Chapter XXIII: Sidenote: Presbyterians and Independents (5)

The Master of Queen's, and some others, are said to have been put on board a ship at Wapping, where they suffered much, and were then sent to prison. It is impossible to determine the exact truth amidst the exaggerated statements by Walker. Hot-headed party men always overshoot the mark, and bring discredit even on the truths they tell.

[608] _Hist. of Cambridge_, 236. Sancroft did not take the Covenant. The following extract from a letter of his to Dr. Holdsworth, Master of Emmanuel, is very curious:--"Ah! Sir, I know our Emmanuel College is now an object of pity and commiseration. They have left us like John Baptist's trunk when his head was lopped off, because of a vow or oath (or Covenant, if you will) that went before, or like Pompey's carcase upon the shore; so _stat magni nominis umbra_. For my part, _tædet me vivere hanc mortem_. A small matter would prevail with me to take up the resolution to go forth any whither where I might not hear _nec nomen, nec facta Pelopidarum_. Nor need we voluntarily give up our stations. I fear we cannot long maintain them. And what then? Shall I lift up my hand? I will cut it off first. Shall I subscribe my name? I will forget it as soon. I can at least look up through this mist and see the hand of my God holding the scourge that lashes; and with this thought I am able to silence all the mutinies of boisterous passions, and to charm them into a perfect calm. Sir, you will pardon this disjointed piece: it is the production of a disquieted mind; and no wonder if the child resembles its parent. My sorrow, as yet, breaks forth only in abrupt sighs and broken sobs."--_D'Oyley's Life of Archbishop Sancroft_, i. 32.

[609] _Strype's Life of Parker_, i. 390.

[610] _Fuller's History of Cambridge_, 205.

[611] _Thorndike's Works_, vol. vi., Oxford edition. Note by Editor, 170. _Pure_ Emmanuel occurs in Corbet's satirical poem, 1615. It was commonly so styled.

[612] _Halley's Life of Goodwin_, prefixed to _Works_, vol. ii. of Nichol's edit., p. 23. But Brownrigg, in 1645, was put out of the Mastership of Trinity Hall.

[613] Cartwright, Travers, Calamy, Seaman, Doolittle, S. Clarke, and W. Jenkyns, came from Cambridge. Out of seventy-seven Puritan names in _Brook_, I find forty-seven belonging to Cambridge, and thirty to Oxford.

[614] The four were Goodwin (Catherine), Burroughs, Bridge (Emmanuel), and Sydrach Sympson. Nye was an Oxford man.

[615] _Cooper_, quoted in _Notes to Thorndike_, vol. vi. 177.

[616] _Calendar of State Papers, Chas. I._, 1633-4, _Domestic_, July 22, p. 150.

[617] _Thorndike's Works_, vi. 169.

[618] Cooper gives 2,091 University residents in 1641, but says it does not include the whole.--_Thorndike_, vi. 165. Walker reports nearly 200 masters and fellows as ejected, besides inferior scholars. Some of the ejected heads of houses were men of moderate opinions.--_Neal_, iii. 116.

Newcome, in his _Autobiography_, Cheetham Society, speaks of the bitter feuds between the new and the old fellows in 1645. He judged the supporters of the Parliament to be the most religious, "religion being as little favoured" by many of their opponents as the Puritans themselves were (p. 7).

[619] They are far too numerous and varied for me to classify or indicate. See historical account of all material transactions relating to University.--_Laud's Works_, vol. v., part I.

The following scrap of a newspaper shews the care taken by the Parliament for the support of the University, and also the feeling existing at Oxford against the Parliament:--

"Ordered that the Committee for the Ordinances of regulating the University shall consider of a fitting maintenance for the masters and heads of houses in both Universities. They also ordered that a committee should sit constantly for giving a competent maintenance to the late bishops until they had despatched that business.

"The House being informed that there were monuments standing in Christ Church, in Oxford, on which were epitaphs engraven abusive to the Parliament, and giving just cause of distaste to many good men well affected to it, as particulary on the monument of Sir Henry Gage and Sir William Penniman, it was ordered that the epitaphs on the said monuments should be razed and effaced."--_Weekly Intelligencer_, April 15th, 1647.

