310 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. having said that he could not preach, calling him an old doating fool. This Mr. Moore denied upon his oath. When they failed in the proof of this charge also, his lordship was more angry than before ; and seeing they could procure no evidence for any of their accusations, the good man was' dismissed, and appointed to appear the week following. January 16th, Mr. Mooreappeared before the archbishop and nine other commissioners, when he was again charged with the same crimes, and they said that now they could prove him guilty. To this hereplied, that as he had already cleared himself of all charges, except that of refusing to observe in all points the Book of Common Prayer, which he did not out of contempt, but from conscience ; so, notwith- standing the malice of his enemies, he still stood on sure ground, and no honest man could prove him guilty. Upon this, he was immediately threatened with imprisonment and utter ruin, if they should proceed against him according to law. In the conclusion, he was obliged to enter into a bond of a hundred pounds to observe the Book of Common Prayer, and was then dismissed. The archbishop and his colleagues were aware of the disgrace that would necessarily fall upon their own heads, if Mr. Moore should escape without submission. Therefore, they cited him a third time ; and upon his appearance, presented him with the formof a recantation, requiring him, as the condition of obtaining their favour, to confess and read the same publicly in his own church. But he abso- lutely refused to purchase his liberty at so dear a rate, declaring that he would be cast into prison, and even put to death, rather than thus dishonour the Lord by lying against the Holy Ghost and his own conscience. He was, therefore, again dismissed; but two of his servants were committed to prison.. From the examination of Mr. Higgins, churchwarden of Guisely, before the above commissioners, January 10,1536, which is now beforeme, Mr. Moore is evidently acquitted of the principal charges alleged against him. The uprightness of his deportment, and the purity of his character, were thus made manifest, even in the face of his enemies. He was a zealous, faithful, and laboriousminister, spending his strength and his long life for the salvation of 6ouls.+ It is observed of our divine, that he survived most of his MS. Register, p. 787. + Ibid, p. 788-790.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=