1565 CHAP VIII in horror,' the Archbishop wrote, after a conversation with her on the subject, 'to hear such words come from her mild nature as she spake concerning God's holy ordinance of matrimony.' 'Princes hitherto had thought it better to cherish their ecclesiastical state as conservators of religion; the English bishops alone were openly brought in hatred, shunned and traduced before the malicious and ignorant people as beasts without knowledge, as men of effrenate intemperancy, without discretion or any godly disposition worthy to serve in their state." Quarrel between and the bishops. In the same spirit the Queen attempted to force her the Queen crucifixes into the parish churches; and she provoked by it immediate rebellion. The bishops replied with one voice that they would give their lives for her; but they would not set a trap for the ignorant, and make themselves guilty of the blood of their brethren;' 'if by the Queen's authority they established images, they would blemish the fame of their notable fathers who had given their lives for the testimony of God's truth.' Thus the antagonism went on, irritating Elizabeth on her side into dangerous traffickings with the Bishop of Aquila and his successor; while Parker declared openly that he must obey God rather than man; and that however the Queen might despise him and his brethren there were enough of that contemptible flock that would not shrink to offer their blood for the defence of Christ's verity." The right however as has been already pointed out -was not wholly on the Protestant side. The recollections of Protestant ascendancy in the days of Edward were not yet effaced; and the inability of the Reformers to keep in check the coarser forms of irreverence and 1 Parker to Cecil.-STRYPE's Life of Parker. 2 lbid. 1565 irreligion was as visible as before. They were them- CHAP VIII selves aggressive and tyrannical; and when prebends' wives melted the cathedral organ-pipes into dish-covers, and cut the frames into bedsteads, there was something to be said even in favour of clerical celibacy. The bad relations between the Crown and the spiritual estate prevented the clergy from settling down into healthy activity. The Queen insulted her bishops on one side; the Puritans denounced them on the other as imps of Antichrist; and thus without effective authority-with its rulers brought deliberately into contempt-the Church of England sunk deeper day by day into anarchy. Something no doubt it had become necessary to do; but Elizabeth took a line which, however it might be defended in theory, was approved of only by the Catholics -and by them in the hope that it would prove the ruin of the institution which they hated. At the close of 1564, after the return of the Court from Cambridge, an intimation went abroad that the Queen intended to enforce uniformity in the administration of the services, and to insist especially on the use of the surplice and cap-the badges which distinguished the priest from the Genevan minister. The Puritan clergy would sooner have walked to the stake in the yellow robes of Sanbenitos. But it was in vain that the Dean of Durham insisted that it was cruel to use force against Protestants, while 'so many Papists who had never sworn obedience to the Queen, nor yet did any part of their duty to their flocks, enjoyed their liberty and livings.' It was in vain that Pilkington and others of the bishops exclaimed against disturbing the peace of the Church at such a time about things indifferent.'' 1 Pilkington to Leicester, October 25, 1564. STRYPE's Parker, Appendix. insists on ance of the Act of CHAP VIII On the 24th of January the Queen addressed a letter to 1565 the Archbishop of Canterbury, 'that whereas the ecclesiastical government ought to be the example in its Elizabeth perfection to all others-by the carelessness of him the the observ- Archbishop and of the other bishops, differences of opinion, differences of practice, differences in the rites Uniformity used in the churches, had risen up throughout the realm, to the great offence of godly, wise, and obedient persons. She had hoped that the bishops would in time have remembered their duties; but finding her expectation disappointed she had now resolved to use her own authority, and suppress and reform all novelties, diversities, and varieties. The Act of Uniformity should be obeyed in all its parts, and the bishops must see to it at their peril.' In the first draft of the letter a clause was added in Cecil's hand, recommending them to act with moderation; but the words were struck through, and a menace substituted in their place, that if the bishops were now remiss, the Queen would provide other remedy by such sharp proceedings as should not be easy to be borne by such as were disordered; and therewith also she would impute to them the cause thereof." Much might have been said on the manner of these injunctions. To the matter there was no objection-provided discretion had been observed in limiting the points which were to be insisted on within the bounds which were indispensably necessary, and provided the bishops' powers were equal to the duties imposed upon them. Henry the Eighth had again and again issued similar orders; and on the whole, because he was known to be evenhanded, and because the civil authority supported the 1 The Queen to Archbishop Parker, Jan. 24, 1565.—STRYPE's Life of Parker. ecclesiastical, he had held in check the more dangerous CHAP VIII excesses both of Catholic and Protestant. But the re- 1565 formed opinions had now developed far beyond the point at which Henry left them. They had gained a hold on the intellect as well as on the passions of the best and noblest of Elizabeth's subjects; and on the other hand, as the Dean of Durham complained, vast numbers of the Catholic clergy were left undisturbed in their benefices who scarcely cared to conceal their creed. The bishops were rebuked if they attempted to exact the oath of allegiance from Papist recusants; while the Queen's displeasure was reserved for those who were true from the bottom of their hearts to the throne which the Catholics were undermining. The ablest and worthiest of the English clergy were those on whom the injunctions would press most heavily. Elizabeth it seemed had not yet forgiven the good service which they had done her when Amy Robsart died, and when but for them she would have married Lord Robert. But there was no escape. The surplice should be worn though it scorched like the robe of Nessus. The Archbishop, with the help of the Bishops of London, Ely, Lincoln, and Winchester, drew up a body of articles for uniformity of apparel and ritual,' and submitted them to Cecil for approval. Elizabeth meanwhile had supplemented her first orders by a command that matters in controversy in religion' should not be discussed in sermons; the clergy while wearing Catholic garments were not to criticise Catholic doctrines. The Archbishop told Cecil that while the adversaries' were so busy on the Continent writing against the English Liturgy, this last direction was thought too unreasonable;' and implored him not to strain the cord too tight;' while he requested an order in writing from the Queen, addressed CHAP VIII to himself and the Bishop of London, as their authority for enforcing her first commands.' 1565 Neither a letter from herself however, nor assistance in any form from the Government would Elizabeth allow to be given. The bishops should deliver their tale of bricks, but they should have no straw to burn them. They were the appointed authorities, and by them she was determined at once that the work should be done, and that the odium of it should be borne. She did something indeed; but not what Parker desired. As if purposely to affront the Protestants the Court had revived the ceremonies of the Carnival. On Shrove Tuesday Leicester gave a tournament and afterwards a masque, where Juno and Diana held an argument on the respective merits of marriage and celibacy. Jupiter as the umpire gave sentence at last for matrimony; and the Queen who had the Spanish ambassador as usual at her side, whispered to him that is meant for me.' A supper followed, but not till past midnight. As Lent had begun the ambassador declined to eat, and March 2 Elizabeth laughed at him. The next day being Ash Wednesday, de Silva accompanied her to St. Paul's, Elizabeth at where Nowell the Dean was to preach. A vast crowd Paul's had assembled-more, the Queen thought, to see her than to hear the sermon. The Dean began, and had not proceeded far when he came on the subject of imageswhich he handed roughly.' 'Leave that alone,' Elizabeth called from her seat. The preacher did not hear, and went on with his invectives. To your text! Mr. Dean,' she shouted, raising her voice; To your text; leave that; we have heard enough of that! To your subject!' 1 Parker to Cecil, March 3, 1565.-LANSDOWNE MSS. 8. |