MER, CRAN- endeavoured to recommend himself to the English, and make Abp. Cant. them sensible they were like to be no losers by the marriage. To this purpose, he imported a vast mass of treasure. It was carried to the Tower in twenty carts, each of them laden with seven-and-twenty' chests of silver bullion, each chest being a yard and four inches long. This was done in the beginning of October, and some few months after, another great remittance of gold and silver arrived from Spain. There were ninety-nine horses and two carriages employed in bringing it to the Tower. Those who were disaffected to the government, construed this appearance of friendship to a harsh meaning. It was designed, they said, to purchase the constitution, and bribe the parliament into the court measures. King Philip, to ingratiate himself farther, prevailed with the queen for discharging the prisoners in the Tower. This favour comprehended those who had concerted the rebellion with Wyat, engaged with the duke of Northumberland, or were confined upon the score of religion. And thus Holgate, archbishop of York, ten knights, and several others of distinction, were set at liberty. But nothing looked more particularly honourable in king Philip, than his procuring the enlargement of the princess Elizabeth, and Courtney, earl of Devonshire. Stow's Bonner's visitation. num. 72. To return to the Church. September, this year, Bonner, bishop of London, made a visitation. To bring every thing back to the usages of the Roman communion, he set forth thirty-seven articles of inquiry, upon which six men in every parish were sworn to present such as they found faulty. The greatest part of them relate to the management of the archSee Records, deacons, officials, and parish priests. Not long after, Bonner dispatched an order to all his clergy, in which he complains some disorderly people had taken the images out of churches, and painted several texts of Scripture upon the wall: that they had mistranslated these texts for the countenancing licentiousness and error: for bringing the sacrament of the altar, the fasts and feasts, into disesteem, and to abolish the laudable customs of the Church. In consideration of this misbehaviour, (as he calls it) he enjoins the clergy to see these texts defaced by the churchwardens. Oct. 25, 1554. Regist. Bonner, fol. 357. About this time the queen drew up a scheme, under her own hand, for discharging the Reformation from point to point, and Collier here misquotes Stow, who says, "there were twenty carts laden with ninetyseven chests, &c." restoring religion to its former condition. It stands in the MARY. form of directions to her council; the reader shall have it in the queen's words. direction to council touching re 372. "First, that such as have commission to talk with my lord The queen's cardinal at his first coming, touching the goods of the church, the privy should have recourse to him, at the least once in a week, not only for putting those matters in execution, as much as may ligion. be, before the parliament, but also to understand of him, which way might be best to bring to good effect these matters, that have been begun concerning religion. Both touching good preaching, I wish that may supply and overcome the evil preaching in time past; and also to make a sure provision, that no evil books shall either be printed, bought, or sold, without just punishment therefore. "I think it should be well done, that the universities and churches of this realm should be visited by such persons as my lord cardinal, with the rest of you, may be well assured to be worthy and sufficient persons, to make a true and just account thereof, remitting the choice of them to him and you. "Touching punishment of heretics, we think it ought to be done without rashness, not leaving in the mean while to do justice to such, as by learning would seem to deceive the simple and the rest so to be used, that the people might well perceive them not to be condemned without just occasion, whereby they shall both understand the truth, and beware to do the like: and, especially within London, I would wish none to be burnt, without some of the council's presence, and both there and every where, good sermons at the same. "I verily believe that many benefices should not be in one man's hands, but after such sort as every priest might look to his own charge, and remain resident there, whereby they should have but one bond to discharge towards God, whereas now they have many; which I take to be the cause, that, in most parts of this realm, there is overmuch want of good preachers, and such as should with their doctrine overcome the evil diligence of the abused preachers in the time of the schism, not only by their preaching, but by their good example, without which, in my opinion, their sermons shall not so much profit as I wish. And like as their good example on their behalf shall undoubtedly do much good, so I account myself bound on my behalf also, to show such example, in encouraging and main CRAN MER, Abp. Cant. MSS. ex R. Harley Cardinal Pole's arrival. Cardinal ment. taining those persons well, doing their duty, not forgetting, in the meanwhile, to correct and punish them which do contrary; that it may be evident to all this realm, how I discharge my conscience therein, and minister true justice in so doing." ment. By these directions, the reader may see the queen was resolved to proceed to sanguinary rigors, in case gentler applications came short of her purpose. By what is mentioned in the beginning of her discourse, it appears cardinal Pole was shortly expected that there were some difficulties to be got over, in order to the restoring the papal supremacy in the next parliaThe main obstacle was the apprehensions the temporalty lay under, of parting with their abbey and chantry lands. These jealousies hindered the point from being carried in the last session; and therefore, without relaxing upon this head, there was no prospect of admitting the pope's claim, and coming to an accommodation. The parliament met on the twelfth of November, and, to bring them to a disposition towards