22. 'Ibe HISTORY of thePURITANS. VoL. li. K. Charles Lprrwed; from which time the commitee for {candalous and plundered ~0 nzin![ters were in a fort united, and fo continued to the end of the long parliament. White's Century of f<:andalous MiHdlcrs. In order to filence the clamours of the royaliits, and jull:ify the fe– vere proceedings of thefe committees, it was refolved to print the eafes of thofe whom they ejected, and fubmit their conduct to the public cen– fure; accord ing! y towards the latter end of the ytar, M r. WHr T E the chairman publifhed a pamphlet, entitled, 'Ihe ji1f Century qj'fiandalous malignant Priefts, made and admitted into benefices by the prelates, in ~vhrji: hands the ordination if minifters, andgovermnent oj the church bath been; or, a narration if the caufis }or which the parliament bas ordered the j e– que{tration if the benefices qf Jeveral miniflers comp!aiued qj before tbem, }or vitioujizefs if life, errors in doClrine, Contrary to the articles oj' ot. r religion, and for praClijing and prdfingj"perjtitious inno'IJatiow agail?f't la~v, and for malignancy agaif!fc the parliament. The author in h1s pre– face fays, the reafon of his appearing in print was, that tbe parliament migbt appear juft in their doings, that the mouth if iniquity migbt be Jtopt; that all the ~vorld mightjee, that the tongues qf them that foeak evil qf the parliament are fit on fire qf hell; that they hide themfiives under faljhood, and make lies their rifuge. And then adds, that _the grqfjift f aults •which 7vere charged on the clergy were proved by many witn~(jes, je!dom .lr:Js than .fix. The whole century were convicted of malignity, or dif– affection to the parliament ; and about eighty of them of fcandalous immoralities in their lives. Dr. Walker has endeavoured to recover the reputation of feven or e.ight, and would infinuate that the refl: were con– viCted upon too !lender evidence, the witnefies not being always upon. oath, nor in his opinion, of fufficient credit to impeach a clergyman;. that fome of the crimes were capital, and therefore if they bad been pro ved, mufl: have touched not only the livings bu·t tbe lives of the cri– minals; and that the parliament who fet up for precife morals, accepted. the meer verbal evidence of the mofl: infamous people: However the· doctor himfelf has admitted and confirmed the centurijt's account of many of thefe fcandalous mi-n ifl:ers, by the enquiries he has made into Other tejlitheir characters in the places from whence they were ejected. Mr. l:'ul– '"'nies of fer confeffes, " that feveral of the offences of the clergy were fo foul, :""r charac-" that it is a fl1ame to report them, crying to juCtice for ponifhment." ~1'ia. p. '1.o7 . But then adds in favour of others, " that witneffes againfl: them were " {e]dom eJ~>amined on oath. That many of the complain,ers were fac– " tious people. That fome of the clergy were convicted for deliver– " ing doctrines that were difptuable, and other-s only for their loyalty."· Bifhop Kennet fays, that fcveral of them were viciotlS to a fcandaL And Mr. archdeacon Eachard ia- of the fame mind. Bu.t Mr. Baxter's tef-
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