BETH. 523. yet, afterwards, he came again, and told him that he should ELIZA live. It is the nature of the godly, when they know further of God's will revealed, they are not ashamed to tell it, and amend it. The Lord knoweth what great imperfection is in the holiest. David had a great zeal in bringing home the ark; yet he failed in the means. Gideon made an ephod; it was the destruction of his house. Uzzah, in touching the ark, did not well; for God will not have man's devices in his business, but obedience to his word. Jeroboam's policy, in setting up the calves, the Lord despised it. The altar that Achaz would have in Samaria, it was to garnish the temple; and a fairer altar than the first, was a jolly show for worldly men, desiring always outward things to please their senses. a new altar, and was reproved for it," &c. Manasses built This is sufficient to give a sketch of the performance, the rest, which I have omitted, runs in the same strain. The address, it is probable, was honestly intended; but notwithstanding this air of sincerity and concern, the man had no talent for logic and close thinking; his reasonings are incoherent, and his instances foreign to his purpose. In September, this year, Gilbert Bourn, late bishop of Bath and Wells, departed this life. He was a person of good learning, of a gentle unpersecuting temper, and recovered several estates to his see which had been sacrilegiously wrested from it. After his being deprived for refusing the oath of supremacy, he was committed to the custody of the dean of Exeter, where he was well used. Strype's Godwin de In the latter end of this year the earl of Murray, regent of Angl. Scotland, was pistolled as he rode through Lithgow, and died The earl of Murray of the wound. He was shot by one Hamilton, upon a private assassinated. quarrel. This gentleman, who was in the queen's interest, had been imprisoned by Murray, and menaced with execution; and at last he was glad to make his peace by parting with an estate to one of Murray's dependants. His wife, by whom this estate came, fell distracted upon the loss. Hamilton, being enraged with this usage, broke prison, and assassinated Murray. After this, he made his escape into France; and being taken notice of for a bold enterprising person, he was solicited to repeat the same practice upon admiral Coligny. But he refused the service, and told them, he had no warrant PARKER, from Scotland to murder in France; and that though he had Abp. Cant. taken satisfaction for the injury done to himself, he should not engage engage this way upon any motive in other men's disputes. Cambden, As to the character of the earl of Murray, it is differently drawn. Those who overturned the government and forced the queen to resign, commended him for suppressing Popery, for preserving the young prince, for the justice of his administration, for his bounty to men of learning, and particularly to Buchanan. On the other side, the queen's friends, who were the loyal party, loaded his memory. They made him no better than a hypocrite in religion; that he pretended a zeal for the Reformation only to carry on his designs of sacrilege, and to enrich himself and his favourites with the church-lands; that he had been shamefully ungrateful to the queen his sister, and insulted the disadvantage of her sex; and that there was little reason to expect that he who had used the mother thus barbarously, would have ever proved true to the son. The queen of Scots was troubled at the news of his being thus suddenly taken off; she lamented his not having time to recollect Cambden, himself, and repent his misbehaviour to his prince and country. The assembly of the Church at Edinburgh published an abhorrence of the regent's murder, and ordered the assassin should be declared excommunicated in all the chief boroughs of the kingdom; and that whoever afterwards were convicted of being either principal or accessary, should lie under the same censure. At this meeting, amongst other regulations for discipline, an act passed for the public inauguration of ministers. This solemnity was designed to tie them to their functions, and keep them from rambling into foreign professions; for it seems some of them had deserted from the pulpit to the Spotswood's bar, and pleaded before the lords of session. Ibid. Hamilton excommuni cuted by the assembly. A. D. 1570. Church Hist. Upon the death of Murray, the earls of Arran, Argyle, and Huntley, with some other noblemen, attempted to restore the queen, published a proclamation in her majesty's name, and summoned a parliament, to be held at Lithgow, in August following; but, by queen Elizabeth's assistance, this party was overborne, and the earl of Lennox, the young prince's grandId. p. 241. father, declared regent. The Church held a general assembly in Edinburgh at the same time and here one Mr. James Carmitchel, master of the school of St. Andrew's, preferred an information against BETH. 1570. Mr. Robert Hambleton, minister of the city. The charge re- ELIZAlated to some points of doctrine delivered by Hambleton in the pulpit. The articles are not particularly mentioned. But in July 11, the sixth session of this assembly, Mr. James Mackgill, clerk of the register: M. John Bellanden, of Aucknoule, justice clerk; and Mr. Archibald Dowglass, one of the lords of the college of justice, were sent from the chancellor and council to require them "to forbear deciding anything upon the matter in hand; that the king's authority was concerned in the case; that some of the articles bordered upon treason; and that things of this nature belong to the cognizance of the nobility and council." Notwithstanding this restraint, the message gave them liberty to proceed in the management of such things as lay within the verge of their jurisdiction. excommuni This order was thought reasonable, and agreed to by the MS. Acts of Church. In the same assembly, Mr. David Lindsey and Mr. the Assem bly, fol. 433. Andrew Hay were commissioned to solicit the duke of Cha- Spotswood. The assembly telherault, the earls of Argyle, Eglinton, and Cassils, the lord threatens to Boyd, and other barons and gentlemen in the west parts, to cate the quit the queen's interest. The laird of Dun had another re- lords in the sembling commission to gain the earl of Crawford, the lord terest. Ogilvy, and their abettors in Angus. And