Chap. nr. ne HIs T 0 R y of the PuRITANs: 459 examine witneffes, and to authorize other commiffioners in the country to Oliver · h h" h · d · 1 • Protet!ot· examine witnefies upon oat , tou c mg t e matters contame 1n t 1e pett6 • d h ·o· b . . h . l 54· tion . The committee ordere t e cormm 1oners to rmg l!l t e1r accounts~ in a month's time, which they did accordingly. And the petit!oners were ordered to deliver in the particulars on which they defired witneffes might be examined, within two days; but not being provided, they defired liberty to make ·good their allegations in the country ; to which the commiffioners willingly agreed. But this taking up fame time, the long parliament was di!Tolved, and the profecution of this enquiry fufpended for the prefent; but as foon ~s the protector was fixed in his government, he publillled an ordinance Aug. zo. 1654, to bring the propagators to an account; pur(uant to which the fequeflrators and treafurer for South f.Va/esoelivered in their accounts for the years r65o, 165r, r6sz, which was all the time the ordinance continued in force; and the commiffioners appointed by the protector having received and examined them, after a full enquiry allowed and pa!Ted them Aug. 10. r 655· It is hard to read with temper, the reproaches cafl: upon thefe commif- Further fioners by our angry hiftorians, who have charged them with 2ll manner complaint! of corruption, as if they,had got great eftates out of the revenues of the againjl tbm~ church, though without producing a fingle example. Mr. Powel, who took more pains among them than any man of his time, declares, that he never received for all his preaching in Wales, by falary, above fix or [even hundred pounds; that he never had any thing from the tithes ; and whereas it was laid, that he had;inriched himfelfby purchafing fome thoufands a year of crown lands, he protefl:s, that he never purchafed above feventy pounds a year, which be loft at the reftoration. And if Mr. Po7.vel did not inrich himfelf, I apprehend, none of his brethren could. Tiefides if this had been true, the protedor's commiffioners would have difcovered them; or if they had efcaped the protector's enquiry, their e~ nemies would have expofed them,at the reftoration, when king C~arles appointed a commiffion to make the ftricteft enquiry into their management. ':All perfon_s wh_o ha,d ~Cl:ed as_ commillioners for propagating_ the gofp~l, Calamfs ' were by IllS maJe fl:y .s lllfhuctwns to be fummon ed before 1115 commtf- Comp.p. 46! " Goners; and all that acted under them as farmers, tenants, &c. all " that had fucceeded in the fequeHered livings, or received any of the pro- " fits; all pari£honers, who had kept any of the tithes in their hands; the ;: heirs, e~ecutors! or adminiftrators: of any of the aforef.1id perfons; and all credtble perlons who could gtve evid~nce of any of thefe matters. " They were likewife to enquire after books and writings; and to fig– :: ml~ to .all perfo_ns. co ncerned, tha~ if they would forthwith apply to his maJefty s commtihoners, they rmght compound for what they flood ~' charged with, and fo avoid the expence of a law fuit." But after all N n n 2 · this
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=