distone was likewise brought to trial, and condemned to pay a fine
of five thousand pounds, and to have his ears nailed to the pillory
before his own school. He saved himself by flight; and left a note in
his study, wherein he said, "that he was gone beyond Canterbury."[*]

These prosecutions of Williams seem to have been the most iniquitous
measure pursued by the court during the time that the use of parliaments
was suspended. Williams had been indebted for all his fortune to the
favor of James; but having quarrelled, first with Buckingham, then with
Laud, he threw himself into the country party; and with great firmness
and vigor opposed all the measures of the king. A creature of the court
to become its obstinate enemy, a bishop to countenance Puritans; these
circumstances excited indignation, and engaged the ministers in those
severe measures. Not to mention, what some writers relate, that, before
the sentence was pronounced against him, Williams was offered a pardon
upon his submission, which he refused to make; the court was apt to
think, that so refractory a spirit must by any expedient be broken and
subdued.

In a former trial which Williams underwent,[**] (for these were not the
first,) there was mentioned in court a story, which, as it discovers the
genius of parties, may be worth relating. Sir John Lambe urging him to
prosecute the Puritans, the prelate asked what sort of people these same
Puritans were. Sir John replied, "that to the world they seemed to be
such as would not swear, whore, or be drunk; out they would lie, cozen,
and deceive; that they would frequently hear two sermons a day, and
repeat them too, and that some, times they would fast all day long."
This character must be conceived to be satirical; yet it may be allowed,
that that sect was more averse to such irregularities as proceed from
the excess of gayety and pleasure, than to those enormities which are
the most destructive of society, The former were opposite to the
very genius and spirit of their religion; the latter were only a
transgression of its precepts: and it was not difficult for a gloomy
enthusiast to convince himself, that a strict observance of the one
would atone for any violation of the other.

* Rush. voL ii. p. 803, etc. Whittocke, p. 25.

** Rush. vol. ii. p. 416.

In 1632, the treasurer Portland had insisted with the vintners, that
they should submit to a tax of a penny a quart upon all the wine which
they r