here they had instructions to add menaces to persuasion, and to acquaint these noblemen, &c. that in case they did not return to the king's obedience, the sword of excommunication should be drawn, and the thunder of the Church discharged upon them. queen's in Ibid. As to state matters, the regent's party, by countenance of the English court, gained upon their enemies, and with other advantages surprised the castle of Dunbarton. There were several persons of quality in this place, and amongst others, John Hamilton, archbishop of St. Andrew's, who was afterwards conveyed The archbishop of St. to Stirling, and executed on a gibbet set up for that purpose. Andrew's He was the first bishop that suffered by forms of justice in executed. this kingdom. As to his character, he had a competent share of learning, a good head for business, and was of an enterprising temper. The ignominy of his death was much censured, as very unsuitable to his quality and station; but his lying under a suspicion of encouraging the murder of the king and regent, made him fall unpitied by the generality. It is said that, being questioned for the regent's murder, he confessed he might have prevented it for some time at least, and 524. PARKER, was sorry for not doing what lay in his power; but as to the Abp. Cant. king's death, he denied his being the least guilty in that matter. But this relation seems somewhat without ground; for it is certain the archbishop moved earnestly for a trial, and was refused; but the regent's parliament had declared him a rebel, and for this he suffered, without other formalities: and to make sure of him, his execution was hurried, for fear queen Elizabeth should interpose for his rescue. Id. p. 252. The regent having summoned a parliament to meet at Edinburgh, the duke of Chatelherault, the earls of Argyle and Huntley, the lords Herris, Boyd, and others, who stood for the queen, marched hither. And here, to prevent the meeting of the estates, they ordered the clerks to deliver up the council-books and records of parliament, and seized everything which they conceived might make the meeting impracticable. The ministers were likewise commanded to pray publicly for the queen as their sovereign; but this order was disobeyed by ministers re- Knox, and the rest. And here, setting aside the debate of for the queen the question, not examining whether they were right or wrong, The Kirk fuse to pray as their sovereign. The queen's declaration published in the Starchamber. The Roman Catholics come to church for nine or ten years together. I cannot help commending them for the consistency of their practice. They might be rebels, but it is certain they were no hypocrites; they had courage to maintain their sentiment, to face the danger, and stand the event. To return to England: the queen, notwithstanding the provocations from the court of Rome, was willing to screen the Roman Catholics from unnecessary persecutions, and assure them of her protection upon peaceable behaviour. To this purpose, the secretary had directions to draw a declaration in her majesty's name, to be published by the lord keeper in the star-chamber. The substance of it was- "That whereas certain rumours had been spread, that her majesty intended to make inquiry into the consciences of her subjects, and examine them strictly in matters of belief, she would have them understand that these reports were altogether groundless, and suggestions of malice or mistake; for though some persons have been lately brought before her majesty's council, and questioned in matters of religion; yet this trouble was altogether occasioned by their own misbehaviour; it was because they had broke the laws; because they declined coming to church to common prayer and divine service, as they had usually done for nine or ten years together: and that, unless BETH. they had broke off their conformity and lived in open con- ELIZAtempt of her majesty's laws, they had never been in the least molested. "The queen, therefore, warns all her subjects not to entertain any jealousies of rigour, nor give credit to false reports: for that it is not her intention to press into the retirements of conscience; but that all who conform to her laws shall be looked on as good subjects, and treated accordingly." attacks the Church in at Cam While the government was watching the motions of the Roman Catholics, and standing upon their guard against the court of Rome, the Puritans gained ground another way. Under the favour of this juncture they started new scruples, beat out their scheme farther, and played their force against the Church; for now more objections were advanced, and the breach made wider. The habit of the clergy, and the sign of the cross, were formerly the only things they stuck at: but now their consciences grew more narrow and perplexed: now they came forward in their demands of Reformation, and attacked the government of the Church. These malcontents were numerous in the university of Cambridge, and headed by Thomas Cartwright, already mentioned. This man, at his Cartwright return from Geneva, had a strong party in the university, inso- government much that, upon Dr. William Chaderton's resignation of the of the divinity lecture, founded by the lady Margaret, Cartwright his lectures succeeded in the chair. And here he managed in a very hete- bridge. rodox manner; and, as Chaderton wrote to chancellor Cecil, read dangerous lectures, and maintained opinions intolerable in a Christian commonwealth. Cartwright was now fellow of Trinity College, where there was one Chapman, who at a divinity act denied Christ's descent into hell, and asserted the unlawfulness of having two livings. About this time one Some's inSome, another of Cartwright's party, preached a sermon at St. discourse. Mary's against non-residence and pluralities. In this discourse he threw out several scandalous assertions against the government, both in Church and State. With reference to the State, he declared the queen's laws not only permitted, but enacted a great many damnable and devilish things. As to the Church, he declaimed against the court of Faculties, and called it a devilish and detestable regulation, and that he hoped to see it pulled down. 2. The episcopal function he liked well enough, but the modern method of election displeased him: and besides, I i VOL. VI. temperate |