Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/265

 Struggle for Constitutional Governme?it 227 III. The Personal Government of Charles I (1629- 1640) ; Religious Parties The political antagonism between Parliament and king was much imbittered by strong religious differences. The Established Church and its bishops, especially Arch- bishop Laud, were viewed with distrust by the "low church " party, which believed that the bishops were too much inclined to support the tyrannical claims of the king, and that they showed a tendency to reintroduce "popish practices." Naturally the Presbyterians and the Separatists, or Congregationalists, freely declared their abhorrence of bishops in general. The origin of the Puritans during Elizabeth's reign is thus described by one of them in a pamphlet, "The Plea for the Innocent." In the beginning of her Majesty's most happy reign, 307. Posi- the gospel being published and preachers ordained to teach tion of the the people, many people, within a while feeling some taste of ^ 02 ). the heavenly comfort, began to delight in hearing of ser- mons, singing of psalms, in reading, and godly talk of Holy Scriptures which they were taught ; and therewithal did somewhat refrain profane and unprofitable customs ; and sometimes they admonished their neighbors if they did swear, and pray them to go with them to the sermon ; the greater sort of the people, being old barrels which could hold no new wine, addicted partly to popery and partly to licentiousness, having many of them no other God but their bellies, would deride and scoff at them, and called them " holy brethren " and " holy sisters " ; saying, " He is one of the pure and unspotted brethren ! " The Puritans were especially scrupulous in the observ- ance of Sunday. The following are some of the fear- ful instances, cited by a Puritan writer, of God's anger against those who desecrated the holy day.