G. GIFFORD. 277 people, whose salvation it concerned], to bow down a gracious ear to this our most dutiful suit, and to take such order as to your godly wisdom shall be thought most con- venient. Your humble suppliants having, by the good- ness of God, conducted themselves at all times, both in their doctrine and life, as becometh their vocation, they submit themselves to any trial and punishment, if it shouldbe found otherwise. Notwithstanding this, they have been a long time, and still are, grievously troubled and molested ; of which troubles this is one of the heaviest, that we are hindered from the service of God in our public ministry. To this restraint we have hitherto yielded and kept silence. " We hoped, from the equity of our cause, the means that have been used, and the necessities of our people, that our suspension would have been taken off by those whose censure lieth upon us: but they neither restoredus to our ministry, nor furnished the people with suitable persons to supply our places. We and our people have been humble suitors to them, desiring that we might be restored to our former service and usefulness among them ; and, notwith- standing our cause bath been recommended to them by some of the chief nobility in the land, even of her majesty's honourable privy council, we have obtained no relief for ourselves, nor comfort for our distressed people.. Therefore, to appear before this high and honourable court ofparlia- ment, is the only means left unto us ; that if there be in us no desert of so heavy a sentence it may please this high court to take such order for the relief of your most humble suppliants as to your godly wisdom shall be thought convenient. " We, indeed, acknowledge that divers causes of our re- straint are alleged against us ; but our earnest desire is, that this high court would by some means be informed of this weighty matter. The chief of them is our refusing to subscribe to certain articles relating to the present policy of the church, that every word and ceremony appointed to be read and used in the Book ofCommon Prayer, is according to the word of God. We declared that we could not, with a good conscience, subscribe to all that was required of us ; and we humbly requested to have our doubts removed, and to be satisfied in the things required; but we have not re- ceived one word of answer to this day ; and their former rigorous proceedings have not in the least been mitigated. " We humbly pray this high court to be assured of our dutiful obedience to all lawful authority, unto which, as
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=