estates of popish recusants.[1] After this preliminary skirmish with antichrist, they proceeded to attack Satan himself “in his stronghold” of advowsons.  It was, they contended, contrary to reason, that any private individual should possess the power of imposing a spiritual guide upon his neighbours; and therefore they resolved that presentations should he abolished, and the choice of the minister be vested in the body of the parishioners; a vote which taught the patrons of livings to seek the protection of the lord-general against the oppression of the parliament.  From advowsons, the next step was to tithes.  At the commencement of the session, after a long debate, it was generally understood that tithes ought to be done away with, and in their place a compensation be made to the impropriators, and a decent maintenance be provided for the clergy.  The great subject of dispute was, which question should have the precedence in point of time, the abolition of the impost, or the substitution of the equivalent.  For five months the committee intrusted with the subject was silent; now, to prevent, as it was thought, the agitation of the question of advowsons, they presented a report respecting the method of ejecting scandalous, and settling godly, ministers; to which they appended their own opinion, that incumbents, rectors, and impropriators had a property in tithes.  This report provoked a debate of five days.  When the question was put on the first part, though the committee had mustered all the force of the Independents in its favour, it was rejected by a

[Footnote 1:  To procure ready money for the treasury, it was proposed to allow recusants to redeem the two-thirds for their lives, at four years’ purchase.  This amendment passed, but with great opposition, on the ground that it amounted to a toleration of idolatry.—­Ibid, ii.  Thurloe, i. 553.]

majority of two.  The second part, respecting the property in tithes, was not put to the vote; its fate was supposed to be included in that of the former; and it was rumoured through the capital that the parliament had voted the abolition of tithes, and with them of the ministry, which derived its maintenance from tithes.[1]

Here it should be noticed that, on every Monday during the session, Feakes and Powell, two Anabaptist preachers, had delivered weekly lectures to numerous audiences at Blackfriars.  They were eloquent enthusiasts, commissioned, as they fancied, by the Almighty, and fearless of any earthly tribunal.  They introduced into their sermons most of the subjects discussed in parliament, and advocated the principles of their sect with a force and extravagance which alarmed Cromwell and the council.  Their favourite topic was the Dutch war.  God, they maintained, had given Holland into the hands of the English; it was to be the landing-place of the saints, whence they should proceed to pluck the w——­ of Babylon from her chair and to establish the kingdom of Christ on the continent; and they threatened with every kind of temporal and everlasting woe the man who should advise peace on any other terms than the incorporation of the United Provinces with the commonwealth of England.[2] When it was known that Cromwell had receded from this demand, their indignation