Papacy than the Monks had been. They had also the "school-learning in their hands, so that they were generally "much cherished. But they living much in the world, could “not conceal their vices so artificially as the Monks had done; "and though several reformations had been made of their "orders, yet they had all fallen under great scandal, and a general disesteem. The King" (Henry VIII)" intended "to erect new Bishoprics; and in order to that, it was neces sary to make use of some of their revenues. He also apprehended a war from the Emperor, and for that end he "intended to fortify his harbours, and to encourage shipping ❝ and trade, upon which, the balance of the world began then to “turn: and in order to that, he resolved to make use of the "wealth of those houses, and thought, the best way to bring "that into his hands, would be to expose their vices, that so they might quite lose the esteem they might yet be in with some, and so it might be less dangerous to suppress them. "CRANMER promoted this much, both because these houses "were founded on gross abuses, and subsisted by them; and "because these were necessary to be removed, if a Reformation

went on. The extent of many dioceses was also such, that 66 one man could not oversee them; so he intended to have "more Bishoprics founded, and to have houses at every Ca"thedral for the education of those who should be employed "in the pastoral charge. The visitors went over England, ❝and found in many places monstrous disorders. The sin of "Sodom was found in many houses; great factions, and bar“barous cruelties, were in others; and in some, they found "tools for coining. The Report contained many abominable "things, that are not fit to be mentioned: some of these were "printed, but the greatest part is lost; only a report of one "hundred and forty-four houses is yet extant."-Burnet's Abridgment, p. 147 et seq.

Again: "They discovered many Impostures about Relics, " and wonderful Images, to which, pilgrimages had been wont “to be made. At Reading they had an angel's wing, which

"brought over the spear's point that pierced our Saviour's "side: as many pieces of the cross were found, as, joined to"gether, would have made a big cross. The Rood of Grace "at Bexley in Kent, had been much esteemed, and drawn many Pilgrims to it: it was observed to bow, and roll its eyes, "and look at times well pleased, or angry; which the cre"dulous multitude imputed to a divine power: but all this "was discovered to be a cheat, and it was brought up to St. "Paul's Cross; and all the springs were openly shewed that "governed its several motions. At Hales, in Glocestershire, "the blood of Christ was shewed in a vial; and it was believed, "that none could see it who were in mortal sin: and So, after <c good presents were made, the deluded Pilgrims went away "well satisfied if they had seen it. This was the blood of a "duck renewed every week, put in a vial very thick of one "side, as thin on the other; and either side turned towards "the Pilgrim, as the Priests were satisfied with their obla❝tions. Several other such-like Impostures were discovered, "which contributed much to the undeceiving the people.

"The richest shrine in England was Thomas à Becket's "at Canterbury, whose story is well known. After he had "long embroiled England, and shewed that he had a spirit so "turned to faction, that he could not be at quiet, some of "Henry the Second's officious servants killed him in the "Church at Canterbury: he was presently canonized, and "held in greater esteem than any other Saint whatsoever; so ❝ much more was a Martyr for the Papacy valued, than any "that suffered for the Christian Religion: and his altar drew "far greater oblations, than those that were dedicated to "Christ, or the Blessed Virgin; as appears by the accounts of "two of their years.

"In one, 31. 2s. 6d. and in another, not a penny was "offered at Christ's altar. There was in one, 637. 5s. 6d. "and in another, 47. 18. 8d. offered at the Blessed Virgin's

altar. But in these very years there was 8324. 12s. 3d. "and 9647. 6s. 3d. offered at St. Thomas's altar. The Shrine

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grew to be of an inestimable value. Lewis the Seventh of "France came over in Pilgrimage to visit it, and offered a "stone, valued to be the richest in Europe. He had not only one holy day, the 29th December, called his Martyr“dom; but also the day of his translation, the 7th of July, "was also a holy day; and every 50th year there was a Jubilee, "and an Indulgence granted to all that came and visited “his tomb: and sometimes there were believed to be 100,000 66 Pilgrims there on that occasion. It is hard to tell whether "the hatred to his seditious practices, or the love of his shrine, "set on King Henry more to unsaint him. His shrine was "broken, and the gold of it was so heavy, that it filled two "chests, which took eight men apiece to carry them out of "the Church; and his skull, which had been so much worshipped, was proved to be an imposture; for the true skull

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was with the rest of his bones in his coffin; his bones were "either burnt, as it was given out at Rome; or so mixed "with other bones, as our writers say, that it had been a "miracle indeed, to have distinguished them afterwards." -Burnet's Abridgment, book i. p. 200 et seq..

