644 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VII. K. Charles I. If we may believe his lordfhip's charatlter of the leading members of 1640. both houles, even of thofe who were molt aElive in the war againft the king, we (hall find even they were true churchmen according to law; and that they had no defigns againft epifcopacy, nor any inclinations to preJbytery, or the feparation. Charat7er of The earl of ESSEX was captain general and commander in chief of the leading the parliament army, and fo great was his`réputation, that his very name memberra commanded thoufands into their fervice. It had been impoffible for mong the peers. the parliament to have railed an army, in lord Clarendon's opinion, if Earl of Et the earl of Ejex had not contented to be their general ; and "yet this Clarendon, " nobleman, fays he, was not indevoted to thefund ion of bijhops, but was VoI.I.p.182, " as much devoted as any man to the book of commonprayer, and obliged 185, 189, `r all his fervants to be prefent with him at it ; his"houfhold chaplain being 211' 212, " always a conformable man, and a goodfcholar." v23/151°. P. The earl of BEDFORD was general of the horfe under the earl of 211, 212, EJx, but he hadno defire that therefhouldbe any alteration in the govern. 594 Vic, `° ment of the church; he had always lived towards my lord of Canter - Ear[ of Bed- " bury himfelf, with all refpeft and reverence he frequently vifited ford. " and dined with him, fubfcribed liberally to the repairing of St. Paul's, and feconded all pious undertakings." Lord Kim- Lord KIMBOLTON afterwards earl of Manchßer, was a man ofgreat bolton. generofity and good breeding ; and no man was more in the confidence of the difcontented party, or more trufted; he was commander of part of the parliament forces, and rather complied with the changes of the times than otherwife ; he had a confiderable (hare in the reftoration of king Charles the fecond, and was in high favour with him till his death. Earl of The earl of WARWICK was admiral of the parliament fleet ; he was Warwick. the perfon who feized on the king's (hips, and employed them againft him during the whole courfe of the war; he was looked upon as the greateft patron of the puritans, and yet this nobleman (fays lord Claren- don) never difcovered any aver/ion to epifcopacy, but much prfe©ed the contrary. I In truth (fays the noble hiftorian) when the bill was brought into the houfe to deprive the bishops of their votes in parliament, there were only at that time taken notice of in the houle of peers, the lords SAY and BROOK, as pofitive enemies to the whole fabrick of the church, CharaKter ofand to defire a diflblution of the government. the leading Amongft the leading members in the houfe of commons, we may members in reckon WILLIAM LENTaSAL, Efq; their fpeaker, who . was of no ill the houfe of reputation for his afeílion to the government both of church andfate (lays commons. Of Mr. his lordfhip); and declared on his death-bed after the reftoration, that Lembo! the he had always efteemed epifcopal government to be the beft govern - fpeaker.
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