CHAPTER V.

SOWING THE WIND.

Si. DR. JOHN JEGON, 1602-17.

SHORTLY before the death of Elizabeth, DR. JOHN JEGON was appointed to this See. He had been Vice-chancellor of Cambridge University; and for his diligence in suppressing Nonconformity there, was supposed to be a fit man for this position. After his appointment he distinguished himself by his zeal for conformity, and the exact management of his revenues, by which he was enabled to purchase a very considerable estate, and to enrich his family. This in the latter part of his life seems to have been the principal object of his attention. His death happened March 13th, 1617; but he was thought to have died too rich for a bishop, and to have expended too little of his ample fortune in acts of charity.*

"He was much despised and hated, being inhospitable and penurious. He was buried in the parish church of Aylsham, where his monument is still to be seen, though much defaced."†

During this episcopate James I. ascended the throne; the Hampton Court Conference was held; Whitgift died, and Bancroft was raised to the Archiepiscopal throne; the canons were enacted in convocation; Ladd was persecuted at Yarmouth; and Robinson and Ames removed to Holland.

James I. began to reign in England in 1603. From his antecedents the Puritans expected that they should now obtain some relief; but these expectations were doomed to disappointment. Granger Biog. I., 349. + P. Browne, "Norwich," p. 343.

James, when King of Scotland only, had "praised God that he was born to be king of the purest Kirk in the world," and had been so irreverent as to declare that the English service was "an evil-said mass, wanting nothing but the liftings."* He had also said other things which appeared to be in exact harmony with the views of the Puritans, and it was but natural that they should hope for a favourable reply to the petition which above a thousand of them presented to him on his first coming into England. They represented themselves as "groaning under the burden of human rites and ceremonies, and with one consent they threw themselves at his royal feet for a reformation in the church service, ministry, livings, and discipline."

A Conference was appointed to be held at Hampton Court, January 14—17, 160, professedly to give due consideration to these matters. On the first day the King and the Episcopal party alone went over all the ground, and settled what was to be done. The next day four Puritan ministers, Dr. Rainolds, Dr. Sparke, Mr. Chadderton, and Mr. Knewstubs,† were called into the Privy Council Chamber, "the two Bishops of London and Winchester being there before," when, after some preliminary oratory, Dr. Rainolds was called upon to state the case of the petitioners. They desired

1. That the doctrine of the Church might be preserved in purity according to God's Word.

2. That good Pastors might be planted in all Churches to preach the same.

3. That the Church-government might be sincerely administered according to God's Word.

4 That the Book of Common Prayer might be fitted to more increase of piety.

Dr. Rainolds explained and enforced the Puritan objections, and, with many unseemly interruptions from the King and Bishops, continued the unequal contest for some hours, and then Mr. Knewstubs came to his aid and took up the subject for a while, the Doctor afterwards resuming the debate.

On the third day the King and the Bishops had the Con

• He could have seen the liftings also had he lived in our days!

† Mr. Knewstubs of Cockfield, Suffolk. See Brook II., 308.

ference at first to themselves, and after they had settled matters the four Puritans were again called in and told what had been decided. The King gave them to understand that "obedience and humility were marks of honest and good men: those he expected of them, and, by their example and persuasion, of all their sort abroad; for if hereafter," said he, "things being thus well ordered, they should be unquiet, neither he nor the state had any cause to think well of them."

Mr. Chadderton requested that the wearing of the surplice, and the use of the cross in baptism, might not be urged upon some painful ministers in Lancashire; and then Mr. Knewstubs requested forbearance also for some honest ministers in Suffolk, telling the King it would make much against their credits in the country to be now forced to the surplice and the cross in baptism. My Lord's Grace [Whitgift] was about to answer :—

"Nay," saith his Majesty, "let me alone with him. Sir," saith the King, "you shew yourself an uncharitable man; we have here taken pains, and in the end have concluded of an unity, and uniformity; and you, forsooth, must prefer the credits of a few private men, before the general peace of the Church. This is just the Scots argument; for when anything was there concluded, which disliked some humours, the only reason why they would not obey, was, it stood not with their credits to yield, having sɔ long time been of the contrary opinion. I will none of that," saith the King; "and therefore, either let them conform themselves, and that shortly, or they shall hear of it."*

Thus royally were the questions settled which had troubled the consciences of hundreds of faithful ministers in the Church; and now said the King: "If this be all your party have to say, I will make them conform, or I will harry them out of the land, or else do worse."

