complished Princes of his age, fober, chaste, religious, full of honour and goodness: he was never heard to fwear an oath; neither the example of the King nor of the whole court was capable of corrupting him in this particular. He often said, that if ever he mounted the throne, it fhould be his first care to reconcile the Puritans to the church of England. This made fome fufpect that he favoured the Puritans; but whatever were his principles in this respect, it appears that he was a fober Prince, for no hiftorians have charged him with any vice.

This year the articles of the church of Ireland. were ratified and confirmed. The reformation had advanced but flowly in this country; the Irish were bigotted Roman catholics, and hated the English, because they confidered them as invaders of their nation; for which cause they kept at a distance from them, and avoided any correfpondence with them. The difcipline of the Irish church was much the fame with that of England; Bishops were nominated to the popish fees, but their revenues were alienated, or in the hands of papifts, or very much diminished by the wars; for this reason they were obliged to put the revenues of feveral bishoprics together, to make a tolerable maintenance for one. The cafe was much the fame with regard to the inferior clergy, forty fhillings a year being a common allowance for a Vicar in fome provinces, and fometimes but fixteen. By this means the authority of the Bishops was leffened, and the people purfued their own inclinations in the choice of their religion,

As

As there were but few emoluments at this time to be obtained by reforming Ireland, the English Epifcopalians were not fond of undertaking the converfion of a nation where they had much to fear, and but small profpect of any great worldly advantage: this work was left to the English Puritans, and the Scotch Presbyterians. Some Londoners who had engaged to plant colonies in the province of Ulfter, prevailed upon fome Puritans to remove thither; who being perfecuted in their own country, might enjoy liberty of confcience in Ireland. These people being harraffed at home, were glad to go to any part of the King's dominions where they might live in peace, and enjoy the privilege of serving God according to the dictates of their own minds. Multitudes would have gone had they been affured of a toleration after they were fettled; but they were afraid of the influence of the court, and the tyranny of the Bifhops. The chief fupply of thefe colonies was from Scotland: many went over from that Kingdom; fuch as Bryce, Cunningham, Blair, Livingstone, Hamilton, Welch, Dunbar, &c. Thofe divines made 'made a fort of compromife with the Bishops in Ireland, and enjoyed their own religion as to the major part, and joined with the Bishops in fome few things which they accounted indifferent. This comprehenfion was owing to the gentle difpofition of Archbishop Usher, who never approved of any violent measures towards thofe who differed from him in opinion, c

1616.

About this time the Puritans (fled from the perfecution of Bishop Bancroft) who

were

་་་

of the Independent principles, published fome treatises concerning the inftitution of Christ's true vifible church, and defired their brethren at home to fet up feparate congregations like thofe in Holland. Mr Jacob, whom we have mentioned already, came over to England, and called together feveral of his friends, and having obtained their confent to join together in church fellowship, for enjoying the ordinances of Chrift in the pureft manner, they laid the foundation of the firft congregational church in England, Mr Jacob was chofen the paftor of this church by the fuffrage of the whole members, and others were appointed to the office of deacons the whole was performed by fafting and prayer, and impofition of hands. Mr Jacob continued paftor to this church for eight years, but afterwards went to Virginia, where he died. Mr Lathorp fucceeded him, of whom we fhall hear afterwards, when we come to continue the history of the Independent churches.

"

King James this year made a ftrange fpeech in the Star-chamber: he wanted to convince his fubjects of the abfolute extent of his prerogative, and for this end gave them a fermon upon this fubject, from Pfal. lxxii, 1. Give the King thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness to the King's fon. After feveral divifions and fub-divifions of his text, and giving the literal and mystical meaning thereof, his Majefty applied it to the Judges and courts of judicature, telling them, "That the King

fitting on the throne of God, all judgments center "in him, and therefore for inferior courts to de

"termine

"termine difficult queftions without confulting him, "was to incroach upon his prerogative, and to limit "his power, which was not lawful for the tongue "of a lawyer or any other fubject to difpute. As "it is atheism and blafphemy to difpute what God I can do (fays he) fo it is prefumption, and an high contempt, to dispute what Kings can do or fay: it is to take away that myftical reverence that "belongs to them who fit in the throne of God." Then he addreffed himself to the audience, and advised them not to meddle with the King's prerogative or honour. "Plead not (fays he) upon "puritanical principles, which make all things po'pular, but keep within the ancient limits." Concerning those who came occafionally to church, he fays, that they are formal to the laws, and falfe to God: and with regard to the papifts, he allows that they were misled, but remained good fubjects. He faid he was unwilling to hang a priest on account of his religion and saying mafs; but if they refufed the oath of allegiance, he would leave them to the law. He concluded his fermon with an exhortation to the Judges to countenance the clergy against the Papifts and Puritans; and added, that God and the King would reward their zeal. This was a fermon of a strange nature, and fhewed the fubjects what they had to expect from a King of fuch principles. James cannot be well cleared of blafphemy, in pretending to rank himself with the Almighty, in fitting upon his throne: this was doctrine which the fubjects of Great Britain afterwards fhewed his family that they did not believe it

coft

coft his fon his head, and his whole race were expelled for maintaining it. The fubjects of these realms have on many occafions fhewed, that the Almighty has endowed them with as much power as their Kings are poffeffed of; and it will always be found a dangerous experiment, for the chief magiftrate of Britain to fpeak and act in fuch a manner. Such doctrine will not only make the throne to fotter, but will effectually in the end diffolve its bafe, and make fuch Monarchs as adopt the maxims of James, tumble headlong from their feats, and lay their crowns in the duft.

The book of fports was publifhed this 1617. year, which gave occafion to great profanation of the Lord's day. A few fervants and tradefmen prefented a petition to the King, upon his return from Scotland. where he had been paying a vifit to his fubjects in that country, fig. nifying that they were reftrained from all exercifes on Sunday after divine fervice, and obliged to keep the fabbath as ftrictly as the Jews did of old. James accounted this a device of the Puritans, to restrain his fubjects from their innocent diverfions, and was ready to grant fpeedy relief to them from such religious ftrictnefs. A book was publifhed in his name, wherein he endeavoured to maintain by feveral arguments, that pastimes on Sundays after evening fervice, were allowable, and commanded that none fhould be hindered or difcouraged from any lawful diverfions. This book made a great noise every where; both churchmen and presbyterians cried out against it, as giving authoVol. II.

Z z

rity

V