Whereunto I answered, that, 'The comet hath his ' course and moving, but much more swift than they, 'because of the diversity of aspect, as we see in crystal, and in the sun, when the form of the rainbow re'bounded on the wall. For a little mutation maketh a great difference of place.' Then said the king; And how can that be, having no subject: for of the rainbow the wall is the subject?'-' Likewise (said I) as in Lactea via, or in reflection of lights, as where many candles be lighted and set near together, in 'the middle they cause a certain bright and white lightsomeness to appear, &c.'

6

And so by this little trial a great guess may be given, what was in this king. In whom no doubt was a great hope and expectation amongst all good and learned men, both for the ingenious forwardness and amiable sweetness, which in his conditions appeared. He began to love and favour liberal arts and sciences, before he knew them, and to know them before he could use them. His mortal condition and sudden decease and decay in those tender and unripe years, not only England, but all the world, hath cause to lament. O how truly is it said of the poet :

"Those things that be exceeding excellent
"Be not most commonly long permanent.'

"A show or sight only of excellency he could give us; long example he could not give. Where a kingly majesty required gravity, there you should have seen him a sage and an old man, and yet gentle and pleasant also, according as the condition of his age then required. He played well upon the lute. He had also to do in handling of weighty affairs of the realm. He was liberal and bountiful in heart, &c." (Translated from Hieronymus Cardanus, in lib. De Genituris.)

Thus after the godly disposition and properties of

this king, briefly in this wise declared, now, God willing, we will intermeddle something to describe the order and proceedings which he followed in his administration and government of both the states, as well politic, as especially ecclesiastic. He, after the decease of his father, coming unto the crown, because he was of young and tender age, was committed to sixteen governors. Amongst whom, especially the lord Edward Seymour * duke of Somerset, his

* The following fine prayer, composed and used by the duke of Somerset on his being elevated to the office and dignity of the lord Protector, is taken from Strype.

The Lord Protector's Prayer for God's Assistance in the high Office of Protector and Governor, newly committed to him.

"Lord God of hosts, in whose only hand is life and death, victory and confusion, rule and subjection, receive me, thy humble creature, into thy mercy, and direct me in my requests, that I offend not thy high majesty.

"O! my Lord and my God, I am the work of thy hands; thy goodness cannot reject me. I am the price of thy Son's death, Jesu Christ; for thy Son's sake thou wilt not lose me. I am a vessel for thy mercy: thy justice will not condemn me. I am recorded in the book of life, I am written with the very blood of Jesus; thy inestimable love will not cancel then my name. For this cause, Lord God, I am bold to speak to thy Majesty. Thou, Lord, by thy providence hast called me to rule; make me therefore able to follow thy calling. Thou, Lord, by thine order hast committed an anointed king to my governance; direct me therefore with thy hand, that I err not from thy good pleasure. Finish in me, Lord, thy beginning, and begin in me that thou wilt finish.

"By thee do kings reign, and from thee all power is derived. Govern me, Lord, as I shall govern; rule me, as I shall rule. I am ready for thy governance; make thy people ready for mine. I seek thy only honour in my vocation; amplify it, Lord, with thy might. If it be thy will, that I shall rule, make thy congregation subject to my rule. Give me power, Lord, to suppress, whom thou wilt have to obey.

"I am by appointment thy minister for thy king, a shepherd for thy people, a sword-bearer for thy justice: prosper the king, save thy people, direct thy justice. I am ready, Lord, to do that thou commandest; command that thou wilt. Remember, O

his uncle, was assigned and adjoined to him as Protector and Overseer of him and of the commonwealth; a man, not so highly advanced for his consanguinity, as also for his noble virtues, and especially for his favour to God's word, worthy of his vocation and calling. Through the endeavour and industry of which man, first that monstrous hydra with six heads, the six articles * I mean (which de

God, thine old mercies; remember thy benefits shewed heretofore, Remember, Lord, me thy servant, and make me worthy to ask. Teach me what to ask, and then give me that I ask. None other I seek to, Lord, but thee, because none other can give it me. And that I seek is thine honour and glory.

"I ask victory, but to shew thy power upon the wicked. I ask prosperity, but for to rule in peace thy congregation. I ask wisdom, but by my counsel to set forth thy cause. And as I ask for myself, so, Lord, pour thy knowledge upon all them which shall counsel me. And forgive them, that in their offence L

suffer not the reward of their evil.

