INTRODUCTION. 85 Jessey and many others being assembled together for the purpose of fasting and prayer, were interrupted by the pursuivants, and sent to the Tower. Afterwards he was apprehended and several ofhis congregation, and committed to the Compter ; but upon their application to the parlia- ment, they were immediately released. Mr. Wilkinson was suspended, but restored by the house of commons.. Mr. Moreton, rector of Blisland in Cornwall, was driven from his living and his flock. Mr. Hughes and Mr. Todd were both silenced. Mr. Hieron was apprehended and prosecuted in the high commission, for very trivial matters.+ By these proceedings of the bishops, many thousands of excellent christians and worthy subjects were ruined in their estates, and driven out of the country.t In the year 1640, the convocation continued to sit, after the parliament was dissolved. Thecanons adopted in this synod, entitled " Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical treated upon by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, &c." are extremely superstitious and tyrannical. They required of all clergymen to swear " That they would never consent to the alteration of the present government of the church, by archbishops, bishops, deans, archdeacons, &c." And if any beneficed person should refuse this ridiculous and cruel oath, " he shall after one month be suspended fromhis office ; after a second month, he shall be suspended from his office and benefice ; and after a third month, he shall bedeprived ofall hisecclesiastical promotions."§ These canons were evidently designed to crush all thepuritans at once ; but they were soon virtually annulled.H November 3, 1640, the LONG PARLIAMENT first assem- bled, and continued sittingwith some little interruption about eighteen years. The members of this parliament were all members of the church ofEngland, and nearly all advocates for episcopal governments The first week was spent in appointing committees, and receiving the numerouspetitions fromall parts of the kingdom, craving a redress of grievances both in church and state... Numerous petitions were also Calamy's Conlin. vol. i. p. 47, 91. + Colony's Account, vol. ii. p. 144, 162, 222, 797. Mather's Mt. of New Eng. b. iii. p. 136. § Sparrow's Collec. p. 359, 360. H The above convocation, says Clarendon, gave subsidies, enjoined an oath, and did things,which, in the best of times, might have been ques. tioned ; and therefore, in the worst, were sure to be condemned.-Hist. of Rebellion, vol. 1. p. 116. 4 Clarendon's Hist. vol. i. p. 124. Whitlocke's Memorial, p. 36.
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