The officers of the army, Sir Thomas Fairfax, general, and Oliver Cromwell, lieutenant-general, were of the party of the independents, and disliked the presbyterian model, as more tyrannical than the episcopal. Having but few preachers or chaplains in the army, the officers undertook to preach and to pray publicly to the troops; and even the common soldiers not only prayed and preached publicly among themselves, but also mounted the pulpits in all the churches where they happened to be quartered, and harangued the people with great fervour and zeal. This enthusiastic spirit diffused itself like a pestilence: it was caught by all ranks of men, and even the women "would not restrain the Spirit." "It was pleaded," says Neal, ❝in excuse for this practice, that a gifted brother had better preach and pray to the people than nobody; but now learning, good sense, and the rational interpretation of scripture, began to be cried down, and every bold pretender to inspiration was preferred to the most grave and sober divines of the age; some

in the place of the church." And (ibid, p. 41.) the same writer says, "Thus fell episcopacy, the only government of the christian church, from the days of the Apostles, before the lame and imperfect pattern of Scots Presbytery--the ark of God, (to increase our misery beyond that of God's church among the Jews, in one of its greatest calamities) before an headless and handless Dagon."

advanced themselves into the rank of prophets, and others uttered all such crude and undigested absurdities as came first into their minds, calling them the dictates of the Spirit within them; by which the public peace was frequently disturbed, and great numbers of ignorant people led into the belief of the most dangerous errors.'

At the close of the year 1646, both church and state were in the utmost disorder and confusion, and continued so more or less till the restoration in 1660. Bishop Hall, feelingly lamenting the deplorable state of the country, thus speaks: "Was there ever a more fearful example of divine vengeance against any nation, than to be armed against each other to their mutual destruction? that christian compatriots, brethren, should pour out each other's blood like water in our streets, and leave their mangled carcases for compost in our fields? that none but the sharper sword should be left to be the arbiter of our deadly differences? that fathers and sons should so put off all natural affection, as to think it no violation of piety to cut the throats of each other? Oh! that we had lived to see the woeful havoc, that the

* Neal's Hist. of the Puritans, vol. iii, pp. 339, 340. The Rev. Thomas Edwards, Minister of Christ Church, London, a rigid presbyterian, rendered himself notorious at this time for a rancorous and furious book, intitled Gangræna, 4to, in 3 parts, against the Sectaries of this period.

hellish fury of war hath made, every where, in this flourishing and populous island; the flames of hostile fury rising up in our towns and cities; the devastation of our fruitful and pleasant villages; the demolition of our magnificent structures; the spoils and ruins of those fabrics that should be sacred; in a word, this goodly land, for a great part of it, turned to a very Golgotha and Aceldema!"*

The parliament, after the Scots consented to deliver up the king, appointed commissioners to convey his Majesty to Holmby-house in Northamptonshire, Feb. 1646--7. He was treated with some respect, but his trusty servants were not allowed to attend him; and it was not even permitted to him to have any of his own chaplains to assist him in his devotions, though he earnestly desired to have any two out of thirteen, which he nominated, to attend him. This was refused him; and two presbyterian ministers were ordered to officiate in the chapel; but his Majesty never gave his attendance, and so was compelled to be his own chaplain, using the liturgical service of the church in his own chamber. †

* Works, vol. v, p. 563.

+ Clarendon, vol. iii, p. 39. Neal's Hist. of the Puritans, vol. iii, p. 335.

CHAPTER IX.

THE army had hitherto acted in subordination to the parliament; but now, the war being over, and the king a prisoner, they were unwilling to be entirely at the disposal of the parliament, and to submit to presbyterian uniformity. The army consisted chiefly of independents, few presbyterians, anabaptists, and men of unsettled religious principles. They however consented that presbyterianism should be the established religion, but insisted on a toleration of all sects and parties. The disposition of the presbyterians was to persecute and harass every sect with as much severity and bitterness as they did the church. The presbyterians thought that through their superior influence in both houses, they should be able to get the better of the army: they came therefore to a resolution of seizing the person of Cromwell, whose dissimulation and hypocrisy were now evident; but he, having notice of their design the night before, made his escape to the army. At

the same time, the army, by the advice and direction of Cromwell, took the king by force from the custody of the parliament at Holmbyhouse, and conveyed him to the head quarters at Newmarket. His Majesty now met with some kind treatment and respect. Many of his friends had free access to him; and four of his chaplains, viz. Dr. Sheldon, Dr. Morley, Dr. Saunderson, and Dr. Hammond, were permitted to attend him.

The king being now in the possession of the army, they therefore began to be more contumacious with the parliament; and Cromwell, on this occasion said, that "now he had got the king into his hands, he had the parliament in his pocket. The army made liberty of conscience their great charter, and till they obtained it, they resolved not to lay down their arms: they had fought the battles of the parliament, and so considered it unreasonable to be told that except they would conform with the presbyterian discipline, they should be persecuted and punished as sectaries, and driven out of the land. In order to prevent this, they treated with the king, and offered him much better terms, and behaved towards him with much more courtesy, than he ever met with

* Rushworth, p. 545, 549. Neal, vol. iii, p. 369.