274 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VII. Meen thefe weighty reafons for it, among others. (t.) Becaufe thepuritans con- Elizabeth, temn the ecclefiaftical cenfures. (2.) Becaufe thecommonmay order a féarch 1584. forfeditious hooks, andexamine the writers or publifhers upon oath, which a L. of whit= 'Whop cannot. (3.) Becaufe the ecclefaaßical common can punilh byfines, gift, P. 134. which are very commodious to the government ; or by imprifònment, which will ftrike more terror into thepuritans. (d.) Becaufe a notorious fault cannot benotorioufly punifhed, hut by thecommifìon. (5.) Becaufe the whole ecclefiallical law, is but a carcfe withouta foul, unlefs it be quick- ened by the common. Queengrants The queen, who was already difpofed to methods of feverity, eafily gave tt way to the archbilhop's arguments, and ordered a new high commi aon to be prepared, which the put the great feat to, in the month of December, a 583. and the 26th year of her reign. There had been fivehigh commi/aons . before this, in molt of which thepowers of the commißìoners had been en- larged ; but forafmuch as the court was now almoft at its height, I will give the reader an abftral: of their commiflion from an attefted copy, un der the hand and feal of AbrahamHartwell, a notary publick; at the fpecial requeft and command of the arehbifhop himfelf, dated ,fanuary 7th, 158'3-.4 The preamble recites the all of the firfr of the queen, commonly called the all for refoarng to the crown theancientjuri fdihlion ofthegateeccl f afli- cal and civil, and the akolilhing allforeignpower repugnant to the fame r And another of the fame year, For uniformity ofCommon prayer and fer- vice of the church and adminiftration of the facraments : And a third' of the 5'íh of the queen, entitled An ad of affurance of the queen's powers over all ftates, &c. And a fourth of the 13 Eliz. entitled An ad for reforming cer- taindi "'orders touching minifters of the church : as the foundation of her ecclefiafiical jurifdillion and power. Her majefty then names 44_comifh- oners, whereof 12 were bithops ; force were privy counfellors lawyers, and officers of (late, as Sir Francis Knollys treafurer of the houfhold, Sir FrancisWalfangham fécretary offtate ; Sir WalterMildmay, chancellor ofthe exchequer ; Sir Ralph Sadleir, chancellor of the dutchy of Lancafter ; Sir Gilbert Gerard, mailer of the rolls ; Sir Robert Manhood, lord chief baron of the exchequer ; Sir Owen Hopeen, lieutenant of the tower ofLondon yohn Popham, Efq; attorney- general ; Thomas Egerton, Efq; folicitor general;, the refit were deans, archdeacons and civilians. Her majefty than pro- ceeds ; Copy of the " E earneftly minding to have the above- mentioned laws put in, commijhen. as execution, and putting fpecial truí§ and confidence in your wifdoms anddifcretions, have authorized and appointed you to be our eommiftioners; and do give full power and authority to you, or any three " of
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