divine commission to lay the foundations of a new government, a holy and spiritual empire, and to destroy and overturn all temporal rule and authority, all human and political institutions. Having turned all things into confusion and uproar in the city of Munster by this seditious and extravagant declaration, they began to erect a new republic," conformable to their absurd and chimerical notions of religion, and committed the administration of it to John Bockholt, a tailor by profession, and a native of Leyden. Their reign however was of a short duration; for in the year 1535, the city was besieged and taken by the bishop of Munster, assisted by other German princes; this fanatical king and his wrong-headed associates were put to death in the most terrible and ignominious manner, and the new hierarchy destroyed with its furious and extravagant founders. This disorderly and outrageous conduct of a handful of anabaptists, drew upon the whole body heavy marks of displeasure from the greatest part of the European princes. The severest laws were enacted against them for the second time, in consequence of which the innocent and the guilty were involved in the same terrible fate, and prodigious numbers devoted to death in the most dreadful forms."

Great Britain renounces the

spiritual juris

diction and su

the Roman

XI. The pillars of papal despotism were at this time shaken in England, by an event, which at first did not seem to promise such important consequences. Henry VIII. a prince who in vices and in abilities was surpassed by none who premacy of swayed the sceptre in this age, and who, in the pontif. beginning of these religious troubles, had opposed the doctrine and views of Luther with the utmost vehemence, was the principal agent in this great revolution." Bound in the chains of matrimony to Catharine of Arragon, aunt

n This fanatical establishment they distinguished by the title of the New Jerusalem. o Hermanni Hammelmanni Historia Eccles. renati Evangelii per inferiorem Saxoniam et Westphal. part ii. p. 1196, opp. De Printz Specimen Historia Anabapt. c. x. xi. xii. p. 94.

This sect was, in process of time, considerably reformed by the ministry of two Frieslanders, Ubbo and Mennon, who purified it from the enthusiastic, seditions, and atrocious principles of its first founders, as will be seen in the progress of this history.

p Among the various portraits that have been given by historians of Henry VIII. there is none that equals the masterly one drawn by Mr. Hume, in his History of England, under the house of Tudor. This great painter, whose colouring, in other subjects, is sometimes more artful than accurate, has catched from nature the striking lines of Henry's motley character, and thrown them into a composition, in which they appear with the greatest truth, set out with all the powers of expression.

to Charles V. but, at the same time, captivated by the charms of an illustrious virgin, whose name was Anne Boleyn, he ardently desired to be divorced from the former, that he might render lawful his passion for the latter." For this purpose he addressed himself to the Roman pontiff, Clement VII. in order to obtain a dissolution of his marriage with Catharine, alleging, that a principle of religion restrained him from enjoying any longer the sweets of connubial love with that princess, as she had been previously married to his elder brother Arthur, and as it was repugnant to the divine law to contract wedlock with a brother's widow. Clement was greatly perplexed upon this occasion, by the apprehension of incurring the indignation of the emperor, in case his decision was favourable to Henry; and therefore he contrived various pretexts to evade a positive answer, and exhausted all his policy and artifice to cajole and deceive the English monarch. Tired with the pretexts, apologies, vain promises, and tardy proceedings of the Roman pontiff, Henry had recourse, for the accomplishment of his purposes, to an expedient which was suggested by the famous Thomas Cranmer, who was a secret friend to Luther and his cause, and who was afterward raised to the see of Canterbury. This expedient was, to demand the opinions of the most learned European universities concerning the subject of his scruples. The result of this measure was favourable to his views. The greatest part of the universities declared the marriage with a brother's widow unlawful. Catharine was consequently divorced; Anne conducted by a formal marriage into the royal bed, notwithstanding the remonstrances of Clement; and the English nation delivered from the tyranny of