[620] In the autobiography of Arthur Wilson, an Oxford student, in 1631, this passage occurs relative to the moral state of the University:--

"That which was most burdensome to me in this my retirement was the debauchery of the University. For the most eminent scholars of the town, especially of St. John's College, being of my acquaintance, did work upon me by such endearments as took the name of civilities, (yet day and night could witness our madness), and I must confess, the whole time of my life besides did never so much transport me with drinking as that short time I lived at Oxford, and that with some of the gravest bachelors of divinity there."--_Peck's Desiderata Curiosa_, ii. 470.

[621] _Walker_, part i. 127; _Neal_, iii. 446-453.

[622] _Walton's Lives_, 388. Morley wrote in the following dignified manner to Whitelocke, acknowledging friendly interposition on his behalf: "Pray God he, whosoever he be that succeeds me in it, may part with it at his death as cheerfully as I do now, and that my judges may not have cause to be more sorry for their sentence than I am. It is glory enough for me that Mr. Selden and Mr. Whitelocke were of another opinion, for being absolved by you two, and mine own conscience, I shall still think myself in a capacity of a better condition."--_Whitelocke's Memorials_, 250.

[623] _Wood's Ath._, ii. 215.

Walton, so called (though he wrote his name Wauton), married Cromwell's sister Margaret, and was one of the Commissioners of the High Court of Justice.--_Noble's Protectorate House_, ii. 224.

[624] _Neal_, iii. 456.

[625] _Scobell_, (1647), 116.

[626] _Neal_, iii. 438.

[627] The following sentence appears in a newspaper of the period:--

"There are many amongst us who are called Independents, but what some say of them, I doubt not that they will prove honest men and peaceable for ought that I can see--experience gives them a better report than rumour."--_Papers from the Scotch Quarters._

[628] The following letter, dated September 25th, 1645, was addressed to the mayor and aldermen of Norwich:--

"Gentlemen--The Parliament being desirous above all things to establish truth and righteousness in these kingdoms, towards which the settlement of a church government is very conducible, hath resolved to settle a presbyterial government in the kingdom. For the better effecting whereof you are required, with the advice of godly ministers and others, to consider how the county of the city of Norwich may be most conveniently divided into distinct classical Presbyteries, and what ministers and others are fit to be of each classis, and you are accordingly to make such divisions and nominations of persons for each classical Presbytery. Which divisions and persons so named for every division you are to certify to the House with all expedition. W. Lenthall, Speaker."--_Blomefield's History of Norwich_, i. 391.

[629] This appears from a petition presented by the Presbyterians to the mayor, in April, 1648, for a more thorough reformation, and complaining that faithful ministers were slighted, ejected ministers of the Church of England preferred, old ceremonies and the service book constantly used, and the directory not observed. The petitioners also prayed for a more thorough execution of the ordinances against superstition and idolatry, and specified as needing to be defaced a crucifix on the cathedral gate, another on the roof inside by the west door, and a third upon the free-school, as well as an "image of Christ upon the parish house of St. George's of Tombland."--_Blomefield's History of Norwich_, i. 393.

[630] _Vox Norwici_, or the city of Norwich vindicating their ministers, wherein the city of Norwich, viz., the court of mayoralty and common council, by their act of assembly, the rest of the well-affected citizens and inhabitants by the subscription of their names hereunto, do vindicate their ministers, Master Thornebacke, Master Carter, Master Stinnett, Master Fletcher, Master Bond, Master Stukeley, Master Test, and Master Mitchell, from the foul and false aspersions and slanders, which are unchristianly thrown upon them in a lying and scurrilous libel lately come forth, entitled "_Vox Populi_, or the People's Cry against the Clergy," or rather the voice of a schismatic, projecting the discouragement and driving away of our faithful teachers, but we hope his lies shall not so, effect it. Jer. viii. 30. London, 1646.

[631] See _Godwin's Commonwealth_, ii. 211-220, _Memoirs of Edmund Ludlow_, i. 172.

