ector of Kettering, Northamptonshire.
However extravagant his doctrine appears to us, I suspect that it
exhibits the concealed sentiments of even some protestant churchmen!
This rector of Kettering attributes the growth of schism to the
_negligence_ of the clergy, and seems to have persecuted both the
archbishops, "to his detriment," as he tells us, with singular plans
of reform borrowed from monastic institutions. He wished to revive
the practice inculcated by a canon of the counsel of Laodicea of
having prayers _ad horam nonam et ad vesperam_--prayers twice a day
in the churches. But his grand project take in his own words:--

"I let the archbishop know that I had composed an _irenicon_,
wherein I prove the necessity of an ecclesiastical _power over
consciences_ in matters of religion, which utterly silences their
arguments who _plead so hard for toleration_. I took my scheme from
'A Discourse of Ecclesiastical Polity,' wherein the authority of the
civil magistrate over the consciences of subjects in matters of
external religion is asserted; _the mischiefs and inconveniences of
toleration_ are represented, and all pretences pleaded in behalf of
_liberty of conscience_ are fully answered. If this book were
reprinted and considered, the king would know his power and the
people their duty."

The rector of Kettering seems not to have known that the author of
this "Discourse on Ecclesiastical Polity" was the notorious Parker,
immortalised by the satire of Marvell. This political apostate, from
a republican and presbyterian, became a furious advocate for
_arbitrary government_ in church and state! He easily won the favour
of James the Second, who made him Bishop of Oxford! His principles
were so violent that Father Petre, the confessor of James, made sure
of him! This letter of the rector of Kettering, in adopting the
system of such a _catholic_ bishop, confirms my suspicion that
_toleration_ is condemned as an evil among some protestants!

[173] The cruelties practised by the Protestant against the Catholic
party are pictured and described in Arnoudt Van Geluwe's book, "Over
de Ontledinghe van dry verscheyden Niew-Ghereformeerde Martelaers
Boecken," published at Antwerp in 1656.

[174] Cornhert was one of the fathers of Dutch literature, and even
of their arts. He was the composer o