In the history of no land is more strikingly illustrated the plausibility of the saying of the Latin satirist, “Difficile est scribere verum,” than in the case of the annals of England, especially so in treating of the change of religion in the sixteenth century. But how much is the difficulty enhanced when we realize the surroundings of Dr. Lee, the author of the two beautiful volumes before us! When Juvenal said it was difficult to write the truth he meant that it was dangerous, for the profligate patricians of his time had ready clients to punish those who displeased them ; but now, though writing the truth of English history, most particularly on the epoch under notice, the veracious chronicler has the consciousness of having written truly as his sole reward. Be his labor ever so onerous, his research ever so painful and prolonged, he will have but a scanty patronage from the British public, too long swayed by the so-called histories of the eighteenth century, and still more set astray by the more recent falsehoods of Turner and Froude. One of the most favorite lies (the old English monosyllable is the most apt for the utterances of this flagitious misrepresenter of the truth) is that “the Bible was put into the hands of every artisan, who read it with avidity at the street-corners and at his fireside,” etc. How many men were able to read at the time? The price of the first edition of the Bishops’ Bible, with prefaces by Cranmer and Parker, Lowndes states to have been set down at (English Pound sign)60 IOS. English money of our day. It was printed by Richard Jugge in 1568, and no kind of Bible was attainable throughout Elizabeth’s long reign by the wretchedly-paid artisan, who, even if he knew how to read, would prefer a loaf of bread or a draught of beer to the miserable hash of barbarous English presented by Tyndale as the “sacred buke.” Another falsehood, not the less so though only implied, with which Mr. Froude favors us is that to the Reformation we owe the translation of the Bible. Now, in Italy, Germany, the Low Countries, in Spain and in France, the Bible was printed on the vernacular long before Luther had the misfortune to be born ; and all the original printers, as well as the English Caxton, who had his printing-office in the cloisters of Wesminster Abbey, were Catholics, not apostates.
Only a comparative few have what may be called the courage to take up books like Dr. Lee’s and ascertain the truth from his invincible and undeniable averments. It is superfluous to say that no portion of English history has been so misrepresented as the reign of Elizabeth—“that bright Occidental star” of King James’ Bible, but who was really one of the worst women that ever existed. Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne of England over the wrecks of a nation trampled to the earth by a mushroom aristocracy, enriched and rampant from the plunder of the church and the heritage of the poor ; for the old nobility had been all but annihilated by the Wars of the Roses. Some eighty thousand of the despoiled and evicted, the hitherto employers and employed, had been hanged or otherwise “disposed of” for manifesting their desolation in the reign of her father ; and the long and dreary interval of contending factions in the reign of the wretched boy-king, and the rule by a profligate and domineering council of affairs during the reign, but not the rule, of Mary, must have made a harassed people experience hope at the accession of Elizabeth.
Her reign it is the custom even to this day to celebrate as the most glorious era in the British annals ; but whatever celebrity it possessed did it not owe in great measure to the darkness of the times, the habitual slavery of the people, the sex and undoubted ability of the monarch, and the talents of an utterly unprincipled ministry? Queen Elizabeth has been accredited with virtues whose sole existence consisted in the assertion of her prejudiced eulogists. Her wisdom was not that of truth and right, but of a cool, penetrating sagacity, prompt, vigilant, and inexorable. The energy of her resolution and her profound dissimulation accomplished what no other attribute of her mind nor her physical powers would have been able to surmount. By the potent use of hypocrisy, falsehood, and bribery she managed to keep her neighbors of the Continent in a blaze of war or enveloped in the dark clouds of mutual distrust, whilst with gold, intrigues, and promises, through subtle agents, she made an Aceldama of distracted Ireland and Scotland. At home she was despotic, abroad she was victorious. By her buccaneer heroes, Drake, Frobisher, Hawkins, she plundered the subjects of her relative Philip, whose gigantic remonstrance in the shape of the Armada was consigned to destruction through the agency of the elements and the superior skill of her hardy and invincible seamen, mostly pirates as they were. The people admired her because she was a successful queen, and she liked her people because they were submissive slaves. By her acuteness she secured able ministers, who served her with fidelity because they feared her anger, and they flattered her vanity because their doing so prolonged her favors. But they served her at their peril, and she selected and sacrificed them with equal cunning and indifference, as witness her conduct to Walsingham, Davidson, and others. She affected learning and professed religion—the latter of an inexplicable description. However, in the one she was a pedant without depth, and in the other a bigot without devotion or even morality. She plundered her people to be independent of her Parliament, and bullied her Parliament to be independent of her people. In fine, the external glory of England under her administration rose so high in the obtuse vision of her contemporaries and the concurrent glorification of the trembling parasites who prostrated before her that the stunted intelligence of her day even led good men to believe that Providence seemed in her case to have condoned every disregard of moral principle and to smile even upon the vies of this too celebrated female tyrant.