Brow-beaten and disappointed, they were taught the lesson, "Put not your trust in princes!" They departed from the presence of the council, if not rejoicing, yet thankful that "they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus."

The obsequious Archbishop, Whitgift, who protested that "he was verily persuaded the King, at this conference, spoke by the Spirit of God," did not long survive; he died February 29th, 160 but meanwhile he had cited seven ministers before him

* Phoenix I., 139–180.

and suspended them; and they were cited to appear before him again on the day on which he died. His successor was Richard Bancroft, a more unrelenting persecutor than Whitgift, as the Puritans soon found to their cost. He was "a sturdy piece," and "resolved to break them if they would not bow." "Who could stand against a man of such a spirit armed with authority, having the law on his side, and the King to his friend?"* During the six years he occupied the Archiepiscopal throne he deprived, silenced, and admonished above three hundred ministers.

After the conference it was found that there were seventy-one Suffolk ministers, and twenty-eight (ministers in Norfolk, who could not subscribe.

Whilst some of the Puritans were petitioning a pedantic king, and attending a mock conference which was never intended to result in any measure of relief to tender consciences, others were developing into christians of a stronger and perhaps a sterner type.

The Puritans generally " would have healed Babylon;" it was their great desire to do so; but they found, what all reformers in all ages have found, that the object of their desire was unattainable—" She is not healed." Others, seeing this, and impelled by the logic of events, took the only step that was open to them; they said, let us "Forsake her and go every one into his own country." Fer. ii. 9.

In the year 1604, the CONSTITUTIONS AND CANONS of the Church were settled in convocation, and, without receiving the assent of Parliament, were issued on the strength alone of the Royal Supremacy. The Ecclesiastical authorities and the High Commission Court decided questions affecting the liberties and property of the people according to these Canons. It is necessary therefore that some allusion should be made to those which had a particular bearing upon our subject; and we give those numbered from II. to XII.

II. The King's Supremacy.

Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the King's Majesty hath not the same authority in causes Ecclesiastical that the godly kings had among

* Wilson in Kennet's History.

the Jews, and Christian Emperors of the primitive Church, or impeach any part of his Royal Supremacy in the said causes restored to the crown, and by the laws of this realm therein established: Let him be excommunicated ipso facto, and not restored, but only by the Archbishop, after his repentance and public revocation of those his wicked errors.

III. The Church of England a true and Apostolical Church. Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the Church of England by law established under the King's Majesty, is not a true and an Apostolical Church, teaching and maintaining the doctrine of the Apostles: Let him be excommunicated, &c. (as before).

IV. Impugners of the public worship of God, established in the Church of England, censured.

Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the form of God's worship in the Church of England, established by law, and contained in the Book of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments, is a corrupt, superstitious, or unlawful worship of God, or containeth anything in it that is repugnant to the Scriptures: Let him be excommunicated, &c. (as before). V. Impugners of the Articles censured

Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that any of the nine and thirty Articles agreed upon by the Archbishops and Bishops of both provinces, and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the year of our Lord God, one thousand five hundred sixty-two, for avoiding diversities of opinions, and for the establishing of consent touching true religion, are in any part superstitious or erroneous, or such as he may not with a good conscience subscribe thereto : Let him be excommunicated, &c. (as before).

VI. Impugners of the Rites and Ceremonies censured.

Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, by law established, are wicked, anti-christian, or superstitious, or such as being commanded by lawful authority, men who are zealously and godly affected, may not with any good conscience approve them, use them, or as occasion requireth, subscribe unto them: Let him be excommunicated, &c. (as before).

VII. Impugners of the Government of the Church censured.

Whosoever shall hereafter affirm that the government of the Church of England under his Majesty by Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Archdeacons, and the rest that bear office in the same, is anti-christian, or repugnant to the word of God: Let him be excommunicated, &c. (as before). VIII. Impugners of the form of Consecrating and Ordering Archbishops, Bishops, &c.

Whosoever shall hereafter affirm or teach that the form and manner of making and consecrating Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, containeth any