his conduct with displeasure, and ordered him to remain a prisoner at Essex Place. The Earl of Mountjoy was sent to Ireland, and by his ability and prudence was enabled in some measure to quiet the disturbances there.

About a year after the return of Essex from Ireland, he, being released from custody, but not permitted to appear at court, applied to the queen for a renewal of a patent which he had held for some years, but which had now expired. Elizabeth refused, with expressions extremely irritating to the earl. Believing that he had for ever lost the favor of the queen, and that she was surrounded by his enemies, and trusting to his great popularity, this infatuated nobleman entertained the wild scheme of overthrowing the government of Elizabeth. He rushed into the streets of London with about three hundred followers, hoping that the populace would join him. But the throne of the queen was based on the esteem and affections of her people, and no rebellion ensued.

1601.

Essex was seized and thrown into the Tower. At the end of a few days he was arraigned for high treason before a court, many of the members of which were his personal enePronounced guilty, this brave and accomplished nobleman, at the early age of thirty-three, died upon the scaffold.

inies.

Elizabeth did not long survive the execution of her favorite, and many thought that his death hastened her own. Whether caused by sorrow for the death of Essex or not, the last year of Elizabeth's life was a melancholy one. For ten days previous to her death she lay upon the floor, supported by cushions, and gave way to her feelings of distress by sighs and groans. She would take neither food nor medi

1603.

cine. Her ministers asked whom she would have to succeed her. She replied: "I tell you my seat has been the seat of kings; ... I will have a king to succeed me, and who should that be but my cousin of Scotland?" When too much exhausted to resist, she was laid upon a bed. She listened attentively and with interest to the prayers and sermons of the

divines who attended her, almost to the hour of her death, which occurred on the 24th March, 1603.

QUESTIONS.-Describe the conduct of the king of Scotland on the occasion of his mother's death.-What monarch did resent Mary's death? How had Elizabeth roused the enmity of the king of Spain? -Whom had Elizabeth sent to aid the Dutch Protestants?-For what is this expedition memorable?-Describe the death of Sir Philip Sidney. Describe Philip's preparations for the invasion of England. -Give the account of Elizabeth's conduct and preparations on this occasion. By what means was the English navy increased?-Name some of the commanders.-Describe the approach of the Spanish Armada.-Give an account of the naval battle which ensued.-State the result of this engagement.-How was the Armada destroyed?— How many vessels returned to Spain?

What suitor appeared at the English court in 1580?-What was the result of his suit?-How did Elizabeth regard the Earl of Leicester? What is said of Leicester's entertainments to the queen ?— Did he remain a favorite?-By whom was he succeeded in the queen's regard?

Describe the character of Essex.--For what purpose was Essex sent to Ireland?-What was his conduct there?-In what way did the queen evince her displeasure at his course?-Describe the conduct of Essex on this occasion. -How did Elizabeth receive him?— Relate her subsequent treatment of the favorite.

What effect is Essex's death supposed to have produced upon Elizabeth?-Describe her condition during the last days of life.-Who did she name as her successor to the throne ?-When did Elizabeth die?

AT the opening of this century England was a Roman Catholic country, and the power of the Pope and the clergy were yet in the ascendant. Even during the first nineteen

years of Henry VIII.'s reign, he was a devoted servant of the papal church. At his accession the Pope sent him a consecrated golden rose, dipped in holy oil, perfumed with musk, and accompanied by the apostolic benediction. When Luther commenced the Reformation, Henry wrote a book against it. A copy of this work, splendidly bound, was presented to the Pope, who received it most graciously, saying, "it was sprinkled with the dew of divine grace," and bestowing on the royal author the honorable title of "Defender of the Faith." Little did the Pope imagine that from this highly-favored son of holy church, would come that death-blow to papal power in England, which was given in the year 1534, when Henry VIII. declared himself the "Head of the Church" in his dominions. This act was followed by causing first the lesser, and then the richer religious houses to be abolished, and their wealth confiscated to the crown. Some of these beautiful buildings were turned into schools or colleges, and a portion of their property was devoted to the founding of new dioceses, and for purposes of instruction and improvement. The greater part, however, was bestowed by the king on unworthy favorites, or in support of his own magnificence.

