The prophecy of Bishop Usher unto which is added two letters, one from Sir William Boswell ... to the Most Reverend William Laud ... : the other from the Reverend John Bramhall ... to the Most Reverend James Usher, late Archbishop of Armah. Ussher, James, 1581-1656. 1687 Approx. 16 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A64674 Wing U209 ESTC R12466 13308223 ocm 13308223 98980 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A64674) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 98980) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 441:9) The prophecy of Bishop Usher unto which is added two letters, one from Sir William Boswell ... to the Most Reverend William Laud ... : the other from the Reverend John Bramhall ... to the Most Reverend James Usher, late Archbishop of Armah. Ussher, James, 1581-1656. Boswell, William, Sir, d. 1649. Bramhall, John, 1594-1663. [3], 9 p. [s.n.], London : 1687. Reproduction of original in Cambridge University Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Prophecies -- Early works to 1800. 2005-02 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-04 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2005-04 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE PROPHECY OF Bishop Usher . Unto which is Added TWO LETTERS , ONE FROM Sir WILLIAM BOSWELL ( Ambassadour at the Hague ) To the Most Reverend WILLIAM LAUD , Late Archbishop of Canterbury . The other from the Reverend JOHN BRAMHALL , Bishop of Derry in IRELAND , To the Most Reverend JAMES USHER , Late Archbishop of Armah . LONDON : Printed in the Year , 1687. THE PROPHECY OF Bishop Usher . THE Prediction of the most Learned and Pious Arch-bishop Usher , is very remarkable , as it was Printed about seven years ago with Licence , and the Truth of the matter of Fact therein delivered , never that I know of denied , but confirmed by many , which in short was thus . — That the year before this holy Primate died ( who was Buried in the Abbey at Westminster 17 of April , 1656. The Usuper Cromwel allowing 2001. towards his Funeral , so great his Worth , that it even charmed that Tyrant , otherwise far from being a Friend to any of his Profession : ) An intimate Friend of the Arch-bishop's asking him ( amongst other discourse ) what his present Apprehensions were concerning a very great Persecution which should fall upon the Church of God in these Nations of England , Scotland and Ireland , ( of which he had heard him speak with great confidence many years before , when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement ) and whether he did believe those sad Times to be past , or that they were yet to come ? He answered — That they were yet to come , and that he did as confidently expect it as ever be had done . Adding , That this sad Persecution would fall upon all the Protestant Churches of Europe . His Friend arguing , that he hoped the afflicton might now be over , and be intended of our late calamitous Civil Wars . The Reverend Prelate turning towards him , and fixing his Eyes upon him with that serious and severe Look which he usually had when he spake God's Word , and not his own , and when the Power of God seemed to be upon him , and to constrain him to speak , said thus : Fool not your selves with such hopes , for I tell you , all you have yet seen , hath been but the beginning of sorrows to what is yet to come upon the Protestant Churches of Christ , who will ere long fall under a sharper Persecution than ever yet has been upon them ; and therefore ( said he to him ) Look you be not found in the outward Court , but a Worshiper in the Temple before the Altar , for Christ will measure all those that profess his Name , and call themselves his People ; and Outward Worshipers he will leave out , to be trodden down by the Gentiles . The Outward Court ( says he ) is the formal Christian , whose Religion l●es in performing the outside duties of Christianity , without having an inward Life and Power of Faith and Love , uniting them to Christ , and th●se God will leave to be trodden down , and swept away by the Gentiles : But the Worshipers within the Temple , and before the Altar , are those who do indeed Worship God in Spirit and in Truth , whose Souls are made his Temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their Hearts , and they sacrifice their Lusts and vile affections , yea , and there own Wills to him ; and th●se God will bide in the hollow of his Hand , and under the shadow of his Wings ? and this shall be one great difference between this last , and all the other preceding Persecutions , For in the former , the most eminent and Spiritual Ministers and Christians did generally suffer m●st , and were most violently fallen upon , but in this last Persecution , these shall be preserved by God as a Seed to partake of that Glory which shall immediately follow and come upon the Church , as soon as ever this storm shall be over ; for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be the shortest Persecution of them all ; and shall only take away the gross Hypocrites and formal Professors , but the true