the pressure, no not by the tender, of the late oath, or any unprescribed ceremony; if I have freely, in the Committee appointed by the most Honourable House of Peers, declared my open dislike in all innovations, both in doctrine and rites; why doth my innocence suffer?

Can they challenge me as a close and back-stair-friend to Popery or Arminianism, who have, in so many pulpits and so many presses, cried down both? Surely, the very paper, that I have spent in the refutation of both these, is enough to stop more mouths than can be guilty of this calumny.

Can they check me with a lazy silence in my place? with infrequence of preaching? Let the populous auditories where I have lived witness, whether, having furnished all the churches near me with able preachers, I took not all opportunities of supplying such courses, as I could get, in my Cathedral; and, when my tongue was silent, let the world say whether my hand were idle.

Lastly, since no man can offer to upbraid me with too much pomp, which is wont to be the common eye-sore of our envied profession, can any man pretend to a ground of taxing me, as I perceive one of late hath most unjustly done, of too much worldliness? Surely, of all the vices forbidden in the Decalogue, there is no one, which my heart, upon due examination, can less fasten upon me, than this. He, that made it, knows that he hatly put into it a true disregard (save only for necessary use) of the world; and of all that it can boast of; whether for profit, pleasure, or glory. No, no: I know the world too well to dote upon it. While I am in it, how can I but use it? but I never care, never yield to enjoy it. It were too great a shame for a Philosopher, a Christian, a Divine, a Bishop, to have his thoughts grovelling here upon earth: for mine, they scorn the employment; and look upon all these sublunary distractions, as upon this man's false censure, with no other eyes than contempt.

And now, Sir, since I cannot, how secretly faulty soever, guess at my own public exorbitances, I beseech you,

where you hear my name traduced, learn of mine accusers, whose lyncean eyes would seem to see farther into me than my own, what singular offence I have committed.

If, perhaps, my calling be my crime; it is no other, than the most holy Fathers of the Church in the primitive and succeeding ages, ever since the Apostles, many of them also blessed Martyrs, have been guilty of: it is no other, than all the holy Doctors of the Church in all generations, ever since, have celebrated, as most reverend, sacred, inviolable: it is no other, than all the whole Christian World, excepting one small handfull of our neighbours, whose condition denied them the opportunity of this government, is known to enjoy, without contradiction. How safe is it erring in such company!

If my offence be in my pen, which hath, as it could, undertaken the defence of that Apostolical Institution, though with all modesty and fair respects to the Churches differing from us, I cannot deprecate a truth; and such, I know this to be: which is since so cleared by better hands, that I well hope the better informed world cannot but sit down convinced. Neither doubt I, but that, as metals receive the more lustre with often rubbing, this truth, the more agitation it undergoes, shall appear every day more glorious. Only, may the Good Spirit of the Almighty speedily dispell all those dusky prejudices from the minds of men, which may hinder them from discerning so clear a light.

Shortly, then, knowing nothing by myself, whereby I have deserved to alienate any good heart from me, I shall resolve to rest securely upon the acquitting testimony of a good conscience, and the secret approbation of my Gracious God who shall one day cause mine innocence to break forth as the morning light, and shall give me beauty for bonds; and, for a light and momentary affliction, an eternal weight of glory.

To shut up all, and to surcease your trouble, I write not this, as one, that would pump for favour and reputation from the disaffected multitude; for I charge you, that

what passes privately betwixt us may not fall under common eyes: but only with this desire and intention, to give you true grounds, where you shall hear my name mentioned with a causeless offence, to yield me a just and charitable vindication. Go you on still to do the office of a true friend, yea the duty of a just man, in speaking in the cause of the dumb, in righting the innocent, in rectifying the mis-guided; and, lastly, the service of a faithful and Christian Patriot, in helping the times with the best aid of your prayers; which is daily the task of

Your much devoted,

and thankful friend,

From the Tower,

Jan. 24, 1641.

JOS. NORVIC.

BISHOP HALL'S

HARD MEASURE.

NOTHING Could be more plain, than that, upon the call of this Parliament, and before, there was a general plot and resolution of the Faction to alter the Government of the Church especially. The height and insolency of some Church-Governors, as was conceived, and the ungrounded imposition of some innovations upon the Churches both of Scotland and England, gave a fit hint to the project.

In the vacancy, therefore, before the summons, and immediately after it, there was great working secretly for the designation and election, as of Knights and Burgesses, so especially, beyond all former use, of the Clerks of Convocation: when now the Clergy were stirred up to contest with and oppose their Diocesans, for the choice of such men as were most inclined to the favour of an alteration.

The Parliament was no sooner sat, than many vehement speeches were made against established Church-Government, and enforcement of extirpation both root and branch.

And, because it was not fit to set upon all at once, the resolution was to begin with those Bishops, which had subscribed to the Canons then lately published, upon the shutting up of the former Parliament: whom they would first have had accused of treason; but that not appearing feasible, they thought best to indict them of very high crimes and offences against the King, the Parliament, and Kingdom: which was prosecuted with great earnestness by some prime Lawyers in the House of Commons, and entertained with like fervency by some zealous Lords in the House of Peers; every of those particular Canons

being pressed to the most envious and dangerous height that was possible: the Archbishop of York (was designed for the report, aggravating Mr. Maynard's criminations to the utmost, not without some interspersions of his own. The Counsel of the accused Bishops gave in such a demurring Answer, as stopped the mouth of that heinous indictment.

When this prevailed not, it was contrived to draw Petitions accusatory from many parts of the kingdom, against Episcopal Government; and the promoters of the petitions were entertained with great respects: whereas the many petitions of the opposite part, though subscribed with many thousand hands, were slighted and disregarded.

Withal, the rabble of London, after their petitions cunningly and upon other pretences procured, were stirred up to come to the Houses personally to crave justice both against the Earl of Strafford, first; and, then, against the Archbishop of Canterbury; and, lastly, against the whole Order of Bishops: which, coming at first unarmed, were checked by some well willers, and easily persuaded to gird on their rusty swords; and, so accoutered, came by thousands to the Houses, filling all the outer rooms, offering foul abuses to the Bishops as they passed, crying out "No Bishops, no Bishops ;" and, at last, after divers days' assembling, grown to that height of fury, that many of them, whereof Sir Richard Wiseman professed (though to his cost) to be Captain, came with resolution of some violent courses, insomuch that many swords were drawn hereupon at Westminster, and the rout did not stick openly to profess that they would pull the Bishops in pieces. Messages were sent down to them from the Lords. They still held firm, both to the place and their bloody resolutions. It now grew to be torch-light. One of the Lords, the Marquis of Hertford, came up to the Bishops' Form, told us that we were in great danger, advised us to take some course for our own safety; and, being desired to tell us what he thought was the best way, counselled us to continue in the Parliament House all that night: " For," saith