would have placed among "the grave and learned sort of reformers," were so far from expressing dislike and condemnation, as that, if they did not give direct encouragement and praise, they could stand by and laugh in their sleeves, while others were doing what it might not have beseemed the " grave and learned sort " to do themselves. To say the truth, I cannot but think that any one who observes how Burnet himself, when not particularly engaged in performing the sincere historian, relates the profane and irreverent pranks which some of "the party" indulged, will doubt whether, if he had lived at the time, he would have been very forward or very fierce in trying to stop or to punish "these courses." For instance, he relates an incident which occurred shortly after the accession of Queen Mary, in a tone which reminds me very much of the "mixture of glee and compunction" with which Edie Ochiltree dwelt on the exploits of his youth. The passage, not only for this, but for the historical fact itself, is much to our purpose, and quite worth quoting:

"There were many ludicrous things everywhere done in derision of the old forms and of the Images: many Poems were printed, with other ridiculous representations of the Latin service, and the pageantry of their worship. But none occasioned more laughter, than what fell out at Pauls the Easter before; the custom being to lay the Sacrament into the Sepulchre at Even-song on Good Friday, and to take it out by break of day on Easter morning: At the time of the taking of it out, the Quire sung these words, Surrexit, non est hic, He is risen, he is not here;' But then the priest looking for the host,

'have through this persuasion returned to their old leaven again; think'ing them to be the true teachers of God's doctrine, which offend in the contrary; making it so divine a thing, that it should be of no less importance than the whole Trinity, the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost: for so they affirm, saying, that forasmuch as it is the body of Christ, and 'that Christ is in all places at once with his Father, and his Father with 'him and the Holy Ghost, it must needs follow, that in it is the whole Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. For these are not 'nor cannot be separated."-p. 426. I may add that my unknown correspondent mentioned it as the only instance which he had observed; and that nothing of the kind has since come under my observation. At the same time, I need hardly say that it would require many more, and much stronger and weightier to counterbalance the single, pregnant voluminous sentence of Strype,-"Wherefore he consulting with the Lord Crumwel his CONSTANT ASSOCIATE AND ASSISTANT in SUCH matters; and by his and other his friends, importuning the King, a commission was issued," &c.Cran. I. 72. A little farther on Strype tells us that the Archbishop "required direction from him [Crumwel] in everything."-Ibid. p. 79.

found it was not there indeed, for one had stolen it out; which put them all in no small disorder, but another was presently brought in its stead. Upon this a ballad followed, That their God was stolen and lost, but a new one was made in his room. This Raillery was so salt, that it provoked the clergy much. They offered large rewards to discover him that had stolen the host, or had made the ballad, but could not come to the knowledge of it."-Vol. ii. p. 270.

I do not know where Burnet got this story, because, as in too many other cases, he gives no authority. Fox relates the same thing as happening on the same day at St. Pancras in Cheap, and perhaps it is the same story'; and in the next paragraph Fox tells us a story that should not be separated from the other, and which Bishop Burnet might have considered equally "ludicrous: "

"The 8th of April there was a cat hanged upon a gallows at the Cross in Cheap, apparelled like a priest ready to say mass, with a shaven crown. Her two fore-feet were tied over her head, with a round paper like a wafer-cake put between them: whereon arose great evil-will against the City of London; for the Queen and the Bishops were very angry withal. And therefore the same afternoon there was a proclamation, that whosoever could bring forth the party that did hang up the cat, should have twenty nobles, which reward was afterwards increased to twenty marks; but none could or would earn it."—Vol. vi. p. 548.

It is needless to say that the story is told by Fox without any mark of dislike or condemnation, for he has given ample proof that he enjoyed such things amazingly. Indeed it seems probable that his troubles first began, while he was yet at college, from the indulgence of that jeering, mocking spirit which so strongly characterizes his martyrology. Take a specimen that occurs only ten pages after the story of the cat, and which he introduces by saying, "But one thing, by 'the way, I cannot let pass, touching the young flourishing 'rood newly set up against this present time to welcome 'King Philip into Paul's Church;" and having described the ceremony of its being set up, he proceeds :

"Not long after this, a merry fellow came into Pauls, and spied the rood with Mary and John new set up; whereto (among a great sort of people) he made a low courtesy, and said: Sir, your mastership is welcome to town. I had thought to have talked further with your mastership, but that ye be here clothed in the Queens colours.

If Burnet took the story from Fox one would like to know what led him to omit one point which is stated by the martyrologist-namely, that "the crucifix" as well as "the pix" was stolen,

I hope ye be but a summer's bird in that ye be dressed in white and green, &c.'

118

Another brief specimen may be found in a story of a "mayor of Lancaster, who was a very meet man for such a purpose, and an old favourer of the gospel," who had to decide a dispute between the parishioners of Cockram and a workman whom they had employed to make a rood for their church. They refused to pay him because, as they averred, he had made an ill-favoured figure, gaping and grinning in such a manner that their children were afraid to look at it. The "old favourer of the gospel," who seems to have been much amused by such a representation of his Saviour being set up in the church, recommended them to go and take another look at it, adding, "and if it will not serve for a god, make no more ado, but clap a pair of horns on his head, and so he will make an excellent devil.' This the 'parishioners took well in worth; the poor man had his 'money; and divers laughed well thereat-but so did not 'the Babylonish priests." Strange that the priests did not join in the fun; and stranger still that those blind papists did not seize on the skirts of the "old favourer of the

gospel," and say, "We will go with you, for we see that God is with you."

But the subject, which I have scarcely opened in this paper, requires a more full and regular inquiry and consideration; and some hints and extracts which may assist in this, I hope to furnish.

ESSAY XII.

THE RIBALDS. No. II.

THOSE Who have any acquaintance at all with the history of the Reformation, even if they have not made themselves particularly acquainted with the class of persons and works to which I am now endeavouring to direct attention, will 8 Ed. 1596, p. 1338. I quote this old edition rather than that of Mr. Cattley, because he omits the "&c." at the end of the extract, which seems to be doing injustice to the " merry fellow," not to say to the reporter. 9 VI. 564.

not so far misunderstand me as to suppose that I am speaking with reference to the controversies, and contentions, which naturally arose at that period; and which, even among the learned, were too often carried on in language which would not now be used, and in a temper which could never be lawful and right. Such is our nature, that when even good men are excited, and injured, and provoked, we must expect some wrath, and clamour, and evil speaking; and we must not take it as a proof either that these were not good men, or that wrath, and clamour, and evil speaking, by good men in a good cause, are really good things, which we ought to admire in our forefathers, while, for our own part, we claim the higher grace and praise of what is called " a sweet spirit."

It will, I hope, be equally obvious that I do not refer to the outbreaks of fanaticism which naturally accompanied such a period of excitement; and which, I suppose, none of the modern admirers of Fox would think of defending, though the actors in them are still permitted to swell his calendar of Martyrs. Take, for instance, "The history, no 'less lamentable than notable, of William Gardiner, an 'Englishman, suffering most constantly in Portugal, for the 'testimony of God's truth." It would be worth while to extract the graphic account which Fox has preserved, were it only that it might help us to judge of the light in which the English reformers, and their proceedings, were likely to be viewed in foreign countries. Imagine such a scene as Fox here describes occurring in Lisbon, where William Gardiner, the Englishman, was living as the agent of a mercantile house :

"It happened that there should be a solemn marriage celebrated the first of September in the year above said, betwixt two princes; that is to say, the son of the king of Portugal, and the Spanish king's daughter. The marriage day being come, there was great resort of the nobility and estates. There lacked no bishops with mitres, nor cardinals with hats, to set out this royal wedding. To be short, they went forward to the wedding with great pomp, where a great concourse of people resorted, some of good will, some for service sake, and some (as the matter is) to gaze and look. Great preparation of all parties was there throughout the whole city, as in such cases is accustomed, and all places were filled with mirth and gladness. In this great assembly of the whole kingdom, William Gardiner, albeit he did not greatly esteem such kind of spectacles, yet being allured through the fame and report thereof, was there

also; coming thither early in the morning, to the intent he might have the more opportunity, and better place, to behold and see.

"The hour being come, they flocked into the church with great solemnity and pomp'; the king first, and then every estate in order; the greater persons, the more ceremonies were about them. After all things were set in order, they went forward to the celebrating of their mass; for that alone serveth for all purposes. The cardinal did execute, with much singing and organ-playing. The people stood with great devotion and silence, praying, looking, kneeling, and knocking; their minds being fully bent and set, as it is the manner, upon the external sacrament. How grievously these things did prick and move this young man's mind, it cannot be expressed -partly to behold the miserable absurdity of those things, and partly to see the folly of the common people; and not only of the common people, but, especially, to see the king himself, and his council, with so many sage and wise men as they seemed, to be seduced with like idolatry as the common people were; insomuch that it lacked very little, but that he would, even that present day, have done some notable thing in the king's sight and presence, but that the great press and throng that was about him, letted that he could not come unto the altar. What need many words? When the ceremonies were ended, he cometh home very sad and heavy in his mind, insomuch that all his fellows marvelled greatly at him; who, albeit upon divers conjectures they conceived the cause of his sadness, notwithstanding they did not fully understand that those matters did so much trouble his godly mind; neither yet did he declare it unto any man: but, seeking solitariness and secret places, falling down prostrate before God, with manifold tears he bewailed the neglecting of his duty, deliberating with himself how me might revoke that people from their impiety and superstition.

In this deliberation and advice his mind being fully settled, and thinking that the matter ought not to be any longer deferred, he renounced the world, making up all his accounts so exactly (as well of that which was due unto him, as that which he owed unto others) that no man could justly ask so much as one farthing. Which thing done, he continued night and day in prayer, calling upon God, and in continual meditation of the Scriptures, that scarcely he would take any meat by day, or sleep by night, or at the most above one hour or two of rest in the night; as Pendigrace, his fellow companion both at bed and board, being yet alive, can testify.

"The Sunday came again to be celebrated either with like pomp and solemnity, or not much less, whereat the said William was present early in the morning, very cleanly apparelled, even of purpose, that he might stand near the altar without repulse. Within a while after, cometh the king with all his nobles. Then Gardiner setteth himself as near the altar as he might, having a Testament in his hand, which he diligently read upon, and prayed, until the time was come, that he had appointed to work his feat. The mass began, which was then solemnized by a cardinal. Yet he sat still. He which said mass proceeded: he consecrated, sacrificed, lifted up on high, showed his god unto the people. All the people gave great reverence, and as yet he stirred nothing. At last, they came unto