Although Henry VIII. had thrown off the supremacy of the Pope, he still retained many of the doctrines and ceremonies, as well as the persecuting spirit of the papal church. As in former reigns, those who denied the doctrine of transubstantiation, the worship of images, or the celibacy of the clergy, were burned at the stake. From his marriage with Anna Boleyn to the death of Jane Seymour, Henry was more inclined to support the Reformation than in the later years of his life. Archbishop Cranmer took advantage of this favorable disposition to urge an English translation of the Bible for the people. The entire Bible had been translated and printed in English by one Miles Coverdale; and as soon as Cranmer had received the king's permission, he ordered a copy of this Bible to be placed in every parish. church.

Cranmer then employed the most learned scholars he could

find, to make a new translation of the Word of God. This was finished in April of the year 1539. It was printed partly at Paris and partly in London. The new Bible was a large folio, adorned with a wood-cut, the design of the celebrated painter, Hans Holbein. The engraving represents the distributing of the Scriptures to the people, and is beautifully executed. When Cranmer received the first copies of the holy book, he declared they gave him more joy than if he had received ten thousand pounds. "Cranmer's," or " The Great Bible," is the name usually given to this translation.

Copies of this first authorized English Bible were chained either to a desk at the church-porch, or in the choir of the churches, that the poor, who could not obtain them in private might go there and read them. Six were chained to pillars, in various parts of St. Paul's Cathedral. So great was the enthusiasm when they were first introduced, that crowds flocked to the churches. Any one who had a loud clear voice would gather a group around him, listening with eager interest to the Word of God, whilst the priest at the altar could get few to attend to the sacrifice of the mass, or other parts of the Romish ritual. This state of things aroused the opposition of the clergy, and when Henry was less favorable to the Reformation, the people were forbidden to read the Bible. The prohibition, however, had but little effect on any who could get possession of the Word of God.

the

The services of the church were altogether in Latin, until year 1544, when, as the king was about to undertake wars in France, and prayers were to be offered up in the churches for his safety, Cranmer urged that the people would pray with more fervor, if the prayers were said in a language which they understood. The king then ordered that they should be in English, which gave great joy to the Reformers.

Church-going, in those days, was far from being "the assembling of themselves together" for the reverent worship of Almighty God. Sunday was the day for revelry of all kinds. The service was hurried over, that more time might be had for the games and plays which were to follow. It is

almost impossible to credit the follies which were enacted during the most sacred of the church festivals. An old writer relates that at Christmas the Lord of Misrule would gather nearly a hundred companions as riotous as himself. They would dress in the gayest garments, "and, as though they were not gaudy enough, bedeck themselves with scarfs, ribbons, and laces, hanged all over with gold rings, precious stones, and other jewels; this done, they tie about either leg twenty or forty bells, with rich handkerchiefs in their hands, and sometimes laid across over their shoulders and necks."... Then, accompanied by hobby-horses, pipers, and drummers, this ungodly crew would enter the church, in the midst of divine service, with jingling of bells, beating of drums, and shouting like very madmen.

In the reign of Edward VI. the Reformation made more substantial progress, and the foundation of a Protestant church was completed. The Latin Mass-Book gave place to the English Book of Common Prayer. The communion was administered in both kinds to the laity; the worship of images and pilgrimages to shrines was forbidden or discouraged; and finally, in 1552, the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion (at first forty-two) were established. On All Saints' Day of that same year, the Book of Common Prayer was first used at St. Paul's and throughout the churches of London. Ridley, the bishop of London, performed the service in the morning at the cathedral, and in the afternoon preached at Paul's Cross, explaining the new service book, in the presence of a large congregation, including the lord mayor and aldermen. The bishop's sermon was continued until torch-light.

When Mary succeeded her brother, the end and aim of her government, almost of her existence, was to restore Romanism. The result, however, of this cruel and persecuting reign was to render England more decidedly Protestant than it had ever been before.

When Elizabeth came to the throne, the great mass of the people had abandoned the old religion. This queen, herself, held many of the views belonging to the church of Rome. She