800 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. B. Shall we then receive no communion ? Dyer. What sayest thou of the order of baptism ? Wilt thou have thy child baptized according to the order pre- scribed in the Book of Common Prayer ? S. I have no child to baptize. D. Dost thou condemn the order of the sacrament of the Lord's supper, the order of churching women, the burial service, or the ceremoniesof the church ? S. If I had condemned them, I would not have resorted to the church, as I have done. B. Thou wilt then agree to these three things :-1.That thou hast offended against the law in printing Cartwright's book.-2. That Cartwright's book is neither godly, nor lawful.-.3. That thou (-lost not condemn the Book of Com- mon Prayer, but wilt receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper, according to the order prescribed." S. I say as I have said before, if I had condemned the Book of Common Prayer, I would not have resorted to the church, as I have done. Garret. But wilt thou subscribe ? S. I will Upon Mr. Stroud's submission to subscribe, he returned to his beloved exercise, and became minister at Cranbrook. But his troubles were not ended. For, upon the translation of Whitgift to the see of Canterbury, his nonconformity exposed him to the displeasure of the new archbishop, who deprived him of his ministry, and commandedhim to leave the country. But the good man was so universally beloved, that multitudes of persons in Kent signed petitions to the archbishop, earnestly soliciting his continuance. In one of these petitions, they address his lordship as follows : " We know, most reverend father, that Mr. Stroud has been several times beaten and whipt with the untrue reports of slanderous tongues, and accused of crimes whereof he has most clearly acquitted himself. Most of us have heard him preach Christ truly, and rebuke sin boldly, and have seen him hitherto apply to his calling faithfully, and Jive among us most peaceably : so that, by his diligence and doctrine, not only has our youth been instructed, 'and ourselves have been confirmed in true religionand learning; but we are daily allured by his holy conversation and example, to a christian life, and the exercises of charity. And no one of us, most reverend father, bath hitherto heard MS. Register, 13: I94H95.
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