162 the HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. V. eeen ftretch of the prerogative ; there beingno law as yet to disfranchife any man lìzabeth, for not coming to church. t 1567. But notwithilanding this threatening meffage, they went on with their They m-e np- affemblies, and on the s 9th of of rune, agreed to have a fermon and a pre/ended at communion at Plumbers-hall, which they hired for that day under pre_ Paitmbers tence of a wedding; but here the fheriffs of London deteéted and broke L. of Grim them up, when they were aßèmbled to the number of about oo ; molt dal, p. a. r5. of them were taken into cuftody, and Tome Pent to the Compter, and next keiof Paz day (even or eight of the chief were brought before the bifhop of London, P3 ma exams- Dean Goodman, Mr. archdeacon Watts, and Sir Roger Martin, lord mayor . nation. of London. The bifhop charged themwith abfenting from their parifh churches, and with fetttng up feparate affembliesfor prayer and preaching, and minifdring the facrament. He told them, that by thefe proceedings, . they condemned the church of England, which was well reformed ac-. cording to the word of God, and thofe martyrs who had fhed their blood for it. To which one of them replied, in the name of the refs,, that they condemned them not, but only flood for the truth of God's word. Then the bifhop afked the ancienteft of them, Mr. fohn Smith, what he could anfwer? Who replied, " That they thanked God for the " reformation ; that as long as they could hear the word of God preached, 40 without idolatrous Gear about it, they never affembled in private honks; " but when it came to this point, that all their preachers were difplaced " who would not fubfcribe to the apparel, fo that they could hear none " of them in the church for the (pace of feven or eight weeks, except " father Coverdale, they began to confult what to do; and retnembring " there had been a congregation of proteflants in the city of London in " queen Mary's days, and another of Englifh exiles at Geneva, that ulid " a book framed by them there, they refolved to meet privately toge- " they, and ufe the Paid book." And finally, Mr. Smith offered in the name of the refl, to yield, and do penance at St. Paul's Crof, if the bifhop and the commiffioners with him, could reprove that book, or any, thing elle that they held, by the word of God.. The bifhop told him, They could not reprove the book, but that was no fufftcient anfwer for his not going to church. To which Mr. Smith replied that, " He would as loon go to mats, as to fome churches, and partied- " larly to his own parifh church.; for the minifler that officiated there, " was avery papift." Others faid the fame of other parif a priefls. The bifhop afked, If they accufed any of them by name ; upon which one of them prefeotly named Mr.. Bedel, who was there prefent,, but the bifhop would not enquire into the accufation. The dean ofWßminfler, who was one of the ecclefiaflical commifhon. charged them with derogating from the queen's authority of appointing in- different Pierce, ,p.4
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