The Hand-Book of English History, Consisting of an Epitome of the Annals of the Nation and a Series of Questions Upon Each Period

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1848. Excerpt: ... A.D. in its northern and southern sections. The Scotch were strongly attached to the presbyterian form of church government, and to the religious doctrines propounded by the Westminster assembly of divines. Charles reestablished episcopacy, and again imposed the liturgy of Laud. The people refused to comply, and the ministers and their congregations were constrained to worship God in the fields and mountain glens. Even this was not tolerated, and the covenanters were hunted by a brutal soldiery, like wild beasts upon the mountains, and remorselessly slaughtered wherever they were found. The persecuted people were maddened into resistance. At the Pentland Hills they were defeated; at the battle of Drumclog, near Strathaven, they were victorious; at the battle of Bothwell Bridge, (Lanarkshire, ) they were overthrown with great slaughter. Graham, of Claverhouse, rendered himself peculiarly conspicuous in the work of persecution. 1661. In the second year of his reign Charles met his second parliament. This assembly sat for eighteen years, and from the circumstance of several of its members receiving bribes from the government it has been named the pensioned parliament. Among the early measures of this parliament was the passing of the corporation and the uniformity acts. The corporation act required all persons before being admitted to offices of trust and power in municipal bodies to receive the sacrament according to the rites of the church of England. By the act of uniformity, all clergymen who did not subscribe their assent to the book of common prayer before the feast of St. Bartholomew, 1662, were to be deprived of their preferments. On the day (Aug. 24th) that the act took effect two thousand ministers, comprehending many of the best and most learned me..