The HISTORY oj thePuRITANS. VoL. II. K. Charles I. And though the archbifhop pleads, that the !tatutes of Oxfordare agree– ~ able to ancient cu!tom and uf<Jge, . we affirm ·they contain fundry innova– <Jo the unitions, not only with regard to the libe1 ty of the fubjeet, but with regard verjity Jlato religion, for Iatin pra)•ers were formerly faid only on afb 7vednefdays 1 " 1 "· before the bacbelors of arts, whereas now none others are to be fa id Prynne, £ r. r 1 .r.r. P· 47 s. throughout all lent; the fiatute ror ;lnging in 10 emn proceu1ons was made in time of popery, and renewed in thefe il:atutes to .keep up the praCtice of fuch fuper!titious perambulations ; and though the archbifhop with his wonted aJiurance wonde1s what the!e things have to do with treafon, we apprehend, that if they appear [(J many proofs of a deiign to fltbvert the €flablifoed religion of the churcb of England, they will be judged fo in tbe bigbefl dtgree. JJo;k of F\lnher they charged the archbifhop with advifing the king "to fpo yts. " publijh bis declaration for the ufe of fports on tbe LQrd's day, in . ~~;~~~g~: " order to fnpprefs afternoon fermons ; with obliging the clergy of 12 8. 15 6, '' his diocefe to read it in their pulpi t,, and punifhing thofe that re382. " fufed." Abp's anThe archbi(hop anfwered, that he had the king's warrant for printing f.uer., . the book of_fports: that there is no proof that it was by his procurement, Lauds Hlft. nor that it was done on purpofe to take away afiernoonfermons, fince P· 343 ' 344 · thefe recreations are not allowed till they are over; befides the declaralf1anager$ t·eply, Prynne, p. sos. tion allows only lawfid recreations, which is no more than is practifed at Geneva, though for his own part be always obferved flriCl!y the Lord's day. What he enjoined about the reading the declaration was by his majefly's command, and he did not punifh above three or four for not reading it. The commons replied, th at it was evident by the archbifhop's letter to the bifhop of Batb and Wells, that the declaration WGS printed by his procurement, the warrant for •printing it being written all with his own band, and without date, and therefore might probably be obtained afterwards; moreover, fame of the recreations mentioned in it are unlawjul on the Lord's day, according to the opinion of fathers, councils, and impe– riallmvs; and though Calvin diff~rs from our protefiant writers about the morality of the fabbatb, yet he exprefsly condemns dancing and pafiimes· on that day. As for his grace's own firict obfervation of the Lord's day, 'tis an averment without truth, for he fat confl:antly at the council-table .on that day ; and it was his ordinary practice to go to bowls in the fum– mer time, and ufe other recreations upon it; nor is it probable, that the archbilhop would have punifhed confcientious minifiers for not reading. the book of fpons, if the thing had been difagreeable to his practice, ef– pecially when there is no warrant at all in the declaration that mini!lers lhould publifh it, o.r be puniihed for refuling it ; and that he punilhed no more,.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=