sonal deportment and government, which make many think no good could be done by so ill a man and so cruel a Prince. I am not to defend him, nor to lessen his faults.

God's ways are a great deep; He has often showed His power and wisdom by raising up unlikely and unpromising instruments to do great services in the world; not always the best men in them, lest they should have the praise which is due to the Supreme Governor of the world.

"The other prejudice touches the Reformation in a more vital and tender part; it is, that Cranmer and the other bishops who promoted the Reformation in the succeeding reign, did in this reign comply too servilely with King Henry's humours, both in carrying on his frequent divorces, and in retaining those corruptions in the worship which, by their throwing them off in the beginning of King Edward's reign, we may conclude were then condemned by them; so that they seem

H

to have acted against their conscience in this

compliance.

at once attain to the full knowledge of divine truth, as in that of the bodily presence in the Sacrament; so that if themselves were not enlightened, they could not instruct others. And besides all this, it must be confessed they were men, and had mixtures of fear and human infirmities with their other excellent qualities. . . But their virtues, as well as their faults, are set before us for our instruction; and how frail soever the vessels were, they have conveyed to us a treasure of great value, the pure Gospel of our Lord and Saviour; which if we follow, and govern our hearts and lives by it, we may hope in easier and plainer paths to attain that blessedness, which they could not reach but through the flames of martyrdom; and if we do not improve the light which this Gospel affords, we may look for some of those trials which were sent for the

exercise of their faith and patience, and perhaps for the punishment of their former compliances; or if we escape these, we have reason to fear worse in the conclusion."

CHAPTER VII.

m

And thus I see amid these pleasant things,
Each care decays; and yet my sorrow springs.
LORD SURREY, ANNE BOLEYN'S COUSIN.

Farewell, a long farewell, to all my greatness.

CARDINAL WOLSEY.

IN the 19th of May 1534,* the Lord Mayor of London, at his Majesty's command, pro

ceeded by water to Green

wich, then a royal residence, to fetch from thence the new-made Queen, to whose coro

* Stow states it to be the 31st.

nation all the eclât that was possible was given by her devoted and kingly husband.

The Thames, then the usual scene of gaiety, was covered with barges, boats, and wherries of all descriptions, exhibiting glittering robes, "rare devices,' rare devices," and curious pageants. From the Lord Mayor's barge a dragon and a band of salvage men spit wild-fire constantly into the cooling waters of the noble river; and round the many little flags that adorned the several barges were hung numerous small and tinkling bells, which chimed softly in the breeze, while trumpets and other instruments uttered louder notes of triumph.

Queen Anne issued from her Palace, attended by her train of maidens: entered her royal barge, and floated up the Thames; the Lord Mayor leading the way, and the barge of her proud, and perhaps happy father, following hers.