keeper, and fo attended at Canonical hours with the Books of Devotion upon his Majefty when he was Prince of Wales; and a little before the death of King James took Orders: and fo his Highness coming fhortly to be King; the vapours of Ambition fuming into his head that he was ftill to keep his Place, he would not think of less than being Clerk of the Closet to the new King, which Place his Majefty conferr'd upon, or rather continued in, the Bishop of Durham, Doctor Neyl, who had long ferv'd King James there. Mr Burton thus difappointed, and, as He call'd it, defpoil'd of his Right, would not, in the greatness of his heart, fit down by the affront; but committed two or three fuch weak, fawcy indifcretions, as caused an Inhibition to be sent him, "That he "fhould not prefume to come any more to Court: and from that time he refolv'd to revenge himself of the Bishop of Durham, upon the whole Order; and fo turn'd Lecturer, and Preach'd against Them; being endued with Malice and Boldnefs, instead of Learning and any tolerable Parts.

THESE Three perfons having been for feveral follies and libelling humours, firft gently Reprehended; and after, for their Incorrigibleness, more feverely Cenfured and Imprifon'd; found fome means in Prifon of Correfpondence, which was not before known to be between them; and to combine themfelves in a more Peftilent and Seditious Libel than they had ever before vented; in which the Honour of the King, Queen, Counsellors, and Bifhops, was with equal licence blafted and traduc'd; which was faithfully difpers'd by their Profelytes in the City. The Authors were quickly and easily known, and had indeed too much ingenuity to deny it; and were thereupon brought together to the Star-Chamber ore tenus; where they behaved themselves with marvellous Infolence; with full confidence demanding "That the Bishops who fat in the "Court (being only the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London)" might not be prefent, because they were "their Enemies, and fo Parties: which, how fcandalous and ridiculous foever it seem'd then There, was good Logick and good Law two years after in Scotland, and ferv'd to banish the Bishops of that Kingdom both from the Council Table and the Affembly. Upon a very patient and folemn Hearing, in as full a Court as ever I faw in that place, without any difference in opinion or diffenting voice, they were all Three cenfur'd as Scandalous, Seditious, and Infamous perfons, "To lofe their Ears in the Pillory, and to be imprifon'd in fe"veral Jayls during the King's pleasure all which was executed with Rigour and Severity enough. But yet their itch of Libelling still broke out, and their Friends of the City found a line of Communication with them. Hereupon the Wildom

1

Wisdom of the State thought fit, that those Infectious Sores should breath out their Corruption in fome Air more remote from that catching City, and lefs liable to the contagion: and fo, by an Order of the Lords of the Council, Mr Pryn was fent to a Castle in the Ifland of Jersey; Dr Baftwick to Silly; and Mr Burton to Guernsey; where they remain'd, unconfider'd and truly I think unpitied (for they were men of no vertue or merit) for the space of Two years, till the beginning of this present Parliament.

ແ

SHORTLY upon that, Petitions were prefented by their Wives or Friends, to the Houfe of Commons, expreffing "Their heavy Cenfures and long Sufferings; and defiring by way of Appeal, "That the juftice and rigour of that Sentence "might be review'd and confider'd; and that their Perfons "might be brought from those remote and defolate places to London, that fo they might be able to facilitate or attend "their own business. The fending for them out of Prison (which was the main) took up much confideration: for though very Many who had no kindness, had, yet compaffion for the men; thinking they had fuffer'd enough; and that though they were fcurvy Fellows, they had been scurvily ufed and Others, had not only affection to their Persons as having fuffer'd for a Common caufe; but were concern'd to revive and improve their useful faculties of Libelling and Reviling Authority; and to make thofe ebullitions of their malice not thought noifom to the State: Yet a Sentence of a fupreme Court, the Star-Chamber (of which they had not Yet fpoke with Irreverence) was not lightly to be blown off: but, when they were inform'd, and had confider'd, that by that Sentence the Petitioners were condemn'd to fome Prisons in London; and were afterward remov'd thence by an Order of the Lords of the Council; they look'd upon that Order as a violation of the Sentence; and fo made no fcruple to Order "That the Prifoners fhould be remov'd from those "forreign Prisons, to the Places to which they were regularly "first committed. And to that purpose, Warrants were fign'd by the Speaker, to the Governours and Captains of the feveral Castles, "To bring them in fafe cuftody to London; which were fent with all poffible expedition.

