At

They also told him, "That they were provoked to pro nounce him the holiest minister of all others, for dealing so plainly and resolutely in God's cause above all ministers, which God would manifest one day to his comfort." another time, they came to him and said, "We are come to you now to bring you certain news of great comfort, viz. That we have seen Jesus Christ this day, in lively and extraordinary shape or fashion presented unto us, not in his body; for he sitteth at the right hand of God in heaven, until the last judgment; but in his effectual or principal spirit, whereby he dwelleth in William Hacket, more than in any creature upon the earth."* Such are the grievous crimes with which Mr. Wigginton is charged! These facts, with a few others equally ridiculous, contain all the evidence of his uniting with Hacket and his companions, in their mad plots to overturn the government! As our information is from the pen of one of his bitterest enemies and persecutors, we may presume it is not given at all in his favour, but in some degree to his disadvantage: the impartial reader will, therefore, judge for himself, how far he was guilty.

After the most minute investigation, it appears to me that Mr. Wigginton's character and memory have suffered great injury from the above bigotted historian, and from those who imitated his example. One of them, speaking of Hacket and his companions, observes, "that one of this good brotherhood was Wigginton, as brainsick a teacher as any of the club, and as staunch an enemy to government."+ The reader will easily perceive the injustice and falsehood of this representation. For, if this statement be correct, why did not his enemies proceed against him, as well as against the other conspirators? They were in possession of all the evidence that ever appeared against him, and he was now a prisoner in the Gatehouse; why then did they not punish him according to his deserts? This, surely, was not owing to their too great lenity, or their want of inclination.

.. During Mr. Wigginton's imprisonment, he published two pamphlets. One was on "Predestination;" the other was entitled "The Fools Bolt; or, a Fatherly Exhortation to a certain Young Courtier." The latter is said to have been "conceived into an halting rhyme," and written chiefly against the governors of the church.

* Cosin's Conspiracy, p. 87, 88. Kennet's Hist. of Eng. vol. ii. p. 563.

THOMAS BARBER was many years the learned and pious minister of Bow-church, London; where he preached four times a week, to a large and affectionate congregation. But his excellent learning, piety, and labours, could not protect him from the persecution of the 'times. In the month of June, 1584, he was called before Archbishop Whitgift and other high commissioners, and required to take the oath ex officio, to answer the interrogatories of the court. Knowing that by taking this oath, he should be liable to accuse himself; therefore, to avoid further trouble, he refused, and was immediately suspended. After receiving the ecclesiastical censure, his parishioners, to the number of one hundred and twenty, whose names are now before me, signed a petition to Sir Edward Osborne, the lord mayor, and the court of aldermen, to procure his release, But that court could do nothing for them.* :

1

Mr. Barber having continued in a state of suspension several years, the archbishop, at length, offered to release him, on condition that he would subscribe with his own hand, the following protestation, dated December, 1587 :"I do faithfully promise, and by these présents subscribed

with mine own hand, do testify, that I will not, by word ❝or deed, publicly or privately, directly or indirectly, "impugn, deprave, or reprehend, any government, rite, "order, or ceremony, by law established, and retained in this "church of England: But, on the contrary, to my power,

will, by God's grace, observe and seek the peace of the "church of England, and will from time to time, adjoin "myself in public prayer, preaching, and admonitions "thereunto, and will frequent them diligently, and none "other assemblies, meetings, or conventicles.”+

Mr.

Barber was a man of too much learning, piety, and good sense, to bind himself from exercising the right of private judgment, in things sacred. This godly and peaceable divine, therefore, claiming the right of thinking and acting in these things according to the dictates of truth and his own conscience, firmly refused to be tied down with such episcopal cords. But how much longer he continued under suspension, it does not appear.

- Mr. Barber was one of the additional members of the presbyterian church erected at Wandsworth in Surrey and his name is among those learned divines who subscribed the "Book of Discipline." About the year 1591, he was

MS. Register, p. 458, 459.
Neal's Puritans, vol. i. p. 423.

+ Ibid. p. 588, 826.

taken into custody, and examined, with several of his brethren, relative to the associations of the puritans; and being required to take the oath er officio, he openly confessed, and discovered their assemblies, with the manner in which they were conducted.*

ROBERT CAWDREY.-He was a divine of good reputation for learning and piety, but a great sufferer for nonconformity. Having entered into the sacred function about the year 1566, he was presented by Secretary Cecil, to the rectory of South Luffenham in Rutlandshire; but afterwards brought into manifold troubles for refusing to conform. After he had been employed in the ministry about twenty years, he was cited before Bishop Aylmer and other high commissioners; when he was charged with having omitted some parts of the Book of Common Prayer in public worship and the administration of the sacraments, and with having preached against certain things contained in the book. Though he only omitted the cross in baptism, and the ring in marriage, having used the greatest part of the service, he was required to take the oath ex officio, to answer all such articles as the tyrannical commissioners should propose; which, says Mr. Strype, he refused; and was, therefore, not only suspended, but utterly deprived of his ministerial exercise.+

He might, indeed, at first refuse the oath; and the statement of our learned historian might so far be correct: yet it is evident from the case at considerable length, now before me, that he afterwards complied, and, accordingly, gave his answers to the various articles. These articles, dated November, 1586, together with his answers, were the following:

1. "That you are a deacon or minister and priest admitted. Declare by whom, and what you were ordered; and likewise that your ordering was according to the book in that behalf by law provided.

