that pleases him, nor a Paragraph throughout the whole Performance, on which he can caft a favourable Eye; however, he was certainly unacquainted with the Historian's Principles, when he affirmed, That not content with a Toleration to thofe that respectively differ from the Establishment, he is for introducing the GENEVA PLAN, or fomething like it, through the united Kingdoms of England and Scotland. On the contrary, Mr. N. can affure this Writer, and his Brethren of the Clergy, that not one in Twenty of the Proteftant Diffenting Minifters would be for introducing the Geneva Plan, or any Thing like it, if it were in their Power: Nor would they be pleased with an Establishment of any kind, without an univerfal Toleration, of all peaceable and loyal Subjects in the Enjoyment of their Religious Rights and Privileges.

The most candid Writers of Controverfy, in the Warmth of Debate, have been guilty of fome Sallies of Paffion, which the Generofity of an Adversary would overlook; but was it like a Chriftian or a Scholar, to dress up Mr. N. in the Habit of a Puritan, and then for above two Hundred Pages together, to affault him from behind the Curtain with the opprobrious Characters of a rigid Calvinist, a Difciplinarian, a Man of a narrow Spirit? &c. Muft an Historian be accountable for the Juftnefs of their Principles whose History he writes? Or, because he fets their Arguments in a proper Light, muft he make them his own? But that which touches an honest Mind more fenfibly, is to be accufed not only of involuntary Mistakes, but of wicked and wilful corrupting the Truth of Hiftory to ferve a Defign, and of taking F. 7. much Pains to reprefent the Church of England as founded in Violence and Bloodfbed; its Conftitution contrary to the Word of God, and invading Chriftian Liberty. God forgive this Writer! Where has Mr. N. faid, that the Church of England was founded in Bloodshed, &c. Surely, a Gentleman that takes these Liberties should appear before the World, and put his Name to the B. 2 Charge.

Mcm.

pendix,

P. 253.

Charge. Mr. N. is fenfible of the Difficulties of perfecting a religious Establishment at once, and of fecuring it afterwards, without intrenching upon the Rights and Liberties of Mankind, which was the Cafe of the English Reformation; and though the Defects of the Hierarchy may be in part excused from the Neceffity of the Times, they ought not to be wholly juftified, but frankly confeffed, and the Hardfhips removed, as foon as an Opportunity offers; this Mr. N. acknowledges has been attempted feveral Times, and might have been done more effectually at the late glorious Revolution. But it feems there is a Plot against the Church, a Defign to introduce the Geneva Plan upon the Ruins of the prefent Eftablishment. Is this Writer then in the Secret? Or has he a Key into the Heart of his Adverfary? When Men make fuch Difcoveries, as muft neceffarily affect the Reputation and Good-Name of others, they fhould be very fecure of their Evidence, efpecially when they are unwilling to appear in open View, and fupport it with the Authority of their own great Names; but Mr. N. not being acquainted with the Plot, muft leave the Gentleman to drefs it up after his own Fashion, and make what Inferences from it he pleases.

The Commiffion of Errors in writing any HiCran. Ap-ftory of Times paft (fays the ingenious Mr. Wbarton, in his Letter to Mr. Strype) being altogether "unavoidable, ought not to detract from the Credit "of the Hiftory, or the Merits of the Hiftorian, "unless it be accompanied with immoderate Often"tation, or unhandfome Reflections on the Errors "of others." And although that Gentleman has filled almoft three Sheets of Paper with the Errors of Mr. Strype, in his fingle Volume of Memorials of Archbishop Cranmer, and fufpects there may be many more; yet no Man will venture to fay, that his Collections are useless, or not deferving the Commendations of Pofterity; nor would Mr. N. have complain

ed

ed of the Scrutiny this Writer and his Friends have made into his Hiftory, had they done it with Temper, and only with a Defign to correct thofe Miftakes, which in fo long a Work, it was almoft impoffible to avoid. Upon a careful Review of the Hiftory it appears, that there are feveral Errors of the Prefs, and fome Overfights of the Author, which, together with fome Marginal Additions, for the Satisfaction of the more inquifitive Readers, are thrown together at the End of thefe Papers; but it will be no lefs evident to all difinterefted Judges, that the chief Objections of this Writer, are either Miftakes of his own, or of no Confequence to the Credit of the Hiftory. The principal Facts are uncontefted, and must be so as long as there are any Records of thofe Times remaining.

