me in all and every point, I am most ready and willing to answer."-The year following, upon the severe proceedings against Mr. Francis Johnson, another zealous puritan, he united with upwards of sixty others, all learned men and fellows of the university, in presenting a supplication to Chancellor Burleigh, in behalf of this persecuted servant of Christ.+ Mr. Alvey united with his brethren in their endeavours to promote a more pure ecclesiastical discipline; and when they were apprehended and carried before their spiritual judges, he was one of those who took the oath ex officio, and discovered the associations. In the year 1595, when Barret was called to an account for his dangerous sentiments, he was one of the learned divines of St. John's college, who openly declared their disapprobation of his opinions, and their dissatisfaction with his pretended recantation. Towards the close of this year, complaints were brought against him and several others of the fellows, concerning their nonconformity. These complaints, or rather slanderous and false accusations, were laid before Archbishop Whitgift; against which, he justified his conduct, and vindicated his character, at considerable length. Though it does not appear what further troubles he endured, he probably found it necessary to leave the university; for he was soon after chosen provost of Trinity college, Dublin; in which office he succeeded the celebrated Mr. Walter Travers. Mr. Alvey is called a worthy benefactor to St. John's college, Cambridge. By his last will and testament, he gave, out of a house in Jesus-lane, four nobles, to be annually paid to a Nottinghamshire scholar, living under a fellow; and in default of such scholar, the four nobles to be 'given to the college one year, and to the tenant another, alternately. He also made some other bequests of a similar kind, for the encouragement of learning and the advantage of learned men in the university. * Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xii. p. 92. Baker's MS. Collec. vol. ii. p. 27, 28. Ibid. vol. xii. p. 210-213. + See Art. Francis Johnson. MS. Chronology, vol. iii. A. D. 1655. (72.) 1 Baker's MS. Collec. vol. xiii. This vol. is not paged. JOHN PRIME, B. D.-He was born at Oxford, received his grammar learning at Wickham school, and afterwards. entered at New College, Oxford, where he took his degrees, and was chosen fellow of the house. Upon his entrance into the sacred function, he became a zealous and popular preacher in the city of his nativity, being much favoured by Dr. Cooper, bishop of Winchester. Afterwards, he became vicar of Adderbury in Oxfordshire, where he was much followed for his edifying way of preaching. The Oxford historian denominates him a noted puritanical preacher. He died at Adderbury, in the prime of life, April 12, 1596, and his remains were interred in his own church. His WORKS. 1. A short Treatise of Sacraments generally, and in special of Baptism and of the Supper, 1582.-2. A Treatise of Nature and Grace, 1583.-3. A Sermon briefly comparing the State of King Solomon and his Subjects, together with the condition of Queen Elizabeth and her People, preached at St. Mary's in Oxon. Nov. 17, 1585, on 1 Kings x. 9.-1585.-4. An Exposition on the Galatians, 1587.-5. The Consolations of David applied to Queen Elizabeth, in a Sermon at St. Mary's in Oxon. Nov. 17, 1588, on Psalm xxiii. 4.-1588. RICHARD ALLEN.-He was minister at Ednam in Lincolnshire, a good preacher, and much beloved, but greatly harassed for nonconformity. In the year 1583, upon the publication of Whitgift's three articles, he was suspended from his ministerial exercise, for refusing the imposed subscription. There were upwards of twenty others, all ministers in Lincolnshire, suspended at the same time. Having received the ecclesiastical censure, they presented a supplication to the lords of the council, earnestly wishing to procure their favourable mediation; but, probably, without any good effect: the ruling prelates usually remained inflexible. In this supplication, they express themselves as follows: "For as much, right honourable, as we whose names are underwritten, whom the Lord in rich mercy hath placed over some of his people in Lincolnshire, as pastors to feed them with the word of truth, do humbly beseech your honours to regard the pitiful and woeful state of our congregations in those parts; which being destitute of our ministry, by means of the subscription now generally and Wood's Athenæ Oxon, vol, i. p. 247, strictly urged by the bishops, do mourn and lament. It is well known to all your honours, that an absolute subscription is required through the whole province of Canterbury, to three articles. As to the first and third, relating to her majesty's supreme authority and the articles of religion, we most willingly offer our subscription, as always heretofore we have done; but cannot be accepted without an absolute subscription to the other, to which we dare not condescend, being all of us unresolved and unsatisfied in our consciences about many points in the Common Prayer. May it further please your honours favourably to consider, that, in refusing an absolute subscription, we do it not out of arrogancy, or singularity, but because we are in doubts about divers weighty matters: and fearing to subscribe as we were urged, we are all suspended from exercising the function of the ministry among our people, to the great damage of their souls, and our great injury. Wherefore, being persuaded that our cause is the cause of Christ and his church, we humbly beseech your honours, that with favour it may be considered. And seeing we cannot be impeached of false doctrine, nor of contempt of her majesty's laws, nor of refusal to use the book of prayer, nor of breeding contention or sedition in the church, we crave that we may be restored to our flocks; and that with all peace of conscience, we may go forwards in the Lord's work, in our several places. Signed by "RICHARD ALLEN, MATTHEW THOMPSON, THOMAS FULBECK, HUGH TUKE, JOSEPH GIBSON, JAMES WORSHIP, JOHN PRIOR, CHARLES BINGHAM, JOHN WINTLe, HUMPHRID. STRAVERS, RICH. HOUSWORTH, Rich. Kellet.”