dency. The Brownists had never died out in England,* and the rigid puritans had perpetuated their principles far beyond the range of Jacob's influence, whose church still existed in London. Moreover, the intercourse with Holland and New England kept alive the agitation of church questions, and led many of the most thoughtful minds of the day to embrace the views of the Independents. The parties now referred to, both presbyterians and congregationalists, were evangelical in doctrine, and deeply concerned to diffuse the gospel, without conforming to the church. They accomplished their object by becoming chaplains in the families of the noble or wealthy, and by lecturing in the parish churches. The enormous wealth of the members of the House of Commons, lately dissolved, may serve to show how many families there were in the kingdom that could afford to maintain private chaplains; and the high religious and intellectual character of some of those families, evinced in the history of these times, affords equal proof of the beneficial results attending the system. In many instances, however, the addition of a lectureship to a chaplaincy was felt to be advantageous. The maintenance was thereby improved, and the usefulness of the minister extended. It was becoming a somewhat common thing for a man of piety and learning to seek out such a mode of life as was thus provided for; and some of the most zealous and popular preachers of the day were those who had leisure, in the bosom of godly families, to prepare the sermon for the Sunday afternoon. The care of the parish and the reading of the common prayer generally devolved upon the parochial clergyman, who, in too many instances, was willing to obtain assistance to any extent and on the easiest terms. Thus there was little obligation on the part of the lecturer; and his position was as favourable as possible for the formation of an independent opinion on matters of theology and church government. Neither was there much scrupulousness on the part of the parochial clergy generally, in respect to the mode in which the lecturer acquitted himself, so long as he was acceptable with the parish. Some, therefore, found themselves at liberty to preach the gospel with as much freedom as if they had been living in better times, and dispensed with the attire prescribed by the rubric, in favour of the Geneva cloak, without fear of rebuke.*

This state of things could not escape the observation of Laud. He detected the kind of influence attached to it, in relation not only to the people who flocked to hear the popular preacher, but also to the class of men for whom a provision was thereby secured. He was keen enough to perceive that puritanism had its strong-hold in this extraparochial and extra-hierarchical system. He deter

* Heylin (Life of Laud, p. 198) complains of the "multitude of irregular lecturers, both in city and country, whose work it was to undermine as well the doctrine as the government of the church."

mined, therefore, to give it a death-blow. This was attempted in the following manner. Conjointly with Harsnet, Archbishop of York, he induced the king to issue certain "Instructions to the most Reverend Father in God, George, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, containing certain orders to be observed and put in execution by the several bishops in his province."* These instructions were, in part, to the following effect :

1. That in all parishes the afternoon sermons be turned into catechizing by question and answer, where there is not some great cause to break this ancient and profitable order.

2. That every lecturer read Divine service before lecture in his surplice and hood.

3. That where there are lectures in market towns, they be read by grave and orthodox divines, residing in the same diocese; and that they preach in gowns and not in cloaks, as too many do use.

4. That no lecturer, though appointed by a corporation, be permitted to preach, that is not ready and willing to take upon him a living with cure of souls.

5. That the bishops take order, that the sermons of the lecturers be observed.

6. That none under noblemen and men qualified by law, keep a private chaplain.

7. That care be taken, that the prayers and catechizings be frequented, as well as sermons.

These instructions were necessarily forwarded to the bishops, and an annual return was required. Archbishop Abbot was reluctant to enforce the mandate, and even ventured to restore some who had been suspended by its operation; and the bishops generally were tardy in their compliance, on account of the disaffection it was likely to produce, and the other matters mixed up with it bearing hard as they thought upon themselves.* But Laud and the court bishops acted upon it immediately, and with all strictness. Many lecturers were suspended, and not a few of the more regular ministers were deprived. † The puritan and independent party remonstrated in vain. The reign of persecution had again set in. Resolved to do "his duty," Laud was unrelenting, and in the prosecution of his "holy purposes" overlooked every humane consideration.‡

In connexion with the system of lecturing, another and supplementary plan, for providing evangelical and zealous lecturers, had for some years been followed by the leaders of the puritan party. So far back as the Hampton Court Conference in 1604, the puritans had complained that the tithes which should have gone to the maintenance of a godly clergy, were in many instances paid to laymen for no service whatever, under the name of "lay impropriations;" and they had petitioned that a "seventh part" of these

* Heylin's Life of Laud, p. 201.

† Neal mentions the name of some of the principal (i. 541).

Heylin, p. 202. Hume's Hist. of England, An. 1630. The two phrases quoted in the text are from the above-mentioned authors respectively. The continuator of Mackintosh's Hist. of England, besides being inaccurate, seems to have lost scent here. Hobbes, Hume, and Clarendon, appear to be his choice authorities for the puritan character. Alas, for the historian who has no See Carlyle's Cromwell, vol. i.

principles or the wrong ones.

p. 11-15, for something better. VOL. III.

I

tithes, at least, might be devoted to the support of ministers in districts that were destitute of spiritual instruction. The petition having been refused, in the course of time it occurred to some of the puritan leaders that, by the purchase of these lay impropriations, they might attain their object without any interference with the supposed rights of the laymen in whose hands they then were. Dr. Preston, a "famous man" in those days, Dr. Gouge, Dr. Sibbs, and Dr. Offspring, together with some wealthy merchants, chiefly in London, took the matter up with spirit, and funds of large and increasing extent were subscribed for the purpose. The consequence was, that many parts of the country were supplied with devoted and enterprizing ministers, whose labours were universally acceptable, and in many instances highly successful.* The scheme, however, was looked upon by the court clergy as irregular, and inimical to their despotic aims; and proceedings which pended for some years, were instituted against the trustees, at the instigation of Laud. Although the law finally declared against them, the plan was too popular to be entirely given up.† Cromwell's letter to Mr. Storie is not only a proof of this, but expresses the sentiments of those who embarked in this laudable enterprise. "Building of hos