Chap. V. leHISTORYofthe PURITANS. 587 commifiion, and prepared it for' the preis, the king confirmed it under K. Charles 1, the great feel by letters patents, dated at Greenwich May 23d 5635. Imo, The inftrument fets forth, .: that his majefty by his royal and fupreme " authority in caufes ecclefiaftical, ratifies and confirms the faid canons " orders and conftitutions, and all and every thing in them contained, and " ftriétly commands all archbifhops, bithops, and others exercifing eccie- " fiaflical jurifdidion to fee them punctually obferved." To give the reader a fpecimen of thefe canons, whichwere fubverfiveof the wholeScots conflitution both in kirk and Irate ; 5. " The firft canon excommunicates all thofe who affirm, the power " and prerogative of the king not to be equal with the Jewijh kings, that " is, abfolute and unlimited. 2. " The fecond excommunicates thofe who (hall affirm, the worfhip contained in the book of Common Prayer, [which was not yet pub- " lifhed] or the government of the kirk, by archbifhops, bithops, &c. to " be corrupt, fuperftitious, or unlawful. 3. " The third reftrains ordinations to the quatuor tempora; that is, the " firft weeks ofMarch, Tune, September and December. 5. " The fifth obliges all prefbyters to read, or caufe to be read divine fervice, according to the form of the book of the Scotti/h common " prayer, and to conform to all the offices, parts, and rubricks of it " [though not yet publithed.] The book decrees further, " that no affembly of the clergy (hall be called but by the king. " That none (hall receive the facrament but upon their knees. " That every ecciefiaftical perfon dying without children, (hall give " part ofhis eftate to the church. " ° That the clergy (hall have no private meetings for expounding. " fcripture. " That no clergyman Mall conceive prayer, but pray only by the !° printed form, to be prcfcribed in the book of common prayer. " That no man (hall teach fchool without a licence from the bifhop ; " nor no cenfures of the church be pronounced, but by the approbation of the bifhop. " That no prefbyter (hall reveal any thing in confetlion, except his own ;' life thould by the concealment be forfeited." After fundry other canons of this nature, as appointing fonts for bap- tifm, church ornaments, communion tables, or altars, &c. the book decrees, that no perfon (hall be admitted to holy orders, or to preach or adminifter the facrametts, without firft fubfcribing the forementioned canons. 4 F 2 This
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