This is the summary of Queen Elizabeth’s character which we venture to make from a close perusal of the work of Dr. Lee. Upon the inner life of Queen Elizabeth we will not enter. It is here set down in “words of fire,” and we would not transfer to these pages a scintilla even from the ashes. The woeful straits to which this self-conscious yet recusant believer in the truth brought the honest professors of the true religion are set down in these pages with appalling realism as well as with irrefragable veracity. Nothing but an overwhelming conviction of the wrong which has been done to the English-reading race, to the cause of Christianity even, not to speak of common honor and honesty, by “those delators of honor and honesty called historians” who have deified this English monarch, could have impelled this devoted Anglican clergyman to write these fearless volumes, which really constitute, under the circumstances, one of the greatest literary wonders of our age.
Even to those who know that Queen Mary has been most cruelly maligned in reference to the Smithfield burnings ; that it was her council, before whom she was powerless, who were the acting agents in those scenes ; that Cranmer himself would not permit the boy Edward to save a young lady victim from Cranmer and the stake ; that Cranmer and the bishops burned in Mary’s reign were rebels to Mary and suffered as heretics by her council, who themselves became Protestants in the next reign—even to those students of history who know all these things Dr. Lee presents a fresh and appaling catalogue of slaughter against Elizabeth on the score of religion. Mary’s council, over whom she had no power, burned a few rebel bishops against Mary’s will ; Elizabeth, of her own free will, with the obsequious concurrence of a ministry, her creatures, did not burn, but hanged, drew, disemboweled, and quartered, or stifled and racked in her pestilent jails, Heaven knows how many good, harmless, humble teachers of the faith of her ancestors and of theirs. We have greatly abridged the details from the appendix to the second volume ; and yet we fear the length of the list will be regarded as too extended for our pages. But in some monumental way, as here, should this fearful array of martyrs, furnished by a noble witness to the truth, be placed before American reade4rs, Catholics as well as those of other beliefs.
A LIST OF MARTYRS WHO SUFFERED UNDER QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Cuthbert Maine, priest, born at Yarlston, near Barnstaple, Devonshire. Sudent of St. John’s College, Oxford, and after his conversion, of Douay College. Apprehended at Colveden, near Truro, tried at Launceston, and condemned for high treason ; hung, drawn, and quartered at Launceston, November 29, 1577.
John Nelson, priest, son of Sir N. Nelson, Knight, born at Shelton, near York. Student at Douay. Taken prisoner in London, condemned for denying the queen’s supremacy, and executed in the usual manner as a traitor at Tyburn, February 3, 1577-8.
Thomas Sherwood, scholar, born in London, educated at Douay. Apprehended, tried, and condemned in London for denying the queen’s supremacy ; executed at Tyburn, being cut down while yet alive, disemboweled, and quartered, on February 7, 1577-8.
Everard Hause, priest, born in Northamptonshire, educated at Cambridge, and ordained a clergyman of the Church of England. A convert, studied at Rheims, and ordained a Roman Catholic priest on March 25, 1581. He was apprehended while visiting prisoners in the Marshalsea Prison, and cast into Newgate amongst thieves, and loaded with irons. He was condemned for high treason, and sentenced to be hung, drawn, and quartered. He suffered at Tyburn on July 31, 1581.
