Chap. IX. The HISTORY of the PURITANS: 725, The king fet out poft Auguji i I. and arrived at Edinburgh in three or K. Charles E four days ; the parliament met Augufl J9. when his majefty acquainted 4 them in a molt gracious fpeech, that the end of his coming into his na- Kimg's pro- tive country, was to quiet the difiraEtions of the kingdonm, " and this Igrefs Into " mind (lays his majefty) fully and chearfully to perform, for I affureRuth nd. " you, I can do nothing with more chearfulnefs than to give my people p. 382, " a general fatisfaEtion ; wherefore not offering to endear myfelf to you in " words, which is not my way, I delire in the firft place to fettle that " which concerns religion, and the juft liberties of this my native coun- " try, before I proceed to any other att." Accordingly his majefty al- His cancel lowedof their lateproceedings in oppofingthe englifh liturgy, and ereEting ions. tables indefence of their liberties ; he confirmed the aEts oftheir affembly at Glafgow, which declared, that the government of the church by archbifhops andbopswas contrary to the wordofGod, and was therefore aboled. The reverend Mr. Henderfon waited on the king as his chaplain, and was appoint- ed to provide preachers for him whilehe was in that country, his majefty having declared, that he would conform to their manner of worfhip while he was among them. Mr. Henderfon had the rent of the royal chapel ; Mr. Gillefpiehad a penfion, and the profeffors of the feveral uni- verfities had their provifions augmented, by the revenues formerly be- longing to-the bithops. His majefty conferred titles of honour upon ma- ny of their gentry ; and all parties were fo well pleafed, that it was laid, when his majefty left the kingdom, that he departed a contented king from a contented -people. No fooner was the king returned but the englifhbithops reproached his Upon his re,. majefly with his conceffions. etpecially for admitting the englifh hierar- turn to Eng- ohy.to be contrary to the word of God; They toldhim, he had unravelled`pena,he rn,. that web which his father and himfelf had been weaving in that coun try for above forty years, and inftead of making theflote his friends, he had only created anew thirft in the englifh parliament to follow their ex ample. Thefe remonfirances had fuch an influence upon the unhappy king, that he repented heartily of what he had done, and told Dr. Saunderfon afterwards hilltop of Lincoln, when he was in the ifle of Wight, that two errors did much aftli& him, his conflating to the earl of Strafford's death, and his abolifhing epifcopacy in Scotland; and that if God fhould ever refiore him to the peaceable poflefhon of his crown, he would de- monftrate his repentance by a public confeffion and a voluntary penance (I think, Pays the Dr.) by going bare-foot from the Tower of London,. or Whitehall, to St. Paul's, and defiring the people to intercede withGod for him. This Chews how much fuperltition Rill remained in his ma-- jelly's make and confiitution, when he could imagine, the going bare- foot through the ftreets could attone for his miftakes 5 and how little de- gendanc
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