558 "'J'l;e HISTORY of the PuRITANS.' VoL ll King thren, and meddled not with politics (fays Mr. Baxter), becaufe the Ch:6~~-II. court gave them no encouragement, their defign being only to divide ~ them ; but the former had more confidence in their fuperiors and car– ried on a treaty, till by force and violence they were beaten o~t of the field. Liturgy re– jlorcd. Upon the king's arrival at Whitehall, the liturgy of the church of Eng– land was refiored in his majefiy's chapel, and in feveral churches both in city and country ; for it was jufl:ly obferved, that all atl:s and ordi– nances of the long parliament which had not the royal affent, were in themfelves null, and therefore prelacy was fiill the legal efiablilhment, and the common-prayer the only legal form of worlhip, and that they were punilhable by the laws of the land who officiated by any other. K. Chr. p. The king in his declaration had defired, that the preibyterians would read 432 • fo much of the liturgy as they themfclves had no exception againfl, but mofi of them declined the propofal. But to fet an example to the refi of the nation, the houfe of peers, two days after the king was proclaimed, appointed Mr. Marflon to read divine fervice before them, in his forma– lities, according to the common-prayer book; and the Sundoy following Dr. Gauden preached, and adminifiered the facrament to feveral of the peers, who received it kneeling. On the 3Ifi of May they ordered, that the form of prayers formerly ufed, lhould be conflantly read in their houfe, provided that no prejudice, penalty, or refleCtion, lhall be on any who are not prefent. The houfe of commons followed the example of the lords; and before the end of the year many of the parochial clergy, who fcrupled the ufe of the fervice book, were profecuted for offending againfi: the fiatutes made in that behalf; the jufiices of the peace and others in– fifl:ing, that the laws returned with the king, and that they ought not to be difpenfed with in the negleCt of them. Sequejlered The old fequefiered clergy flocked in great numbers about the court, clergy rejlw- magnifying their fufferings, and making interefi for preferments; every ed. one took polfeilion of the living from which he had been ejected ; by which means fome hundreds of the preibyterian clergy were difpolfefied at once. Upon this the heads of that party waited upon the king, and prayed, that though all who bad loll: their livings for mal~g?ancy, or difaffeetion to the late powers were rertored, yet that thofe mmtfiers who fucceeded fuch as had been ejeCted for fcandal, might keep their places; but the court paid no regard to their petitions. However where the incum– bent was dead, his majefly yielded that the living lhould be confirmed to the prefent poifeffor. And heads of The heads of colleges and fellows who had been ejected in the late colleges. times were no lefs forward in their applications to be reftored; upon K. Chr. P· which the parliament appointed a committee to receive their petitions. 1 52· · · Dr.
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