State-necessity claimed another victim; and this ardent young man, whose execution had been at first unexpectedly postponed, was suddenly hurried from his dinner to a temporary gallows; a circumstance marked by its cruelty, but designed to prevent an expected tumult *.

own chamber, and is not to be punished till he thinks fit to be called to it."-Jeffries was a profligate sophist, but his talents were as great as his vices.

* Penry's unfinished petition, which he designed to have presented to the Queen before the trial, is a bold and energetic composition! his protestation, after the trial, a pathetic prayer! Neale has preserved both in his History of the Puritans. With what simplicity of eloquence he remonstrates on the temporising government of Elizabeth. He thus addresses the Queen, under the title of Madam:-"Your standing is, and has been, by the Gospel it is little beholden to you, for anything that appears. The practice of your government shows, that if you could have ruled without the Gospel, it would have been doubtful whether the Gospel should be established or not; for now that you are established in your throne by the Gospel, you suffer it to reach no farther than the end of your sceptre limiteth unto it."-Of a milder, and more melancholy cast, is the touching language, when the hope of life, but not the firmness of his cause, had deserted him. “I look not to live this week to an end. I never took myself for a rebuker, much less for a reformer of states and kingdoms. I never did anything in this cause for contention, vain-glory, or to draw disciples after me. Great things, in this life, I never sought for: sufficiency I had, with great outward trouble; but most content I was with my lot, and content with my untimely death, though I leave behind me a friendless widow and four infants."-Such is often the pathetic cry of the simple-hearted, who fall the victims to the political views of more designing heads.

We could hardly have imagined that this eloquent and serious young man was that Martin Mar-prelate who so long played the political ape before the populace, with all the mummery of their low buffoonery, and even mimicking their own idioms. The populace, however, seems to have been divided in their opinions respecting the sanity of his politics, as appears by some ludicrous lines, made on Penry's death, by a northern rhymer.

"The Welshman is hanged, Who at our kirke flanged,

And at the state banged,

And brened are his buks.

Contrasted with this fiery Mar-prelate, was another, the learned subtile John Udall. His was the spirit which dared to do all that Penry had dared, yet conducting himself in the heat of action with the tempered wariness of age: "If they silence me as a minister," said he, "it will allow me leisure to write; and then I will give the bishops such a blow as shall make their hearts ache." It was agreed among the party neither to deny, or to confess, writing any of their books, lest among the suspected the real author might thus be discovered, or forced solemnly to deny his own work; and when the bishop of Rochester, to catch Udall by surprise, suddenly said, "Let me ask you a question concerning your book," the wary Udall replied, "It is not yet proved to be mine!" He adroitly explained away the offending passages the lawyers picked out of his book, and in a contest between him and the judge, not only repelled him with his own arms, but when his lordship would have wrestled on points of divinity, Udall expertly perplexed the lawyer, by showing he had committed an anachronism of four hundred years! He was equally acute with the witnesses; for, when one deposed that he had seen a catalogue of Udall's library, in which was inserted "The Demonstration of Discipline," the anonymous book for which Udall was prosecuted, with great ingenuity he observed, that this was rather an argument that he was not the author, for "scholars use not to put their own books in the catalogue of those they have in their study." We observe with astonishment the tyrannical decrees of our courts of justice, which lasted till the happy Revolution. The bench was as depraved in their notions of the rights of the subject in the reign of Elizabeth, as in those of Charles II. and James II. The Court refused to hear Udall's witnesses, on this strange principle, that "witnesses in favour of the prisoner were against the queen!" To which Udall replied, "It is for the queen to hear all things, when the life of any of her subjects is in question." The criminal felt what was just more than his judges; and yet the judge, though to be reprobated for his mode, calling so learned a man "Sirrah!" was right in the thing, when he declared that " you would bring the queen and the crown under your girdles." It is remarkable, that Udall repeatedly employed that expression which Algernon Sidney left as his last legacy to the people, when he told them he was about to

And though he be hanged,
Yet he is not wranged;
The de'il has him fanged
In his kruked kluks."

-WEEVER'S Funerall Monuments, p. 56.
Edit. 1631.

die for "that Old Cause in which I was from my youth engaged." Udall perpetually insisted on "The Cause." This was a term which served at least for a watch-word: it rallied the scattered members of the republican party. The precision of the expression might have been difficult to ascertain; and, perhaps, like every popular expedient, varied with "existing circumstances." I did not, however, know it had so remote an origin as in the reign of Elizabeth; and suspect it may still be freshened up, and varnished over, for any present occasion.

