1 ger put upon their oath; and the calumnies of mean persons and enemies to the church condemned a pastor in opposition to the general praise of his parishioners*. Indeed the necessity for any witnesses was now in great measure superseded; since a man was condemned by simple refusal to accept the test. All recusants were summarily removed from their benefices: Fuller states that the veins of the English church were by this measure emptied of much good blood; and Lord Clarendon affirms that all the learned and orthodox clergy were ejected: but Mr. Baxter, "who was much better acquainted with these things," maintains that only the insufficient and scandalous ministers were cast out. Now among these insufficient and scandalous ministers, were Usher, Juxon, Hall, and Moreton. Fuller the historian had left his lectureship in the Savoy, and fled to the royal quarters some time before. The whole number ejected is admitted by Neale to have been 1600; but Walker's Index numbers 2400. In London alone, 115. ministers were removed; and by the purgation of Cambridge, 195 graduates were deposed from their benefices and expelled the university. To the sum amassed by sequestering the estates of these outcasts, the Parliament, by a grasp of abominable iniquity, added two-thirds of * Clarendon-Fuller-Walker's Sufferings." It is but justice to Mr. Baxter to state, that he prevented the covenant from being subscribed in Worcestershire. the estates of all Papists. To the wife and children of each ejected minister, one fifth part of the revenues of his benefice was decreed: but, owing to the rapacity of the new incumbents, and the delicate consciences of many farmers, pious souls! who now began seriously to think that the payment of tythes was unlawful-even this scanty pittance was grudged and ill-paid. Among so large a number of deprived ministers, it is not to be questioned that some were but little creditable to their sacred profession. Of the faults of these, advantage was taken, to justify the general spoliation, and a book appeared, with the title of the first century, recording the delinquencies of 100 sequestered divines. Charles was solicited to sanction a counter-publication, which should blazon the vicious lives of the parliamentary ministers; but with great judgment he suppressed the project, declaring that recrimination is not self-acquittal, and that such reciprocal exposures would scandalize both parties in the eyes of their common enemies the Papists. VI. In the mean time, a furious ordinance was passed by the two houses, against Popery, pictures, altars, fonts, crosses, images, copes, surplices, and organs. In executing this direction, a brutal ferocity was manifested; and "the beauty of cathedrals was somewhat defaced," as the historian without prejudice expresses himself. Now let us see how this, somewhat defaced, VOL. II. is to be construed. When Winchester was taken, the whole furniture of the choir, the glass windows and tombs, were totally demolished. At Chichester, the eyes of a statue of Edward VI. were plucked out, as a punishment for his having established the Liturgy. One cup being here requested out of the spoil of the plate, for the purpose of administering the Sacrament, the ministers were commanded to serve their turn with a wooden dish. The plunderers were English Presbyterians, led on by Scottish officers: while Waller, like Nero, "jussit scelera, non spectavit." The cathedral of Exeter was profaned and defiled with pollutions too abominable to be named. Thus sped fanaticism in its full and uncontrolled career. In Canterbury, the organs, robes, and velvet cloths, the spread eagle, the altar rails, the arras hangings, were all destroyed. On these last were wrought various figures of our Saviour: the soldiers swore they would stab him, and rip up his bowels; which blasphemous threats they actually realized, with regard to his similitude on the tapestry. At an image of our Lord also, they discharged forty muskets; rejoicing triumphantly whenever they hit him on the face. But these shocking excesses were even surpassed by those at Westminster; where the brutal soldiery burnt the altar-rails as they stood, and then sate down with several of their lecturers, to smoke tobacco and drink ale on the communion table. This hallowed spot was covered with abominations, similar to those at Exeter. Somewhat defaced*! VII. From this period may be dated the entire downfall of the hierarchical power, though it was not yet formally abolished by an ordinance. Henceforward each parish chose its own minister, who was examined by the assembly, and confirmed by the Parliament. To supply so many vacancies as were now occasioned in the church, regular ministers were not to be obtained; nor, indeed, had they been found, is it probable they would have been admitted. Silenced lecturers, hanging on chaplains, Presbyterians from Scotland or New England, Dutch preachers, unlearned persons, youths whose orders got the speed of their degrees, and, if we believe the Oxford royalists, even butchers, coblers, and bricklayers, succeeded to abdicated preferments. Though pluralities had been an abuse complained of as disgracing the church, there were now Puritans reconciling their tender consciences to both the dual and plural number in the matter of livings. These, with consummate cant, pleaded the example of Saunders the martyr, who had refused to resign one of his benefices because it would fall into the hands of a Papist: and, like him, they too in conscience declined parting with At this time, St. Paul's Cross and Charing Cross were pulled down. The Book of Sports was burnt publicly im Cheapside, by the common hangman. one of theirs, lest they should chance to make way for a malignant. In the mean time, vicarages of inferior value, though important as cures of souls, remained unprovided with ministers: "for rich maids," it was said, " have many suitors, while the unportioned damsel may die a virgin All these new incumbents however were only tenants at will. Neale declares that this was a merciful act of the Parliament, with the view of restoring all the livings to their rightful owners, on the cessation of hostilities, and accommodation of differences. Kind souls! and liberal Mr. Neale ! The complete introduction of the Presbyterian religion, was certainly not at first contemplated by the majority of the Commons; but it being These infamous men," observes Milton, himself a republican, concerning the Assembly divines," after preaching against pluralities, seized, or not unwillingly accepted, besides their public salary, sometimes one, two, or more, of the best livings, collegiate masterships in the universities, and rich lectureships in the city, setting sail to all winds that might blow gain into their covetous bosoms. Because you have thrown off your prelate lord, "From them whose sin ye envied, not abhorred ; &c. "When they shall read this plainly in your charge, "New Presbyter, is but old Priest writ large." The assembly, says Neale, was often turned into a house of prayer: and he might have added, sometimes into a den of |