Page images
PDF
EPUB

vassals drained of so much wealth, in order to replenish the treasury of a profuse pontiff. Men of piety regretted the delusion of the people, who, being taught to rely for the pardon of their sins on the indulgences which they purchased, did not think it incumbent on them either to abound in faith or to practise holiness. Even the most unthinking were shocked at the scandalous behaviour of Tetzel and his associates, who often squandered in drunkenness, gaming, and low debauchery, those sums which were piously bestowed in hopes of obtaining eternal happiness; and all began to wish that some check were given to this commerce, no less detrimental to society, than destructive to religion."* This general call for reformation did not long remain unanswered. Among the many men of integrity and pious worth, who lamented the degraded state of the great mass of mankind, were Erasmus, Luther, Huss, Jerome of Prague, and others; all ardently seeking an opportunity to throw off the yoke of Catholic control, and restore to their fellow creatures the Christian religion in its native purity. Luther (his way having been previously cleared by Erasmus) was the first of the Reformers to throw aside the veil, and discover to the people the craft, artifice, and disgraceful duplicity of their spiritual advisers. He had about this time the happiness to discover a copy of the Bible, upon the study of which he immediately entered, and found nothing therein that either authorized monastic retirement, or empowered man to grant absolution to his fellows. He therefore proposed to the Elector of Saxony, by whose permission he reformed the several churches within his dominions, to expel all abbots and monks, and to convert the convents and mendicant priories into public schools and hospitals. In short, he exposed all the absurdities of the Romish church, and had the happiness to see his cause prevail. This reformation was not, of course confined to the States of Germany: an occurrence so interesting to mankind soon extended itself to distant countries. England caught the flame, and nobly seconded the efforts of their continental brethren. John Wickliffe, and others equally eminent, laboured to promote the good cause, which was ultimately established in the reign of Henry VIII. It is a curious circumstance, and worthy of note, that Henry, who had written fiercely in defence of the seven sacraments against Luther, and, in the early part of his reign, burnt one William Tyndal, for making an English translation of the New Testament, should be the monarch who first established Protestantism in his own dominions. But it would seem that Providence particularly favoured the

* Robertson's History.

exertions of the Reformers; for we find that, about fifty years before the days of Luther, the arts of printing and paper-making were discovered; while the haughty spirit of the rash Henry prompted him to throw off the yoke of Catholic supremacy, and instead of proving himself " Defender of the Faith," as by the Pope entitled, raised himself to be the Supreme Head of the Church, and refused to acknowledge any superior power. Thus the Reformation obtained a footing both on the Continent and in England, from which it has never been entirely displaced, though frequently disturbed.

(D) page 94.

The period of Easter having been ascertained, the moveable feasts follow in the nndermentioned order :

Septuagesima Sunday is nine weeks before Easter.
Shrove Sunday is seven weeks before Easter.

Ash Wednesday, three days after Shrove Sunday.

Easter Term begins a fortnight after the Wednesday in Easter Week.

Rogation Sunday is six weeks after Easter.

Ascension Day is thirty-nine days after Easter Sunday.

Whitsunday is seven weeks after Easter Day.

Trinity Sunday is the next after Whitsunday.

Trinity Term begins the Friday after Trinity Sunday, and ends on the Wednesday fortnight after.

Advent is always the Sunday nearest the 30th of November, whether before or after; and the Sundays after Trinity, marked in the calendar, are those between Trinity Sunday and Advent Sunday.

(E) page 142.

Before the coming of St. Augustine, there had been four persecutions in Britain. The first, under Diocletian; the second by the Picts and Huns; the third by the Saxons, under Hengist, about A. D. 450; and the fourth by the Saxous and other Pagans, about a hundred years after.

(F) page 296.

Proclamation of King Henry VIII. A. D. 1540.- "Whereas heretofore dyvers and many superstitious and chyldish observ

ances have been used, and yet to this day are observed and kept in many and sundry places of this realm, upon St. Nicholas', St. Catharine's, St. Clement's, and Holy Innocents', and suchliek holy daies; children be strangelie decked and apparayled to counterfeit priests, bishops, and women, and so ledde with songs and dances from house to house, blessing the people and gathering of money, and boyes do sing masse and preache in the pulpits; with such other unfittinge and inconvenient usages, which tend rather to derysyon than enie true glorie to God or honor of his sayntes."

THE END.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Barnabas, St

Bede, Venerable

Benedict, St...

Blaise, St.

Boniface, St...

Boy Bishop..

Bartholomew, St. biography of 197 Days of the Week, origin of

155 their titles....
143 David, St. biography of.
80 December, why so called..
54 Denys, St. biography of.
150 Dog Days, why called...
294 Dominical Letter.

16

72

290

237

170

14

- Britius, St. biography of

....

274 Dunstan, St. biography of........

135

Bissextile

(B) 317

E.

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »