rival of cardinal Pole, who never trusted him, and who was from many circumstances likely to gain an influence over the queen inconsistent with the interests of Gardiner. These prospects, however, of moderation, and the hopes which her declarations had infused into the reformers, were soon dissipated; for the early acts of the reign were strongly marked with precipitancy as well as severity a Bonner* proceeded to take possession of his see (Aug. 5th) without any legal revocation of the sentence by which he had been deprived; and the intemperance of Bourn his chaplain, who preached soon after at St. Paul's Cross, produced such a tumult, that the life of the preacher was endangered, and only preserved by the interference of some of the protestant divines.

§. 354. In consequence of this, all sermons were prohibited till licenses had been given under the great seal to such persons only as were likely to spread the doctrines of the church of Rome; and a commission was issued for the purpose of setting aside the deprivations of those bishops who had been ejected; so that every measure seemed rapidly tending to the reestablishment of the ancient order of things. It became apparent, too, that the church was the object which predominated in the mind of

a Mass was said in London at St. Nicholas', August 21. (Strype, Eccl. Mem. v. 34.) Mountain was persecuted by Gardiner for celebrating the communion before the service had been changed. p. 104. Mass was celebrated at the opening of parliament. 57

* Strype's Ecc. Mem. v. 27.

the author of it, he was by the council committed to the Tower, on the charge of high treason.

g. 355. In the parliament which was assembled October 5, the marriage of Henry and Catharine was confirmed, an object which the queen had much at heart, and which Gardiner had promised to procure; but he of all men was the least fit to be the agent in such a transaction, who had been most active in procuring the divorce, and had been joined in the commission by which the marriage had been declared void. The acts of the last reign relating to religion were at once annulled, and severe penalties imposed on those who interfered with the performance of any sacred function. In the act of attainder against the lady J. Gray and her husband, Cranmer was comprehended, and though his see was now legally void, yet was he still regarded as archbishop, by those who wished to uphold the ecclesiastical exemptions, and to proceed against him on other grounds.

$. 356. In consequence of some private communications between Mary and the court of Rome, cardinal Pole was appointed legate, with full powers for the reconciliation of the kingdom, and immediately commenced his journey towards England; but he was stopped on the way, through the interference of Gardiner, who represented to the emperor the danger of so precipitate a step, which might probably prevent the marriage between Philip and Mary, (an object to which the attention of Charles was now directed,) and create a fermentation in the

enormous sum of twelve hundred thousand crowns was said to have been intrusted to Gardiner by Philip, in hopes that the enemies of the marriage might be bought off from their opposition.

g. 357. In order to give freedom of discussion to the convocation which was now called *, an act of parliament was previously passed, repealing the statutes of Henry VIII, which rendered all persons who joined in framing canons without the royal permission liable to a præmunire; a penalty which must have subjected the ecclesiastical authority to the civil power, and not only have offended the prejudices of a Roman catholic, but have tended, too, to limit the privileges of the church. Weston, dean of Westminster, was appointed prolocutor, a man much looked up to on account of the firmness which he had exhibited in the former reign. Its first act was directed against the Common Prayer, which it denominated an abominable book, and declared to be heretical, on account of the denial of transubstantiation which it contained. The same stigma was also affixed to the Catechism ?, said to be set forth by order of convocation. These steps produced a warm discussion in the lower house; but of the proceedings of the bishops, no record remains. Care had been taken that among the proctors elected by the clergy such men alone should be found as favoured the prevailing cause, but of those who sat in right of

a See $. 331.

Strype's Eccles. Mem. v. 59.