secutions, by affronting tyranny, by encountering civil war, by submiting to martyrdom, by contending in open war against powers that were the terror of the rest of Europe. I would fain believe that all ranks and classes of this country, have still impressed upon their minds, the sentiment of her immortal Milton-" Let not England forget her precedence of teaching nations how to live."

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NOTES.

NOTE (A.)

SIR Thomas Smith is perhaps the first author who takes notice of the difference of the title of gentleman in England and on the Continent. I subjoin an extract from his work." Ordinarily the King doth only make knights and create barons, or higher degrees; for as for gentlemen, they be made good cheap in England. For whosoever studieth the laws of the realm, who studieth in the universities, who professeth liberal sciences, and, to be short, who can live idly and without manual labour, and will bear the port, charge, and countenance of a gentleman, he shall be called Master, for that is the title which men give to esquires and other gentlemen, and shall be taken for a gentleman: for true it is with us as is said, Tanti eris aliis quanti tibi feceris; and, if need be, a king of heralds shall also give him, for money, arms newly made and invented, the title whereof shall pretend to have been found by the said herald in perusing and viewing of old registers, where his ancestors, in times past, had been recorded to bear the same. A man may make doubt

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X

and question whether this manner of making gentlemen is to be allowed or no; and for my part I am of that opinion, that it is not amiss. For first, the prince loseth nothing by it, as he should do, if it were as in France; for the yeoman or husbandman is no more subject to taile or tax in England than the gentleman: no, in every payment to the King, the gentleman is more charged, which he beareth the gladlier, and dareth not gainsay for to save and keep his honour and reputation.”De Republicâ Anglorum, lib. i. chap. 20. & 21.

NOTE (B.)

"FOR their images, some of them were brought to London, and were there at St. Paul's cross in the sight of all the people, broken; that they might be fully convinced of the juggling impostures of the monks. And in particular, the crucifix of Boxley, in Kent, commonly called the Rood of Grace, to which many pilgrimages had been made; because it was observed sometimes to bow, and to lift itself up, to shake, and to stir head, hands, and feet, to roll the eyes, move the lips, and bend the brows; all which were looked on by the abused multitude, as the effects of a divine power. These were now publicly discovered to have been cheats. For the springs were showed by which all these motions were made. Upon which John Hilsey, then bishop of Rochester, made a sermon, and broke the rood in pieces. There was also another famous imposture discovered at Hailes, in Gloucestershire; where the blood of Christ was showed in a vial of chrystal, which the people sometimes saw, but sometimes they could not see it: so they were made believe, that they were not capable of so signal a favour as long as they were in mortal

sin; and so they continued to make presents, till they bribed heaven to give them the sight of so blessed a relic. This was now discovered to have been the blood of a duck, which they renewed every week: and the one side of the vial was so very thick, that there was no seeing through it, but the other was clear and transparent: and it was so placed near the altar, that one in a secret place behind could turn either either side of it outward. So when they had drained the pilgrims that came thither, of all they had brought with them, then they afforded them the favour of turning the clear side outward; who upon that went home very well satisfied with their journey, and the expence they had been at. There was brought out of Wales a huge image of wood, called Darvel Gatheren, of which one Ellis Price, visitor of the diocese of St. Asaph, gave this account: On the 6th of April, 1537, That the people of the country had a great superstition for it, and many pilgrimages were made to it; so that the day before he wrote, there were reckoned to be above five or six hundred pilgrims there: some brought oxen and cattle, and some brought money; and it was generally believed, that if any offered to that image, he had power to deliver his soul from hell.' So it was ordered to be brought to London, where it served for fuel to burn Friar Forrest. There was an huge image of our Lady at Worcester, that was had in great reverence; which, when it was stripped of some veils that covered it, was found to be the statue of a bishop."- Burnet's History of the Reformation, vol. i. p. 242.

"But the richest shrine in England, was that of Thomas Becket, called St. Thomas of Canterbury the Martyr. For 300 years, he was accounted one of the greatest saints in heaven, as may appear from the accounts in the Ledgerbooks, of the offerings made to the three greatest altars

in Christ's Church, Canterbury. The one was to Christ, the other to the Virgin, and the third to St. Thomas. In one year there was offered at Christ's altar 31. 2s. 6d. ; to the Virgin's altar, 63l. 5s. 6d. ; but to St. Thomas's altars, 832l. 12s. 3d But the next year the odds grew greater; for there was not a penny offered at Christ's altar, and at the Virgin's only 4l. 1s. 8d.; but at St. Thomas's, 954l. 6s. 3d. By such offerings it came, that his shrine was of inestimable value. There was one stone offered there by Louis VII. of France, who came over to visit it, in a pilgrimage, that was believed the richest in Europe." Burnet's History of the Reformation, vol. i. p. 244.

NOTE (C.)

THE following speech of Secretary Cecil on monopolies, is altogether characteristic of the reign of Elizabeth:

Mr. Secretary Cecil stood up, and said, "There needs no supply of the memory of the Speaker: but, because it pleased him to desire some that be about him to aid his delivery, and because the rest of my fellows be silent, I will take upon me to deliver something which I both then heard, and since know. I was present with the rest of my fellow-counsellors, and the message was the same that hath been told you; and the cause hath not succeeded from any particular course thought upon, but from private informations of some particular persons. I have been very inquisitive of them, and of the cause why more importunity was now used than afore; which, I am afraid, comes by being acquainted with some course of proceeding in this house. There are no patents now of force, which shall not presently be revoked; for what patent soever is granted, there shall be left to the overthrow of