526 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. HENRY PAGE was the pious vicar of Ledbury in Here- fordshire, who, in the year 1638, was complained of to Archbishop Laud, and prosecuted in the high commission for refusing to read the Book of Sports. But that which proved an aggravation of his crime, was his uttering the following opprobrious and disgracefulexpressions, as they were called " Is it not as lawful to pluck at a cart-rope on the sabbath day, as at a bell-rope ? Is it not as lawful for a weaver to shoot his shuttle on the sabbath-day, as for a man to shoothis bow ? And is it not as lawful for a woman to spin at her wheel, or for a man to go to his plough, as for a man to dance that devilish dance ?"* RALPH SMITH was a minister of puritan principles, who, in the year 1629, to escape the severities of persecution, fled to New England. He accompanied Mr. Higginsonand the first planters of the Massachusets colony.+ He settled for a short time at Natasco, but was afierwards chosen pastor of the church at Plymouth, to whichoffice he was separated by fasting and prayer, with the imposition of hands from the elders of the church. He was a grave man, of e good under- standing, and much belovedby his people. For the space of two years he had Mr. Roger Williams for his assistant.t He was living as pastor of this church in the year 1638.§ EPHRAIM HEWET was minister of Wroxhall in Warwick- shire, but persecuted for nonconformity. Archbishop Laud, in the account of his province in 1638, says, " He bath taken upon him to keep fasts in his parish, by his own appoint- ment, and hath contemned the decent ceremonies com- manded by the church. My lord the Bishop of Worcester proceeds against him, and intends either to reform or punish DR. JENNINGSON, the pious lecturer at Newcastle-upon- Tyne, was much persecuted for nonconformity. In the year 1639, by the instigation of Archbishop Laud, he was Pryune's Cant. Doome, p. 149, 150. + Prince's Chron. Hist. vol. i. p. 183. t Ibid. p. 188, 189.-Neal's Hist. of New Eng. vol. i. p. 115, 141. § Morton's Memorial, p. 108. Wharton's Troubles of Laud, vol. i. P. 554.
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