A second admonition to the parliament

An unchaste kind of pleading of unchaste matters. They have much ado in marriage matters: when folk may not marry: what degrees may not marry / and much more ado about divorcements / then either God or equity would / restraining both parties from marriage / as long as they both are alive together. §30Besides they have the trial of titles to benefices / and trial of tithes / & trial of testaments / and by their high commission they may do many moe things / and use other then spiritual coercion (as they call it) they may do what they will / saving life (I think) beat / prison / punish by the purse / banish / & I wot not what? All persons / dicares and curates / all church wardens / all side men / sworn men / and many forsworn / and all ⟨p. 57⟩parishes are at their commandment. They¹ may command all Matres / Bailiffs / Constables / and such like officers. All persons are open to them / all jailers obey them / receive their prisoners / and hamper them as they enjoin them. They have good causes and bad brought before them / and punish both sometimes / but the worst seldomest & least / and the best oftenest and most. Many of their causes / & much of their dealings §10are declared in the former treatises / therefore I will be but brief. And thus I say / y• neither they / nor any order we have in England this day doth / or can do that / which only God his order can do / and was appointed to do. Neither their provincials / nor the whole course of their canon law / nor their articles / nor commissions / can rightly order Christs church / nor any statute availeth thereunto / but only that law / which bindeth the whole land to God his orders for the governing of his §20church. And therefore to make laws it availeth not / save mere civil / as in this case (which they count spiritual) for the provision of the ministry / & a law to stablish a right reformation drawn² out of the scriptures. I would leave to speak any further of their convocation house / because the force of it dependeth upon the other houses of parliament / and my lords the bishops pleasures / for nothing they do but for a fashion / until they come to the subsidy / and they have had pretty devises