etly to his college, where it is apprehended he would have felt some further effects of the duke's displeasure, if God in his providence had not cut him out work of a different nature, which engaged all his thoughts to the time of his death. Dr. Preston lived a single life, being never married; nor had he any cure of souls. He had a strong constitution, which he wore out in his study, and in the pulpit. His distemper was a consumption in the lungs, for which, by the advice of physicians, he changed the air several times; but the failure of his appetite with other symptoms of a general decay, prevailed with him at length to leave off all medicine, and resign himself to the will of God. And being desirous of dying in his native country, and among his old friends, he retired into Northamptonshire, where he departed this life in a most pious and devout manner, in the forty-first year of his age; and was buried in Fawsley church, old Mr. Dod, minister of the place, preaching his funeral sermon to a numerous auditory, July 20th, 1628. Mr. Fuller* says, "He was an excellent preacher, a sub'tle disputant, a great politician; so that his foes must con'fess, that (if not having too little of the dove) he had 'enough of the serpent. Some will not stick to say, he had parts sufficient to manage the broad-seal, which was offered him, but the conditions did not please. He might have been the duke's right hand, but his grace finding 'that he could not bring him nor his party off to his side, 'he would use him no longer;" which shews him to be an honest man. His practical works and sermons were printed by his own order after his decease. * Book xi. p. 131. CHAP. IV. From the Dissolution of the third Parliament of King CHARLES I. to the Death of Archbishop ABBOT. THE ancient and legal government of England, by king, lords, and commons, being now suspended by the royal will and pleasure, his majesty resolved to supply the necessities of the state, by such other methods as his council should advise, who gave a loose to their actions,being no longer afraid of a parliamentary enquiry, and above the reach of ordinary justice. Instead of the authority of king and parliament, all public affairs were directed by proclamations of the king and council, which had the force of so many laws, and were bound upon the subject under the severest penalties. They levied the duties of tonnage and poundage, and laid what other imposts they thought proper upon merchandize, which they let out to farm to private persons; the number of monopolies was incredible; there was no branch of the subject's property that ministry could dispose of, but was bought and sold. They raised above a million a year by taxes on soap, salt, candles, wine, cards, pins, leather, coals, &c. even to the sole gathering of rags. Grants were given out for weighing hay and straw within three miles of London; for guaging red herring barrels, and butter casks; for marking iron, and sealing lace ;* with a great many others; which being purchased of the crown, must be paid for by the subject. His majesty claimed a right in cases of necessity (of which necessity himself was the sole judge) to raise money by ship writs, or royal mandates, directed to the sheriffs of the several counties, to levy on the subject the several sums of money therein demanded, for the maintenance and support of the royal navy. The like was demanded for the royal army, by the name of coat and conduct money, when they were to march; and when they were in quarters, the men were billeted upon private houses. Many Stevens's Historical Account of all Taxes, p. 183-1. 2d. edit. were put to death by martial law, who ought to have been tried by the laws of the land; and others by the same martial law were exempted from the punishment, which by law they deserved. Large sums of money were raised by commissions under the great seal, to compound for depopulations, for nuisances in building between high and low water mark, for pretended encroachments on the forests, &c. beside the exorbitant fines of the star-chamber and high commission court; and the extraordinary projects of loans, benevolences, and free gifts. Such was the calamity of the times, that no man could call any thing his own longer than the king pleased; or might speak or write against these proceedings, without the utmost hazard of his liberty and estate. The church was governed by the like arbitrary and illegal methods; Dr. LAUD, bishop of London, being prime minister, pursued his wild scheme of uniting the two churches of England and Rome,* without the least regard to the rights of conscience, or the laws of the land, and very seldom to the canons of the church, bearing down all who opposed him with unrelenting severity and rigor. To make way for this union, the churches were not only to be repaired, but ornamented with pictures, paintings, images, altarpieces, &c. the forms of public worship were to be decorated with a number of pompous rites and ceremonies, Dr. Grey is much displeased with Mr. Neal for this representation of Laud's views; but, without bringing any direct evidences to refute it, he appeals to the answer of Fisher, and the testimonies of Sir Edward Deering and Limborch to shew, that the archbishop was not a papist. This may