Page:Protestant Exiles from France Agnew vol 1.djvu/38

 —“By these Injunctions these Churches were molested and disquieted some three or four years’ space; some of them were interdicted, suspended and shut up for a time for refusing conformity. Others of them were dissolved, their ministers deserting them rather than submitting to these Injunctions. All of them were much diminished and discontented, the maintenance of their ministers and poor members being much impaired, almost to their utter desolation, notwithstanding all the great friends they could make to intercede on their behalf; and they being brought quite under that Episcopal jurisdiction and tyranny, from which they were formerly exempted.

Hereupon many conscientious aliens and their children deserted the kingdom, who could not in conscience submit to the ceremonies and innovations in our churches; and most of their families were miserably distracted, as appears by a Summary Relation of the Archbishop’s proceedings herein presented to the Parliament, and by a large printed book entitled, A Relation of the troubles of the Three Forraigne Churches in Kent, caused by the injunctions of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, A.D. 1634, set forth by John Bulteel, minister of God’s word to the Walloon Congregation of Canterbury, printed Anno 1645.” (Prynne’s “Trial of Laud,” page 407.)

In due course the king, loving to govern by priestly directions, by secret tribunals, and by martial law, plunged the country into a civil war. One astounding consequence of this position of affairs was an Act of Parliament abolishing Episcopacy, which was passed 10th Sept. 1642, but not to come into operation till the 5th Nov. 1643. With a view to organizing a Church for Great Britain, the Lords and Commons summoned an Assembly of Divines to deliberate along with learned laymen. This Assembly, which was preceded by a public sermon preached in Westminster Abbey, on July 1st, 1643, and which held its eleven hundred and sixty-three meetings in Henry VII.’s Chapel, is known in history as the Westminster Assembly.

The ministers of parishes in the Channel Islands were the Members of Assembly with whom the French Ministers had the closest ties. Their spokesman was the Rev. John de la March of Guernsey. On the 22nd Dec. he introduced a Deputation from the French church of London, bearers of a Petition which was read to the Assembly. Lightfoot gives the following summary of its contents:— First, “A congratulation for our meeting;” secondly, “laying open their charter made by Edward VI. for their church in this city;” thirdly, “a grievous complaint of two that have made a fearful rent and schism in their church, the one a doctor, and the other once a monk, who have separated from their congregation and begin to gather churches;” fourthly, “they desired us to present their complaint to the Houses [of Parliament.” This petition was referred to a committee.

On the preceding 22nd November it was ordered by the House of Commons, “That the Assembly of Divines be moved to write letters unto some Divines or Churches of Zealand and Holland, and to the Protestant Churches in France, Switzerland, and other Reformed Churches, to inform them, against the great artifices and disguises of His Majesty’s agents in those parts, of the true state of our affairs, and of the constant employment of Irish Popish Rebels and other Papists to be Governors, Commanders, and Soldiers, the many evidences of their intentions to introduce Popery, their endeavour to hinder the reformation here intended, and condemning other Protestant Churches as unsound because not prelatical. And that the Scots Commissioners be desired to join therein. And likewise that the Committees of the Lords and Commons and of the Divines may advise with the Scots Commissioners.”

The Solicitor-General brought this order before the Assembly. A Latin letter was accordingly drawn up and signed on 19-29 January following, both by the officials and by six Commissioners from the Church of Scotland. The copy sent to France was addressed to the Church of Paris, Reverendis et doctissimis viris, Pastoribus et Senioribus Ecclesice qua; est Lutetiae Parisiorum, dominus et fratribus honorandis.

Dr Grosart, in his memoir of Herbert Palmer, B.D., calls attention to the fact that that loveable and able divine drafted the Westminster Assembly’s Letter. [As to Palmer, Samuel Clark says that he was born at Wingham, about six miles from Canterbury, in 1601: “he learned the French tongue almost as soon as he could speak English; even so soon, as that he hath often affirmed that he did not remember his learning of it. And he did afterwards attain so great exactness of speaking and preaching in that language, together with a perfect knowledge of the state of affairs of that kingdom (especially of the Protestant Churches amongst them) that he was often by strangers thought to be a native Frenchman, and did not doubt but to entertain discourse with any person of that nation for some hours together, who should not be able by his discourse to distinguish him from a native Frenchman, but