T. WILSON. 177 had read the letter, were cited to appear before the high corn- mission. Mr. Wilson was charged in the court with having sent a scandalous and offensive letter to Otham, to nourish schism, and to confirm the people in the dislikeof govern- ment; upon which he acknowledged his writing a letter, but denied its evil tendency, saying, " I know that it was .to ex- hort the people to fear God and the king, and to meddle not with those that are given to change ; to walk in faith and love, and to call upon God: but I utterly deny all occasion of de- rogating from the church of England, or confirmation of any in a dislike of the government, and protest against all asper- sions and imputations of schism or scandal : neither did I direct any one to read it, nor intended or desired it should be read in the church.". Notwithstanding all they could allege in their own defence, they were enforced to continue their attendance no less than three years, to their great cost and trouble.+ In the year 1639, the Scots having entered England, and a parliament being called, Laud took off Mr. Wilson's sus- pension. But his troubles and sufferings were not ended ; for September 30, 1640, he was cited to appear before the archbishop's visitors at Fevershann, together with other minis ters in Kent, to answer for not reading the prayer against the Scots. Upon their appearance, 'Mr. Edward Bright, being called first, was asked whether he had read the prayer ; and when he said he had not, the archdeacon instantly sus- pended him from office and benefice, without admonition, or evengiving him the least time to consider of it. Mr. Wilson, who witnessed this rash proceeding, was next called. When he was askedwhether he had read the prayer, he answered in the negative ; " because," said he, " in the rubrick of the Common Prayer, it is enjoined that no prayer shall be pub- licly read excepting those which are contained in the Book of Common Prayer, and that prayer against the Scots is not." This unexpected answer so confounded the archdeacon that he did not know what to say. It cooled his fury, and caused him to proceed more deliberately with Mr. Wilson than he had done with Mr. Bright. - He gave him fourteen days to consider of it, and then deliver his answer at Canterbury but whether he delivered any other answer, and What after-. * Life of Mr. Wilson, p. 90, 9I. 1- Dr. Tuck'scase was, indeed, more distressing than Mr. Wilson's; for, an account of bodily infirmities, he was unable to ride, and necessitated to make all his journies on foot.-Did. p. 13. t Ibid. p. 14-16. VOL. III. Iv
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