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were arraigned at the King's-Bench bar; the former for levying war against the king; and the latter for compassing his death. Lambert was convicted, but for his submissive behavior was pardoned as to life, but confined in the isle of Guernsey, where he remained a patient prisoner till his death, which happened about thirty years after. Sir Harry Vane had such an interest in the convention parliament, that both lords and commons petitioned for his life, which his majesty promised; and yet afterwards, at the instigation of the present house of commons, he was tried and executed. Sir Harry made a brave defence; but it was determined to sacrifice him to the ghost of the earl of Strafford; and when his friends would have had him petition for his life, he refused, saying, If the king had not a greater regard for his word and honor than he had for his life, he might take it. Nevertheless bishop Burnet says, "He was naturally a fearful man, and bad a head as dark in the notions of religion; but when he saw his death was determined, he composed himself to it with a resolution that surprized all who knew how little of that was natural to him. He was beheaded on Towerbill, June 14, where a new and very indecent practice was begun; it was observed that the dying speeches of the regicides had left impressions on the hearers that were not at all to the advantage of the government; and strains of a peculiar nature being expected from him, drummers were placed under the scaffold, who, as soon as he began to speak of the public, upon a sign given, struck up with their drums. But this put him into no disorder; be desired they might be stopt, for he knew what was meant by it. Then he went to his devotion; and as he was taking leave of those about him, he happened to say something again with relation to the times, when the drums struck up a second time; so he gave over, saying, It was a sorry cause that would not bear the words of a dying man; and died with so much composedness, that it was generally thought the government lost more than it gained by his death." The Oxford historian says, he appeared on the scaffold like an old Roman, and died without the least symptoms of concern or trouble.

* Burnet, p. 237, 8.

But the grand affair that employed the parliament this spring, was the famous Act of uniformity of public prayers, &c. designed for the inclosure of the church.and the only door of admission to all ecclesiastical preferments. The review of the common-prayer had been in convocation three or four months,* and was brought into parliament, with their alterations and amendments, before Christmas ; the bill was read the first time in the house of commons Jan. 14, and passed after sundry debates but by six voices, Yeas 186; Noes 180; but it met with greater obstacles among the lords, who offered several amendments, which occasioned conferences between the two houses. The lords would have exempted schoolmasters, tutors, and those who had the education of youth; and in the disabling clause would have included only livings with cure.‡ But the commons being supported by the court would abate nothing, nor consent to any provision for such as should be ejected. They would indulge no latitude in the surplice or cross in baptism, for fear of establishing a schism, and weakening the authority of the church as to her right of imposing indifferent rites and ceremonies.† And the court were willing to shut out as many as they could from the establishment, to make a general toleration more necessaWhen the lords urged the king's declaration from Breda, the commons replied, that it would be strange to call a schismatical conscience a tender one; but suppose this had been meant (say they) his majesty can be guilty of no breach of promise, because the declaration had these two limitations, a reference to parliament;-and so far as was consistent with the peace of the kingdom. May 8, the result of the conference with the house of commons, being reported to the lords, the house laid aside their objections, and concurred with the commons, and the bill passed; but,

ry.

*Dr. Grey is at a loss to understand how the act of uniformity could come into the Convocation and continue there for three or four months: for the two houses never send their bills thither for their perusal and approbation. He thinks, therefore, that Mr. Neal's mistake must be owing to their review of the Common Prayer. Examination, vol. iii. p. 320. Ed.

Kennet's Chron. p. 604.

+ Ib. p. 677.

The reason for extending it to schoolmasters was, we are told, to guard against the influence and force of education. Exam. p. 321. Ed. + Kennet's Chron. p. 679.

as bishop Burnet observes, with no great majority. May 19, it received the royal assent, and was to take place from the 24th of August following. This act being prefixed to the book of common-prayer, and lying open to public view, I shall only give the reader an abstract of it. It is entitled,

"An act for the uniformity of public prayers, and administration of sacraments, and other rites and ceremonies, and for establishing the forms of making, ordaining, and consecrating bishops, priests and deacons in the church of England."

