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that retired silence in her (both active and passive) to be a withdrawing of her mind from her senses for a more serious meditation of her by-past life and her future state; which she herself also professed: being moved by a doctor of physic,* to tell how she spent her time in so long silence, I meditate, quoth she. And yet those lasted not out: for as strength of disease weakened and nature decayed, she both took her to her bed, and the last most reverend archbishop, kneeling by her, and praying for her, she laid her hand upon his head, and gave her Amen of assent unto his intercessions made to God in Christ's name on her behalf. And when one of the ladies de sired her, though she did not speak, yet to think upon God, I warrant you so I do, my mind is little off on him,' saith she. And after that, being in perfect understanding, she had and heard and endured vehement prayers to be poured out for her, not far from her, until the last gasp she gave, wherewith she seemed in such sweet and mild manner to send her soul into heaven, as if no hand of violence might take it from her; but her own devout willingness must redeliver it unto that God from whom, together with so many blessings, she did receive it."

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The queen was so far from speaking, so to satisfy a physician, as she spake not either to her council, or her divines. The physicians hardly came into her presence, neither durst they ask her such a question.

When the lord of Canterbury came to the queen to speak to her, she an. swered nothing so; and afterwards exclaimed to my lord Admiral, that she had the greatest indignity offered by the archbishop that a prince could have, to pronounce the sentence of death against her, as if she had lived an atheist. Some lords moving her after to have others to come to her, she answered, she would have none of those hedge-priests; neither came any to her, but after she was past sense at her last gasp, then was, not far from her, some prayers said, to which she could neither speak, nor apprehend.

Here he should have said, that upon such speech of a lady (as was by them after spoken,) she did lift up her hands only, but did not speak.

Though Dr. Barlow was at this time of the queen's end a chaplain of her's this description of his, touching her majesty's end, sheweth the odds of his absence, or of his little will to learn how matters went at court, if he wrote as he was informed or believeth: writing herein no more than the simplest apprentice of London might write to his friends in the country how matters stood at court, or, as vulgarly was given out, fit for the common people to know.

§ Query, Did not Camden invent some of the circumstances attending her death, as they are detailed in the conclusion of his annals?—ED.

For the CATHOIC MISCELLANY.

SIR, The following statement of facts will prove that some of the members of the Westleyan connection are free from that bigotry and religious intolerance, examples of which we unfortunately so frequently meet with among our dissenting brethren. In the Durham County Advertiser of April 20, 1822, the following statement appeared: "To such as can feel for the deplorable situation of an unfortunate widow, struggling with poverty, yet anxious to bring up with habits of industry, her seven fatherless children, this advertisement is addressed. Her case, though most piteous, is soon told-facts require no embellishment. On Friday 15th, February last, died Mr. John Ord, of Relley Paper-mill, near Durham. Mr. Ord was a man of good character and industrious habits, but, like many others, he had to combat innumerable difficulties-these he was unable to overcome, and he sank into the grave in the prime of life, leaving a disconsolate widow and seven children. From the unfortunate state of Mr. Ord's affairs, the whole of the propérty he left will go to the liquidation of his debts, and his widow the subject of this advertisement, has in consequence been driven, with her children, to the sad alternative of seeking parish relief. One, who had frequent dealings with Mr. Ord, and knew his worth, and who can also vouch for the respectability of the widow, has thus stated her lamentable situation, in the hope that the humane and charitable will by their subscriptions, second the praiseworthy efforts which this unfortunate woman is disposed to make for the future welfare of her family." Mrs. Ord and her family were Catholics, and this appeal in their favour was made by a Methodist: it had the effect at the time of producing a small sum; but from circumstances over which the friends of the widow had no control, no part of it as yet had been remitted to her, and she was still left to pine in want and wretchedness: when she was visited by one who had formerly known her deceased husband, he offered to take two of her children, lads of about twelve or thirteeen years of age, with him to London, to place them in his own house, and to

employ them in his warehouse. The mother, grateful for the proferred kindness, could not however be prevailed upon to consent that her children's bread should be obtained at the expense of their religious principles. The gentleman, a Westleyan Methodist, admired her firmness, and promised to seek among Catholics, situations for the youths, where they might enjoy the free exercise of their religion, and where proper attention would be paid to their moral and religious instruction. He has kept his word, he has sought for, and he has found Catholics but hitherto no situation has offered itself for either of the children. They are not as yet arrived in London but are daily expected, and the same kind benefactor has agreed to maintain them, until they can be placed with Catholic masters. The above facts redound so much to the honour of this beneficent individual, that I cannot refrain from giving his name and address. Thomas Davison, No. 57, Friday Street, London. That some charitable Catholics may be found, willing and able to receive into their services these children, the offspring of an afflicted yet virtuous mother is the earnest hope of yours, &c. M. W.

