Chap. xr. 'lhe HIs T 0 R y of the PuRITANS. 749 proteftant diff'enters were thut up, the old trade of iiforming revived and King flourilhed; thefoiritual courts were crouded with bufinefs; private conven- J•·~s II. tides were difturbed, in all parts of the city and country. If they furprized ~ the minifl:er, he was pulled out of his pulpit by conftables or foldiers, and · together with his people, carried before a confiding jlfllice qf peace, who obliged them to pay their fines, or dragged them to prifon. If the minifler eJcaped, they ranfacked the hou[e from top to bottom; tore down hangings, broke open chambers and clofets; entered the rooms of thofe who were fick; and offered all kinds of rudenefs and incivilities to the £1mily, though they met with no manner of oppofition or refill:ance. Shop-keepers were feparated from their trades and bufinefs; and fometimes· wives from their hufbands and children; feveral families were obliged to remove to diftant places, to avoid the direful effects of an excommunication from the commons; and great fums of money were levied as forfeitures, which had been earned by hone.Jl: labour. Diifenting minifl:ers could neither travel the road, nor appear in public but in difgu&; nay, they were afraid to be feen in the houfes of their friends, purfuivants from thejpiritual courts, being always abroad upon the watch. One of the firll: who came into trouble was the reverend Mr. Baxter, Mr. Bax– who was committed to the King's -Bench prijim February 28, for fome ter's trial. exceptionable paifages in his paraphrafe on the new tejlament, reflecting on the order of diocifan bijhops, and the lawfulnefs of refiflance in fome poffible cafes. The paii•ges were in his paraphrafe on Matth. v. I 9· Mark ix. 39· Mark xi. 31. Mark xii. 38, 39, 40. Luke x. 2. 7ohn xi. 57, and ACis xv. 2. They were colleCted by Sir Roger L'Ejlrange; and a certain eminent clergyman, reported to be Dr. Sh--ck, put into the hands of his enemies, fome accufations from Rom. xiii. that might touch his life, but no u(e was made ofthem . Mr.Baxter being ill, moved by hiscouncil for time; butJ~/Jeries fa id, he would not give him a minute's time to fave his life. Yonder )lands O ates in the pillory (fays he), and if Mr. Baxter flood on the other.fide, I wouldJay, two if the greateft rogues in England flood there. He was brought to his trial May 30, but the chief jz!flice would not admit his council to plead for their client. When Mr., Baxter offered to fpeak for himfelf, Jeffiries called him a fi1ivelling, canting prejbyterian, and faid, " Richard, Richard, don't thou think we " will hear thee poifon the court. Richard, thou art an old fellow, and. " an old knave; thou haft written books enough to load a cart, eve- .. ry one as full of fediti on, I might fay of treafon, as an egg is full of " meat.: Had(!: thou been whipt out of thy writing trade forty years .. ago, 1t had been happy. Thou pretendell: to be a preacher of the gof- " pel of peace, and thou hafl: one foot in the grave, 'tis time for thee to " begin to think, what account thou intendefl: to give; but leave thee to ~-· tbyfelf, and I fee thou wilt go on as thou hafl: begun, but by the ~· grace
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