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a season, to the frailty and gross capacity of his subjects."-State Papers, vol. i., p. 563.

Fox, writing on the same subject to Cromwell, informs him that

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Notwithstanding all the diligence we could possibly use in the printing of our book, the same cannot be finished before Tuesday next. It groweth somewhat unto a greater quantity than I showed your Lordship of at the beginning; and I assure you that I had little thought that the correcting and setting forth of the same should have stood me in so much pain and labour as it hath done. Notwithstanding, when it shall come forth, I trust it shall content the King's Highness."

This unsettled state of opinion brought to the block, within a few years of each other, martyrs alike for the Catholic and Reformed faith; but then both these terms must be understood in a modified sense. Papists of the temper of Gardiner and Bonner were willing to sign the renunciation of the Pope's supreme power, and to take the oath of supremacy to Henry VIII.; whilst a Protestant as true-hearted as Cranmer still held to the doctrine of transubstantiation; and the performance of Masses for the dead proved that the country had not eschewed the fable of purgatory. The following was written to Cromwell on the death of Queen Jane Seymour, by Sir Richard Gresham :

"Mine humble duty remembered to your good Lordship, &c. It shall please you to understand, that by the commandment of the Duke of Norfolk, I have caused twelve hundred Masses to be said within the City of London, for the soul of our most gracious Queen. And whereas the Mayor, and Alderman, with the Commoners, was lately at Paul's, and there gave thanks unto God for the birth of our Prince, my Lord, I do think it were convenient, that there should be also at Paul's a solemn dirge and Mass; and that the Mayor, Alderman, with the Commoners, be there, for to pray and offer for Her Grace's soul. My Lord, it shall please you to move the King's Highness, and, his pleasure known in this behalf, I am and shall be ready to accomplish his most gracious pleasure. As knoweth God, who give unto you good health with long life."--State Papers, vol. i., p. 571.

Well indeed was it for the cause of humanity, that neither Wolsey nor Cranmer, the leading Churchmen of the times, was of violent or sanguinary temper; for the fierce and stormy passions of their master were easily roused to acts of brutality, and religious persecution was too sadly the vice of the age. The manner in which it was discountenanced by Cranmer, places his character in a very pleasing light :

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My Lord,-In my most hearty wise I commend me unto your good Lordship. And whereas I am credibly informed, that at your commandment, one Sir Thomas Mounteford, Priest, is committed to the Fleet, for certain words (as is reported) by him spoken against me,

which now he utterly refuseth, and thereto offereth himself to prove the contrary in that behalf, by divers that were there present, when the said words should have been spoken of me: I most heartily desire your Lordship, at this mine instance and request, ye will discharge him, for [the] time, of this his trouble and vexation; for surely, of all sorts of men, I am daily informed that Priests report the worse of me; and therefore so to be reported of a Priest, it should very little grieve me, although he had confessed it; much less now would I then this his trouble for the same, he himself reporting the contrary. Wherefore eftsoons I require you to be good Lord unto him herein, and that the rather at this mine instance."- -Cranmer's Works, vol. ii., p. 291.

"Right Worshipful,-In my most hearty wise I commend me unto you. And whereas I understand that amongst other persons attainted of high treason, the Prior of Axholm, named Webster, and Master Raynold of Syon be judged according to the law, for offending against the late Act of Parliament made for the suppressing of the usurped power of the Bishop of Rome; surely I do much marvel of them both, specially of Mr. Raynold, having such sight in Scriptures and Doctors, and also of the other, which promised me that he would never meddle for the defence of that opinion; much pitying me that such men should suffer with so ignorant judgments; and if there be none other offence laid against them than this one, it will be much more for the conversion of all the favourers hereof, after mine opinion, that their consciences may be clearly averted from the same by communication of sincere doctrine, and so they to publish it likewise to the world, than by the justice of the law to suffer in such ignorance. And if it would please the King's Highness to send them unto me, I suppose I could do very much with them in this behalf."-Cranmer's Works, vol. ii., p. 303.

