tion lay, had been by no means universally accepted.
Now, however, the scheme was to be pushed forward; and as a preparation
for it, it was proposed to visit every monastery and convent in the
kingdom, and to render account first of the temporal wealth of each,
and then of the submissiveness of its inmates; and, as Cromwell had
hinted to Ralph, anything that could damage the character of the
Religious would not be unacceptable evidence.

Ralph was aware that the scheme in which he was engaged was supported in
two ways; first, by the suspension of episcopal authority during the
course of the visitation, and secondly by the vast powers committed to
the visitors. In one of the saddle-bags strapped on to Mr. Morris's
horse was a sheaf of papers, containing eighty-six articles of enquiry,
and twenty-five injunctions, as well as certificates from the King
endowing Ralph with what was practically papal jurisdiction. He was
authorised to release from their vows all Religious who desired it, and
ordered to dismiss all who had been professed under twenty years of age,
or who were at the present date under twenty-four years old. Besides
this he was commissioned to enforce the enclosure with the utmost
rigour, to set porters at the doors to see that it was observed, and to
encourage all who had any grievance against their superiors to forward
complaints through himself to Cromwell.

Ralph understood well enough the first object of these regulations,
namely to make monastic life impossible. It was pretty evident that a
rigorous confinement would breed discontent; which in its turn would be
bound to escape through the vent-hole which the power of appeal
provided; thus bringing about a state of anarchy within the house, and
the tightening of the hold of the civil authority upon the Religious.

Lastly the Visitors were authorised to seize any church furniture or
jewels that they might judge would be better in secular custody.

Once more, he had learned both from Cromwell, and from his own
experience at Paul's Cross, how the laity itself was being carefully
prepared for the blow that was impending, by an army of selected
preachers who could be trusted to say what they were told. Only a few
days before Ralph had halted his horse at the outskirts of a huge crowd
gathered round Paul's Cross, and had listened to a torrent of
vituperation poured out by a famous orator against the mendicant friars;
and from the faces and exclamations of th