The beginning and progress of ecclesiastical reformation constitute, however, a brilliant part of Henry's government; and although not deducible personally from him; yet the benefits derived from it were incalculable. To forward and improve the work so nobly begun, the Bible was translated into the language of the people, letters were cultivated, and the human mind, ashamed of the inglorious fetters which it had worn so long, asserted its birthright perogative, by thinking for itself. The commerce of London was extended, her police regulated, nuisances were removed, new avenues were opened, and such as had become difficult and obstructed were cleared and amended. An act of benevolence during this reign of violence and destruction redounds to the honour of the Gresham family, in "The Petition of Sir Richard Gresham, Lord Mayor of London, to the King, in Behalf of the City Hospitals *. "MOST redowted, puysant, and noble prince, My most dradd, beloved, and naturall Soveraigne lorde, I your poore, humble, and most obedient Servaint, dailly considering, and ever more and more perceivyng by your vertuous begynnynge, and charitable proceedings in all your causes, your persone and majestie royall, to be the elected and chosen vessel of God, by whom not only the very and true worde of God is and shall be sett forth, and according to the trewgh and verytie of the same; but also to be he whom God hath constituted and ordeyned, both to redresse and reforme all crimes, offences and enormities beyng repugnant to his doctrine, or to the detryment of the common welth, and hurt of the poor people beyng your natural subjects; and farther to forsee and vigilantly to provide for the charitable reformation of the same. bloody scene, while Thomas de Mowbray, earl marshal, who had married his daughter, assisted the executioner in binding his eyes! Thomas, duke of Norfolk, who was confined in the Tower, the last year of Henry VIII. was reduced to beg for sheets. He was to have lost his head, but was saved by the death of the tyrant on the very day ordered for his execution. * Cotton. Library, Cleop. E. 4. p. 222. Which thynk hath, and yet doth encourage me, and also my bounden dewtie obligeth me, in especiall beyng most unworthy youre levetenant, and mayer of your Cytiie Royall of London, to enforme and advertise your most gracious highnes of one thing in especiall, for the ayde and comfort of the poore, syke, blynde, aged, and impotent persons beyng not able to help themselffs, nor having no place certen where they may be refreshed, or lodged at, tyll they be holpen and. cured of their diseases and sickness. So it is most gracious lorde, that nere and within the cytie of London, be iij hospitalls or spytells, commonly called Seynt Georges Spy tell, Seynt Barthilmewe's Spytel, and Seynt Thomas Spytell, and the new abbey of Tower Hill, founded of good devotion by auncient fathers, and endowed with great possessions and rents, only for the releefe, comforte, and helping of the poore, and impotent people, not beyng able to help themselffes, and not to the mayntenance of chanons, priests, and monks to live in pleasure, nothing regarding the miserable people lying in every street, offendyng every clene persone passing by the way, with theyre fylthy and nasty savors. Wherefore may it please your merciful goodness enclyned to pytie and compassion, for the reliffe of Christs very images, created to his own similitude, to order by your high authorite, as supreme head of this church of England, or otherwise by your sage discrecion, that your mayor of your cytie of London, and his brethren the aldermen for the time being, shall and may from henceforth, have the order, disposicion, rule, and governaunce both of all the lands, tenements, and revenewes apperteynyng and belongyn to the said hospitals, governours of them, and of the ministers which be, or shall be withyn any of them: and then your grace shall facilie perceyve, that where now a small number of chanons, priests, and monkes be founde for theyr own profitt only, and not for the common utilitie of the realme, a great number of poore, needy, syke, and indugent persones shall be refreshed, maynteyned, and comforted; and also healed and cured of their infirmities frankly and freely by physicions, surgeons, and poty caries, which shall have stipende and sa larie only for that purpose: so that all impotent persons not able to labour shall be releved, and all sturdy beggars not willing to labour, shall be punished, for the which doyng your grace shall not alonely merit highly towards God but shewe your selffe to be more charitable to the poor, than your noble progenitor kyng Edgar, foundour of so many monasteries; or kyng Henry the Thirde, renewer of Westmynster; or kyng Edward the Thirde, found or of the new Abbey; or kyng Henry the Fifte, founder of Syon and Shene; but also shall have the name of conservator, protectour, and defendour of the poor people, with their contynuall prayer for your health, welthe, and prosperitie long to endure. Your humble and most "RYCHARD GRESHAM." Anderson* mentions a curious circumstance of the small progress which the science of gardening had made during this period. He writes, that in the year 1509, the