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a bandage over them. Immediately a hectic glow was observed to flush his cheeks, but otherwise, as he laid himself along, no symptom of agitation was discoverable. Scarcely was he composed to meet a faithful Christian's last grea enemy, when, for the executioner's greater ease, he was desired to rise and divest himself of his doublet. Having promptly obeyed this order, he resumed his former position, repeating "Lord Jesu, save me." While uttering these words, for the third time, a single stroke of the axe deprived him of life. This termination of Somerset's earthly course was contemplated by the surrounding crowd with horror and indignation. Many persons even pressed forward to steep their handkerchiefs in the blood which streamed from the headless trunk. A female, in all the insolence of triumph, displayed one of these relics to Northumberland, as he passed, after no long interval, through the city, a prisoner for treason.

"Be

hold," said she, addressing the fallen statesman, "the blood of that worthy man; the good uncle of that excellent king; which was shed by thy malicious practices. It plainly now begins to revenge itself on thee "."

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At the end of something more than a month

Foxe, 1247. From the relation "of a certain noble personage, who not only was there present at the deed doing, but also in manner next unto him on the scaffold, beholding the order of all things with his eyes, and with his pen also reporting the same."

Heylin, Hist. Ref. 118.

after Somerset's execution, Sir Michael Stanhope, Sir Thomas Arundel, Sir Ralph Vane, and Sir Miles Partridge, having been convicted of participating in his designs, followed him to the scaffold. Of these gentlemen the two first named suffered decapitation, the last two were hanged. They all protested, at the point of death, invoking God as the witness of their veracity, that they had never entertained any treasonable design against the king, or any murderous intention against the lords. Vane added, that, "his blood would make an uneasy pillow for Northumberland." That nobleman, indeed, had no sooner thus gotten rid of his most active enemies, than obloquy was poured upon him from every quarter. Those confederates in the recent cabal who had furnished the depositions which consigned their associates to an ignominious death were soon afterwards allowed to go at large. Sir Thomas Palmer, the principal informant against Somerset, was even admitted among Northumberland's intimate associates. A friendship so suspicious engendered a suspicion in the public mind, that the favourite Duke had been persuaded by Palmer to surround himself with armed men, under an apprehension of personal danger, and then betrayed by his insidious confidant into the grasp his aspiring rival'.

q Ibid. 117.

'Burnet, Hist. Ref. II. 299.

of

CHAPTER VII.

Proceedings in Parliament-Deprivation of Bishop TunstallThe forty-two articles authorised-The Reformatio Legum― The royal progress—Attacks upon Archbishop Cranmer-Pillage of the Church-Reassembling of the Trentine councilThe pacification of Passau-Herman of Cologne-The revised service brought into use-Decline of the King's health—A new Parliament-Subscription to the forty-two articles-Intrigues to obtain the Lady Mary's disinherision—The King's death.

ON the day following that of Somerset's execution, the Parliament entered upon its fourth and last session. One of the earliest affairs which occupied the Lords was a bill against recusancy. As very many of the people still remained attached to the rites and principles of that seductive religion in which they had been educated, it may readily be supposed, that the new service was often but thinly attended. Such conduct on the part of subjects appeared, however, inexcusable in an age unacquainted with any country enjoying a free toleration; and accordingly, the Peers made little difficulty in passing a bill to compel the attendance of parishioners in their respective churches 2. The Commons were found much

a The bill was sent down passed on the 26th of January. Burnet, Hist. Ref. IL. 304.

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ess expectants mi že measure lay long before NE DU Tssed their House until the X ATL The Earl of Derby, the Bishops A mi Ty, together with the Lords Suzo mi niser were dissentients. In this THE JAMEs included the provisions of mier il sex in from the Upper House, Ed spanar de use of the Common Prayer, as where in me is TV. The statute was not 17953 efect me the fast of All Saints next enthe viri diyose who should absent pensers fim the parish churches were to neur accesastel poses, and those who should

Site de fer service-book were to be ladie de sine penalties that had enforced the reception of the irmer book, three years before". Criers were given, that the revised Liturgy should be translated into French, and the Governor of Guernsey was enjoined to see it used within his jurisdiction. This in the Norman isles, those last remaining ments of the extensive continental territories once subjected to our monarchs, were securely laid the foundations of a scriptural faith. Happily the care of Edward's administration was not in vain. The islanders abandoned the vain traditions of Romanism, and profiting by their connexion with a nation which spurned a religion incapable of advancing any solid ground for confidence, acquired such principles as are fitted for the growth of manly intelligence and

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rational piety. To Wales, a similar care was not extended until the fifth year of Queen Elizabeth's reign. That principality has not, however, suffered from the comparatively late enjoyment of a liturgy which its whole population could understand. An unrestrained licence in theological speculation does, indeed, unsettle serious minds in that interesting portion of Britain. But as the Welch were more slow and reluctant than their neighbours in stooping to papal tyranny and innovation, so has their emancipation from these intolerable evils been much more complete. In England, the peasant is rarely tainted with that debasing superstition which, during five centuries or more, enthralled his ancestors. In Wales such a misfortune is almost unknown. Upon Ireland, unhappily, the experiment of offering to her people a service universally intelligible, was never made. In that important island, also, Popery was late in superseding a purer system; but the English government possessed very imperfect means of acquainting the semi-barbarous population with evangelical truth, at the time when that blessing was restored to the sister-country, The arduous task was hence attempted in a manner incomplete and ineffectual. Time has increased its difficulties; a long course of sacerdotal artifice, and political animosity, having riveted the mass of Irishmen in a blind persuasion that their traditional creed is of Apostolic ori

d Heylin, Hist. Ref. 122.

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