ked by many executions and much bloodshed. It was followed by a
great conspiracy of the Pope and some of the Catholic sovereigns of
Europe to depose Elizabeth, place Mary on the throne, and restore the
unreformed religion. It is almost impossible to doubt that Mary knew and
approved of this; and the Pope himself was so hot in the matter that he
issued a bull, in which he openly called Elizabeth the 'pretended Queen'
of England, excommunicated her, and excommunicated all her subjects who
should continue to obey her. A copy of this miserable paper got into
London, and was found one morning publicly posted on the Bishop of
London's gate. A great hue and cry being raised, another copy was found
in the chamber of a student of Lincoln's Inn, who confessed, being put
upon the rack, that he had received it from one JOHN FELTON, a rich
gentleman who lived across the Thames, near Southwark. This John Felton,
being put upon the rack too, confessed that he had posted the placard on
the Bishop's gate. For this offence he was, within four days, taken to
St. Paul's Churchyard, and there hanged and quartered. As to the Pope's
bull, the people by the reformation having thrown off the Pope, did not
care much, you may suppose, for the Pope's throwing off them. It was a
mere dirty piece of paper, and not half so powerful as a street ballad.

On the very day when Felton was brought to his trial, the poor Duke of
Norfolk was released. It would have been well for him if he had kept
away from the Tower evermore, and from the snares that had taken him
there. But, even while he was in that dismal place he corresponded with
Mary, and as soon as he was out of it, he began to plot again. Being
discovered in correspondence with the Pope, with a view to a rising in
England which should force Elizabeth to consent to his marriage with Mary
and to repeal the laws against the Catholics, he was re-committed to the
Tower and brought to trial. He was found guilty by the unanimous verdict
of the Lords who tried him, and was sentenced to the block.

It is very difficult to make out, at this distance of time, and between
opposite accounts, whether Elizabeth really was a humane woman, or
desired to appear so, or was fearful of shedding the blood of people of
great name who were popular in the country. Twice she commanded and
countermanded the execution of this Duke, and it did not take place until
five months after his trial. The scaffold was erect