INTRODUCTION. 63 Otani was suspended a third time for nonconformity ; and many others suffered the like extremity. Numerous congregations being deprived of their zealous and fiiithful pastors, the distressed people presented a petition to the king, in behalf of their suffering ministers; which, because it was presented while his majesty was hunting, he was exceedingly displeased. The poorpuritan ministers were now persecuted in every quarter, some of them being suspended, and others deprived of their livings.. And while the bishops were highly commended for sus pending or depriving all who could not conform, Sir Richard Knightly, Sir Valentine Knightly, Sir Edward Montague, and some others, presented a petition to the king in behalf of the suffering ministers in Northampton- shire ; for which they were summoned before the council, and told, that what they had done " tended to sedition, and was little less than treason."+ , The king now issued two proclamations, intimating in the one, what regard he would have to the tender consciences of the papists; but in the other, that he would not allow the least indulgence to the tender consciences of the puritans.t In his majesty's long speech, at the opening of the first sessionof parliament, he said, " I acknowledge the Roman "church to be our mother church, although defiled with " some infirmities and corruptions ;" and added, " I would for my own part be content to meet them in the mid- " way ;" but spoke with great indignation against the puritans.§ And many of the ministers still refusing to conform, the king issued another proclamation, dated July 10, 1604, allowing them to consider of their conformity till the end of November following : but in case, of their refusal, he would have them all deprived, or banished out of the kingdom.11 Most of thebishops and clergy in the convocation which sat with the above parliament, were very zealous against the puritans. Bishop Rudd was, indeed, a noble excep- tion. He spoke much in their praise, and exposed the injustice and inhumanity of their persecutors. The book of canons passed both houses, and was afterwards ratified by the king's letters patent, under his great seal.s By these canons, new hardships were laid upon the oppressed puri- tans. Suspensions and deprivations were now thought not Winwood's Memorials, vol. ii. p. 36, 48. + Ibid. p. 49. Rapin's Hist. of Eng. vol. ii, p. 161 § Ibid. p. 165, 166. jj MS. Remarks, p. 583. 2 Sparrow's Collet. p. 261.
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