dislike some things in the service book without invalidating the whole? Did not his grace know, that they offered to subscribe to the use of the service book, as far as they could apprehend it consonant to truth, though they could not give it under their hands, that there was nothing in it contrary to the word of God, nor promise to use the whole without the least variation, in their public ministry? But according to the archbishop's logic, the church must be infallible or no church at all. The liturgy must be perfect in every phrase and sentence, or it is no true service of GOD; and every article of the church must be agreeable to scripture, or they contain no true doctrine at all. He told the ministers, that all who did not subscribe his articles were schismatics: that they had separated themselves from the church; and declared peremptorily, that they should be turned out of it.

This conduct of the archbishop was exposed in a pamphlet, entitled the Practice of Prelates;† which says, that none ever used good ministers so severely since the reformation as he; that his severe proceedings were against the judgment of many of his brethren the bishops, and that the devil, the common enemy of mankind, had certainly a hand in it. For who of the ministers (says this writer) have been tumultuous or unpeaceable? Have they not striven for peace in their ministry, in their writings, and by their example; and sought for their discipline only by lawful and dutiful means? Why then should the archbishop tyrannize over his fellow ministers, and starve many thousand souls, by depriving all who refuse subscription? Why should he lay such stress upon popish opinions, and upon an hierarchy that never obtained till the approach of antichrist?

Loud were the cries of these poor sufferers and their distressed families to Heaven for mercy, as well as to their superiors on earth! Their temptations were strong; for as men, they were moved with compassion for their wives and little ones; and as faithful ministers of Christ, they were desirous to be useful, and to preserve the testimony of a good conscience. Some through frailty were overcome and submitted, but most of them cast themselves and families upon the providence of God; having written to the Queen, to the

+ Life of Whitgift, p. 122.

archbishop, and to the lords of the council; and after some time to the parliament, for a friendly conference, or a public disputation, when and where, and before whom they pleased; though without success. *

The supplication of the Norfolk ministers to the lords of the council, signed with twenty hands; the supplication of the Lincolnshire ministers with twenty-one hands; the supplication of the Essex ministers with twenty-seven hands; the supplication of the Oxfordshire ministers with -hands; the supplication of the ministers of Kent with seventeen hands, are now before me; besides the supplication of the London ministers, and of those of the diocese of Ely and Cambridgeshire; representing in most moving language their unhappy circumstances, We commend, they say, to your honors compassion, our poor families, but much more do we commend our doubtful, fearful and 'distressed consciences, together with the cries of our poor 'people, who are hungering after the word, and are now as sheep having no shepherd. We have applied to the archbishop, but can get no relief, we therefore humbly beg it at your honors hands."-t They declare their readiness to subscribe the doctrinal articles of the church, according to the Stat. 13 Eliz. cap. 12. and to the other articles, as far as they are not repugnant to the word of God. And they promise further, if they may be dispensed with as to subscription, that they will make no disturbance in the church, nor separate from it.

The Kentish ministers, in their supplication to the lords of the council, professed their reverence for the established church, and their esteem for the book of common prayer,

In the year 1583, one John Lewis, for denying the deity of Christ, was burnt at Norwich. Many of the popish persuasion, under the charge of treason, were executed in different places. But, notwithstanding these severities, "her majesty (says Fuller) was most merci"ful unto many popish malefactors, whose lives stood forfeited to the "law, in the rigor thereof. Seventy, who had been condemned, by "one act of grace were pardoned and sent beyond sea.” Church History, b. ix. p. 169, 170. En. † MS. p. 328, 330, &c.

This has been considered, by bishop Warburton, as inconsistent with calling the "established church an hierarchy, that never obtained "till the approach of antichrist." But the charge of inconsistency

so far as that they saw no necessity of separating from the unity of the church on that account: That they believed the word preached, and the sacraments administered according to authority, touching the substance, to be lawful. They promised to shew themselves obedient to the Queen, in all causes ecclesiastical and civil; but then they added, that there were many things that needed reformation, which therefore they could not honestly set their hands to.* They conclude with praying for indulgence, and subscribe themselves their honors' daily and faithful orators, the ministers of Kent suspended from the execution of their ministry.