first of Henry VIII. queen Catharine of Arragon could not procure a sallad in the kingdom, till Henry sent to the Netherlands for a person who understood the method of raising the necessary ingredients. But in this age of pomp and parade, the art of war underwent almost a total change. The bow and the batteringram, gave place to the musket, the cannon, and the mortar. The invention of gun-powder was hastening to divest the soldier of personal animosity; to abbreviate the duration, and diminish the carnage of combats. Martial spirit, however, was unabated, and the city of London alone could muster fifteen thousand men. The reign of Edward VI. was productive of several salutury statutes, wherein London in particular enjoyed the benefit. Among others, a measure was adopted, of which future generatious felt the advantage, arising from the following circumstances: Many of the principal citizens of London having sustained confiderable injury from combinations and conspiracies daily Hist. Commerce. concerted concerted by journeymen and labourers, applied to parliament for redress; and an act was passed, in which, among other things, it was ordained: "That if any artificers, workmen or labourers, do conspire, covenant, or promise together, that they shall not make or do their work but at a certain price or rate, or shall not enterprize or take upon them to finish that work which another hath begun, or shall do but a certain work in a day, or shall not work but at certain hours or times; that every person so conspiring, covenanting or offending, being thereof convicted by witnesses, confession or otherwise, shall forfeit for the first offence ten pounds, or have twenty days imprisonment; for the second offence, twenty pounds or pillory; and for a third offence, forty pounds, or to sit on the pillory, and to have one ear cut off, besides being rendered infamous, and incapable of giving evidence upon oath." In this act were included butchers, bakers, brewers, poulterers, cooks, &c. And all justices of the peace, mayors, bailiffs, &c. in their sessions, leets and courts, were to have full power and authority to enquire, hear, and determine, all and singular the offences against this statute, and to cause offenders to be punished. But the exclusive privileges which had been granted to corporate bodies began to be felt to the inconvenience of commerce; this induced parliament to interfere, in favour of certain artificers, who were authorized to exercise their occupations in cities and boroughs, though not free of the corporation. The metropolis, ever jealous of her privileges, was alarmed at the measure, but the superior consideration of government, excited by archbishop Cranmer, rose above contracted and selfish policy, and in 1549, encouragement was given to persecuted foreign Protestants, by tendering them the free exercise of their religion, to settle in England. The numbers who embraced this invitation were very great; and the qualifications they brought, whether respecting trade and commerce, skill, industry, temperance, frugality, and the other virtues, amply repaid the country for the protection given to those respectable exiles; exiles; who settled principally in London, Southwark, and the suburbs; as well as in Canterbury, and the southern parts of the kingdom. About this time Somerset, the lord protector, had given great disgust to some of the higher nobility, by stretching the power and authority of his office beyond all the bounds of decency, and of the constitution: and as he had rendered himself obnoxious to the higher orders, by the assumption and exercise of an extraordinary and illegal authority, he forfeited the favour of the people, whom he had courted by acts of a different kind. The murder of his own brother, the Lord Seymour, a popular nobleman, whom he had brought to the scaffold on Tower Hill, was justly viewed in an odious light; but the immense estate, which he had suddenly accumulated, at the expence of the crown and of the church, gave offence to men of every description; and the ostentatious display of his wealth, in the magnificent palace he was rearing in the Strand, drew on him the severest censures. This structure arose under very inauspicious circumstances. To furnish room and materials, the parish church of St. Mary, with the mansions of three bishops, were demolished. In addition to this sacrilege, an attempt was made to pull down the church of St. Margaret, Westminster, the stones of which were to be applied to the same purpose; but the parishioners rose in defence of their sacred edifice, and put the Protector's workmen to flight. He next laid violent hands on a chapel in St. Paul's Church Yard, with the cloisters and charnel house belonging to it, and on a church dedicated to St. John of Jerusalem, which he like. wise applied to the building of Somerset House. What rendered these depredations offensive to the people, was the violation offered to the ashes of the dead, by defacing their monuments, removing the bones, and burying them in unconsecrated ground. But whatever were the other opinions of Stow, Heylin, &c. in respect to this statesman, later times view his conduct dispassionately, and remark, “that though his administra |