436 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. I. Kingjames I. upon a writ of Habeas Corpus ; and having prevailed with Nic. Ful 't ler Efq; a bencher of Grays-Inn, and a learned man in his profef ion, to be their counfel ; he moved, that the prifoners might be difcharged, becaufe the high commiffioners were not empowered by law to imprifon, or to adminifter the oath ex officio, or to fine any of his majefty's fub- jeCts. This was reckoned an unpardonable crime, and inftead of ferving his clients, brought the indignation of the commifíioners upon himfelf. Bancroft told the king, that he was the champion of the non-confor- mitts, and ought therefore to be made an example, to terrify others forn appearing for them; accordingly he was flint up in dole prifon, from whence neither the interceffion of his friends, nor his own mutt humble petitions, could obtain his releafe to the day of his death. Puritans re- This high abufe of church power obliged many learned minifters and tare to Hol- their followers to leave the kingdom, and retire to Amflerdam, Rotter- land. dam, the Hague, Leyden, Utrecht, and other places of the Low countries, where Englifh churches were erected after the prefbyterianmodel, and maintained by the Rates according to treaty with queen Elizabeth, as the French and Dutch churches were in England. Befides, the Englifh being yet in poffeflion of the cautionary towns, many went over as chap- lains to regiments, which together with the merchants that refided in the trading cities, made a confiderable body. The reverend and learned Dr. William limes, one of the molt acute controverfial writers of his age, fettled with the Englifh church at the Hague; the learned Mr. Robert Parker a Wiltfhire divine, and author of the eccle/iaflical policy, being diflurbed by the high commiffion, retired to Amflerdam, and after- wards became chaplain to the Englifh regiment at Doefburgh, where he died. The learned Mr. Forbes, a Scots divine, fettled with the Eng- lifh church at Rotterdam ; as Mr. Pots, Mr. Paget and others, did at Jim/lerdam and other places. Hßoryofrhe But the greateft number of thole who left their native country for Brownifts religion were BROWNISI s, or rigid feparatifts, of whom Mr. yohn- yrojecured. fon, Ainfworth, Smith and Robinfon, were the leaders. Mr. yohnfon erected a church at Amflerdam, after the model of the Browni ls, having the learned Mr, Ainfworth for doc`lor or teacher. Thefe two publiThed to the world a confeffion of faith of the people called BR0WNISTS, in the year 1602, not muchdifferent in doctrine from the harmony of con- feflïons ; but being men of warm fpirits, they fell to pieces about points p Mr, of difcipline ; fohnfon excommunicated his own father and brother for Jhnfon andtrifling matters, after having rejected the mediation of theprefbytery of Ainfworth. Amflerdam. This divided the congregation, infomuch that Mr. Ainf- worth and half the congregation excommunicated ,ohnfen, who after fome time returned the fame compliment to Ainfworth. At length the conteft grew fohot, that Amflerdam could not hold them ; Johnfon and his fol- lowers
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