The London ministers applied to the convocation, and 15 of them offered to subscribe to the Queen's supremacy, to the use of the common prayer book, and to the doctrinal articles of the church, if they might be restored; but then add, "We dare not say there is nothing in the three books 6 repugnant to the word of God, till we are otherwise enlightened; and therefore humbly pray our brethren in 'convocation, to be a means to the Queen and parliament, that we may not be pressed to an absolute subscription, but be suffered to go on in the quiet discharge of the du'ties of our calling, as we have done heretofore, to the 'honor of Almighty God, and the edification of his church. 'We protest, before God and our Savior Jesus Christ, that if by any means, by doing that which is not wicked, we might continue still our labors in the gospel, we would 'gladly and willingly do any thing that might procure that blessing, esteeming it more than all the riches in the world; but if we cannot be suffered to continue in our 'places and callings, we beseech the Lord to shew greater 'mercy to those by whom this affliction shall be brought upon us, and upon the people committed to our charge, for whom we will not cease to pray, that the good work which the Lord has begun by our labors may still be advanced, to that day when the Lord shall give them and us comfort one in another, and in his presence everlasting does not lie against the Kentish ministers who speak above, unless it be proved that they were the authors of the pamphlet, entitled the Practice of Prelates, which contains the other sentiments. ED.

* MS. p. 326.

happiness and eternal glory."* This petition was presented to the convocation, in the first sessions of the next parliament, in the name of the ministers of London that had refused to subscribe the articles lately enforced upon them ; with an humble request to have their doubts satisfied by conference, or any other way.

Among the suspended ministers of London, was the learned and virtuous Mr. Barber, who preached four times a week at Bow Church: His parishioners, to the number of 120, signed a petition to the lord-mayor and court of aldermen for his release, but that court could not obtain it.f March 4, 1584, the learned Mr. Field and Mr. Egerton were suspended. Mr. Field had been often in bonds for non-conformity; he was minister of Aldermary, and had admitted an assembly of ministers at his house, among whom were some Scots divines, who being disaffected to the hierarchy, the assembly was declared an unlawful conventicle, and Mr.Field was suspended from his ministry for entertaining them; but the rest were deprived for not subscribing.

Many gentlemen of reputation both in city and country appeared for the suspended ministers, as well out of regard to their poor families, as for the sake of religion, it being impossible to supply so many vacancies as were made in the church upon this occasion. The gentlemen of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, and Kent, interceded with the archbishop, alledging that it was very hard to deal with men so severely for a few rites and ceremonies, when they were neither heretics nor schismatics, and when the country wanted their useful preaching. The parishioners of the several places from whence the ministers were ejected, signed petitions to the lord treasurer, and others of the Queen's council, be seeching them, in the bowels of Jesus Christ, that their ministers being of an upright and holy conversation, and diligent preachers of the word of GOD, might be restored, or otherwise (their livings being only of small value) their souls would be in danger of perishing for lack of knowledge.‡

The inhabitants of Malden in Essex sent up a complaint

MS. p. 595, 623. † MS. p. 460, 568, &c. + MS. p. 457.

1

to the council, "That since their ministers had been taken from them, for not subscribing to certain articles neither 'confirmed by the law of God, nor of the land; they had 'none left but such as they could prove unfit for that office, being altogether ignorant, having been either popish priests or shiftless men, thrust in upon the ministry when they knew not else how to live; men of occupation, ser'ving men, and the basest of all sorts; and which is most lamentable, as they are men of no gifts, so they are of no 'common honesty, but rioters, dicers, drunkards, &c. and ' of offensive lives. These are the men (say they) that are 'supported, whose reports and suggestions against others are readily received and admitted, by reason of which, multitudes of papists, heretics, and other enemies to GOD and the Queen are increased, and we ourselves in danger ' of being insulted. We therefore humbly beseech your honors in the bowels of Jesus Christ, to be a means of re'storing our godly and faithful ministers; so shall we and many thousands of her majesty's subjects, continue our ' daily supplications to Almighty GoD, &c."

The petition of the inhabitants of Norwich, signed with 176 hands, and many letters and supplications from the most populous towns in England, to the same purpose, are now before me. But these appeals of the puritans and their friends did them no service; for the watchful archbishop, whose eyes were about him, wrote to the council to put them in mind, "That the cause of the puritans did not lie before them: That he wondered at the presumption of the 'ministers, to bring his doings in question before their lordships; and at their proud spirit, to dare to offer to dispute before so great a body against the religion established by 'law, and against a book so painfully penned, and confirm. 'ed by the highest authority." He then adds, "That it was not for him to sit in his place, if every curate in his diocese must dispute with him ; nor could he do bis 'duty to the Queen, if he might not proceed without in'terruption; but if they would help him he should soon bring them to comply."* As to the gentlemen who

* Life of Whitgift, p. 127.