394- ?fie H I S TORY of the PuRtTANS. Chap. VIII. Etueen Thus the puritan clergy were put upon a level with rogues and felons, lsg? th and made to hold up their hands at the bar among the vileft criminals ; there vw was hardly an afize in any county in England, but one or more minifters, Remarks. through the refentments of force of their parifhioners, appeared in this condition, to the difgrace of their order, and the lofs of their reputation and ufefulnefs ; betides being expofed to the infults of the rude multitude. Stripe's 21n. " But I would to God (lays my author) that they which judge in religious Vasutt. e caufes, though in the naine of civil affairs, would either get Come more P 7. ,' knowledge in religion and god's word than my lord Anderfon hath, or " call in the afiiftance of thofe that have." Proceedings Archbifhop Whitgift was bury this fummer about elections for the enfu- 2arlia- ing parliament, which was to meet Oflober 24th. Mr. Strype fays, his L. of Whit- grace took what care he could to prevent fuch as were difaffeded to gift, p. 508. the conftitution of the church, that is, all puritans, from coming into ,the houfe; but force thought it a little out of charaëter for an archbifhop to appear fo publickly in the choice of the peoples reprefentatives. The houfe being thus modelled, did not meddle with the foundations of diif- cipline, or form of publick worfhip; but feveral bills were brought in to regulate abufesin fpiritual courts, as againft licences to marry without bands, againft exceilivefees, frivolous citations ex officio, and excommuni- cations for little matters, as two pence or three pence. Thefe and all other bills of this nature, were according to cuflom, quafhed by a met- fage from the queen, forbidding them to touch her prerogative; and al- luring them, that the would take the aforefaid grievances into her prince- andconvoca- ly confideration. Accordingly her majefty referred thefe matters to the iiott convocation ; 'it being her Ready maxim, not to proceed in affairs of the church byfiatutes, which the parliament alone could repeal, but rather by canons, which the could confirm or difpenfe with at pleafure. The convocation drew up tome regulations upon diele and other heads, relating to ecclefiaftical courts, which the queen confirmed by her letters patent January 18th. in the 4oth year of her reign. Theywere printed the fame year by her authority, and may be feen in bithop Sparrow's col- ledion of articles, injunétions, &c. 1598. But Rill the eccloliaßical courts were an infufferable grievance : the op- Prohibitions prelions which people underwent from the bottomlefs deep of the canon granted. law, put them upon removing their caufes into Wefiminfler-hall, by get- tingprohibitions to flay proceedings in the bithops courts, or in the high commi ion. This awakened the archbifhop, who in order to fupport the civilians, drew up certain queries to be confideed by the lords and judges. ?beate/di- of the land touching prohibitions; of which this was the principal, " that Chop corn- " feeitig ecclefiaflical authority is as truly vetted in the crown as temporal, plains of " whether the queen's temporal authority fhould any more reftrain her ec- shom. Clefaflscal,
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