322 7be HISTORY of the PuMTANS. Chap. VII. Queen t' poor, diligent, preaching parifh-minifters, or eroding fchools, religion Elizabeth, << would then flourifh in the land." 1.586. .. Some bold fpeeches were made in parliament againft the arbitrary pro- Stopt by the ceedings of the bifhops, by Mr. Wentworth and others, for which thole queen, members were fent to the Tower ; at which the houle was fa intimi- dated, that they would not fuffer the bill to be read. &fides the queen . fent both for the bill and petition out of the houfe, and ordered the fpeaker Z. of Whit- to acquaint them, " That fhe was already fettled in her religion, and . gift, p. 259. " would not begin again ; that changes in religion were dangerous;. `,` that it was not reafonable for them t6 call in queltion the eftablifhed " religion, while others were endeavouring tooverthrow it ; that the had confidered the objeEtions, and looked upon them as frivolous; and " s that the platform itfelf was molt prejudicial to her crown, and to the peace of her government." Nay, fo incenfed was the queen with thefe attempts of the puritans, that in drawing up a general pardon to be pafl'ed- Ireyl. Aer. in parliament, fhe ordered an exception to be made of fuch as Commit- P. 269. ted any offence againft the ad of uniformity, or were publifhers of fedi. tious books or pamphlets. Convocation The convocation, contrary to all cuftom and ufage, continued fitting fir afre,- the after the parliament, and gave the queen a fubfidy or benevolence. This- par ¡amend, precedent archbifhop Laud made ufe of in the year a64o, to prove the lawfulnefs of a convocation fitting without a parliament. All they did'. further, was to addrefs the queen with an offer to maintain by difputation, that the platform of the puritans was abfurd in divinity, and dangerous ter the fixate ; which the non- conformifls would willingly have debated, but the others knew the queen and council would not admit it. 'Writings of The profs was in the hands of the archbifhop, who took all poflibre the Puritans care to Rifle the writings of the puritans, while he gave licence to cania jueprpd, g p g and pop:Jh an Italian merchant, and bookfeller in London, to import what pop& books'lacen- books he thought fit, upon this very odd pretence, that the adverfaries- f t f wnic- arg uments being better known b y learned men, might be more ea/rl y con f uted 8ifì, p. 268. But was it not a °homer way to confute them in the high common?` Or might not the fame reafon have ferved for licenfi-ng the books of the puritans? But his grace feems to have been in no fear of popery, though this very year another afaffination plot was dilcovered, for which Ballard lb. p 265. a prieft, and about twelve or fourteen more, were executed. Remarka- ble are the words of this Ballard, who declared upon examination to Sir Francis Knollys treafurer of the queen's houfhold, and a privy coun- .Ballará a po- fellor, " That he would deliire no better books to prove his doctrine of PO riO' " o than the archbifho writings againft Cartwri ht, and his AispudgnunttPP er y' p s g g g sfthePuri - injunctions fee forth in her majefty's name, That if any men among tans. " the proteftants lived virtuoully, they were the puritans, who renounced " their
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