realm, in building forts along the sea coast, and in equipping a navy.

These measures, though they were approved by parliament, excited a general murmur among the people against the king and Cromwell. Henry, far from being displeased, rejoiced at it, as a most favourable opportunity to get rid of his late favourite, who was no more so since he had been the promoter of his detested marriage with Ann de Cleves. The fall of Cromwell was long and ardently wished for by a great part of the nation. The nobility hated a man, who from the lowest class had been raised above the first persons in the kingdom. The protestants disliked him, for his concurrence with the king's will for their persecution; the papists detested him as the inveterate enemy of their religion; and the king, who found that great clamours had arisen against the administration, did not hesitate to throw on Cromwell the load of public hatred, hoping by so easy a sacrifice to regain the affections of his subjects. But another circumstance still more fatal to the minister was that Henry, as fickle as impetuous in his passions, began at that time to cast an amorous eye on Catherine Howard, niece to the duke of Norfolk, who had long been engaged in enmity with Cromwell, and made against him the same use of his niece's insinuations that he had formerly done of Ann Boleyn's against Wolsey. By their whispers and misrepresentations of Cromwell's words and actions, the last remains of Henry's friendship for him were so soon and so completely extinguished, that he gave a commission to the duke to arrest him at the council board, June 10th, on an accusation of high treason, and to commit him to the tower, where he was followed by an immense crowd of people hissing and cursing the fallen minister. Immediately after a bill of attainder was framed against him, and the house of peers, with

out any trial, examination, or evidence, condemned him to death. The house of commons passed the same bill, but not without some opposition. Cromwell was accused, without the least proof, of treason and heresy. Henry never had a minister more devoted to him, nor more eager to adopt his opinions in religious matters as well as in politics. He was a man of prudence, industry, and abilities, worthy of a better master, and even of a better fate; had he not been the too servile instrument of Henry's tyranny in the preceding session, in personally conducting, against the countess of Salisbury and others, bills of attainder no less abominable than that by which he himself suffered.

The measures for Henry's divorce were carried on at the same time, on a very remarkable plan. A motion was made in the house of lords, July 6th, by the chancellor, "That an humble address be presented to the king, that he would be graciously pleased to grant a commission to the convocation of both provinces, to try the validity of his present marriage." This motion was unanimously approved, and the commons readily agreed to join in the address. The whole house of lords with about twenty of the commons immediately went to court, and being admitted into the royal presence, the chancellor said, "That the two houses of parliament wished to mention a matter of great moment to his majesty, and humbly prayed, that his most excellent serenity, out of his inestimable goodness, would grant them his permission." To which the king replied, "That he had so good an opinion of his two houses of parliament, that he was convinced they would not propose any thing that was iniquitous, dishonest, or unreasonable, and therefore he permitted them to speak with impunity, and promised to hear them beniguly and favourably." The chancellor then presented the above address, to which the

king made a complying answer. The deputation then retired after a more than a most humble salutation. This splendid piece of political mummery was conducted with all becoming gravity, and dispatched with no less activity. On the same day the com. mission passed the seals, and was presented next morning to the convocation at St. Paul's.

Ann had been formerly contracted to the duke of Lorraine, but she, as well as the duke, were at that time under age, and the contract was afterwards annulled by consent of both parties. This fact had been completely ascertained previous to Henry's marriage, he pleaded however this precontract as a ground of divorce, and he added, that when he espoused Ann, he had not inwardly consented to it; and that he had not thought proper to consum-` mate the marriage. The convocation, satisfied with these reasons, solemnly annulled the marriage; the parliament ratified the decision of the clergy, and the sentence was immediately notified to the princess by the duke of Norfolk and the earl of Southampton. She was not so much affected as might have been expected; and when they told her that the king designed to declare her his adopted sister, to grant her 3000l. a year for her honourable support, and to give her precedency of all the ladies of the court, except his queen and daughters, she seemed to be perfectly satisfied. She even wrote to her brother, and her family, at Henry's desire, assuring them that she had been well used in England, where she resolved to remain, that she was perfectly pleased with her situation, and entreated them not to be offended at any thing that had happened.

The king's marriage with Catherine Howard probably followed soon after his divorce: it being celebrated privately, the exact date of it is not known; but she was presented to the whole court as queen on the 8th of August. Henry was so much charmed

with his new consort that he commanded his almoner to compose a form of thanksgiving to God for the felicity he now enjoyed, and on All Saints day, when he received the sacrament, he publicly gave thanks to God for the happy life he now led, and hoped to lead, with his beloved queen.

The king's councils being now directed by Norfolk and Gardiner, a furious persecution commenced against the protestants who spoke against the corporeal presence of Christ in the sacrament, while Henry exerted his violence against the catholics who denied his own supremacy; and a foreigner, at that time in England, had reason to say, that those who were against the pope were burned, and those who were for him were hanged.

Though the spirit of the English seemed totally sunk under Henry's tremendous despotism, there appeared some symptoms of discontent: an inconsiderable rebellion broke out in Yorkshire, which was soon suppressed, but it was the occasion of much bloodshed on the scaffold. The most illustrious of the victims was the aged countess of Salisbury, mother of cardinal Pole, and the last of the royal race of the Plantagenets,

Ann. 1541.

Henry apprehending an attack upon his territories in France, repairs the fortifications of Calais and Guines and strengthens the garrisons. He then sets out with his queen and court on a progress into the north, receives the submissions and considerable presents of money from the towns, the nobility, and the clergy, who wished to conciliate his favour, and efface the remembrance of their late conduct. The king and court of England remained twelve days at York, where James V. king of Scotland had agreed to have an interview with his majesty. But that

prince was persuaded by his clergy to stay at home, and Henry, irritated at this disappointment, returned into the south, fully determined on a war with Scotland.

While Henry, more and more captivated every day with the queen's accomplishments, thought his happiness as unalterable as it was complete; one John Lascelles brought intelligence of her dissolute life to Cranmer, the archbishop of Canterbury, and told him that his sister, formerly a servant to the duchess dowager of Norfolk, had given him a particular account of the queen's incontinence. Derham and Mannoc, both servants to the old duchess, had been admitted to Catherine's bed; and she had even taken so little care to conceal her shame, that three different female servants had frequently slept all night in the same bed with her and Derham. Mannoc discovered such an intimate knowledge of her person to some of his fellow servants, as he could not have obtained without the most criminal familiarity. Cranmer consulted the chancellor and the earl of Hertford. They all agreed that it was necessary to communicate this disagreeable information to the king, and that unpleasant task was laid upon the archbishop.

The king returned from the north in the end of October, took the sacrament on the 4th of November, and renewed his public thanks to God for the happiness he enjoyed with his queen. The very next day Cranmer had an audience of the king, and said not a word about the queen; but as he was taking his leave, he put into his majesty's hands the paper containing Lascelles's declaration. Henry, who was then in the height of his dotage upon the queen, at first exclaimed in rage that it was false, that it was impossible; but when observing more coolly how particular the information was, he resolved to make an enquiry, but in such a manner as