W. That is a slander. For I am a deacon, and was licensed to preach by the present Archbishop of York. S. What think you of the titles of grace, lord, and others of the same kind? W. I think the law doth require them. S. Do you take them to be lawful? W. Yes, they are lawful, if you mean according to law.* Here the conversation closed, when Mr. Wilson was suspended, and admonished to appear before the Bishop of London and other commissioners, on the Tuesday following. This was the unkind usage he met with, though at the beginning of the conference, he was promised that no evil should befall him for what he might say. The reader will here see how little such persons were to be trusted. Hówever, according to appointment, the good man appeared before the bishop, Dr. Stanhope, Dr. Walker, Mr. Mullins, and others. When he was called, his lordship. said nothing, but left the management of the case wholly to the other commissioners, when his former opponent thus addressed him: S. Mr. Wilson, you remember certain articles exhibited against you, as collected out of your sermon preached at St. Michael's in Cornhill. You also confessed that you were not a minister, but a deacon, and licensed to preach by the present Archbishop of York, and not by my lord of London. W. I remember these things well, and many others. Mullins. It was not necessary that all things should be set down. W. Neither was it necessary he should mention only those things, when I spoke many others. S. Well, sir, you remember I did suspend you. from preaching, which sentence, by the judgment of the court, must stand. As for other matters, Dr. Walker and Mr. Mullins will attend unto them next term. W. It is hard dealing to keep a man so long in suspense, and for so small a matter. I am chargeable either to myself, or friends, or both. I have been almost a month in town already, and now I must be put off so long a time. This is more than christian charity would do. Therefore, I pray you, sir, that I may have a more speedy dispatch. S. You may apply to them, and they will perhaps make greater haste in this matter. (Mr. Mullins having read the charges against Mr. Wilson, thus addressed him :) M. What are these things? Who is the accuser? And who is accused? W. Who is the accuser, I know not; but they say they are articles objected against me. M. Who troubleth us with such things? There is no accuser; and no man accused. There is no man or thing particularly mentioned, but all is expressed in general terms. What can we do with such things? W. I cannot tell. But I suffer the greater wrong, being carried up and down, and tossed to and fro, for nothing. M. Who began this matter? And who bade you follow it? W. Who began it, I know not. But I am appointed to desire you to make an end of it. I have been much troubled in your courts; and my friends have been much charged in paying money, I cannot tell for what. M. I wish their money was in their bellies. W. I wish rather it was in their purses. But, I pray you, sir, let the case be ended. M. I have other business to mind. W. If my case be of so small a moment, you may soon finish it. I pray you, therefore, let charity move you to make an end of it, that I may be no more troubled about it. Walker. The more we consider your case, the worse we find it. There are such words and sayings as become a railer, rather than a sober preacher.. W. The words and sayings are not mine, but the malicious accuser's, who set them down thus to make me the more odious. Walk. Why then do you confess them to be yours, in your answer? W. I do not confess the words, but the substance of the matter. For the register would not take down my answers in mine own words, but would write them as they are there. Walk. I tell thee they are full of bitterness, malice, and slander. W. Sir, I came for your certificate to make an end of it, as you promised me.. Walk. I tell thee, thou shalt have none of our certificate. The register shall have it, and not shew it thee till the next term. W. That is very hard dealing. Walk. What sayest thou? Do we do thee any wrong? W. Yes, sir, even you. Walk. What sayest thou, boy? Thou hast neither learning, nor manners in thee. W. I have no less for what you say. And as to manners, you have no great cause to find fault. Walk. Thou art an ass; thou art a dolt; thou art a beardless boy. Thou hast neither learning, nor humanity in thee. W. Your words, sir, do not make me worse. We must and do bear these things at your hands, and have never requited you with the like. Mr. Wilson having received the above abusive language, was obliged to depart without the examination of his case, and without obtaining his certificate, though his ecclesias tical judges had promised to give it him. He waited upon them repeatedly for the same purpose, but with no better success; and it appears extremely doubtful whether he ever obtained it, or whether he was ever restored to his ministry." JOHN ELLISTON was a most diligent and pious minister, beneficed at Preston in Northamptonshire, where he laboured much to reform his parish, by frequent preaching and catechizing. But he endured manifold troubles for his nonconformity. His enemies being inclined to popery, brought complaints against him to the chancellor of Peterborough, that he did not wear the surplice, read the litany, nor use the cross in baptism. He was, therefore, indicted at the assizes; but after his case was heard before the judge, he was dismissed. Mr. Elliston having left an account of his various troubles, let us hear him speak for himself. "Having been pastor of Preston," says he," about ten weeks, and being desirous to instruct the people according to my ability, some of my parishioners, persons much inclined towards popery, complained of me to Dr. Ellis, the chancellor, and the case was heard before the judge at the assizes, when I was charged with not wearing the surplice, not reading the litany, and not using the cross in baptism; but was acquitted and dismissed. After this, they exhibited a charge against me to Dr. Scambler, bishop of Peterborough, consisting of sixteen articles. Upon my appearance before the bishop, February 10, 1584, he asked me whether I would subscribe; but when I refused, he treated me with much abusive language. The first article charged against me, was, that I did not wear the surplice.