ion and confident talk of the innumerable differences CHAP. XI. among the reformed should hereby be sufficiently confuted, many would be excited to embrace the true religion. He Anno 1566. judged this a matter very proper for our Bishop, and the rest of his colleagues, to concern themselves about, and to recommend to the Queen as effectually as he could.

with him

conten

In the next place he seemed to argue with the Bishop And argues concerning the religious contentions on foot in England, concerning having heard by certain letters sent hence both into France the present and Germany, concerning divers Ministers discharged their tions. parishes, otherwise men of good lives and learning, by the Queen, the Bishops also consenting, because they refused to subscribe to certain new rites: and that the sum of the Queen's commands were, to admit again not only those garments, the signs of Baal's priests in Popery, but also certain rites, which also were degenerated into the worst superstitions; as the signing with the cross, kneeling in the Communion, and such like: and, which was still worse, that women should baptize, and that the Queen should have a power of superinducing other rites, and that all power should be given to the Bishop alone in ordering the matters of the Church; and no power, not so much as of complaining, to remain to the pastor of each Church. Thus it seems the noncompliers had represented the present condition of our Church to those abroad. That learned Divine, (as he signified to our Bishop,) upon these reports, writ back to his friends, that the Queen's Majesty, and many of the learned and religious Bishops, had promised far better things; and that a great many of these matters were, at least as it seemed to him, feigned by some evil-meaning men, and wrested some other way: : but withal he beseeched the Bishop, that they two might confer a little together concerning these things. He knew, as he went on, there was a twofold opinion concerning the restoration of the Church: first, of some who thought nothing ought to be added to the apostolical simplicity; and so, that without exception whatsoever the Apostles did, ought to be done by us; and whatsoever the Church, that succeeded the

BOOK Apostles, added to the first rites, were to be abolished at I. once that on the other side there were some, who were of Anno 1566. opinion, that certain ancient rites besides ought to be retained; partly as profitable and necessary, partly, if not necessary, yet to be tolerated for concord sake. Then did the foresaid reverend man proceed to shew at large, why he himself was of opinion with the former sort and in fine, he said, that he had not yet learned by what right (whether one looks into God's word or the ancient canons) either the civil magistrate of himself might superinduce any new rites upon the Churches already constituted, or abrogate ancient ones; or that it was lawful for Bishops to ap114 point any new thing without the judgment and will of Bez. Epist. their presbytery. This letter was wrote the 5th of the calends of July; that is, June the 27th.

8.

Beza writes again.

To this the Bishop no doubt gave an answer, in all probability now perished and past recovery. But I have seen another large answer of his of the same subject, in effect, wrote by his own hand not long after, to another learned foreign Divine, viz. Hieronymus Zanchy; giving therein a true and impartial account of the appointment of these matters in this Church, in vindication of the proceedings here against the refusers of compliance. Which was mentioned at large before.

In the year 1568 Beza wrote again to our Bishop upon the same argument, lamenting the divisions caused hereby. Which we shall take notice of when we come so far.

Two sorts of Puritans.

CHAP. XII.

The Bishop's concern with some separatists; convented before him. Beza disliked them. The Bishop's advice about a Bishop of Armagh. Stops unlicensed preachers.

THE refusers of the orders of the Church (who by this time were commonly called Puritans) were grown now

XII.

into two factions. The one was of a more quiet and peace- CHAP. able demeanour; who indeed would not use the habits, nor subscribe to the ceremonies enjoined; as kneeling at Anno 1567. the Sacrament, the Cross in Baptism, the ring in marriage; but held to the Communion of the Church, and willingly and devoutly joined with the common prayers. But another sort there was, that disliked the whole constitution of the Church lately reformed; charging upon it many gross remainders of Popery, and that it was still full of corruptions not to be borne with, and Antichristian; and especially the habits which the Clergy were enjoined to use in their conversation and ministration. Insomuch that these latter The latter sort sepaseparated themselves into private assemblies, meeting to-rate. gether, not in churches, but in private houses, where they had Ministers of their own. And at these meetings, rejecting wholly the Book of Common Prayer, they used a book Geneva of prayers framed at Geneva, for the congregation of English exiles lately sojourning there. Which book had been overseen and allowed by Calvin, and the rest of his divines there; and indeed was for the most part taken out of the Geneva form. And at these clancular and separate congregations, they had not only prayers and sermons, but the Lord's Supper also sometimes administered. This gave great offence to the Queen, thus openly to turn their backs against that reformation which she so carefully had ordered and established. And she issued out her letters to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; to which letters were subscribed 115 the names of her Privy Council: which were in effect, that they should move these Dissenters by gentle means to be conformable, or else for their first punishment to lose their freedom of the city, and after to abide what would follow.

