The Dissenters' sixth reason being too slender to be mentioned, I shall proceed to the bishop's resolution of the case, who, after having examined the objections and debated the question, subscribed the lawfulness in these terms:

"Ministri in ecclesia Anglicana, in qua Dei beneficio pura Christi doctrina, et fidei evangelicæ prædicatio jam viget, quæque manifestam detestationem antichristianismi publice profitetur, sine impietate uti possunt vestium discrimine publica authoritate jam prescripto, tum in administratione sacra, tum in usu externo, modo omnis cultus, et necessitatis opinio amoveatur."

ELIZA

BETH.

and other

divines.

This determination was subscribed by the archbishop of 4 resolution subscribed by Canterbury; by the bishops of London, Winchester, and Ely; the bishops, by Dr. Robinson, chaplain to Parker, and afterwards bishop of Bangor; by Bickley, another of the archbishop's chaplains, afterwards bishop of Chichester, and one Hill. Two other divines, who seem willing to conceal their names under the letters "N. N." subscribed with this qualifying clause : "Modo omnis cultus opinio et necessitatis amoveatur, eorumque quibus persuasum non est, ratio, juxta charitatis regulam a divo Paulo prescriptam, habeatur1."

Nowel, dean of St. Paul's, went farther towards the Dis- Nowel's senters; he granted the lawfulness of the habit, but moved exceptions. against the wearing it, for fear it might open a way to farther abuses. His second reason was for a stronger declaration against superstition. Thirdly, that the liberty of the Christian religion might be more fully asserted; and, Fourthly, to put an end to the disputes with their brethren. The relaxing part of his opinion begins with these words: "Optamus tamen hoc vestium discrimen propter has causas tolli ;" and then his four reasons already related follow. In short, he refused to subscribe, unless his opinion might stand at length without alteration.

Humphreys and Sampson subscribed the bishop's determi- Humphrey's and Sampnation, but in an equivocating, or rather dissenting manner. son's equivoThey seem to allow the lawfulness of wearing the habit; but cating subthen believing it wanted the recommendation of expediency, they declined using it. Their subscription stands thus ::

That all controversy concerning dress and its necessity might cease, and that men's practice in such questionable points should be left free, according to St. Paul's rule of charity.

scription.

"Omnia mihi licent, sed non omnia expediunt. Omnia mihi licent, sed non omnia edificant.

"LAURENTIUS HUMPHREDUS.

THOS. SAMPSON."

October the second, the funeral of Ferdinand II. emperor of Germany, was celebrated with great solemnity in St. Paul's, London. The marquess of Winchester was chief mourner, and represented the queen; the archbishop of Canterbury, the bishop of London, the bishop of Rochester, the dean of St. Paul's, together with the whole chapter, made part of the appearance. Besides these, there was a considerable number of quality belonging to the court.

The sermon was preached by Grindal, bishop of London. In his discourse, he touched first upon this prince's royal ancestors, and the lustre of his genealogy. "He mentions his advances from archduke of Austria to king of Bohemia and the Romans; from thence to the crown of Hungary; and at last to the German empire; from hence, he proceeds to commend him for his abilities and moral qualifications. He represents him as a lover of justice and truth, that he was remarkable for clemency, temper, and condescension; that he was well-skilled in Latin, and most other languages of Christendom; that he was particularly eminent for three virtues :First, for his martial fortitude, and supporting the war against the Ottoman infidels, those sworn enemies of the Christian name. Secondly, for his peaceable disposition towards the princes of Christendom. It was not his method to project the enlarging his empire with the effusion of Christian blood. He brought no armies into the field, nor embroiled the empire upon pretence of religion: he made it his endeavour to keep a good understanding amongst the princes of the empire, and settled the public repose. And thus he left Germany in a better condition, both for men and money, than it had been for one hundred years before. Thirdly, he dilates upon the sobriety of his private life, and his keeping true to the engagements of marriage. And for this he declares God had blessed him with a numerous and promising issue. At last, he commends him for moderation of principle, and being far from a bigot to the court of Rome. He takes notice, this emperor promised the electors never to be crowned by the pope; that

BETH.

he made his word good, and reigned all along with this liberty; ELIZAthat his ambassador made a speech in the council of Trent, for granting the laity the communion under both kinds. And, Printed by to conclude, the bishop added, that in August last past, he John Day. saw a letter from a good hand, that this emperor Ferdinand, not long before his death, gave all the subjects of his hereditary dominions the liberty of receiving the cup."

From this honourable character of a Roman Catholic emperor, and from the part managed by him in this solemnity, it is plain Grindal was no Precisian, no Protestant of Knox's complexion.

To go back a little, and say something of Scotland:

The queen of Scots had now resolved to marry the lord Darnley, son to the earl of Lennox. This young nobleman was recommended from several regards. He was of the royal blood, and stood next the queen on the line. This, beside the advantage of his person and temper, was looked on as a consideration of weight; for if he should happen to match into one of the greatest families of England, it was to be feared the queen of Scots' succession to that kingdom might be somewhat embarrassed. Besides, her marrying the lord Darnley, born in England, would be a compliance with queen Elizabeth's motion, who advised her to marry some Englishman. That a business of this nature might be concluded with general satisfaction, a convention was summoned to Sterling. The majority of the estates voted for the marriage without making any exception to the queen's choice. None made any opposition, excepting Andrew, lord Ochiltrey, who took the freedom to protest, "he would never consent to admit a king of the popish religion."

