the king came to the house of lords, and without sending for the commons or passing one single act, dissolved the parliament, with a very angry speech against the leading members of the lower house, whom he called vipers, that cast a mist of undutifulness over most of their eyes: "and 6 as those vipers (says his majesty) must look for their reward of punishment; so you, my lords, must justly expect 'from me that favor that a good king oweth to his loving ' and faithful nobility."* The undutifulness of the commons was only their keeping the speaker in the chair, after he had signified that the king had adjourned them, which his majesty had no power of doing, and no king before king James I. pretended to adjourn parliaments, and when he claimed that power, it was complained of as a breach of privilege. It is one thing to prorogue or dissolve a parliament, and another to adjourn it, the latter being the act of the house itself, and the consequence of vesting such a power in the crown might be very fatal; for if the king may adjourn the house in the midst of their debates, or forbid the speaker to put a question when required, it is easy to forsee the whole business of parliament must be under his direction. The members abovementioned were sentenced to be imprisoned during the king's pleasure; and were accordingly kept under close confinement many years, where Sir John Elliot died a martyr to the liberties of his country. Mr. Hollis was fined a thousand marks, Sir John Elliot two thousand pounds, Valentine five hundred pounds, and Long two thousand marks. Great were the murmurings of the people upon this occasion; libels were dispersed against the prime minister Laud; one of which says, Laud, look to thyself, be assured thy life * Rushworth, vol. i. p. 672. † Rapin, vol. ii. p. 279, folio edit. "An affecting portrait of this gentleman is now in the possession of lord Elliot. He is drawn pale, languishing, and emaciated; but disdaining to make the abject submission required of him by the tyrant, he expired under the excessive rigors of his confinement, leaving the por'trait as a legacy and memento to his posterity, and to mankind; who, in the contemplation of such enormities, have reason to rejoice VOL. II. When vengeance in the lucid air 'Lifts her red arm expos'd and bare." Belsham's Memoirs of the house of Brunswick 28 is sought. As thou art the fountain of wickedness, repent of thy monstrous sins before thou be taken out of this world; and assure thyself, neither God nor the world can endure such a vile counsellor or whisperer to live. But to justify these proceedings to the world, his majesty published a declaration of the causes of dissolving the last parliament. The declaration vindicates the king's taking the duties of tonnage and poundage, from the examples of some of his predecessors, and as agreeable to his kingly honor. It justifies the silencing the predestinarian controversy, and lays the blame of not executing the laws against papists, upon subordinate officers and ministers in the country: "we profess (says his majesty) that as it is our duty, so it shall be our care to command and direct well; but it is the part of others to perform the ministerial office; and when we have 'done our office, we shall account ourself, and all charita'ble men will account us innocent, both to God and men ; and those that are negligent, we will esteem culpable, both to God and us." The declaration concludes with a profession that "the king will maintain the true religion of the church of England, without conniving at popery or schism that he will maintain the rights and liberties of 'his subjects, provided they do not misuse their liberty, by turning it to licentiousness, wantonly and frowardly re'sisting our lawful and necessary authority; for we do ex'pect our subjects should yield as much submission to our royal prerogative, and as ready obedience to our authority and commandments, as has been performed to the great'est of our predecessors. We will not have our ministers terrified by harsh proceedings against them; for as we 'expect our ministers should obey us, they shall assure 'themselves we will protect them."+ This declaration not quieting the people, was followed by a proclamation, which put an end to all prospects of recovering the constitution for the future. The proclamation declares his majesty's royal pleasure, "That spreaders of 'false reports shall be severely punished; that such as cheerfully go on with their trades, shall have all good encour Rushworth, vol. i. p. 672. † Ibid. vol. ii. Appen. p. 3—10. agement: That he will not overcharge his subjects with any new burdens, but will satisfy himself with the duties received by his royal father, which he neither can, nor will dispense with. And whereas, for several ill ends, the calling of another parliament is divulged, his majesty declares, that the late abuse having for the present driven his majesty unwillingly out of that course, he shall ac'count it presumption for any to prescribe any time to his majesty for parliaments, the calling, continuing, and dis'solving of which, is always in the king's own power."* -Here was an end of the old English constitution, for twelve years. England was now an absolute monarchy; the king's proclamations and orders of council were the laws of the land; the ministers of state sported themselves in the most wanton acts of power; and the religion, laws, and liberties of this country lay prostrate and overwhelmed by an inundation of popery and oppression. This year died the reverend Dr. John Preston, decended of the family of the Prestons in Lancashire. He was born at Heyford in Northamptonshire, in the parish of Bugbrook, 1587, and was admitted of King's college, Cambridge, 1604, from whence he was afterwards removed to Queen's-college, and admitted fellow in the year 1609.