'4,30 LIVES OF THE 'PURITANS. taken into custody, and examined, with several of his brethren, relative to the associations of the puritans ; and being required to take the oath ex officio, he openly con- fessed, and discovered their assemblies, with the manner in which they wereconducted.. ROBERT CAWDREY.-HE was a divine of good reputa- tion for learning and piety, but a great sufferer for noncon- formity. Having entered into the sacred function about the year 1566, he was presented by Secretary Cecil, to the rectory of South Luffenham in Rutlandshire ; but after- wards brought into manifold troubles for refusing to conform. After he had been employed in the ministry about twenty years, he was cited before Bishop Aylmer and other high commissioners; when he was charged with having omitted some parts of the Book of Common Prayer in public worship and the administration of the sacraments, and with having preached against certain things contained in the book. Though he only omitted the cross in baptism, and the ring in marriage, having used the greatest part of the service, he was required to take the oath ex officio, to answer all such articles as the tyrannical commissioners should propose; which, says Mr. Strype, he refused ; and was, therefore, not only suspended, but utterly deprived of his ministerial exercise. He might, indeed, at first refuse the oath ; and the state- ment of our learned historian might so far be correct : yet it is evident from the case at considerable length, now before me, that he afterwards complied, and, accordingly, gave his answers to the various articles. These articles, dated November, 1586, together with his answers, were the following 1. " That you are a deacon or minister and priest admitted. Declare by whom, and what you were ordered ; and likewise that your orderingwas according to the book in that behalf by law provided. Ans. " I am both deacon and priest. I was made deacon by Dr. Bullingham, late bishop of Lincoln, and was made priest by Dr. Scambler, late bishop of Peter- borough. I was made deacon about twenty years ago, and minister about sixteen, which, I believe, was done accord. lug to the book in that behalf provided. Strype's Whitgift, Appen. p. 159-166. Strype's Aylmer, p. 129, 130.
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