The assent of the estates being published, the duke of Chatelherault, the earl of Murray, and three other noblemen of the same quality, formed an association to prevent the marriage, pretending danger and public inconvenience might follow upon it. The burghers of Edinburgh broke out in a mutiny, and ran to arms. The queen proclaimed the chief incendiaries rebels; but afterwards restored their effects, and gave them her pardon.

499.

Spotswood.

at Edin

At this time there was an assembly of the Church at Edin- An assembly burgh. Secretary Lethington opened the meeting with a burgh, speech. He told them, the liberty of conscience they enjoyed ought to be reckoned a great blessing, and that the queen's

A. D. 1564.

PARKER, allowing them their religion, though different from her own, Abp. Cant. was a proof of a gracious administration; that this favour called for a return, and that the ministers, especially, were obliged to promote her majesty's interest, and recommend themselves to her good opinion; and, lastly, that their disagreeing in the form of prayer for her majesty was a thing of ill consequence. He desired them all to be very careful and inoffensive upon these heads; and, particularly, John Knox was requested to soften his prayer for the queen, and make his doctrine touching obedience to sovereigns more unexceptionable. As for his prayer, it was extremely shocking and coarse. To give the reader a little of it :

Knox's lame defence of his prayer

and doctrine.

"O Lord, if thy good pleasure be, purge the heart of the queen's majesty from the venom of idolatry, and deliver her from the bondage and thraldom of Satan, into the which she has been brought up, and yet remains, for the lack of true doctrine.And that this realm may also escape that plague and vengeance which inevitably follows idolatry."

Knox maintaining his practice and opinion, Lethington argued with him upon this subject. Knox justified his coarse usage of the queen by resembling freedoms taken by the prophets in the Old Testament. Now, unless Knox was a prophet, he had no privilege for that liberty, by his own reasoning. If he was a prophet, he ought to have proved his mission by prediction and miracles. But this was a test, Hist. Ref. of I presume, he had not assurance enough to be tried by.

Scotland.

p. 382. et deinc.

Knox had argued with Lethington to a considerable length, and endeavoured to prove, from several instances in the Old Testament, that princes may be treated with the last degree of freedom upon occasion; and, more than that, called to an account and punished for mal-administration. After he had misconstrued and misapplied several texts, he concluded, with the utmost assurance, that he had made good these five Knox's three things, which I shall set down in his own words: "First, That subjects have delivered an innocent from the hands of their king, and therefore [or in doing so] offended not God; secondly, that subjects have refused to strike innocents when the king commanded, and in so doing denied no just obedience; thirdly, that such as struck at the commandment of the king were reputed murderers; fourthly, that God has not only of a subject made a king, but also he armed subjects against their natural king, and commanded them to take vengeance upon

treasonable

assertions.

BETH.

him according to his law; fifthly, and lastly, that God's people ELIZAhave executed God's law against their king, having no farther regard to him in that behalf than if he had been the most simple subject in the realm." To which he adds, that God's people not only may take the liberty of such executions, but they are bound to it, where the same crimes are committed, and when God has given them the same power. The second and third of Knox's propositions may hold, in some cases; but the other three are scandalous, and subversive of all government.

After Knox had delivered himself in this extraordinary manner, Mr. John Dowglass, rector of St. Andrew's, being required to declare his opinion, referred himself to the superintendant of Fife, as being of the same sentiment. They both agreed, that, in case the queen opposed the Reformation, the nobility and estates might lawfully resist her; but, as to her religion, though they knew there was idolatry in it, yet whether her highness might be barred the exercise of it by force, was farther than they could affirm at present. Some of the nobility concurred with this suspension of judgment; but others were bolder in their resolution, and declared, without hesitancy or reserve, that the mass ought to be every where suppressed, and that, to deny the queen the liberty of such devotions, was no more injury to her majesty than if they should snatch a glass of poison from her against her will. When master John Craig, a preacher at Edinburgh, was called upon to give his judgment, he premised a protestation, that nothing delivered should affect the freedom of the general assembly. After this he made a report of a determination in the university of Bononia upon a solemn occasion. It was made at a general chapter of the Black Friars, in the year 1554, Craig being then present. The proposition maintained and determined for was this: "All rulers, be they supreme or A determiinferior, may and ought to be reformed, or bridled (to speak moderately), by them by whom they are chosen, confirmed, or admitted to their office, so oft as they break that promise made by oath to their subjects, because that the prince is no less bound by oath to the subjects than are the subjects to the prince; and, therefore, it ought to be kept and reformed equally, according to law and condition of the oath that is made of either party." And here, to make the application Id. p. 397, serviceable, Knox and his brethren must take it for granted,

nation at Bononia.

et deine.