OF THE PACIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. 71 



tion in the Church, but it would have a perilous 

 operation upon the kingdoms ; and therefore it is fit 

 that controversy be in peace and silence. 



But there be two circumstances in the adminis 

 tration of bishops, wherein, I confess, I could never 

 be satisfied ; the one, the sole exercise of their autho 

 rity ; the other, the deputation of their authority. 



For the first, the bishop giveth orders alone, ex- 

 communicateth alone, judgeth alone. This seemeth 

 to be a thing almost without example in good go 

 vernment, and therefore not unlikely to have crept in 

 in the degenerate and corrupt times. We see the 

 greatest kings and monarchs have their councils. 

 There is no temporal court in England of the higher 

 sort where the authority doth rest in one person. 

 The king s bench, common-pleas, and the exchequer, 

 are benches of a certain number of judges. The 

 chancellor of England hath an assistance of twelve 

 masters of the chancery. The master of the wards 

 hath a council of the court : so hath the chancellor 

 of the duchy. In the exchequer-chamber, the lord 

 treasurer is joined with the chancellor and the barons. 

 The masters of the requests are ever more than one. 

 The justices of assize are two. The lord presidents 

 in the North and in Wales have councils of divers. 

 The star-chamber is an assembly of the king s privy 

 council,, aspersed with the lords spiritual and tem 

 poral: so as in courts the principal person hath ever 

 either colleagues or assessors. 



The like is to be found in other well-governed 

 commonwealths abroad, where the jurisdiction is yet 