Edmund Campion, priest, S.K., born in London, educated first at Christ-church Hospital ; student of St. John’s College, Oxford ; ordained deacon of the Church of England. A convert, studied at Douay, and admitted into the Society of Jesus at Rome in 1573. Coming to England in 1580, he labored in his vocation for thirteen months, and was taken at the house of Mr. Yates, of Lyford. He was brought to London, and, after being cruelly racked and tortured, was arraigned and condemned for high treason, but offered life and one hundred pounds a year if he would change his religion. He suffered in the usual manner, being hung, disemboweled, and quartered at Tyburn, December 1, 1581, aged forty-two.
Ralph Sherwine, priest, born at Nodesley, near Longford, Derbyshire. Student and fellow of Exeter College, Oxford. A convert in 1575, and studied at Douay until he was made priest in 1577. Returned to England, and was soon taken in London, in November, 1580. After being twice cruelly racked, and imprisoned for seven months, he was arraigned and condemned for high treason. Six months afterwards he was martyred by being hung, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn, on December 1, 1581.
Alexander Brian, priest, S.J., born in Dorsetshire, and studied at Hart Hall, Oxford. A convert, and afterwards a student of Douay in 1576 ; returned to England a priest in 1579, and apprehended in London 28th April, 1581. After cruel racking and torturing he was condemned and sentenced as a traitor to be hung, disemboweled, and quartered, which sentence was executed upon him at Tyburn, December 1, 1581.
John Paine, priest, born in Northamptonshire. Admitted into the English College at Douay in 1575, ordained priest in the following year, and sent upon the English mission. He was apprehended in 1581, and brought to the Tower of London, where he was cruelly racked. Tried at Chelmsford, in Essex, and condemned to suffer for high treason in the usual manner, but offered life if he would go to church. The sentence was carried out on April 2, 1582.
Thomas Forde, priest, born in Devonshire, graduated at Trinity College, Oxford ; took his M.A. degree in 1567, and admitted fellow of that college soon afterwards. A convert, and entered the seminary at Douay in 1571 ; ordained priest in 1573. He returned to England and labored some years upon the mission, and was taken, together with Father Campion, in the house of Mr. Yates, at Lyford, in Berkshire. Tried and sentenced to death in London, November 21, 1581 ; executed May 28, 1582.
John Short, priest, born in Cheshire ; educated at Brazenose College, Oxford. Coming to England from Rheims, he was arrested on July 14, 1580, condemned to die as a traitor, and was executed in the usual barbarous manner at Tyburn, May 28, 1582.
Robert Johnson, priest, born in Shropshire, educated at Douay, sent on the English mission ; arrested and sent from some other prison to the Tower in 1580, where he was three times cruelly racked. Sentenced in November, same year, to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, he was not executed till 28th May, 1582.
William Filbie, priest, native of Oxford ; arrested at the house of Mr. Yates with Father Campion and his companions ; committed to the Tower in July, and sentenced to death on November 20 following. For six months he remained in prison, cruelly pinioned with heavy iron manacles, and suffered the usual death of a traitor at Tyburn, 30th May, 1582, aged twenty-seven.
Luke Kirby, priest, born at Richmond, Yorkshire ; a Master of Arts. Returned to England after having been some time at the English College at Rome ; was arrested in 1580 and committed to the Tower, where he suffered the torture of the “scavenger’s daughter.” He was sentenced at the same time as Father Campion, but was not executed till May 28, 1582.
Lawrence Richardson, arrested whilst laboring as a missionary in his native country of Lancaster. Hung, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn, May 30, 1582.
James Fenn, priest, native of Somerset. Laboring on the mission in his native country, he was arrested and thrown into Rochester jail. Thence sent to London, he was thrown into the horrible dungeon of the Marshalsea for two years. He was released at Tyburn by being hanged, disemboweled, and quartered “in the usual manner,” February 12, 1584.
John Munden, or Mundyn, priest, native of Dorset, condemned at the same time and for the same cause as the four preceding, suffered death with “great joy and cheerfulness” at Tyburn, February 12, 1584.
John Nutter, priest, born at Burnby, Lancashire ; B.D. Oxford. Returning to the Catholic Church, he went to Rheims, where he was ordained a sent on the English mission. Apprehended immediately on his landing, he was thrown into the Marshalsea, whose horrors he suffered for a year. Condemned for being a Catholic, he and four other priests were executed at Tyburn, February 12, 1584.
