CHAPTER IV.

THE REIGN OF MARY.

From July 6th, 1553, to November 18th, 1558.

I. "The obstacle of the Lady Jane's title being removed, Queen Mary was crowned on October 1st, 1553," and soon after the "old religion" and way of worship was formally restored, the work of the Reformation settlement all but undone, and the supremacy of the pope and the canon law re-established.1 Dodd remarks:

It is perhaps an instance we seldom read of in history of so general a defection as there was in Henry VIII.'s reign, unless it was in Queen Mary's, when the nation returned again to the religion of their ancestors, and the change was much more universal. Besides, several circumstances occurred in the former case to lessen the surprise. King Henry contended with the see of Rome about the article of the supremacy, (being orthodox in all other points), and the article was so expounded that the generality seem not to have extended it to an article of faith in opposition to the whole church, so that they might easily be led astray in that particular. But when Queen Mary ascended the throne, a system of religion, consisting of many articles, was renounced in an instant by the whole nation. I may freely say by the whole nation, because the number of those called Reformers was so very inconsiderable that it could scarce be called a party.2

2. But "the ancient religion being re-established, the next thing they went upon was to perpetuate the happiness."

To secure this result over 30,000 "heretics," both citizens and aliens, were forthwith driven out of the realm; some

1 Dodd, I. pp. 446-467. See Persons, Le tre Conversioni, 1. p. 191.

2 Id. p. 448. Dodd's view is hardly borne out by the facts of Mary's reign. 3 Id. p. 457.

4 Dodd puts it that they "took pet and went abroad.'

I. p. 448.

5

3000 married clergymen promptly deprived; 280 (and probably many more) men, women, and children burnt alive for heresy, and a very large number starved or tortured to death in the bishops' prisons or other jails. Of the numbers who suffered for political reasons, and for complicity with the various risings, no exact account exists. Many were guiltless, but fell victims either to private malice or the indiscriminate vengeance that spared neither age, sex, merit, nor innocence.

3. The steps taken served no doubt for the temporary restoration of the Roman supremacy, but they were fatal to all permanent and good results. The doctrine and system that required such aid needed no other condemnation; and the brief reign of Mary sufficed to destroy for ever all hope of any final and lasting success.

Dodd contends that the legislative power of England was answerable, and that the guilt does not rest on Rome. He says, in apology:"

If persecution upon account of conscience is a doctrine to be allowed of; if the legislature judged it proper to revive the ancient laws in that case; if several bishops, clergy, and others were become delinquents by disobeying and deserting the communion of that church in which they were baptised and educated, and, after being reconciled, relapsed again into the error they had renounced, where

5 In the pale march to death of brave unconquered souls, there were some 184 working men and 55 women. Unable perhaps to argue for their faith, they knew well how to die for it. The number of working men and women who gave their lives to obtain for us our great gains of liberty and freedom is remarkable. Almost the first in the list of confessors stands JOHN BADBY, "arte faber,” as Walsingham terms him. He was enclosed in a cask, and, says the chronicler, "mugitque miserabiliter inter incendia." His groans moved Prince Henry to pity, and he ordered the fire to be drawn away and the barrel to be opened. The half dead sufferer was offered his life and threepence a day, a large sum then, if he would recant. The offer was refused, and the "heretic" went back, was reenclosed in his cask, and died. This was in 1410. His offence was the denial of the Real Presence. He affirmed, "quod non est Corpus Christi quod sacramentaliter tractatur in ecclesiâ, sed res quaedam inanimata . . et eligit potius se comburendum quam sacramento vivifico deferre reverentiam." Walsingham, II. p. 282, Rolls series; Ellis, Orig. Let. 2nd ser. I. p. 89; see Persons, III. pp. 272289, and App. Q.

6 Id. p. 463.

this was the case, could there ever be a greater provocation or better grounds to put such laws in execution ? All that seems particular in Queen Mary's reign was an excess in the manner, either in punishing, may be now and then, improper persons, a mismanagement those only seem answerable for who were immediately concerned to see the law executed.

"8

4. A.D. 1533. On August 5th, the queen made a formal entry into London. Stow says that the Princess Elizabeth "rode out at Aldgate toward the queen, accompanied by 1000 horse, knights, ladies, gentlemen, and their servants." The bishops who were in prison were forthwith set at liberty. Gardiner was sworn of the Privy Council, and Cox, the dean of Westminster, sent to the Tower, where Sir J. Cheke and others already were. On the 6th, Bonner and Tunstall were released.

