oath of fupremacy; all the credit of the pope, that had fubfifted for ages, was now at once overthrown, and none seemed to repine at the revolution, except those who were immediately interested by their dependence on the court of Rome.

But though Henry had thus separated from the church, yet he had not addicted himself to the fyftem of any other reformer. The idea of herefy ftill appeared deteftable, as well as formidable, to him; and whilst his refentment against the fee of Rome had removed one part of his early prejudices, he made it a point never to relinquish the reft. Separate as he stood from the catholic church, and from the Roman pontiff, the head of it, he still valued himself on maintaining the catholic doctrines, and on guarding by fire and fword the imagined purity of its eftablishments.

His minifters and courtiers were of as motley a character as his conduct, and feemed to waver, during the whole reign, between the ancient and the new religion. The young queen, engaged by intereft, as well as inclination, favoured the cause of the reformers; Thomas Cromwell, who from being a creature of Wolfey, and who, by an admirable defence of the conduct of his old mafter, had been taken into the favour and confidence of the king, embraced the fame views. Being a man of prudence and ability, he was very fuccefsful in promoting the reformation, though in a concealed manner. Cranmer, who was now become archbishop of Canterbury, had all along adopted the proteftant tenets, and had gained Henry's friendship by his candour and fincerity. On the other hand, the duke of Norfolk adhered to the old mode of worship; and by the greatness of his rank, as well as by his talents for peace and war, he had great weight in the king's council. Gardiner, lately created bishop

of

of Winchester, had enlifted himfelf in the fame party; and the fuppleness of his character, and the dexterity of his conduct, had rendered him extremely useful to it. The king, mean while, who held the balance between thefe contending factions, was enabled, by the courtship paid him by both proteftants and catholics, to affume an immeafurable authority.

As the mode of religion was not as yet known, and as the minds of thofe who were of opposite fentiments were extremely exafperated, it naturally followed that feveral muft fall a facrifice in the contest between ancient establishments, and modern reformation. The reformers were the first who were exhibited a unhappy examples of the vindictive fury of those who were for the continuance of antient fuperftitions. One James Bainham, a gentleman of the Temple, being accused of favouring the doctrines of Luther, had been brought before Sir Thomas More during the chancellorship; and, after being put to the torture, was condemned as a relapfed heretic, and was burned in Smithfield. One Thomas Bilney, a priest, had embraced the new doctrine; but being terrified into an abjuration, he was fo ftung with remorfe, that he went into Norfolk, publicly recanting his former conduct, and expofing the errors of popery. He was foon seized, tried in the bishop's court, condemned as a relapsed heretic, and burnt accordingly. On the other hand, Henry was not remifs in punithing fuch as difowned the propriety of his late defection from Rome; and the monks, as they fuffered moft by the reformation, fo they were moft obnoxious, from their fres manner of speaking, to the royal refentment.

To affift him in bringing thefe to punishment, the parliament had made it capital to deny his

fupremacy

fupremacy over the church; and many priors and ecclefiaftics loft their lives for this new fpecies of crime. But of those who fell as a facrifice to this ftern and unjust law, none are so much to be regretted as John Fisher, bishop of Rochester, and the celebrated Sir Thomas More. Fisher was a prelate eminent for his learning and morals; but fo firmly attached to ancient opinions, that he was throwninto prifon, and deprived of his ecclefiaftical revenues; so that he had scarce even rags to cover him in his fevere confinement. He was soon after indicted for denying the king's fupremacy, condemned, and beheaded.

Sir Thomas More is intitled to still greater pity, as his merits were greater. This extraordinary man, who was one of the revivers of ancient literature, and inconteftably the foremost writer of his age, had, for fome time, refused to act in fubfervience to the capricious paffions of the king. He had been created chancellor; but gave up that high office, rather than concur in the breach with the church of Rome. The aufterity of this man's virtue, and the fanctity of his manners, had in no wife encroached on the gentlenefs of his temper; but even in the midft of poverty and difgrace he could preferve that natural gaiety, which was probably inspired by confcious innocence. But on the prefent occafion, being put into confinement, no entreaties nor arguments could prevail with him, to speak an entire acknowledgment of the juftice of the king's claims. One Rich, who was then folicitor-general, was fent to confer with him; and in his prefence he was inveigled to fay, that any question with regard to the law, which eftablished that prerogative, was like a two-edged fword. If a perfon answered one way it would confound his foul; if another, it would deftroy his body. These words were sufficient for the bafe informer

informer to hang an accufation upon; and as trials at that time were but mere formalities, the jury gave fentence against More, who long expected his fate. His natural chearfulness attended him to the last. When he was mounting the scaffold, he faid to one, "Friend, help me up, and when I "go down again, let me fhift for myself." The executioner afking him forgiveness, he granted the request, but told him, "You will never get "credit for beheading me, my neck is fo fhort." Then laying his head on the block, he bid the executioner ftay till he had put afide his beard, for, faid he, that has never committed treason.

The concurrence which the people feemed to iend to these fierce feverities, added to the great authority which Henry from his fevere and fierce deportment poffeffed, induced him to proceed ftill farther in his fcheme of innovation. As the monks had all along fhewn him the greatest refiftance, he refolved at once to deprive them of future power to injure him. He accordingly empowered Cromwell, fecretary of ftate, to fend commiffioners into the several counties of England to inspect the monafteries; and to report, with rigorous exactness, the conduct and deportment of fuch as were refident there. This employment was readily undertaken by fome creatures of the court, namely Layton, London, Price, Gage, Petre, and Balafis, who are faid to have discovered monftrous disorders in many of the religious houses. Whole convents of women abandoned to all manner of lewdness, friars accomplices in their crimes, pious frauds every where practifed to encrease the devotion and liberality of the people, and cruel and inveterate factions maintained between the members of many of these inftitutions. Thefe accufations, whether true or falfe, were urged with great clamour against thefe communities; and a

general

general horror was excited in the nation against them.

The king now, therefore, thought he might with fafety, and even fome degree of popularity, abolish thefe inftitutions; but willing to proceed gently at first, he gave directions to parliament to go no farther at prefent than to fupprefs A. D. the leffer monafteries, who poffeffed revenues below the value of two hundred 1536. pounds a year. By this act, three hundred and feventy-fix monafteries were fuppreffed; and their revenues, amounting to thirty-two thousand pounds. a year, were granted to the king, befides their goods and plate, computed at an hundred thoufand pounds more. But this was only the beginning of his confifcations; for about two years after, he refolved upon the entire deftruction of all monafteries whatsoever. A new vifitation was therefore appointed, and fresh crimes were alfo produced; fo that his feverities were conducted with fuch feeming juftice and fuccefs, that in less than two years, he became poffeffed of all the monaftic revenues. Thefe, on the whole, amounted to fix hundred and forty-five, of which twenty-eight had abbots, who enjoyed a feat in parliament. Ninety colleges were demolished in several counties; two thoufand three hundred and feventy-four chantries, and free chapels, and an hundred and ten hofpitals. The whole revenue of these eftablishments amounted to one hundred and fixtyone thousand pounds, which was about a twentieth part of the national income. The lofs therefore which was sustained by the clergy upon this occafion, was by no means fo great or mortifying as the cruel infults and reproaches to which they were expofed for their former frauds and avarice. The numberless reliques which they had amaffed, to delude and draw money from the people,

were