William Carter, printer, was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn, January 11, 1584, for printing a treatise on Schism, against Catholics attending the Protestant services.
James Bell, priest, native of Warrington, Lancashire, ordained in the reign of Queen Mary, conformed to the new religion, but repented and returned. Apprehended for doing so, he was tried at Lancaster with three others for denying the queen’s supremacy, and suffered the usual traitor’s death with “great joy and constancy,” being then sixty years old, April 20, 1584.
Thomas Cottam, priest, native of Lancashire ; B.A. of Oxford. Apprehended in 1580, imprisoned and tortured, and finally hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn, 30th May, 1582.
William Lacy, priest, born at Hanton, Yorkshire, ordained at Rome ; returning to England in 1580, labored in his native Yorkshire ; was apprehended, thrown into York Castle, and loaded with chains. He was tried at York “for persuading the queen’s subjects” to the Catholic religion, and was executed in the usual manner, August 22, 1582.
James Thompson, priest, hanged, drawn, and quartered at York, November 28, 1582. “He received his sentence of death with great joy.”
William Hart, priest, native of Wells, Somerset, a distinguished alumnus of Lincoln College, Oxford. Arrested for “assisting at Mass,” heavily ironed in York Castle, and hanged, drawn, and quartered there, 15th March, 1583.
Richard Thirkill, priest, native of Durham, executed in the uaual manner at York, May 29, 1583.
John Slade, a native of Dorset, schoolmaster, hanged, drawn, and quartered at Winchester, October 30, 1583, “for denying the queen’s supremacy and maintaining the old religion.”
John Body, native of Wells, Somerset, apprehended at the same time as the foregoing, suffered the usual “death of a traitor” at Andover, Hampshire, November 2, 1583.
George Haydock, priest, son of Evan William Haydock, Esq., of Cottane Hall Lancashire. Offered his liberty if he would renounce the Pope. Refusing, he was sent to the Tower, where for two years he was confined in irons, deprived of all human comfort and assistance. Finally executed in the usual manner, February 12, 1584.
John Finch, born at Eccleston, Lancashire, and brought up a Protestant. Becoming a convert, he assisted the Catholic clergy in every possible way. He was arrested, thrown into a filthy dungeon, where he was subjected to fearful cruelties for years. Refusing finally to abandon his religion, he was executed as a traitor with Mr. Bell, April 20, 1584.
Richard White, native of Montgomery, schoolmaster, arrested for refusing to go to church, put in the stocks, treated with every indignity, cruelly tortured at Bewdley, and finally condemned for denying the queen’s supremacy. This noble lay martyr suffered on October 17, 1584, at Wrexham, in Denbighshire, where he was suspended for a few minutes, cut down alive, and then mangled and butchered in the most barbarous manner.
Thomas Aldfield, priest, native of Gloucester, first cruelly tortured for dispersing, with the help of Webley, a dyer, copies of Cardinal Allen’s modest answer to the English persecutors. He and Webley were executed as traitors at Tyburn, January 5, 1585. Both were offered life if they would renounce the Pope and acknowledge the queen’s spiritual supremacy.
Hugh Taylor, priest, born at Durham, hanged, drawn, and quartered at York, November 26, 1585.
Marmaduke Bowes, a married gentleman of Anerane Grange, Cleveland, was executed with the aforesaid Father Taylor for having harbored him in his house.
Thomas Crowther, priest, died in the Marshalsea after two years’ imprisonment.
Edward Poole, priest, sent from Rheims in 1580, cast into prison same year. Heard of no more.
Lawrence Vaux, canon regular, thrown into the Gate-house prison with N. Tichborne, Esq., in 1580, died there the same year.
Edward Straneham, whom Stow in his Annals calls Edward Barber, suffered the death of a traitor at Tyburn, January 21,1585, “for being a priest.”
Nicholas Woodfen, priest, executed with the preceding for the same crime—“being a priest.”
William Thompson, priest, executed on 20th April, 1585, for “remaining in England,” and Richard Lee, priest, was hanged, drawn, and quartered with him for the same offence.
Richard Sergeant, priest, and William Thompson, priest, were executed as traitors at Tyburn simply for being priests and remaining in the kingdom.
