where the reformation had been more complete, they were received, and treated with the utmost kindness. Yet exile, and all the sufferings of their party, could not inspire them with unity, or forbearance towards each other. King Edward's liturgy had been regarded by many of the English Protestants as only an approach to reformation; and farther alterations were meditated. Part of the exiles, therefore, who disliked the ceremonies, as savouring too much of the dregs of popery, resolved to follow a purer worship; but another party, maintaining that, however the matter might be viewed abstractly, this was not a time for splitting upon minor points, and giving their enemies an advantage, by the restless spirit of change which their conduct implied, adhered strictly to the service-book. Forgetting their mutual grand adversaries, these parties quarrelled bitterly upon this subject: Foreign divines were appealed to, who, of course, interfered only to widen the breach 5 and the nonconformist party having got the approbation of Calvin, were more strongly attached to their own opinions, while they imbibed, or rather were confirmed in those republican principles of church government, which afterwards distinguished so great a portion of that body who were denominated Puritans. To this schism has been traced the commencement of that great division of Protestants into conformists and nonconformists, which was, in an after age, productive of such consequences; but appearances had indicated something of the kind earlier, and even in England,

they could not agree in the very hottest hour of persecution. Notions regarding predestination, free-will, and grace, which subsequently became so important, even then agitated the reformers, while some professed arianism and other tenets, equally remote from the ordinary belief*.

But, however the reformers might disagree amongst themselves, they all, as a body, looked forward to Elizabeth as to a deliverer, and they were not disappointed, though her measures indicated the spirit of a politician rather than of a religionist, Dangers beset her very entrance to the throne, and seemed to thicken upon her in the progress of her reign. The catholic party, numerous and formidable, could not easily bear the overthrow of their religion, accompanied with individual disgrace, nor its ministers and great adherents relinquish political as well as ecclesiastical ascendancy: and their predilections were encouraged, their plans for recovering the superiority fomented, not only by the Pope, but by foreign princes who wished to embroil English affairs, while the Romish clergy, driven from their livings, were ever ready to stimulate flagging zeal and flatter it with hope. Bigotry, when associated with politics, besides the black passions to which it directly gives birth, covers with a pretended holy garb, even to one's own eyes, the most selfish and malignant ;

Strype's Ecclesiastical Memorials, vol. iii, c. 18, 31, 33, 41, 47. Life of Grindal, p. 10. Heylin's Hist. of Queen Mary, p. 59. et seq. Strype's Annals, vol. i. p. 103. Burnet, vol. iii, p. 612. et seq. Neal, r. 103. et seq.

while, by shutting against its opponents every avenue of sympathy, the real source of moral feeling, it stifles the voice of conscience, and, by gaining the support of a faction, kindles indignation against public reproach, that would otherwise humble the guilty under its lash. It was necessary to disarm such a body, it was prudent not to drive them to despair, it was equally politic and just to resist in their favour the violence and vengeance of the protestants; and too much praise cannot be given to the wisdom of Elizabeth's council, at least in the early part of her reign. Her great minister Cecil was the first to broach the principles of toleration, and point out the only grounds upon which any interference with religious sects can be justified *. But Elizabeth shewed that

Heylin tells us that Cardinal Pole dissuaded from persecution "following therein, as he affirmed, the counsel sent unto the Queen," (Mary)" by Charles the Emperor, at her first coming to the crown, by whom she was advised to create no trouble unto any man for matter of conscience, but to be warned unto the contrary by his example, who, by endeavouring to compel others to his own religion, had tired and spent himself in vain, and purchased nothing by it but his own dishonour." Hist. of Queen Mary, p. 47. Hence I am not sure that I have not gone too far in ascribing the merit to Burleigh of first broaching the principles of toleration. But his whole paper is excellent. Scott's Somers' Tracts, Vol. i. p. 164, et seq. Whoever attentively peruses it may question the account given by certain historians of the cause of Elizabeth's policy towards Scotland. It appears to have been chalked out by Burleigh at the very beginning of her reign. In regard to persecution, he says, "I account that putting to death doth no ways lessen them, since we find by experience that it worketh no such effect, but like the hydra's heads, upon cutting off one, seven grow up, persecution being accounted as the badge of the church, &c.; so that, for my part, I wish no lessening of their num

her forbearance towards the catholics savoured of partiality, on account of their avowed political principles, which accorded with her own ideas of prerogative, while, for an opposite reason, she entertained an aversion to the puritans *. The pomp, ceremonies, and incomprehensibilities of catholicism, inspire the vulgar mind with awe and veneration for the clergy, who, when they depend in any degree upon the prince, are generally disposed to advance the prerogative that it may react in their own favour: it is not the religion of the heart, but of the imagination, which enslaves a people, and Elizabeth appears to have ardently desired the advantage of the latter. She declared that religion had, under her brother Edward, been stript of too many of its ornaments, and she laboured to restore them, assigning as a reason, that the catholics might join the English church when they perceived that the departure from the Romish was not overgreat she preserved a crucifix in her own chapel, and reluctantly acquiesced in their removal from other churches: she insisted on retaining the vestments of the clergy, which were now ab.

ber but by preaching, and by education of the younger under good masters." P. 167. He alleges that the people of all ranks loved Egypt chiefly for the flesh pots. Ib.

See a letter from Sir F. Walsingham to a French Gentleman in regard to the principles of Elizabeth's government in religious matters, in Burnet, vol. iii. p. 751.

* Elizabeth told Sir Francis Knollys, that "she was as much in danger from puritans as papists." Strype's Life of Whitgift, p, 362. See in Appendix, p. 76, et seq. the points of Doctrine Dis puted, and in Annals, an order to have wafer-bread-" for the giving the more reverence to the holy mysteries." Vol. i. p. 165,

horred by a great part of the people: She ordered a committee of divines to review King Edward's liturgy, and strike out all offensive passages against the Pope, and to make the people's minds easy about the corporeal presence of Christ in the sacrament. Perceiving how full of intrigue and zeal for the advancement of their order, the Romish priesthood were from their celibacy, which cut them off from the common sympathies of mankind, she tried to prevent the English clergy from marrying, and would have absolutely forbid it, had it not been for the interference of her great adviser Secretary Cecil. Though she was thus far ruled, she never could be prevailed upon to revive the law of Edward VI. which authorized the marriage of ecclesiastics, but only connived at what was not fully warranted by law-a course which kept many of the leading clergy, who were married, at her devotion *.

But it may not be improper to take a view of

There was a strong Lutheran party in the kingdom who believed in the real presence, &c. Strype's Annals, vol. i. p. 53. In proof of the text generally, see Id. p. 81, 88; the whole of Chap. xiii. p. 214, et seq. Chap. xli. xlii. xliii. Burnet, vol. iii. p. 676, et seq. Neal, p. 122, et seq. Strype's Life of Parker, p. 96, 107-8-9. Archbishop Parker being married himself, was naturally very anxious for the restriction upon the marriage of the clergy being taken off; and I conclude that he had been guilty of a little pious fraud in regard to the story of five or six priests being prosecuted at Worcester for having five or six wh-s a-piece-a fact, " which," says Strype, "was so notoriously scandalous, that the said Bishop, in a sermon at the Cathedral a few days after, spake of it; and took occasion thence to shew how necessary it was to allow priests marriage." Id. p. 78. In 1572, the people were much alarmed for the Queen's safety in consequence of the number of catholics about the court. Id. p. 352,