chap. VIII. 'lbe HISTORY of the PuRITANS, 685 mained dutiful fubjeCl:s; that meeting in feparate congregations diil:inct King h . 1 "' bl' · 1 fc · fl • h Charles II. from the paroc 1a aaem 1es,. m t 1e pre ent Circ.ui?nances, w~s nelt er 167 r. fchifmatical nor finful. Accordmgly moll: of the mm1fters, both m London ~! and in the country, took out licenfes, a copy of which I have tranfcribed Welw. from under the king's own hand and feal in the margin*. . Great num- Mem. P· . d d 102. hers of people attended the meetings, and a cautwus an mo erate addrefs of thanks was prefented to the king for their liberty, but all were afraid of the confequences. It was reported further, that the court encouraged the non-conformiil:s by fome fmall pen lions of fifty and one hundred pounds to the chief of their party; that gr·. Bax{er returned the money, . but that Mr. Pool ac– knowledged he had received fifty pounds for two years, and that the refl: accepted it. This was reported to the difadvantage of the dilienters by Burnet, p. Dr. Stillingjleet, and others, with an infinuation that it was to bribe 308; them to be jilent, and join intero/ls with the papijls; but Dr. Owen, in anfwer to this part of the charge, in his preface to a book, entitled, an enquiry, &c. againfl: Dr. Stillingjleet, declares, that " it is fuch a frontlefs " malicious lye, as impudence itfelf would blu!h at; that however the " diifenters may be. traduced, they are ready to give the highefl: fewrity " that can be of their fl:ability in the protell:ant caufe; and for myfel£ " (fays he), never any perfon in authority, dignity, or power in the na- " tion, nor any from them, papifl: or protefl:ant, did ever fpeak or ad- "' vife with me about any indulgence or toleration to be granted to pa~ " pill:s, and I challenge the whole world to prove the contrary." From this indi1lgence Dr. Stillingfleet dates the beginning of the prefbyterian feparation. This year died Dr. Edmund Staunton, the ejected minill:er of King.Jlon DtatbofDr, . upon 'Thames, one of the alfembly of divines, and fome time prefident 0 fStaunton. Corpus *'CHARLES REX,, C HA R L E S by the grace of God, king of England, Scot!dnd, France, and Ire" land, defender of the faith, &c, To all mayor, bailiffs, confiables, and others our officers and minifiers civil and military, whom it may concern, greeting. In purfuance of our declaration of the rsth of March r67r -2. We do hereby permit and licenfe G. S. --.-.of the congregational perfuafion, to be a teacher of the congregation allow– ed by us, m a room or rooms of his houfe in ----- for the ufe of fuch as do not· c?nform to the, church of England, who are of that perfuafion commonly called congrega– tzonal,. wah further licence·and permiffion to him the faid G. S. ---to teach in any place hcenfed and-allowed by us, according to our faid declaration. · Given at our court at Whitehall the fecond day of May, in the 24th year of our reign 1672. By his majefiy's command, . .drlingtm,
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