688 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. VIII. K. Charles L (' dal power in the Star-Chamber or in any 'civil court, is a great hind- r640. « rance to their fpiritual function, and fit to be taken awayby bill." And not many days after it was refolved, that they fhould not be privy coutt- fellors or in any temporal offices. Proceedings While the houle of commons were thus preparing to clip the wings of agailft p ' the bithops, they were not unmindful of the roman catholics ; thefe were pVs. criminals of an higher nature, and had a deep (hare in the prefent Gala- /pities ; their numbers were growing, and their pride and infolence in- fufferable : they flocked in great numbers about the court, and infulted the very courts of judicature; the queen protected them, and the king and archbifhop countenanced them as friends of the prerogative. An- dreas ab Harbernseld the queen of Bohemia's chaplain, advifed his grace of a popifh confederacy againft the king and the church of England ; but when the names of Montague, Sir Kenelm Digby, Winter, Wihdebank and Porter, all papifts and officers about the court, were mentioned as parties, the whole was dilcredited and ftifled. When the houle of commonspe- titioned the king to iffue out a proclamation for putting the laws in exe- cution againft papifts, it was done in fo defective a manner, that the com- mittee reported it would avail nothing; for in theclaufè which enjoins all popifh recufants todepart the city within fifteen days, 'cis added, without fpecial licenfe had thereunto; fo that if they could obtain a licenfe from his majefly, or from the lords of the council, the bifhop, the lieutenant, or deputy lieutenant of the county, then they werenot within the penal- ty. Befides the difarming of all popifh recufants was limited to recufants convibt; fo that if they were not convicted a juflice of peace could not difarm them. They obferved further, that many recufants had letters of grace to protect their perlons and eflates; that inflead ofdeparting fromLon- don there was a greater refort of papilts at prefent than heretofore ; and that their infolence and threatning language was infufferable and dangerous. A gentleman having given information in open court to one of the jud- ges of the King's-bench, that in one parifh in the city of We/iminfier there were above fix thoufand recufants, the committee appointed Mr. Hey- wood an aftive jufticeof peace, to collect and bring in a lift of the names of all recufants within that city and liberties; for which purpofe all the inhabitants were fummoned to appear and take the oaths in Weflminfler- Hall: but while the juflice was in the execution of his office, and pref- fing one JAMEs a papift to take them, the wretch drew out his knife and ftabbed the juftice in open court, telling him, hegave him thatfor perfecutingpoor catholics. The old gentleman funk down with the wound, but by the care of furgeone was recovered, and the criminal taken into cuftody. This Mr. Heywood was the very perfon whobeing commanded by
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