from all censures, and received them again into the bosom of the church.

The parliament revived the old sanguinary laws against heretics: they also enacted several statutes against seditious words and rumours; and they made it treason to imagine or attempt the death of Philip during his marriage with the queen. But their hatred against the Spaniards, as well as their suspicion of Philip's preten、 sions, still prevailed; and though the queen wished to have her husband declared presumptive heir to the crown, and the administration to be put into his hands, she failed in all her endeavours, and could not so much as procure the parliament's consent to his coronation. Philip, sensible of the prejudices entertained against him, endeavoured to acquire popularity by procuring the release of several prisoners of distinction; but nothing was more agreeable to the nation than the protection he afforded to the lady Elizabeth. This measure was not the effect of any generosity in Philip, a sentiment of which he was wholly destitute, but of a refined policy, which made him foresee that, if that princess were put to death, the next lawful heir was the queen of Scots, whose succession would for ever annex England to the crown of France.

§ 6. By the revival of the laws against heresy, England was soon filled with scenes of horror which have ever since rendered the Roman catholic religion the object of detestation. Rogers, prebendary of St. Paul's, Hooper, bishop of Gloucester, Taylor, parson of Hadleigh, and others were condemned to the flames (1555). Gardiner, who had vainly expected that a few examples would strike a terror into the reformers, finding the work multiply upon him, devolved the invidious office on others, chiefly on Bonner, bishop of London, who was however rebuked, more than once, for his flagging zeal, by the council. It is needless to be particular in enumerating the cruelties practised in England during the course of three years that these persecutions lasted: the savage barbarity on the one hand, and the patient constancy on the other, are so similar in all these martyrdoms, that the narrative, little agreeable in itself, could never be relieved by any variety. It is computed that in this reign 277 persons were brought to the stake; besides those who were punished by imprisonments, fines, and confiscations. Among those who suffered by fire were 5 bishops, 21 clergymen, 8 lay gentlemen, 84 tradesmen, 100 husbandmen, servants, and labourers, 26 women, and 4 children. Ridley, bishop of London, and Latimer, formerly bishop of Worcester, two prelates celebrated for learning and virtue, perished together in the same flames at Oxford, and supported each other's constancy by their mutual exhortations. Latimer, when tied to the stake, called to his companion, "Be of good comfort,

Master Ridley; we shall this day kindle such a candle in England, as, I trust in God, shall never be extinguished." Instances of barbarity, so unusual in the nation, excited horror; the constancy of the martyrs was the object of admiration; and as men have a principle of equity engraven in their minds, which even false religion is not able totally to obliterate, they were shocked to see persons of probity, of honour, of pious dispositions, exposed to punishments more severe than were inflicted on the greatest ruffians for crimes subversive of civil society. Each martyrdom, therefore, was equivalent to a hundred sermons against popery; and men either avoided such horrid spectacles, or returned from them full of a violent, though secret, indignation against the persecutors.

These persecutions had now become extremely odious to the nation; and the execution of Cranmer rendered the government still more unpopular. The primate had long been detained in prison. The year before he had been condemned for heresy with Ridley and Latimer. But whilst they were burnt immediately after sentence, Cranmer's case was remitted to Rome, where a definite sentence of degradation was passed against him in the December following (1555). When the sentence arrived in England, overcome by the fond love of life, terrified by the prospect of those tortures which awaited him, he allowed, in an unguarded hour, the sentiments of nature to prevail over his resolution, and he agreed to subscribe the doctrines of the papal supremacy and of transubstantiation. The court, however, was determined that this recantation should avail him nothing; and they sent orders that he should be required to acknowledge his errors in public, and be immediately carried to execution. Cranmer, whether that he had received a secret intimation of their design, or had repented of his weakness, surprised his audience in St. Mary's church by a contrary declaration. He bitterly reproached himself for the weakness of which he had been guilty; and when brought to the stake, thrust the hand which had signed his recantation into the flames, exclaiming aloud, “This hand has offended." He suffered at Oxford (March 21, 1556), and was succeeded by cardinal Pole.

These severities, so far from achieving the purposes they were intended, produced the opposite effect. The government was attacked with unsparing bitterness at home and abroad. The queen's death was prayed for in secret conventicles. The exiles abroad circulated an address denouncing persecution for conscience sake. Priests were exposed to personal violence. Even those, who were indifferent or opposed to protestantism before, now could not fail of sympathizing with a faith of which the reality was shown in the sufferings and constancy of its professors. But, instead of taking

warning, the government thought to overcome opposition by redoubling its measures of repression. In 1557 a commission was issued, of unusual powers, to Bonner and others, for a rigorous inquiry after" devilish and clamorous persons," who issued seditious reports, or brought in heretical or seditious books. Those who maligned the church services were to be treated as vagabonds. To render their proceedings as odious as possible, no limits were assigned to the punishments the commissioners were empowered to inflict.

