one of the said pictures, to his understand ing, being made to represent God the Father, did procure an order to be made by the vestry (whereof himself was a mem ber) that the window should be taken down; so as the defendant did, at his own charge, glaze it again with white glass; and by color of this order, the defendant, without acquainting the Bishop or his Chancellor therewith, got himself into the church, made the doors fast to him, and then, with his staff, brake divers holes in the said painted window, wherein was described the creation of the world; and for this offense, com mitted with neglect of episcopal authority, from which the vestry derived their author ity, and by color of an order of vestry, who have no power to alter or reform any of the
ornaments of the church, the defendant was committed to the Fleet, fined £500, and ordered to repair to the Lord Bishop of his Diocese, and there make an acknowledge ment of his offense and contempt before such persons as the Bishop would call unto him." This case of course arose out of the con flict between the prelates and the opposers of a union between church and state govern ment, and was prosecuted with almost as much bitterness and fanatical zeal as the persecution of the Protestants under Mary. There was absent, however, that disgraceful spirit of hypocritical piety which character ized the proceedings against Prynn, of which we shall speak further on.