The last stroke for Udall's character is the history of his condemnation. He suffered the cruel mockery of a pardon granted conditionally, by the intercession of the Scottish monarch, but never signed by the Queen—and Udall mouldered away the remnant of his days in a rigid imprisonment*.

* Observe what different conclusions are drawn from the same fact by opposite writers. Heylin, arguing that Udall had been justly condemned, adds, "the man remained a living monument of

Cartwright and Travers, the chief movers of this faction, retreated with haste and caution from the victims they had conducted to the place of execution, while they themselves sunk into a quiet forgetfulness and selfish repose.

the archbishop's extraordinary goodness to him in the preserving of that life which by the law he had forfeited." But Neale, on the same point, considers him as one who "died for his conscience, and stands upon record as a monument of the oppression and cruelty of the government." All this opposition of feeling is of the nature of partyspirit: but what is more curious in the history of human nature, is the change of opinion in the same family, in the course of the same generation. The son of this Udall was as great a zealot for Conformity, and as great a sufferer for it from his father's party, when they possessed political power. This son would not submit to their oaths and covenants, but, with his bedridden wife, was left unmerci. fully to perish in the open streets.-WALKER'S Sufferings of the Clergy, part ii. p. 178.

Now out he runnes with Cuckowe king of May, Then in he leapes with a wild Morrice daunce: Then strikes he up Dame Lawsen's* lustie lay; Then comes Sir Jeffries ale-tub, tapp'd by chaunce,

Which makes me gesse, and I can shrewdly smell,
He loues both t' one and t'other passing well.

Then straight, as though he were distracted quite,
He chafeth like a cut-purse layde in warde;
And rudely railes with all his maine and might,
Against both knights and lords without regard:
So as Bridewell must tame his dronken fits,
And Bedlem help to bring him to his wits.

But, Martin, why, in matters of such weight, Doest thou thus play the dawe, and dauncing foole ?

O sir (quoth he) this is a pleasant baite

For men of sorts, to traine them to my schoole. Ye noble states, how can you like hereof, A shamelesse Ape at your sage head should scoffe?

Good Noddie, now leaue scribbling in such matters; They are no tooles for fooles to tend unto; Wise men regard not what mad monkies patters! 'Twere trim a beast should teach men what to do. Now Tarleton's dead, the consort lackes a Vice. For knaue and foole thou maist bear prick and price.

The sacred sect, and perfect pure precise,

Whose cause must be by Scoggin's jests mainteinde,

Ye shewe, although that Purple, Apes disguise,
Yet Apes are still, and so must be, disdainde.
For though your Lyons lookes weake eyes escapes,
Your babling bookes bewraies you all for Apes.
The next point is, Apes use to tosse and teare

What once their fidling fingers fasten on;
And clime aloft, and cast downe euery where,
And neuer staies till all that stands be gon!
Now whether this in Martin be not true,
You wiser heads marke here what doth ensue.

* Martin was a protégé of this Dame Lawson. There appear to have been few political conspiracies without a woman, whenever religion forms a part. This dame is thus noticed in the mock Epitaphs on Martin's funeral:

"Away with silk, for I will mourn in sacke;
Martin is dead, our new sect goes to wrack.
Come, gossips mine, put finger in the eie,
He made us laugh, but now must make us crie."
DAME LAWSON.

"Sir Jeffrie's ale-tub" alludes to two knights, who were ruinously fined, and hardly escaped with life, for their patronage of Martin.

What is it not that Martin doth not rent? Cappes, tippets, gownes, black chiuers, rotchets white;

Communion bookes, and homelies; yea, so bent
To teare, as women's wimples feele his spite.
Thus tearing all, as all apes use to doo,
He teares withall the Church of Christ in two.
Markenow what thinges he meanes to tumble downe,
For to this poynt to look is worth the while,
In one that makes no choice 'twixt cap and crowne,
Cathedrall churches he would fain untile,
And snatch up bishops' lands, and catch away
All gaine of learning for his prouling pray.

And thinke you not he will pull downe at length

As well the top from tower as cocke from steeple; And when his head hath gotten some more strength,

To play with Prince as now he doth with People: Yes, he that now saith, Why should Bishops bee? Will next crie out, Why Kings? The Saincts are free!

