sible to say it is enough to know the melancholy fact, that, to adopt the expression of the Church Historian, "one stroke of the cruel axe spoiled the work of many hammers."

CHAPTER XII.

1631-1633.

The Impropriations-Conduct of Laud-Dr. Peter Heylin's Sermon at St. Mary's, Oxford-Laud restrains the Impropriations-His proceedings at Oxford-He enlarges St. John's College-Promotes the repairs of St. Paul's Cathedral-Clamours of the Puritans-His government of the University-Enforces the statutes-Remarkable Enthusiasm of a graduate-Combination of the Puritan faction at Oxford-Cognizance of three of the leaders-Their punishments-Impartiality of Laud-New revival of the Predestinarian Controversy-Archbishop Usher of Ireland-Calumnies against Laud-Lord Wentworth proceeds to IrelandEcclesiastical affairs-Prosecution of the King's printers— Henry Sherfield-William Prynne-Notice of him and his writings-His seditious libels-His imprisonment-Proceedings relative to chaplains and foreign service-The English congregation at Hamburgh-Salutary regulations by LaudGeneral remarks.

In pursuance of the designs which Laud had formed for the advancement of learning and religion, we find him at this period engaged in the affair of the impropriations which had been purchased by that contrivance of the Puritan faction, the feoffments, for the support of lectureships. The feoffments for purchasing these impropriations had been projected in 1626, by one of the Puritan leaders, Dr. John Preston, of King's and Queen's Colleges, Cambridge, who managed their affairs. It was the design of

the faction to establish lectureships in the market towns, where there was a greater intercourse of people than in the country parts, and where they were always certain of adherents from among the idle and the wavering; and thus, by retaining the patronage in their own hands, they would be enabled to gratify their taste by what they called a preaching ministry. For this purpose they had erected themselves into a body corporate, though they had no sanction from the Government, consisting of twelve persons, viz. four ministers, four lawyers, and four citizens, who with their own and the money of others, were to purchase all the impropriations in the hands of laymen '.

The design being formed under the appearance of piety and zeal for religion, succeeded to the utmost extent. "Here," says Fuller, 66 were four divines to persuade men's consciences, four lawyers to draw all conveyances, and four citizens, who commanded rich coffers, wanting nothing save some swordsmen to defend all the rest." This specious pretence of religious zeal operated on the people, and the self-elected corporation received immense sums from various parts of the country to support their seemingly pious intentions. Indeed, this contrivance of the Puritan faction was so dexterous and successful, that it was reported, that within half a century, they would not be able to find any more purchases of impropriations.

'Fuller's Church History, book xi. p. 136.

But in the act sermon, preached in St. Mary's, Oxford, 1630, they were attacked by Dr. Heylin, then Fellow of Magdalen College, who having been at a town in Gloucestershire, where one of the lectureships had been established, had witnessed the craftiness and iniquity of the whole affair'. He preached from Matt. xiii. 25. "But while men slept, the enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way;" and towards the end of his sermon he enlarged with great severity on the characters and designs of the feoffment corporation. Great was the indignation of the Puritan faction, who meditated revenge towards this enemy; and the clamour was so violent, that Heylin was compelled at last to send his discourse to Laud, and signify his willingness to defend his positions. Laud had already reported to the King on the subject, and his Majesty had declared that "he would not have the clergy fettered with lay dependencies";" and viewing the whole project as a design to undermine the Church and oppose the State, he caused

'Heylin, p. 198, 199. Wood's Athen. Oxon. by Bliss, vol. iii. col. 554. Prynne's Canterburie's Doome, p. 386. By the latter writer, Heylin is termed Laud's great minion, and he says that Laud "set on this prosecution with more edge, by suborning his flattering creatures to declaim against these feoffees, and their design in the pulpit, both at Court and elsewhere." But Prynne was also Heylin's violent enemy, and afterwards brought him into trouble for some remarks which he made on one of Prynne's Works. (Wood, ut sup. col. 556.)

an information to be laid against the self-elected corporation in the Court of Exchequer, at the instance of Noy, the attorney-general, because it was an illegal association: and the result was, that in 1632, when this confederacy was broken up, only thirteen impropriations had been purchased for five or six thousand pounds, and these were confiscated to the King's use.

The impropriations were generally bought at twelve years' purchase, and had the feoffees been actuated by other motives than the advancement of their faction, of which that renowned Puritan Dr. Preston was a leader, the feoffment, as a charity, would not have been unworthy, perhaps, of support. But the truth is, that the design was too evident to be concealed. There were then in England 9284 benefices, and of these 3845 were either attached to colleges and cathedrals, or in the hands of laymen. The feoffees, in endeavouring to obtain possession of the lay impropriations, merely made a transferrence of the patronage, from one individual, perhaps, into their own hands. They had not the slightest intention to increase the revenues of the poorer livings to which the impropriations belonged, but setting up their lectureships in towns to which factious individuals chiefly resorted, they attached salaries to these lectureships, in prejudice to the poorer clergy. The religion of the Puritans consisted in preaching, and the furtherance of this was their grand object. It was their intention to make these lectureships serve as schools for the training