ing,) he employed his time in taking leave of his daugh ters, and preparing himself for eternity. His humour and wit, however, were displayed to the last: even on the scaffold his serenity of mind shone in its fullest lustre; and he seemed more like a man undressing to go to bed, than like one on the brink of the grave. At one blow his head was severed from his body. The latter was deposited in the chancel of the church of Chelsea, where a monument was erected to his memory: his head, after being fourteen days exposed on Londonbridge, was obtained by his daughter; and placed in a vault belonging to the Roper family, in St. Dunstan's church at Canterbury.

It has been observed of this illustrious character, that the ignorant and the proud, however exalted, were those whom he respected the least; but he was the patron of every man of science and merit, and kept up a correspondence with all the learned in Europe. As a judge, he was most upright; as a man, truly amiable, facetious and pleasing; but on the subject of religion he was weak and credulous in a high degree. Tinctured with superstition, and attached to the Romish church with inflexible adherence, he suffered his good sense to be obscured by the glosses of error and the sophisms of theologists, and fell a martyr perhaps to bigotry rather than to sound

reason.

Yet none can help respecting the errors which arise from principle:

For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight;

His can't be wrong whose life is in the right.

Except by his Utopia, sir Thomas More is now little known as an author: his polemic works have been carried down the stream of oblivion; for the best pro ductions of this nature are not likely to earn the wreath of immortality.

THOMAS CROMWELL,

EARL OF ESSEX.

Born 1498.-Beheaded 1540.

From 13th Henry VII., to 31st Henry VIII. THE rise of this earl of Essex was as sudden as that of his patron cardinal Wolsey; and, in several respects, more extraordinary. That learning should elevate a man above his original station is consistent with the common order of buman events; but that a man without either birth, education, or connexions, should be able to pierce the cloud of obscurity, and to soar into the higher regions of life, is a phenomenon which deserves to be considered and accounted for.

This champion of the reformation was the son of a blacksmith, at Putney in Surry, where he received all his slender instruction; which did not exceed the knowledge of reading and writing, with such a smattering of Latin as qualified him to understand his belief and Lord's prayer.

How

Born in such a humble sphere of life, it cannot be supposed that Cromwell could owe much to his parents beyond a vigorous and healthful constitution. ever, being possessed of a strong natural genius, and considering travelling as the only means in his power for improving his understanding and enlarging his capacity, as he advanced toward manhood he determined to visit the continent; and, according to some, he was first retained as clerk or secretary in the English factory at Antwerp.

This situation being ill suited to his aspiring genius, he soon found an opportunity of changing it for one more congenial to his views. Two messengers from the guild of the Virgin Mary in the church of St. Bc. tolph at Boston, being desirous to have their former

liberal grants and indulgences confirmed by the reigning pope, Julius the Second, happened to take Antwerp in their way where they fell in company with Cromwell; and, seeing his talents for negociation superior to their own, readily prevailed on him to accompany them to Rome. On arriving at that ancient metropolis of the world, his first care was to discover the weak side of the pope's character: and, finding him a great epicure, he caused some curious jellies to be made after the English fashion, and presented to his holiness; who was so highly gratified with these delicacies, that he immediately granted the request of the commissioners.

After this transaction, an interval of doubt and uncertainty occurs in his life. The chain of events is much interrupted and it is only known that he served under the famous duke of Bourbon, and was at the sacking of Rome, in effecting his escape from Bologna, where he was in danger of being betrayed when on a secret mission; a piece of service for which he was probably remembered and rewarded at a subsequent period.

On the defeat of the French army at Castiglione, Cromwell was reduced to the greatest distress: in which condition he arrived at the city of Florence. Here he accidentally attracted the notice of Frescobald, a merchant of eminence; who pitying his forlorn situation, put him on board a proper ship, and gave him sixteen golden ducats to defray his expenses to his own country. It is a pleasure to record an instance of a courtier's gratitude in return: this merchant being afterwards reduced to poverty, and visiting England to recover some debts, was recognized by Cromwell in his prosperity, and most munificently rewarded.

Thus it appears that the only benefit which our adventurer derived from foreign travels, was a more extensive knowledge of mankind: besides an acquaintance

with the German, French, and Italian languages: which she spoke fluently, and wrote correctly. With such natural and acquired abilities, however, he soon recommended himself to Wolsey, then in the zenith of his power; and in a short time was admitted to a considerable share of intimacy with that cardinal, and frequently employed by him in delicate and important affairs. On the disgrace of his patron, Cromwell behaved with a fidelity and gratitude which must endear his memory to every virtuous mind. He strenuously defended him from the charge of treason; he omitted no attentions of affection and respect to the prostrate greatness by which he himself had risen; and the king, who saw his zeal and abilities, prudently took him into his own service, and promoted his interest and his fame.

The dispute between Henry and the pope having now reached its height, Cromwell was chosen to manage it on the part of his sovereign. In his religious sentiments he was publicly known to favour the Reformation; and having already been instrumental in the demolition of some of the convents, the clergy dreaded his accession to power, and calumniated him grossly. Their inveterate dislike to him, however, proved fatal only to them selves. Cromwell, instead of attempting to soothe them by compliance, irritated and injured them still more, by disclosing an important secret respecting their blind devotion to Rome. He had discovered at the papal court, that after the English clergy had taken the oath of allegiance to their sovereign, the pope dispensed with that part of it which militated against his own usurped rights; so that the royal authority was abused, and the clergy were subject to the charge of an offence little short of treason.

Henry heard this with indignation; till the artful Cromwell, favouring his passion for power and for

money, pointed out the means of effectually humbling the clergy, and of confiscating their property. In a transport of joy he now embraced the new favourite; and, taking the royal signet from his finger, sent him to the convocation then sitting, to declare the pains and penalties which they had incurred. The bishops were at first astonished at the accusation, and attempted to deny the fact; but Cromwell producing a copy of the oath which they had taken to the pope at their consecration, they were awed into silence, and offered eagerly to compound with his majesty by a free gift of 118,840 pounds.

The fortune of Cromwell was insured by this exploit, and he rapidly rose to the summit of power. He was succesively made a privy counsellor, and master of the jewel-office; clerk of the hanaper, and chancellor of the exchequer; principal secretary of state, and master of the rolls; keeper of the privy seal, and lord Cromwell; and, to crown the whole, he was constituted vicar general, and vicegerent over all the spirituality under the king, who had now assumed the title of " supreme head of the church."

So many honours accumulated by a person of plebeian origin, could not escape envy. In his quality of vicargeneral also he was exposed to obloquy. The total suppression of the monasteries was a bold and novel step; and as the rupture with the court of Rome was now complete, while the greater part of the nation still professed popery, the danger of the man who had placed himself in the foremost ranks of reformation, and been accessory to that important revolution, is obvious.

Yet Cromwell was not intimidated by the difficulties which surrounded him. His good sense extricated him from some impending dangers, and his sagacity removed others that were evidently approaching. With such a capricious and fickle master, however, it was impossible