ed by any other christian nation in the world. It was in effect invading the sanctuary with armed force, and reducing the church into a province of the state.

So that I may modestly call it one of the most stupendous actions recorded in history: And it is such a stain upon the very infancy of the pretended godly reformation, as can never be wiped off. Yet it was this very act, that laid the foundation of it, and the whole superstructure of the English reformation was built upon this foundation; it being apparent that all the three reforming princes, to wit, king Henry, Edward VI. and queen Elizabeth, undertook that work, neither in the name nor by the authority of the prelatic order, but by virtue of their own spiritual supremacy: that is, as supreme judges in controversies of religion.

"Thomas Cromwell, a layman (says R. Baker) son to a blacksmith in Putney, being raised to high dignities was lastly made vicar general under the king in all ecclesiastical affairs. Who sat divers times in the convocation house amongst the bishops, as head over them," p. 408. This is confirmed by my lord Herbert, in whose history of king Henry, p. 468, I find that in a Synod of about twenty bishops, thirty nine abbots and friars, and fifty of the inferior clergy, being held to settle some articles of religion, they were subscribed to in the first place by Thomas Cromwell, and after him by Thomas of Canterbury, John of London, &c. And I find the same order of subscriptions afterwards to a decree relating to general coun

cils, p. 470. So that although this was a synod held by the metropolitan of Canterbury, it was not the archbishop of that see, but Thomas Cromwell that presided in it. This worthy person was likewise constituted the king's visitor, or rather plunderer general, of all the abbeys, priories, and monasteries, both of men and women, within the kingdom; a great number of mercenary tools of the court being appointed to serve under him as the masterworkman; and from the extent of Cromwell's commission on this occasion, we may gather the full extent of the royal prerogative in spirituals; I shall deliver it in Mr. Collier's words, 2d part, 2d book, p. 104, 105. Cromwell, (says he) being authorised by the king's letters patent, under the broad seal, to constitute deputies for a visitation, made choice of Richard Layton, Thomas Leigh, William Petre, Doctor John London, dean of Wallingford, &c. for this purpose. And now the time for the visitation drawing on, the king issued out letters of inhibition to the archbishop of Canterbury, charging him and his suffragans not to visit the clergy or religious till the royal visitation was over; meaning that which was to be managed under the vicar general Cromwell. And thus all episcopal jurisdiction was laid asleep, and almost struck dead by the regal, during the king's pleasure.

The archbishop of Canterbury directed his mandate to the bishop of London, who was to transmit copies of the inhibition to the rest of the provincial bishops. "The next month

Layton, Leigh, London, &c. began their general visitation, under Cromwell. They were furnished, at least some of those first named, with a plenitude of power to visit all archbishops, bishops, and the rest of the inferior clergy; and to correct and reform, and exercise all manner of discipline, which belonged to ecclesiastical jurisdiction; they had likewise an authority to confirm or null the elections of prelates, to order instalments, to give institutions and inductions, to sequester the fruits of livings, to deprive or suspend archbishops, bishops, &c. to convene synods and preside in them and to make such reformations and orders as they shall think expedient. They had likewise an authority of trying all ecclesiastical causes, and exerting the censures of the church upon those who either refused to appear, or abide by the sentence. And as to monasteries, they had, as it were, an unlimited authority, and were empowered to allow pensions to such as were disposed to quit that way of living." Such was the exorbitant commission even of the subdelegates, who acted under the king's vicar general. And as to their visitation of monasteries it is hard to say whether the motives upon which they acted, or the means they employed, or the inhumanities they practised in the execution of their commission, were more unchristian.

SECTION VII.

Dissolution of religious houses in the reign of Henry VIII.

Mallet, History of the Swiss, Vol. I, p. 105, says, the monks softened by their instructions, the ferocious manners of the people, and opposed their credit to the tyranny of the nobility, who knew no other occupation than war, and grievously oppressed their neighbours. On this account the government of monks was prefered to theirs. The people sought them for judges. It was an usual saying, that it was better to be governed by the bishop's crosier, than the monarch's sceptre. Drake's Literary Hours, Vol. II. p. 435. "The monks of Cassins, observes Warton, were distinguished not only for their knowledge of sciences, but their attention to polite learning, and an acquaintance with the classics. Their learned Abbot, Desiderous, collected the best Greek and Roman authors. The fraternity not only composed learned treatises on Music, Logic, Astronomy, and the Vitruvian Architecture, but likewise employed a portion of their time in transcribing Tacitus, &c. This laudable example was in the 11th and 12th centuries, followed with spirit and emulation, by many English monasteries."Turner, History of England, Vol. II. p. 332, and 361. "No tyranny was ever established that was unequivocally the creature of popular will nor longer maintained by popular support; in no point did personal interest and public

welfare more cordially unite than in the encouragement of monasteries." Bates, Rural Philosophy, p. 322. "It is to be lamented, that while the papists are industriously planting nunneries and other religious societies in this kingdom, some good protestants are not so far excited to imitate their example, as to form establishments for the education and protection of young women of serious disposition, or who are otherwise unprovided, where they might enjoy at least a temporary refuge, be instructed in the principles of religion, and in all such useful and domestic arts, as might qualify them, who were inclined to return into the world, for a pious and laudable discharge of the duties of common life. Thus might the comfort and welfare of many individuals be promoted to the great benefit of society at large and the interests of Popery, by improving on its own principles, be considerably counteracted." Quarterly Review, Dec. 1811.

"The world never has been so indebted to any other body of men as to the illustrious order of Benedictine monks; but historians, in relating the evil of which they were the occasion, too frequently forget the good which they produced. Even the commonest readers are acquainted with the arch miracle monger, St. Dunstan, whilst the most learned of our countrymen scarcely remember the names of those admirable men, who went forth from England, and became the apostles of the north. Tinian

and Juan Fernandiz are not more beautiful spots on the ocean than Malmesbury, Linds.