Quare quis tandem me reprehendat, si quantum cæteris ad dios ludorum celebrandos, quantum ad alias voluptates, et ad ipsam requiein animi et corporis conceditur temporis : quantum alii tempestivis conviviis, quantum aleæ, quantum pilæ, tantum mihi egomet, ad hæc studia recolenda, sumpsero.

Cic. PRO. ARCHIA.

Le changement d'etude est toujours un delassement pour

moi. D'AGUESSEAU.

Luke Hansard & Sons, near Lincoln's-Inn Fields, London.

no.19

TO

THE MOST NOBLE

BERNARD EDWARD

DUKE OF NORFOLK ;

HEREDITARY EARL MARESCHAL OF ENGLAND;

&c. &c. &c.

THIS WORK,

IS,

WITH THE PERMISSION OF HIS GRACE,

MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,

BY THE AUTHOR,

CONTENTS

TO

VOLUME THE FIRST.

CH A P. I.

General Remarks, on the state of Learning and Religion, during

the middle
ages :

page 1

1.-Probable exaggeration of the ignorance of the

page 2

2.—Probable exaggeration of their Superstition ; 4

3. Probable revival of learning, at an earlier period

than is usually supposed.

6

middle ages;

CH A P. II.

Preliminaries of the Reformation.

15

CH A P. III.

Henry the eighth :--Commencement of the Reformation.

18

CHA P. IV.

He receives from the Pope, the title of Defender of the

Faith.

22

CHAP. V.

His Divorce from Queen Katherine :

page 27

1.-Principal events in the History of the Divorce; 28

2.- Observations on the lawfulness of the marriage of

Henry the eighth with Queen Katherine; 30

3.-Sentence pronounced by Clement the seventh, for

its validity;

32

4.—Act of Parliament, ratifying the Divorce, and con-

firming the King's marriage with Anne Boleyn. 34

C H A P. VI.

Introduction to the history of the King's assumption of the title

of Supreme Head of the Church of England :-A short

Historical Minute of the Papal Encroachments on the

Sovereign and Church of England; and of the resistance to

them:

35

1.--First success, and subsequent decline, of the claim

of the Popes to Temporal Power ;

ib.

2.–Occasional abuse by the Popes, of their Spiritual

Power ;

39

3.-Occasional resistance of the Kings of England to

Papal Encroachments;

43

4.-Legislative Acts against Papal Encroachments. 45.

CHA P. VII.

49

Henry the eighth assumes the title of Supreme Head of the

Church of England :

1.-Character of cardinal Wolsey ;

ib.

2.-The whole body of the English clergy, adjudged

liable to the penalties of Præmunire;

3.-Measures, preparing the public mind for his Ma-

jesty's Ecclesiastical Supremacy;

53

4.-Acts of Parliament, declaring Henry the eighth

Head of the Church of England.

59

-

51