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SIR, I have been lately reading the Rev. Dr. Fletcher's work "On the Rights and Prerogatives of the Church and State, &c."; and whilst I see much to approve and admire, I am hurt beyond measure that he should think proper to designate the Socinians and Unitarians in page 89 as MEN OF NO RELIGION. Sir, I have the honour of being acquainted with several gentlemen of the above denominations, and know them to be honourable men, who would willingly surrender their sentiments and convictions, if they believed them to be illfounded and erroneous. Generally speaking, those persons are viewed by Catholics as the rational Protestants; but at all events, nothing is gained to the cause of truth and orthodoxy, by such harsh and unbecoming denunciations as the one I complain of. I may also remark on the impolicy of this indiscriminate and un

merciful censure; for it is a fact, we have not more true friends to our emancipation, then are to be found in the ranks of the Socinians and Unitarians.

In defending our own cause and tenets, why are we to give pain and offence to those who differ from us? Why not give credit to others for that sincerity which we claim for ourselves? From the respect that I entertain for Dr. F. I hope he will cancel, in a second edition, an uncalled for expression, which must wound the feelings of many, and of none more so than of a A CATHOLIC CLERGYMAN.

SICHCHCHOHOHOH

FOR THE CATHOLIC MISCEllany.

MR. EDITOR, Encouraged by your insertion of my communication in the last number of your valuable magazine, I am about to attempt giving a brief detail of several of the religious establishments, which existed prior to the period of the reformation, in or near the metropolis, with the occasional relation of such facts connected with religion, as may appear to me interesting to your readers. I also intend to give a cursory statement of our present Catholic institutions in London, with other circumstances which have occurred since the change of religion. I shall commence at Poplar, now a parish of itself, but formerly a hamlet of Stepney, and taking the river on my left, proceed with Whitechapel-road, Aldgate, Cheapside, Holborn, &c. on my right, until I arrive at the extremity of the town; then crossing over I shall return, having Oxford-street, Holborn, &c. on my right with the fields on my left, until I again arrive at the parish of Stepney.

The first religious structure which I can trace in this route, was situated in the Isle of Dogs; it was the chapel of saint Mary, in which it is generally supposed, mass was celebrated for the repose of the souls of deceased mariners. Upon the foundations of this chapel, now stands a farm-house, which however exhibits no marks of antiquity, except towards the bottom of the walls, and this part appears ancient; about the year 1792 a gothic window was removed from this house. From

thence we soon enter the parish of Steburnhith, now called Stepney; here in early times lived the bishops of London, but they had removed the seat of their residence upwards of a centu ry previous to the reformation. The church dedicated to St. Dunstan is still adorned with several external Catholic decorations. A rector of this parish, Stephen Legrave, was, at the recommendation of king Edward the second, made, by pope John, the twentieth archbishop of Armagh in Ireland: he died in the year 1333, and was said by the king to be a person of noble extrac tion, of great learning and integrity: two other rectors became bishops in this country. This parish was formerly very extensive, and many of our nobility and rich citizens had their country houses, the remains of several of these are still in existence, as Worcester-house, &c. Leaving the church of Whitechapel on our right, we arrive at a spot, which was once a fertile and well cultivated farm belonging to the convent of the nuns situated in the Minories: in the time of Stow, this farm belonged to one Goodman, a wealthy man, who let it out in pasture, and from him it derived the name of Goodman's Fields: a name it still retains, although now covered with buildings. At some distance from thence, stood on our left, very near the river, the hospital of St. Catharine, founded by the pious queen Matilda or Maud, wife to king Stephen. Queen Eleanor, wife of Edward the first, afterwards bestowed upon this hospital several manors for the maintainance of one master, three brother chaplains, three sisters, ten poor women, and six poor clerks. In succeeding time a charity was added by Phillippa, wife to Edward the third; this queen also bestowed land upon the hospital of the yearly value of ten pounds sterling. At the time of the general suppression, doctor Wilson, the master, abolished the choir which was nearly equal to that of St. Paul's. On our right in East Smithfield stood a cross, which for near a century escaped the ravages of the reformation. Where the royal Mint now stands was formerly in the midst of a cemetery or burial ground, a small chapel dedicated to the honour of God, by Ralph Stratford, bishop of London; in this cemetery a very considerable number of persons was interred, who died during the time of the great pestilence in the twenty-third year of king Edward the third; this king afterwards founded upon the

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