q From Dr. Mosheim's manner of expressing himself, an uninformed reader might be led to conclude, that the charms of Anne Boleyn were the only motive that engaged Henry to dissolve his marriage with Catharine. But this representation of the matter is not accurate. The king had entertained scruples concerning the legitimacy of his marriage, before his acquaintance with the beautiful and unfortunate Anne. Conversant in the writings of Thomas Aquinas and other schoolmen, who looked upon the Levitical law as of moral and permanent obligation, and attentive to the remon strances of the bishops, who declared his marriage unlawful, the king was filled with anxious doubts that had made him break off all conjugal commerce with the queen, be fore his affections had been engaged by any other. This appears by cardinal Wolsey's proposing a marriage between his majesty and the sister of Francis I. which that pliant courtier would never have done, had he known that the king's affections were otherwise engaged. After all it is very possible that the age and infirmities of Catharine, together with the blooming charms of Anne Boleyn, tended much to animate Henry's remorse, and to render his conscience more scrupulous. See Burnet's History of the Reformation. Hume's History of the House of Tudor, p. 150.

Rome, by Henry's renouncing the jurisdiction and supremacy of its imperious pontiff. Soon after this, Henry was declared by the parliament and the people, supreme head on earth of the church of England, the monasteries were suppressed, and their revenues applied to other purposes; and the power and authority of the pope were abrogated and entirely overturned."

The nature

this first step

toward the

XII. It is however carefully to be observed here, that this downfal of the papal authority in England was not productive of much benefit, either to the friends and effects of or to the cause of the reformation. For the same reformation monarch, who had so resolutely withdrawn him- in England. self from the dominion of Rome, yet superstitiously retained the greatest part of its errors, along with its imperious and persecuting spirit. He still adhered to several of the most monstrous doctrines of popery, and frequently presented the terrors of death to those who differed from him in their religious sentiments. Beside, he considered the title of head of the English Church, as if it transferred to him the enormous power which had been claimed, and indeed usurped, by the Roman pontiffs; and in consequence of this interpretation of his title, he looked upon himself as master of the religious sentiments of his subjects, and as authorized to prescribe modes of faith according to his fancy. Hence it came to pass, that during the life and reign of this prince, the face of religion was constantly changing, and thus resembled the capricious and unsteady character of its new chief. The prudence, learning, and activity of Cranmer archbishop of Canterbury, who was the favourite of the king, and the friend of the reformation, counteracted however in many instances, the humour and vehemence of this inconstant and turbulent monarch. The pious productions and wise counsels of that venerable prelate diminished daily the influence of the ancient superstitions, dispelled by degrees the mists of ignorance that blinded the people in favour of popery, and increased considerably the number of those who shed well to the reformation.s

r Beside the full and accurate account of this and other important events that is to be found in bishop Burnet's éxcellent History of the Reformation of the Church of England, the curious reader will do well to consult the records of this memorable revolution in Wilkins's Concil. Magnæ Britanniæ et Hiberniæ, tom. iii. p. 424. Raynal, Anecdotes Historiques, Politiques, Militaires, tom. i. part ii. p. 90. Gen. Dictionary, at the article Boleyn.

s Besides Burnet's History of the Reformation, See Neal's History of the Puritans, vol. i. chap i. p. 11.

VOL. III.

11

any so

XIII. After the meeting of the council of Mantua was A new project prevented, various measures were taken, and maof pacification. ny schemes proposed, by the emperor on the one hand, and the protestant princes on the other, for the restoration of concord and union, both civil and religious. But these measures and projects were unattended with lid or salutary fruit, and were generally disconcerted by the intrigues and artifice of Rome, whose legates and creatures were always lying in wait to blow the flame of discord in all those councils that seemed unfavourable to the ambition of its pontiffs. In the year 1541, the emperor, regardless Conference of the bishop of Rome, appointed a conference at at Worms. Worms on the subject of religion, between persons of piety and learning chosen out of each of the contending parties. It was here that Melancthon and Eckius disputed during the space of three days. This conference was, for certain reasons, removed to the diet which was held at Ratisbon that same year, and in which the fisbon. principal subject of deliberation was a memorial, presented by a person unknown, containing a project of peace, with the terms of accommodation that were proper to terminate these religious differences." This conference however produced no other effect, than a mutual agreement of the contending parties to refer the decision of their pretensions and debates to a general council; or if the meeting of such a council should be prevented by any unforeseen obstacles, to the next German diet.

