Chap. VII. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. .299 This anfwer not proving fatisfat ory, he was immediately fufpended aeen and venturing to preach; after his fufpenfion, wasdeprived; the principal E1584h, caufes ofhis deprivation, were thefe two ; Omifiion ofpart ofthe publicprayers; the cry's in baptfm, and the fur- Caafs ofhi, p1ic . deprivation: argued. 2. Irregularities incurred b y dealing in the minifir y after %u % nfon. M s. But in the opinion of the civilians, neither of thefe things Couldp. 57z. warrant the proceedings of the court ; (t.) Becaufe Mr. Paget had not time, nor a conference, as he craved, and as the flatute indoubtful matters warranteth. (2.) Becaufe he had not three feveral admonitions, nor fo much as tone, to do that in time, which the law requires. If this had been done, and upon filch refpite and admonition, he had not conformed, then the lawwould havedeemed him a reactant, but not otherwife. (3.) Ifthis courfe had been taken, yet Mr. Paget's omitlions, had fo many favoura- ble circumflances(as theparifla's not having provided a book, and his ordi- narys promifing not to urge him with the precife obfervance ofall the ce- remonies,) that it was hardly confiftent with the prudent confideration and charity ofa judge, to deprive him at once. As to his irregularity, by exercifing the miniftry afterfuffenjon ; the fuf- penfion was thought to be void, becaufe it was founded upon a method not within the cognifance of thofe who gave fentence; for the ground was, refuting to fubfcribe to articles tendered by the ecclefiaftical commiffioners, who had no warrant to offer anyfilch articles at all ; for their authority reaches no farther than to reform and correct fah done contrary tocertain flatutes, expreffed in their common, andcontrary to other eccleaflical laws; and there was never yet any claufe in their commiffion, to offer fubfcripti- on to articles of their owndevifing. But fuppofe the fufpenfionwas good, the irregularity was taken away by the queen's pardon, long before his de- privation. Befides, Mr. Paget did not exercifehis miniftry after fufpenfion, till he had obtained from the archbifhop of Canterbury, a releafe from that fufpenfion, which if it was not fufficient, it was apprehended by him to be fo, the archbifhop being chief in the commifiìon ; and all the canons/1s allow, that fimplicity, and ignorant mißaking of things, being void ofwilful contempt, is a lawfulexeufè to difcharge irregularity. But the commiffion- ers avowed their own aft, and the patron difpofed of the living to another. Mr. Paget having a numerous family, fet up a little £chool, but the arms His farther of the commißioners reached him even there; for being required to take f"ferinys. out a licence, they tendered him the articles to fubfcribe, which he refufing, they Phut up his fchool and tent him a begging. Let us hear his own re- lation of his cafe, in a letter that he fent to that great tea officer, Sir yohn Hawkins, who had a high efteem for this good man. " 'I was never pre- " fent at any feparate affembly, from the church (lays le), but abhorred QA 2 " them,
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