Note 488 — Chapter XVI
Reading edition
Parliament conferred powers on Lord Fairfax in February, 1644, whilst he was in the north, and the next month, commissioners there received the following warrant:—
"Whereas we are credibly informed that many ministers in the several counties of Nottingham, York, bishopric of Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmoreland, the town and county of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the city and county of the city of York, and the town of Nottingham, are not only of scandalous life and conversation, but leaving their charges and cures, have withdrawn themselves wilfully from the same, and have joined with such forces as are raised against Parliament and Kingdom, and have aided and assisted the said forces, and that many that would give evidence against such scandalous ministers are not able to travel to London, nor bear the expenses of such journeys, you have therefore hereby full power and authority to call before you, &c., &c., and to eject such as you shall judge unfit for their places, and to sequester their livings and spiritual promotions, and to place others in their room, such as shall be approved, godly, learned, and orthodox divines, &c., &c. And further, you shall have power to dispose a fifth part of all such estates as you shall sequester for the benefit of the wives and children of any the aforesaid persons, &c., &c."—State Papers, Dom., March 6th, 1643-4.
With the sword of Fairfax, a real Andrea Ferrara, and other relics of the Commonwealth, there is preserved at Farnley Hall, Yorkshire, the silver matrix of a seal for the licensing of preachers. It shews within a circlet of leaves an open Bible, inscribed "The Word of God," with the words running round the edge, "The Seal for the Approbation of Ministers." It is engraved in Scott's Antiquarian Gleanings in the North of England.
See Resolutions in Journals, August 29th, 1644.