32 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. Upon his appearance before his judges, hewas charged with having proclaimed the young king; and that, according to the existing laws, he was guilty of high treason. He was, there- fore, required to make his humble submission, and to retract what he had uttered, as the indispensable condition of his release. This Mr. Cawton refused to do, saying, " If I have done any thing not becoming a minister of the gospel, I hope I should bewilling to recant." He was then sent prisoner to the Gatehouse, where he continued about six months. But the parliament's forces in Ireland having obtained a signal victory, the house of commons resolved that a certain number of prisoners, and Mr. Cawton among the rest, should be set at liberty, as a testimony of thankfulness to God. He was accordingly released, August 14, 1649.. Mr. Cawton having obtained his liberty, returned to his family and his flock, and continued for some time in the zealous and laborious observance of his ministerial duties. But in the year 1651, being deeplyconcerned in Love's plot,f he fled, to Holland, together with Mr. James Nalton. Upon their arrival, the English church at Rotterdam beingdestitute of a pastor, they were chosen co-pastors to the society. Mr. Nalton, afterwards one of the ejected nonconformists4 having leave to come back, returned home but Mr. Cawton not enjoying the same privilege, remained at Rotterdam to the day of his death. His fame, both as a preacher and a scholar, soon spread through the United Provinces. He shone as a star of the first magnitude, and was highly esteemed by the Dutch, French, and English ministers in those parts. He presently became intimately acquainted with the learned Voetius, Leusden, Uclitman, Hulsius, and others, highly celebrated for piety and literature. The publication of those famous, works, " Walton's Polyglot Bible," and " Castell's Lexicon Heptaglotton," were greatly indebted to his encou- ragement and exertions.§ In the year 1658, he received a " understand the person of Mr. Thomas Cawton to be, who preached " before the lord mayor yesterday; and him you are to apprehend, and " bring into safe custody, before the council of state, for seditious preach- " ing ; hereof you are not to fail, and for so doing this shall be your sufficient warrant."-Life of Mr. Colston, p. 27. * Life of Mr. Cawton, p. 22-42. + See Art. Christopher Love. Ealmer's Noncpn. Mem. vol. i. p. 142. Life of Mr. Cawton, p. 42-66.-The former of these learned works was printed in six volumes folio, and was the first book published in England by subscription. The latter cost the author theassiduouslabour of seventeen years. His unwearieddiligence employed in this undertaking injured his health, and impaired his constitution; and the immense
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