Cranmer dared to go farther than any mortal man in opposition to the will of the Tudor lion; yet he could not prevent the execution, within two years of each other, of the venerable Sir Thomas More, of Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, and the poor deluded "Holy Maid of Kent, Elizabeth Barton," and others, whose names swell the lists of Popish martyrologies, nor of the venerable Tyndale, to whom we owe the earliest printed translation of the Bible. Thus, at the very same period, persecutions more or less virulent were carried on, by those who had ceded a few important points, against the stricter Romanists, who had not taken as many steps as themselves, and against the open favourers of the Lutheran heresy.

Another character, far less intrinsically estimable than that of Cranmer, had still an important influence in favouring the spread of the new doctrines. This was Thomas Cromwell; first Secretary, then Privy Seal, and, at length, Earl of Essex. As to his private character, the revelations in his printed Correspondence, and, still more forcibly, in other portions of it which have not yet seen the light, prove but too incontrovertibly that he was venial to a degree far beyond his contemporaries even in a corrupt age; and his good-will was pretty generally understood to be a mar

ketable commodity. Yet, when important interests were pending, he threw aside meaner motives, and spoke and acted with a firmness and vigour, which do credit alike to his understanding and his heart. We find him patronizing the earliest literary efforts of Myles Coverdale,-Tyndale's assistant in Bible translations. The following is from an early epistle, signed, "Friar Myles Coverdale," to Cromwell, then Secretary of State :

"Most singular good Master,-With due humility, I beseech unto your Mastership all godly comfort, grace, and prosperous health. For so much as your goodness is so great toward me, your poor child, only through the plenteousness of your favour and benevolence, I am the bolder of your goodness, in this my rude style, if it like your favour, to revocate to your memory the godly communication which your Mastership had with me, your orator, in Master More's house, upon Easter-Eve, amongst many and divers fruitful exhortations, specially of your singular favour; and by your most comfortable words, I perceive your gracious mind toward me. Wherefore, most honourable Master, for the tender love of God, and for the fervent zeal that you have to virtue and godly study, falling on the knees of my heart, I humbly desire and beseech your goodness of your gracious help. Now I begin to taste of holy Scriptures; now (honour be to God!) I am set to the most sweet smell of holy letters, with the godly savour of holy and ancient Doctors, unto whose knowledge I cannot attain without diversity of books, as is not unknown to your most excellent wisdom. Nothing in the world I desire but books, as concerning my learning; they once had, I do not doubt but Almighty God shall perform that in me, which he of his most plentiful favour and grace hath begun. Moreover, as touching my behaviour, (your Mastership's mind once known,) with all lowliness I offer myself, not only to be ordered in all things as shall please your wisdom, but also as concerning the education and instruction of other, all only to ensue your prudent counsel."-Works of Coverdale, p. 490.

Who does not long for a daguerreotype of the Easter-Eve scene in "Master More's house," in which the venerable Chancellor —with “Mistress Margaret" standing at his side, and his wife and other children grouped around him-took part in the "divers fruitful exhortations" and "comfortable words" with which the astute Secretary of State encouraged the budding genius of the future translator, who, more fortunate than his companions, was the only one of the trio that escaped a violent death?

The edition of the Bible issued by Grafton and Coverdale, under Cromwell's auspices, was the subject of much correspondence; one or two specimens of which we subjoin :

"After most humble and hearty commendations to your good Lordship, Pleaseth the same to understand, that we be entered into your work of the Bible, whereof (according to our most bounden duty) we have here sent unto your Lordship two ensamples; one in parchment, wherein we intend to print one for the King's Grace, and another for

your Lordship; and the second in paper, whereof all the rest shall be made; trusting that it shall be not only to the glory of God, but a singular pleasure, also, to your good Lordship, the causer thereof, and a general edifying of the King's subjects, according to your Lordship's most godly request. For we follow not only a standing text of the Hebrew, with the interpretation of the Chaldee and the Greek, but we set, also, in a private table, the diversity of readings of all texts, with such annotations, in another table, as shall doubtless elucidate and clear the same; as well without any singularity of opinions, as all checkings and reproofs. The print, no doubt, shall please your good Lordship. The paper is of the best sort in France. The charge certainly is great; wherein, as we most humbly require your favourable help at this present with whatsoever it shall please your good Lordship to let us have; so trust we, (if need require,) in our just business, to be defended from the Papists by your Lordship's favourable letters, which we most humbly desire to have, (by this bearer, William Grey,) either to the Bishop of Winchester, or to some other whom your Lordship shall think most expedient. We be daily threatened, and look ever to be spoken withal, as this bearer can further inform your Lordship; but how they will use us, as yet we know not. Nevertheless, for our further assurance, wherethrough we may be the abler to perform this your Lordship's work, we are so much the bolder of your good Lordship; for other refuge have we none, under God and our King, whom, with noble Prince Edward, and all you, the most honourable Council, God Almighty preserve, now and ever. Written at Paris, the 23rd day of June, by your Lordship's assured and daily orators."-State Papers, vol. i., p. 678.

