beacon lights of history-iii-2-第46章

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Frankfort　to　advocate　more　radical　changes　in　government　and

doctrine。　　Popular　enthusiasm　was　kindled；　never　afterwards　to　be

repressed。



The　great　ideas　of　the　Reformation　began　now　to　agitate　the　mind　of

England；not　so　much　the　logical　doctrines　of　Calvin　as　the

emancipating　ideas　of　Luther。　　The　Renaissance　had　begun；　and　the

two　movements　were　incorporated；the　religious　one　of　Germany　and

the　Pagan　one　of　Italy；　both　favoring　liberality　of　mind；　a　freer

style　of　literature；　restless　inquiries；　enterprise；　the　revival　of

learning　and　art；　an　intense　spirit　of　progress；　and　disgust　for

the　Dark　Ages　and　all　the　dogmas　of　scholasticism。　　With　this

spirit　of　progress　and　moderate　Protestantism　Elizabeth　herself；

the　best　educated　woman　in　England；　warmly　sympathized；　as　did　also

the　illustrious　men　she　drew　to　her　court；　to　whom　she　gave　the

great　offices　of　state。　　I　cannot　call　her　age　a　religious　one：　it

was　a　merry　one；　cheerful；　inquiring；　untrammelled　in　thought；　bold

in　speculation；　eloquent；　honest；　fervid；　courageous；　hostile　to

the　Papacy　and　all　the　bigots　of　Europe。　　It　was　still　rough；

coarse；　sensual；　when　money　was　scarce　and　industries　in　their

infancy；　and　material　civilization　not　very　attractive。　　But　it　was

a　great　age；　glorious；　intellectual；　brilliant；　with　such　statesmen

as　Burleigh　and　Walsingham　to　head　off　treason　and　conspiracy；　when

great　poets　arose；　like　Jonson　and　Spenser　and　Shakspeare；　and

philosophers；　like　Bacon　and　Sir　Thomas　Browne；　and　lawyers；　like

Nicholas　Bacon　and　Coke；　and　elegant　courtiers；　like　Sidney　and

Raleigh　and　Essex；　men　of　wit；　men　of　enterprise；　who　would　explore

distant　seas　and　colonize　new　countries；　yea；　great　preachers；　like

Jeremy　Taylor　and　Hall；　and　great　theologians；　like　Hooker　and

Chillingworth；giving　polish　and；　dignity　to　an　uncouth　language；

and　planting　religious　truth　in　the　minds　of　men。



Elizabeth；　with　such　a　constellation　around　her；　had　no　great

difficulty　in　re…establishing　Protestantism　and　giving　it　a　new

impetus；　although　she　adhered　to　liturgies　and　pomps；　and　loved

processions　and　fetes　and　banquets　and　balls　and　expensive

dresses；a　worldly　woman；　but　progressive　and　enlightened。



In　the　religious　reforms　of　that　age　you　see　the　work　of　princes

and　statesmen　still；　rather　than　any　great　insurrection　of　human

intelligence　or　any　great　religious　revival；　although　the　germs　of

it　were　springing　up　through　the　popular　preachers　and　the

influence　of　Genevan　reformers。　　Calvin's　writings　were　potent；　and

John　Knox　was　on　his　way　to　Scotland。



I　pass　by　rapidly　the　reforms　of　Elizabeth's　reign；　effected　by　the

Queen　and　her　ministers　and　the　convocation　of　Protestant　bishops

and　clergy　and　learned　men　in　the　universities。　　Oxford　and

Cambridge　were　then　in　their　glory；crowded　with　poor　students

from　all　parts　of　England；　who　came　to　study　Greek　and　Latin　and

read　theology；　not　to　ride　horses　and　row　boats；　to　put　on

dandified　airs　and　sneer　at　lectures；　running　away　to　London　to

attend　theatres　and　flirt　with　girls　and　drink　champagne；　beggaring

their　fathers　and　ruining　their　own　expectations　and　their　health。

In　a　very　short　time　after　the　accession　of　Elizabeth；　which　was

hailed　generally　as　a　very　auspicious　event；　things　were　restored

to　nearly　the　state　in　which　they　were　left　by　Cranmer　in　the

preceding　reign。　　This　was　not　done　by　direct　authority　of　the

Queen；　but　by　acts　of　Parliament。　　Even　Henry　VIII。　ruled　through

the　Parliament；　only　it　was　his　tool　and　instrument。　　Elizabeth

consulted　its　wishes　as　the　representation　of　the　nation；　for　she

aimed　to　rule　by　the　affections　of　her　people。　　But　she　recommended

the　Parliament　to　conciliatory　measures；　to　avoid　extremes；　to　drop

offensive　epithets；　like　〃papist〃　and　〃heretic；〃　to　go　as　far　as

the　wants　of　the　nation　required；　and　no　farther。　　Though　a　zealous

Protestant；　she　seemed　to　have　no　great　animosities。　　Her

