lightly from the former one, and ordered it to be read in the
churches of London and Westminster on the 20th and 27th May, and in the
country on the 3rd and 10th June. This was more than the clergy could
stand. A meeting of bishops was held at Lambeth for the purpose of drawing
up a petition to the king praying that the clergy might be excused reading
an illegal document in the midst of public service. This petition was
signed by Sancroft, the primate, and six bishops. Although the Bishop of
London was not among those who signed the petition--he at the time being
under disability--there is reason for believing that Compton had been taken
into counsel by those who drafted it.(1603) On the petition being
presented James pretended the utmost surprise, and insisted that the
presentation of such a petition was "a standard of rebellion." This took
place on Friday preceding the first Sunday (20th May) when the Declaration
was to be read in the London churches. When Sunday arrived people flocked
to the churches to hear what would happen. Only a few of the London clergy
attempted to read the Declaration.(1604) In the country not more than 200
clergy carried out the king's orders, "and of these some read it the first
Sunday, but changed their minds before the second; others declared in
their sermons that though they obeyed the order they did not approve the
Declaration." One minister in particular told his congregation that though
he was obliged to read it they were not obliged to hear it, and waited
until all had left the church before he commenced reading the hateful
document. In other places the congregation took the initiative and rose to
go as soon as the minister commenced reading it.(1605)

(M824)

What followed is well known. On Friday the 8th June the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the six bishops who had signed the petition were summoned
before the council and asked if they acknowledged their respective
signatures. They were next required to enter into bond for appearance
before the King's Bench. This they declined to do, and were thereupon
committed to the Tower.(1606) To have carried them through the streets of
the city might have caused a riot; they were therefore conveyed to the
Tower by water, "and all along as they passed the banks of the river were
full of people, who kneeled down and asked their blessing, and with loud
shouts expressed their good wishes for them and their concern in their
preservation."(1607) The