72 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. III. Mary, and other places of Germany, where lutheranifìn was profeffed. Philip IeM Melant1hon interceded with the fenate on their behalf, but the clergy were fo zealous for their Confubliantiation, that they irritated the magi- firates every where againft them. The number of the refugees are computed at above 800 ; the moft confiderable of whom have been mentioned, as the bithops of Wincheller, Bath and Wells, Chiche/ler, Exeter, and Ofory ; the deans of Chri/i Church, Exeter, Durham, Wells, and Chicheller ; the archdeacons of Canterbury, Stow, and Lincoln; with L. of Cran. a great many other very learned divines. The laity of diftinétion were P. 354 the dutchefs of Suffolk with her hufband, Sir Tho. Worth, Sir Rich. Morifon, Sir Anthony Cook, Sir john Cheeke, and others. 1556 The exiles were moft numerous at Francfort, where that conteft Puritans. and divifion began, which gave rife to the PURITANS, and to that fe- g g paration from the church of England which continues to this day. It will therefore be neceffary to trace it from its original. On the 27th ofYune 1554. Mr. Whittingham, Williams, Sutton and Wood, with their families and friends, came to fettle at the city of Francfort; and upon applica- tion to the magiftrates, were admitted toa partnerfhip in the French church, for a place of worthip ; the two congregations being to meet at different hours, as they fhould agree among themfelves, but with this provifo, That before they enter'd they fhouldfubfcribe the French confefwn of faith, Their man- and not uarrel about ceremonies, to which the Engle agreed ; and after ner ofwor- Q JhiP, confultation among themfelves, they concluded, by univerfal confent of all prefent, not to anfwer aloudafter the miner, nor to up the litany and furplice; but that the publick fervice fhould begin with a general con- feflion of fins, then the people to fing a pfalm in metre in a plain tune, after which the minifter to pray for the affiftance of God's holy fpirit, and fo proceed to the fermon ; after fermon, a general prayer for all eftates, and particularly for England, at the end of which was joined the lord's prayer, and a rehearfal of the articles of belief; then the people were to fing another pfalm, and the minifter to difmifs them with a bleflìng. They took pofleflîon of their church July 29th, 1 554 and having chofen a minifter and deacons to ferve . for the prefent, they fent to their brethren who were difperfed, to invite them to come to Francfort, where they might hear God's word truly preached, the fa- craments rightly adminifter'd, and fcripturedifcipline ufed, which in their own country could not be obtained. HO. ofthe The more learned clergymen, and fome younger divines, fettled at Troubles of Strafburgh, Zurich, and Baal, for the benefit of the libraries of thofe Francfort, places, and of the learned converfation of the Profeffors, as well as in hinted hopes of fome - little employment in the way of printing. The congre- S75 gation at Francfort fent letters to thefe places of the 2d of Augu/1, 1554. befeeching the Englifh divines to fend force of their number, whom
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