-I said, I did not refuse it, and so denied the charge. *MS. Register, p. 832-834. "The second article was, that I did not use the cross in baptism. And when the bishop asked me why I did not, I replied, that I did not use it, because it was not required in the word of God. At this he scoffed, saying, neither is it required what kind of boots you shall wear. I replied, that my boots were not offensive, and what kind I shall wear is at my discretion, and therefore lawful; but God hath set down the holy sacraments in his word, and not left the ordering to our discretion. He then abused me as before. "In the next place, when he asked me why I catechized all persons, both old and young, I replied, that I had the charge of all, and must, therefore, instruct all. When he said that old people should not be catechized, and that they did not stand in need of it, I desired him to promote, and not to hinder good things. Another charge was, that I omitted the litany on sabbath days. When I replied, that I preached on sabbath days, he said, that whether I preached or not, the litany must be read. When he asked why I kept persons from the communion, I answered, because they would not submit to be examined. He then said, that I should admit them, if they could say the Lord's prayer and ten commandments. "There were many other articles charged against me," says Mr. Elliston, "to each of which I answered as the occasion served. At my departure, he suspended me, saying, I should not remain in his diocese if I would not subscribe. I said, if I do not remain in your diocese, the earth is the Lord's, and he hath a place for me to live in; and so I departed. "March 6th following, he cited me, and several other ministers, to appear before him, and required us to subscribe. And May 30th he cited me a third time; but not having sufficient warning, he deprived me before I could appear before him. I, therefore, appealed against his unjust sentence, and told him that he did not deal with me with uprightness, though I wished to discharge my duties with a good conscience; and that he treated others with great kindness, if they would only subscribe, though they had neither learning nor honesty. But if you go about to discredit us, you will gain no credit to yourself. After this I had four journies to Peterborough; and though it was at least thirty-six miles from the place where I lived, I went seven times in little more than one year. 66 April 6th I went to London for an inhibition; and upon my return, I went again to Peterborough, to have it served on the bishop. And on ascension-day, Archbishop Whitgift cited me to appear before him, who, by this means, sought to prevent me from prosecuting my appeal. When I appeared before the archbishop, he urged me to subscribe, but I refused. He then said, he had matter against me in the high commission; and I was therefore examined, but obtained leave to return home till the next term. But before the next term, the archbishop sent his pursuivant for me. This was my third journey to London, "When I appeared before his grace, two articles were brought against me, 1. That at morning prayer on Whit-sunday, I did only read two psalms and two chapters, and then preached. And, 2. That preaching out of the second psalm, and railing against my enemies, I affirmed, that they would all be damned, who troubled me.' But when they heard my answers to those articles, I was dismissed; though the fees of the pursuivant, and other expenses, were very considerable. After this I was called up to London several times, and appeared sometimes before the Archbishop, and sometimes before the Bishop of London. "These my troubles," says the good man, "endured almost three years, during which time, I had ten journies to London, seven to Peterborough, many to Leicester and Northampton, and one to Cambridge." By the expense unavoidably attending so many journies, Mr. Elliston was almost ruined. He was also a long time deprived of his living. He was a zealous and peaceable nonconformist, and, in the year 1587, was a member in the classis at Daventry, and often attended the associations of the puritans. A minister of the same name was preferred to the rectory of Chignal-Smeby in Essex, in the year 1597, but resigned it by death previous to September 20, 1617; when the next incumbent entered upon the benefice. We are not able to learn whether this was the same person.+ ROBERT CROWLEY, A. M.-This distinguished person was born in Gloucestershire,+ and educated in Magdalen college, Oxford. In the year 1542, having been at the university eight years, he was elected probationer fellow. Upon the accession of King Edward, he removed to London, and was for some time a printer and bookseller, and preached occasionally as opportunity offered. He was a MS. Register, p. 579–582. + Newcourt's Repert. Eccl. vol. ii. p. 139, |