The preamble sets forth, "That from the first of Queen Elizabeth there had been one uniform order of common service and prayer enjoined to be used by act of parlia ment, which had been very comfortable to all good people, until a great number of people in divers parts of the realm, living without knowledge and the due fear of God, did wilfully and schismatically refuse to come to their parish churches, upon Sundays, and other days appointed to be kept as holy days. And whereas, by the scandalous neglect of ministers in using the liturgy during the late unhappy troubles, many people have been led into factions and schisms, to the decay of religion, and the hazard of many souls; therefore, for preventing the like for time to come, the king had granted a commission, to review the book of common prayer, to those bishops and divines who met at the Savoy; and afterwards his majesty required the clergy in convocation to revise it again; which alterations and amendments having been approved by his majesty, and both houses of parliament; therefore for settling the peace of the nation, for the honor of religion, and to the intent that every person may know the rule to which he is to conform in public worship, it is enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, &c.

"That all and singular ministers shall be bound to say and use the morning prayer, evening prayer, and all other common prayers in such order and form as is mentioned in the book; and that every parson, vicar, or other minister whatsoever, shall before the feast of St. Bartholomew, which shall be in the year of our lord 1662, openly and publicly, before the congregation assembled for religious worship, declare his unfeigned assent and consent to the

use of all things contained and prescribed in the said book in these words, and no other."

"I A. B. do here declare my unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in and by the book, entitled, The book of common-prayer and administration of sacraments, and other rites and ceremonies of the church, according to the use of the church of Englund, together with the psalter, or psalms of David, pointed as they are to be sung or said in churches; and the form and manner of making, ordaining, and consecrating of bishops, priests and deacons."*

"The penalty for neglecting or refusing to make this declaration, is deprivation ipso facto of all his spiritual promotions.

"And it is further enacted, that every dean, canon, and prebendary; all masters, heads, fellows, chaplains, and tutors, in any college, hall, house of learning, or hopital; all public professors, readers in either university, and in every college and elsewhere; and all parsons, vicars, curates, lecturers; and every schoolmaster keeping any public or private school; and every person instructing youth in any private family, shall, before the feast of St. Bartholomew, 1662, subscribe the following declaration, (viz.)

"ÍA. B. do declare, that it is not lawful upon any pretence whatsoever to take arms against the king; and that I do abhor that traiterous position of taking arms by his authority, against his person, or against those that are commissioned by him; and that I will conform to the liturgy of the church of England, as it is now by law established. And I do hold, that there lies no obligation upon me, or on any other person, from the oath commonly called the solemn league and covenant, to endeavor any change or alteration of government either in church or state, and that the same was in itself an unlawful oath, and imposed upon the subjects of this realm, against the known laws and liberties of this kingdom.

"This declaration is to be subscribed by the persons abovementioned before the archbishop, bishop, or ordinary of the diocese, on pain of deprivation, for those who were

* This form of subscription and solemn declaration was inserted by the lords, with whom this act of uniformity began. Ed.

possessed of livings; and for schoolmasters and tutors, three months imprisonment for the first offence; and for every other offence three months imprisonment, and the forfeiture of five pounds to his majesty. Provided that after the 25th of March 1682, the renouncing of the solemn league and covenant shall be omitted.

"It is further enacted, that no person shall be capable of any benefice, or presume to consecrate and administer the holy sacrament of the Lord's supper, before he be ordained a priest by episcopal ordination, on pain of forfeiting for every offence one hundred pounds.*

"No form, or order of common-prayer, shall be used in any church, chapel, or other place of public worship, or in either of the universities, than is here prescribed and appointed.

"None shall be received as lecturers, or be permitted to preach, or read any sermon or lecture in any church or chapel, unless he be approved and licensed by the archbishop or bishop, and shall read the thirty-nine articles of religion with a declaration of his unfeigned assent and consent to the same and unless the first time he preaches any lecture or sermon, he shall openly read the common-prayer, and declare his assent to it; and shall on the first lectureday of every month afterwards, before lecture or sermon, read the common-prayer and service, under pain of being disabled to preach; and if he preach while so disabled, to suffer three months imprisonment for every offence.

"The several laws and statutes formerly made for uniformity of prayer, &c. shall be in force for confirming the present book of common-prayer, and shall be applied for punishing all offences contrary to the said laws, with relation to the said book, and no other.

"A true printed copy of the said book is to be provided in every parish church, chapel, college and ball, at the cost and charge of the parishioners or society, before the feast of St. Bartholomew, on pain of forfeiting three pounds a month, for so long as they shall be unprovided of it.Ӡ

*This clause was also inserted by the lords. Ed.

+"The act of uniformity and the corporation act," Mr. Gough observes, "did not in themselves materially affect the quakers, who aspired to no places of honor or profit, and who testified against preaching for hire, and sought for no more than a toleration and protection in their relig

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