[632] _Baillie's Letters and Journals_, ii. 512, Appendix. Gillespie says, March 30th, 1647:--"In sum, the Independent party is for the present sunk under water in the Parliament, and run down."

[633] _Parl. Hist._, iii. 475.

[634] _Journals._

[635] _Neal_, iii. 365. The following is an extract from the Petition:--"That an ordinance be made for the exemplary punishment of heretics and schismatics, and that all godly and orthodox ministers may have a competent maintenance, many pulpits being vacant of a settled minister for want of it; and here (say they) we would lay the stress of our desires, and the urgency of our affections." They complain further of the "undue practices of Country Committees, of the threatening power of the army, and of some breaches in the Constitution, all of which they desire may be redressed, and that his Majesty's royal person and authority may be preserved and defended, together with the liberties of the kingdom, according to the Covenant."

[636] _Neal_, iii. 388.

[637] See full account, with authorities, in _Baker's Northamptonshire_, i. 201.

[638] "The kingdom shall have peace and truth, the Churches uniformity and concord, almost quite lost, Ireland hopes of speedy reduction, sectaries and blasphemers shall be bridled if not extirpated, and church government with the religion established."--_Welcome of the King to Holmby_ (Holdenby).

[639] _State Papers, Dom., Chas. I._ 1647. The latter is without date.

[640] _History of Rebellion_, 610.

[641] The funeral of the Earl of Essex, on the 22nd of October, 1646, presented a grand display of military pomp. The Speaker, many Aldermen of the City, and Assembly of Divines also followed in the procession to the grave. "When they came to the Abbey Church, the effigy of the Earl was carried in and laid upon the standing hearse, where it was to remain during the pleasure of the House, or as many days as intervened between his death and burial. The effigy was roughly handled one night. The Abbey being broken into, the head of the image was broken, the buff coat was slit, the scarlet breeches were cut, the boots were slashed, the bands were torn, and the sword broken."--See _Perfect Relation of the Funeral_.

Mr. Vines, in his sermon at the interment, compared Essex to Abner, and observed: "The funeral, for the state of it, overmatches the pattern. Here are the two Houses of Parliament, the map of all England in two globes, pouring out their sorrows, and paying their kisses of honourable farewell to his tutelar sword."

[642] _History of Rebellion_, 610.

[643] After leaving Holdenby, during the three days the King tarried at Childerley, many doctors, graduates, and scholars of the University repaired thither, "to most of whom the King was pleased to give his hand to kiss; for which honour they returned their gratulatory and humble thanks with a _Vivat Rex_." He was also visited by Fairfax, Cromwell, Ireton, Skippon, Lambert, Whalley, and other officers of the Parliament army, some of whom kissed his hand.--_Wood's Ath. Oxon._, ii., _fasti_ 81.

[644] _Clarendon_, 613.

[645] _Ludlow's Memoirs_, vol. i. 240.

[646] _Ludlow_, vol. i. 207.

[647] _Clarendon_, 616.

[648] _Blomefield's Hist. of Norwich_, i. 394, 395.

[649] _Journals of Lords_, May the 19th. _Rushworth_, vii. 1119. At Bury, the cry was "For God and King Charles."

[650] 1648, 26th of April.--"It is thought fit and agreed that Tuesday next shall be set apart and kept as a solemn day of thanksgiving for God's deliverance of this city from the rebellious company of people that did rise against them upon Monday last, and that Mr. Carter be desired to preach in the forenoon, and Mr. Collings in the afternoon, both at the Cathedral, and that they shall have 20s. a piece, and that the great guns shall be shot off, and that the aldermen shall be in scarlet and attended with the livery, and that the churchwardens and overseers of every parish do go from house to house to take the benevolence in writing of every person that will give for the relief of the poor who are in want, to be delivered unto the Court of Mayoralty, to be by them distributed."--_Corporation Records._

[651] _Scobell_, 149.

