the Rev. W. Turner , Jun. , MA., Lives of the eminent Unitarians

[113] the bounds or their legitimate authority, and was reasonably objected to as arbitrary and unfair. There is, however, good reason to believe that both parties were sufficiently aware that it was approved in substance, if not in form, by the majority of the people. If it had been otherwise, the one party were as little likely to have submitted to it as the other to have adopted it. At all events, there is no reason to believe that the trustees were ever called to account for their conduct by their own friends, or even found it necessary, in modern phrase, to sue for a bill of indemnity from those who were glad that the thing was done, though they might not altogether approve of the manner of doing it.

Of the three suspected ministers, Peirce and Hallet only were ultimately ejected; for Mr. Withers, notwithstanding the firmness and decision with which he had remonstrated against the first inquisitorial proceedings, and refused to assent to any creed imposed by human authority, was at length induced to sign the prescribed formula of the first article of the Church of England; thus subscribing slave to his imperious and bigoted junior, with whom he was consequently permitted to remain associated, and to whom, notwithstanding the unquestioned superiority of his talents and Character, we cannot doubt that he was an humble subordinate for the rest of his life. ‘May that good man's yoke,’ says Mr. Peirce (W. I. p. 160) ‘always sit easy upon him. I cannot yet repent that I did not submit to the same.’

The ejected ministers and their adherents with some difficulty procured a temporary place of meeting; and soon afterwards erected a place of