preffion which were continually increafing

at

ftand in the great cafe of fhip-money, and the infamous determination of the much greater part of the bench, all was profound filence; a dead calm fucceeded; every one look'd about him for a place of refuge and retreat from the iron hand of power. For it was manifeft there was no redress, and that the men at the helm were for an unrelenting fever ty. Let us hear Laud, in his epiftle dedicatory to his mafter. God forbid I fhould ever offer to perfwade a perfecution in any kind, or practife it in the leaft.- -But on the other fide, God forbid too, that your Majefty fhould let both laws and difcipline fleep for fear of the name of perfecution, and in the mean time let Mr. Fisher and his fellows angle in all parts of your dominions for your fubjects. If in your grace and goodnefs you will fpare their perfons: yet I humbly befeech you to fee to it, that they be not suffered to lay either their weels, or bait their hooks, or caft their nets in every ftream, left that tentation grow both too general, and too ftrong.

-Now as I would humbly befeech your Majefty to keep a serious watch upon thefe fishermen,--fo I would not have you neglect another fort of anglers in a fhallower water. For they have fome ill nets too. And if they may spread them, when, and where they ' will, God knows what may become of it. Thefe have not so strong a back abroad, as the Romanists have, but that's no argument to fuffer them to increase. They may grow to equal ftrength with number. And factious people, at home, of what fect or fond opinion foever they be, are not to be neglected. Partly because they are fo near; and 'tis ever a dangerous fire, that begins in the bed ftraw; and partly, because all thofe domeftick evils, which threaten a rent in church or ftate, are with far more fafety prevented by wisdom, than punished by juftice.' Thus fpeaks the great director of affairs to his mafter. A little afterwards, he fays, I know it is a great eafe to let every

E 2

thing

at home. But his intentions were fruftrated, and,

thing be as it will, and every man believe, and do as he lift. But whether governors in ftate or church do their duty therewhile, is eafily feen, fince this is an effect of no King in Ifrael. The church of Christ upon earth may be compared to a hive of bees, and that can be no where fo fteadily plac'd in this world, but it will be in fome danger. And men that care • neither for the hive nor the bees, have yet a great mind to the honey. And having once tafted the fweets of the churches maintenance, fwallow that for honey, which one day will be more bitter than gall in their bowels. Now the King and the priest, more than any other, are bound to look to the integrity of the church in doctrine and manners, and that in the first place. For that's by far the best honey in the hive. But in the fecond place, they must be careful ⚫ of the churches maintenance too, elfe the bees fhall make honey for others, and have none left for their own neceflary fuftenance, and then all's loft. For we fee it in daily and common ufe, that the honey is not taken from the bees, but they are deftroyed firft. Now in this great and bufy work the King and the prieft must not fear to put their hands to the hive, though they be fure to be flung. And ftung by the bees, whofe hive and house they preferve. It was King David's cafe, (God grant it be never yours) They came about me (faith the Pfalm 118) like bees. This was hard ufage enough, yet fome profit, some honey might thus be gotten in the end: and that's the King's cafe. But when it comes to the priest, the cafe is alter'd; They come about him like wafps, or like hornets rather; all fting, and no honey there. And all this many times for no offence, nay fometimes for fervice done them, would they fee it.

6

Now one thing more let me be bold to obferve to your Majefty, in particular, concerning your great charge, the church of England. 'Tis in an hard condition.

• She

and, with the reft of the nation, he was made

She profeffes the antient catholick faith; and yet the • Romanist condemns her of novelty in her doctrine. • She practifes church government, as it hath been in

ufe in all ages, and in all places, where the church of ⚫ Chrift hath taken any rooting, both in, and ever fince the Apoftles times; and yet the feperatift condemns her for antichriftianifm, in her difcipline. The plain truth is, fhe is between these two factions, as between two milftones; and unless your Majefty look to it, to whofe truft fhe is committed, fhe'll be ground to powder, to an irreparable both difhonour, and lofs to this kingdom. And 'tis very remarkable, that while both thefe prefs hard upon the church of England, both of them cry out upon perfecution, like (k) Dedica<froward children, which fcratch, and kick, and bite, tion to his and yet cry out all the while, as if themfelves were conference with Fisher, killed (k). Thefe paffages, long as they are, will be p. 10---14. deem'd curious by many. They difcover the man, and Folio. his measures, and fhew what his adverfaries had to ex- Lond. 1673. pect. Lord Strafforde, though of a much more elevated underftanding, came not a whit behind the prelate in rigour. His own account of part of a speech at the council board, in England, written to his intimate friend, Sir Chriftopher Wandesford, mafter of the rolls in Ireland, will fully fhew this. I will give his juftification of himself, on the accufation of rigour, at large.