prayers used

by them.

them taken

Some of this sort had hired Plumbers' Hall, upon pre- Some of tence of keeping a wedding there, but in truth for a reli- at Plumbgious meeting. Here on the 19th of June about an hun-ers' Hall. dred persons met, but were disturbed by the sheriffs, and about fourteen or fifteen of the chief of them taken, and sent to the Compter for their disobedience. The next day The Bishop's reseveral of them were sent for, before the Lord Mayor, the proof of Bishop of London, and others the Queen's Commissioners, theni.

Part of a

Regist p.

23.

66

BOOK Then the Bishop told them, " that they had shewed themI. "selves disorderly, in absenting from their parish churches, Anno 1567," and the assemblies of other Christians, who quietly obeyed "the Queen's proceedings, and served God in such good "order as the Queen and the rest, having authority and "wisdom, had set forth and established by act of Parlia "ment. And not only so, but they had gathered together, " and made assemblies, using prayers and preaching; yea, "and ministering the Sacrament among themselves. And "this they had done many times, and particularly but the day before. He then wished them to forbear for the fu"ture." And in fine produced the Queen's letters aforesaid. The Bishop took notice, how they pretended a wedding, when they hired the said hall for no such purpose. Which when one of them said, they did to save the woman harmless who let it to them; the Bishop shewed them, that by this evasion they were guilty of lying: which was contrary to the admonition of the Apostle, Let every man speak truth with his neighbour. And that they had hereby put the poor woman to great blame; and that it was enough for her to lose her office of being keeper of the said hall; which was against the rule of charity.

He argues with them.

Their plea.

Then the Bishop declared to them after a grave and gentle manner, how that by thus severing themselves from the society of other Christians, they condemned not only the present members of the Church that held communion with it, but also the whole state of the Church reformed in King Edward's days; which he affirmed was well reformed according to the word of God; yea, and that many good men had shed their blood for the same: which their doings did condemn. But one of them said, in the name of the rest, that they condemned them not; but that they only stood to the truth of God's word. The Bishop asked them moreover, whether they had not the Gospel truly preached, and the Sacraments administered accordingly; and whether good order was not kept, although they differed from other churches in ceremonies and indifferent things: which lay in the Prince's power to command for order's sake?

Then the Bishop allowed them to speak, and asked one

XII.

of them that was the ancientest, named John Smith, what CHAP. he could answer. Who said, that they thanked God for. the reformation: and that what they desired was, that all Anno 1567. might be according to God's word. When several others of them strove to speak, the Bishop commanded Smith to go 116 on. Who proceeded thus; that as long as they might have the word freely preached, and the Sacraments administered without idolatrous gear about it, they never assembled together in houses; but when it came to this point, that all their preachers were displaced, that would not subscribe to the apparel and the law, so that they could hear none of them in any church by the space of seven or eight weeks, except Father Coverdale, [for none else, it seems, they would hear, because they wore the habits,] coming not to the parish churches, they began to bethink themselves what they had best to do: and remembering that there was a congregation in the City of London in Queen Mary's days, and a congregation also in Geneva of English exiles then, that used a book framed by them there, they resolved to meet privately together, and use the said book, [laying aside the Common Prayer Book wholly.] And finally, he in the name of the rest offered to yield, and to do penance at St. Paul's Cross, if the Bishop, and the Commissioners with him, could reprove that book, or any thing else that they held, by the word of God.

swer to

But when the Bishop still told them that this was no an- The Biswer for their not going to church; Smith said, that he had shop's anas lief go to mass, as to some churches and such was the them; parish church where he dwelt; and that he was a very Papist that officiated there. But the Bishop said, that they ought not to find fault with all for a few; and that they might go to other places: and particularly mentioned S. Lawrence, and Sampson and Lever; who preached in London, being dispensed with, though they wore not the habits, besides Coverdale. And when one of them mentioned some that were Priests in Queen Mary's days, and still officiated, the Bishop demanded, if they accused any of them of false doctrine. And one presently answered, he could: and