Lecture LVII. Of the history of Great Britain and Ireland, from the accession of Charles I. in the year 1625 to the com- mencement of the civil war in the year 1642 Lecture LVIII. Of the history of Great Britain and Ireland, from the beginning Lecture LIX. Of the history of Great Britain and Ireland, from the Resto- ration in the year 1660 to the accession of Lecture LX. Of the history of Great Britain and Ireland, from the accession 268 LECTURES ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF MODERN HISTORY. LECTURE LII. Of the history of England, from the accession of Henry VIII. in the year 1509, to that of Mary in the year 1553. Statute of the Six Articles Dissolution of the Monasteries com IT is now necessary to return to the consideration of the history of the English government, which has been prosecuted only to the accession of Henry VIII. in the year 1509; and I propose to devote this and eight succeeding lectures to the review of the progressive modifications of this important member of the general system, until their completion in the revolution of the year 1689. In this series will be included a review of the antecedent histories of Scotland and Ireland, which shall be shown to have borne distinct and important relations to the formation of the constitution of the principal country, and to compose with it a curious and interesting specimen of political combination. The year 1689, at which this series terminates, is a focus, to which all the rays of historical knowledge converge, for the same revolution, which arranged the internal policy of the English, or rather of the British government, did also arrange the federative system of Europe in that later and more perfect combination, in which it continued to the great convulsion occasioned by the revolution of France. The present lecture, which will comprehend the reigns of Henry VIII. and his son Edward VI, an interval of forty-four years, will be occupied in treating of that great revolution of religion, the separation from the see of Rome, which was begun by the former of these princes, and completed in the short reign of the latter. It has been often remarked that the reformation of the established church of England was illustriously distinguished by the moderation, with which it shunned the extremes of the two great sects of the continental reformers, neither retaining with the Lutheran reformation an admixture of the doctrine of the Romish church, nor on the other hand proceeding to the excess of an arbitrary predestination, which characterised that of Calvin. The circumstances in which was formed this peculiar moderation of the English reformation, deserve the attention of every student of history, not merely as they influenced an important change in the ecclesiastical arrangements of Europe, but also as they were connected with the political arrangements of the government of England, and served to prepare that equipoise of its contending parties, B 2 by which the principles of constitutional freedom were finally established and secured. The whole of the processes of the reformation of England may be considered as extended through a series of four reigns, beginning with that of Henry VIII, and ending with that of Elizabeth, which comprehended nearly an entire century; but this period may be conveniently divided into two parts, the former of which, including the reigns of Henry and his son Edward, was exclusively employed in forming the system of the established church, and the latter, including those of Mary and Elizabeth, was, in regard to ecclesiastical affairs, concerned chiefly in disposing the causes, which gave existence to the important body of protestant dissenters. This lecture will accordingly review the earlier period of the reformation of England, or that which gave being to the establishment. It is not easy to conceive two characters more strongly contrasted than those of Henry VIII. and his father. Henry VII. was cool, circumspect, and persevering; his successor violent and impetuous, driven forward by his affections and passions, and changing his conduct as these variously impelled him: the former was fond of money even to avarice; the latter, splendid and prodigal, dissipated in a short time, not only the accumulations of his father's economy, but also (a) the rich spoils of the Romish monasteries, by which he vainly |