Chap. X. The HISTORY of the PuRITANs. 74-3 This was the ufage the diiTenters met with from the church of EngKing /and at this time, which has hardly a parallel in the chriftian world: Re- Ch~~es II. rnarkable are the words of the earl of f;aftlemain, a roman catholic, on ~ this occalion, "'Twas never known (fays he), that Rome (lerfecuted as Peirce, p. " the biiliops do, thofe who adhere to the fame faith with themfelves; 259· " and eftabliilied an inquifition againft the proteiTors of the ftrieteft pie- " ty among themfelves; and however the prelates complain of the " bloody perfecution of queen Mary, it is manifeft that their perfccu- " tion exceeds it, for under her there were not more than two or three " hundred put to death, whereas under their perfecution, above treble that " number have been rifled, delhoyed, an d ruined in their eltates, lives, and· •f liberties, being (as is moft remarkable) men for the molt part of the '' fame fpirit, with thofe proteftants who fuffered under the prelates in· " queen Mary' time." This year died Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge M. A. the ejeCted minifter And •f Mr. of Ne·wbury. He was bred up in Magda/en Hall Oxon; fi:om thence Be_nj.Wood– he went to New- England, and was the firft graduate of the college there. bndge. On his return to England, he fucceeded Dr. 'Twi[fe at Ne7.vbury, where he had a mighty reputation as a fcholar, a preacher, a cafuilt, and a chriftian. He was a great inf!:rumen t of reducing the whole town to fobriety, and to family as well as public religion. Upon the refioration, he was made one of the king's chaplains ilz ordinary, and preached once before him. He was one of the commifjiimers at the Savoy, and very defirous of an accommodation with the church party. He was offered a ca-- nonry of Windfar, but refufed it, and afterwards fuffered many ways for· his non-conformity, though be was generally refpetl:ed and beloved by all who were judges of real worth. He had a fo un d judgment, and was a fine preacher, having a commanding voice and afpetl:. His temper was chearful, and his behaviour obliging; be was examplary for his moderation, and of confiderable learnwg. When the fi•ve mile aCt took place, he removed from Ne-wbury to a fmall diftance, where he preached as he had opportunity. He was liberal to the poor, and in all refpeCts a good and grear man. He died at lnglefold November I, I 684, in a good old age, after he had been a minifter in thofe parts almoft forty years. The fufferings of the prefuyterians in Scotland, run parallel with thofe Summary of of England, during the whole courfe of this reian · but the people were 1~' P;rfecu- . {i d r: ·r.r: • 0 ' • t1on m Scatnot qUite o ta_me an mbm1u1ve ~ fhe fame or greater atl:s of feventy, land. than tho~e which were made againft the non-conformills in England, were p. ·284. enaCted m Scotland.. Epifcopacy was rell:ored May 8, r662, and the covenant declared to be an unlawful oath. All perfons in office were to fign a declaration of the un/awfulnejs of taking up arms agair!ft the king, or·
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