46 LIVES OP THE PURITANS. THOMAS SETTLE was born about the year 1555, and most probably educated in the university of Cambridge. He was ordained by Bishop Freak, after which he became minister of Boxted in Suffolk, and a zealous nonconformist; but was roughly used by Archbishop Whitgift. In May, 1586, being cited before his grace at Lambeth, the following charges were exhibited against him :-" That he did not observe the order in the Book of Common Prayer.-That he did not use the cross, nor admit the promise and vow in baptism.-That he did not marry with the ring, and say, ''With this ring I thee wed.'-That he frequented conven- ticles.-That he denied the lawfulness of private baptism by women, and the baptism 'of ministers who could not preach.-And that he denied that the soul of our Saviour went into hell, or the regions of the damned." Upon the exhibition of these charges against Mr. Settle, hewas firstexamined upon our Lord's descentinto hell; when he confessed it was his opinion, that Christ didnot descend locally into hell, and that Calvin, Beza, and other learned men, were of the same opinion. This put the archbishop into so violent a passion, that he called him ass, dolt, fool, and added, they are liars.. Mr. Settle said, " You ought not to rail at me, being a minister of the gospel." " What," replied his lordship, " dost thou think it much to be called ass and dolt ? I have called many of thy betters so." " True," observed Mr. Settle; "but the question is, how lawfully you have done that." Thlr-lordly archbishop then said, " Thou shalt preach no more in my province." Mr. Settle answered, " I am called to preach the gospel, and I will not cease to preach it." The archbishop,with a stern countenance, replied, " Neither you, nor any one in England, shall preach without my leave;" and immediately commanded him to be carried close prisoner to the Gate- house. Before his departure, the Dean of Westminster asking him whether he had subscribed, Mr. Settle replied, " Yes; I have subscribed, and am ready to subscribe again, to the doctrine of faith and sacraments, being as much as the law requires : .but to other rites and ceremo- nies, I neither can nor will subscribe." " Then," said the angry archbishop; "thou shalt be subject to the ecclesiastical This prelate is commended as a worthy and prudent governor of the church; and his mild and moderate carriage, it is said, was well worthy of imitation ! This good man expired in David's fulness of days, leaving a name like sweet perfume behind him ! Paulo's Life of Whitgift, Pref.- Xennees Hist, of Eng, vol. ii. p. 665.
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