[Sidenote:  “D.D.”]

In the year 1636, his Majesty, then in his progress, took a fair occasion to visit Oxford, and to take an entertainment for two days for himself and honourable attendants; which the Reader ought to believe was suitable to their dignities.  But this is mentioned, because at the King’s coming thither, Dr. Sanderson did attend him, and was then—­the 31st of August—­created Doctor of Divinity; which honour had an addition to it, by having many of the Nobility of this nation then made Doctors and Masters of Arts with him; some of whose names shall be recorded and live with his, and none shall outlive it.  First, Dr. Curle and Dr. Wren,[14] who were then Bishops of Winton and of Norwich,—­and had formerly taken their degrees in Cambridge, were with him created Doctors of Divinity in his University.  So was Meric,[15] the son of the learned Isaac Casaubon; and Prince Rupert, who still lives, the then Duke of Lenox, Earl of Hereford, Earl of Essex, of Berkshire, and very many others of noble birth—­too many to be named—­were then created Masters of Arts.

[Sidenote:  The New Covenant]

[Sidenote:  What followed]

Some years before the unhappy Long Parliament, this nation being then happy and in peace,—­though inwardly sick of being well,—­namely, in the year 1639, a discontented party of the Scots Church were zealously restless for another reformation of their Kirk-government; and to that end created a new Covenant, for the general taking of which they pretended to petition the King for his assent, and that he would enjoin the taking of it by all of that nation.  But this petition was not to be presented to him by a committee of eight or ten men of their fraternity; but by so many thousands, and they so armed as seemed to force an assent to what they seemed to request; so that though forbidden by the King, yet they entered England, and in the heat of zeal took and plundered Newcastle, where the King was forced to meet them with an army:  but upon a treaty and some concessions, he sent them back,—­though not so rich as they intended, yet,—­for that time, without bloodshed.  But, Oh! this peace, and this Covenant, were but the fore-runners of war, and the many miseries that followed:  for in the year following there were so many chosen into the Long Parliament, that were of a conjunct council with these very zealous and as factious reformers, as begot such a confusion by the several desires and designs in many of the members of that Parliament, and at last in the very common people of this nation, that they were so lost by contrary designs, fears, and confusions, as to believe the Scots and their Covenant would restore them to their former tranquillity.  And to that end the Presbyterian party of this nation did again, in the year 1643, invite the Scotch Covenanters back into England:  and hither they came marching with it gloriously upon their pikes and in their hats, with this motto:  “For the Crown and Covenant