Spiritual Believers shall be preserved till the Calamity be over past . His Friend then asked him , By what means or Instruments this great Tryal should be brought on . He answered , by the Papists . His Friend replyed , That it seemed very improbable they should be able to do it , since they were now little countenanced , and but few in these Nations , and that the Hearts of the People were more set against them than ever since the Reformation . He answered again , That it would be by the hands of Papists , and in the way of a suddain Massacre , and that the then Pope should be the chief Instrument of it . He also added , That the Papists were in his Opinion the Gentiles spoken of , Rev. 11. to whom the Outward Court should be left , that they might tread it under Foot ▪ they having received the Gentiles worship in their adoring Images , and Saints departed , and in taking to themselves many Mediators : And this ( said he ) the Papists are now designing among themselves , and therefore be sure you be ready . This gracious man repeated the same things in Substance to his only Daughter the Lady Tyrril , and that with many Tears , and much about the same time . A Letter from Sir William Boswell , to the most Reverend William Laud , late Arch-bishop of Canterbury , remaining with Sir Robert Cotton's choice Papers . Most Reverend ; AS I am here employ'd by our Soveraign Lord the King , vour Grace can testify that I have left no Stone unturn'd for his Majesty's Advancement ; neither can I omit ( whenever I meet with Treacheries or Conspiracies against the Church and State of England ) the sending your Grace an Account in General . I fear Matters will not answer your expectations , if your Grace do but seriously weigh them with deliberation . For be you assur , d , the Romish Clergy have gull'd the misled Party of our English Nation , and that under a Puritanical Dress ; for which the several Fraternities of that Church , have lately received Indulgence from the See of Rome , and Council of Cardinals , or to educate several of the young Fry of the Church of Rome , who be Natives of his Majesty's Realms and Dominions , and instruct them in all manner of Principles and Tenents contrary to the Episcopacy of the Church of England . There be in the Town of Hague , to my certain Knowledge , two dangerous Impostors , of whom I have given notice to the Prince of Orange , who have large Indulgences granted them , and known to be of the Church of Rome , altho they seem Puritans , and do converse with several of our English Factors . The one , James Murray a Scotchman , and the other John Napper , a Yorkshire Blade . The main drift of these Intentions is , to pull down the English Episcopacy , as being the chief Support of the Imperial Crown of our Nation : For which purpose above sixty Romish Clergy-men are gone within these two Years out of the Monasteries of the French King's Dominions , to Preach up the Scotch Covenant , and Mr. Knox his Discriptions and Rules within that Kirk , and to spread the same about the Nothern Coasts of England . Let therefore His Majesty have an inkling of these Crotchets , that he might be persuaded , whenever Matters of the Church come before you , to refer them to your Grace , and the Episcopal Party of the Realm : For there be great Preparations making ready against the Liturgy and Ceremonies of the Church of England : and all evil Contrivances here and in France , and in other Protestant Holdings to make your Grace and the Episcopacy odious to all Reformed Protestants abroad : It has wrought so much on divers of the Forreign Ministers of the Protestants , that they esteem our Clergy little better than Papists . The main things that they hit in our Teath are , our Bishops to be called Lords ; The Service of the Church ; The Cross in Baptism ; Confirmation ; Bowing at the Name of Jesus ; The Communion Tables placed Alter-ways ; Our manner of Consecrations : And several other Matters which be of late buzz'd into the Heads of the Forreign Clergy , to make your Grievances the less regarded in case of a Change , which is aimed at , if not speedily prevented . Your Grace's Letter is carefully delivered by my Gentleman 's own Hands unto the Prince . Thus craving your Graces hearty Prayers for my Undertakings abroad , as also for my safe arrival , that I may have the Freedom to kiss your Grace's Hands , and to tell you more at large of these things ; I rest , Your Graces most Humble Servant , W. B. Hague , June 12. 