PETITION IN FAVOUR OF EPISCOPACY, 1641
[LANCASHIRE]
Contemporary Unsigned Copy of the Petition of the Nobility Knights Gentry Ministers & Freeholders of the County of Lancaster
shewing that "whereas divers papers usurping the names of our county [as] petitioner[s], have been obtruded upon this honourable house", the Commons of the Long Parliament, "to the great scandal of religion, & prejudice of our country, some whereof we have found to be groundless invectives, against Episcopy, barely founded upon indiscretion & ignorance" the petitioners, "aiming chiefly at the glory of God, & salvation of our souls, humbly crave leave, to vindicate our county, from such aspersions", stating that "the office & calling of Bishops, a name we shall here rather, pray for than dispute ... founded in the first Christian churches, confirmed in the blood of Martyrs, & maintained in the purest time of the gospel, we apprehend to be of greater weight than to be libelled, & scandaled, by such factious persons, as have either ignorance, or prejudice, for their best counsellors";
and "praying that personal crimes may not be imputed to religious orders, nor that errors in private governors, may be a breach in public government".
But "when the person of any Bishop by his life or doctrine, hath dishonoured God ... or defamed his calling, may his fault be punished with such severity, as in your justice, and wisdom, shall be thought fit".
They suggest that "were the Antipetitioners throughly examined, they would be found partial prejudicate men, rash inconsiderate men, unable & unqualified men, men of thin and cheap abilities, such as know no government, or scorn all", and "ready to add new firebrands to set the whole church of God in combustion".
Their "last petition" is that "superstition & popery may be banished ... their liberties abridged, their patrons punished, & their power shortened, according to the laws in that case provided", praying "for your happy progress, in reforming the distempers of church and state", 1 side folio bearing watermark G DVRAND below a shield topped with a fleur-de-lys, short title on conjugate leaf with year date, no place,
(Transcription of 55798, by lines)
The humble petition of the Nobility Knights
Gentry Ministers & Freeholders of the
County of Lancaster
Humbly sheweth, that whereas divers papers usurping the names
of our county [as] petitioner[s], have been obtruded upon this honourable house, to
the great scandal of religion, & prejudice of our country, some
whereof we have found to be groundless invectives, against
Episcopy, barely founded upon indiscretion & ignorance: we
whose names are subscribed, aiming chiefly at the glory of
God, & salvation of our souls, humbly crave leave, to vindicate
our county, from such aspersions, as these inconsiderate petitioners
may bring upon it.
The office & calling of Bishops, a name
we shall here rather, pray for than dispute, so pious in it
self, so reverend in its progress, so useful in ecclesiastical
government, founded in the first Christian churches, confirmed
in the blood of Martyrs, & maintained in the purest time of
the gospel, we apprehend to be of greater weight than to be
libelled, & scandaled, by such factious persons, as have either
ignorance, or prejudice, for their best counsellors; we
therefore beseech you to take into your considerations this
great & weighty function, praying that personal crimes may
not be imputed to religious orders, nor that errors in private
governors, may be a breach in public government.
When the person of any Bishop by his life or doctrine, hath dishonoured
God, profaned his religion, or defamed his calling, may his
fault be punished with such severity, as in your justice, and
wisdom, shall be thought fit, so that this sacred function may
be still maintained in all pristine purity, as is already
established, by the laws of the land.
Withal we crave
leave to certify, that were the Antipetitioners throughly exa-
mined, they would be found partial prejudicate men, rash in-
considerate men, unable & unqualified me, men of thin and
cheap abilities, such as know no government, or scorn all,
whereby this will be ready to add new firebrands to set the whole
church of God in combustion.
To this we add our last petition, that
superstition & popery may be banished, from amongst us, their
liberties abridged, their patrons punished, & their power
shortened, according to the laws in that case provided. This[,] Right
Honourable [House,] in a just care of the peace of the church, and the satisfaction
of our gracious sovereign, we beg from this grave assembly,
herein submitting ourselves, to your wise consideration, praying
as in all duty bound, for your happy progress, in reforming
the distempers of church and state.
Item Date:
1641
Stock No:
55798
£1275
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LANSBURY
(George, 1859-1940, M.P., founder of the Daily Herald and Leader of the Labour Party 1931-1935)
Autograph Letter Signed to Mr Brough
saying that a friend of his “wants a nomination to Guildhall school of Music. Will you very kindly give it her as per enclosed...”, 1 sides postcard, no place, no date
Item Date:
0
Stock No:
42026
£55
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LANSDOWNE
(William Petty-Fitzmaurice, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, 1737-1805, Prime Minister)
Rare Autograph Letter Signed “Lansdowne” to an unnamed correspondent
saying that he is “very sorry that you should have the trouble of calling at my door so frequently as you mention without finding me, but I have been latterally out of town, and when I am in town I always go out at one o’clock unless prevented. I have the honour to inclose to you a draft to pay my subscription to Dr Cromford’s family, and I took the liberty of sending you the different epitaphs which have been sent me. I never rec’d the Latin Epitaph which is mentioned nor do I think there would be any propriety in a Latin Epitaph to be read in a retir’d Country Churchyard. If it depended upon me I should prefer the simplest of them, or one perhaps still more simple, but whatever epitaph Mrs Cromford and her friends preferr, I will take care to have properly executed this summer when I go into Hampshire...”, 2 sides 4to, Berkley Square, Sunday night, no date annotated in another hand
Item Date:
1795
Stock No:
43262
£1250
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LANSDOWNE
(Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 1780-1863, M.P. for Calne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Abolitionist, 3rd Marquis)
Formal Autograph Letter in the third person to Mr Emerson
saying he will "willingly agree to have his name in ... the list of patrons to the new Music Hall, in the confidence that the locality & architectural arrangements will be selected with all the care & deliberation due to the great importance of a proper selection being made ...", 3 sides 8vo., Bowood, 9th October
Item Date:
1842
Stock No:
41074
£125
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LANSDOWNE
(Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 1780-1863, M.P. for Calne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Abolitionist, 3rd Marquis)
Autograph Letter Signed to the Bishop of Oxford
Samuel WILBERFORCE (1805-1873, Bishop, son of William Wilberforce) saying he has his note and “assure you that the subject to which it relates has not failed to engage my attention. Finding that a misapprehension had arisen out of your former conversation with Mr Shuttleworth relating to the school of Biddeston & that the application to the extent to which your lordship it appeared intended to carry it involved an entire departure from the practice of the office, I thought it better to lay the whole matter before a committee which was attended by Lor J. Russell & nearly all the members, by whose direction I believe the secretary must by this time have written to you, & acquainted you with this application but if he has not done so already, I will take care that the letter is immediately forwarded. I propose going abroad the end of next week...”, 4 sides 8vo., London, 21st July, no year but watermarked
Item Date:
1846
Stock No:
42189
£145
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