Chap. II. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. 497 The puritans loft aneminent praaical writer and preacher about this time, kagJamesi. Nicholas Byfield, born in T}arwickJhire, and educated in Exeter College r7 Oxford. After four years, he left the univerfity, and went for Ireland ; Death and but preaching at Cher, the inhabitants gave him an unanimous invi- ebaragerof tation to St. Peter's church in that city, where he retitled feven years. Mr. Byfield: From thence he removed to Ifleworth in Middlefx, and remained there till his death. He was a divine of a profound judgment, a ftrong me- mory, quick invention, and unwearied induftry, which brought the ftone upon him, which fent him to his grave, in the forty-fifth year of his age. His body being opened, a (lone was taken out of his bladder, that weighed thirty -three ounces, and was in meafuré about the edge, fifteen inches and a half; about the length and breadth thirteen inches, and folid like a flint; an almoft incredible. relation ! But Dr. William Gouge, who drew up this account, was an eye-witnefs of it, with many others. Mr. Byfield was a calvinift, a non-conformift to the ceremonies, and a ftrift obferver of the fabbath. He publifhed feveral books in his life time ; and his commentaries upon the Colo /ans and St. Peter, pub- lifhed after his death, Phew him to be a divine of great piety, capacity, and learning. The archbifhop being in difgrace, the council were unanimous, and met with no interruption in their proceedings. The puritans retired to the new plantations in . merica, and popery came in like an armed man. This was occafioned partly by the new promotions at court, but chiefly by the Spank match, which was begun about the year 1617. and drawn out to a length of feven years, till the Palatinate was loft, and the pro- teftant religion in a manner extirpated out of the kingdom of Bo- hemia and other parts of Germany; and then the match itfelf was broke off. To trace this affair from its beginning, becaufe it was the fource of the OftheSpa- enfuing calamities of this and the following reign. Prince Charles being nith maub. arrived at the (late of manhood, the king had thoughts of marrying him, but could find no proteftant princefs of an equal rank. He defpifed the princes of Germany, and would hear of nothing beneath a king's daughter. This put him upon feeking a wife for him out of the houle of iluflria, (worn enemies to the proteftant religion ; for which purpofe he entered into a treaty with Spain for the Infanta. Under colour of this match, Gondamar the Spank Ambaffador, made the king do what- ever he pleated. If he enclined to afi-ift his fon-in-law in recovering the Palatinate, he was told he mull keep fair with the houle of Aufdria, or the match was at an end. If he denied any favours to the papi[ls at home, the court of Rome, and all the roman catholick powers were dif obliged, and then it could never take place. To obviate thefe and other VOL. L S ff obje Lions,
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