the word of God preached, nor the sacraments administered without idolatrous geare, it was their duty to break off from the public church, and to assemble in private houses and elsewhere." This agreement took place about the year 1566, and was the event that constituted the memorable era of SEPARATION from the church of England, and the establishment of the denomination of

DISSENTERS.

In June, 1567, the sheriff of London discovered and broke up an assembly of about one hundred Puritans, most of whom were arrested, and several sent to Bridewell, where they were confined more than a year. In all suspected places, spies were employed to prevent these religious assemblies. In 1572, about one hundred clergymen were deprived of their support, for not subscribing to the articles of the church. Doctor Clark was expelled from the university of Cambridge, which by this time was considered "a nest of Puritans," for preaching that "Satan introduced into the church the different orders of the clergy."

Though the pulpits of the Puritans were daily silenced, and they were not allowed to print a page, still their cause gained ground; the spirit of their principles spread continually through the mass of society. Their zeal was inextinguishable. They employed printing presses, which secretly traveled through the country. Their pamphlets were scattered in every direction. The sober part of the community were addressed with powerful arguments; humor, sarcasm, and intolerable satire, were scattered every where by invisible hands. To no purpose did Parker, for a long time, employ his agents to discover their presses. Deplorable was the state of morals and religion. Oppression and invective had sharpened the spirit of the parties. In some places Popery was openly professed; the bishops were loaded with riches; the people were neglected, and the court was corrupt, and reputed even to be the residence of licentiousness and atheism. While the bishops were driving the Puritans from their pulpits, many of the nobility received them into their families, as their chaplains, and tutors of their children. Thus sheltered from their oppressors, they preached to the family, and catechised the children. This doubtless had a powerful effect on the rising generation. Still the spirit of persecution did not rest.

In June, 1583, two ministers of the Brownists were executed. This year the troubles of the Puritans were increased. Archbishop Grindal, who was rather favorably disposed towards them, was succeeded by Whitgift, a cruel persecutor. He ordered that all preaching, catechising, and praying should cease in every house, when any person was present beside the family. In 1584,

less than thirty-eight clergymen were suspended in the county Essex. More effectually to arrest the Puritan pens, the Star

Chamber forbade having any printing presses in any private place, or any where in the kingdom, except in London, and the two universities. These must be licensed by the archbishop of Canterbury, or bishop of London. Nor might any book be printed, till it had been perused by them or their chaplains. The Lord's day being greatly profaned by plays and sports, the Rev. Mr. Smith, preaching before the university of Cambridge, urged the unlawfulness of such practices. For this he was summoned before the vice chancellor; yet so reasonable was the course of duty, that without any law, the observance of the Sabbath became more common, and afterwards was considered as the badge of a Puritan. So oppressive was the Episcopal party, that the dissenters were not permitted to keep a common school.

In 1586, the Puritan ministers again petitioned parliament. They state, that after the most laborious and exact survey, they find that one third of the ministers have been expelled from their pulpits; that there are in England only two thousand ministers to supply ten thousand churches; that many people, in order to hear a sermon, must travel twelve or twenty miles. But the spirit of mercy had forsaken the government.

Another terrific law was made by the Parliament, which opened February 19, 1591. It was enacted "that if any person above the age of sixteen, shall for one month, refuse to attend at some Episcopal church, and after conviction, shall not in three months make a humble confession, he shall go into perpetual banishment, if he do not depart in the time appointed, or if he return without the queen's license, he shall suffer death, without benefit of clergy." The moderate Puritans evaded this dreadful law by going to church when the services were near closing. But on the Brownists, who had conscientiously separated from the church, of whom there were twenty thousand in Norfolk, Essex, and about London, this law burst like a fatal thunderbolt. Though they conducted their meetings with all practicable secresy, and changed the place of their worship from time to time to prevent discovery, it was not long before the officers of government fell upon one congregation, and arrested fifty-six of them, who were all sent to prison, where many of them perished, and others, after several years of confinement, were executed or banished. At their examination, they confessed, that for years they had met in the fields, in summer, at 5 o'clock A. M. on the Lord's day, and in the winter at private houses.

Till about this time, the controversy had chiefly respected habits, discipline, and ceremonies; but doctrines now began to be disputed. The Puritans and the universities denied the descent of Christ into hell, advocated the sanctity of the Sabbath, and the opinions of Calvin, his Institutions being read in their schools:

while the Episcopal party took the opposite side, and espoused the system of Arminius. The cause of the Puritans advanced; the bishops lost the respect due to ministers of religion. If any among the clergy or laity were distinguished for their pure morals, oi ardent piety, they were immediately supposed to be Puritans. For some time, however, before the death of the queen, the zeal of controversy had gradually subsided, and the aspect of public affairs was more favorable to the rights and interests of the Puritans. Those of their opposers, who had been the most intimate friends of the queen, whom she had most favored, and through whose influence she had been led to do many things against the Puritans, when her case became desperate, and she could no longer serve them, deserted her, and scarce afforded her any of their company. She died March, 1603, and was succeeded by James I., who came to the throne by hereditary right, as well as by the appointment of queen Elizabeth.

