The act of the six articles, was a signal to the whole popish party. They now plainly saw their power; and had only to exert it properly. The parliament, and convocation were the scenes of action. Here the primate almost single opposed them. A few of the bishops lent him aid; but it was feeble. They were either uninterested in the cause; or men of no abilities in business. One or two of them, from whom he expected assistance, deserted him. But the severest loss he felt, at this time, was that of his great friend, the earl of Essex.

The interest of that eminent statesman declined with that of the protestants; and he paid at the block, the penalty of his master's offences. The dissolution of monasteries had given general disgust. The alms, and hospitality of the monks, indiscriminately administered, had through a course of ages invited sloth; and these channels of ready supply being now stopped, the necessitous found it irksome to exchange a life of idleness for a life of industry. A general discontent soon finds a mouth to express it. Clamour grew loud; and the king's government, uneasy. Something must necessarily be done.

Among all the arts of expediency laid up in the cabinets of princes, the readiest is to sacrifice a minister. The death of Cromwel was represented to the king as the best mean of composing the people. But tho prudential reasons may necessitate a prince to discard a minister, yet guilt only, and that nicely examined, can authorize an act of blood. The hand of a tyrant however generally throws aside the balance. It is a nice machine; and requires pains, and temper to adjust it. The sword is an instrument more decisive; and of easier dispatch. Henry's was always stained with blood—often with innocent blood—but never with blood more innocent than that of Essex.

Among the many friends of this great man, several of whom had tasted largely of his bounty, not a single person endeavoured to avert his ruin, but the primate. He with generous friendship wrote to the king; united himself with the falling minister; and endeavoured, at the hazard of his own safety, to inspire his royal master with ideas of justice. But the fate of Essex was decreed; and so light a thing, as a whisper from the still voice of justice, could not avert it.—History unites in marking the duke of Norfolk, and the bishop of Winchester, as the secret contrivers of this base affair.

The primate and Essex had ever maintained a uniform friendship for each other, through every period of their power. It was a friendship pure from jealousy on both sides. Amidst all the jarrings of court faction, nothing ever disturbed it. Each knew the integrity of the other's intentions; and each supported the other's schemes with an exertion of all his interest. In some things perhaps the zeal of Essex for his friend was apt to carry him too far; and the primate had oftener than once occasion to repress it.

A priest near Scarborough, sitting among his companions, over his beer, at the door of a country ale-house; and somebody happening to mention the archbishop; "That man, said the priest, as great as he is now, was once but an ostler; and has no more learning, than the goslings yonder on the green." Essex, who had his spies in every quarter, was informed of what the priest had said. A messenger was immediately dispatched for him; and he was lodged in the Fleet.

Some months elapsed, when the archbishop, who was intirely ignorant of the affair, received a petition from the poor priest, full of penitence for his imprudence, and of supplication for mercy.

The primate having inquired into the business sent for him. "I hear, said he, you have accused me of many things; and among others, of my being a very ignorant man. You have now an opportunity of setting your neighbours right in this matter; and may examine me, if you please."

The priest, in great confusion, besought his grace to pardon him: he never would offend in the same way again.

"Well then, says the archbishop, since you will not examine me, let me examine you."

The priest was thunderstruck; making many excuses; and owning he was not much learned in book-matters.

The archbishop told him, he should not then go very deep; and asked him two or three of the plainest questions in the bible; Who was David's father? and who was Solomon's?

The priest, confused at his own ignorance, stood speechless.

"You see, said the archbishop how your accusation of me, rises against yourself. You are an admirable judge of learning and learned men.—Well, my friend, I had no hand in bringing you here, and have no desire to keep you. Get home; and if you are an ignorant man, learn at least to be an honest one."

Soon after, the earl of Essex came to the primate; and with some warmth told him, he might for the future fight his own battles—that he had intended to to have made the priest do penance at Paul's cross; but his grace's misjudged lenity had prevented him.

"My good lord, said the primate, taking him by the hand, be not offended. I have examined the man myself; and be assured from me, he is neither worth your notice, nor mine."

Notwithstanding however the loss of his great associate, the archbishop did not despair. An attempt was made in convocation to revive some popish ceremonies. A sort of ritual was produced, which consisted of ninety articles. The archbishop unaided went through the whole; and reasoned with such strength of argument, as brought over many to his opinion. Whom he could not convince, he silenced.

The next field, in which he appeared, was the house of lords, where he himself made the attack, by bringing in a bill to mitigate the penalties of the six articles. This was a bold attempt, and drew on him the whole force of opposition. The bishops of Rochester and Hereford, who had promised to assist him, gave way, as the debate grew warm; and begged the archbishop to follow their example. It was in vain, they told him, to persist: He could not benefit his cause; but he might ruin himself. The archbishop, with that spirit which he always exerted, where religion was concerned, declared himself careless of any consequence.

His perseverance had an effect, which he durst not have hoped for. The laity were intirely exempted from the penalties of the act; and the clergy were in no danger, till after the third conviction. The primate obtained also that no offences should be cognizable, after they had lain dormant a year. It is not improbable, that he was indebted for this victory to the book, which he had sent to the king; the rigour of whose opinions it might, in some degree, have qualified.

In another effort also the primate obtained an advantage. He prevailed with the king to allow the use of a few prayers in the English tongue; which was the first attempt of the kind, that had been made.

On the other hand, he had the mortification to see the use of the bible taken away. Winchester brought the affair into convocation. In the debate, which ensued, the translation was chiefly objected to, ‘Let the people have their bible, said Winchester, but let it be a correct one; and let not error and heresy be spread by authority.’ He proposed therefore to have the bible carefully examined; and with this view to have it put into the hands of the bishops; where he doubted not he had influence to suspend it, as long as he pleased.

The primate saw his policy, and with all his weight opposed him. He wished to preserve the present translation, even with all its inaccuracies; which he thought better than to run the risk of a new one. But he could not prevail. One point however he gained. Instead of putting the bible into the hands of the bishops; he got it put into the hands of the two universities, which he supposed would be less subject to popish influence.

He was right in his conjecture; for the universities were very speedy in their revision. But the primate had the old battle to fight again. Tho a more correct bible was produced, yet the same opposition was still made to its publication; and new topics of argument were introduced. The archbishop however had now encouraged a considerable party to second him; and the affair was combated with great vigour. But the opposition of the popish party became so formidable, that the archbishop was again intirely deserted. Single however, as he had done before, he still bore up against his adversaries; and persevered, till by dint of perseverance he obtained a limited use of the bible, tho it was never publicly allowed during the remainder of Henry's reign.