PRYN and Burton being Neighbours (though in distinct Iflands) landed at the fame time at Southampton; Where they were receiv'd and entertain'd with extraordinary demonstrations of Affection and Esteem; attended by a marvellous conAlux of Company; and their Charges not only born with great magnificence, but liberal Prefents given to them. And this method and ceremony kept them Company all their journey, great herds of People meeting them at their en

trance

trance into all Towns, and waiting upon them out with wonderful acclamations of joy. When they came near London, multitudes of People of feveral conditions, fome on Horseback, others on Foot, met them fome miles from the Town; very many having being a days journey; and they were brought, about two of the Clock in the Afternoon, in at Charing-cross, and carried into the City by above ten thoufand perfons, with Boughs and Flowers in their hands; the Common People ftrewing Flowers and Herbs in the ways as they pass'd, making great noise, and expreffions of joy for their Deliverance and Return; and in those acclamations mingling loud and virulent exclamations against the Bishops, "Who had fo cruelly profecuted fuch Godly men. In the fame manner, within five or fix days after, and in like Triumph, Dr Baftwick return'd from Silly; landing at Dover; and from thence bringing the fame teftimonies of the Affections and Zeal of Kent, as the others had done from Hampfhire and Surrey, was met before he came to Southwark by the good People of London, and so conducted to his Lodging likewife in the City.

I SHOULD not have wasted thus much time in a discourse of this nature, but that it Is, and was Then evident, that this Infurrection (for it was no better) and Frenzy of the People, was an effect of great Industry and Policy, to try and publifh the Temper of the People; and to fatisfy Themfelves, in the activity and intereft of their Tribunes, to whom that province of Shewing them was committed. And from this time, the Licence of Preaching and Printing increased; to that degree, that all Pulpits were freely deliver❜d to the Schifmatical and Silenced Preachers, who till then had lurk'd in corners, or liv'd in New-England; and the Preffes at liberty for the publishing the moft Invective, Seditious, and Scurrilous Pamphlets, that their Wit and Malice could invent. Whilft the Minifters of the State, and Judges of the Law, like men in an Extafy, furpriz'd and amaz'd with feveral Apparitions, had no Speech or Motion; as if, having committed fuch an Excefs of Jurifdiction (as men upon great Surfeits are enjoin'd for a time to eat nothing) they had been prefcrib'd to exercise no Jurisdiction at all. Whereas, without doubt, if either the Privy-Council, or the Judges and the King's learn'd Council, had affum'd the courage to have Question'd the Preaching, or the Printing, or the Sditious Riots upon the Triumph of those three Scandalous men, before the uninterruption and fecurity had confirm'd the People in all three; it had been no hard matter to have destroy'd thofe Seeds, and pull'd up thofe Plants, which being neglected, grew up and profper'd to a full Harvest of Rebellion and

Treafon.

Treason. But this was yet but a rudeness and rankness Abroad, without any visible countenance or approbation from the Parliament: all feem'd Chaft within those Walls.

