IV. BOOK putation in the October of this year at a church in Lombard Street, against the establishment of the universities, and the maintenance of a national clergy. 1653. Barbone's parliament It appears to be a matter of considerable doubt, accused. how far the principles of which these men were the advocates, obtained in the assembly commonly called Barbone's parliament. Clarendon says, that in the whole period of their sitting, they never entered into any grave and serious debate that might tend to a settlement, but generally expressed themselves with great sharpness and animosity, against the clergy, and against all learning. He affirms, that they were "generally a pack of weak, senseless fellows, fit only to bring the name of a parliament into utter contempt, and that much the major part of them consisted of inferior persons of no quality or name, artificers of the meanest trades, known only by their gifts in praying and preaching." He adds ", "They had a quarrel against all who called themselves ministers, and thought fit that the function should be abolished altogether. And that there might not for time to come be any race of people who might revive those pretences, they proposed, that Athenæ Oxonienses, Vol. II, p. 176. Erbery printed a scurrilous account of this dispute in a separate publication. VIII. 1653. all lands belonging to the universities, and col- CHAP. leges in those universities, might be sold, and the monies that should arise thereby, be disposed of for the public service, and to ease the people from the payment of taxes and contributions." The whole of this statement however seems to Vindicated. be one tissue of misrepresentations. As to the persons of whom the assembly was constituted, this is best answered by consulting the list of its members. The Journals exhibit the best and most satisfactory evidence respecting the subjects of their deliberations. There is no trace in them of any proposal for selling the lands belonging to the universities, or of any motion for putting down the national clergy. And they appear to have been occupied in the most important deliberations, and guided by the most enlightened views d. Baxter says, it was put to the vote, whether all parish-ministers should not be put down through the nation, that the best of them might be set up again in another way, and that this proposal was carried in the negative by two voices only. But of this also there is no trace in the Journals. And it is somewhat remarkable, that the last proceeding of the assembly, the question whether they should agree with their committee in a recommendation for the preserving of tithes, was carried in See above, Vol. III, P. 524. d Ibid, p. 570, et seqq. IV. BOOK the negative by a majority of two. It may be questioned whether Baxter did not confound this decision with the question for abolishing the parochial clergy. 1653. Prosperity of the uni versity. Proficiency of its stu The result of the different convulsions in the university of Oxford is stated with some fairness by Clarendon himself. He says, "It might reasonably be concluded, that this wild and barbarous depopulation would even extirpate all that learning and religion, which had so eminently flourished there, and that the succeeding ill-husbandry and unskilful cultivation would have made it fruitful only in ignorance, profanation, atheism, and rebellion. But, by God's wonderful blessing, the goodness and richness of the soil could not be made barren by all that stupidity and negligence. So that, after several tyrannical governments mutually succeeding each other, and with the same malice and perverseness endeavouring to extinguish all good literature and allegiance, it yielded a harvest of extraordinary good and sound knowledge in all parts of learning; insomuch as, when it pleased God to bring king Charles the Second back to his throne, he found it abounding in excellent learning." Wood indeed tells the story with some variadents. tion, and with more honesty. Speaking of Henry Stubbe, a scholar who had been introduced into See above, Vol. III, p. 576. Vol. III, p. 74. VIII. 1659. the university by the discernment and liberality CHAP. of Vane, he says", "While he continued under-graduate, it was usual with him to discourse in the public schools very fluently in the Greek tongue, as it was at the same with one John Pettie of Baliol, afterwards of Queen's College, and others, whose names are forgotten. But, since the king's Restoration, we have had no such matters, which shews in some part that education and discipline were more severe then than after, when scholars were given more to liberty and frivolous studies." The salutary changes which took place at this time in the university, are certainly greatly as cribable to Cromwel. Owen says, "Our chancellor was he, who appeared foremost in our defence. Again and again he protested, that he had only accepted that appointment, that he might discharge the duties annexed to it to their fullest extent. He, who had subdued the most barbarous enemies of our commonwealth, the wildest inhabitants of uncivilized Ireland, and the fierce clans of the Scottish Highlands, was best qualified to put to flight the lawless assailants of our honours and privileges. Providence had always appeared to cover him from every danger with its shield; from every peril of war he had come forth See above, Vol. III, p. 31, note. h Athenæ Oxonienses, Vol. II, p. 561. 1 Oratio Secunda. 1654. Merits of Cromwel in the affair. IV. BOOK unhurt and victorious; and now at length, it is to him principally, under God, that we stand indebted for the returning peace and prosperity of these seats of learning." 1654. Reflections. It must be admitted, that the language of Dell, Erbery and Webster, greatly resembles that of Christ and his apostles. Nor is it less true, that there is much chaff and lumber mingled with the learning of our universities. It may be doubted however, whether the humiliation and self-abasement of a primitive Christian, be a better thing than the lofty and soaring and independent spirit of a genuine republican, inspired with a sober confidence in his own resources, and little disposed to think of himself more humbly than the truth would bear him out. Such a man owns no one for his superior that is not above him in virtues or talents; and, even in presence of such a one, does not forget what is due to his own claims, as a thinking being endowed with the attributes of morality and conscience. Such a man is selfcentered; and, if he looks on another with reverence and honour, has also his demands for reverence and honour in return. At all events persons of sound judgment would be likely to regret the attempt, if attended with any degree of success, to abolish the languages and the learning of antiquity, and to induce men to cast into the gulph of oblivion, all the taste and art and invention, all the monuments of free |