tion, inasmuch as they destroyed the Pope's authority in England. It must not be supposed, however, that the king intended to aid the Reformers, or that he had embraced their opinions. He consulted only his own selfish desires. So far as the pretensions of Popery interfered with the gratification of his passions, he was ready to resist and despise them; but he still hated the doctrines of Luther. This fact must be kept in mind, when studying the ecclesiastical history of his reign, in order to explain the contradiction apparent throughout it, namely, that whilst the king was constantly treating the papal power with contempt, he was slow to admit any changes in doctrine or to allow any great freedom of inquiry in the Church. As evidence of the truth of this remark, we will refer to one or two cases of cruel persecution, which took place about the time Henry began to trample upon the commands of the Pope.

One of the most eminent of the sufferers, was Thomas Bilney. The perusal of a Latin copy of the New Testament first opened the eyes of this clergyman to the errors of his creed, and he began at once to make his discoveries public. He was soon brought to trial. Tonstal, bishop of London, persuaded him to abjure his heresies. But from that hour, Bilney's conscience allowed him no peace. He retired to Cambridge, where

The

he remained for two years, plunged in such deep melancholy, that his friends were afraid to leave him alone. At last, he resolved to relieve his troubled spirit and to repair his fault by boldly suffering for the cause he had once deserted. He left Cambridge and went into the county of Norfolk, and preached both in public and private. It was not long before he was apprehended, cast into prison, and condemned to death. night before his execution he ate a hearty supper; and to some one, who expressed pleasure at finding him so composed, he replied: "I follow the example of those who, having a ruinous house to dwell in, hold it up by props as long as they may." When another friend observed that his agony would be brief and God would support him, Bilney put his finger several times into the flame of the candle, saying; "That he well knew what a pain burning was, but that it should only consume the stubble of his body, and that his soul should be purged by it; then he repeated the text, "when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt." The following morning, November 10, 1530, he was led out to a valley, which, from being so frequently used as a place of execution, was called Lollards' Pit, and there fastened to the stake. In that situation he recited the Apostle's creed and prayed with a firm voice. The fire was then kindled, and the devout martyr expired.

Another victim, whose labors and sufferings deserve mention, was William Tindal. He declared his opinions with such freedom that he was obliged to fly to Antwerp for safety. While there, he labored, in conjunction with some of his companions in exile, to aid the Reformation by translating the New Testament into English. The first impression of this was issued in 1526. The bishop of London, to stop its spread, bought up the larger part of it, and had it publicly burnt at Cheapside. His zeal, however, only increased the evil. The destruction of the sacred volume excited the suspicions of the people, and made them more curious to know its contents. Tindal, who had connived at the bishop's purchase, in order to obtain the money necessary to print a more correct version, soon sent out another and larger edition, which was eagerly sought after and read. One of the agents engaged in circulating the work was brought before the Chancellor, who promised him a pardon, provided he would tell who supported the publishers at Antwerp. "The greatest encouragement they had," the man answered, "was from the bishop of London, who had bought up half of their first impression." Besides his efforts to circulate the Scriptures, Tindal wrote other works in favor of the Reformation. He thus made himself exceedingly obnoxious to the papists, who left no

measures untried to destroy him. They at last succeeded. He was betrayed by one Phillips, and being carried before the Emperor's Court at Brussels, was condemned and burnt.

These were not solitary instances of persecution. Many other eminent men suffered death. Poor mechanics, also, were condemned for heresy; and to own or read the Bible was a capital offence. On one occasion, the Chancellor of the county of Winchester would not allow even the dead to rest. He dug up and burnt the body of one Tracy, because, in making his will, he had deviated from the usual form, and "bequeathed his soul to God through Jesus Christ, in whose intercession alone he trusted, without the help of any other of the saints; and therefore left no part of his goods to have any pray for his soul."

CHAPTER XV.

CHARACTER OF HENRY'S MINISTRY -THE MAID OF KENT- - BISHOP FISHER - SIR THOMAS MOREDEATH OF ANNE BOLEYN. 1534-1536.

IT has already been hinted that the conduct of Henry VIII., in religious affairs, was shaped by his violent and capricious passions. At one time he favored the principal doctrines of the Church, and persecuted all who called them in question, while at another he denied the supremacy of the Pope, and compelled his subjects, on pain of death, to do so likewise. This arbitrary course on the part of the king, was the cause of sudden and violent changes in the administration of the government. His ministry was composed of men of both religious parties. Cranmer and Cromwel, formerly a secretary of Wolsey, were disposed to countenance a reform, while Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, a shrewd and wicked man, the Duke of Norfolk, and others in connexion with them, were opposed to the Lutheran heresy. Neither of these parties, however, dared to thwart the will of their sovereign, but yielded servilely to his tyrannical measures. As long as Anne Boleyn retained the affections of her husband, the Protestants, to whose opinion she was