vourably as poffible to the interests and honour of England; and this in fome measure ftilled the clamours that had already been begun against it. It was agreed, that though Philip should have the title of king, the adminiftration fhould be entirely in the queen; that no foreigner should be capable of enjoying any office in the kingdom; that no innovation fhould be made in the English laws, cuftoms, and privileges; that her iffue should inherit, together with England, Burgundy, and the Low-Countries; and that if Don Carlos, Philip's fon by a former marriage, fhould die, the queen's iffue fhould then enjoy all the dominions poffeffed by the king. Such was the treaty of marriage, from which politicians forefaw very great changes in the fyftem of Europe; but which in the end came to nothing, by the queen's having no iffue.

The people, however, who did not fee fo far, were much more juft in their furmifes, who faw that it might be a blow to their liberties and religion. They loudly murmured against it, and a flame of discontent was kindled over the whole nation. Sir Thomas Wyatt, a Roman Catholic, at the head of four thousand infurgents, marched from Kent to Hyde Park, publishing, as he went forward, a declaration against the queen's evil counfellors, and against the Spanish match. His first aim was to fecure the Tower; but A. D. his rafhnefs undid him. As he march1554 ed forward through the city of London, and among the narrow ftreets without fufpicion, care was taken by the earl of Pembroke to block up the way behind him by ditches and chains thrown across, and guards placed at all the avenues to prevent his return. In this manner did this bold demagogue pafs onward, and fuppofed himself now ready to reap the fruits of his undertaking, when, to his utter confufion, he found

that

that he could neither go forward, nor yet make good his retreat. He now, therefore, perceived that the citizens, from whom he had expected affiftance, would not join him; and lofing all courage in this exigency, he furrendered at difcretion.

The duke of Suffolk was not lefs guilty alfo; he had been joined in a confederacy with Sir Peter Carew, to make an infurrection in the counties of Kent, Warwick, and Leicester; but his confederate's impatience engaging him to rife in arms before the day appointed, Suffolk vainly endeavoured to excite his dependants; but was fo clofely purfued by the earl of Huntingdon, that he was obliged to difperfe his followers; and being difcovered in his retreat, was led prifoner to London, where he, together with Wyatt, and feventy perfons more, fuffered by the hand of the executioner. Four hundred were conducted before the queen with ropes about their necks; and falling on their knees received pardon, and were difmified.

But what excited the compaffion of the people most of all, was the execution of Lady Jane Gray, and her husband lord Guilford Dudley, who were involved in the punishment, though not in the guilt, of this infurrection. Two days after Wyatt was apprehended, lady Jane and her husband were ordered to prepare for death. Lady Jane, who had long before feen the threatened blow, was no way furprized at the meffage, but bore it with heroic refolution; and being informed that the had three days to prepare, the feemed d:fpleafed at fo long a delay. On the day of her execution her hufband defired permiffion to fee her; but this fle refufed, as the knew the parting would be too tender for her fortitude to withstand. The place at first defigned for their execution was without the Tower; but their youth, beauty, and innocence being likely to raite an infurrection among

the

to his measures, but by writing against him. It was for this adherence that he was cherished by the pope, and now sent over to England as legate from the holy fee. Gardiner was a man of a very different character; his chief aim was to please the reigning prince, and he had fhewn already many inftances of his prudent conformity. He now perceived that the king and queen were for rigorous measures; and he knew that it would be the best means of paying his court to them, even to out-go them in feverity. Pole, who had never varied in his principles, declared in favour of toleration; Gardiner, who had often changed, was for punishing those changes in others with the utmoft rigour. However, he was too prudent to appear at the head of a perfecution in perfon; he therefore configned the odious office to Bonner, bishop of London, a cruel, brutal, and ignorant

man.

This bloody scene began by the martyrdom of Hooper, bishop of Gloucester, and Rogers, prebendary of St. Paul's. They were examined by commiffioners appointed by the queen, with the chancellor at the head of them. It was expected by their recantation that they would bring thote opinions into disrepute which they had so long inculcated; but the perfecutors were deceived; they both continued ftedfaft in their belief, and they were accordingly condemned to be burnt, Rogers in Smithfield, and Hooper in his own diocefe at Gloucester. Rogers, befide the care of his own prefervation, lay under very powerful temptations to deny his principles, and fave his life, for he had a wife whom he tenderly loved, and ten children; but nothing could move his refolution. Such was his ferenity after condemnation, that the gaolers, we are told, waked him from a found fleep upon the approach of the hour appointed for his execu

tion. He defired to fee his wife before he died, but Gardiner told him that being a priest he could have no wife. When the faggots were placed around him, he seemed no way daunted at the preparation; but cried out, "I refign my life "with joy in teftimony of the doctrine of Jesus." When Hooper was tied to the stake a ftool was set before him with the queen's pardon upon it, in cafe he should relent; but he ordered it to be removed, and prepared chearfully to fuffer his fentence, which was executed in its full severity. The fire, either from malice or neglect, had not been fufficiently kindled; fo that his legs and thighs were first burnt, and one of his hands dropped off, while with the other he continued to beat his breaft. He was three quarters of an hour in torture, which he bore with inflexible conftancy.

Sanders and Taylor, two other clergymen, whose zeal had been distinguished in carrying on the reformation, were the next that suffered. Taylor was put into a pitch-barrel; and before the fire was kindled, a faggot from an unknown hand was thrown at his head, which made it stream with blood. Still, however, he continued undaunted, finging the thirty-firft pfalm in English, which one of the fpectators obferving, ftruck him a blow on the fide of the head, and commanded him to pray in Latin. Taylor continued a few minutes filent, with his eyes fteadfastly fixed upward, when one of the guards, either through impatience or compaffion, ftruck him down with his halbert, and thus happily put an end to his torments.

The death of thefe only ferved to encreafe the favage appetite of the popish bishops and monks, for fresh flaughter. Bonner, bloated, at once with rage and luxury, let loofe his vengeance without reitraint; and feemed to take a pleafute in the pains of the unhappy fufferers; while the queen

by

by her letters, exhorted him to pursue the pious work without pity or interruption. Soon after, in obedience to her commands, Ridley, bishop of London, and the venerable Latimer, bishop of Worcester, were condemned together. Ridley had been one of the ableft champions for the reformation; his piety, learning, and folidity of judgment, were admired by his friends, and dreaded by his enemies. The night before his execution, he invited the mayor of Oxford and his wife to see him; and when he beheld them melted into tears, he himself appeared quite unmoved, inwardly fupported and comforted in that hour of agony. When he was brought to the ftake to be burnt, he found his old friend Latimer there before him. Of all the prelates of that age, Latimer was the most remarkable for his unaffected piety, and the fimplicity of his manners. He had never learned to flatter in courts; and his open rebuke was dreaded by all the great, who at that time too much deferved it. His fermons, which remain to this day, fhew that he had much learning, and much wit; and there is an air of fince. rity running through them, not to be found elfewhere. When Ridley began to comfort his ancient friend; Latimer, on his part, was as ready to return the kind office. "Be of good cheer, brother, cried he, we fhall this day kindle fuch a torch in England, as, I truft in God, thall never be extinguished." A furious bigot afcended to preach to them and the people, while the fire was preparing and Ridley gave a moft serious attention to his difcourfe. No way diftracted by the preparations about him, he heard him to the laft ; and then told him, that he was ready to answer all that he had preached upon, if he were permitted a fhort indulgence; but this was refufed him. At length fire was fet to the pile: Latimer was foon

out