ure a triumph to their antagonists. The
proceedings opened with a sermon from Harpsfeld, then chaplain of the
Bishop of London, in which, in a series of ascending antitheses,
Northumberland was described as Holofernes, and Mary as Judith;
Northumberland was Haman, and Mary was Esther; Northumberland was
Sisera, and Mary was the mother in Israel. Mary was the sister who had
chosen the better part: religion ceased and slept until Mary arose a
virgin in Israel, and with the mother of God Mary might sing, "Behold,
from henceforth all generations shall call {p.070} me blessed." The
trumpet having thus sounded, the lists were drawn for the combat; the
bishops sat in their robes, the clergy stood bareheaded, and the
champions appeared. Hugh Weston, Dean of Windsor, Dean of Westminster
afterwards, Dr. Watson, Dr. Moreman, and the preacher Harpsfeld
undertook to defend the real presence against Phillips Dean of
Rochester, Philpot, Cheny, Aylmer, and Young.

The engagement lasted for a week. The reforming theologians fought for
their dangerous cause bravely and temperately; and Weston, who was at
once advocate and prolocutor, threw down his truncheon at last, and
told Philpot that he was meeter for Bethlehem than for a company of
grave and learned men, and that he should come no more into their
house.[161] The orthodox thus ruled themselves the victors: but beyond
the doors of the Convocation House they did not benefit their cause.
The dispute, according to Renard, resolved itself, in the opinion of
the laity, into scandalous railing and recrimination;[162] the people
were indignant; and the Houses of Parliament, disgusted and
dissatisfied, resumed the discussion among themselves, as more
competent to conduct it with decency. In eight days the various
changes introduced by Edward VI. were argued in the House of Commons,
and points were treated of there, said Renard, which a general council
could scarcely resolve. At length, by a majority, which exceeded
Gardiner's most sanguine hopes, of 350 against 80, the mass was
restored, and the clergy were required to return to celibacy.[163]

[Footnote 161: Report of the Disputation in the
Convocation House.--Foxe, vol. v. p. 395.]

[Footnote 162: Renard to Charles V., October 28:
_Rolls House MSS._]

[Footnote 163: Ibid. November 8: _Rolls House
MSS._]

The precipitation