even preferred freedom in a foreign land

so

about him for a place of refuge and retreat from the iron hand of power. For it was manifest there was no redress, and that the men at the helm were for an unrelenting severity. Let us hear Laud, in his epistle dedicatory to his master. "God forbid I should ever offer to perswade a persecution in any kind, or practise it in the least. But on the other side, God forbid too, that your majesty should let both laws and discipline sleep for fear of the name of persecution, and in the mean time let Mr. Fisher and his fellows angle in all parts of your dominions for your subjects. If in your grace and goodness you will spare their persons: yet I humbly beseech you to see to it, that they be not suffered to lay either their weels, or bait their hooks, or cast their nets in every stream, lest that tentation grow both too general and too strong. Now as I would humbly beseech your majesty to keep a serious watch upon these fishermen, I would not have you neglect another sort of anglers, in a shallower water. For they have some ill nets too. And if they may spread them, when, and where they will, God knows what may become of it. These have not so strong a back abroad, as the Romanists have, but that's no argument to suffer them to increase. They may grow to equal strength with number. And factious people, at home, of what sect or fond opinion soever they be, are not to be neglected. Partly because they are so near; and 'tis ever a dangerous fire, that begins in the bed straw; and partly, because all those domestick evils, which threaten a rent in church or state, are with far more safety prevented by wisdom, than punished by justice." Thus speaks the great director of affairs to his master. A little afterwards, he says, "I know it is a great ease to let every thing be as it will, and every man believe, and do as he list. But whether governors in state or church do their duty therewhile, is easily seen, since this is an effect of no king in Israel. The church of Christ upon earth may be compared to a hive of bees, and that can be no where so steadily plac'd in this

to the slavery and oppression which were con

world, but it will be in some danger. And men that care neither for the hive nor the bees, have yet a great mind to the honey. And having once tasted the sweets of the churches maintenance, swallow 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 second place, they must be careful of the churches maintenance too, else the bees shall make honey for others, and have none left for their own necessary sustenance, and then all's lost. For we see it in daily and common use, that the honey is not taken from the bees, but they are destroyed first. Now in this great and busy work the king and the priest must not fear to put their hands to the hive, though they be sure to be stung. And stung by the bees, whose hive and house they preserve. It was king David's case, (God grant it be never yours). They came about me (saith the Psalm 118) like bees. This was hard usage enough, yet some profit, some honey might thus be gotten in the end: and that's the king's case. But when it comes to the priest, the case is alter'd; They come about him like wasps, or like hornets rather; all sting, and no honey there. And all this many times for no offence, nay sometimes for service done them, would they see it. Now one thing more let me be bold to observe to your majesty, in particular, concerning your great charge, the church of England. 'Tis in an hard condition. She professes the antient catholick faith; and yet the Romanist condemns her of novelty in her doctrine. She practises church government, as it hath been in use in all ages, and in all places, where the church of Christ hath taken any rooting, both in, and ever since the Apostles times; and yet the separatist condemns her for antichristianism, in her discipline. The plain truth is, she is between these two factions, as between two milstones; and unless your majesty

(

tinually increasing at home. But his intentions

look to it, to whose trust she is committed, she'll be ground to powder, to an irreparable both dishonour, and loss to this kingdom. And 'tis very remarkable, that while both these press hard upon the church of England, both of them cry out upon persecution, like froward children, which scratch, and kick, and bite, and yet cry out all the while, as if themselves were killed." These passages, long as they are, will be deemed curious by many. They discover the man, and his measures, and shew what his adversaries had to expect. Lord Strafforde, though of a much more elevated understanding, 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 Christopher Wandesford, master of the rolls in Ireland, will fully shew this. I will give his justification of himself, on the accusation of rigour, at large." I craved admission to justify myself in some particulars, wherein I had been very undeservedly and bloodily traduc'd. So I related unto them all that had passed betwixt myself, earl of St. Albans, Wilmot, Mountnorris, Piers, Crosby, and the jury of Gallway, that hereupon touching and rubbing in the course of my service upon their particulars, themselves and friends have endeavoured to possess the world, I was a severe and an austere hard-conditioned man, rather indeed a basha of Buda, than the minister of a pious and Christian king. Howbeit, if I were not much mistaken in myself, it was quite the contrary, no man could shew wherein I had expressed 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, so as if I stood clear in all these respects, it was to be confessed by any equal mind that it was not any thing within, but the necessity of his majesties service, which enforced me into a seeming strictness outwardly. And that was the reason indeed, for where

* Dedication to his Conference with Fisher, p, 10-14. fol. Lond. 1673.

were frustrated, and, with the rest of the nation,

I found a crown, a church, and a people spoil'd, I could not imagine to redeem them from under the pressure with gracious smiles and gentle looks, it would cost warmer water than so. True it was, that where a dominion was once gotten and settled, it might be stayed and kept where it was by soft and moderate counsels, but where a sovereignty (be it spoken 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 strength, 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 profess that where I found a person well and intirely set for the service of my master, I should lay my hand under his foot, and add to his respect and power all I might, and that where I found the contrary, I should not handle him in my arms, or sooth him in his untoward humour, but if he came in my reach, so far as honour and justice would warrant me, I must knock him soundly over the knuckles, but no sooner he become a new man, apply himself as he ought to the government, but I also change my temper, and express myself to him, as unto that other, by all the good offices I could do him. If this be sharpness, if this be severity, I desire to be better instructed by his majesty and their lordships, for in truth it did not seem so to me; however, if I were once told, that his majesty liked not to be thus served, I would readily conform myself, follow the bent and current of my own disposition, which is to be quiet, not to have debates and disputes with any. Here his majesty interrupted me and said, that was no severity, wished me to go on in that way: for, if I served him otherwise, I should not serve him as he expected from me." Thus it was the welfare of the church, and the necessity of his majesty's service, required persecution and oppression, and forced these men, if you

he was made to feel and fear the yoke of tyranny.

!

will believe them, to act contrary to their own inclinations. -But whatever was the occasion, the government, of which they had the chief direction, was very severe. "The severe censures in the star-chamber, and the greatness of the fines, and the rigorous proceedings to impose ceremonies, the suspending and silencing multitudes of ministers, for not reading in the church the book for sports to be exercis'd on the Lord's day, caused many of the nation both ministers and others to sell their estates and to set sail for New England, where they held a plantation by patent from the king." "The lord Brooke, and the lord Say and Seale had actually pitched upon a spot in New England, whither they purposed to transport themselves, when the excesses of the court threatened destruction to the freedom of their country. In 1635, the two lords sent over Mr. George Fenwicke to prepare a retreat for them and their friends, in consequence of which a little town was built, and called by their joint names Saybrooke." Among others, thus inclined, was the patriot Hampden, and his cousin Oliver Cromwell: but being on board they were stopped by a proclamation, whereby "all merchants, masters and owners of ships were forbidden to set forth any ship or ships with passengers, till they first obtained special licence on that behalf from such of the lords of his Majesties privy council as were appointed for the business of foreign plantations." Nothing could be more barbarous than this! To impose laws on men which in conscience they thought they could not comply with; to punish them for their non-compliance, and continually revile them as undutiful and disobedient subjects by reason thereof, and yet not permit them peaceably to depart and enjoy their own opinions in a distant part of the world, yet dependant on the sovereign: to do all