576 !The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. V. K. Charles'. Y.0 ed ; but the bithops will take care toclear their doubts, and fettle their X633. " practice. twv " The bithop of Coventry and Litchfield had fuppreffed a feditious lec- ture at Repon, and put down feveral monthly le5tures kept with a fail, 4' and managed by a moderator. He had alfo fuppreffed a meeting cal- " led the running declare, becaufe the lecture went from village to vil- " lage. " The bifhop of St. affaph Pays, that his diocefe is without exception; " abating the increafe of Romifh recufants in fome places, by their fuper- " ítitious concourfe to St. Winifred's well. " The bifhopof Landafcertifies, that he has not one ftubborn non- °° conformif, or fchifmatical minifter within his diocefe, and but two lecturers. " All the bithops declare, that they take fpecial care of that branch of ". his majefty's inflrui Lions relating to calvinifm, or preaching upon the " predeflinarian points ; and the archbifhop prays his majefty, that no layman whatfoever, and leaft of all the companies of the cityof London 0° or corporations, fhould under any pretence have power to put in, or 'c turn out any lecturer, or other minifter." In this account the reader will .obferve very little complaint of the growth of popery, which we (hall fee prefently was at a prodigious height; but all the archbifhop's artillery is pointed againft the puritan clergy, who were the moft determined and refolved proteftants in the nation. Mr. Towards the dole of this year came on the famous trial of William Prynne's Prynne, Efq; barrifter at law, and member of Lincoln's-Inn, for his Hf ee in the - trioma ix r a book written againft plays, marques, dancing, &c. The in- Chamber. -formation Pets forth, that though the author knew, that the queen and Rufhw lords of the council were frequently prefent at thofe diverfions, yet he had Part zd' railed againft thefe and feveral others, as may-poles, chrfmas-keeping, dref- fing houfes with ivy, fe/livals, &c. that he had afperfed the queen, and commended faëtious perforas; which things are of dangerous confequence to the realm and Hate. The caufe was heard in the Star- Chamber, Feb 7th. The council for Mr. Prynne were Mr. s4tkyns, afterwards a judge of the Common-pleas, Mr. ,enkins, Holbourne, Herne, and Lightfoot. For the kingwas Mr. attorney-general Noy. The council for the defendant plea- ded, that he had handled the argument offlage-plays in a learned manner, without defigning to reflect on his fuperiors; that the book had been li- cenfed according to law ; and that if any pafísges may be conftrued to reed on his majefty, or any branchof his government, he humbly begs pardon. But Mr. attorney aggravated-thecharge in very fevere language, and pronounced it a malicious and dangerous libel. After a full hearing be was fentenced to have his book burnt by the hands of the common hangman, to
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