chism, and Christian walking. This may have much reason to discourage the Ministers when such a low conceit is had of all their exhortations, and the benefiting of their hearers, as that they are not thought fit to be turn'd loose to three sheets of paper without a licencer, that all the Sermons, all the Lectures proacht, printed, vented in such numbers, and such volumes, as have now well-nigh made all other books unsalable, should not be armor anough against one single en biridian, without the cattle St. Angelo of an Imprimatur.

And left fom fhould perswade ye, . : Lords and Commons, that these arguments of lerned mens discouragement at this your order, are meer flourishes, and

not reall, I could recount what I have ó seen and heard in other Countries, where

this kind of inquisition tyrannizes ; when · I have sat among their learned men, for

that honor I had, and bin counted happy to be born in such a place of Philosophic freedom, as they suppos’d England was, while themselves did nothing but bemoan the servil condition into which lerning amongst them was brought; that this was it which had dampt the glory of Italian wits; that nothing had bio there writt'n now these many years but flattery and fuftian. There it was

that I found and visited the famous Ga• lileo grown old, a prisner to the Inqui

fition, for thinking in Astronomy otherwise than the Franciscan and Dominican

licencers thought. And though I knew -
that England then was groaning loudeft ,
under the Prelaticall yoak, neverthelesse -
I took it as a pledge of future happines,
that other Nations were so perswaded of
her liberty. Yet was it beyond my
hope that those Worthies were then
breathing in her air, who should be her
leaders to such a deliverance, as iliall
never be forgott'n by any revolution of
time that this world hath to finish. When
that was once begun, it was as little in
my fear, that what words of complaint
I heard among learned men of other
parts utter'd against the Inquifition, the
same I shou'd hear by as lerned men at
home utterd in time of Parlament against
an order of licencing; and that so gene-
X 4

rally,

5

rally, that when I had disclos'd myself a companion of their discontent, I might say, if without envy, that he whom an honest quæstorship had indear'd to the Sicilians, was not more by them importun'd against Verres, then the favourable opinion which I had among many who honour ye, and are known and respected by ye, loaded me with entreaties and perswafions, that I would not despair to lay together that which just reason should bring into my mind, toward the removal of an undeserved thraldoin

upon learning. That this is not therefore the disburdning of a particular fancie, but the common grievance of all those who had prepar’d their minds and studies above the vulgar pitch to advance truth

in others, and from others to entertain it, thus much, may satisfie. And in their name I shall for neither friend nor foe conceal what the generall murmur is; that if it come to inquisitioning again, and licencing, and that we are so timorous of our felvs, and so suspicious of all men, as to fear each book, and the fhaking of every leaf, before we know what the contents are, if some who but of late were little better then filenc't from preaching, shall come now to filence us from reading, except what they please, it cannot be guest what is intended by som but a second tyranny over learning : and will soon put it out of controversie that Bishops and Presbyters are the same to us both name and thing. That those

a