88 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. strictly urged by the bishops, do mourn and lament. It is well known to all your honours,,thatan absolute subscrip- tion is required through the whole province of Canterbury, . to three articles. As to the first and third, relating to her majesty's supreme authority and the articles of religion, we most willingly offer our subscription, as always heretofore we have done ; but cannot,be accepted without an absolute subscription to the other, to which we dare not condescend, being all of us unresolved and unsatisfied in our consciences about many points in the Common Prayer. May it further please your honours favourably to consider, that, in refusing an absolute subscription, we do it not out of arrogancy, or singularity, but because we are in doubts about divers weighty matters : and fearing to subscribe as we were urged, we are all suspended from exercising the function of the ministryamong our people, to the great damage of their souls, and our great injury. Wherefore, being per- suaded that our cause is the'cause of Christ and his church, we humbly beseech your honours, that with favour it may be considered. And seeing we cannot be impeached of false doctrine, nor of contempt of her majesty's laws, nor of refusal to use the book of prayer, nor of breeding con- tention or sedition in the church, we crave that we may be restored to our flocks ; and that with all peace ofconscience, we may go forwards in the Lord's work, in our several places. Signed by " RICHARD ALLEN, JOHN PRIOR, JOHN DANIEL, CHARLES BINGHAM,, THOMAS TRIFLER, JOHN SUMMERSCALES, MR. SHEPHERD, ANTHONY HUNT, HENRY NELSON REINOLD GROME, MATTHEW THOMPSON, WILLIAM MUNNING, THOMASBRADLEY, JOHN WINTLE, THOMAS FULBECK, HUMPHRID. STRAYERS, HUGH TUKE, RICH. HOUSWORTH, JOSEPH GIBSON, RICH. KELLET.". JAMES WORSHIP, Though it does not appear how long Mr. Allen remained under the episcopal censure, he was at length restored to his ministry, and was preacher at Louth, in the above county.; but in the year 1596, he was brought into fresh troubles by. Judge Anderson. Having, sometimes omitted part of the prayers for the sake of the sermon, he was MS. Register, p. 331.
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