In 1572, a Presbyterian Church was formed and a meeting-house erected at Wandsworth, in Surrey. Field, the lecturer of Wandsworth, was its first minister; and several names of consideration with the Puritans, in- cluding those of Travers and Wilcox, were among its founders. Presbyteries were formed in other parts of the kingdom, and numerous secret meetings were held in private houses, Which gave more alarm to the gov- ernment, or at least a stronger pretext for severity. Even moderate men began to express anxiety. To meet the danger, the High Court of Commission was now first put in motion. It empowered the queen and her successors, by their letters patent under the great seal, to authorize, whenever they thought fit, and for as long a period as they pleased, a commission of persons, lay or clerical, to exercise all manner of jurisdiction, under the queen and her successors, in spiritual things; and "to order, visit, reform, and redress all heresies, errors, schisms, abuses, contempts, offences, and enormities whatsoever." One of its first acts was the violent sup- pression of the Presbyterian meeting at Wandsworth ; its subsequent labors were of the same character. Not- withstanding these severities, Puritanism continued to increase; for the persecution which does not extermi- nate a religious party never fails to strengthen it. And while the cause was gaining strength in London, it was taking firm root in the great seats of learning.
The Puritans were now effectually separated from the Church of England, and were organized under a different form of Church polity. But the independent attitude which they had thus assumed rendered them only the more obnoxious to the queen and the High- Church party. Stronger measures were accordingly adopted to discourage them and destroy their influence; many of them were silenced, imprisoned, banished, and otherwise oppressed. In 1580, an act of Parliament was passed prohibiting the publication of such books or pamphlets as assailed the opinions of the prelates and defended those of the Puritans. This was followed in the same session by another act authorizing the inflic-
PURITANS
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PURITANS
tioh of heavy fines and imprisonment upon those who absented themselves from "church, chapel, or other place where common prayer is said according to the
A>-[ of I 'iiil'oniiit \ ."
The eflFecl of these harsh and rigorous enactments was to render the Puritans bolder and more deter- mined. X" longer Limiting their complaints agaiusf the Established I burch to merely outward rites and cere lies, some of them even wen! so far as to re- nounce her communion, and to declare her a- scarcer} entitled I- the name of a Christian Church. Political discussion broke in upon religious inquiry. I he hie- rarchy was assailed, the Prayer-book vilified, and min- isters who had been silenced for their irregularities were listened to, perhaps with the greater satisfaction because of their nonconformity, in the prophesyings. i he general religious condition of the country mean- while suffered greatly. In many counties scarcely one preacher could be found. In some dioceses there were two or three; there was a general thirsl for religious instruction, but the people, as the archbishop told the .queen, were allowed to perish for lack of knowledge. Grindal resolved to take the "prophesyings" under his own care, and at the same time to remove the causes of objection. He therefore forbade the introduction of politics, the speaking of laymen, or ministers sup- pressed, and the allusions, hitherto not unfreqnent, to matters of government; and instead of a chairman i lected by the societies, he placed the meetings for the
future under the care of the archdeacon, or oi - e
grave divine to be appointed by the bishop. Ten hi -Imps heartily approved of the primate's decision, and encouraged the prophesyings in their dioceses. But the queen regarded them with great dislike, and the courl resolved on their suppression. It was in vain the faithful primate remonstrated with the queen. -Alas! madam, is the Scripture more plain in an}- one thing than thai the Gospel of Chrisl should be plentifully preached? I am forced, with all humility, ami yet plainly, to profess thai I cannot with safe conscience. and without offence to the majesty of God, give my assent to the suppressing of the said exercises." In vain did the earl of Leicester and the Lord r treasurer Burleigh, who presented the remonstrance, add the weight of th ir intercessions. 'I he queen was enraged, and the primate, who was old and sick, was ordered to consider himself a prisoner in his ow rj house, and would probably have been deprived if death had not stepped in to his release. He died July (',. 1583. Preaching fell into coi i tempt.. and the Church of England has nev- er since entirely recovered from the blow. There has always since this event heen a party in the Church which has regarded this divine ordinance with real or v ell-feigned contempt.
One of the leaders of the extreme section of the Puritan party was Robert Brown, who is thought to have heen the founder of she Independent or Congre- gational ( burch in England. See Bbowkists. The greater number of the Puritans, however, were either Presbyterians, or still retained their connection with the ( 'hurch of England. But in all circumstances they iven the objects of the mosl bitter and unrelenting bro- tilitj on the pan ot Elizabeth. The tide of persecu- tion ran high ami strong. In vain did the House of Commons attempt to throw the shield of their protec- tion over the poor oppressed Puritans; the queen was inexorable, and parliament was compelled to yield.