Amen.

The result of these labours was, that, in 1541, the Privy Council were enabled to issue orders that the price of a Bible, unbound, should be ten shillings; and bound, twelve shillings, only.

Cromwell patronized other literary undertakings, besides the Scripture translation. The following is from a letter of Archbishop Cranmer to him :—

"This shall be to signify unto your Lordship, that I have overseen the Primer which you sent unto me, and therein I have noted and amended such faults as are most worthy of reformation. Divers things there are besides therein, which, if before the printing of the book had been committed unto me to oversee, I would have amended. Howbeit, they be not of that importance but that, for this time, they may be well enough permitted and suffered to be read of the people; and the book of itself, no doubt, is very good and commendable." Ibid., vol. i., p. 559.

One of the most important concomitant circumstances in strengthening the cause of the Reformation, was the suppression of the monasteries. Wolsey had here again opened the way for the wholesale changes that ensued, by requesting permission to suppress the smaller monasteries, which were notoriously vicious and profligate, and to draft off their inmates into larger and better-conducted houses; and then giving over their revenues into the hands of the King, who re-assigned them to Wolsey, to form

endowments for the Colleges he was instituting at Ipswich and Cambridge. This was giving the lion a taste of the prey; and he soon determined to be more than a mere vehicle of conveyancing the property. Having thrown off the yoke of Rome, he issued a commission for the general visitation of the monasteries, and suppressed and seized the revenues wherever the visitors found disorders; which, to eyes rendered vigilant by selfinterest, were not difficult of detection.

Irregularities in the female monastic establishments were considered to arise chiefly from the gossiping tendencies of the inmates, their frequent and lengthened visitings beyond the enclosure of their monastery, and the habit of keeping as much company as they chose. Those houses, therefore, which were permitted to remain, received strict orders to enforce the rules of monastic enclosure, a discipline against which they sorely revolted. The Nuns of Wilton broke out into open rebellion. Wolsey's agent declares that he has endeavoured, to the uttermost of his power, to persuade and train them to discipline, and has even put three or four of the ringleaders of the malcontents in ward; but that neither by gentle means nor vigorous could he obtain their consent to the enforcement of rule. He, therefore, took French leave, and acted without it, in closing up certain back-doors and bye-ways to the monastery, which had led to much private mischief, though he could not control access to the front door; but he charged the Lady Abbess to take the case seriously in hand. She informs Wolsey, that though she has often motioned her sisters to be reclused within the monastery, yet they do find many difficulties, and show divers considerations to the contrary; so that she begs a little respite in the execution of orders, that she may, with better leisure and quietness, commune with her said sisters; promising, in the mean season, to order them in such religious wise, that there shall be no such resort as hath been of late accustomed. The succeeding Abbess, however, brought these refractory ladies into much better order. But she, too, pleads with Wolsey for some little relaxation of strict rule; namely, licence that any of the nuns, "when their father, mother, brother, or sister, or any such nigh of their kin, come unto them, may have leisure to speak with them in the hall in her presence, or that of her Prioress, and other two discreet sisters;" and, also, that in consideration of the administration of temporalities of the house," which is in great debt, and requireth much reparation and good husbandry," he would permit her, "being associate with one or two of the said discreet sisters of the house,' "to lie forth of her monastery," when business absolutely prevented her return the same day; as she assured him, that the said husbandry could not be done "so well by any other overseer as by her own person." A noble lady, also, remonstrates against the enforcement of the new rules upon a house of

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