chiefly have I been held so long, by some mens
ambitious Covetousnesse, and sacrilegious Cruelty; torturing (with Me)
both Church and State in Civill Dissentions, til I shall be forced
to consent, and declare that I do approve, what (God knows) I utterly
dislike, and in my Soul abhor, as many wayes highly against Reason,
Justice, and Religion: and whereto, if I should shamefully and
dishonorably give my consent; yet should I not by so doing, satisfie
the divided Interests and Opinions of those Parties, which contend
with each other, as well as both against Me and Episcopacy.

Nor can my late condescending to the _Scots_ in point of
Church-Government, be rightly objected against me, as an inducement
for me, to consent to the like in my other Kingdoms; For it should be
considered, That Episcopacie was not so rooted and setled there, as
'tis here; nor I (in that respect) so strictly bound to continue it in
that Kingdom, as in this; for what I think in my judgment best, I may
not think so absolutely necessary for all places, and at all times.

If any shall impute my yeelding to them as my failing and sin, I can
easily acknowledge it; but that is no argument to do so again, or much
worse; I being now more convinced in that point: nor indeed, hath my
yeelding to them been so happy and successfull, as to encourage me to
grant the like to others.

Did I see any thing more of Christ, as to Meeknesse, Justice, Order,
Charity, and Loyaltie in those that pretended to other modes of
Government, I might suspect my Judgment to be biassed, or fore-stalled
with some prejudice and wontednesse of opinion: but I have hitherto
so much cause to suspect the contrary in the manners of many of those
men, that I cannot from them gain the least reputation for their new
ways of Government.

Nor can I find, that in any Reformed Churches (whose patterns are
so cried up, and obtruded upon the Churches under my Dominion) that
either Learning, or Religion, works of Piety or Charity, have
so flourished beyond what they have done in my Kingdoms (by
Gods blessing) which might make me believe either Presbytery or
Independency have a more benigne influence upon the Church and mens
hearts and lives, then Episcopacy in its right constitution.

The abuses of which, deserve to be extirpated, as much as the use
retained; for I think it farre better to hold to primitive and
uniforme Antiquity, then to comply with divided novelty.

A right Episcopacy would