I

craved admiffion to juftify myfelf in fome particulars, ⚫ wherein I had been very undefervedly and bloodily traduc'd. So I related unto them all that had past be- . twixt myself, Earl of St. Albans, Wilmot, Mountnerris, Piers, Crosby, and the jury of Gallway, that hereupon touching and rubbing in the courfe of my fervice upon their particulars, themselves and friends have endeavoured to poffefs the world, I was a fevere and an ⚫ auftere hard-conditioned man, rather indeed a basha of Buda, than the minifter of a pious and christian King. Howbeit, if I were not much mistaken in

made to feel and fear the yoke of tyranny.

6

We

myfelf, it was quite the contrary, no man could fhew wherein I had expreffed it in my nature, no friend I had would charge me with it in my private conversation, no creature had found it in the managing of my own private affairs, fo as if I ftood clear in all thefe refpects, it was to be confeffed by any equal mind that it was not any thing within, but the neceffity of his Majefties fervice, which enforced me into a feeming ftrictnefs outwardly. And that was the reafon indeed, for where I found a crown, a church, and a people spoil'd, I could not imagine to redeem them from under the preffure with gracious fmiles and gentle looks, it would coft warmer water than fo. True it 6 was, that where a dominion was once gotten and settled, it might be flayed and kept where it was by foft • and moderate counfels, but where a fovereignty (be it fpoken with reverence) was going down the hill, the • nature of men did so easily slide into the paths of uncontroul'd liberty, as it would not be brought back without ftrength, not to be forced up the hill again but by vigour and force. And true it was indeed, I ⚫ knew no other rule to govern by, but by reward and ⚫ punishment, and I must profefs that where I found a perfon well and intirely fet for the service of my master, I fhould lay my hand under his foot, and add to his refpect and power all I might, and that where I found the contrary, I fhould not handle him in my arms, or footh him in his untoward humour, but if he came in my reach, fo far as honour and juftice would warrant me, I must knock him foundly over the knuckles, but no fooner he become a new man, apply himself as he ought to the government, but I also change my temper, and exprefs myself to him, as ⚫ unto that other, by all the good offices I could do him. If this be fharpness, if this be severity, I defired to be • better inftructed by his Majefty and their lordships, for in truth it did not feem fo to me; however, if I

6

We know little more of Cromwell's actions,

were once told, that his Majefty liked rot to be thus • served, I would readily conform myfelf, follow the • bent and current of my own difpofition, which is to be quiet, not to have debates and difputes with any. Here his Majefty interrupted me and faid, that was no • severity, wished me to go on in that way; for, if I ferved him otherwife, I fhould not ferve him as he expected from me ().' Thus it was the welfare of the church, and the neceffity of his Majefty's fervice, required perfecution and oppreffion, and forc'd thefe men, if you'll believe them, to act contrary to their own inclinations. But whatever was the occafion, the government, of which they had the chief direction, was very fevere. The fevere cenfures in the star-chamber, and the greatne's of the fines, and the rigorous proceedings to impofe ceremonies, the fufpending and filencing multitudes of minifters, for not reading in the church the book for sports to be exercis'd on the Lord's day, caufed many of the nation both minifters and others to fell their eftates and to fet fail for New

(1) Letters and Dif

patches, vol.

11. p. 20.

ii. p. 410.

• England, where they held a plantation by patent from (m) Rushthe King (m).' The Lord Brooke, and the Lord Say worth, vol. and Seale had actually pitched upon a fpot in New England, whither they purpofed to tranfport themfelves, when the exceffes of the court threatned de'ftruction to the freedom of their country. In 1635, the two lords fent over Mr. George Fenwicke to pre

pare a retreat for them and their friends, in confe- (7) Walquence of which a little town was built, and called by pole's Cate their joint names Saybrooke (n). Among others, thus logue of Royal and inclined, was the patriot Hampden, and his coufin Oli- Noble Auver Cromwell (0): but being on board they were ftop'd thors, vol. i. by a proclamation, whereby all merchants, malers P. 26. and owners of fhips were forbidden to fet forth any (0) Neale's 'fhip or fhips with paffengers, till they firft obtained Hiftory of fpecial licence on that behalf from fuch of the lords tans, p. 332. of his Majefties privy council as were appointed f or vol. ii. 8vo. E 4 the Lond. 1733.

'

12mo. 1759.

the Puri