328 LIVES OF THE. PURITANS. his supplication, did not, however, choose to interfere, but lefthim wholly to the unmerciful controul of the archbishop, who could never be prevailed upon to remove his suspen- Sion, or license him to preach in any part of the kingdom. Mr. Travers had, indeed, many great and powerful friends at court, and even the lords themselves weregreatly divided in their sentiments about his case ; and all who opposed Whitgift's intolerant measures were his zealous friends. But all power was in the hands of the archbishop, " whose finger," as it is humorously expressed, "moved more in ecclesiastical matters than all the hands of all the council besides ; therefore, no favour must be afforded to Travers on any terms. "* Mr. Travers had a principal hand in writing and publish- ing the celebrated work, entitled, " De Disciplina Ecclesi- astica ex Dei verbo descripta," commonly called the " Book of Discipline." It was designed as a platform of church discipline, and subscribed by Mr. Travers and many of his learned brethren.i- It was translated into English, and printed at Cambridge; but the vice-chancellor obtaining intelligence of it, caused the whole impression, or the greatest part of it, to be seized, and announced the same to the chancellor, who communicated it to Archbishop .Whit- gift: upon which his grace returned the following answer : " That ever since they had a printing press at Cambridge, he feared that this and greater inconveniencies would follow. Though the vice-chancellor was a very careful man, and in all respects greatly to be commended ; yet he might be suc- ceeded by one of another temper, not so well affected to the church, and that if he (the chancellor) thought fit to con- tinue that privilege to the university, sufficient bonds with heretics ought to be taken by the printer not to print any books unless they were allowed by lawful authority ; for," says he, " if restraint be made here, and liberty granted there, what good can be done ?"4: This zealous prelate was always a violent enemy to the liberty of the press. It may he proper here to observe, that, in the year 1644, when the Book of Commun Prayer was abolished by order of the parliament, the Book of Discipline was repub- lished, and appointed to be observed in all ecclesiastical matters. It was printed under this title, " A Directory of Government anciently contendedfor; and, as far as the time Fuller's Church Hist. b. ix. p. 218. + Neal's Puritans, vol. i. p. 423. Biog. Britan. vol. vii. p. 4246.
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