316 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. " promised after my said sermon, if I might be suffered to " continue my divinity lecture, 1 would not meddle in any " matters tending to the disturbance of the peace and unity " ofthe church, or just offence of any. I did, notwith- " standing, shew myself the same man I was before, by " bitter and factious speeches, and complaining that I was " thus treated, as I thought, withoutjust desert. I do here, " therefore, in the sight of God, and you, any brethren, " frankly acknowledge, my unadvised dealing herein, and " my oversight in the former points, heartily, desiring you " all to he satisfied with this my unfeigned and humble " submission.". When Dr. Walward appeared before his ecclesiastical judges, lie was obliged to enter into a bond of one hundred pounds to make this debasingpublic recantation; and in case he failed to perform it according to the order and form pre- scribed, he should not only forfeit his hundred pounds; but within four days appear again at Lambeth, to receive such censure as his case might deserve. For the better execution of the above decrees, a letter was addressed to the vice- chancellor of Oxford, requiring and authorizing him to see that they should in all points be duly executed ; and in ,case of Walward's failure in complying with them, to bring him again before the high commission at Lambeth.± This learned divine was thus debased by the tyrannical prelates ! He was compelled to sacrifice the right of private judgment, and the liberty of conscience;at the shrine of their usurped power and authority. JOHN GARDINER was the laborious minister of Malden in Essex, but deprived of his ministry, and most cruelly treated. His sufferings would have moved the compassion of any man, excepting Aylmer, bishop of London. The bishop committed him to Newgate for matters scandalously laid to his charge seven years before, of which he had even been cleared by a regular course of law. He requested his lordship, that he might be bailed ; and if he was found guilty, that he might have punishment without mercy. The account of his barbarous usage is given in a supplica- tion which Mr. Gardiner sent to the bishop, dated Septem- ber 7, 1586 ; in which he expressed himself as follows :1 * MS. Register, p. 800. -I- Ibid. p. 801. § Ibid. p. 752.
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