majesty at York, and by a third from the city of London. The king finding it impossible to carry on the war, appointed commissioners to treat with the Scots at Rippon, who agreed to a cessation of arms for two months, from the 26th of October, the Scots to have 8501. a day for maintenance of their army; and the treaty to be adjourned to London, where a free parliament was immediately to be convened. The calling an English parliament was the grand affair that had been concerted with the Scots before their coming into England; and it was high time; because to all appearance this was the last crisis for saving the constitution. If the Irish and English armies were raised to reduce Scotland, under the arbitrary power of the prerogative (as lord Clarendon confesses), what could be expected, but that afterward they should march back into England, and establish the same despotic power here, with a standing army, beyond all recovery?

Sad and melancholy was the condition of the prime-ministers, when they saw themselves reduced to the necessity of submitting their conduct to the examination of an English parliament, supported by an army from Scotland, and the general discontents of the people! Several of the courtiers began to shift for themselves; some withdrew from the storm, and others, having been concerned in various illegal projects, deserted their masters, and made their peace by discovering the king's counsels to the leading members of parliament, which disabled the junto from making any considerable efforts for their safety. All men had a veneration for the person of the king, though his majesty had lost ground in their affections by his ill-usage of parliaments, and by taking the faults of his ministers upon himself. But the queen was in no manner of esteem with any who had the Protestant religion, and the liberties of their country, at heart. The bishops had sunk their character by their behaviour in the spiritual courts, so that they had nothing to expect but that their wings should be clipped. And the judges were despised and hated, for betraying the laws of their country, and giving a sanction to the illegal proceedings of the council and star-chamber. As his majesty had few friends of credit or interest among the people at home, so he had nothing to expect from abroad; France and Spain were pleased with his distress; the foreign Pro

testants wished well to the oppressed people of England; they published their resentments against the bishops, for their hard usage of the Dutch and French congregations, and gave it as their opinion, that a Protestant king who countenanced Papists, and at the same time drove his Protestant subjects out of the kingdom, was not worthy the assistance of the reformed churches, especially after he had renounced communion with them, and declared openly, that the religion of the church of England was not the same with that of the foreign Protestants.

Three considerable divines of a very different character died about this time; Mr. John Ball, educated in Brazennose college, Oxon, and afterward minister of Whitmore, a small village near Newcastle in Staffordshire, where he lived upon 201. a year, and the profits of a little school. He was a learned and pious man, deserving as high esteem, says Mr. Baxter, as the best bishop in England, though he was content with a poor house, a mean habit, and a small maintenance. Being dissatisfied with the terms of conformity, it was some time before he could meet with an opportunity to be ordained without subscription, but at last he obtained it from the hands of an Irish bishop, then occasionally in London; though he lived and died a Nonconformist, he was an enemy to a separation, and wrote against Mr. Can and Mr. Robinson upon that head. His last work, entitled, "A stay against straying," was subscribed by five most noted Presbyterian divines, who all testified that he died abundantly satisfied in the cause of nonconformity, which he distinguished from separation. His other works were very numerous, and of great reputation in those times. He died October 20, 1640, in the fifty-sixth year of his age.*

Dr. Lawrence Chadderton, born in Lancashire 1546, of Popish parents, who, when they heard their son had changed his religion, disinherited him; he was first fellow of Christ's college, and afterward minister of Emanuel-college, Cambridge. King James nominated him one of the four representatives of the Puritans in the Hampton-court conference; and afterward one of the translators of the Bible.t He commenced D. D. 1612, and governed his college with great reputation many years, being remarkable for gravity, learn* Clarke's Lives annexed to his General Martyrology, p. 147. + Ibid. p. 146,

ing, and piéty; he had a plain but effectual way of preaching, says Fuller,* having a strict regard for the sabbath, and a great aversion to Arminianism. He was a fine greyheaded old gentleman, and could read without spectacles to his death, which happened in the hundred and third year of his age. Being advanced in years, and afraid of being succeeded by an Arminian divine, he resigned his mastership to Dr. Preston, whom he survived; and saw Dr. Sancroft, and after him Dr. Holdisworth succeed him, which last attended his funeral at St. Andrew's church, and gave him a large and deserved commendation in a funeral sermon.

