Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1875 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IX. 1640--1647. The scene changes to England-- The Star-chamber--Irish massacre-- The Long Parliament-- The Solemn League and Covenant-- Westminster As- sembly--George Gillespie-- Westminster Standards--Prcsbyterianism in England--Prcsbyterianism in Ireland--Erastianism and sectarianism. From the unhappy hour when judicial toleration was granted to Popery, on the arrival of Charles' queen in England, there followed a series of arbitrary measures which alarmed the jealousy of the English nation. Archbishop Laud, who ruled the Church with a rod of iron, had been striving to reintroduce the worst errors of Romanism, and whatever might be his private motives, it was evident to all that the real tendency of his measures was to restore the authority of the pope. The proceedings of the infamous Starchamber, over which he presided, had roused the indignation of all classes. Many of the best ministers in the land had been imprisoned, pilloried, or driven into banishment, for nonconformity. Multitudes of people, despairing of religious liberty at home, had submitted to voluntary exile, and fled to America, where they planted a colony in New England. Even this last resource was grudged them, and means were taken to prevent the emigration of the Puritans, as they were called. Among the rest, it is said, two individuals who had incurred the vengeance of the prelates, were on the point of embarking for the New World, when the government issued orders to prohibit the ship from sailing--these were John Hampden and Oliver Cromwell. And thus, if the report be true, in the inscrutable arrangements of Heaven it was ordered that these persons should remain to act their distinguished part in the revolution which followed; and that the royal party...
