Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754 v1

Chap. IV. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. 8"3 " ftudy to avoid the giving Tome fmall offence, many things may be izabet E h, " fuffered under this colour, that they will be continued but for a little 1558 " while, and yet afterwards it will fcarce be poffible by all the endeavours ei-v f " that can be ufed to get them removed, at leaft not without great ftrug- xlt. Refer. " rings." The letter feems to be wrote with a prophetick fpirit; MAS- TERS laid it before the queen, who read it all over, though without ' zî3 effect. Letters of the fame drain, were wrote by the learned Bollinger, Peter Martyr, and Weidner, to the earl of Bedford, who had been force time at Zurich; and to yewel, Sandys, Horn, Cox, Grindal, and the ref& of the late exiles, preffing them warmly to ad with zeal and courage, and to take care in the firft beginnings, to have all things fettled upon fure and found foundations. The exiles in their anfwers feem refolved to follow their advices, and ReJolutiou of make a bold Rand for a thorough reformation; and if they had done fo, the Exiles. they might have obtained it. jewel in his letter of May 22. thanks Bul- linger for quickening their zeal and courage;. and adds, " They were do- " ing what they could; and that all things were coming into a better " date." In another of April lo. " He laments the want of zeal and " ° induftry in promoting the reformation ; and that things were managed " in fo flow and cautious a manner, as if the word of God was not to " be received on his own authority." In another of November 16. " He c° complains of the queen's keeping a crucifix in her chapel, with lighted Cc candles; that there was worldly policy in this, which he did not like: e' That all things were fo lode and uncertain with them, that he did not ibid. p. z89. " know whether he fhould not be obliged to return back to Zurich. He fc complains of the popifh veftments, which he calls the relicts of the " Amorites, and wiflaes they were extirpated to the deepeft roots." The like complaints were made by Cox, Grindal, Horn, Pilkington, and others; but they had not the refolution to perfevere: Had they united counfels and flood by one another, they might at this jundure have obtained the removal of thole grievances, which afterwards occafioned the feparation. To return to the parliament. The court took fuch meafures about e- Proceedings leétions as feldom fail of fuccef ; the magiftrates of the counties and cor-.off Parlia- porations were changed, and the people who were weary of the late per- meat fecutions were afíìfled, and encouraged to exert themfelves, in favour of fuch reprefentatives as might make them eafy; fo that when the houfes met, the majority were on the fide of the reformation. The temper of the houfe was firft tried by a bill to reflore to the crown thefirfi fruits and tenths, which queen Mary had returned to the church. It paf ed the commons without much oppofition, February 4th. but in the houle of lords, all the bishops voted agaift it. By another at they dd Strype,p.67. 2

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