§ 7. The temper of Mary was soured by ill health, by disappointment in not having offspring, and by the absence of her husband, who, finding his authority extremely limited in England, had gone over to the emperor in Flanders. But her affection for Philip was not cooled by his indifference; and she showed the greatest anxiety to consult his wishes and promote his views. Philip, who had become master of the wealth of the new world, and of the richest and most extensive dominions in Europe, by the abdication of the emperor Charles V. (1556), was anxious to engage England in the war which was kindled between Spain and France. His views were warmly seconded by Mary, but opposed by her council. Her importunities at length succeeded; she levied an army of 7000 men, and sent them over to the Low Countries, under the command of the earl of Pembroke (1557). The king of Spain had assembled an army which, after the junction of the English, amounted to 60,000 men, conducted by Philibert, duke of Savoy, one of the greatest captains of the age. Little interest would attend the narration of a campaign in which the English played only a subordinate part, and which resulted in their loss and disgrace. By Philibert's victory at St. Quentin the whole kingdom of France was thrown into consternation; and had the Spaniards marched to the capital, it could not have failed to fall into their hands. But Philip's caution was unequal to so bold a step, and the opportunity was neglected. In the following winter the duke of Guise succeeded in surprising and taking Calais, deemed in that age an impregnable fortress (January 7, 1558). Calais was surrounded with marshes which, during the winter, were impassable, except over a dyke guarded by two castles, St. Agatha and Newnham bridge. The English were of late accustomed, on account of the lowness of their finances, to dismiss a great part of the garrison at the end of autumn, and to recal them in the spring, at which time alone their attendance was judged to be necessary. It was this circumstance that insured the success of the French; and thus the duke of Guise in eight days, during the depth of winter, made himself master of this strong for

tress, that had cost Edward III. a siege of eleven months, at the head of a numerous army. The English had held it above 200 years; and, as it gave them an easy entrance into France, it was regarded as the most important possession belonging to the crown. Guisnes fell two weeks later (January 21), and thus the English lost their last hold on French soil. The people murmured loudly against the improvidence of the queen and her council; who, after engaging in a fruitless war for the sake of foreigu interests, had thus exposed the nation to so severe a disgrace. Philip had indeed offered his aid to recover it, and his proposal was strongly seconded by Mary in person, but the council pleaded inability to bear the

expense.

§ 8. The queen had long been in a declining state of health; and, having mistaken her dropsy for a pregnancy, she had made use of an improper regimen, and her malady daily augmented. Apprehensions of the danger to which the catholic religion stood exposed, dejection for the loss of Calais, concern for the ill state of her affairs, and, above all, anxiety for the absence of her husband, preyed upon her mind, and threw her into a lingering fever, of which she died, after a short and unfortunate reign of five years (November 17, 1558). It is not necessary to employ many words in drawing the character of this princess. She was obstinate and bigoted: but, among many defects, it must be admitted that she was sincere in her religion, high-spirited, courageous, and resolute in danger. Not naturally cruel, she was soured by a sense of wrongs done to herself by her father and by the remembrance of her mother's sufferings. Extremely beautiful as a child, she had lost all traces of beauty when she arrived at womanhood. Like all the Tudors, she was highly accomplished; an excellent linguist; a finished musician, and skilled, like her mother, in all sorts of embroidery.

Cardinal Pole died the same day as the queen.

A passage to Archangel had been discovered by the English during the last reign, and a beneficial trade with Muscovy established. A solemn embassy was sent by the tsar to Mary, which seems to have been the first intercourse which that empire had with any of the western potentates of Europe.*

"She was a little, slim, delicate, sickly | in her eyes that could even rouse fear." woman, with her hair already turning grey... On personal acquaintance she made the impression of goodness and mildness. But yet there was something

-Ranke's Hist. of Eng. i. 208, E.T. He adds that Mary had a loud voice, and allher sympathies leaned to the land of her mother.

ELIZABETH.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FROM HER ACCESSION TO THE DEATH OF MARY QUEEN
OF SCOTS.-b. 1533; r. A.D. 1558-1603.

§ 1. Accession of the queen. Re-establishment of protestantism. § 2. Peace with France. The Reformation in Scotland: supported by Elizabeth. §3. French affairs. Arrival of Mary in Scotland. Her administration. § 4. Wise government of Elizabeth. Proposals of marriage. § 5. Civil wars of France. Elizabeth assists the Huguenots. § 6. The Thirty-nine Articles. Scotch affairs. The queen of Scots marries Darnley. Hostility of Elizabeth. § 7. Murder of Rizzio. Murder of Darnley. Bothwell, marries the queen of Scots. Battle of Carberry Hill. § 8. Mary confined in Lochleven castle. Murray regent. James VI proclaimed. Mary's escape and flight to England. § 9. Proceedings of the English court. § 10. Duke of Norfolk's conspiracy. Elizabeth excommunicated by the pope. § 11. Rise of the Puritans. Their proceedings in parliament. 12. Foreign affairs. France and the Netherlands. § 13. New conspiracy and execution of the duke of Norfolk. § 14. Massacre of St. Bartholomew. Civil war in France. Affairs of the Netherlands.

§ 15. Elizabeth's prudent government. Naval enterprise of Drake § 16. Negociations of marriage with the duke of Anjou. § 17. Conspiracies in England. The High Commission court. Parry's conspiracy. §18. Affairs of the Low Countries. Hostilities with Spain. Battle of Zutphen and death of Sidney. § 19. Babington's conspiracy § 20. Trial and condemnation of the queen of Scots. § 21. Her execution." § 22. Elizabeth's sorrow. Her apologies to James.