political refugees; that is, persons who had taken part against the government, and ran the risk of being imprisoned for sedition or executed for high treason. Some of great name he shows to have been personally implicated in conspiracies against the Queen, and open rebels against her authority. He proves from their writings that their general object was nothing less than to stir up a revolution in England and dethrone the Queen. These writings were secretly introduced into that country and dispersed among the people. They were of the most inflammatory description, and filled with language so profane and filthy, that their publication would not be endured in England at the present day. They taught doctrines calcu lated not only to incite the people to rebellion, but to make them throw off all government and all authority whatever. The very men who had so loudly asserted the claims of the Lady Jane to the throne, now unblushingly declared that it was "contrary to God's word," yea, "repugnant to the order of nature," to be governed by a woman; and openly taught that "ungodly princes and magistrates”—by which they meant all who were not of the reformed religion-might lawfully be put to

death by their subjects. The Queen herself was made the object of the foulest abuse and the most violent threats.

Knox, the Scotch Reformer, and who

may

be called the founder of the Established Kirk of Scotland, was at this time living as an exile at Geneva or Frankfort. From over sea he wrote most furiously against her, declaring that as a woman she was under the curse of God; that she was illegitimate, and therefore a usurper; and that, even though she had come fairly to the throne, she had shown herself to be a tyrant, and ought to be crushed like a viper. Others of the Reformation preachers, and among them Becon, one of Archbishop Cranmer's chaplains, wrote in a similar strain, using language of the grossest kind, so gross indeed, and vile, that I should be ashamed to repeat it. In short, with one accord they did not hesitate to affirm that the Queen of England, because she was a Catholic, ought to be deposed and put to death.

Here are some specimens of the language in which they put out their detestable doctrines— specimens, that is, of such language as may be fitly quoted, for much that they wrote is, as I have said, too foul to be repeated. Goodman,

who was mentioned in the former Tract as ap proving Wyatt's rebellion, and mourning over his defeat, thus expresses himself: "By giving authority to an idolatrous woman, ye have banished Christ and His gospel, and in His place restored Antichrist with all his infections, wherein your own consciences condemn you of evil. Then in taking again the same authority from her, you shall restore Christ and His word, and do well. In obeying her ye have displeased God. Then in disobeying her ye shall please God. Because you have given place to her and her counsels, you are all become idolatrous hypocrites, and also traitors to your own country. By resisting her and her wicked decrees, you must be made true worshippers of God, and faithful Englishmen." In another place, after reminding his readers how "God commanded Moses to hang up all the captains and heads of the people, for that by their example they made the people idolaters," he goes on to say, "which judgment, though it was done at God's commandment first, and after at Moses', yet were the people executors of the same, and all did understand that it was just; and not for that time only, but to be a perpetual example for ever, and a sure admonition of their duty

in the like defection from God, to hang up such rulers as should draw them from Him."

He describes "the empire and government of a woman," as "that monster in nature and disorder among men;" and calls Mary "that most impotent and unbridled woman,' " "that wicked woman, whom you untruly make your queen. O vain and miserable men," he exclaims, "to what vileness are you brought, and yet, as men blind, see not! Because you would not have God to reign over you, and His word to be a light unto your footsteps, behold He hath not given an hypocrite only to reign over you, (as He promised,) but an idolatress also; not a man, according to His appointment, but a woman, which His law forbiddeth and nature abhorreth; whose reign was never counted lawful by the word of God, but an express sign of God's wrath, and notable plague for the sins of the people; as was the reign of cruel Jezabel and ungodly Athalia, especial instruments of Satan... So that now, both by God's laws and man's, she ought to be punished with death." Knox also warns his readers "how abominable before God is the empire and rule of a wicked woman... Horrible is the vengeance which is prepared for the

promoters and for the persons promoted, except they speedily repent..... Wherefore let men that receive of women authority, honor, or office, be most assuredly persuaded that, in so maintaining that usurped power, they declare themselves enemies to God..... They must refuse to be her officers, because she is a traitress and rebel against God. And finally, they must study to repress her inordinate pride and tyranny to the uttermost of their power.... First, they ought to remove from honor and authority, that monster in nature (so I call a woman clad in habit of a man, yea, a woman against nature reigning above man.) Secondarily, if any presume to defend that impiety, they ought to fear, first to pronounce, and then after to execute against them, the sentence of death." Poinet, Protestant bishop of Winchester, who had fled the country on the failure of Wyatt's rebellion, used similar language, inciting the people of England to dethrone their Queen and put her to death.

They also denounced the judgments of God against the whole kingdom on account of the restoration of the old religion, and endeavored, by a fearful picture of all the woes that were hanging over them, to work upon the