Theophilus Buckworth was at that time Bishop

of Dromore.

mon before the

lords justices.

1630.

Some time afterwards, in 1630, the bishop again Mr. Blair's sercalled upon the same minister to preach an assize sermon before the lords justices, who came annually to the northern circuit. One of these, it seems, Sir Richard Beaton, the lord chief baron of the Exchequer, was "a violent urger of conformity to the English ceremonies:" and so the preacher most uncharitably represents the call, as "a more dangerous web, woven by the crafty bishop, the former snare being broken;" but he triumphantly subjoins, "the only wise Lord, to whom I had committed myself and my ministry, did break this snare also, and brought me off with comfort and credit."

Presbyterian

occurrences.

It is not a little remarkable with what arrogant Language of the self-sufficiency these irregular ministers habitually ministers in despeak of their own proceedings, frequently attri-scribing these buting their irregularities and lawlessness to a special divine interposition; and how continually they ascribe to the worst motives the conduct of the bishops and other friends of the Church, who acted agreeably to their principles and engagements as episcopalians. Episcopacy, and everything connected with it, appeared in their eyes, and is represented in their writings as a sort of spiritual leprosy; and even their most favoured Ussher could obtain from Mr. Livingston no better character than that of being "a godly man, although a bishop." No wonder, then, that when this person and Mr. Blair had availed themselves of their ministerial character in 1631, for encouraging by their presence and participation certain irregular proceedings in Scotland, and their diocesan, the Bishop of Down and Connor, had in consequence suspended them from the tem

Messrs Living

ston and Blair

suspended for

irregularity.

Mr. Blair seeks relief from the Lord Primate.

porary exercise of their ministerial functions, he is stated by one of the delinquents to have been urged to it "by the means of one Mr. Henry Leslie, dean, and afterwards bishop, of Down, a violent and vainglorious man; and of Mr. John Maxwell, one of the ministers of Edinburgh, who was gaping for a bishoprick."

On this occasion Mr. Blair sought relief from the interference of the Lord Primate, to whom it seems that he had been made known by Lord Claneboy, but whose courteous invitation to his table he had excused himself from accepting, because he had "once met with the English Liturgy there, and he expected other things than formal liturgies in the family of so learned and pious a man." It seems, also, that on some previous occasion the primate had tried Mr. Blair's mind concerning ceremonies, wherein," he says, "we were not so far from agreeHis statement of ing as I feared. But when I had freely opened my

the primate's

opinions.

Doubts suggested

by this narra

tive.

grievances, he admitted that all these things ought to have been removed, but the constitution and laws of the place and time would not permit that to be done. He added, that he was afraid our strong disaffection to these would mar our ministry; that he had himself been importuned to stretch forth his hand against us; and that, though he would not for the world do that, he feared instruments would be found who would do it; and he added, that it would break his heart if our successful ministry in the north were interrupted. Our conference ending, he dismissed me very kindly, though I gave him no high titles; and, when trouble came upon us, he proved our very good friend."

Such an admission concerning the provisions of the Church, and such patronage and commendation

of men, who were schismaticks from her communion, and avowedly hostile to her polity and laws, were surely not agreeable to one in the primate's station of dignity and trust; so that in perusing this narrative, the mind of the reader, if it does not repudiate the account at once and altogether, will probably fluctuate between doubts of the accuracy of the narrator, and misgivings as to the discretion and wisdom, not to say the integrity, of the distinguished subject of the recital. But, however this be, the friendship of the primate is stated by Mr. Blair to have been experienced on occasion of the suspension of himself and his companion: for Archbishop Primate's interUssher wrote to Bishop Echlin in terms which, if favour. correctly reported, combined a vindication of these irregular ministers with a stricture on the judgment of their diocesan, for he required Bishop Echlin to "relax his erroneous censure.'

