IX. 1629-1640. should extirpate the parties influenced by them. CHAP. We are told that he became alarmed. But the only effect of his apprehension was to dispose him to greater severities. The multitude who had dared to sympathize with the culprits could not well be brought under the lash of a state prosecution. Certain of the inhabitants of Chester, who had shown some hospitable attention to Prynne, when passing through that city, were more within his reach. These were severally fined, from 250%. to 5007., and were compelled to acknowledge their fault in the cathedral of York, and before the corporation and citizens of the place where their crime, as it was called, had been committed.* There is no cause so good as not to be deservedly suspected, when made to depend on such means of vindication. The effect of these proceedings was to extend that disaffection to the protestant hierarchy, which, from similar causes, had been long since directed against its popish predecessor. It will be remembered that the persons, on whom the indignities now described were inflicted, belonged to the several professions of * New Discovery of Prelates' Tyranny, 91-97. The terror inspired by these proceedings was not sufficient to prevent the multiplication of obnoxious pamphlets. Regulations the most cautious and severe that could well have been devised were issued from the star-chamber to bind the press. Rushworth, III. App. 306. "A little more quickness in the government," says Laud to Strafford, "would cure this itch of libelling, and something more that is amiss besides." He laments, however, that this "more quickness was hardly to be infused into it. His correspondent is of the same mind, and prays very devoutly that "God of his grace" may bestow the energy so much needed. That is, that the Fountain of Benevolence would assist men to do more merciless things than were done to Prynne, Bastwick, and Burton ! Such is the prayer of Mr. Hume's "magnanimous statesman;" such, too, was the religion, or rather fanaticism, of these leaders in the crusade against puritanism. Strafford Papers, II. 99-104, 119–136. IX. 1629-1640. CHAP. law, medicine, and divinity. It had always been known, that no rank could place an offender beyond the reach of the court of star-chamber; but it remained for the zeal of its present functionaries to show, that it could inflict the most degrading penalties on offenders belonging to the most respectable classes of society. Case of liams. Williams, bishop of Lincoln, had been an early bishop Wil- friend of Laud, and with much difficulty had procured his appointment to the see of St. David's. But as a courtier, the protegée contrived to supplant his patron, and the warmest professions of friendship were succeeded by the most deadly enmity. During his exclusion from the council, Williams applied himself chiefly to study, but his wounded feeling was sometimes strongly expressed. He one day remarked, that the puritans were not to be managed by severity, adding, that he had ventured to state so much to the king, and that it was favourably received. On the ground of this statement, he was accused, in the star-chamber, of having divulged the secrets of state, contrary to his oath as a privy councillor, and of having given birth to rumours injurious to his majesty's government. 1628. 1637. In the course of the prosecution, which was long protracted, this miserable ground of accusation was abandoned; but, on a new charge of tampering with the king's witnesses, the bishop was adjudged to be suspended from his office. There are few malicious men who would not have been satisfied with having thus far humbled an opponent. It happened, however, that the royal officers, in taking possession of Williams's effects, discovered a IX. 1629-1640. 1639. letter, received from one Osbaldistone, a school- CHAP. master, in which an allusion was thought to have been made to Laud, under the names of the "little urchin," and "the little great man," and on the ground of this surmise, a third prosecution was commenced, and the prelate was sentenced to pay an additional 5,000l. to the king, and 3,000l. to the archbishop. The whole crime of the delinquent, in this last case, consisted in receiving a letter, containing a disrespectful allusion to a member of his majesty's council, without disclosing it. Such were the facilities of this court in creating offences, and crushing an adversary. Laud was not quite insensible to the odium which this transaction would probably bring upon him, but his thirst of revenge outweighed his fear of reproach.* These examples occur in the order in which we have noticed them, and are enough to show the spirit of intimidation with which the affairs of this kingdom were managed during the twelve years in which its only real law was the pleasure of the king and his council. Ship-money continued to be levied, together with a similar toll for the army, under the name of coat and conduct money. Articles of merchandise became subject to new imposts, or were made the matters of chartered monopoly, almost without end. To resist was to be overpowered by the despotism of the • Rushworth, II. 416-449. State Trials, III. 770. Hacket's Life of Williams, Heylin's Life of Laud, and Laud's Diary, ubi supra.-Strafford Papers, I. 480, 490, 504, et seq. Brodie, II. 349-373. The last writer has given an extended notice of this transaction. He believes, however, that there were other cases occurring at this time that were, upon the whole, still more disgraceful. CHAP. star-chamber. 1629-1640. Hence few had courage to do IX. so, even though bitterly sensible, that, to acquiesce was to become parties to measures directly opposed to those noble immunities which a provident ancestry had bequeathed to the nation. The revenue, through this period, from all sources, legal and illegal, amounted to about a million a year. The fines imposed in the star-chamber were sometimes obtained by individuals, but generally passed into the exchequer, and by their frequency and their weight, warranted a suspicion, that the object, in attaching so many causes to that tribunal, which, like the rod of Moses, swallowed up the rest, was to make it subservient to the necessities of the crown, as well as to accustom the people to the exercise of such irregular authority, until it should acquire the force of law. CHAP. X. COURT OF HIGH COMMISSION. STATE OF THE HIGH COMMISSION COURT IN 1583-EXTENT OF ITS JU- COMMISSIONERS. THE GOVERNMENT TYRANNICAL CHARACTER OF THAT Measure. X. 1629-1640. THE discontent excited by the proceedings of the CHAP. star-chamber was greatly increased by those of the high commission court. If the former was the special foe of liberty in the state, the latter was equally opposed to it in the church, and owed its origin to the act of supremacy which had transferred the substance of that power to the English crown, that had been so long exercised by the pontiffs.* high com court in Elizabeth could appoint commissioners accord-State of the ing to her pleasure, whose province it should be to mission ascertain and correct all heresies, and all disorders, 1583. subject to ecclesiastical authority. In 1583, this court consisted of forty-four persons, including twelve prelates, and the majority of the privy council, besides others, chosen from among the civilians and the clergy. It was the office of these persons to inquire, from time to time, either by * See pages 15, 28, 29, 71, 126, 129-138, 293, 295, 303. |