CHARLES I.

29

Cheapside; to lose both his ears, one in each place; chap.to play 5,000 pounds, fine to the king; and to Lit.be imprisoned during life 4 \

This same Prynne was a great hero among thePuritans; and it was chiefly with a view ofmortifying that sect, that, though of an honor-able profession, he was condemned by the star-chamber to so ignominious a punishment Thethorough-paced Puritans were distinguishable bythe sourness and austerity of their manners, andby their aversion to all pleasure and society 4To inspire them with better humor, was cer-tainly, both for their own fake and that of thepublic, a laudable intention in the court; butwhether pillories, fines, and prisons, were pro-per expedients for that purpose, may admit ofsome question.

Another expedient which the king tried,in order to infuse chearfulness irtto the nationaldevotion, was not much more successful. Herenewed his father’s edict for allowing sports andrecreations on Sunday to such as attended publicworship; and he ordered his proclamation for thatpurpose to be publicly read by the clergy afterdivine service ". Those who were puritanicallyaffected, refused obedience, and were punishedby suspension or deprivation. The differences

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41 Rufhworth, vol. ii. p. 220, 221, &c.

41 Dugdale, p. 2.

44 Rufhworth , vol. ii. p. 193. 459. Whitlocke, p. 16 ,

17. Franklyn, p. 437 *