To these infamous canons all the "king's born subjects” were required to conform. His majesty issued his proclamation July 6th, 1604, ordering" the Puritan ministers either to conform before the last of November, or to dispose of themselves and families some other way; as being men unfit, for their obstinacy and contempt, to occupy such places.”* The weight of this proclamation and of these canons fell alike on the Separatists and the Puritans.-Of the latter, the number who were ejected, silenced, or suspended, in the course of the ensuing year, up to Nov. 5th, 1605, is estimated at from 270 to 400.

Bancroft, who was now advanced to the archepiscopal chair vacated by Whitgift's death, was a fit instrument to carry on this work of persecution. Few worse men ever occupied Lambeth palace than John Whitgift: but Richard Bancroft was one of those few. He was a sycophant to his majesty; but a harsh, and violent, and unrelenting persecu tor of all Nonconformists, "A person," says Wilson, a contemporary historian,-"severe enough; whose roughness gained little upon those that deserted the ceremonies."+

CHAPTER XVIII.

JOHN ROBINSON AND HIS ASSOCIATES.

It was during the reign of the besotted, tyrannical, hypocritical, and contemptible James I; and this fit associate in

* Prince, under the date.

+ History of the Life and Reign of James I. Fol. p. 685.

I use strong language; but milder epithets would belie historic truth. Hallam says: "James was all his life rather a bold liar than a good dissembler."-Const. His. p. 404, note. "The French

the government of the church of England, archbishop Bancroft, that John Robinson and a Separatist church in the North of England are first brought before us. As this great and good man and the church of which he became pastor were instrumental in introducing some modifications of the doctrines and practice of our denomination, which are still retained among us; and as it is in fact from this source, as the fountain head-or rather reservoir-that Congregationalism, or Independency, has flowed forth in its present purity to Great Britain and America-it would be inexcusable in one attempting a history of this denomination, not to detail the history of this excellent man and his associates.

JOHN ROBINSON was born in the year 1575. The place of his nativity, his parentage, and his early history are unknown. He was educated at Cambridge University. That he was well educated no one will doubt who reads any of his writings. His mind, if not of the very highest order, was of the very best order. It was clear and discriminating; well disciplined, and admirably balanced. He seems to have possessed the rare ability, to contemplate and investigate an absorbing subject, without losing sight of other matters of interest and importance. His moral qualities were of the most interesting and lovely character. He was a man of great prudence, and modesty, and humility; courteous and kind in his feelings and conduct; and possessed of deep and ardent piety. His search after truth seems to have been most careful and thorough. He was open to conviction and anxious to receive truth from any quarter,

Ambassadors Sully and La Boderic, thought most contemptibly of the King. His own courtiers, as their private letters show, disliked and derided him.”—Lingard, and Hallam, p. 406, note. Burnet calls him "contemptible."

and ready to modify or abandon his own opinions when convinced that they were erroneous.

With such personal, intellectual, and moral qualities, we need not be surprised that John Robinson was highly es teemed by good men; and was capable of exerting a pow erful influence over the minds and hearts of all who knew him and rightly estimated him.

His first settlement as a minister of the gospel seems to have been at Norwich, the capital of Norfolk county;" where he held a benefice in the church of England. This was some time prior to 1602; and if so, Mr. Robinson could not have been, at that time, more than twenty-seven years of age. He appears at first to have been a conforming Puritan. But being harassed by the bishops, and "urged with subscription" to all the rites and ceremonies of the church;† this good man was led into a more careful investi. gation of the principles of church polity; and was thus gradually drawn further from conformity to the hierarchy. This change of sentiments procured his suspension; and finally, caused him to be silenced. After this, probably, he applied for the chaplaincy of the hospital at Norwich; but, though "a man worthily reverenced of all the city, for the graces of God in him, he was refused." Nevertheless, many seriously disposed persons resorted to his house for counsel respecting their " particular soul sickness," and for prayer. This irritated the bishop; and "certain citizens were excommunicated " for these offences against the law.

*

Belknap, (Am. Biog.) and after him Allen, (Biog. Dic.) say: “Near Yarmouth;" but Ainsworth and Hall, as found in Hanbury, speak as if in Norwich was Mr. Robinson's benefice, pp. 185, and 198, note e; and so does Robinson himself. One of his works is addressed to his "Christian friends at Norwich."

established church. Mr. Robinson, finding that he could not remain at peace in Norwich, retired to some part of the neighboring county of Lincoln. As yet, however, he seems not to have separated entirely from the church of England.

It was about this time (1602) that we are first introduced to those worthy men who became the fellow-pilgrims of Mr. Robinson in a strange land. Governor Bradford, in his history of Plymouth, thus introduces them: "Near the joining borders of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire, several religious people, finding their pious ministers urged with subscription, or silenced, and the people greatly vexed with the commissary courts [i. e. courts held in the name, and by the authority of the bishops, in their respective dioceses, by judges called Commissaries] Apparitors, and Pursuivants, [the sheriffs and constables of these courts,] which they had borne sundry years with much patience,"

and by

—were, at length, brought to " see further into these things by the light of the Word of God; how that, not only the ceremonies were unlawful, but also, the lordly and tyrannous power of the prelates; who would, contrary to the freedom of the gospel, load the consciences of men, their compulsive power make a profane mixture of things and persons in divine worship; that their offices, courts, and canons, were unlawful; being such as have no warrant in the Word of God, but the same that were used in Popery, and still retained. Upon which this people shake off this yoke of antichristian bondage; and, as the Lord's free people, join themselves by covenant into a church state, to walk in all her ways, made known, or to be made known to them, according to their best endeavors, whatever it cost them."*

* Governor Bradford's History, in Prince, Part I. pp. 99, 100. The pious and excellent Governor was one of these persons; and

It was among this people that Mr. Robinson's lot was at length cast. They were organized into a church about 1602; the year previous to Elizabeth's death; when the hierarchal persecution-for reasons already assigned—was somewhat relaxed. Whether this organization took place before, or after Mr. Robinson came among them, does not fully appear. From the institution of the church until 1606, we hear nothing of these good people. It is most likely, that, for a year or two, they were not much molested by the bishops; for the prelates were in great fear lest the ta bles should be turned upon them, and they should be made to drink of the bitter cup which they had so long been forcing upon others.*

When their fears were fully allayed by the Hampton Court Conference, the ratification of the severe articles of the Convocation of March, 1604, and the king's proclamation, enjoining entire conformity to these articles, and, above all, by elevation to the archepiscopal throne of the rough-tempered, and severe persecutor Bancroft, in December-when, I say, by these means the fears of the bish ops were entirely allayed, and their persecuting zeal set with a sharp edge, then the poor Separatists on the borders of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire, were made to feel the full vengeance of these pretended “ successors of the apostles." In the mean time, this little company of Separatists had so increased, as to become "two bands;" it being deemed necessary for the better accom

therefore an original, and most authentic witness of all that he relates.

* Cambden, tells us : "Whilst the king began to find fault with some things used in the Liturgy, and thought it convenient that they should be altered, John Whitgift, the archbishop, died for grief."-Annals of James I, Feb. 29th, 1604.