14th, The whole History of CRANMER and the other early Reformers, as given by BURNET: a single example of their attachment to the Scriptures occurs in p. 171:

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"Cranmer took occasion to shew the vanity of the school "divinity, and the uncertainty of tradition; and that Religion "had been so corrupted in the latter ages, that there was no finding out the truth, but by resting in the authority of the Scriptures: Fox, Bishop of Hereford, seconded him, and "told them, the world was now awake, and would be no longer imposed on by the niceties and dark terms of the Schools: "for the Laity now did not only read the Scriptures in the vulgar tongues, but searched the originals themselves; there"fore they must not think to govern them, as they had done "in the times of ignorance."

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Again, in p. 207: "This year (1537) the English Bible "was finished. The Translation was sent over to Paris to

"be printed there, for the workmen in England were not "thought able to go about it. BONNER was then Ambassa"dor in France, and he obtained a License of FRANCIS "for printing it; but upon a complaint made by THE "FRENCH CLERGY, the press was stopped, and many of the copies were seized on and burnt. So it was brought over to England and finished: CROMWELL procured a general "warrant from the King, allowing all his subjects to read it, "for which CRANMER wrote his thanks to CROMWELL, and

rejoiced to see the day of Reformation now risen in Eng"land, since the Word of God did shine over it all without "a cloud: not long after this, CROMWELL gave out injunctions, "requiring the Clergy to set up Bibles in their Churches, and "to encourage all to read them."-This was the first English Bible published by authority, and allowed to be generally used.

Again: "Six Bibles were set up in divers places of St. "Paul's; but BONNER being afraid of the mischief they "might do, posted up near them an admonition to the

people, that none should read them with vain-glory and "corrupt affections, or draw multitudes about them when they "read them. But great numbers gathered about those that "read; and such as had good voices used to be reading them "aloud a great part of the day: many sent their children to "school, and when they had learned to read, they carried them "to Church to read the Bibles. Some began likewise to argue "from them, particularly against taking away the Cup in the "Communion, and the worship in an unknown tongue; upon. "which BONNER set up a new advertisement, and threatened to remove them, if these abuses were not corrected; and << upon the complaints made of those things, the free use of the Scriptures was afterwards much restrained."-Ibid. p. 262. 15th, BURNET's remarks on the Pope's Bull against King Henry VIII.; in which he observes (among other things): By this sentence it is certain, that, either the Pope's "infallibility must be confessed to be a cheat put upon the

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"world, or, if any believe it, they must acknowledge that "the power of deposing princes is really lodged in that Chair; "for this was not a sudden fit of passion, but was done, ex "cathedra, with all the deliberation they ever admit of. The ❝sentence was, in some particulars, without a precedent; but

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as to the main points, of deposing the King, and absolving "his subjects from their obedience, there was abundance of "instances to be brought in these last five hundred years, to "shew that this had been all along asserted the right of the

Papacy. The Pope wrote also to the Kings of France and ❝ Scotland, with design to inflame them against King Henry.” -Ibid. book i. p. 204.

16th, BURNET's observations on the change effected by the Reformation in the observance of the Sabbath:

"A great charge was also given for the strict observation "of the Lord's-day, which was appointed to be spent wholly "in the service of God; it not being enough to hear Mass, "or Matins, in the morning, and spend the rest of the day ❝ in drunkenness and quarrelling, as was commonly practised; "but it ought to be all employed either in the duties of Reli"gion, or in acts of charity."-Ibid. book ii. p. 25.

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17th, BURNET's account of the abrogation of Ceremonies: "Candlemass and Lent were now approaching, so the 66 Clergy and people were much divided with relation to the "ceremonies usual at those times. By some injunctions in King Henry's reign, it had been declared, that fasting in "Lent was only binding by a positive law. Wakes and "Plough Mondays were also suppressed, and hints were

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given that other customs which were much abused, should "be shortly put down. The gross rabble loved these things, "as matters of diversion, and thought divine worship without "them would be but a dull business. But others looked on "these as relics of heathenism, since the Gentiles worshipped "their Gods with such festivities, and thought they did not "become the gravity and simplicity of the Christian Religion." "CRANMER, upon this, procured an Order of Council against