† He was an ambitious and aspiring youth, till having received some religious impressions from Mr. Cotton, in a sermon preached by him at St. Mary's church, he became remarkably serious, and bent all his studies to the service of Christ in the ministry. When the king came to Cambridge, Mr. Preston was appointed to dispute before him : The question was, whether brutes had reason, or could make syllogisms? Mr. Preston maintained the affirmative; and instanced in a hound, who coming to a place where three ways meet, smells one way and the other; but not finding the scent, runs down the third with full cry, concluding that the hare not being gone either of the two first ways, must necessarily be gone the third. The argument had a wonderful effect on the audience, and would have * Rushworth, vol. ii. p. 3. + Clarke's Life of Dr. Preston; annexed to his GENERAL MARTYROLOGY, p. 75. opened a door for Mr. Preston's preferment, had not his inclinations to puritanism been a bar in the way. He therefore resolved upon an academical life, and took upon him the care of pupils, for which he was qualified beyond most in the university. Many gentlemen's sons were committed to his care, who trained them up in the sentiments of the first reformers; for he affected the very stile and language of Calvin. When it came to his turn to be catechist, he went through a whole body of divinity with such general acceptance, that the outward chapel was usually crowded with strangers before the fellows came in, which created him envy. Complaint was made to the vice-chancellor of this unusual way of catechising, and that it was not safe to suffer Dr. Preston to be thus adored, unless they had a mind to set up puritanism, and pull down the hierarchy; it was therefore agreed in the convocation-house, that no stranger, neither townsman nor scholar, should upon any pretence come to those lectures, which were only designed for the members of the college. There was little preaching in the university at this time, except at St. Mary's the lectures at Trinity and St. Andrews being prohibited; Mr. Preston therefore, at the request of the townsmen and scholars of other colleges, attempted to set up an evening sermon at St. Buttolph's, belonging to Queen's college; but when Dr. Newcomb, commissary to the bishop of Ely, heard of it, he came to the church and forbad it, commanding that evening prayers only should be read: There was a vast crowd, and earnest entreaty that Mr. Preston might preach, at least for that time, but the commissary was inexorable, and to prevent further importunities, went home with his family; after he was gone, Mr. Preston was prevailed with to preach; and because much time had been spent in debates, they adventured for once to admit the service, that the scholars might be present at their college prayers. Next day the commissary went to Newmarket, and complained both to the bishop and king; he represented the danger of the hierarchy, and the progress of non-conformity among the scholars, and assured them that Mr. Preston was in such high esteem, that he would carry all before him if he was not thoroughly dealt with. Being called before his superiors, he gave a plain narrative of the fact; and added he had no design to affront the bishop or his commissary. The bishop said, the king was informed that he was an enemy to forms of prayer, which Mr. Preston denying, he was ordered to declare his judgment upon that head, in a sermon at St. Buttolph's church and so was dismissed. Some time after, king James being at Newmarket, Mr. Preston was appointed to preach before him, which he performed with great applause, having a fluent speech, a commanding voice, and a strong memory to deliver what he had prepared without the assistance of notes. The king spake familiarly to him; and though his majesty expressed a dislike to some of his puritan notions, he commended his opposing the Arminians. And the duke of Buckingham not knowing what friends he might want among the populace, persuaded the king to admit him one of the prince's chaplains in ordinary, and to wait two months in the year, which he did. Soon after this he was chosen preacher of Lincoln's-inn, and upon the resignation of Dr. Chadderton, master of Emanuel college, in the year 1622, at which time he took his degree of doctor of divinity. The doctor was a fine gentleman, a complete courtier, and in high esteem with the duke of Buckingham, who thought by his means to ingratiate himself with the puritans, whose power was growing very formidable in parliament. The duke offered him the bishopric of Gloucester, but the doctor refused, and chose rather the lectureship of Trinity church, which he kept till his death. By his interest in the duke and the prince, he did considerable service for many silenced ministers; he was in waiting when king James died, and came up with the young king and duke in a close coach to London. But some time after the duke having changed measures, and finding that he could neither gain over the puritans to his arbitrary designs, nor separate the doctor from their interests,he resolved to shake hands with his chaplain. The doctor foreseeing the storm, was content to retire qui "But Preston was as great a politician as the duke,” says Mr. Granger, 66 was not to be over-rcached." Ed. |
