BUCKLE. 325 transgressor ofits orders, an impugner ofthe commonprayer, a gatherer of `night-conventicles, and a busy disputer against the Athanasian creed ; and, therefore, to reclaim him from his dangerous errors, the bishop suspended him from his ministry.' Upon his suspension, Mr. Huckle laid his case before the lords of the council, and procured the following letter, dated from Greenwich, May 4, 1584, addressed to the bishop :I- " Our hearty commendations to your lordship. " Thebearer, John Huckle, minister of the word of God, " hath been here before us, who, with his confessionof faith " and solemn protestation, doth seem to detest Arianism, and " every other the like heresy with which he may be charged ; a and offereth to subscribe Athanasius's creed, and to testify. " to the world, by any other means, his sincere and un- " feigned beliefof the doctrine contained in the same. And "so far as we can find, he is a man clear and sound in " religion, and no other matter, according to our knowledge, " can be proved against him. We, therefore, see no cause " why he should be any longer suspended from the exercise " of his ministry ; and we pray your lordship, that you will " now, upon his recognition, revoke your suspension, and " treat himwith all convenient favour ; whereby he may be " the better encouraged, and the more able to discharge the " duty belonging to him. And so we bid your lordship -" hearty farewell. Your very lovin- ' friends, " WILLIAM BURGHLEY, ED. WARWICK, "FR. KNOLLES, FR. WALSINGHAM, "CHARLES HOWARD, HEN. SYDNEY." Such was the opinion and commendation of these distin- guished persons, but the bishop was of another mind; and, notwithstanding Mr. Huckle's protestation and readiness to subscribe, the hard-hearted prelate refused to restore him. This appears from his lordship's answer to the council's letter; wherein he says, " If I should restore him, I could not answer for it before God, her majesty, my own conscience, nor the church of God."t Such was the sentiment of this relentless prelate ! He was unwilling to rescind his own determination, though recommended so to doby the greatest persons inthe land ; therefore, Mr. Huckle, with many others, who fell into the hands of this lordly ecclesiastic, remained under suspension, at least for several Strype's Aylmer, p. 108. + MS. Register, p. 584. Ibid.
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