Dr. Richard Neile, archbishop of York, born in Kingstreet, Westminster, of mean parents, his father being a tallowchandler. He was educated in St. John's college, Cambridge, and passed through all the degrees and orders of preferment in the church of England, having been a schoolmaster, curate, vicar, parson, chaplain, master of the Savoy, dean of Westminster, clerk of the closet to two kings, bishop of Rochester, Litchfield, Lincoln, Durham, Winchester; and lastly, archbishop of York. The Oxford historian says, he was an affectionate subject to his prince, an indulgent father to his clergy, a bountiful patron to his chaplains, and a true friend to all that relied upon him. Dr. Heylin confesses, that he was not very eminent either for parts or learning; Mr. Prynne says, he was a Popish Arminian prelate, and a persecutor of all orthodox and godly ministers. It is certain he had few or none of the qualifications of a primitive bishop; he hardly preached a sermon in twelve years, and gained his preferments by flattery and servile court-compliances. He was a zealous advocate for pompous innovations in the church, and oppressive projects in the state, for which he would have felt the resentments of the house of commons, had he lived a little longer; but he died very seasonably for himself in an advanced age, October 31, 1640, three days before the meeting of the long parliament.

[To the divines to whose memory Mr. Neal pays the just tribute of respect in this chapter, may be added the great Mr. Joseph Mede. He was descended from a good family, and born in October 1586, at Berden in Essex. He received his grammar learning first at Hoddesdon, in Hert

* Book 2. p. 118.

fordshire, and finished it at Weathersfield in Essex. While he was at this last school, he bought Bellarmine's Hebrew grammar, and without the assistance of a master, attained considerable skill in the Hebrew tongue. In 1602 he was sent to Christ's college in Cambridge. In 1612 he took the degree of master of arts; and 1618, that of bachelor in divinity; but his modesty and humility restrained him from taking the degree of doctor. After taking the first degree, by the influence of bishop Andrews he was chosen fellow of his college: having been passed over at several elections, as one suspected of favouring Puritanical principles. In 1627, at the recommendation of archbishop Usher, he was elected provost of Trinity-college, Dublin, but declined accepting this preferment; as he did also, when it was offered him a second time in 1630. On the small income of his fellowship and a college-lecture he was extremely generous and charitable; and constantly appropriated a tenth of it to charitable uses. Temperance, frugality, and a care to avoid unnecessary expenses, enabled him to do this. His thoughts were much employed on the generous design of effecting a universal pacification amongst Protestants. It was a favourite saying with him, "that he never found himself prone to change his hearty affections to any one, for mere difference in opinion." He was a friend to free inquiry: "I cannot believe (said he) that truth can be prejudiced by the discovery of truth; but I fear that the maintenance thereof by fallacy or falsehood may not end with a blessing." He was an eminent and faithful tutor. It was his custom to require the attendance of his pupils in the evening, to examine them on the studies of the day; the first question he then proposed to every one in his order was, "Quid dubitas?" What doubts have you met with in your studies to day? For he supposed that to doubt nothing, and to understand nothing, was nearly the same thing. Before he dismissed them to their lodgings, after having solved their questions, he commended them and their studies to God's protection and blessing by prayer. He was anxious and laborious in his study of history and antiquities, and diligently applied every branch of knowledge to increase his skill in the sacred writings. He led the way in shewing that Papal Rome was one principal object of the Apocalyptic visions; and was the first who suggested the sentiments since espoused and de

fended by the pens of Lardner, Sykes, and Farmer, that the demoniacs in the New Testament were not real possessions, but persons afflicted with a lunacy and epilepsy. His days were spent in studious retirement. He died on the 1st of October 1638, in the fifty-second year of his age. In 1677, a complete edition of his works was published in folio by Dr. Worthington. British Biography, vol. 4. p. 446→ 452, and his life prefixed to his works.-ED.]

CHAP. VII.

KING CHARLES I. 1640.

THEIR

THE CHARACTER OF THE LONG PARLIAMENT. ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE LATE CONVOCATION AND CANONS. THE IMPEACHMENT OF DR. WILLIAM LAUD, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. VOTES OF THE HOUSE. OF COMMONS AGAINST THE PROMOTERS OF THE LATE INNOVATIONS.

We are now entering upon the proceedings of the long parliament, which continued sitting with some litte intermission for above eighteen years, and occasioned such prodigious revolutions in church and state, as were the surprise and wonder of all Europe. The house of commons have been severely censured for the ill success of their endeavours to recover and secure the constitution of their country; but the attempt was glorious, though a train of unforeseen. accidents rendered it fatal in the event. The members consisted chiefly of country gentlemen, who had no attachment to the court; for, as Whitelocke observes, "Though the court laboured to bring in their friends, yet those who had most favour with them, had least in the country; and it was not a little strange to see what a spirit of opposition to the courtproceedings was in the hearts and actions of most of the people, so that very few of that party had the favour of being chosen members of this parliament."* Mr. Echard insinuates some unfair methods of election, which might be true on both sides; but both he and lord Clarendon admit,

* Memorials, p. 35.