The latter expressed their exultation in the profession of Christ's true religion, and declared their willingness to forsake all things rather than Christ".

The Admiral had no sooner been executed, than all who had hated Somerset loudly execrated that statesman's conduct. He was represented as a fratricide, a monster, a selfish and sanguinary man, most unfit to be trusted with the guardianship of his royal nephew. It was even whispered in some quarters, that Edward had actually fallen a victim to the Protector's unprincipled ambition, and that his demise would be announced as soon as his uncle was ready to usurp the throne. A powerful intellect would have despised such a malignant absurdity, but it seriously disquieted the honest mediocrity of Somerset. He caused, accordingly, the youthful monarch to be paraded through the streets of London; thus silencing the stupidest calumny levelled at him by giving to all men an opportunity of seeing, that Edward was neither dead, nor unusually sickly. The Protector's vanity too was at this time fast augmenting the popular prejudice against him. Along the Strand stood a range of spacious mansions, with gardens to the Thames, and serving to lodge families of the highest distinction during their visits to the metropolis. Somerset had determined to build within this favourite line a magnificent palace for his own occupation, and no ground being disen

gaged, he resolved to find some by pillaging the Church. Accordingly, the Bishops of Worcester, Lichfield and Coventry, and Landaff were ousted of their parliamentary residences. These mansions, together with the parochial church of St. Mary le Strand, were then demolished, and upon the ground thus cleared, the Protector began to build. The materials upon the spot being insufficient for his vast designs, he determined upon pulling down the church of St. Margaret, Westminster, and of assigning to the parish a portion of the nave in the adjacent abbey. The parishioners, however, armed with various offensive weapons, drove away his workmen, and he thought it prudent to desist from his sacrilegious attempt. He then looked eastward for the means of carrying on his erections. Abutting on St. Paul's cathedral, towards the north, stood an extensive cloister, ornamented, as such arcades were not uncommonly, by a series of allegorical figures representing the dance of death. The space of ground enclosed within this venerable over-arched walk was used as a cemetery, and called Pardon Church-yard. In the centre of it was reared a chapel. These ancient and curious edifices, together with a charnel-house, and attached chapel, on the cathedral's southern side, fell before the selfish vandalism of Somerset. The building materials thus set free were speedily transferred to the Strand, and an immense quantity of human bones, disturbed, as might be expected, in a place so long used for sepulture, were deposited in Fins

bury Fields. All these destructive operations having failed to supply sufficient means for the completion of his plan, the Protector followed them by causing to be blown up by gun-powder the steeple, and great part of the church of St. John of Jerusalem, near Smithfield. These erections were of very recent date, and of conspicuous beauty, and extreme was the popular disgust, as the materials obtained from this, as well as from former demolitions passed onwards to their new destination. Often has a statesman had occasion to repent the erection of a splendid residence for his own accommodation. The labour and responsibility of eminent stations, although the real foundations of official greatness, are contentedly left by the mass of men to the few who are competent for them; but no sooner do distinguished individuals display their importance by outward magnificence, than every petty coxcomb looks upon them with hatred and envy. But if it be thus dangerous in public men to indulge an ostentatious taste even unexceptionably, it must be a fatal mistake in such persons to gratify their vanity by reprehensible means, as did the Protector. His erections, accordingly, obtained for him the

"This notice of former superstitions was gained by this barbarity, used by him, (Somerset) and others under the reigns of King Henry, and King Edward, that among a great number of rotten carcases were found caskets full of pardons safely folded and lapped together in the bottom of their graves." Strype, Eccl. Mem. II. 283.

b Heylin, Hist. Ref. 73.

character among political enemies, and the illiberal crowd, not only of a vain upstart, but also of a sacrilegious plunderer.

While such as valued Somerset for his religious opinions had so much reason to regret the popular odium which had fallen upon him, their uneasiness was augmented by the progress of heretical and antisocial doctrines. Political events in Germany had recently driven many Anabaptists into England, and these dangerous fanatics were now intent upon propagating among their insular associates those hateful positions which had caused so much evil upon the continent. From the activity of these foreigners, joined to such elements of heterodoxy as were of domestic growth, resulted a prevalence of unsound opinions esteemed highly disgraceful to the Reformation, and certainly tending to disturb the country. For the purpose of silencing such as were

• Burnet, Hist. Ref. II. 177.

The following passage, cited by Lewis from the amiable and candid Melancthon's Common Places, enumerates the dangerous opinions broached by the Anabaptists. "Habent multas impias opiniones, non solum de baptismo, sed etiam de cæteris articulis Christianæ doctrinæ. Damnant pleraque politica, ut judicia, juramentum, rerum divisionem, &c. Unde satis apparet eos non intelligere spiritualem justitiam, sed imaginari Christianismum esse tantum quendam externum monachatum. Imo Anabaptistæ nuper nati etiam turpiter docent, conjugem debere discedere a conjuge abhorrente a secta Anabaptistica. Et alicubi jam per seditionem pepulerunt legitimos magistratus. Item fingunt tale Christi regnum in terris ante novissimum diem futurum esse, in quo dominaturi sint sancti deletis omnibus impiis." Brief History of Anabaptism in England. Lond. 1738, p. 48.

intent upon undermining the principles of sound religion, a commission was issued in April, directed to Archbishop Cranmer, the Bishops Goodrich, Heath, Thirlby, Day, Holbeach, and Ridley, Sir William Petre, Sir Thomas Smyth, Dr. Cox. Dr. May, and some others. These commissioners were empowered to take cognizance of Anabaptists, heretics, and contemners of the Common Prayer. Several such persons, accordingly, were brought before the court, and persuaded to recant. Among those who were brought into trouble upon this occasion, were some persons holding heretical opinions respecting the Second Person in the Adorable Trinity, and one of them, unhappily, refused to abandon her sentiments. This was Joan Bocher, who being found inaccessible to reason or persuasion, was necessarily, according to the barbarous laws then in force, delivered over to the secular arm. The sentence of excommunication was read by Archbishop Cran mer, who was assisted by Sir Thomas Smyth, Cook, dean of the arches, and Lyell, doctor of laws. The excommunication rested upon the following grounds: "You believe, that the Word was made flesh in the Virgin's belly; but that Christ took flesh of the Virgin you believe not, because the flesh of the Virgin, being the outward man, was sinfully begotten, and born in sin. But the Word, by the consent of the inward man of the Virgin, was made flesh." As the accused

e

Burnet, Hist. Ref. II. 178. Strype, Mem. Cranm. 254.

! Sentence against Joan of Kent. (Burnet, Hist. Ref. Re