emned
to the same punishment that had been inflicted on Prynne. Prynne himself
was tried for a new offence; and, together with another fine of five
thousand pounds, was condemned to lose what remained of his ears.
Besides that these writers had attacked with great severity, and even an
intemperate zeal, the ceremonies, rites, and government of the church,
the very answers which they gave in to the court were so full of
contumacy and of invectives against the prelates, that no lawyer
could be prevailed on to sign them.[*] The rigors, however, which they
underwent, being so unworthy men of their profession, gave general
offence; and the patience, or rather alacrity, with which they suffered,
increased still further the indignation of the public.[**]

* Rush. vol. ii. p. 381, 382, etc. State Trials, vol. v. p.
66.

** State Trials, vol. v. p. 80.

The severity of the star chamber, which was generally ascribed to Laud's
passionate disposition, was, perhaps, in itself somewhat blamable;
but will naturally, to us, appear enormous, who enjoy, in the utmost
latitude, that liberty of the press, which is esteemed so necessary
in every monarchy, confined by strict legal limitations. But as these
limitations were not regularly fixed during the age of Charles, nor at
any time before, so was this liberty totally unknown, and was generally
deemed, as well as religious toleration, incompatible with all good
government. No age or nation among the moderns had ever set an example
of such an indulgence; and it seems unreasonable to judge of the
measures embraced during one period by the maxims which prevail in
another.

Burton, in his book where he complained of innovations mentioned, among
others, that a certain Wednesday had been appointed for a fast, and
that the fast was ordered to be celebrated without any sermons.[*] The
intention, as he pretended, of that novelty was, by the example of
a fast without sermons, to suppress all the Wednesday's lectures in
London. It is observable, that the church of Rome and that of England,
being both of them lovers of form, and ceremony, and order, are more
friends to prayer than preaching; while the Puritanical sectaries, who
find that the latter method of address, being directed to a numerous
audience present and visible, is more inflaming and animating,
have always regarded it as the chief part of divine service. Such
circumstances, though minute, it may not be improper to tran