454 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap.!. IïingJamebi. we blown no trumpet of (edition. Thefe things have gone very near us, 1606. << and yet did we never fo much as entertain a thought of violence. The ., truth is, we have petitioned the king and Rate ; and who hath reafon to " deny us that liberty ? we have craved of the prelates to deal with us " according to law ; and is not this the common benefit of every fubjeht? " We have befought them to convince our confciences by fcripture _ Alas! what would they have us to do ? Will they have us content " ourfelves with this only, that they are bishops, and therefore for their greatnefs ought to be yielded to? The weight of epifcopal power may " opprefs us but cannot convince us." Remarks. It appears from hence, that the Puritans were the kings faithful fub- jedts; that they complied to the utmofl limit of their confciences, and that when they could not obey, they were content to fuller. Here are no principles inconfiftent with the publick fafety; no marks of herefy impiety or fedition ; no charges of ignorance, or neglect of duty ; how unreafonable then muff it be, to filence and deprive Inch men ?,to fhut them up in prifon, or fend them with their families a begging, while their pulpit doors were to be (hut up, and there was a famine in many parts of Rapin, the country, not of bread, but of the word of the Lord ; yet thefe honeft P. 3i2, 354 men were not only perfecuted at home, but refrained from retiring into his majefty's dominions abroad ; for when the ecclefraflical courts had driven them from their habitations and livelihoods, and were fill hunting them by their informers from one end of the land to the other, feveral fa- milies crofi"ed the ocean to Virginia, and invited their friends to follow; but Bancroft being informed that great numbers were preparing to em- bark, obtained a proclamation prohibiting them to tranfport themfelves to Virginia, without a fpecial licence from the king ; a feverity hardly to be parallell'd ! nor was it ever, imitated in this country except by arch- bifhop Laud. Illands of The Ifles of Guernfey and 7erfey having enjoyed the difcipline of the Guernfey French churches without difurbance, all the reign of queen Elizabeth, and Jerfey upon the acceflion of the prefent king, addreffed his majefty for a confir- reduod conformity. mation of it ; which he was pleafed to grant by a letter under the privy Peal, in thefe words: Hereas we have been given to underfand, that our dear filter queen Elizabethdid permit and allow to the ifles of 7erfey and Guernfey, parcels of the dutchy of Normandy, the ufe of the government of the reformed churches of the Paid dutchy, whereofthey have flood poffeffed till . our coming to the crown ; for this caufe, as well as for the " edification of the church, we do will and ordain, that our Paid-ifles (hall " quietly, ..,
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