Ans. "I am both deacon and priest. I was made deacon by Dr. Bullingham, late bishop of Lincoln, and was made priest by Dr. Scambler, late bishop of Peterborough. I was made deacon about twenty years ago, and minister about sixteen, which, I believe, was done according to the book in that behalf provided.

Strype's Whitgift, Appen. p. 159–166.

+ Strype's Aylmer, p. 129, 130.

2. That you deem and judge your ordering, admission, and calling into the ministry, to be lawful, and not repugnant to the word of God.

Ans. “If I were now to be made a minister, I would not enter into the ministry according to that order.

3. "That you have sworn as well at your ordering, as at your institution, duty and allegiance to the queen's majesty, and canonical obedience to your ordinary and his successors, and to your metropolitan and his successors, or some of them.

Ans. "When I was instituted, I took an oath, but do not remember the tenour of it; and whether I was sworn at my ordering, or not, I do not remember.

4. That by a statute made in the first year of the queen's majesty, a virtuous and godly book, entitled 'The Book of Common Prayer and administration of Sacraments, and of other rites and ceremonies in the Church of England,' was authorized and established in full force, and so remaineth.

Ans. "I believe this article to be true in every part.

5.That by the said statute, all and singular ministers within her majesty's dominions, are bound to say and use a certain form of morning and evening prayer, and administration of each of the sacraments, and all other common and open prayer, in such form and order as is mentioned in the said book, and not otherwise.

Ans. "I believe this article to be true in every part.

6. "That in the said statute, her majesty and parliament assembled, do in God's name, earnestly charge and require all the archbishops, bishops, and other ordinaries, that they shall endeavour, to the utmost of their knowledge, that the due and true execution of the said act may be had throughout their dioceses and charges, as they shall answer before Almighty God.

Ans. "I believe this article to be true.

7. "That within the space of three years, two years, one year, half a year, three months, two months, or one month, last past, you have baptized divers infants, or at least one infant, otherwise and in other manner than the said book prescribeth; and have wittingly added thereunto, diminished therefrom, or altered according to your own fancy, divers or some parts thereof; and especially you have not used the sign of the cross upon the forehead, with the words in the said Book of Common Prayer prescribed to be used, Declare how many you have so baptized; and for what

cause, consideration, and intent, with the circumstatice of the words by you used or diminished.

Ans. "I have not used the sign of the cross in the sacrament of baptism. And in reciting the interrogatories to the godfathers, I spoke in the plural number, saying You, instead of THOU. I could not have done it according to the order of the said book, or otherwise than as I have done, I think, with a safe conscience. And since I entered upon my benefice, I have baptized divers children, but I cannot remember how many.

8. "That within the time aforesaid, you have divers and sundry times, or at least once, ministered the sacrament of the Lord's supper to the communicants or some of them, standing or walking, and have not used the form of words in that behalf appointed and prescribed in the said Book of Common Prayer. Declare the circumstances thereof, and for what cause or consideration you have done this.

Ans. "I have often ministered the sacrament of the Lord's supper within the time mentioned; and therein I have distributed the bread and wine to the communicants as I found them, some standing, some sitting, and some kneeling; but never to any walking. And as to the prayers appointed in that behalf, and the words at the institution, I have followed the exact order of the book.

9. "Within the time aforesaid, you have used either no form at all, or have used some other than that which the said book prescribeth, in the burial of the dead; and have refused or omitted using or saying divers words appointed and prescribed in that behalf, in the said book. Declare the circumstances thereof, and for what cause or consideration you have done this.

Ans. "Within this year or two, in the burial of the dead, I have not read the whole service; because I am persuaded that some parts of it do nourish superstition. I have omitted this clause, In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, and some others of the like tendency. And besides reading the chapter appointed, I have expounded some part of the scripture appointed to be read at funerals.

10. That within the time aforesaid, you have openly in your sermons or sermon, preached or rather inveighed against the Book of Common Prayer, and the authority of archbishops and bishops. You said that the Book of Common Prayer is a wicked thing, fie upon it befie upon it! that lords spiritual ought not to he lords over their brethren ;