'The HISTORY of the PuRr'rANs. VoL. U. K.Charksi. which was all the parliament contended for at prefent. But the king's ~ d~vin~s encouraged ~im to difp~t~ every inch of groun~,. and in!lead of y1eldmg any one powt to the tmm!l:ers, to fiart new difficulties, till his ruin was inevitable. However towards the clofe of the treaty, when the viCtorious army was returning towards London, and things almoft come to an extremity, his maje!l:y told the commfjJioncrs, " that though he could " not with a g?od confcience confen.t to the aboli!hing. of epifcopacy, ·« becaufe he beheved the fubHance of 1t to be of apo!l:ohcal inftitution " he was willing to reduce it to the primitive ufage; and if his tw~ " houfes !hould fo advife, he would be content to le1Ten the extent,and " multiply the number of diocefes.-He fiill apprehended the entire alie– " nation of the bi!hops lands by fale to be facrilege.- He was willina to " affent to the calling and fitting of the alfembly of divines as defirel– ,, He would alfo confirm the public ufe of the direffory in all churches '·' and chapels, and would repeal fo much of all Hatutes as concerned " the book of common prayer only; provided the ufe thereof might be " continued in his majefiy's chapel for himfelf and his houiliold; and " that the fame [i. e. the direBory J !hould be confirmed by aCl: of parlia– " ment for three years, provided a confultation be had in the mean time " with the nifembly of divines as before mentioned.- Touching the ar– " tides of religion [the ajfembly' J, co'!f1JirmJ his majeft y de fired further '" time to examine them before he bound up himfelf and his fubj eCl:s in .,, matters of faith and dofirine.- His majefty will confent to an aCl: for ,,, better obfervation of tht~ Lord's-day, and to prevent faying of mafs. ·« -But as to the covenant, his majefty was not fatisfied to take it, nor ·" to impofe it upon others." Thefe conceilions being voted unfatisfaClory by the two houfes at Wefl– mi??Jler, his majefty confentecl farther Offober 2 r. r. " That arch– " bi!hops, chancellors, deans, and the whole hierarchy, be aboliihed, " except BrsHoPs. 2. That nor.Je but the presbyterian government be " exercifed for three years. 3· That in cafe no fettletnent fhould be " agreed u-pon within that time, that then for the future the power of '' ord·ination G1ould not be exercifed by bijhops without the counfel an~· " ailiHance of pre'fbyters; that no other epifcopal jurifdiCl:ion !hould be " exercifed but fuch as fhould be agreed u·pm1 in parliament; and if '' wit-hin that time his majefly fhould be convinced that epiji:opacy is not " agreeable to the word of God, or that Chrift commanded any other " government, he will embrace it, and take epifcopa:cy quite away." The houfes bei-ng ftill difi'atisfied with thefe conceilions, his majeil:y added, Nov. 4· " That he wGuld make no new bi!hops for three years; and « for tP!e further fnt-isfnction of the parliament, he would not in fill: opon " the u{e of~~~; common pr.ayor in his own chapel for _that time, bllit " would
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