* Though it does not appear how long Mr. Allen remained under the episcopal censure, he was at length restored to his ministry, and was preacher at Louth, in the above county; but in the year 1596, he was brought into fresh troubles by Judge Anderson. Having sometimes omitted part of the prayers for the sake of the sermon, he was • MS. Register, p. 331, indicted at the assizes, for not reading them all. He was obliged to hold up his hand at the bar; when Anderson standing up, addressed him with a most fierce countenance. The angry judge, after insinuating that he was guilty of some most grievous crimes, though he mentioned none, oftentimes called him knave, and rebellious knave, and treated him with many other vile reproaches, not allowing him to speak in his own defence. Under this opprobrious treatment, Mr. Allen behaved himself with all humility and submission; not rendering railing for railing, but the contrary. Anderson in his charge said, that he would hunt all the puritans out of his circuit. In Mr. Allen's arraignment, one thing was very remarkable. During his trial, some point coming under consideration, wherein judgment in divinity was required, the good man referred himself to his ordinary, the bishop, then sitting on the bench; but the judge, with marvellous indignation, interrupted him, saying, I am your ordinary and bishop too, in this place, and challenged any one to take his part. He was, indeed, so enraged against the good man, that when Sir George Sampol signified very softly to the judge, that Mr. Allen was an honest man and of a good conversation, his lordship could not help manifesting his displeasure. It does not appear what followed this prosecution, or whether Mr. Allen was released. We may see, however, from this instance, as well as many others, that the puritan ministers were set on a level with the vilest criminals, to the great disgrace of their office, and the loss of their reputation and usefulness. FRANCIS JOHNSON.-This celebrated puritan was fellow of Christ's college, Cambridge, a very popular preacher in the university, and afterwards a leading person among the Brownists in London. In the year 1588, for a sermon which he preached in St. Mary's church, Cambridge, which was said to contain certain erroneous and dangerous doctrines, he was convened before the vice-chancellor, Dr. Nevil, and the heads of colleges, and committed to prison. The various proceedings of these ecclesiastical rulers engaged the attention of the university for a twelvemonth; and while some warmly approved of the rigorous measures, others severely censured them, as reproachful to a protestant * Strype's Annals, vol. iv. p. 265, 266. country. His text was 1 Pet. v. 14. The elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an elder," &c. That the reader may have a clear and correct view of the whole proceedings, it will be proper to state those erroneous and dangerous positions, said to be collected from his sermon, which were the following:-1. "That the church of God ought to be governed by elders.-2. That a particular form of church government is prescribed in the word of God.-3. That no other form ought to be allowed. 4. That the neglect to promote this government is one chief cause of the present ignorance, idolatry, and disobedience.-5. That we have not this government.6. That ministers ought to live upon their own cures.7. That there ought to be an equality among ministers, which the popish hierarchy, and all who belong to it, do not like.-S. That we have an Amaziah among us, who forbiddeth Amos to preach at Bethel: they do not exhort to feed the flock, but hinder those who would."* Admitting that these articles were impartially collected from his sermon, they do not appear to be of any very dangerous tendency, and, therefore, not deserving of any very severe punishment; but of this every candid reader will judge for himself. Mr. Johnson was commanded to answer them, and declare what he had delivered in his sermon, upon his oath; which, because he was unwilling to accuse himself, he absolutely refused. He underwent several examinations, and was cast into prison, where he remained a long time. Mr. Cuthbert Bainbrigg, another zealous puritan, and prosecuted on a similar account, was his fellow-prisoner. These two persecuted servants of Christ, after suffering a long and painful imprisonment, laid their case at the feet of Lord Burleigh, chancellor of the university, a particular account of which is given in another place.+ Though Mr. Johnson refused to answer upon his oath, lest, as observed above, he should prove his own accuser, he delivered his answer to each of the articles in writing.. As these articles are now before me, it will be proper to favour the reader with a sight of them. That which I spake in my sermon," says Mr. Johnson, "was the following: 1. "I proved, by divers reasons, that as the church to which Peter wrote, and the other churches then fully established, had, for their instruction and government, this * Baker's MS. Collec. vol. vi. p. 186.-Strype's Whitgift, p. 296, 299. + See Art. Cuthbert Bainbrigg. |