The Henson Journals

[222]

Saturday, March 19th, 1921.

Marvell's religion had the strength and sanity of the older Puritanism. He shows no trace of the fanaticism which clouded the powerful understanding of the younger Vane when religion was in question. Indeed he had an instinctive dislike of the disorderly fervour of the sects. His references to the religious confusion which made Amsterdam proverbial are sufficiently contemptuous. The absurdity of the various sectaries was only equalled by their extraordinary arrogance. Similarly in politicks. Marvell was no theoretical Republican like Sidney, no visionary like Harrington. He saw clearly that the Monarchy was indispensable, and not even the personal vices of Charles II or the scandals of his government could shake him from his monarchical principles. But his monarchism did not include any theory of dynastic Divine Right. He had lived in close relation with the great Protector, and he had personal knowledge of the impression which had been made on the continent by the Protector's vigourous & efficient government. The essence of Kingship was not in ancestral titles, but in governing quality:

"A Cromwell in an house a prince will grow."

He had the genuine Puritan's contempt for superstition, and loathing for profligacy. His satires are almost ferocious in their severity: they strip the offender naked to the skin before they lay on with the lash. Marvell's hostility to the Bishops was partly political, but they offended him at every turn, representing as they did precisely that blending of spiritual and secular which he most resented.

[223]

The episcopal policy of rigorous subscription offended him by its practical fatuity, as well as by the violence it did to men's consciences. He stood firmly on the right and proper finality of private judgment in religion:

"Every man is bound to 'work out his own salvation with fear and trembling', and therefore to use all helps possible for his best satisfaction; hearing, conferring, reading, praying for the assistance of God's Spirit: but when he hath done this, he is his own expositor, his own both minister & people, bishop and diocess, his own Council: & his conscience excusing or condemning him, accordingly he escapes or incurs his own internal anathema." (p. 125)

Therefore, subscription could only be legitimate when conditioned by a large liberty of private interpretation – "this scrupulous private judgement must be admitted, or otherwise all Creeds become meer instruments of equivocation or persecution". He shared to the full that mingled hatred, scorn, and dread of the Roman Catholick Church which had become inbred in the common Englishman of that age. Bishop Croft's famous pamphlet, "The Naked Truth" appealed to him, not only by its tolerant attitude towards the Nonconformists but also by its deep repugnance to the Roman Church. Marvell, beyond many of his English contemporaries, was familiar with the course of European politics. He perforce saw the Roman Church in connexion with Louis XIV, and realized, as mere controversialists could not, the whole extent of the peril to English liberty involved in the dependence on France which Charles II accepted as the principle of his foreign policy.

[224]

Clayton and I motored to Durham, where I dedicated the Cross, or rather Crucifix, which has been set up in the Churchyard of St Oswald's in memory of the men who fell in the War. After the dedication I preached in the parish church. Tea was given to the clergy &c in the Vicarage. I went to his bed–room, and saw poor old Loxley, with whom I prayed, & to whom I gave the Blessing. Then I went to my room in Durham Castle, & had a long interview with Mr Snowball, who was commended to me by the Vicar as his "protagonist" in the chronic controversy in Birtley. I invited his comments on the series of charges. It is clear that the root of the mischief is the irritation caused by the Vicar's introduction of vestments and wafers. This has given an effective handle to those whom his angular & rather foolish personality has exasperated. They are able to disguise from themselves the purely non–religious character of their opposition, and their plea is far too good to be surrendered in deference to any consideration of a public nature. To me the really interesting thing is that the situation in Birtley in 1921 is precisely identical with that in many English parishes when 300 years ago the Laudian "reformers" went to work. We returned to the Castle about 7 p.m:. & I was met with the news that my wife had probably developed mumps; the disease has been going through the household at the Rectory outside the Park Gates.

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