"

They were less successful, however, in a case which soon after occurred, in 1632, when the bishop cited the same two offenders before him, and urged them, with two others of their sect, "to conform, and give their subscription to that effect. We answered, that there was then no law nor canon in that kingdom requiring this. Notwithstanding he had the cruelty to depose us all four from the office of the holy ministry:" an office, be it observed, to which they had been admitted upon their promise to the Church, if not expressly given, yet positively due and substantially pledged, of conformity to her laws, and from which promise no authority, but that of the Church herself, had power to exempt them.

ference in their

Afterwards susconformity.

pended for non

appeal to the

Application, however, was now again made in Ineffectual their behalf to the primate. "But he told us," says primate. Mr. Blair, "he could not interpose, because the

lords justices had an order from the king respecting
us. And, when we had recourse to their lordships,
they remitted us to the king, from whom only
remedy could be had." The interference, therefore,
of his majesty was in consequence solicited: but the
bishop's sentence of deposition was not removed,
and for that time, at least, the non-conforming
ministers were silenced.

Increase of
Popery.

Letter to Lord

Justice Cressy.

August, 1633.

SECTION IV.

Increase of Popery in Ireland. Bishop Bedell's plan for`
concerting the Natives. Sentiments of the Government
on the subject. Qualification of Age for Bishopricks.
Bramhall made Bishop of Derry. Commission for repair
of Churches. Lord Wentworth's exhibition of the state
of the Church. Archbishop Laud's answer. Settlement
of question of precedence between the Archbishops of
Armagh and Dublin.

WHILST these efforts were making by the Protestant
non-conformists, there was a general increase of
Popery throughout the kingdom; even in some
1 parts which had been most conspicuous for attach-
ment to the Church.

"I find," says Mr. Justice Cressy, in a letter to the Deputy from Mr. Lord Deputy, dated Wexford, August the 15th, 1633, "that this country, which doth contain the most ancient English plantators, who were lately the most forward professors of the Reformed Christian religion in the kingdom, by the pernicious confluence of priests, who here have raised amongst them a Romish hierarchy of bishops, commissaries, vicars-general, and other officials, to the overthrowing of the royal power, and to the establishing of a foreign state and jurisdiction in all causes ecclesiastical, are now in a sort become principally Romish and Popish; and so, as themselves confess, do even groan under the burden,

Romish hierarchy in Wexford.

exposed by tho

I mean the secular and common people. Now, my lord, this being directly against the laws established, not invading only, but even abrogating, his majesty's princely government over them of his states of this kingdom of Ireland, I held myself bound, not only by my oath as a judge, and as a Its illegality servant to the king, but even by my allegiance, to oppose judge. this with all the force and strength that my place could afford; and therefore in my charge upon the jury, did declare unto them the quality and fearful consequences thereof; and, as far as I could, did endeavour to anticipate and prevent the policy of their priest's absolutions from perjury and wilful breach of their oaths: but, I fear, all in vain; for they are all recusants, not one Protestant among them'."

of Popery.

Such is the testimony to the increase of Popery General increase in a particular district, borne by a layman of high legal station, who appears to have incurred, for the discharge of his duty, the risk of assassination, of a plot for effecting which he was kindly warned by a friend. Testimony to its general increase is thus borne by Bishop Bedell, who, in a letter to the Lord Bishop Bedell's Deputy, significantly bearing date, "the day of our joyful deliverance from the Popish Powder Plot, 1633," affirms his knowledge,

letter.

king's.

1633.

"That, in this kingdom of his majesty, the Pope hath Pope's kingdom another kingdom far greater in number, and (as I have greater than the heretofore signified to the lords justices and council, which is also since justified by themselves in print,) constantly guided and directed by the orders of the new congregations 'de propagandâ fide,' lately erected at Rome, and by the means of the Pope's nuncios residing at Brussels or Paris: that the Pope hath here a clergy, if I may guess by my own diocese, double in number to us, the hands whereof are by corporal oath bound to him, to maintain him and his regalities 'contra omnein hominem,' and to execute his mandates to their utmost forces; which accordingly they 1 Strafford Letters, i. 103.

1