solidated
by Mr. Thurloe. There were two papers only, under one management, or
rather there was a single bi-weekly newspaper with alternative
names.[1]

[Footnote 1: Council Order Books of 1655 and 1658 _passim; Merc.
Pol._ and _Public Intelligencer_ of dates given.]

It was part of the duty of the Major-Generals to assist, so far as
might still be necessary, in the execution of the Ordinance of Aug.
1654 for the ejection of scandalous and insufficient ministers and
schoolmasters (Vol. IV. p. 564 and p. 571), The County _Committees of
Ejectors_ under that Ordinance had already performed their
disagreeable work in part, but were still busy. On the whole, though
they turned out many, they seem not to have abused their powers. "I
must needs say," is Baxter's testimony, "that in all the counties
where I was acquainted, six to one at least, if not many more, that
were sequestered by the Committees were, by the oaths of witnesses,
proved insufficient or scandalous, or both--especially guilty of
drunkenness or swearing,--and those that, being able godly preachers,
were cast out for the war alone, as for their opinions' sake, were
comparatively very few. This, I know, will displease that party; but
this is true." Baxter admits, indeed, that there were cases in which
the Committees were swayed too much by mere political feeling, and
ejected men from their pulpits whom it would have been better to
retain. Other authorities assert the same more strongly, but rather
fail in the proof. The most notorious instance produced of a blunder
on the part of any of the Committees was in Berkshire. The Rector of
Childrey in this county was the learned orientalist Pocock, who had
lost his Professorship of Hebrew in the University of Oxford for
refusing the engagement to the Commonwealth, but still held the
Arabic lectureship there, because there was no one else who knew
Arabic sufficiently. Not liking his look, or not seeing what
Orientalism had to do with the Gospel, the rude Berkshire Committee
were on the point of turning him out of his Rectory, when Dr. Owen
interfered manfully and prevented the scandal. About the same time,
it is said, Thomas Fuller was in some trepidation about his living of
Waltham Abbey, in Essex, but acquitted himself before the Committee
handsomely.[1]

[Footnote 1: Baxter, 74; Wood's Ath. IV. 319; Godwin, IV. 40-41.]

Distinct from the County Committees of Ejectors, and forming the
other great constitutional p