compliance, the king and queen had promised the restitution of the church lands should be dropped; the cardinal likewise is said to have given some private assurance of satisfaction in this matter. The arrival of this prelate being now expected, it was thought fit to repeal his attainder before his coming. This was looked on as a necessary regard to his character. He came to London on the twenty-fourth of November, and four days after came into the parliament-house, which was then the great chamber at Whitehall, by reason of the queen's indisposition. The king and queen, sitting under a state, and the lords and commons being present, the lord chancellor Gardiner acquainted both houses with the cardinal's character and business, and hoped they would follow their majesty's example, and receive him with a suitable regard. After this recommendation, the cardinal stood up, and, addressing himself to the lords and commons, made a speech to this effect. "In the first place, he returned the queen and the two Pole's speech to both houses houses thanks, for repealing the attainder, and restoring him of parlia to the privilege of appearing amongst them with safety and honour. After this he enters upon the subject of his commission, and acquaints them that, as they had been pleased to return him the advantages of his birthright, so his principal business was to restore the nation to its ancient nobility: to MARY. this purpose, he had an authority from his holiness, to make them part of the Catholic Church. That the apostolic see had a particular regard for this island; and that to this the pope seemed to be led by the directions of Providence, which has given a preference to this country, by making it one of the first provinces that received the Christian faith: that the Britons, who were brought into the Church by the instructions of the apostolic see, were not made Christians by degrees and distance of time, but were all converted, as it were, at once: that after the misbehaviour of this people had made them unworthy of this blessing, and brought a Pagan nation in upon them, yet the country was so far the care of Providence, that heathenism was quickly discharged, and the Saxons brought over to the Christian belief. Thus, their being made part of the Catholic Church, and raised to a nobility of the best kind, though it was principally owing to the Divine favour, yet God was pleased to make the apostolic see the instrument of this happiness. That from this time forward the English, with the rest of Christendom, had all along continued in the faith of the Roman Church, and treated the apostolic see with the highest regard and, as an instance of their observance, several of their kings did not think it enough to pay a submission to the pope's authority, without making a voyage to Rome in person. For these princes thought they could not go too far in acknowledging the benefits of their country's conversion. Neither were the English slender proficients in religion and letters: for when Charles the Great founded the university of Paris, he sent for our countryman, Alcuinus, to make regulations for that society, and form them to piety and learning." The cardinal took notice that "Adrian IV., an Englishman, converted Norway, and, out of affection to his native country, gave Henry II. the sovereignty of Ireland. To recount with what distinction and peculiarity of respect, the English had been treated by the see of Rome, would be too tedious an undertaking; neither should he mention the misfortunes which have pursued them since their defection; and that the same measures have been attended with great calamities in other countries. Thus, by breaking off their correspondence, and withdrawing their regard from the Roman see, the Christians of Asia, and the Greek Church, lost their 373. MER, CRAN empire and their freedom, and sunk under the conquest of the Abp. Cant. Turks. And, to give a fresher example of this unhappy conduct, into how many sects and factions has Germany been divided, and how miserably harassed with civil wars, since their going off from the centre of unity, and the head of the Christian communion? "If we inquire into the English revolt, we shall find," says his eminence," avarice and sensuality the principal motives; and that it was first started and carried on by the unbridled appetite and licentiousness of a single person. And, though it was given out there would be a vast accession of wealth to the public, yet this expectation dwindled to nothing; the crown was left in debt, and the subject, generally speaking, more impoverished than ever. And as to religion, people were tied up to forms, and hampered with penalties; and, to speak plainly, there was more liberty of conscience in Turkey than in England. "That the Church of Rome might have recovered her jurisdiction by force, and had the offer of the greatest princes in Europe to assist her in her pretensions. However, she was willing to waive this advantage, and apply to none but friendly expedients. That, though the defection was general and strongly settled, yet the goodness of God interposed to our relief, and that at a time when it was least solicited and deserved. For, when the true religion seemed wholly extinguished,-when the churches were defaced, the altars thrown down, the holy ceremonies discharged, and things brought to the point of despair, there were some remainders of the true faith the queen's highness continued firm, to whom the saying of the prophet may be applied without flattery, 'Ecce quasi derelicta.' "It is well worth our recollection to consider how wonderfully God has preserved her majesty. What contrivances were set on foot to defeat her succession ! What numbers conspired against her! What preparations were furnished to destroy her! Yet, notwithstanding the disadvantage of her sex, the surprise of the juncture, the inequality of her forces, she succeeded against her enemies, and made her way to the throne. Now, what can all this unexpected success be attributed to, but the great goodness and protection of Almighty God? For, humanly speaking, there was nothing appeared in |