as if the Bishop mean: it only in a less evil construction, as referring to the northern use of that quarrel, not our prosecution, when as it is most clear by the words and circumstances, that he meant quite contrary  Bellum Episcopale and ●ing that what eve● cause the King had expressed in the Declaration 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 this war was for us, meaning us the Bishops. And whereas some of the Clergy 〈◊〉 the payment of so large a Benevolence as the said Bishop demanded, in regard of their poverty, and because they were still in their first fruits, when they were free from Subsidies, the said Bishop threamed by his power to put more Names and Horses upon them, saying that as they would not 〈◊〉 the King with their purses, they should serve him with their Arms. And thereupon compelled them to pay the sums he demanded of them is 'gainst Law as namely Mr. Roswell Mr. james, Mr. Abbot, and others, And not contented herewith, the said Bishop pretending that there was divers poor Vicars and Ministers in his Diocese that were not able to pay the benevolence, so that he could not raise the sum he expected thereupon directed his letters to divers of his wealthier Clergy, causing some of them to pay a 
* Which some of the County conceive he hath pursed up or discharged his own share in this contribution therewith.  fee and contribution.  
15. That the said Bishop not content with this first benevolence hath since that compelled divers of his Clergy to pay all or part of the six illegal subsidies or benevolences imposed by the late pretended Synod, without confirmation of Parliament, threatening to excommunicate and deprive them ipso facto who failed payment of it at the days prefixed by the Synod and sent out a process to Mr. Newton, minister of Taunton (even whiles the said Town was much visited by the pestilence) long before the said Subsidy or Benevolence was due, to enjoin him to pay it punctually at the day, or else he would inflict on him the penalties prescribed by this Synod; and used these speeches, that if they did not pay the said Subsidies or Benevolence they should be ground to powder.  
16. And the said Commons by Protestation saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or impeachment against the said Bishop; And also of replying to the answers that he said Bishop shall make unto the said Articles, or to any of them, and of offering proofs also of the premises or any of them, or any other impeachment or occasion that shall be exhibited by them (as the cause shall according to the course of Parliaments require) do pray that the said Bishop may be put to answer to all and every the premises. And that such proceed, examinations, trials, and judgements may be upon every of them had and used, as is agreeable to Law and Justice.  
By these Articles of impeachment you may easily discover what a desperately profane, impious, turbulent Pilate the Bishop is, even such a one, whom no age (I think) in many particulars is able to parallel, whose prodigiously profane speeches and actions proclaies to all the world, that our present pilate's impieties have made them fit for judgement; yea good for nothing but to be cast out and trampled under feet of men, as the very excrements and off-scouring of all things.  
FJNJS.