For he had an abhorrence of a design which tended to encourage Puritan Preachers of the Gospel, although Conformists: he persecuted Mr. Shepard, afterwards of Cambridge in New-England, for his Preaching a Lecture, notwithstanding he was then a Conformist, not having searched into the Principles of the Non-conformists, until after that. I have by me a Manuscript of Mr. Shepherds Written with his own hand, in which are these Words, Dec. 16. 1630. I was inhibited from Preaching in the Diocese of London, by Dr. Laud Bishop of that Diocese: As ⟨p. 26⟩soon as I came in the Morning about 8. of the Clock, falling into a fit of Rage, he asked me what Degree I had taken in the University, I answered, I was a Master of Arts. He asked of what College: I answered of Emanuel. He asked how long I had lived in his Diocese. I answered three years, and upwards. He asked who Maintained me all this while, charging me to deal plainly with him, adding withal, that he had been more Cheated and Equivocated with, by some of my Malignant Faction, than ever was man by Jesuit; at the speaking of which words, he looked as though blood would have gushed out of his Face, and did shake as if he had been haunted with an Ague fit, to my apprehension, by reason of his extreme Malice and secret Venom. I desired him to excuse me: he fell then to threaten me, and withal to bitter railing, calling me all to nought, saying, You Prating Coxcomb, do you think all the Learning is in your brain? He Pronounced his sentence thus, I charge ⟨p. 27⟩you that you neither Preach, Read, Marry, Bury, or Exercise any Ministerial Function in any part of my Diocese: for if you do, and I hear of it, I'll be upon your back, and follow you where ever you go, in any part of this Kingdom, & so everlastingly disenable you. I besought him not to deal so, in regard of a Poor Town, and here he stopped me in what I was going on to say: A Poor Town! You have made a Company of Seditious, Factious Bedlams, and what do you prate to me of a Poor Town! I prayed him to suffer me to Catechise in the Sabbath days in the Afternoon. He replied, spare your breath, I'll have no such Fellows Prate in my Diocese. Get you gone, and now make your complaints to whom you will. So away I went; and blessed be God, that I may go to Him. Thus Mr. Shepard. Let the Reader Pardon this short Digression.
For he had an abhorrence of a design which tended to encourage Puritan Preachers of the Gospel, although Conformists: he persecuted Mr. Shepard, afterwards of Cambridge in New-England, for his Preaching a Lecture, notwithstanding he was then a Conformist, not having searched into the Principles of the Non-conformists, until after that. I have by me a Manuscript of Mr. Shepards Written with his own hand, in which are these Words, Dec. 16. 1630. I was inhibited from Preaching in the Diocess of London, by Dr. Laud Bishop of that Diocess: As ⟨p. 26⟩soon as I came in the Morning about 8. of the Clock, falling into a fit of Rage, he asked me what Degree I had taken in the University, I answered, I was a Master of Arts. He asked of what College: I answered of Emanuel. He asked how long I had lived in his Diocess. I answered three years, and upwards. He asked who Maintained me all this while, charging me to deal plainly with him, adding withal, that he had been more Cheated and Equivocated with, by some of my Malignant Faction, than ever was man by Jesuit; at the speaking of which words, he looked as though blood would have gushed out of his Face, and did shake as if he had been haunted with an Ague fitt, to my apprehension, by reason of his extream Malice and secret Venome. I desired him to excuse me: he fell then to threaten me, and withal to bitter railing, calling me all to nought, saying, You Prating Coxcomb, do you think all the Learning is in your brain? He Pronounced his sentence thus, I charge ⟨p. 27⟩you that you neither Preach, Read, Marry, Bury, or Exercise any Ministerial Function in any part of my Diocess: for if you do, and I hear of it, I'le be upon your back, and follow you where ever you go, in any part of this Kingdom, & so everlastingly disinable you. I besought him not to deal so, in regard of a Poor Town, and here he stopt me in what I was going on to say: A Poor Town! You have made a Company of Seditious, Factious Bedlams, and what do you prate to me of a Poor Town! I prayed him to suffer me to Catechise in the Sabbath days in the Afternoon. He replyed, spare your breath, I'le have no such Fellows Prate in my Diocess. Get you gone, and now make your complaints to whom you will. So away I went; and blessed be God, that I may go to Him. Thus Mr. Shepard. Let the Reader Pardon this short Digression.
