The Commons had been industriously at work against him since the first attack in December, and as Archbishop Laud said of Prynne, 'by this time their malice had hammered out somewhat.' The committee sent in a report, charging the Bishop with 'excommunicating fifty painful ministers, practising superstition in his own person, placing "the table" altarwise, elevation of the elements, the "eastward position," as it is now called, at the Eucharist, bowing to the Altar, causing all seats to be placed so that the people faced east, employing his authority to restrain "powerful preaching," and ordering catechising in the words of the Church Catechism only, permitting no prayer before the sermon but the bidding prayer (canon 5), publishing a book of articles, to which the churchwardens were sworn, containing 187 questions.' [BISHOP WREN'S RESIGNATION.] Upon this report a debate ensued, ending in a vote that it was the opinion of the House that Matthew Wren was unworthy and unfit to hold or exercise any office or dignity in the Church, and voting that a message be sent to the House of Lords to desire them to join the Commons in petitioning his Majesty to remove Bishop Wren from his person and service. Evelyn's expression, 'to such an exorbitancy had the times grown,' aptly describes the state of matters when, for details such as these of the government of a diocese, and for practices which, if they had been proved, were both legal and reasonable, an assembly of laymen presumed to pronounce a bishop unfit for his office in the Church. Whether the petition ever came before the King does not appear, but Wren thought it best to take the initiative; for he writes in his diary five days after the debate: 'I hardly obtained leave from the King to resign the deanery of the Chapels Royal.' FOOTNOTES: [20] _Vide infra_, p. 43. [21] I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. R. N. Milford, rector of East Knoyle, for this account. See Sir R. C. Hoare's History of Wiltshire. The inscriptions on the columns have been destroyed. [22] So guide and govern as to profit souls. Love, Pray. One thing needful. Ask fit things from God. [23] Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say Peace be to this house. To so solemn a precept, by a seasonable vow, I, entering, have set my name. C. W. Rector. July 28. In the said year, i.e. MDCXVVIII. [24] 'To Thee, and to Thy service for ever, I offer a portion of Thy bounty, O Lord God Almighty.' [25] Christian Van Vianen was an embosser and chaser of plate, much esteemed by Charles I. The gilt plate above mentioned was wrought at the rate of 12_s._ per oz.--_Anecdotes of Painting_, Walpole, vol. ii. p. 323.