elevating to the primacy a prelate not inclined
to offend her, like his predecessor, by any remissness in putting in
force the laws against puritans and other nonconformists. She nominated
to this high dignity Whitgift bishop of Worcester, known to polemics as
the zealous antagonist of Cartwright the puritan, and further
recommended to her majesty by his single life, his talents for business,
whether secular or ecclesiastical, his liberal and hospitable style of
living, and the numerous train of attendants which swelled the pomp of
his appearance on occasions of state and ceremony, when he even claimed
to be served on the knee.

This promotion forms an important aera in the ecclesiastical history of
the reign of Elizabeth: but only a few circumstances more peculiarly
illustrative of the sentiments and disposition of Whitgift, of the queen
herself, and of some of her principal counsellors, can with propriety
find a place in a work like the present.

To bring back the clergy to that exact uniformity with respect to
doctrines, rites, and ceremonies, from which the lenity of his
predecessor had suffered them in many instances to recede, appeared to
the new primate the first and most essential duty of his office; and
the better to enforce obedience, he eagerly demanded to be armed with
that plenitude of power which her majesty as head of the church was
authorized to delegate at her pleasure. His request was granted with
alacrity, and the work of intolerance began. Subscriptions were now
required of the whole clerical body to the supremacy; to the book of
Common-prayer; and to the articles of religion settled by the
convocation of 1560. In consequence of this first step alone, so large a
number of zealous preachers and able divines attached to the Calvinistic
model were suspended from their functions for non-compliance, that the
privy-council took alarm, and addressed a letter to the archbishop
requesting a conference; but he loftily reproved their interference in
matters of this nature, declaring himself amenable in the discharge of
his functions to his sovereign alone. In the following year he prevailed
upon her majesty to appoint a second high-commission court, the members
of which were authorized, _ex officio_, to administer interrogatories on
oath in matters of faith;--an assumption of power not merely cruel and
oppressive, but absolutely illegal, if we are to rely on Beal, clerk of
the council, an able and learned but