'Lastly, being desired to give their reasons in writing, why they thought the ceremonies only indifferent; or to an'swer the reasons they had to offer to prove them sinful, they would do neither one nor other.

2. "Because the points in controversy were not thoroughly debated, but nakedly propounded, and some not 'at all touched. Neither was there any one argument to 'the purpose pursued and followed.

3. Because the prelates took the liberty of interrupting at their pleasure those of the other side, insomuch that they were checked for it by the king himself."

They objected also to the account of the conference by dean Barlow, as published without the knowledge, advice or consent of the other side,and therefore deserving no credit; they said that Dr.Moreton had called some part of it in question, and rectified some speeches fathered on the king: besides, that the prelates only were present at the first day's conference, when the principal matters were determined. "Therefore the puritan ministers offer (if his majesty will give them leave) in one week's space to deliver his majesty in writing, a full answer to any argument or as'sertion propounded in that conference by any prelate; 'and in the mean time they do aver them to be most vain 'and frivolous."

If the bishops had been men of moderation, or if the king had discovered any part of that wisdom he was flattered with, all parties might have been made easy at this time; for the bishops, in such a crisis, would have complied with any thing his majesty had insisted on; but the king's cowardice, his love of flattery, his high and arbitrary principles, and his mortal hatred of the puritans, lost one of the fairest opportunities, that had ever offered, to heal the divisions of the church.

On the 5th of March the king published a proclamation, in which he says, "That though the doctrine and disci'pline of the established church were unexceptionable, 'and agreeable to primitive antiquity, nevertheless he had 'given way to a conference, to hear the exceptions of the 'non-conformists which he had found very slender; but that some few explanations of passages had been yielded to for their satisfaction; therefore he now requires and

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enjoins all his subjects to conform to it, as the only public form established in this realm; and admonishes them 'not to expect any further alterations, for that his resolutions were absolutely settled." The common prayerbook was accordingly printed with the amendments, and the proclamation prefixed.

It was a high strain of the prerogative, to alter a form of worship established by law, merely by a royal proclamation, without consent of parliament or convocation; for by the same power that his majesty altered one article in the liturgy, he might set aside the whole, every sentence being equally established by act of parliament; but this wise monarch made no scruple of dispensing with the laws. However, the force of all proclamations determining with the king's life, and there being no subsequent act of parliament to establish these amendments, it was argued very justly in the next reign, that this was not the liturgy of the church of England. established by law, and consequently not binding upon the clergy.

A fortnight before this conference was heldd, ied the learned and reverend Mr. Thomas Cartwright, one of the chief of the puritans, and a great sufferer for non-conformity. He was born in Hertfordshire, 1535, and entered into St. John's college, Cambridge, 1550, where he became a hard student, never sleeping above five hours in a night. During the reign of queen Mary he left the university, and became a lawyer's clerk; but upon the accession of queen Elizabeth he resumed his theological studies, and was chosen fellow of Trinity college in the year 1563. The year following he bore a part in the philosophy act before the queen. In the year 1567, he commenced bachelor of divinity, and three years after was chosen lady Margaret's professor. He was such a popular preacher, that when his turn came at St. Mary's, the sexton was obliged to take down the windows. But Mr. Cartwright venturing in some of his lectures to shew the defects of the discipline of the church, as it then stood, was questioned for it before the Vice-Chancellor, denied his doctor's degree, and expelled the university, as has been related. He then travelled to Geneva, and afterwards became preacher to the English merchants at Antwerp. King James invited him

to be professor in his university of St. Andrews', which he declined. After his return from Antwerp he was often in trouble by suspensions, deprivations, and long imprisonment; at length the great earl of Leicester, who knew his worth, made him governor of his hospital in Warwick, where he ended his days, Dec. 27th, 1603. He was certainly one of the most learned and acute disputants of his age, but very ill used by the governing clergy. He wrote several books besides his controversy with archbishop Whitgift, as, his Latin comment on Ecclesiastes, dedicated to king James, in which he thankfully acknowledges his being appointed professor to a Scots university: his celebrated confutation of the Rhemish translation of the New-Testament, to which work he was solicited not only by sir Francis Walsingham, but by letter under the hands of the principal divines of Cambridge, as Roger Goad, Wm. Whitaker, Thomas Crooke, John Ireton, Wm. Fulke, John Field, Nicholas Crane, Gibs Seinthe, Rich. Gardiner, William Clarke, &c. Such an opinion had these great men of his learning and abilities. He was a person of uncommon industry and piety, fervent in prayer, a frequent preacher, and of a meek and humble spirit. In his old age he was so troubled with the stone and gout by frequent lying in prisons, that he was obliged always to study on his knees. His last sermon was on Eccles. xii. 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth, and the spirit shall return to God who gave it. The Tuesday following he was two hours on his knees in private prayer, and a few hours after quietly resigned his spirit to God, in the 68th year of his age, and was buried in his own hospital. The famous Mr. Dod preached his funeral sermon. *

Six weeks after died his great antagonist Dr. John Whitgift, archbishop of Canterbury; who was born at GreatGrimsby in Lincolnshire in the year 1530, and educated in Pembroke-hall, and was fellow of Peter-house, Cambridge. He complied with the changes of queen Mary's reign, tho' he disapproved of her religion. He commenced doctor of divinity, 1569; and was afterwards Margaret and Queen's

CLARKE'S Lives annexed to his GENERAL MARTYROLOGY, p. 16.
VOL. II.

