,Chap. f, The HISTORY of the PURITANS. 407 objeEted his coronation oath, in which he had fworn to maintain the KinnJamesl° clergy in their rights and privileges; but king- names had no fcruples '® of confcience ; for without fo much as afking the confent of parliament, general aflembly, or people, he entered upon the molt effe 1ual meafures , to fubvert that kirk difczpline which with hands lifted up to heaven, he had (worn to maintain at his coronation, and had afterwards folemnly fub- fcribed with his queen and family, in the years r 58 r. and r Sgo. The miffs put the king in remembrance, that he was born of roman Andof the catholick parents, and had been baptized according to the rites and ce- pap:(` remonies of the church of Ronne; that his mother, of whom he ufually fpoke with reverence, was a martyr for that church; and that he himfelf, upon fundry occafions, had expreffed no diflike to her doctrines, though he difallowed of the ufurpations of the court of Rome over foreign princes; that he had called the church of Rome, his mother church ; and therefore they prefumed to welcome his majefty into England with a petition for an open toleration. But the bill-lops of the church of England made the earlieft apppli- Early appl. cation for his majefty's protection and favour. As loon as the queen bop: the was dead, archbifhop 11lhitgift fent Dr. Nevil dean of Canterbury, ex- king, prefs into Scotland, in the name of all the bithops and clergy of Eng- L. of Whit- land, to give his tnajefty afl'urance of their unfeigned duty and loyalty ; g`ft, p. 539, to know what commands he had for them with refpeEt to the eccle. fiaßical courts, and to recommend the church of England, to his coun- tenance and favour. The king replied, that hewould uphold the govern- ment of the church as the queen left it ;; which comforted the timorous archbifhop, who had fometimes fpoken with great uneafinefs of the Scotch mi/l. Upon his majefty's arrival all parties addreffed him, and among others Of:he Dutch the Dutch and French churches, and the Engii/h puritans; to the former and French his majefty gave this anfwer, " I need not ufe manywords to declare my eburcber. <ì good will to you, who have taken fanétuary here for the fake of reli- " s gion ; I am fenfible you have enriched this kingdom with feveral arts and manufaftures; and I fwear toyou, that if any one (hall give you , " diftur"bance in your churches, upon your application to me, I will re- " venge your caufe ; and though you are none of my proper fubjeás, I will maintain and cherith you as much as any prince in the world." But the latter, whatever they had reafon to expect, met withyery diffe- rent ufage. Notwithfianding all the precautions that were taken to fecure theStrype'sInn, eieEtious of members for the next parliament ; the archbifhop withed Vol. utt.. he might not live to fee it, for fear of fome alterations in the church; for p' 337' the puritans were preparing petitions, and printing pamphlets in their own
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