be admitted and the proofs of it are also adduced by Dr. Harris, [Life of Charles I. p. 207,] yet it will not be so easy to acquit Laud of a partiality for the church, though not the court, of Rome, according to the distinction May makes in his parliamentary history. It will not be so easy to clear him of the charge of symbolizing with the church of Rome in its two leading features, superstition and intolerance. Under his primacy the church of England, it is plain, assumed a very popish appearance. "Not only the pomps of ceremonies was daily increased, and innovations of great scandal brought into church; but in point of doctrine, many fair approaches made towards Rome." Even Heylin says, "the doctrines are altered in many things; as, for example, the pope not antichrist, pictures, free-will, &c. the thirty-nine 'articles seeming patient. if not ambitious also, of some catholic sense.” May's Parliamentary History, p. 22-3; and Heylin's Life of Laud, p. 252. Ed. in imitation of the church of Rome; and the puritans, who were the professed enemies of every thing that looked like popery, were to be suppressed or driven out of the land. To accomplish the latter, his lordship presented the king with certain considerations for settling the church, which were soon after published with some little variation, under the title of Instructions to the two Archbishops, concerning certain orders to be observed, and put in execution by the several Bishops. Here his majesty commands them to see that his declaration for silencing the predestinarian controversy be strictly observed; and that special care be taken of the lectures and afternoon sermons, in their several dioceses, concerning which he is pleased to give the following instructions:* 1. "That in all parishes the afternoon sermons be turn'ed into catechising by question and answer, where there 'is not some great cause to break this ancient and profita'ble order. 2. "That every lecturer read divine service before lecture in surplice and hood. 3. "That where there are lectures in market-towns, they be read by grave and orthodox divines; and that they preach in gowns, and not in cloaks, as too many do ⚫ use. 4. That no lecturer be admitted, that is not ready and 'willing to take upon him a living with cure of souls. 5 That the bishops take order, that the sermons of the 'lecturers be observed. 6. "That none under noblemen, and men qualified by law keep a private chaplain. 7. "That care be taken, that the prayers and catechisings be frequented, as well as sermons." Of all which his majesty requires an account once a year. By virtue of these instructions, the bishop of London summoned before him all minigters and lecturers in and about the city, and in a solemn speech insisted on their obedience. He also sent letters to his archdeacons, requir * A liberal mind will reprobate these instructions, as evading argument, preventing discussion and enquiry, breathing the spirit of intolerance and persecution, and indicating timidity. Ed. VOL. II. 29 ing them to send him lists of the several lecturers within their archdeaconries, as well in places exempt as not exempt, with the places where they preached, and their quality or degree; as also the names of such gentlemen, who being not qualified, kept chaplains in their own houses. His lordship required them further, to leave a copy of the king's instructions concerning lecturers with the parson of every parish, and to see that they were duly observed. These Lecturers were chiefly puritans, who not being satisfied with a full conformity, so as to take upon them a cure of souls, only preached in the afternoons, being chosen and maintained by the people. They were strict Calvinists, warm and affectionate preachers, and distinguished themselves by a religious observance of the Lord's-day, by a bold opposition to popery and the new ceremonies, and by an uncommon severity of life. Their manner of preaching gave the bishop a distaste to sermons, who was already of opinion that they did more harm than good, insomuch that on a fast day for the plague then in London, prayers were ordered to be read in all churches, but not a sermon to be preached, lest the people should wander from their own parishes. The lecturers had very popular talents, and drew great numbers of people after them. Bishop Laud would often say, "They were the most dangerous enemies of the state, because by their prayers and 'sermons they awakened the people's disaffection, and therefore must be suppressed." Good old archbishop Abbot was of another spirit, but the reins were taken out of his hands. He had a good opinion of the lecturers, as men who had the protestant religion at heart, and would fortify their hearers against the retura of popery.* When Mr. Palmer, lecturer of St. Alphage in Canterbury, was commanded to desist from preaching by the archdeacon, because he drew great numbers of factious people after him, and did not wear the surplice, the archbishop authorized him to continue: The like he did by Mr. Udnay, of Ashford, for which he was complained of, as not enforcing the king's instructions, whereby the commissioners (as they say) were made a scorn to the factious, and the archdeacon's jurisdiction inhibited. But * Prynne's Introd. p. 94, 361, 873. |