Chap. I. The HISTORY ofthe PuRITANS~ a better maintenance where it is wanting. Dr. Walker fays, the value of Common– biiliops lands forfeited and fold amounted to a million of money; but w~alth. though they fold very cheap, they that bought them had a very ~ear bar- ~] gain in the end. P· 14. Upon debate of an ordinance concerning public woriliip, and church go- Pmb. gov. vernment, the houfe declared, that the pre!byterial government iliould be eflab!ijhed. the ell:abliilied government. And upon the quell:ion, whether tithes fhould ·be continued, it was refolved, that they iliould not be taken away, till another maintenance equally large and honourable iliould be fubfiituted in its room. The inhabitants of the principality of lFales were deftitute of the means Propagatiolt , of chrill:ian knowledge, their language was little underll:ood, their clergy of~ ffpet were ignorant and idle; fo that they had hardly a fermon from one quar- m a es. ter of a year to another. The people had neither bibles nor catechifms; nor was there a fufficient maintenance for fuch as were capable of inflruet- ·ing them. The parliament taking the cafe of thefe people intoconfideration, paffed an aCt, Feb. 22. 1 64g.jor the better propagation and preachiniJ of the gofPel in Wales, for the ejetling Jcandalous minifters and fchool-mqj'- ters, and redreji if fame grievances; to continue in force for three years. What was done in purfuance of this ordinance will be related hereafter ; but the parliament were fo intent upon the affair of religion at this time, that Mr. Whitlock fays, they devoted Friday in every week to confult ways and means for promoting it. Nor did they confine themfelves to England, but as foon as lieutenant- And in Ire.O general Cromwe/l had reduced Ireland, the parliament paffed an ordinance, land, March 8. 1649· for the encouragement of religion and learning in that country ; " they invefted all the manors and lands late of the archbiiliop " of Dublin, and of the dean and chapter of St. Patrick, together with " the parfonage of 'I'r)'m belonging to the bilhopric of Meath, in the " hands of trufiees, for the maintenance and fupport of 'Irinity College " in Dublilz; and for the creating, fettling, and maintaining another col- " lege in the faid city, and of a mafter, fellows, fcholars, and public " profeffors: And alfo for ereeting a free fchool, with a mafier, uilier, " fcholars, .and officers, in fuch manner, as any five of the trufiees, with " the confent of the lord-lieutenant, lhall direct and appoint. The lord- " lieutenant to nominate the governor, mafiers, &c and to appoint them " their falaries ; and the trufl:ees, with the confent of the lord-lieutenant., " £hall draw up fiatutes and ordinances, to be confirmed by the parliament " of England." The univerfity of Dublin being thus revived, and put upon a new foot, the parliament fent-over fix of their moll: acceptable preachers -to give it · D d d 2 ·re.puta-
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