The Puritans had high hopes of relief from the new king, who had been educated in their religion. But unfortunately for himself and the nation, James had not abilities to soften the violence of party asperity, nor conscience enough to support the friends of a thorough reformation; but immediately became a dupe to the flattery of the bishops, and a tool of their ambition. The men who forsook Elizabeth, and seduced the king to act against his own principles and interests, became his confidents. Though he had given the most solemn pledges of favor to the Presbyterians, "thanking God that he was king of the purest church in the world;" yet in nine months he renounced his former professions, and became the champion of Episcopacy. The church of Rome he called his mother church, declaring, "I will have one doctrine, one discipline, one religion in substance and ceremony." "I will make them conform, or I will hurry them out of the land, or else worse."

The execution was as fatal as the threatening was absurd and wicked. Whitgift was succeeded by Bancroft, as archbishop of Canterbury, a man of rough temper, and an open foe to civil and religious liberty. By enforcing the observance of festivals, and the use of surplices, and caps and hoods; and by requiring the clergy, from the heart to subscribe certain articles, he very soon silenced more than three hundred Puritan ministers. Some were excommunicated, some imprisoned, and others driven into exile. The greater part of those who left the country were Brownists, whose leaders were Johnson, Ainsworth, Smith, and the well known John Robinson; who has since been considered the father of that portion of the Puritans, who were the founders of the New England colonies; of whom a more particular account will be given in the subsequent history.

Abbot, a sound Protestant, and thorough Calvinist, succeeded Bancroft, who died in 1610, in the archbishopric of Canterbury. Still, in 1612, several persons were burned for heresy at Smithfield and Litchfield; but so evident was the commiseration of the people, that it was thought more prudent to let the prisoners languish out their days in Newgate.

On the death of James, in March, 1625, he was succeeded Ly his son Charles I., who inherited his father's love of power, and hatred of puritanism. The good archbishop Abbot, having lost his influence, and Laud being bishop of London, and prime minister, the work of persecution proceeded with new vigor. Ministers were daily suspended, and their families ruined; no shelter from the terrific storm could be discovered in the realm of England."*

"The Puritan or Reformed church in the north of England, had, in the year 1606, on account of its dispersed state, become divided into two distinct churches, to one of which belonged Mr. John Robinson, afterward its minister, and Mr. William Brewster, afterward its ruling elder. This church, in common with other dissenting churches throughout England, being extremely harrassed for its non-conformity, sought at length an asylum in Holland, where religious toleration was sanctioned by the laws. Mr. Robinson and as many of his congregation, as found it in their power, left England in the years 1607 and 1608, and settled in Amsterdam; whence, in 1609 they removed to Leyden. After residing several years in that city, various causes influenced them to entertain serious thoughts of a removal to America. These causes were, the unhealthiness of the low country where they lived; the hard labors to which they were subjected; the dissipated manners of the Hollanders, especially their lax observance of the Lord's day; the apprehension of war at the conclusion of the truce between Spain and Holland, which was then near its close, the fear, lest their young men would enter into the military and naval service; the tendency of their little community to become absorbed and lost in a foreign nation; the natural and pious desire of perpetuating a church, which they believed to be constituted. after the simple and pure model of the primitive church of Christ; and a commendable zeal to propagate the Gospel in the regions of the New World. In 1617, having concluded to go to Virginia, and settle in a distinct body under the general government of that colony, they sent Mr. Robert Cushman and Mr. John Carver to England, to treat with the Virginia company, and to ascertain, whether the king would grant them liberty of conscience in that distant country. Though these agents found the Virginia company very desirous of the projected settlement in their American

* Morse and Parish's History of New England.

territory, and willing to grant them a patent with as ample privileges, as they had power to convey; yet they could prevail with the king no farther, than to engage, that he would connive at them, and not molest them, provided they should conduct peaceably Toleration in religious liberty, by his public authority, under his seal, was denied. The agents returned to Leyden the year following (1618), to the great discouragement of the congregation.

Resolved however to make another trial, they sent two other agents to England in February of this year (1619), to agree with the Virginia company; but, dissensions then arising in that body, the business was necessarily procrastinated. After long attendance, the agents obtained a patent, granted and confirmed under the seal of the Virginia company; but though procured with much charge and labor, it was never used, because it was taken out in the name of a gentleman, who, though at that time designing to accompany the Leyden congregation, was providentially prevented. This patent, however, being carried to Leyden for the consideration of the people, with several proposals from English merchants and friends for their transportation, they were requested to prepare immediately for the voyage.

It was agreed by the English congregation at Leyden, that some of their number should go to America, to make preparation for the rest. Mr. Robinson, their minister, was prevailed on to stay with the greater part at Leyden; Mr. Brewster, their elder, was to accompany the first adventurers; but these, and their brethren remaining in Holland, were to continue to be one church, and to receive each other to Christian communion, without a formal dismission, or testimonial. Several of the congregation sold their estates, and made a common bank, which, together with money received from other adventurers, enabled them to purchase the Speedwell, a ship of sixty tons, and to hire in England the Mayflower, a ship of one hundred and eighty tons, for the intended enterprise.

Preparation being thus made, the adventurers having left Leyden for England in July, sailed on the fifth of August from Southampton for America; but, on account of the leakiness of the small ship, they were twice obliged to return. Dismissing this ship, as unfit for the service, they sailed from Plymouth on the sixth of September in the Mayflower. After a boisterous passage, they at break of day on the ninth of November, discovered the land of Cape Cod. Perceiving that they had been carried to the northward of the place of their destination, they stood to the southward, intending to find some place near Hudson's river. for settlement. Falling, however, among shoals, they were induced

The same, which Gosnold called Point Care and Tucker's Terror; but which he French and Dutch call Malebar.