Chap. I• The HI 8 T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. .. perfon as the council of fiate Gnll appoint. No printing preifes are to Common- . L d d. h . r. . All . wealth. " be allowed but 111 on on, an 111 t e two umver11tles. . pnnters are 64 d • I 9• " to enter into bonds of three hundred poun s, not to pnnt any pam- ~ " phlet againil: the fiate without licence, as afore~aid, unlefs the au- ,., thor's or licenfer's name, with the place of h1s abode be prefixed. " All importers of feditious pamphlets are to forfeit five pounds for every " fuch book or pamphlet.. No books are to be landed in any other " port but that of London, and to be viewed by the mafl:er and war- " dens of the company of jlationers. This aB: to continue in force for " two years." But the pulpit was no lefs dangerous tlian the prefs; the preibyterian Minijlm miniflers in their public prayers and fermons, efpecially on fail: days,fo•·btdto. keeping alive the difcontents of the people. The government therefore, ~:fc~:e zn pe– by an ordinance, abolifhed the monthly fail:, which had fubfifl:ed for about (even years, and had been in a great meafure a fail: for firife and debate; but declared at the fame time, that they fhould appoint occafional Wh'itl: p. faits, from time to time for the f-uture, as the providence of God !hould 3 8 3· require. In the midfl: of all thefe diforders, there was a very great appearance of Remarks. fobriety both in city and country; the indefatigable pains of the preibyterian miniflers in catechizing, inilruB:ing, and vifiting their parifhioners, can never be fuiliciently commended. The whole nation was civilized, and confiderably improved in found knowledge, though bifhop Kennet and Mr. Eachard are pleafed' to fay, that herejies and blafPhemies againjl heaven ~vere jwelled up to a mofl prodigious height. " I know (fays Mr. Bax- Life, p. 86, " ter) you may meet with men who will confidently affirm, that in thefe " times all religion was trodden under· foot, and that herefy and « fchifm were the only piety ; but I give warning to all ages, that " they take heed how they believe any, while they are [peaking for " the interefl: of their factions and opinions againfl: their real or fup- << pofed·adv.erfaries." However the parliament did what they could to · fupprefs and difcountenance all fuch extravagancies; and even the officers of the army, having convicted ·one of their quarter-majlers of blafphemy in a c_ouncil of war, fentenced him to have his tongue bored t-hrough with an hot iron, his fword .broke over his head, and to be ca- £hiered the army. . But biiliop Kennel fays, even the turki!h a/ca~·an was coming in; that tf ~vas tranjlated. into engli!h, andfaid to be licenfld by one of the ·tm1zijltrs qf
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