o the election of bishops explain the unreality of the new arrangement,
and divest it of the character of wanton tyranny with which it appeared
_prima facie_ to press upon the Chapters. The history of this statute is
curious, and perhaps explains the intentions with which it was
originally passed. It was repealed by the 2d of the 1st of Edward VI. on
the ground that the liberty of election was merely nominal, and that the
Chapters ought to be relieved of responsibility when they had no power
of choice. Direct nomination by the crown was substituted for the _conge
d'elire_, and remained the practice till the reaction under Mary, when
the indefinite system was resumed which had existed before the
Reformation. On the accession of Elizabeth, the statute of 25 Henry
VIII. was again enacted. The more complicated process of Henry was
preferred to the more simple one of Edward, and we are naturally led to
ask the reason of so singular a preference. I cannot but think that it
was this. The Council of Regency under Edward VI. treated the Church as
an institution of the State, while Henry and Elizabeth endeavoured
(under difficulties) to regard it under its more Catholic aspect of an
organic body. So long as the Reformation was in progress, it was
necessary to prevent the intrusion upon the bench of bishops of
Romanizing tendencies, and the deans and chapters were therefore
protected by a strong hand from their own possible mistakes. But the
form of liberty was conceded to them, not, I hope, to place deliberately
a body of clergymen in a degrading position, but in the belief that at
no distant time the Church might be allowed without danger to resume
some degree of self-government.

[238] 25 Henry VIII. cap. 21.

[239] I sent you no heavy words, but words of great comfort; willing
your brother to shew you how benign and merciful the prince was; and
that I thought it expedient for you to write unto his Highness, and to
recognise your offence and to desire his pardon, which his Grace would
not deny you now in your age and sickness.--Cromwell to Fisher:
_Suppression of the Monasteries_, p. 27.

[240] Sir Thomas More to Cromwell: Burnet's _Collectanea_, p. 350.

[241] Sir Thomas More to Cromwell: Burnet's _Collectanea_, p. 350.

[242] Ibid.

[243] More to Cromwell: Strype's _Memorials_, Vol. I. Appendix, p. 195

[244] More to the King: Ellis, first series, Vol. II. p. 47

[245] Cromwell to Fisher: _Suppression of the Monasteri