Robert Anderton, priest, born of an honorable family in Lancaster, and William Mardsen, same county, were executed in the Isle of Wight for “being priests,” April 25, 1585.
Francis Ingolby, priest, son of Sir William Ingolby, suffered at York, June 3, 1586.
John Finglow, priest, was executed for “being a priest,” at York, August 8, 1586.
John Sandyr, priest, executed at Gloucester, August 11, 1586.
John Lowe, previously a minister of the Established Church, converted, ordained a priest, and sent on the English mission, executed at Tyburn, October 8, 1586.
John Adams, priest, executed at Tyburn, October 8, 1586. Same day with the two preceding, and on the same charge, Richard Dibdale, native of Worcester.
Mrs. Margaret Clitheroe, gentlewoman, was pressed to death at York for harboring and relieving priests, March 26, 1586.
Robert Bickerdike, gentleman, was executed at York for refusing to go to the Protestant church, July, 1586.
Richard Langley, Esq., executed at York, December 1, 1586, for harboring and assisting priests.
Robert Pilchard, priest, born at Battle, Sussex, executed at Dorchester, December 1, 1586.
Edmund Sykes, priest, banished in 1581, was condemned for returning, and executed at York, March 23, 1587.
Stephen Rowsham, priest, executed at Gloucester, July, 1587.
John Hanibley, priest, born at Exeter, put to death at York, September 9, 1587. Offered his life and a good living if he would conform to the new religion. Same day, and for the same cause, George Douglas, priest, a Scotchman, suffered.
Alexander Crowe, priest, hanged, drawn, and quartered at York for priestly character and functions, November 30, 1586.
Nicholas Garlick, priest, native of Sheffield, tried, condemned, and executed at the same time and place as the preceding “for priestly character and function,” July 24, 1588.
Richard Simpson (some time a minister), priest, executed at Derby, July 24, 1588.
William Dean, priest, executed at Mile End, London, August 28, 1588.
Robert Leigh, priest, executed at Tyburn with five Catholic laymen and Mistress Margaret Wood, August 30, 1588.
William Way, a Cornish priest, executed at Kingstown-on-Thames, in Surrey, October 1, 1588.
Robert Wilcox, Edward Campion, and Christopher Burton, priests, were likewise executed.
Robert Widmerpool, of Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire, gentleman, tutor to the Earl of Northumberland, about the same time.
Ralph Crockett and Edward James, priests, at Chichester, October 1, 1588.
John Robinson, priest.
William Hartley, priest, executed October 5, 1588, in his mother’s presence, near Bankside.
John Weldon, priest, executed October 5, 1588.
Richard Williams, priest.
Robert Sutton, schoolmaster, executed at Clerkenwell.
Edward Burden and John Hewitt, priests, executed at York, October 5, 1588.
William Lamplough, layman, suffered at Gloucester in 1588.
Robert Dalby and John Amias, priests, March 16, 1598, suffered at York.
Richard Yaxley of Lincolnshire, and George Nichols of Oxford, priests, executed at Oxford, July 5, 1589.
Thomas Belson, of Brill, Bucks, gent., executed at Oxford, July 5, 1589.
Humphrey Pritchard, layman, a servant to Belson, executed at Oxford the same day.
William Spencer, priest, executed at York, September 24, 1589.
Robert Hardesty, layman, executed at York, September 24, 1589.
Christopher Bayles, priest, executed at Fleet Street, London, March 4, 1590.
Nicholas Horner, layman, executed at Smithfield, March 4, 1590.
Alexander Blake, layman, executed at Gray’s-Inn-Lane, March 4, 1590.
Miles Gerard and Francis Dickensen, priests, executed at Rochester, April 30, 1590.
Edward Johnes, priest, executed at Fleet Street, London, May 6, 1590.
Anthony Middleton, priest, executed at Clerkenwell, May 6, 1590.
Edmund Duke, priest, executed at Durham, May 27, 1590.
John Hogg, priest, executed at Durham, May 27, 1590.
Richard Holliday, priest, executed at Durham, May 27, 1590.
Richard Hill, priest, executed at Durham, May 27, 1590.
Robert Thorp, priest, hung, drawn, and quartered at York, May 31, 1591.
