4,6 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

c h A P- to those enormities, which are the most destructiveiii. of society. The former were opposite to the veryU 37 . genius and spirit of their religion ; the latter wereonly a transgression of its precepts : And it wasnot difficult for a gloomy enthusiast to convincehimself, that a strict observance of the one wouldatone for any violation of the other.

In 1632 , the treasurer , Portland , had insistedwith the vintners, that they should submit to atax of a penny a quart, upon all the wine,which they retailed. But they rejected the demand.In order to punish them, a decree, suddenly,without much inquiry or examination, passed inthe star-chamber, prohibiting them to sell or dressvictuals in their houses 11 . Two years after , theywere questioned for the breach of this decree;a fid in order to avoid punishment, they agreedto lend the king six thousand pounds. Beingthreatened , during the subsequent years , withfines and prosecutions , they at last compoundedthe matter, and submitted to pay half of thatduty , which was at first demanded of them 7 *. Itrequired little foresight to perceive , that theking’s right of issuing proclamations must , ifprosecuted , draw on a power of taxation.

Lilburne was accused before the star-chamber,of publishing and dispersing seditious pamphlets.He was ordered to be examined ; but refused totake the oath, usual in that court, that he wouldanswer interrogatories, even though they might

77 Rush. vol. ii. p. 197. ** V Idem, ibid. p. 451.