CHARLES

I.

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and it -was severed from the body at one blow **. c H kThose religious opinions, for which he suffered* i,viicontributed, no doubt, to the courage and con- ""stancy of his end. Sincere he undoubtedly was,and however misguided, actuated by pious mo-tives in all his pursuits; and it is to be regretted *that a man of such spirit, who conducted his en-terprises with so much warmth and industry,had not entertained more enlarged views, andembraced principles more favorable to the generalhappiness of society.

The great and important advantage, whichthe party gained by Stratford’s death, may, insome degree, palliate the iniquity of the sentencepronounced against him: But the execution ofthis old infirm prelate, who had so long remain-ed an inoffensive prisoner, can be ascribed tonothing but vengeance and bigotry in those se-vere religionists, by whom the parliament wasentirely governed. That he deserved a betterfate was not questioned by any reasonable man:

The degree of his merit, in other respects, wasdisputed. Some accused him of recommendingslavish doctrines, of promoting persecution, andof encouraging superstition; while others thought,that his conduct, in these three particulars, wouldadmit of apology and extenuation.

That the Utter of thfe law, as much as themost flaming court - sermon, inculcates passiveobedience, is apparent : And though the spirit

iath of July, 1644..Vol. IX.

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