WOTTON. 347 London ministers. His chief antagonist was Mr. George Walker; another zealous puritan, who, having opposed him for some time with great zeal, as a follower of Socinus, charged him with heresy and, blasphemy ; and sent him a letter, dated May 2,, 1614, desiring a conference before eight learned divines to be chosen by both parties. They accordingly met for the purpose; Messrs. Walker, Stock, Downham, Westfield, and Gouge, on the one part.; and Messrs. Wotton, Balmeford, Randall, Hicks, and Gataker, on the other. But the matters in dispute not being adjusted at that time, they had a second conference. In order to a better settlement of the points in controversy, Mr. Gataker proposed that Mr. Walker should set down in writing the heretical and blasphemous positions of Socinus, and Mr. Wotton's erroneous assertions as agreeing with them; that when they assembled they might the more readily come to a conclusion. Both parties agreed to the proposal. Upon their second meeting, after some debate, it was their unani- mous opinion, that Mr. Wotton had not maintained any heresy or blasphemy whatsoever ; which they accord- ingly subscribed under their own hands. The persons who attended the second conference, and who subscribed this declaration, were those mentioned above, excepting Mr. Baylie in the place of Mr. Westfield.. Mr. Wotton was concerned in the controversy with Dr. Montague, afterwards bishop of Chichester; who, in a work was no room left for scruples and different persuasion." Warner says, that he filled the see of Canterbury " with no extraordinary reputation about six years. lie was naturally of a rough uncourtly temper, which was heightened by his great authority in the high commission. He had extremely high notions of government in church and state. He was most certainly a greater friend to prerogative than to liberty." By some he was charged with covetousness and want of hospitality, which occasioned the following satire upon his death : Here lies his grace, in cold clay clad, Who died for want of what he had. According to Rapin, " Bancroft never ceased to plague the puritans, and never ceased incensing the king against them, doing them all the mischief he could. Herein he was too closely imitated by the rest of the bishops, who found a double advantage in destroying the puritans. He is also accused of having been one of the most zealous to instil into the king the maxims of arbitrary power." He is styled "agreat persecutor and silencer of hundredsof most godly, conscientious, preaching. ministers;" and is said to have lived an evil life, and died a fearful death.--Granger's Biog. Hist. vol. i. p. 339.-C7arendon's Hist. vol. 5. p. 68.-Fuller's Church Hist. b. x. p. 55, 57.-Collier's Reel. Hist. vpl. p. 687. -Warner's Hist. of Eng. .- vol. ii. p. 496Rapin's Hist. of 'Eng. vol. ii. p. 163, 176.-Prynne's An- tipathie of English Prelacie, part i. p. 152, 239. Edit. 1641. Ward's. Gresham Professors, p. 39.
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