1640. A Letter from the Right Reverend J. Bramhall Bishop of Derry ; ( afterwards Primate of Ireland ) to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-Bishop of Armagh . Most Reverend ; I Thank God I do take my Pilgrimage patiently , yet I cannot but Condole the Change of the Church and State of England . And more in my Pilgrimage than ever , because I dare not witness and declare to that straying Flock of our Brethren in England , who have misled them , and who they are that feed them . But that your Lordship may be more sensible of the Churches Calamities , and of the Dange●s she is in of being ruin'd , if God be not Merciful unto Her , I have sent you a part of my Discoveries , and it from credible Hands , at this present having so sure a Messenger , and so fit an Opportunity . It plainly appears , that in the Year 1646 , by Order from Rome , above , 100 of the Romish Clergy were sent into England , consisting of English , Scotch , and Irish , who had been Educated in France , Italy , Germany , and Spain ; part of these within the several Schools there appointed for their Iustructions . In each of these Romish Nurseries , these Scholars were Taught several Handicraft-Trades and Callings , as their Ingenuities were most bending , besides their Orders , or Functions of that Church . They have many yet at Paris a fitting up to be sent over , who twice in the week oppose one the other ; one pretending Presbytery , the other Independency ; some Anabaptism , and other contrary Tenents , dangerous and prejudicial to the Church of England , and to all the Reformed Churches here abroad . But they are wisely preparing to prevent these Designs , which I heartily wish were considered in England among the Wise there . When the Romish Orders do thus Argue Pro and Con , there is appointed one of the Learned of those Convents to take Notes and to Judg : And as he findes their fancies , whether for Presbytery , Independency , Anabaptism , Atheism , or for any new Tenents , so accordingly they be to act , and to exercise their Wits . Upon their Permission when they be sent abroad , they enter their Names in the Convent Registry , also their Licences : If a Franciscan , if a Dominican , or Jesuit , or any other Order , having several Names there Entered in their Licence ; in case of a discovery in one place , then to fly to another , and there to change their Names or Habit. For an assurance of their Constancy to their several Orders , they are to give Monthly Intelligence to their Fraternities , of all Affairs where-ever they be dispers'd : so that the English abroad , know News better than ye at home . When they Return into England , they are Taught their Lesson , to say ( if any enquire from whence they come ) that they were poor Christians formerly that fled beyond-Sea for their Religion-sake , and are now Returned , with glad News , to enjoy their Liberty of Conscience . The 100 Men that went over 1646 ; were most of them Soldiers in the Parliament's Army , and were daily to correspond with those Romanists in our late King's Army , that were lately at Oxford , and pretended to Fight for His Sacred Majesty : For at that time , there were some Roman-Catholicks who did not know the Design a contriving against our Church and State of England . But the Year following , 1647 , many of those Romish Orders , who came over the Year before , were in consultation together , knowing each other . And those of the King's Party asking some why they took with the Parliament's side , and asking others whether they were bewitched to turn Puritans , not knowing the Design : But at last , secret Bulls , and Licences being produced by those of the Parliament's side , it was declared between them , there was no better Design to Confound the Church of England , than by pretending Liberty of Conscience . It was Argued then , that England would be a second Holland , a Common-Wealth ; and if so , what would become of the King ? It was answered , Would to God it were come to that point . It was again reply'd , your selves have Preached so much against Rome , and his Holiness , that Rome and her Romanists will be little the better for that Change : But it was answered , You shall have Mass sufficient for 100000 in a short space , and the Governors never the wiser . Then some of the mercifullest of the Romanist said , This cannot be done unless the King Die : upon which Argument , the Romish Orders thus Licenced , and in the Parliament Army , Wrote unto their several Convents , but especially to the Sorbonists , whether it may be Scrupled to make away our late Godly King , and His Majesty His Son , our King and Master ; who , Blessed be God , hath Escaped their Romish Snares laid for him ? It was returned from the Sorbonists . That it was Lawful for Roman Catholicks to work Changes in Governments for the Mother Churches Advancement , and chiefly in an Heretical Kingdom ? and so lawfully make away the King. Thus much to my knowledge , have I seen and heard since my leaving your Lordship , which I thought very requisite to inform your Grace ; for my self would hardly have credited these things , had not mine Eyes seen sure Evidence of the same . Let these things Sleep within your Gracious Lordships Breast , and not awake but upon sure Grounds , for this Age can trust no Man , there being so great Fallacy amongst Men. So the Lord preserve your Lordship in Health , for the Nations Good , and the Benefit of your Friends ; which shall be the Prayers of Your Humble Servant , J. Derensis . July , 20. 1654. These two Letters were taken out of that Treasury of choice Letters Published by Dr. Parr , his Lordships Chaplain , and Printed for Nathaniel Ranew at the Kings-Arms , in St. Pauls Church-yard . 1686. FINIS .