The Germaine boores with Clergiemen began,

But neuer left till Prince and Peeres were dead. Jacke Leyden was a holy zealous man,

But ceast not till the Crowne was on his head. And Martin's mate, Jacke Strawe, would alwaies ring

The Clergie's faults, but sought to kill the King. "Oh that," quoth Martin, "chwere a Noblemant!"

Avaunt, vile villain! 'tis not for such swads. And of the Counsell, too: marke Princes then:

These roomes are raught at by these lustie lads. For Apes must climbe, and neuer stay their wit, Untill on top of highest hilles they sit.

What meane they els, in euerie towne to craue
There Priest and King like Christ himself to be:
And for one Pope ten thousand Popes to have,
And to controll the highest he or she?
Aske Scotland that, whose King so long they crost,
As he was like his kingdome to haue lost.
Beware ye States and Nobles of this lande,

The Clergie is but one of these men's buttes.
The Ape at last on master's necke will stande :

Then gegge betimes these gaping greedie gults. Least that too soone, and then too late ye feele, He strikes at head that first began with heele. The third tricke is, what Apes by flattering waies Cannot come by with biting, they will snatch ; Our Martin makes no bones, but plainely saies, Their fists shall walke, they will both bite and scratch.

† Chwere, i. e. " that I were," alluding to their frequently adopting the corrupt phraseology of the populace, to catch the ears of the mob.

The thing that neither Pope with booke nor bull, Nor Spanish King with ships could doe without, Our MARTINS heere at home will worke at full: If Prince curbe not betimes that rabble rout. That is, destroy both Church and State and all; For if t' one faile, the other needes must fall. Thou England, then, whom God doth make so glad Through Gospel's grace and Prince's prudent reigne,

And so adieu, mad Martin-mar-the-land Leaue off thy worke, and "more work"‡ hearest thou me;

Thy work's nought worth, take better worke in hand.

Thou marr'st thy worke, and thy work will

marre thee.

Worke not anewe, least it doth work thy wracke, And then make worke for him that worke doth

lacke.

And this I warn thee, Martin's Monckies-face,

Take heed of me; my rime doth charm thee bad. I am a rimer of the Irish race,

And haue alreadie rimde thee staring mad. But if thou cease not thy bald jests to spread, I'le never leave till I have rimde thee dead.

Take heede least thou at last be made as sad,

paine.

For he marrs all and maketh nought, nor will, Saue lies and strife, and works for England's ill. And ye graue men that answere MARTIN'S mowes, He mocks the more, and you in vain loose times. Leaue Apes to Doggs to baite, their skins to Crowes,

And let old Lanamt lashe him with his rimes. The beast is proud when men his enditings ; Let his workes goe the waie of all wast writings.

Now, Martin, you that say you will spawne out Your brawling brattes, in euery towne to dwell, We will prouide in each place for your route,

A bell and whippe that Apes do loue so well. And if yo skippe, and will not wey the checke, We 'il haue a springe, and catch you by the necke.

* It is a singular coincidence, that Arnauld, in his caustic retort on the Jesuits, said, "I do not fear your pen, but your penknife." The play on the words tells even better in our language than in the original-plume and canif.

I know of only one Laneham, who wrote "A Narrative of the Queen's Visit at Kenilworth Castle, 1575." He was probably a redoubtable satirist. I do not find his name in Ritson's Bibliographia Poetica.

Mar-Prelate ought to have many other names. "The author calleth himself by a famed name, Martin Mar-Prelate; a very fit name, undoubtedly; but if this outrageous spirit of boldness be not stopped speedily, I fear he will prove himself to be not only Mar-Prelate, but Mar-Prince, Mar-State, Mar-Law, Mar-Magistrate, all together, until he bring it to an equalitie."

I will close this note with an extract from "Pappe with a Hatchet," which illustrates the ill effects of all sudden reforms, by an apposite and original image.

"There was an aged man, that lived in a wellordered Commonwealth, by the space of threescore years, and finding, at the length, that by the heate of some men's braines, and the warmness of other men's blood, that newe alterations were in hammering, and that it grewe to such an height, that all the desperate and discontented persons were readie to runne their heads against their head; comming into the midst of these mutiners, cried, as loude as his yeeres would allow :- Springalls, and vnripened youthes, whose wisedomes are yet in the blade, when this snowe shall be melted (laying his hand on his siluer haires) then shall you find store of dust, and rather wish for the continuance of a long frost, than the incomming of an untimely thaw.'"-Sig. D. 3. verso.