94 LIVES OE THE PURITANS. Blanchard, and Hodson, at the suit of the said Peter Smart about ten years since." On January22nd, Mr. Rousepresented the report of the committee concerning Mr. Smart to the house of commons, upon which the house resolved 1. " That the several proceedings of the high commission court of York and Canterbury, against Mr. Smart, and the several fines by them imposed upon him, are illegal and unjust, and ought not to bind. 2. " That the degradation of Mr. Smart, and his depriva- tion from his prebend, and other ecclesiastical livings, are unjust and illegal ; and that he ought to be restored to all of them, together with the mean profits. 3. " That Dr. Cosins and others, the prosecutors of Mr. Smart, ought to make him satisfaction for his damages sustained. 4. " That Dr. Cosins (a chief actor in Mr. Smart's prose- cution) is guilty of bringing superstitious innovations into the church, tending to idolatry ; and of speaking scandalous and malicious words against his majesty's supremacy and the religion established. .5. "That Dr. Cosins is, in the opinion of this house, unfit and unworthy to be a governor in either of the universities, or to continue any longer head or governor of any college, or to hold and enjoy any ecclesiastical promotions.". The house then referred it to the committee, to prepare such things as might be thought fit to be transmitted to the house of lords concerning Dr. Cosins ; and also to consider of the most proper way of snaking Mr,Smart reparations for the damageshe had sustained. When Mr. Rouse delivered the charge against Dr. Cosins, at the bar of the house of lords, he said, among other things, " That by the arms of the priests Mr. Smart had been oppressed and ruined. He fell upon their superstitions and innovations, and they fell upon him with their arms ; they beat him down ; yea, they pulled him up by the roots, taking- away all the means of his support; yet leaving him life to feel his miseries. There is no cruelty, like priestly cruelty ; and this cruelty cast him into long continued misery, whence he could obtain no release by any priestly mercy. And now it is prayed, that as these delin- quents, by their cruel oppressions of Mr. Smart, have advanced the cause of popery, so they may in a suitable degite be punished; that in them priestly cruelty, and the Rushworth's Collec, vol. v. p. 41,136, 152,-Nalson's conec. vol. 1. p. 733, 734.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=