CEap. V~ 7'/Je HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITAN'S; .599 ' after fome time the prifoners, for want of evidence, were releafed. The Kin.f ' o .r; dJh o d S fjo dJh 0 o c d h Charles IT members for Oxjordjhtre, Her0or tre, an tq or tre, m10rme t e 66 • commons, that they ' had rumours of the like confpiracies in their coun- ~; ties. Bif'h6p Burnet fays, " that many were taken up, but none tried ; p. 14S. " that this was done to faften an odium on the preibyterians, and to help " carry the penal laws through the houfe; and· there were appearances " of foul dealing (C1ys he) among the fierce~ fort." Mr. Locke adds, , that the reports of a general infurreC\ion were fpread over the whole nation, bv the very perfons who invented them; and though lord Clarendon Rapin, p,>. could ~ot but be acquainted with the farce, he kept it on foot, to facili- 2 89. tate palling the fevere laws that were now coming upon the carpet. The government could not with decency attack the non-cor!formifls purely on account of their religion ; the declaration from Breda was too exprefs on that article; they were therefore to be charged with raifing dit1urbances in the fiate, But fuppofing the fact to he true, that fame few malecontents had been feditioufly difpofed, which yet was never made out, , what reafon can be affigned why it fi1ould be charged upon the princioples of a whole body of men, who were unquefiionably willing to be · quiet? It was neverthelefs on this bafe and dilhonourable fuggefiion, that the K. Chron~ . firfi penal law which paffed againfi the non-conformifis this feilion wasP· 6o2. founded, entitle~, AnaCl for the ~vel!- governing and regulating corporations; which enacts, Corptratim , " that within the feveral cities, corporations, boroughs, cinque ports, att. · " and other port towns within the kingdom of England, dominion of§•t. 1 IJ•. " Wales, and town of Betwick on Tweed, all mayors, aldermen, re-se':;\~~ •·• carders, bailiffs, town-clerks, common-council-men, and other per-Cap. r•. ·• fons, bearing any office or offices of magifl:racy, or places, or trufis, " or other imployment, relating to or concerning the government of " the faid refpettive cities, corporations, and boroughs, and cinque " ports, and their members, and other port-towns, iliall take the oaths' " if allegiance andJupremacy, and this oath following, " I A. B. do declare and believe, that it is not lawful upon any pre– " tence whatfoever to take arms againfi the king; and that I do ab– " hor that traiterous pofition, of taking arms by his authority againfi .his " perfon, or againft thofe that are commiilioned by him.': · They iliall alfo fubfcribe the following_ declaration,. "I A. B.:
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