418 The HISTORY Of the PURITANS. Chap. I. KingJamesL proteflant frighted out of his wits. Another, that the miniflers looked more 1603. like Turks than Chrittians, as appeared by their habits. Sir EdwardPeyton confef ed, that Dr. Raynolds and his brethren had not freedom of fpeech ; but finding it to no purpofe to reply they held their peace. On the other hand, the bifhops and courtiers flattered the king's wifdom and learning beyond meafure, calling him the Solomon of the age. Bancroft fell upon his knees, and faid, Iprcte/lmy heart melteth fir joy, that Almighty God, of his f sgular mercy, has given us fach a king, as fine Chrif's time has not been. Chancellor Egerton laid, he had never teen the king and prig fò fully united in one perfon. His majefty was no lets fatisfied with his own conduff ; for in his letter to Mr. Blake .a Scats man, he told him, that he had foundly peppered off the puritans, that they had fled before him, and that their petitions had turned him more earnefily againft them. It were no reafon, lays his majefty, that thofe who refufe " the airy fign of the crois after baptifm, fhould have their purfes fluffed " with any more folid and fubfiantial Crops.They fled me fo from " argument to argument, without ever anfwering me direk ly (ut ell eo- " rum moris) that I was forced to tell them, that if any of them, when " boys, had difputed thus in the college, the moderator would have " fetched them up, and applied the rod to their buttocks. I have a " 0 book of theirs that may convert infidels, but (hall never convert me, " except by turning me more earneftly againfi them. " --. This was the language of the Solomon of the age. I leave the reader to judge, how much fuperior this wife monarch was in the knowledge of antiquity, or the art of fyllogifm to Dr. Raynolds, who was the oracle of his time for acquaintance with ecclefiaftical hiftory, councils and fathers, and had lived in a college all his days. Third day's The third day's conference was on Wednefday fanuary t 8th. when the conference. bifhops and deans were firft called into the privy chamber with the civi- lians, to fatisfy the king about the high common and the oath ex ocio, which they might rally do, as being principal branches of his preroga- tive. When the king Paid he approved of the wifdom of the law in making the oath ex ocio, the old archbifhop was fo tranfported, as to cry out, undoubtedly your majclly fpeaks by thefpecial affiance of God's fpi- rit. A committee of bifhops and privy counfellors was then appointed io confider of left. ning the charges in the high commiffion, and for planting fchools, and proper minifters in the kingdom of Ireland, and ors the borders of England and Scotland. After which Dr. Raynolds and his brethren were called in, not to difpute, but only to hear the few alte- rations or explanations in the common prayer book alreadymentioned; which not anfwering their expeétations, Mr. Chaddertòn fell on his knees, and humbly prayed, that the furplice and crois might not be urged on force
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