Mountford Scott and George Beesley, priests, executed at Fleet Street, London.
Robert Dickenson, priest, executed at Winchester, July 7, 1591.
Ralph Milner, layman, of Winchester, executed at Winchester, July 7, 1591.
William Pikes, layman, of Dorchester, suffered there for denying the queen’s supremacy.
Edmund Jennings, priest, executed at Gray’s-Inn-Fields, December 10, 1591.
Swithin Wells, gent., executed at Gray’s-Inn-Fields, December 10, 1591.
Eustachius White, priest, executed at Tyburn, December 10, 1591.
Polydore Plasden, priest, executed at Tyburn, December 10, 1591.
Bryan Lacey, layman, executed at Tyburn, December 10, 1591.
John Mason, layman, executed at Tyburn, December 10, 1591.
Sydney Hodgson, layman, executed at Tyburn, December 10, 1591.
William Paterson, priest, executed at Tyburn, January 22, 1592.
Thomas Pormorte, at St. Paul’s Churchyard, London, February 8, 1592.
Robert Ashton, gent., at Tyburn, June 23, 1592.
Edward Waterson, priest, at Newcastle, January 7, 1593.
James Bird, gent., at Winchester, Lady Day, 1593.
Anthony Page, priest, hung, drawn, and quartered at York, April 20, 1593.
Joseph Lampton, priest, at Newcastle, July 27, 1593.
William Davies, priest, at Beaumaris, July 21, 1593.
John Speed, layman, at Durham, February 4, 1594.
William Harington, priest, at Tyburn, February 18, 1594.
John Cornelius, priest, at Dorchester, July 4, 1594.
Thomas Bosgrave, gent., at Dorchester, July 4, 1594.
Terence Carey, layman, at Dorchester, July 4, 1594.
Patrick Salmon, at Dorchester, July 4, 1594.
John Bost, priest, suffered at Durham, July 19, 1594.
John Ingram, priest, suffered at Newcastle, July 25, 1594.
George Swalllowell, some time a minister, executed at Darlington in 1594.
Edward Osbaldeston, priest, executed at York in 1594.
Robert Southwell, priest, at Tyburn in 1595.
Alexander Rawlins, priest, at York in 1595.
Henry Walpole, priest, at York in 1595.
James Atkinson, layman, in 1595.
William Freeman, priest, at Warwick in 1595.
George Errington, gent., suffered at York in 1596.
William Knight, yeoman, at York in 1596.
William Gibson, yeoman, at York in 1596.
Henry Abbott, yeoman, at York in 1596.
William Andleby, priest, at York in 1597.
Thomas Warcopp, gent., at York in 1597.
Edward Fullthorpe, gent., at York in 1597.
John Britton, gent., at York in 1598.
Peter Snow, priest, at York in 1598.
Ralph Grimstone, gent., at York in 1598.
John Jones, priest, at St. Thomas’ Watering in 1598.
Christopher Robinson, priest, at Carlisle in 1598.
Richard Horner, priest, at York in 1598.
Matthias Harrison, priest, at York in 1599.
John Lyon, yeoman, at Oakham in 1599,
James Dowdall, merchant, at Exeter in 1599.
In the year 1600 the following priests were executed: Christopher Wharton at York ; Thomas Sprott at Lincoln ; Thomas Hunt at Lincoln ; Robert Nutter at Lancaster ; Edward Thwing at Lancaster ; Thomas Pallasor at Durham. And the following laymen: John Rigby at St. Thomas’ Watering ; John Norton at Durham ; John Talbot at Durham.
In the year 1601 the following priests were executed: John Pybush at St. Thomas’ Watering ; Mark Barkworth at Tyburn ; Roger Filcock at Tyburn ; Thurston Hunt at Lancaster ; Robert Middleton at Lancaster. And the following laity: Ann Line, gentlewoman, at Tyburn ; Nicholas Tichbourne at Tyburn ; Thomas Hacksott at Tyburn.
In 1602 four priests were executed, viz.: Tomas Harrison at York ; Thomas Tichbourne at Tyburn ; Robert Watkinson at Tyburn ; Francis Page at Tyburn. And the following laymen: Anthony Batty, gent., at York ; James Duckett, bookseller, at Tyburn.
