Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, and Rowland Taylor, the parish priest of Hadleigh, were two other celebrated martyrs. Taylor met his horrible fate with so much meekness and fortitude as to draw tears even from his jailer. Ridley, who had been

SPOT WHERE RIDLEY AND LATIMER WERE BURNT.

Bishop of London, was burnt at Oxford, in company with the aged Latimer, in 1555. Just as the fire was about to be applied to burn them, Latimer uttered these memorable words "Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall

this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out."

3. The most notable victim of this terrible persecution was the aged Cranmer. He was hated by Mary on account of the part he had taken in the divorce of her mother, Catherine of Arragon, from Henry VIII. While Cranmer was in prison, he was tempted to save his life by recanting his opinions,* and professing the Roman Catholic faith. The love of life was too strong for him to resist the temptation, and he recanted. But this was only a device of his enemies to humiliate him, as they intended that he should be burnt in any case. When Cranmer found this, his courage came back again. When they expected him to make a public recantation, he declared that he had yielded in a moment of weakness, and that he now confessed the principles of the reformed faith. On being led to the stake, he thrust his right hand into the fire-for that was the hand with which he had signed his recantation—and cried : "This hand has offended." Cranmer was the most

eminent victim of the persecution, which reached, however, to the lowest ranks. Labourers and tradesmen, as well as private gentlemen, were selected as victims. Bishops Gardiner and Bonner are associated with Mary as the chief instigators of this barbarous persecution, which gave to the Queen the name of "Bloody Mary."

4. When Philip once left England to arrange the affairs of his own country on the death of his father, he had little inducement to return. He did, however, come back to urge Mary to join him in a war against France. The Queen consented, and the chief con

sequence of the war, as far as England was concerned, was the loss of Calais, which town had been held by the English for two hundred years. The town was not properly garrisoned, and a body of French advancing over some frozen marshes surprised the town, and forced the English to surrender. This loss was deeply felt by the English people, and most keenly by Mary. Indeed the grief for the loss of Calais is said to have shortened the Queen's life. She died in November, 1558, deserted by her husband, unblessed with children, and unbeloved by her

65.-ELIZABETH. 1558-1603.

1. Elizabeth was at Hatfield House when she heard the news of Mary's death. She was now in her twenty-sixth year, and, proceeding to London a few days after her sister's death, she was everywhere received with the most cordial welcome. People were tired of the constant persecutions which went on under Mary, and they disliked still more the Spanish marriage. Elizabeth proceeded at first with

the utmost caution. She retained many of Mary's ministers, but chose also new ones, who were known to be adherents1 of the Protestant cause. Philip of Spain, desirous of adding England to his other vast possessions, offered his hand to Elizabeth. But the Queen knew well the discontent that had been caused by the marriage of her sister with Philip, so she politely declined the Spanish King's offer. Several times she was urged by Parliament to marry, but she always refused, though at different times certain English noblemen, as well as some foreign princes, stood high in her favour. Elizabeth used to declare that she would live and die unmarried.

2. In many points of her character, Elizabeth closely resembled her father, Henry VIII. She was imperious2 and self-willed, and could bear no contradiction. She inherited, too, her father's power of mind and his aptitude for State affairs. With these qualities were associated others, such as vanity and love of flattery, which might have been dangerous to her as a sovereign, had not the stronger part of her nature always triumphed. Though open to the ridicules of her enemies for her womanly failings, she was seldom led into mistakes in important State affairs. Her one sincere desire was to act for the benefit of England and her people, and she was rewarded by their passionate love. Though there have been greater sovereigns in England than Elizabeth, there have been none more popular. She succeeded to the throne at a time when the fortunes of England had fallen low. There was danger from Scotland and from France. The hatred of the Protestants for the Roman Catholics had been in