"If I have erred, Lord, forgive me; for so thou hast promised me. If I shall not err, direct me; for that only is thy property. Great things, O my God, hast thou begun in my hand; let me then, Lord, be thy minister to defend them. Thus I conclude, Lord, by the name of thy Son Jesus Christ, Faithfully I commit all my cause to thy high providence, and so rest to advance all human strength under the standard of thy omnipotency.” STRYPE'S Eccles. Mem. vol. ii. Rep. of Orig. p. 18,

* "In this parliament, synod, or convocation (called by Hen. VIII. A. D. 1540), certain articles, matters, and questions, touching religion were decreed by certain prelates, to the number especially of six, commonly called the six articles (or the whip with six strings), to be had and received among the king's subjects in pretence of unity. But what unity thereof followed, the groaning hearts of a great number, and also the cruel death of divers, both in the days of king Henry and of queen Mary, can so well declare, as I pray God never the like be felt hereafter.

"The doctrine of these wicked articles contained in the bloody act (although it be worthy of no memory amongst Christian men, but rather deserved to be buried in perpetual oblivion, but that posterity may come faithfully and truly to comprise things done in the church, as well one as another), is briefly in order as follows:

"The first article enforced the doctrine of transubstantiation.

youred up so many men before), was abolished and taken away. By reason whereof the counsels and proceedings of the bishop of Winchester began to decay, who, storming at the same matter, wrote to the lord Protector in the cause thereof, as by his letters is to be seen (for which see Fox's Martyrs, vol. ii. book ix.).

The holy Scriptures he restored to the mother. tongue, masses he extinguished and abolished. Furthermore, after softer beginnings, by little and little, greater things followed in the reformation of the churches. Then such as before were in banishment for the danger of the truth, were again received to their country. To be short, a new face of things began now to appear, as it were in a stage, new players coming in, the old ones being thrust out. For the most part the bishops of churches and dioceses were changed. Such, as had been dumb prelates before, were compelled to give place to others that would preach and take pains.

Besides, others also out of foreign countries, men of learning, and notable knowledge, were sent for and received among whom were Peter Martyr, Martin Bucer, and Paulus Phagius. Of whom

"The second excluded the laity from communion in both kinds. "The third forbad the marriage of priests.

"The fourth enforced the vows of chastity or single life. "The fifth established private masses.

"The sixth asserted the necessity of auricular confession. "The first article was enforced under the penalty of death by burning, for heresy; the other five by severe penalties and deprivations." Fox, vol. ii. p. 441. (Ed. 1542.) * « The king provided the two universities of the land with two learned foreigners, Peter Martyr, to read divinity at Oxford, and Martin Bucer at Cambridge, both coming from Strasburgh, but Martyr first. These grave and learned doctors were placed there, the lord Protector and the archbishop (Cranmer) judging them the fittest persons to inform the students in their no

the first taught at Oxford, the other two professed at Cambridge, and that with no small commendation of the whole university. Of the old bishops, some were committed to one ward, some to another. Bonner, bishop of London, was committed to the Marshalsea, and eftsoons for his contempt and misdemeanour deposed from his bishopric. Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, with Tonstal, bishop of Durham, was cast into the Tower for his disobedience, where he kept his Christmas for three years together; being more worthy of some other place without the Tower, if it had pleased God otherwise not to have meant a further plague to this realm by that man.

But these meek and gentle times of king Edward, under the government of this noble Protector, have this one commendation proper unto them, that amongst the whole number of the popish sort, of whom some privily did steal out of the realm, many were crafty dissemblers, some were open and manifest adversaries: yet of all that multitude, there was not one man that lost his life. In sum, during the whole time of the six years of this king, much tranquillity, and, as it were, a breathing time was granted to the whole church of England.

So that, the rage of persecution ceasing, and the sword taken out of the adversaries hand, there was now no danger to the godly, unless it were only by wealth and prosperity, which many times bringeth more damage in corrupting men's minds, than any time of persecution or affliction.

When this virtuous and godly young prince (in

tions and doctrines concerning religion. Because, as they were very learned in other sciences, so in divinity they took the holy Scripture for their guide, and gathered their tenets from no other authority but from thence, according to the constant principle of that great and good archbishop."

SPBYPE'S Ecc. Mem. vol. ii. p. 121.