On August 13th, owing to a tumult at Paul's Cross at an anti-Reformation sermon, order was taken at the Privy Council for the keeping the peace; and the Lord Mayor was then charged to declare to the common council on the

morrow

the queen's highness' determination and pleasure, uttered unto them by the queen's own mouth, in the Tower as yesterday, being the 12th of this instant, which was, that albeit her grace's conscience

7 "It was," says Lingard, "the lot of Mary to live in an age of religious intolerance, when to punish the professors of erroneous doctrine was inculcated as a duty, no less by those who rejected than by those who asserted the papal authority." But whilst this is no doubt true, a careful enquiry into the origin and history of the laws that fettered and punished liberty of conscience and of thought shews that the guilt of the initiative did not rest with the state. And it was by very slow degrees, even in England, that the principles of a large and really Christian toleration became fairly understood. At the Vatican, both then and now, as the "syllabus" proves to us, they were, and are not even faintly grasped. "Heresy" is still the chief and capital offence, first on the list of all crimes, being "high treason" against God. Hence it is that we sometimes find amongst the bitterest and most ferocious persecutors, men who were personally gentle and forbearing, but in matters of faith bearing only the name, and not having the spirit of Christ. Luke ix. 51-7; x. 8—17; John xvi. 2; Lingard, Hist. Eng. V. p. 227; see App. Q.

• Annals, p. 1035, 6; Collier, v. p. 10; Burnet, II. p. 178; Strype, Eccl. Mem. II. p. 17.

is stayed in matters of religion, yet she meaneth graciously not to compel and constrain other men's consciences otherwise than God shall, as she trusteth, put in their hearts a persuasion of the truth that she is in, through the opening of His word unto them by godly, virtuous, and learned preachers, with the rest of that

matter.

And at the same council it was resolved to stop all preachers not licensed by the queen's majesty ;9 and on the 15th, the council, by letter to the Bishop of Norwich, stayed all preachers in his diocese, save those licensed by the queen. Several "seditious preachers" were also committed.1o

5. On August 18th, a "proclamation about religion" was put forth by the queen. It recited the diversities of opinions, the revived contentions of her reign, and the evil reports spread abroad by evil disposed persons, and went on to say that the queen had thought good to make her will and pleasure known to all her subjects as followed. Speaking of the religion she had professed from her infancy, it added,11

which as her majesty is minded to observe and maintain for herself by God's grace during her time, so doth her highness much desire, and would be glad the same were of all her subjects quietly and charitably entertained. And yet she doth signify to all her majesty's loving subjects, that of her most gracious disposition and clemency, her highness minded not to compel any her said subjects thereunto until such time as further order, by common assent, may be taken therein.

The proclamation further exhorted all her subjects

to live together in quiet sort and Christian charity, leaving those

9 Burnet, II. p. 180; Council Book, St. Pap. (Burl.), p. 168; Strype, Eccl. Mem. p. 21; and Collier, VI. pp. 11, 12, who goes into a long debate as to the queen's power to stop preaching by a proclamation, but it was undoubted. On Aug. 29th a commission was granted to Gardiner to give licenses under the great seal to such as he should think meet and able to preach. Burnet, II. p. 183; Rymer, Foed. xv. p. 337.

10 Council Book, St. Pap., p. 170. Collier thinks the letter was a circular one, which is not unlikely. VI. p. 12.

11 Card. D. A. 1. p. 103; Wilk. Conc. IV. p. 86; Dodd, I. pp. 445, 540; Strype, Eccl. Mem. III. p. 25.

new-found devilish terms of papist and heretic, and such like, and applying their whole care, study, and travail to live in the fear of God.

6. On the 22nd, the Duke of Northumberland, with Sir J. Gates and Sir T. Palmer, were executed on the Lady Jane's account, and letters were sent to Coverdale and Hooper requiring them to appear before the Privy Council.12

On August 23rd, Gardiner was made Lord Chancellor, the seal being taken from the Bishop of Ely. Strype says: 13

All the matters of the church the queen left wholly to the management of the Bishop of Winchester, whom she now advanced from a prisoner in the Tower to be Lord High Chancellor of England. And indeed the governance of the whole realm was committed to him with a few others. He ruled matters as he would, and that all England knew, and saw plainly what he could not do in one parliament that he did in another.

On the same day "mass began at St. Nicholas, ColeAbbey, sung in Latin, and tapers set on the altar and a

On August 29th, Hooper, and the next day, Coverdale, appeared before the Privy Council. On September 1st, Hooper, "for considerations the council moving," was sent to the Fleet, and Coverdale ordered to attend the council's pleasure. On the 4th, Latimer was summoned, and on the 5th, a mixed commission of review, mostly laymen, reversed the decision of the delegates, and restored Bonner to his

12 Strype, Cran. p. 315; Eccl. Mem. pp. 22, 27; St. Pap. (Burl.), p. 173. 13 Id. p. 173; Collier, VI. p. 14; Dodd, I. pp. 504, 505; Strype, Cran. p. 311. He was a son of Lionel, bishop of Salisbury, and a man of learning, energy, and ability. Upon the restoration of the canon law and the revival of the statutes against heresy, he, together with Bonner, carried out and enforced, with consistent but unflinching severity, both in the spirit and letter, their intolerant provisions. He died in November, 1555, leaving a large fortune. See Godwin, de Præsul. Ang. pp. 236, 237; Dodd, 1. pp. 501-7; Collier, IV. pp. 127, 154.

14 Strype, Eccl. Mem. III. p. 22.