[652] _Vindication of the Ordinance against Heresies, &c._, 1646.--In which the example of Geneva in putting Servetus to death is cited with approval, and is adduced as an argument in defence of the ordinance.--

The _Scottish Dove_ defends the _Ordinance against Heresies, &c._, as a great work, very necessary, heresy being of the flesh, and therefore to be punished by the magistrate. A complaint is made in a pamphlet entitled, _Oaths unwarrantable_, (June, 1647,) that multitudes of men well-affected to the Parliament were indicted and punished for not coming to their parish churches, though there were no statutes to authorize punishment for such neglect, except the act of uniformity, which had been repealed. "Though I stay seven years from church," says the writer, "and constantly meet in private houses, there is by Parliament's principles neither law nor ordinance in force for any judge or justice of the peace to indict me, or any other, or any otherwise to molest or trouble me."

[653] The following prayer for the King was used at Paris, September, 1648:--

"O Almighty and most gracious Lord God, the Ruler of princes when they are on their thrones, and their Protector when they are in peril, look down mercifully from heaven, we most humbly pray Thee, upon the low estate of thine anointed, our King. Comfort him in his troubles, defend him in his danger, strengthen him in his good resolutions, and command thine angels so to pitch their tents round about him, that he may be defended from all those that desire his hurt, and may be speedily re-established in the just rights of his throne, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Made by Dr. Steward, 1648. MS. copy in _Pamphlets_, vol. xxxv.

[654] See _Short's Sketch of the Church_, ii. 154.

[655] _Rushworth_, vii. 1302, 1321. Godwin, in his _History of the Commonwealth_, ii. 481, has exposed with unsparing justice the duplicity of Charles at this moment in the treaty which he was then forming with the Scotch.

[656] _Rushworth_, vii. 1334.

It is unnecessary to do more than indicate that the Commissioners replied to this document, (November the 20th, 1648,) still urging the three points, but explaining the Directory, as setting down the matter of prayer, only leaving words to a minister's discretion. To this Charles gave a final reply, November the 21st, adhering to Episcopacy and the inalienability of church lands. As to the Directory--having observed its latitude according to their explanation--he was willing to waive his objections. The King's final reply is not given in _Rushworth_, but it may be found in the _Parl. Hist._, iii. 1130.

[657] _Parl. Hist._, iii. 1077.

[658] The speech is given in _Parl. Hist._, iii. 1152-1239; the pages are closely printed. Though so very long it is well worth reading.

[659] _Memoirs of the Two Last Years of K. Charles I., by Sir Thomas Herbert_, 124.

[660] _Whitelocke_, 375. It has been stated that Juxon's spiritual assistance was permitted at the intercession of Hugh Peters--a thing in itself very unlikely. Godwin asserts it, and refers generally to Whitelocke and Rushworth as his authorities; I suppose p. 370 of the _Memorials_ is intended. Rushworth ascribes the intercession to a member of the army.--Vol. vii. 1421. In most accounts of the last days of Charles, the references are unsatisfactory.

[661] Prefixed to _Ussher's Letters_, p. 72.

[662] _Life of Philip Henry_, by his son. There is amongst the Harleian MSS. in the British Museum an affecting letter on the subject, by Dr. Sanderson, written a few days after the King's execution.

[663] It must be remembered that Vane, St. John, and Algernon Sidney, were of opinion that to depose Charles would be better than to behead him.

[664] Bradshaw was a member of the Church under the pastoral care, first of Mr. Strong, and then of Mr. Rowe, ministers of Westminster Abbey. Miles Corbet was member of the Church at Yarmouth, under the pastoral care of William Bridge.

[665] _Neal_, iii. 537. See what he says, 547-554, respecting the authors of the King's death.

[666] The Governor's name is spelt in at least six different ways by various historians. We have adopted the spelling of Clarendon.

[667] See _Fuller's Church History_, iii. 502; Herbert, in _Wood's Ath. Oxon._, ii. 705; _Clarendon's Hist. of Rebellion_, 692; and _Gentleman's Magazine_, vol. xlii.

Transcriber's Note:

1. Spelling errors have been silently corrected.

2. The Corrigenda for this volume have been corrected.