56 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. III. R.: Mary, corporations before the ele&ions came on, fo that not one almoft was left, r5 who was not a roman catholick. Bribery and menaces were made ufe of. Rapin, in all places ; and where they could not carry elections by reafon of the fu- p. 143. periority of the reformed, the Iheriffs made double returns. 'Tis fad when Refar. the religion of a nation is under fuch a direction ! But fo it will be, when 52L it falls into the hands, of a bigotted prince and miniftry. Queen Mary was a fad example of the truth of this obfervation, whofe reign was no better than one continued fcene of calamity. 'Tis thegenuine pidture of popery, and fhouldbe remember'd by all proteflants with abhor- rence ; the principles of that religion being fuch as no man can receive, till he has abjured his fenfes, renounced his underftanding and reafon, and put off all the tender compafíions of human nature. King Edw's. King Edward VI. being far gone in a confumption, from a concern laß lk for preferving the reformation, was perfuaded to fet afide the fucceff on of his fillers Mary and Elizabeth, and of the queen of Scots, the firft.and latt being papitls, and Elizabeth's blood being tainted by ad of parliament; and to fettle the crown, by will, upon the lady yane Grey, eldeft daughter of the duke of Sufolk, a lady of extraordinary qualities, zealous for the reforma- tion, and next in blood, after the princeffes abovementioned. Otte may guefs the fad apprehenfions the council were under for the proteflant religion, when they put the king, who was a minor, and not capable by law of ma- king a will, upon this expedient, and fet their hands to the validity of it. Janepra- The king being dead, queen JAN E was proclaimed with the ufual folem- claimed. nities, and an army railed to fupport her title ;: but the princefs Mary, then in Norfolk, being inform'd of her brother's death, fent a letter to the council, in which the claims the crown, and charges them upon their allegiance to proclaim her in the city of London, and elfewhere. The coun- cil in return, infifted upon her laying afide her claim, and fubmitting as a good fubje& to her new fovereign. But MARY, by the encouragement of her friends in the country, refolved to maintain her right; and to make her way more eafy, the promifed the Suffolk men, to make no alterations in reli- gion. This gained her an army, with which the marched towards London; but before the arrived, both the council and citizens of London declared for her: And on the third of Aúgufi the made her publick entry without the lofs of a drop of blood, fourweeks after the deceafe of her brother. Q Mary en- Uponqueen Mary's entrance into the Tower, the releafed Bonner, Gardi- tersLondon. ner, and otherswhom the called her prifoners. Augufi a a. her majefty de- clared in council, " That though her confcience was fettled in matters of Herdeclara - ". religion, yet the was refolved not to compel others, but by the preaching of rienaboutRe- " the word." This was different from her promife to the Suffolk men: .tigian. Sheallured them, that religion thottldbe left upon the fame foot the found it at
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