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HISTORY OR ENGLAND.

CHAP. Rosewell remained bound under heavy recognisances to good

■ 1667 ^ - behaviour during life, and to periodical appearance in theCourt of King’s Bench. His recognisances were now dis-charged by the royal command; and in this way his serviceswere secured. *

Lobb. The business of gaining the Independents was principallyintrusted to one of their ministers named Stephen Lobb.Lobb was a weak, violent, and ambitious man. He had gonesuch lengths in opposition to the government, that he hadbeen by name proscribed in several proclamations. He nowmade his peace, and went as far in servility as he had everdone in faction. He joined the Jesuitical cabal, and eagerlyrecommended measures from which the wisest and mosthonest Roman Catholics recoiled. It was remarked that hewas constantly at the palace and frequently in the closet, thathe lived with a splendour to which the Puritan divines werelittle accustomed, and that he was perpetually surroundedby suitors imploring his interest to procure them offices orpardons.**

reno. With Lobb was closely connected William Penn. Pennhad never been a strong-headed man: the life which he hadbeen leading during two years had not a little impaired hismoral sensibility; and, if his conscience ever reproachedhim, he comforted himself by repeating that he had a goodand noble end in view, and that he was not paid for his ser-vices in money.

By the influence of these men, and of others less con-spicuous, addresses of thanks to the King were procuredfrom several bodies of Dissenters. Tory writers have withjustice remarked that the language of these compositions wasas fulsomely servile as anything that could be found in themost florid eulogies pronounced by Bishops on the Stuarts.But, on close inquiry, it will appear that the disgrace belongsto but a small part of the Puritan party. There was scarcely

* Stale Trials; Samuel Rosewell’s Life of Thomas Rosewell, 1718;Calamy’s Account.

** London Gazette, March 15. 168J; Nichols’s Defence of the Churchof England; Pierce’s Vindication of the Dissenters.