218 PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY OF TRURO. 



this supremacy oscillated between the two parties, Daniell or 

 Eons was elected. To Lord Robartes, E-ous dedicated one of 

 his many works, " The heavenly academie"; the dedication reads 

 "To the right honourable John, Lord Roberts, Baron of Truco 

 (sic.)" and is signed "who is to your Lordship's (especially 

 spirituall) service justly devoted, F. Rous." Rous and John 

 RoUe sat for Truro during the Long Parliament 1640-53 — a 

 parliament "which in spite of many errors and disasters, is 

 justly entitled to the reverence and gratitude of all who, in any 

 part of the world, enjoy the blessings of constitutional 

 government." Within about a month of its assembling, Rous 

 attracted public attention by opening the debate on the legality 

 of Laud's new canons, and shortly afterwards he presented the 

 articles of impeachment against Dr. Cosin. For these and 

 similar services he was appointed Provost of Eton, by an 

 ordinance passed by the Lords at Westminster, 10th February, 

 1643-4; his predecessor. Dr. Stewart, had been removed from 

 the position because he had "joined himself to those that had 

 levied war against the parliament." One of Rous' many 

 generous acts was the founding of three exhibitions from Eton 

 to Pembroke College, Oxford. Until 1649 he was a Presbyterian, 

 but in that year joined the Independents, and in 1651-2 served 

 on the committee for the propagation of the gospel — a committee 

 which framed an abortive scheme for establishing a State Church 

 on the Congregational system; he was also appointed chief 

 examiner of preachers and commissioner in Cornwall for ejecting 

 scandalous ministers and ignorant schoolmasters. 



The country was in such a disturbed condition in 1653, that 

 Cromwell and his council deemed it inexpedient to summon a 

 new parliament after the constitutional manner ; they, therefore, 

 selected about one hundred and forty members, " faithful, fearing 

 God, and hating covetousness," supplied by the " Congregational 

 churches " throughout the country. Rous was member for 

 Devon in this parliament, and was chosen speaker of the House. 

 In the next year another parliament met, and a very stormy one 

 it proved to be ; several knights were ordered to be returned for 

 each coLinty, but not many burgesses; thus the county of 

 Cornwall returned eight, including James Launce of Penare, and 

 Charles Boscawen, of Tregothnan ; but Truro sent Francis Rous 



