Page 159 of 159
21 (return)
[ NOTE U, p. 394. The
following instance of extravagance is given by Walker, in his History of
Independency, part ii. p. 152. About this time there came six soldiers
into the parish church of Walton upon Thames, near twilight; Mr. Faucet,
the preacher there, not having till then ended his sermon. One of the
soldiers had a lantern in his hand, and a candle burning in it, and in the
other hand four candles not lighted. He desired the parishioners to stay a
while, saying he had a message from God unto them, and thereupon offered
to go into the pulpit. But the people refusing to give him leave so to do,
or to stay in the church, he went into the churchyard, and there told them
that he had a vision, wherein he had received a command from God to
deliver his will unto them, which he was to deliver and they to receive
upon pain of damnation; consisting of five lights. 1. “That the Sabbath
was abolished, as unnecessary, Jewish, and merely ceremonial. And here
(quoth he) I should put out the first light, but the wind is so high I
cannot kindle it. 2. That tithes are abolished, as Jewish and ceremonial,
a great burden to the saints of God, and a discouragement of industry and
tillage. And here I should put out my second light, etc. 3. That ministers
are abolished, as anti-Christian, and of no longer use, now Christ himself
descends into the hearts of his saints, and his spirit enlighteneth them
with revelations and inspirations. And here I should put out my third
light, etc. 4. Magistrates are abolished, as useless, now that Christ
himself is in purity amongst us, and hath erected the kingdom of the
saints upon earth. Besides they are tyrants, and oppressors of the liberty
of the saints, and tie them to laws and ordinances, mere human inventions.
And here I should put out my fourth light, etc. 5. Then putting his hand
into his pocket, and pulling out a little Bible, he showed it open to the
people, saying, Here is a book you have in great veneration, consisting of
two parts, the Old and New Testament. I must tell you it is abolished. It
containeth beggarly rudiments, milk for babes. But now Christ is in glory
amongst us, and imparts a further measure of his spirit to his saints than
this can afford. I am commanded to burn it before your face. Then putting
out the candle, he said, And here my fifth light is extinguished.” It
became a pretty common doctrine at that time, that it was unworthy of a
Christian man to pay rent to his fellow-creatures; and landlords were
obliged to use all the penalties of law against their tenants, whose
conscience was scrupulous.]
24 (return)
[ NOTE X, p. 424. When the
earl of Derby was alive, he had been summoned by Ireton to surrender the
Isle of Man; and he returned this spirited and memorable answer:
“I received your letter with indignation, and with scorn return you this
answer; that I cannot but wonder whence you should gather any hopes that I
should prove, like you, treacherous to my sovereign; since you cannot be
ignorant of my former actions in his late majesty’s service, from which
principles of loyalty I am no whit departed. I scorn your proffers; I
disdain your favor; I abhor your treason; and am so far from delivering up
this island to your advantage, that I shall keep it to the utmost of my
power to your destruction. Take this for your final answer, and forbear
any farther solicitations; for if you trouble me with any more messages of
this nature, I will burn the paper and hang up the bearer. This is the
immutable resolution, and shall be the undoubted practice of him who
accounts it his chiefest glory to be his majesty’s most loyal and obedient
subject,
25 (return)
[ NOTE Y, p. 426. It had
been a usual policy of the Presbyterian ecclesiastics to settle a chaplain
in the great families, who acted as a spy upon his master, and gave them
intelligence of the most private transactions and discourses of the
family; a signal instance of priestly tyranny, and the subjection of the
nobility! They even obliged the servants to give intelligence against
their masters. Whitlocke, p. 502. The same author (p. 512) tells the
following story: The synod meeting at Perth, and citing the ministers and
people who had expressed a dislike of their heavenly government, the men
being out of the way, their wives resolved to answer for them. And on the
day of appearance, one hundred and twenty women, with good clubs in their
hands, came and besieged the church where the reverend ministers sat. They
sent one of their number to treat with the females; and he, threatening
excommunication, they basted him for his labor, kept him prisoner, and
sent a party of sixty, who routed the rest of the clergy, bruised their
bodies sorely, took all their baggage and twelve horses. One of the
ministers, after a mile’s running, taking all creatures for his foes,
meeting with a soldier, fell on his knees, who, knowing nothing of the
matter, asked the blackcoat what he meant. The female conquerors, having
laid hold on the synod clerk, beat him till he forswore his office.
Thirteen ministers rallied about four miles from the place, and voted that
this village should never more have a synod in it, but be accursed; and
that though in the years 1638, and 1639, the godly women were cried up for
stoning the bishops, yet now the whole sex should be esteemed wicked.]
26 (return)
[ NOTE Z, p. 468. About
this time an accident had almost robbed the protector of his life, and
saved his enemies the trouble of all their machinations. Having got six
fine Friesland coach horses, as a present from the count of Oldenburgh, he
undertook for his amusement to drive them about Hyde Park, his secretary,
Thurloe, being in the coach. The horses were startled and ran away. He was
unable to command them or keep the box. He fell upon the pole, was dragged
upon the ground for some time. A pistol, which he carried in his pocket,
went off and by that singular good fortune which ever attended him, he was
taken up without any considerable hurt or bruise.]
27 (return)
[ NOTE AA, p. 512. After
Monk’s declaration for a free parliament on the eleventh of February, he
could mean nothing but the king’s restoration; yet it was long before he
would open himself even to the king. This declaration was within eight
days after his arrival in London. Had he ever intended to have set up for
himself, he would not surely have so soon abandoned a project so inviting;
he would have taken some steps which would have betrayed it. It could only
have been some disappointment, some frustrated attempt, which could have
made him renounce the road of private ambition. But there is not the least
symptom of such intentions. The story told of Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper,
by Mr. Locke, has not any appearance of truth. See Lord Linsdowne’s
Vindication, and Philips’s Continuation of Baker. I shall add to what
those authors have advanced, that Cardinal Mazarine wished for the king’s
restoration; though he would not have ventured much to have procured it.]
END OF VOL. V.
