2rí3 fe IIISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. V. ,°2üecn To this próteftation the congregation did feverally fwear, and then re- Ehzaheth, ceived the communion for the ratification of their affent ; if we may be- lieve the relation of archbifhopParker, who wrote this laft paragraph with his own hand ; though his grace had not always the belt informa- tion, nor was fufficiently careful to diftinguifh between fubfcribing and /wearing. Dutch and Sundry non- conformitis who were willing to be at eafe, and avoid the French hazard of perfecution, took atelier in the French and Dutch churches, áhá es4fv- and joined themfelves to their communion : There were not many of Puritans ro this fort, becaufe they underflood not their language. But the queen their camnru -and council had their eye upon them, and refolved to drive them from nF01L this flicker ; for this purpofe a letter was writ from the council board, to the minifters and elders of the Dutch church in London, bearing date .elpril 1573, in which they fay, That they were not ignorant, " that from the beginning of the chriftian religion, various churches had. " various and diverfe rites and ceremonies; that in their fervice and de- ". Votions forne flood, fome kneeled, and others lay pro/lrate, and yet the " pietyand religion was the fame, if they direfled their prayers to the " true God, without impiety and fuperftition. They added further, that " 'they contemned not their rites ; nay, that they approved their cere- " monies, as fit and convenient for them, and that flate whence they fprang. They expeéted therefore, that their congregation fhould not " defpife the cuftoms of the Englifh church, nor do any thing that G0 might create a fufpicion of difturbing its peace; and in particular, L ofParker, that they fhould not receive into their communion any of this realm, P.- 326' 334 -" that tiered to join with them, and leave the cufloms and praälice of " their native country, leafl the queen fhould be moved to banifh them out of the kingdom." Endeavours had been ufed, tobring theee churches under the jurifdiftion or fuperintendency of the bifhop of the diocefe, for the time being ; but they pleaded their charter, and that Grindal, while bifhop of London, was their fuperintendent only by their own confent ; however a quarrel . happening fometime after in the Dutch church at Norwich, the queen's" commoners interpofed ; and becaufe the elders refufed to own their ja- rifdi/tiun, they banifhed all their three miniflers; which 'truck fuch a" Strypes.fs- terror into thofe of London, that when they received the council's letter," naG, p 284. they were perfeëlly fubmiffive, and after returning thanks for their own liberties, they promifed to expel all fuch out of their church ; and for the future not to receive any Englifh, who from fuch principles,. fhould feparate themfelves from the cuftoms of their own country. Gualter, Bollinger, and other foreign divines, again this year addreffed . thebithops their correfpondents, for moderation, but nothing could be ob- tained,
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