XX.

CHAP. be conferred on the kingdom. The authority which must be received with hesitation as to the cause of Whitgift's death, will be readily accepted in attestation of his excellence, that he had devoutly consecrated his whole life to God, and his painful labours to the church *.

* Camden, Britan. Com. Cant.

CHAPTER XXI.

Meeting of Parliament.-Speech of the King.-Canons of 1604.-Succession of Bancroft to the Primacy.-Gunpowder Plot.-Oath of Allegiance.-Controversy on the Lawfulness of the Oath.-Supplement to the Catechism.— New Translation of the Bible.-Attempt of James to re-establish Episcopacy in Scotland.-Death of Bancroft. -Succession of Abbot.

Before

THE first parliament of James was opened with a speech declaratory of the conduct which he intended to pursue towards the two different classes of non-conformists within his dominions. the parliament met he had renewed the proclamation of Elizabeth, commanding all jesuits and Romish priests to leave the kingdom; but he professed that his adoption of this apparently severe measure arose not from hatred to the religion, but to the policy of the Romish see: it was adopted because the professors of that religion maintained the pope's temporal power over princes. Another proclamation was issued against the puritans, in which there was no indulgence for tender consciences; all must conform, or suffer the penalties of the law.

In his speech to his parliament, James acquainted that body, that, at his coming into England, he found three different ways of worshipping God, professed: the first was the religion established by law, which was now his own; the second was that of the Roman catholics; and the third

A.D.

1604.

James I.

March 19.

CHAP.
XXI.

was that of the puritans. This last party, commonly termed Novellists, he regarded rather as a sect than a society of Christians, and notwithstanding their difference from the established church on points of doctrine was not great, yet their political principles were scarcely to be endured in a wellregulated commonwealth.

Enlarging on that part of his subject which related to the papists, he acknowledged that he was educated in the reformed religion, and mature inquiry had confirmed his preference of the protestant faith; but he disclaimed all bigotry towards those of the ancient communion. "I should be sorry," said the king, "to make my private conscience the measure of belief to all my subjects." He divided the Romanists into two classes, the priesthood and the laity. Of these he thought the laity the most excusable, on account of the profound submission and implicit belief required by the church. It was his ardent wish that he might be the instrument of uniting the two religions; and of an event so desirable there might be some hope, if the Romanists would renounce the supremacy of the pope, his right to dispose of crowns and sceptres, and to dethrone kings. But he cautioned the English Romanists not to presume too far upon his lenity, nor to entertain the visionary hope of gaining an establishment for their religion. That he should ever countenance or connive even at its dissemination could not be expected, on three accounts: first, such an indulgence was contrary to his own conscience; secondly, it could not be granted without an excessive relaxation of the rights and liberties of the island; and, thirdly, the

crown would be conveyed to his posterity in a worse condition than he found it*.

A. D.

1604.

That James was not willing to govern by a free James I. parliament was soon evident; for he assumed the right of dictating and controlling the choice of the national representatives. His consent was an indispensable requisite to their admission into the house, and disputed elections were examined and decided in the court of chancery. Those corporations which presumed to exercise their elective rights in opposition to his will, were threatened with fines and disfranchisement, and those representatives who dared to sit in the house after such an election were fined and imprisoned. When the house of commons began an examination into the validity of elections, the king prohibited their proceedings, and commanded that a return which had been pronounced by the house illegal should be re-examined by himself and his judges.

The house of commons was thus prevented from being, what it was in the preceding reign, the organ of puritanical complaint; and the convocation was employed in the enactment of canons directly subversive of puritanical principles. The see of Canterbury being vacant, Bancroft, then bishop of London, presided, and delivered a book of canons, already prepared, for the approbation of the two houses. The progress of these canons through the convocation is chiefly remarkable for a debate among the bishops on the use of the cross in baptism. Bancroft and others spoke strongly for the continuance of this ceremony; but Rudd,

XXI.

CHAP. bishop of Saint David's, delivered his opinion in a speech which even the historians of puritanism have thought worthy of preservation*. It is replete "with charity and moderation;" and if the enemies of the church could praise it for these qualities, her friends may fairly avail themselves of its manly sense, and its irrefragable arguments in their favour.

"For my part," said this prelate, "I acknowledge the antiquity of the cross, as mentioned in Tertullian, and, after him, in Cyprian, Chrysostom, Augustine, and others. I also confess the original of the ceremony to have been occasioned by the pagans, who reproached the ancient Christians for believing in Christ crucified. By the papists it has been superstitiously abused; but I affirm that it is in the church of England, now admitted by us, and restored to its ancient integrity." Not only did this prelate acknowledge the antiquity and significance of the rite, but expressed an earnest wish that, if it were still prescribed by authority, general obedience might be yielded. Yet, whatever might be his hopes, he could not do otherwise than fear, from the re

ports brought to him, that many learned preachers, whose consciences were not in the custody of the convocation, nor disposed to show implicit obedience to episcopacy, would not easily comply. On

* Bishop Rudd's speech has been disgracefully mutilated by Neal, in his History of the Puritans; but it has been given at full length by Dr. Z. Gray, in his Examination of Neal's History. This able work, now unfortunately scarcely known, received the grateful acknowledgments of bishops Gibson and Sherlock.