Chap. IX. The HISTORY of the PURITANS. 729 That all parfons, vicars, and curates, in their feveral parifhes, do for- K. Charles! "bear to introduce any rites or ceremonies that maygive offence, other- ógr. C" wife than thofe that are eftablifhed bythe laws of the land." This was Nalfoon,,v voted by twelve of the lords prefent,. the other fix entering their proteft ; P. 485. after which both houles adjourned for fix weeks. Mr. Rapin obferves, Vol. XI. that there feemed no neceflity for the lords to renew this order ; and that p. 183. it was done out of fpleen and revenge, becaufe the commons had made a declaration againft innovations, and it was not doubted but the bifhops were the chief authors of it. Lord Clarendon reprefents the putting thefe orders of the houle of Their voter commons in execution, as a tranfcendent prefumption, and breach ofPut in mete privilege of the houle of lords ; and though inone place his lordfhip ac- knowledges, that little or nothing of moment was done in purfuance of the orders of the two houles, yet upon this occafion he Pays, " that Claren. " feditious and faétious perfons caufed the windows to be broken down Vol. II. " in churches, tore away the rails, removed the communion-tables, and P 290, 295t "committed many infolent and fcandalous diforders, and that if any op- " pofed them they were fent for before thecommittee." But the faireft account of this matter may be gathered from Mr. Pym's report to the houfe at their firft meeting after the recess. " The committee of re- " ligion (lays he) have Pent down divers of your declarations into the " country, and have found that in Tome places where there were good " minifters they were retained, and in other places negleéìed We " cannot fay there have been any, great tumults, though the execution " of the orders of the houle has occafioned fomething tending that way " In fome paeifhes they came to blows, and in others they would have done the like, if care had not been taken to prevent it. At " St. Giles's Cripplegate, the parifhoners were almoft at daggers drawing " about the rails of the communion-table, which they would not Jiff- " fer to be removed The like oppolrtion was made to the orders " of the houle at St. George Southwark, St. Mary Woolnoth, St. Botoiph " Alderfgate, and a few other places ; but in molt places they were " quiet." If the innovations complained of were according to law, neither lords Remarks. or commons had authority to remove them, for in a time of public peace and tranquillity a vote of parliament cannot fufpend or let afide the laws ; but if they were apparently contrary to law, I don't fee why either houle of parliament, or even the parifhioners themfelves, by a vote of their veftry, might not order them to be taken away. Remark- able are the words of Sir Edward Deering to this purpofe ; " The or Rut;,w " tiers of the houle (lays he) are doubtlefs powerful, ifgrounded upon Vol. IV. "the laws of the land; upon this warrant we may, by an order, enforce P. 392. VOL. I. 5 A " any
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