The chief Commissioner was the Chancellor. His presence and
assent were necessary to every proceeding. All men knew how
unjustly, insolently, and barbarously he had acted in courts
where he had been, to a certain extent, restrained by the known
laws of England. It was, therefore, not difficult to foresee how
he would conduct himself in a situation in which he was at entire
liberty to make forms of procedure and rules of evidence for
himself.

Of the other six Commissioners three were prelates and three
laymen. The name of Archbishop Sancroft stood first. But he was
fully convinced that the court was illegal, that all its
judgments would be null, and that by sitting in it he should
incur a serious responsibility. He therefore determined not to
comply with the royal mandate. He did not, however, act on this
occasion with that courage and sincerity which he showed when
driven to extremity two years later. He begged to be excused on
the plea of business and ill health. The other members of the
board, he added, were men of too much ability to need his
assistance. These disingenuous apologies ill became the Primate
of all England at such a crisis; nor did they avert the royal
displeasure. Sancroft's name was not indeed struck out of the
list of Privy Councillors: but, to the bitter mortification of
the friends of the Church, he was no longer summoned on Council
days. "If," said the King, "he is too sick or too busy to go to
the Commission, it is a kindness to relieve him from attendance
at Council."99

The government found no similar difficulty with Nathaniel Crewe,