employments bestowed on them. To this source we owe the assistance which our church derived from Bucer, Fagius, Peter Martyr, and Ochin, who, among many others, partook of the bounty of the archbishop, and became the ornaments and instructors of the two universities * Cranmer seems also to have entertained the hope of bringing all the protestant churches to a community of faith, by forming a council in England, to which deputies should be sent from the rest, and who might publish such articles of belief as were received by all; and for this purpose he had some communication with Melancthon and Calvin; but the troubles with which he was himself soon after oppressed, put an entire stop to the project a.

§. 325. (A. D. 1551.) It was in all probability during this year that the reformers were employed

a The project of establishing an authoritative standard of faith, by a general congress of reformed divines, (Laurence's Bamp. Lect. 219.) had been long a favourite idea with Melancthon. We find him thus alluding to it in the year 1542 : “Quod autem “ såpe optavi, ut aliquando authoritate seu regum, seu aliorum “piorum principum, convocati viri docti de controversiis omni“ bus libere colloquerentur, et relinquerent posteris firmam et “perspicuam doctrinam, idem adhuc opto." Preface to his Works. Epistolæ, Londin. p. 147.

The project, therefore, probably did not begin with Cranmer; he corresponded with Melancthon on the subject in 1548, and with Calvin in 1551; but the difficulties were so great that it was abandoned, and the archbishop began to prepare a formulary for the use of the church of England.

* Strype's Cranmer, III. xxiii. 573. xxiv. xxv, &c.

the attention of the governors of the church, were certain alterations in the Common Prayer Book, the details of which are given in their proper place * They consisted chiefly in the omission of superstitious rites which had been continued in the first Liturgy. The Ordination Service, too, was now added, and the whole, thus amended, differs very little from the one at present in use.

In order that the reformation might be introduced into the hearts of the people, as well as the institutions of the church, six eminent preachers were appointed among his majesty's chaplains in ordinary, two of whom were to reside at court, while the other four made a progress through the country, and as far as possible supplied the want of preaching clergymen, a deficiency which was then strongly felt.

§. 327. The use of the mass within her own house had during the whole of this period been allowed to the princess Mary, through the connivance of the government and the anxious interference of the emperor, but it was now determined by the council to withdraw this indulgence. Edward indeed had always shewn a great dislike to its continuance, and had at one time assented to it, at the request of Cranmer and Ridley, with tears in his eyes; but the government having now become more fixed, the influence of the emperor had less weight, and they proceeded against one of her chaplains for

* Sect. 745

measure. The virtues of the protector, however conspicuous, were not unmingled with faults. In his greatness he was kind and affable, in his misfortunes always dignified. His military undertakings were generally successful ; and while he exhibited himself the undaunted advocate of the oppressed, he ever proved that he was faithful and upright in his transactions. His love for the reformation had been constant and sincere; but he gained far too great a portion of church property to be deemed disinterested in the share which he had in the destruction of ecclesiastical bodies ; nor has the severity which he used towards his brother escaped the censure of historians. In order to alienate the mind of his nephew, many false representations of his criminality seem to have been made, and during the period after his condemnation, great pains were taken to keep the attention of the

young king engaged in such amusements, as should prevent his thinking on the fate of his uncle.

s. 329. (A.D. 1552.) Several bills passed during this session of parliament which were important to the church * One confirmed the alterations which had been made in the Common Prayer Book, and directed ecclesiastical persons to enforce, by severe censures, the attendance on the new service. A second enjoined the observance of such holydays as were retained in the calendar, and ordained that the people should abstain from flesh on fast days,

* Burnet, ii. 145