extenfive capacity, while we alfo require more foftness of difpofition, greater lenity of temper, and fome of thofe amiable weakneffes by which her fex is diftinguifhed. On a throne, however, fhe was enabled to hide her lefs commendable qualities under the blaze of a magnanimous heroifm.

CHAP. II.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. A. D. 1547-1603.

TH

HE reformation was much forwarded by the deceafe of the capricious Henry, and the acceffion of the amiable and virtuous Edward. It had on its fide, the affection of the young king, whose education was totally in the hands of reformers, the wife counfels of Cranmer, the firm and bold arguments delivered from the pulpits of Latimer, Hooper, and other celebrated preachers, as well as the good will of the people in general. It had alfo an addition of ftrength in the eagernefs for plunder which most of the old courtiers of Henry poffeffed. By establishing the new doctrines, thefe had a chance of pillaging the fecular, as they had already the regular clergy. Indifferent to all religion they dreaded the return of Popery, as it muft bring with it a fevere account for them to fettle.

Bishop Gardiner in the chapel royal, though requested not to fpeak on controverfial fubjects, warmly fupported the real prefence of Chrift's flesh and blood in the facrament. The effect of this ill-judged rhaplody was grofsly indecent. Each party, in the church, and before the king, cried out with vehemence to support or to infult the preacher, when the impolitic orator, on his leaving the roftrum, was committed to prifon. His eloquence had little effect on the prepared mind of the young monarch, who had already ordered prayers to be read in the English language.

When Mary afcended the throne, fhe fet at liberty the bishops Gardiner, Tonftal, and Bonner, who were

in confinement for adhering to the catholic caufe; and having imbibed from her mother the strongest attachment to that communion, the foon gave the nation reafon to dread, not only the abolition, but the persecution of the established religion. Holgate, archbishop of York, Coverdale, bishop of Exeter, Ridley of London, and Hooper of Gloucefler, were thrown into prifon. Nor could the merits of Cranmer, who had rendered her confiderable fervices, fecure him from her perfecution. The queen foon after called a parliament, which, as all who hesitated to comply with the court religion declined taking a feat, was compofed of a majority that proved obfequious to her designs. She, however, ftill retained the title of fupreme head of the church of England; and it was generally pretended that the intention of the court was only to reftore religion to the fame condition in which it had been left by Henry.

Not long after the confummation of the queen's marriage with the Spanish prince, cardinal Pole, who was nearly allied to the royal family of England, arrived in London, invefted with legatine powers from the pope. As foon as he had been introduced to the king and queen, he invited the parliament to reconcile themselves and the kingdom to the apoftolic fee. And care having been taken to diftribute among them 400,000 crowns, which the emperor had fent over for that purpofe, they readily agreed to the propofal. The legate then, in the name of his holinefs, gave the parliament. and kingdom abfolution, and received them again into the boforn of the church.

The affairs of adminiftration in matters of religion, were now chiefly conducted by bifhop Gardiner and cardinal Pole. The latter was poffeffed of candour and moderation; but the perfecuting fpirit of Gardiner, being confonant with the more cruel bigotry of Mary and Philip, the laws were let loofe in their full vigour against the reformed religion, and England was foon filled with fcenes of horror. The perfecutors began with Rogers, prebendary of St. Paul's, a man eminent

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for virtue and learning, who was burnt in Smithfield. Hooper, bishop of Gloucefter, was fent to his own diocefe to be executed. Ferrar, bifhop of St. David's, was likewife burnt in his own diocefe. Ridley, bifhop of London, and Latimer, formerly bifhop of Worcefter, perifhed together in the fame flames at Oxford. It is alinoft impoffible to enumerate all the cruelties practifed upon this occafion, under the direction of Gardiner, affifted by Bonner, a man of profligate manners and brutal character. During the courfe of three years, it is computed that two hundred and feventyfeven perfons were brought to the ftake, befides thofe who were panifhed by imprisonments, fines, and confifcations. They all died with calmnefs and intrepidity, avowing even while their finews were fhrinking, and their flefh confuming by the flames, their entire refignation to the will of Heaven, and their triumphant joy in the caufe for which they fuffered.

