LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 79 



which he directed was not ab officio totally, but 

 only from one branch of his office, namely, 

 preaching within the diocese of London, till his 

 Majesty had received satisfaction. 2d. That 

 where an ecclesiastical superior or judge de- 

 clares any sentence virtute et vi canonis, there is 

 no need of any judicial process previous to the 

 sentence ; the delinquent having fallen under it 

 a jure, and therefore the ordinary acts not here- 

 in as judge, but as custos canonum. That ipso 

 facto excommunications (and ipso facto suspen- 

 sions are of the like kind and upon the same 

 footing) are decreed by the very canons them- 

 selves, and have their validity from thence, in 

 like manner as ipso facto deprivations are es- 

 tablished by our laws, namely, in certain cases 

 when a benefice shall be void without any de- 

 claratory sentence in the ecclesiastical court. 

 That therefore what was required by the King 

 of the Bishop of London, in the order to suspend 

 Dr. Sharp, was not that he should decree it as 

 a judge, but declare it as a party concerned and 

 engaged in defence of the canons, and in the 

 preservation of the laws of the church. 



And 3d. That when the King, as supreme 

 ordinary, had informed himself of the offence 

 laid to the Doctor's charge, and was thereupon 

 fully satisfied of the truth of it, the Bishop of 

 London not only ought, when required to de- 



