Chap. V. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. 58I 3, " Do fuch as are born here in England conform to the English cere- K Charles I. monies?", 1634 Theministers and elders demurred upon thefe queftions, and infifted up- on their charter of privileges granted by kingEdward VI. and confirmed no lefs than five times in the reign of king games, and twice by king Charles himfelf, by virtue of which they had been exempt from all archi- epifcopal and epifcopal jurifdition till this time; yet Laud without any regard to their charter, fent them the two following injunctions by his vicar-general. t. " That all that were born in England of the Dutch and Walloon Laud's in- " congregations, should repair to their parish churches. junEtians to 2. " That thofe who were not natives, but came from abroad, while them. they remained strangers, might use their own difcipline as formerly." In this emergence the Dutch and Walloon churches petitioned for a to- leration, and (hewed the inconveniencies that would arife from the arch- bishop's injun6tions; as, that if all their children born in England were taken from their communion, their churches m#ft break up and return home ; for as they came intoEngland for the liberty of their confciences, they would not continue here after it was taken from them. They de- fired therefore it might be confidered, what damages would arise to the kingdom by driving away the foreigners with their manufactures, and dif- couragingothers from fettling in their room. The mayor and corporation of Canterbury affured his grace, that above twelve hundred of their poor were maintained by the foreigners, and others interceded with the king in their favour ; but his majefty anfwered, We mull believe our archbishop of Canterbury, who ufed their deputies very roughly, calling thema nett of fchifmatics, and telling them, it were better to have no foreign churches than to indulge their non-conformity. In conclufion he affured them by a letter dated Aug. I9. a635. that his majesty was refolved his injunctions fhould be obferved, viz. That all their children of the fecond descent born in England fhould refort to their parish churches, and (lays his grace) I do Raw' expert all obedience and conformity from you, and if you refufe, I (hall p. 249. proceed againft the natives according to the laws and canons ecclefiaftical. Accordingly force of their churches were interdiéted, others Phut up, and the affenrblies diffolved ; their minifters being fufpended, many of their They are bra.. people left the kingdom, efpecially in the diocefe of Norwich, where bi- ken up, shop Wren drove away three thoufand manufacturers in wool, cloth, Cee. force of whomemployed a hundred poor people at work; to the unfpeak- able damage of the kingdom. As a farther mark of difregard to the foreign proteftants, the king's am baffador in France was forbid to frequent their religious affemblies. " It !' had been cuulomary (fags lord Clarendon) for the ambaffadors employed ire
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