In 1556 a further aft of barbarity was exercifed upon the proteftants, which tended to render the government ftill more unpopular. Cranmer, who had been long in confinement, was now brought to punifhment. Ŏvercome by the love of life, and terrified by the profpect of thofe tortures which awaited him, the worthy prelate allowed, in an unguarded hour, the fentiments of nature to prevail over his refolution, and agreed to fubfcribe the doctrines of the papal fupremacy and of the real prefence. The court, however, at once perfidious and cruel, determined that this fhould avail him nothing; and ordered him to be immediately carried to execution. Cranmer, repenting of what he had done, there atoned for his frailty, by holding his right hand in the flames till it was entirely confumed, calling aloud several times, This hand has offended.

Cranmer was charitable, mild, and hofpitable. His manners converted many of his foes to friends, and he never made an enemy by his conduct in private life. His palace was the general afylum of diftreffed literature. Bucer, Fagius, Sleidan, Peter Martyr, Alafco,

and

and a learned Scot, named Aless, all found maintenance and repofe at Lambeth.

On the death of her fifter, Elizabeth did not remain long in fufpence with regard to the party the fhould embrace. Her education, as well as her intereft, led her to favour the reformation. But, though determined in her own mind, fhe refolved to proceed by gradual and fecure fteps, and not to imitate the example of Mary, in making immediately a violent invasion on the eftablished religion. She delayed the entire change of religion, till the meeting of the parliament, when, after her right of fucceffion to the throne was fettled, fuch acts were paffed, as tended to the perfect establishment of the proteftant religion. Having ordered that the gofpels and epiftles, the Lord's prayer, the apoftles' creed, and the ten commandments, fhould be read in English in all places of worfhip, Elizabeth foon found how pleafing thefe directions appeared to the generality of her people, and particularly to the inhabitants of the metropolis. Among other tokens it was remarked, that as fhe went in proceffion under a triumphal arch erected by the city of London, fhe was prefented, by a cherub defcending from above in the character of Truth, with an English copy of the bible; fhe received it most gracioufly, kiffed it, and placed it in her bofom.

The tranflation of the bible into English was at this juncture oddly recommended to the queen by one Rainsford, a proteftant, whom she had released, who implored her pity for four other prifoners, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Elizabeth, not difpleafed at the quaint idea, fmiled and told him, that she must first enquire whether thefe captives wifhed to be released.

During the year 1559 the oath of fupremacy was tendered to the bishops of Mary's appointment, and all, except Kitchen of Landaff, refufed it, and loft their fees. Heath, Tonftal, and Thirlby, were treated with great kindness; the former was exiled to his own eftate, where the queen frequently vifited him; the other two lived at Lambeth with their hofpitable friend Archbishop Parker. White and Watfon being fullen, M 4

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were kept fome time in confinement; and the deteftable Bonner spent the reft of his days in prifon. Most of the monks returned to the occupations of fecular life, whilft the nuns chiefly went abroad. Thefe were the principal alterations which the change of religion operated on the fortunes of private perfons. Not a drop of blood was fpilt, nor one eftate confiscated.

Towards the clofe of the fame year, the confecration of Doctor Parker to the fee of Canterbury; and of fifteen other prelates, was performed at Lambeth chapel. The doctor had been chaplain to the unfortunate Anna Boleyn, who conjured him to keep her daughter Elizabeth fteady in point of religion. Being faithful to his truft, he with difficulty efcaped the flames in the reign of Mary.

To fettle the religion of the nation, to tranflate the fcriptures into English, and to regulate the ecclefiaftical courts, were great objects, which the new conftellation of bifhops earneftly endeavoured to compass. The tranflation of the Bible was allotted to various eminent divines, who accomplished it in the space of two years*.

About this time the heads of the proteftant party in Scotland entered privately into a bond of affociation for their mutual protection and the propagation of their tenets, flyling themselves the Congregation of the Lord, in contradiction to the established church, which they denominated the Congregation of Satan. The converts to the new religion had been guilty of no violation of public peace, fince the murder of cardinal Beaton, by whom the reformers were cruelly perfecuted. Among thofe committed to the flames, was a popular preacher, named George Wifhart; a man of honourable birth,

*The first tranflation of the Bible was that of Wickliffe, about the year 1560. Printing was not then known, but feveral MS. copies of it exift in public libraries. The first printed English Bible we owe to William Tindal, affifted by Dr. Coverdale, bishop of Exeter. After receiving many improvements from the learned Dr. Rogers, Mary's protomartyr, and others, this work was called Cranmer's Bible. The tranflation now undertaken is known by the name of the Bishops' Bible.

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