571), The County _Committees of Ejectors_ under that Ordinance had already performed their disagreeable work in part, but were still busy.

On the whole, though they turned out many, they seem not to have abused their powers.

"I must needs say," is Baxter's testimony, "that in all the counties where I was acquainted, six to one at least, if not many more, that were sequestered by the Committees were, by the oaths of witnesses, proved insufficient or scandalous, or both--especially guilty of drunkenness or swearing,--and those that, being able godly preachers, were cast out for the war alone, as for their opinions' sake, were comparatively very few.

This, I know, will displease that party; but this is true." Baxter admits, indeed, that there were cases in which the Committees were swayed too much by mere political feeling, and ejected men from their pulpits whom it would have been better to retain.

Other authorities assert the same more strongly, but rather fail in the proof.