Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/431

 THE SPANISH TREATY. On Parker's death these iniquities were exposed and ended. His successor, Grindal, a man of infinitely nobler character, swept clear the corrupted ecclesiastical courts, abandoned the unjust wa}^s of collecting money, scoured away to the best of his ability the accumulated filth of eighteen years. But Grindal's zeal was less - agreeable to the Queen than Parker's corruption. Griiidal was a sincere Protestant, especially earnest for what was called preaching the word, and regarding the voice of a living man, whether an ordained priest or not, as having more saving grace in it than ceremonies or sacraments. Steady to her principle of silencing speech on trouble- some subjects, the Queen was inclined always to empty pulpits which she could not tune. She considered ' three or four preachers enough for a county/ and one of the Homilies decently read as better than original eloquence. The Archbishop complied with her command so far as to place the sermons under restriction, and prevent ex- cesses which she affected to dread : but stop them alto- gether he would not, and Elizabeth would as little en- dure a prelate who was less than absolutely submissive. Leicester, it was said, had his eye on Lambeth as a great sums, and every year after made a more profit than hereafter is convenient by admitting children to cures,' &c. &c. Articles touching the late Archbishop, endorsed in Grin- dal's hand as drawn by himself: MSS. Domestic, February, 1575-6. Com- pare a resolution of council on Dispen- sations, evidently directed at Parker's practices, dated June 20, 1576: MSS. Domeftic, vol. cxxix. Among the particulars mentioned are 'dis- pensations for children and young men under age to take ecclesiastical promotions, the tax whereof, the party being 18 years of age or more, was 4/. 6s. 8d., the tax much greater the pnrties being under 14 years.