he would let the world see that none should be more desirous to maintain the religion he professed than himself. The houses thanked the

they entered upon other business, joined in a petition against popish recusants, which his majesty promised to examine, and give a satisfactory answer to the particulars.

The petition sets forth the causes of the increase of popery, with the remedies: the caus

of any established law!" All which was so much the worse, because they knew that the court had no jurisdiction of fining at all; for the House of Commons, in the third and sev-king for his most gracious speech, but, before enth of King James I., resolved that the Court of High Commission's fining and imprisoning men for ecclesiastical offences was an intolerable grievance, oppression, and vexation, not warranted by the statute 1 Eliz., chap. i. And Sir Edward Coke, with the rest of the judges, at a conference with the prelates, in the pres-es are, ence of King James, gave it as their unanimous opinion, that the High Commission could fine in no case, and imprison only in cases of heresy and incontinence of a minister, and that only after conviction, but not by way of process before it, so that the jurisdiction of the court to fine was not only questionable, but null and void. Notwithstanding which, they hunted after their prey with full cry, "and brought in the greatest and most splendid transgressors; persons of honour and great quality," says the noble historian, "were every day cited into the High Commission, upon the fame of their incontinency or scandal of life, and very heavy fines were levied upon them, and applied to the repairing of St. Paul's Cathedral."

The want of the due execution of the laws against them. The interposing of foreign powers by their ambassadors and agents in their favour. The great concourse of papists to the city, and their frequent conferences and conventicles there. Their open resort to the chapels of foreign ambassadors. The education of their children in foreign seminaries. The want of sufficient instruction in the Protestant religion in several places of the country. The licentious printing of popish books. The employment of men ill affected to the Protestant religion in places of government.*

They therefore pray that the youth of the kingdom may be carefully educated under Protestant schoolmasters; which his majesty, in his answer to their petition, promised: That the ancient discipline of the universities may be restored; which his majesty approved: That the preaching of the Word of God may be enlarged; and that to this purpose the bishops be advised to make use of the labours of such able ministers as have been formerly silenced, advising and beseeching them to behave themselves peaceably; and that pluralities, nonresidences, and commendams may be moderated. Answer. "This his majesty approved, so far as the ministers would conform to church government. But he apprehends that pluralities, &c., are now so moderated that there is no room for complaint; and recommends it to the Parliament to take care that every parish allow a competent maintenance for an able minister." That provision might be made against transporting children to popish seminaries, and for recalling those that were there. Answ. "To this his majesty agreed." That no popish recusant be admitted to come to court but upon special occasion, according to statute 3 Jac. Answ. "This also his majesty promised.” That the laws against papists be put in execution, and that a day be fixed for the departure of all Jesuits and seminary-priests out of the kingdom, and that no natural-born subject, nor strange bishops, nor any other by authority from the see of Rome, confer any ecclesiastical orders, or exercise any ecclesiastical function,

Upon the accession of King Charles to the throne, the Duke of Buckingham threw off the mask, and shook hands with his old friend Dr. Preston, whom he never loved any farther than as a tool to promote his interest among the people. Laud was his confessor and privy-counsellor for the Church, whose first care was to have none but Arminian and anti-Puritanical chaplains about the king: for this purpose, he drew up a small treatise and put it into the duke's hand, proving the Arminian doctrines to be orthodox, and showing, in ten particulars, that the anti-Arminian tenets were no better than doctrinal Puritanism. Agreeably to the scheme, he presented the duke [April 9] with a list of divines for his majesty's chaplains, distinguishing their characters by the two capital letters O. for orthodox [that is, Arminian], and P. for Puritans [that is, Calvinists]. At the same time, he received orders to consult Bishop Andrews how to manage, with respect to the five distinguishing points of Calvinism, in the ensuing convocation; but the wise bishop advised his brother by all means to be quiet, and keep the controversy out of the house: "for," says he, "the truth in this point is not so generally entertained among the clergy; nor is Archbishop Abbot, nor many of the prelates, so inclinable to it as to venture the deciding it in convocation." It was, therefore, wisely dropped, the majority of the Lower House being zealous Calvinists; and forty-five of them (ac-upon your majesty's subjects. Answ. "It shall cording to Dr. Leo, who was one of the number) had made a covenant among themselves to oppose everything that tended towards Pelagianism or semi-Pelagianism: but the controversy was warmly debated without doors, till the king put a stop to it by his royal declaration.

Popery advanced hand in hand with Arminianism, and began the disputes between the king and his first Parliament, which met June 16, 1625. His majesty, towards the close of his speech, having asked their assistance for the recovery of the Palatinate, assured them that, though he had been suspected as to his religion, VOL. I.-N N

be so published by proclamation." That your majesty's learned council may have orders to consider of all former grants of recusant lands, that such may be avoided as are avoidable by law. Answ. "It shall be done according as is desired." That your majesty give order to your judges and all officers of justice to see the laws against popish recusants duly executed. Answ. "His majesty leaves the laws to their course." That your majesty will remove from places of authority and government all popish recusants. Answ. "His majesty will * Rushworth, p. 183–186.