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professor, and master of Trinity college. Having been a celebrated champion for the hierarchy, the queen advanced him first to the bishopric of Worcester, and then to the archbishopric of Canterbury. He was a severe governor of the church,pressing conformity with the utmost rigor, in which her majesty always gave him her countenance and support. He regarded neither the intreaties of poor ministers, nor the intercessions of courtiers, being steady to the laws, and even out-going them in the cause of uniformity. Mr. Fuller says, he would give fair words and good language, but would abate nothing. SirG.Paul, the writer of his life, says, that CHOLER was his chief infirmity,† which has sufficiently appeared by the account already given of the many persecutions, oppressions, and unjustifiable hardships the puritans suffered under his administration; notwithstanding which they increased prodigiously, insomuch that towards the latter end of his life his Grace grew weary of the invidious employment; and being afraid of king James' first parliament, died (as it is said) with grief before it met, desiring rather to give an account of his bishopric to God than exercise it among men. He had been at court the first Sunday in Lent, and as he was going to the council-chamber to dinner, was seized with the dead palsy on the right side, and with the loss of his speech; upon which he was carried first to the lord treasurer's chamber, and af. terwards to Lambeth, where the king visited him on Tuesday, but not being able to converse, he lifted up his eyes. and hand, and said, pro Ecclesia Dei, which were his last words. He would have written something, but could not hold his pen. His disease increasing he expired the next day, being the 29th of Feb. 1603, ætat. 73, and was buried

For his sake the salary of lady Margaret's professorship was raised from 20 marks to 20l. And it is observed to his honor, that this prelate was the great restorer of order and discipline in the university of Cambridge, when deeply wounded and almost sunk.

Granger's Hist. of England, 8vo, vol. i. p. 206. Ed. "Even sometimes it may be," says Dr. Warner, "beyond all other "law, but that of her majesty's pleasure."

+ Life of Whitgift, p. 108.

Ed.

*Fuller's Church Hist. b. x. p. 25.

Strype's words, Dr. Grey says, are, Et nune Domine exaltata est mea anima, quod in eo tempore succubui, quando mallem episcopatus mei reddere rationem, quam inter homines exercere.

Ed.

at Croydon on the 27th of March following, where he has a fair monument, with his effigies at length upon it. He was an hospitable man, and usually travelled with a great retinue; in the year 1589, he came into Canterbury with a train of five hundred horse, of which one hundred were his own servants. He founded an hospital and free school at Croydon, and though he was a cruel persecutor of the puritans, yet, compared with his successor Bancroft, he was a valuable prelate.

Before the meeting of the parliament the king issued out two proclamations, one commanding all jesuits and priests in orders to depart the kingdom, [Feb. 22, 1603] wherein he was very careful to let the world know, that he did not banish them out of hatred to the catholic religion; but only for maintaining the pope's temporal power over princes.* The other was against the puritans, in which there was no indulgence for tender consciences;-all must conform, or suffer the extremities of the law. +

The king opened his first session of parliament with a long speech, in which there are many strokes in favor of tyranny and arbitrary power: "His majesty acknowledges "the Roman church to be his mother church, though defil'ed with some infirmities and corruptions. That his mind was ever free from persecution for matters of conscience, ' as he hopes those of that religion have proved since his 'first coming. He pities the laity among them, and would 'indulge their clergy if they would but renounce the pope's' 'supremacy, and his pretended power to dispense with the 'murder of kings. He wishes that he might be a means of 'uniting the two religions, for if they would but abandon

Rapin, vol. ii. p. 163, folio ed.

†“The puritáns about this time" (says Mrs. Macaulay) “suffered so severe a persecution, that they were driven to offer a petition for relief to the king, whilst he was taking the diversion of hunting. James was something startled at this unexpected intrusion, and very graciously directed them to depute ten of their members to declare their grievances to the council. These deputies no sooner made their appearance before the council, than they were sent to jail; and sir Francis Hastings, sir Edward Montague, and sir Valentine Knightly, under whose protection they had thus acted, were turned out of the lieutenancy of the County and the commission of the peace." Winwood's Memorials quoted by Mrs. Macaulay, Hist. of Engl. vol. i. p. 7. note, 8vo. Ed.