Chap. I. The HISTORYofthe PURITANS. 413 He further objeéted to private baptifm, and baptifm by women. It had KingJames 1. been cufromary till this time for bifhoßs to licence midwives to their office, rc 1i and to allow their right to baptize in cafes of neceffity, under the fol- lowing oath: " TEleanor admitted to the office and occupation of a midwife, 4be oath ofa I will faithfully and diligently exercife the Paid office, according to tdu'is.n fuch cunning and knowledge as" God has given me, and that I will nags, Vot. I, " be ready to help and aid as well poor as rich women, being in labour p. 537 " and travail with child, and will always he ready to execute my faid " office. Alfo, I will not permit or fuffer, that any woman being in labour or travail, (hall name any other to be the father of the child, " than only he who is the right and true father, thereof ; and that I will . e° not fuller any other body's child to be fet, brought, or laid before any " woman delivered of child, in the place of her natural child, fo far " forth as I can know or underfland. Alfo I will not ufe any kind of " forcery or incantation in the time of travail of any woman ; and that " I will not deftroy the child born ofany woman, nor cut, nor pull off " the head thereof, or otherwife difmember or hurt the fame, or fuller " ° it to be fo hurt, &c. Alfo that in the miniftration of the facrament " of baptifm, in the time of necefity, I will ufe the accuftomedwords " of the fame facrament ; that is to fay, thefe words following, or to the " like effeEt, I chr f en thee in the name ofthe Father, the Son, and the Holy. " Ghofl ; and none other profane words. And that in baptizing any " infant born, and pouring water on the head of the laid infant, I will " ufe pure and clean water, and not any rote or damafk water, or water " made of any confefton or mixture. And that I will certify thecurate " of the parifh church of every fuch baptizing." Notwithftanding this oath, Whitgift allured the king, that baptifm by women and lay-perfons was not allowed by the church. Others Paid it was a reafonable practice, the minifter not being of the effence of the facrament. But the king not being fatisfied, it was referred to confide ration, whether the word curate or lawful minfer, might not be infers- ed into the rubrick for private baptifm. Concerning excommunication for leer crimes in ecclefiafticaI courts, it was agreed, that the name fhould be changed, but the fame cenfure re- tained, or an equivalent thereunto appointed. Thefe were all the al- terations that were agreed upon between the king and bishops, in the firft day's conference. Mr. Patrick Galloway, who was prefent at the conference, gives this Remarks on account of it to the prefbytery of Edinburgh. " That onfanuary nth. thefirff day's " the conference.
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