Chap. X. 7!Je HISTORY of the PuRITANs. 727 As fuch abieCl: and fervile flattery could not fail of pleafing the king, Khg ll. {]'" '] d d ] c 'll. h Charles II. it mun nece an y raw own vengeance on t 1e non-con.ormius, w o 68 joined in none of their addrelfes, but were doomed to fuffer under a double~ character, as whigs, and as d:!Jenters. " This (fitys biihop Bzmzet), Perfecution " was fet on by the papiO:s, and it was wifely done of them, for theyof the di!(end- . . ters revzve n knew how much the non-conformijls were fet agamO: them. They by order of " made ufe alfo of the indifcreet. zeal of the high church clergymen to the king and " ruin them, which they knew would render the clergy odious, and court. 8 . h 'll. d 1 . cc d " Tl P· 52 • " giVe t e pap1ns great ,a vantage w 1en opportunity ouere . 1e times were boiO:erous and O:ormy; i11am plots were contrived, and war– rants ilfued againfl: the leaders of the whig party for feditious language; Shaftjbury, now called the pro!fjlallt earl, was fent to the To~ver, and Stcpben College, theproteflant joiner, was carried to Oiford, and hanged ; after the grand jury in London had brought in a bill of indictment againfl: him ignoramus. Witnefies were imported from Ireland, and employed to [wear away men's lives. "The court intended to fet them to (wear againfl: "all the hot party, which was plainly murder in them who believed them '' falfe witnelfes (fays Burn(t), and yet made ufe of them to defl:roy o- " thers." Spies were planted in all coffee-houfes, to furniih out evidence P· 50 I, 5°S• for the witnelfes. Mercenary jufiices were .put into commiilion all over 5°6 • the kingdom; juries were packed; and with regard to the non-conformiO:s, informers of the vilefl: of the people were countenanced t.o a ihameful degree, infomuch that the gaols were quickly filled with prifoners, and large fums of money extorted from the indulhious and aonfcientious, and played into the hands of the moll profligate wretches in the nation. The j ufiices of Middlefex iliewed great forwardnefs, and reprefented Orders of the to his majeO:y in December, " that an intimation of his pieafure was ne- lmg '!"d rr. h' · ] · h ] · · . ll. counczl. " ceHary at t IS lime, to t Je puttmg t e aws m executiOI'l aga,n.u con· Eachard. " v-rJt icles, becaufe when a charge was lately given at the council-board " to put the laws in execution againfi popiih recuG1nts, no mention was " made of fupprefi1ng conventicles." Upon this his majefly commanded the lord mayor, aldermen, and juO:ices, to ufe their urmofi endeavour to fuppref.~ all conventicles and unlawful meetings, upon pretence of rel1gious worlhip, for it was his exprefs pleafure, that the laws be effectually put in execution againfl: them, both in city and country. Accordingly the juftices of peace at their feffions at Hiekes's Hall, Jan. 13, ordered, " that whereas the conil:ables and church. wardens, &c. of every: " pa rifh and precinct within the faid county, had been enjoined Jail: fef- " fi ons to ~ake a return the firil: day of this, of the names of the " preachers m conventicles, and the moll: coniiderable frequenters of " the fame within their feveral limits; which order not being obeyed, " but
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