Government

THE firft Malignity that was apparent There (for the Accufation of the Arch-Bishop and the Earl of Strafford, were look'd upon as acts of Paffion, directed against particular Perfons, who were thought to have deferv'd some extraordinary measures and proceeding) was against the Church: First, in their Committee for Religion; which had been assumed ever fince the latter times of King James, though feldom or never any fuch thing had Before been heard of in Parliament; where, under pretence of receiving Petitions against Clergymen, they often debated Points beyond the verge of Their understanding: Then, by their chearful reception of a De-A Declaraclaration of many Sheets of Paper against the whole Govern- tion of fome ment of the Church; presented by ten or a dozen Minifters, and a PetiMinifters, at the Bar; and pretended to be fign'd by feveral Hundreds tion of fome of the Minifters of London and the Countries adjacent: and a Citizens, aPetition, presented by Alderman Pennington, and alledg'd to gainst the be fubfcrib'd by Twenty Thousand men, Inhabitants within of the Church the City of London; who required in plain terms, "The by Bishops. "total Extirpation of Epifcopacy. Yet the House' was Then fo far from being poffefs'd with that Spirit, that the utmost that could be obtain'd, upon a long Debate upon that Petition, was, "That it should not be rejected; against which the Number of the Petitioners, was urg'd as a powerful Argument; only it was fuffer'd to remain in the hands of the Clerk of the Houfe, with direction, "That no Copy of it "should be given. And for the Ministers Declaration, one Part only of it was infifted on by them, and Read in the House; which concern'd the exercife of Ecclefiaftical Jurifdiction, and the Excefs of their Courts: the other parts were Declined by many of them, and especially Order'd, "To be Seal'd up by the Clerk, that they might be perused "by no Man. So that all that Envy and Animofity against the Church feem'd to be refolv'd into a defire, "That a Bill "might be fram'd to Remove the Bishops from their Votes "in the Lords House, and from any Office in Secular Affairs; which was the utmoft Men pretended to wifh: and to fuch a purpose, a Bill was thortly after prepar'd, and brought into the House; of which, more fhall be faid in its proper place.

us'd in pro

Ir was a strange Difingenuity, that was practifed in the Great Dif procuring those Petitions; which continued ever after, in the ingenuity like Addreffes. The courfe was, First to prepare a Petition very modeft and dutiful, for the Form; and for the Matter, tions. not very unreasonable; and to communicate it at fome Pub

curing Peti

lick

Bishops,

lick Meeting, where care was taken it should be received with Approbation: the Subscription of very Few hands fill'd the Paper it felf, where the Petition was written, and therefore many more Sheets were annex'd, for the reception of the Number, which gave all the credit, and procured all the countenance to the Undertaking. When a multitude of Hands was procured, the Petition it Self was cut off; and a New One fram'd, fuitable to the design in hand, and annex'd to the long Lift of Names which were Subscribed to the Former. By this means, Many men found Their hands Subscribed to Petitions, of which, They before had never heard. As feveral Minifters, whofe Hands were to the Petition and Declaration of the London Minifters before mention'd, have profefs'd to many Perfons, "That They never "faw That Petition or Declaration before it was presented "to the Houfe; but had fign'd Another, the Substance of "which was, Not to be Compell'd to take the Oath enjoin'd "by the New Canons: and when they found, instead of "That, their Names set to a defire of an Alteration of the Go❝vernment of the Church, They with much trouble went to "Mr Marshall, with whom they had intrufted the Petition "and their Hands; who gave them no other Answer, but "that it was thought fit by Those who understood Business "better than They, that the Latter Petition fhould rather be "preferr'd than the Former. And when He found, they intended by fome Publick Act to Vindicate themselves from that Calumny; Such perfons, upon Whom they had their greatest dependence, were engag'd, by threats and promifes to prevail with them, to Sit ftill, and to pass by that Indirect proceeding.

Complaints FOR the better facilitating and making way for those viagainst fome rulent attempts upon the Church, Petitions and Complaints particular were exhibited against the Exorbitant Acts of fome Bishops; especially against the Bishops of Bath and Wells, and Ely; who, they alledged, "Had with great Pride and Infolence, "provok'd all the Gentry, and Most of the Inhabitants withand against "in their Dioceffes. And the New Canons were infisted on, the New Ca-as most palpable Invafion by the Whole Body of the "Clergy, upon the Laws and Liberty of the People.

nons,

I SAID before, that after the Diffolution of the former Short Parliament, the Convocation was continued by special Warrant from the King; and by his Majefty, in a folemn meffage fent to them by S Harry Vane then Principal Secretary, "Requir'd to proceed in the making of Canons, for the "better Peace and Quiet of the Church. Notwithstanding this Command, the Chief of the Clergy, well knowing the Spirit of Bitterness that was contracted against them; and

many