Our Author is pleafed to pour great Contempt on Vindic. Mr. N's Manufcript Collection of original Papers, be- p. 190. cause it brings to Light fome of thofe unjustifiable ca Severities, which the Hiftorians of thofe Times had omitted; but its Authority fhall be left with the h Reader, after he is acquainted, that it was collected many Years ago, at the Expence of the Reverend Mr. Humphry Morrice, fome Time Chaplain to Denzil Lord Hollis, who employed an Amanuenfis in the University of Cambridge for this purpofe, whofe Name I could mention if it were proper; but it is fufficient to fay, that at the Foot of molt of the Papers, there are References to the Places from whence they were copied'; and the induftrious Mr. Strype was fo well fatisfied of the Authority of this MS. that, at his own Request he was permitted to tranfcribe from it feveral of those Papers which are among his RECORDS. I shall now attend our Author through his principal Facts, without attempting to lay open all his Miftakes, or entring any farther into the Controverfy, than is neceffary to my own Defence; for it must always be remember'd, that Mr. N. is not the Defender of the Government, Doctrine and Worship of the Puritans, but only their Hiftorian.

СНАР.

Of the Re

TH

CHAP. I.

HE first Charge against Mr. N, is, that "by ligious his Account of the great and illuftrious Character Queen ELIZABETH, it must be thought HER of Queen HEART WAS ENTIRELY POPISH." To fupport Elizabeth. this Conclufion, our Author produces the following

Vindic.

P. 13.

F. 352,

353 354.

Paffages, out of the Hiftory, [p. 337.] "Though the "Papifts were the Queen's most dangerous Enemies, HER

MAJESTY HAD A PECULIAR TENDERNESS FOR "THEM." How groundless this Accufation is (fays he} will foon appear to her Honour; and if it be to the Shame of her Accufers they must thank themselves. But let him first refute the Authorities in the Margin; with thofe which Mr. N. will now beg leave to add in ConfirL. Parker, mation of the Fact. "The Queen was ftrangely fecure of her worst Enemies, the Papifts (fays Mr. Strype, under the Year 1572.) and fhewed them much Favour, having many Friends at Court; the Government neutral; the Queen's beft Proteftant Subjects but little regarded Archbishop PARKER, in his Letter to the Treasurer Burleigh calls the Queen's Government a Machiavel Government; and adds, that "the Papifts were as "foon favoured as the true Proteftants; that the true Subject was not regarded but overthwarted; whereas the Rebel [meaning the Papift] was born with. When the faithful Subject and Officer (faith he) has spent his Wits to fearch, to find, to in"dite, to arraign and condemn, yet muft they be kept ftill for a fair Day to cut our own Throats? "Is this the Way to rule English People? Buc it deferves to be counted Clemency! Oh Cruelty (faith he) to fpare a profeft Enemy, and to drive "to the Slaughter her felf and her belt Friends." L. Parker, "How many Papifts (fays Whittingham Dean of Appendix, « Durham) enjoy Liberty and Livings, which nei

P. 47.

“ther

ther have fworn Obedience to the Queen's Maje fty, nor do any Part of Duty towards their miferable Flocks; these Misers laugh to fee us [Puri**tans] fo dealt with, and hope to fee other Altera

tions." Mr. Strype adds, "That notwithfstand-strype's **ing their [the Papifts] bold and exorbitant Pra. Ann. V.I. * &tices, they received a notable Piece of Favour at P-62% this Time [1578.] to gain them, if poffible, <to be better minded, and to behave themselves quietly, and that was, That the Queen would not "have any of their Confciences fifted, to know what Affection they had to the old Religion." Surely this was peculiar Tenderness?

The next Paffage which our Author produces, is EP. 255.] where Mr. N. fays, "One would have thought thefe formidable Confpiracies of the Roman Catholicks bould have alienated the Queen's Heart " from them." This Writer often complains of Mr. N's imperfect Quotations, and is pleafed fometimes to dictate in a very fovereign Manner, what he fhould have added, or left out. But Mr. N. might here, and in many other Places, return him his Compliment. The Cafe before us is this; having mentioned a general Confederacy of all the Popish Powers of Europe to extirpate the Proteftant Religion; and the Infolence of the English Papifts, that were in Arms in the North, at the Inftigation of the Pope, who had excommunicated the Queen and the whole Kingdom, abfolved her Subjects from their Allegiance, and called her Majefty an Ufurper, and Vaffal of Iniquity; I add, one would have thought thefe formidable Confpiracies of the Roman Catholicks fhould have alienated the Queen's Heart from them. Here our Author ftops; but it follows, and prevailed with her, to yield fomething for the Sake of a firmer Union among Proteftants; but instead of this, the Edge of the Laws that were made against Popish Recufants was turned against Proteftant Nonconformists.

Can