Diet of Ra

tend to an

XIV. This resolution was rendered ineffectual by the period of perplexity and trouble that succeeded All things the diet of Ratisbon; and by various incidents Open rupture. that widened the breach, and put off to a farther day the deliberations that were designed to heal it. It is true, the Roman pontiff ordered his legate to declare in the diet which was assembled at Spire, in the year 1542, that he would, according to the promise he had already made, assemble a general council, and that Trent should be the place of its meeting, if the diet had no objection to that city. Ferdinand king of the Romans, and the princes who adhered to the papal cause, gave their consent to this proposal; while the protestant members of the diet objected both against a council summoned by the pa

t See Jo. Andr. Roederi Libellus de Colloquio Wormatiensi Norimb. 1744, în 4tov u See Jo. Erdmann Bieckii Triplex Interim, cap. i. p. h

pal authority alone, and also against the place appointed for its meeting, and demanded a free and lawful council, which should not be biassed by the dictates, nor awed by the proximity of the Roman pontiff. This protestation produced no effect; 'Paul III. persisted in his purpose, and issued out his circular letters for the convocation of the council," with the approbation of the emperor; while this prince endeavoured, at the diet of Worms, in the year 1545, to persuade the protestants to consent to the meeting of this council at Trent. But the protestants were fixed in their resolution, and the efforts of Charles were vain. Upon which the emperor, who had hitherto disapproved of the violent measures which were incessantly suggested by the court of Rome, departed from his usual prudence and moderation, and listening to the sanguine counsels of Paul, formed, in conjunction with that subtile pontiff, the design of terminating the debates about religion by the force of arms. The landgrave of Hesse, and the elector of Saxony, who were the chief protectors of the protestant cause, were no sooner informed of this, than they took the proper measures to prevent their being surprised and over

Pw It is proper to observe here, that having summoned successively a council at Mantua, Vicenza, and Venice, without any effect, this pontiff thought it necessary to sbow the protestants that he was not averse to every kind of reformation, and therefore appointed four cardinals, and five other persons eminent for their learning, to draw up a plan for the reformation of the church, in general, and of the church of Rome in particular, knowing full well, by the spirit which reigned in the conclave, that this project would come to nothing. A plan, however, was drawn up by the persons appointed for that purpose. The reformation proposed in this plan was indeed extremely superficial and partial; yet it contains some particulars, which scarcely could have been expected from the pens of those that composed it. They complained, for instance, of the pride and ignorance of the bishops, and proposed that none should receive orders but learned and pious men; and that therefore care should be taken, to have proper masters to instruct the youth. They condemned translations from one benefice to another, grants of reservation, nonresidence, and pluralities.-They proposed that some convents should be abolished; that the liberty of the press should be restrained and limited; that the colloquies of Erasmus should be suppressed; that no ecclesiastic should enjoy a benefice out of his own country; that no cardinal should have a bishopric; that the questors of St. Anthony, and several other saints, should be abolished; and, which was the best of all their proposals, that the effects and personal estate of ecclesiastics should be given to the poor. They concluded with complaining of the prodigious number of indigent and ragged priests that frequented St. Peter's church; and declared, that it was a great scandal to see the whores lodged so magnificently at Rome, and riding through the streets on fine mules, while the cardinals and other ecclesiastics accompanied them in a most courteous and familiar manner. several articles of this plan of reformation, which Luther and Sturmius of Strasburg turned into ridicule, and which indeed left unredressed the most intolerable grievances of which the protestants complained, were published at Antwerp in or about the year 1539, with the answer of Cochlæus to the objections of Sturmins. They are likewise prefixed to the History of the Council of Trent, by Crabre, and were afterward pub. fished at Paris in 1612.†

This council was never assembled.

See Paulin, in Paul III. Sleid. i, xii. Univers. Mod. Hist. vol. xxvi. p. 30.

The