particular　aversion　was　Bonner；the　violent；　blood…thirsty；

narrow…minded　Bishop　of　London；　who　was　deprived　of　his　see　and

shut　up　in　the　Tower；　put　out　of　harm's　way；　not　cruelly　treated；

he　was　not　even　deprived　of　his　good　dinners。　　She　appointed；　as

her　prerogative　allowed；　a　very　gentle；　moderate；　broad；　kind…

hearted　man　to　be　Archbishop　of　Canterbury；Parker；　who　had　been

chaplain　to　her　mother；　and　who　was　highly　esteemed　by　Burleigh　and

Nicholas　Bacon；　her　most　influential　ministers。　　Parliament

confirmed　the　old　act；　passed　during　the　reign　of　Henry　VIII。；

making　the　sovereign　the　head　of　the　English　Church；　although　the

title　of　〃supreme　head〃　was　left　out　in　the　oath　of　allegiance；　to

conciliate　the　Catholic　party。　　To　execute　this　supremacy；　the

Court　of　High　Commission　was　established；afterwards　so　abused　by

Charles　I。　　The　Church　Service　was　modified；　and　the　Act　of

Uniformity　was　passed　by　Parliament；　after　considerable　debate。

The　changes　were　all　made　in　the　spirit　of　moderation；　and　few

suffered　beyond　a　deprivation　of　their　sees　or　livings　for　refusing

to　take　the　oath　of　supremacy。



Then　followed　the　Thirty…nine　Articles；　setting　forth　the　creed　of

the　Established　Church；substantially　the　creed　which　Cranmer　had

made；and　a　new　translation　of　the　Bible；　and　the　regulation　of

ecclesiastical　courts。



But　whatever　was　done　was　in　good　taste；marked　by　good　sense　and

moderation；to　preserve　decency　and　decorum；　and　repress　all

extremes　of　superstition　and　license。　　The　clergy　preached　in　a

black　gown　and　Genevan　bands；　using　the　surplice　only　in　the

liturgy；　we　see　no　lace　or　millinery。　　The　churches　were　stripped

of　images；　the　pulpits　became　high　and　prominent；　the　altars　were

changed　to　communion…tables　without　candles　and　symbols。　　There　was

not　much　account　made　of　singing；　for　the　lyric　version　of　the

Psalms　was　execrable。　　For　the　first　time　since　Chrysostom　and

Gregory　Nazianzen；　preaching　became　the　chief　duty　of　the

clergyman；　and　his　sermons　were　long；　for　the　people　were　greedy　of

instruction；　and　were　not　critical　of　artistic　merits。　　Among　other

things　of　note；　the　exiles　were　recalled；　who　brought　back　with

them　the　learning　of　the　Continent　and　the　theology　of　Geneva；　and

an　intense　hatred　for　all　the　old　forms　of　superstition；images；

crucifixes；　lighted　candles；　Catholic　vestments；and　a　supreme

regard　for　the　authority　of　the　Scriptures；　rather　than　the

authority　of　the　Church。



These　men；　mostly　learned　and　pious；　were　not　contented　with　the

restoration　as　effected　by　Elizabeth's　reformers；they　wanted

greater　simplicity　of　worship　and　a　more　definite　and　logical

creed；　and　they　made　a　good　deal　of　trouble；　being　very

conscientious　and　somewhat　narrow　and　intolerant。　　So　that；　after

the　re…establishment　of　Protestantism；　the　religious　history　of　the

reign　is　chiefly　concerned　with　the　quarrels　and　animosities　within

the　Church；　particularly　about　vestments　and　modes　of　worship；

things　unessential；　minute；　technical；which　led　to　great　acerbity

on　both　sides；　and　to　some　persecution；　for　these　quarrels　provoked

the　Queen　and　her　ministers；　who　wanted　peace　and　uniformity。　　To

the　Government　it　seemed　strange　and　absurd　for　these　returned

exiles　to　make　such　a　fuss　about　a　few　externals；　to　these

intensified　Protestants　it　seemed　harsh　and　cruel　that　Government

should　insist　on　such　a　rigid　uniformity；　and　punish　them　for　not

doing　as　they　were　bidden　by　the　bishops。



So　they　separated　from　the　Established　Church；　and　became　what　were

called　Nonconformists；having　not　only　disgust　of　the　decent

ritualism　of　the　Church；　but　great　wrath　for　the　bishops　and

hierarchy　and　spiritual　courts。　　They　also　disapproved　of　the　holy

days　which　the　Church　retained；　and　the　prayers　and　the　cathedral

style　of　worship；　the　use　of　the　cross　in　baptism；　godfathers　and

godmothers；　the　confirmation　of　children；　kneeling　at　the

sacrament；　bowing　at　the　name　of　Jesus；　the　ring　in　marriage；　the