s shocked, in so violent a manner, the
religious principles of his Scottish subjects, he acted in opposition to
those of his English. He had observed, in his progress through England,
that a Judaical observance of the Sunday, chiefly by means of the
Puritans, was every day gaining ground throughout the kingdom; and that
the people, under color of religion, were, contrary to former practice
debarred such sports, and recreations as contributed both to their
health and their amusement.[*] Festivals, which, in other nations
and ages, are partly dedicated to public worship, partly to mirth and
society, were here totally appropriated to the offices of religion, and
served to nourish those sullen and gloomy contemplations to which the
people were, of themselves, so unfortunately subject. The king imagined,
that it would be easy to infuse cheerfulness into this dark spirit of
devotion. He issued a proclamation to allow and encourage, after divine
service, all kinds of lawful games and exercises; and, by his authority,
he endeavored to give sanction to a practice which his subjects regarded
as the utmost instance of profaneness and impiety.[**]

* Kennet, p. 709.

** Franklyn, p. 31.

To show how rigid the English, chiefly the Puritans, were become in
this particular, a bill was introduced into the house of commons, in the
eighteenth of the king, for the more strict observance of the Sunday,
which they affected to the Sabbath. One Shepherd opposed this bill,
objected to the appellation of Sabbath as Puritanical, defended dancing
by the example of David, and seems even to have justified sports on that
day. For this profaneness he was expelled the house, by the suggestion
of Mr. Pym the house of lords opposed so far this Puritanical spirit of
the commons that they proposed that the appellation of Sabbath should
be changed into that of the Lord's day.[*]

* Journ. 15th, 16th, Feb. 1620. 28th May, 1621. In
Shepherd's sentence, his offence is said by the house to be
great, exorbitant, unparalleled.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

JAMES I.

{1618.} At the time when Sir Waller Raleigh was first confined in
the Tower, his violent and haughty temper had rendered him the most
unpopular man in England; and his condemnation was chiefly owing to
that public odium under which he labored. During the thirteen years'
imprisonment which he suffered, the sentiments of the nation were much
changed with regard to hi