INTRODUCTION. 7 churches.". ID could never be. prevailed upon to wear the surplice. And when he was asked why he did not wear the square cap :2 he replied, 64 Because my head is not square."+ The famous Dr. Thomas Sampson, after- wards one of the heads of the puritans, excepted against the habits at his ordination, who, nevertheless, was admit- ted by Cranmer and Ridley4 But the celebrated John Rogers and Bishop Hooper, according to Fuller, were 44 the very ringleaders ..of the nonconformists. They re- . nounced all ceremonies practised by the papists, conceiving (as he has expressed it) that such ought not only to be clipt with shears, but shaven with a razor; yea, all the stumpsthereof pluckt out."§ The sad effects of retaining the popish habits in, the church, began to appear at a very early period. In, the year 155,0, a debate arose, which to some may 'appear of , small consequence; but, at this time, was considered of great importance to the reformation. The debate was occasioned by Dr. Hooper's nomination to the bishopric of Gloucester. Burnet denominates him a pious, zealous, and learned man. Fuller says, he was well skilled in Latin, Greek, andHebrew.II He was some time chaplain to the Duke of Somerset, and a famous preacher in the city of London or but declined the offered preferment for two reasons,-1. Because of the form of the oath, which - he calls foul and impious. And, 2. Because' of the popish garments. The oath required him to swear by the saints, as well as by the name of God ; which Hooper thought impious, because the Searcher of Hearts alone- ought to be appealed to in an oath. The young kitig being colt- - vinced of this, struck out the words with his own 'pen... But the scruples about the habits were not so easily got over. The king and council were inclined to dispense with them, as his majesty openly signified in the above letter to Cranmer : but Cranmer and Ridley were of another Heylin's Hist. of Refor. p. 65. + Strype's Parker, Appen. p. 41. Strype's Cramer, p. 192. § Church Hist. b. vii. p. 402. II Burnet's Refor. vol. iii. p. 199.-Fuller's Church Ilist. b. vii. p. 402, 403.-King Ed ward, in his letter of nomination to Cranmer, dated Aug. 5, 1550, writes thus " We, by the advice of our council, have called and chosen our right well-beloved and well-worthy Mr. John Hooper, professor of divinity, to be our Bishop of Gloucester ; as well'for his learning, deep judgment, and long study, both in the scriptures, and profane learning; as also for his good discretion, ready utterance, and honest life for that kind of vocation."--Thid. S Strype's Cranmer, p. 211. *. Burnet's Hist. of Refor. vol. iii. p. 203,
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