In 1603 one priest, William Richards, was drawn, hung, dismembered, disemboweled, and quartered at Tyburn.
[To this catalogue should be added the fact that hundreds of lay men and women in the ranks of the gentry were beggared by being compelled to pay a fine of (British Pounds)20 per lunar month for refusing to go to church, where, in the main, the so-called clergy were men of the most infamous lives.]
Need it be added that a howl of excited vituperation of these volumes has affrighted all within the pale of the Established Church, except Dr. Lee? If the present writer were at the freedom to speak of this high-souled witness of the truth it would be seen by the world that no nobler evidence ever bore testimony against the “felonry of history,” as Macaulay indignantly wrote in reference to the falsehoods of the Reformation pamphleteers used in the written history provided for the “British public.” How the reverend and irreverend critics have raved in the organs of the “Establishment”! In the English Churchman a “reverend” writer denounces the work of Dr. Lee as a production to be avoided and abhorred, but carefully abstains from giving reasons for the abstention and abhorrence. Not a line from the book has been quoted in this characteristic criticism, simply because, as the chapmen say in the French markets if remonstrated with by an expert on the price of their commodities, “Eh, bien, monsieur, la verite ne se vend pas.” Truth does not pay in Britian either in the work of the hand or of the truthful intellect. It has been asked by the organs of the English “Established” Church: How dares Dr. Lee, an Anglican cleric, so far consort with papists as to commune with them even on the common highway of historical truth? But why, above all, raise the veil and show in veritable aspect the crimes of the hitherto accepted heroine of Protestantism? Is not this craving to suppress the truth a proof of the identification in the self-conscious yet most reticent souls of English churchmen of the origin of their religion with the most odious criminality? And deny or ignore it as they may, such identity is a fact as solid as granitic rock. The why and the wherefore, and the consequences of the perversion of England, meet one face to face every day in the incongruous and most heartless medley called “English society.”
To sum up: The originators of Protestantism in England were, firstly, a licentious tyrant subserved by bad or timid Catholic bishops and clerics ; secondly, the quasi rule of a wretched boy-king mastered by the infamous council of Somerset, by Cranmer, Paget, Richy, and so forth, all of whom who survived the axe of mutual hate becoming “anxious Catholics” again in the brief reign of the much-maligned Mary, with the proviso that their plunder should remain in possession ; thirdly, Elizabeth, accepting Protestantism from factious motives, the plunderers being the richer and thereby the stronger party, aided, counseled, and confirmed by the help and advice of the Cecils, father and son, Walsingham (whom Elizabeth allowed to rot in his bed when he was of no further use), and Davidson, whom she perjuriously sacrificed in sullen obedience to the execrations of Christendom at her unnatural murder of Mary, Queen of Scots. That the Protestantism fashioned into an emasculated observance by evil-doers, all bad Catholics, imitated paganism in its initiation, by cruelly persecuting their fellow-mortals is no fault, of course, of its present marvelously diverse profession ; but that the cultus, whatever it is, had its base cemented with the blood of hundreds of martyrs Dr. Lee too sadly proves. We see every day glorifications of the Reformation. Reformation from what, and by whom? Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, and all the Protestant Episcopal “martyrs”—with the exception of Hooper, who was the victim of the private hate of Paget—were all rebels as well as perjured and sacrilegious priests, just as, with the exception of rebellion, was the first Protestant archbishop, Parker. These were the men, with the lay plunderers of the poor, who “reformed” the ancient creed of England. John Knox, too, one of the murderers of Rizzio, was a priest ; and so had been the execrable Moray, the illegitimate brother and would-be murderer of Mary, Queen of Scots. Reformation! A sad mutation from the olden faith of the great and good, effected by profligate misnamed Catholics, foisted upon an enslaved and devastated country. Quis poterit reformare ipsos reformatores? In the impossibility of reforming themselves the evil genius of abandoned Catholics set to work to deform the pristine belief of a too facile yet down-trodden people.
*By the way, let us state that Dr. Lee’s volumes contain the letters to Paulet, the jailer of Mary, and his very shrewd replies respecting Elizabeth’s desire “to clear off poor Mary by poison to avoid further trouble.”
