Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/82

 66 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. innumerable of high degrees, of mean calling, of the inferior sort, of every age and sex. Among the Pro- testants themselves that are of milder nature, it is turned into a proverb that he must be a Catholic, that payeth faithfully that he oweth ; in so much that if any Catholic do injury, everybody expostulates with him as for an act unworthy of men of that calling. To be short, heresy heareth ill of all men, neither is there any condition of people commonly counted more vile and impure than their ministers, and we worthily have in- dignation that fellows so unlearned, so evil, so derided, so base, should in so desperate a quarrel overrule such a number of noble wits as our realm hath. 1 Threatening 1 There was too much justice in Campian's description of the Pro- testant clergy.. The bishops seemed determined to deserve the name which Elizabeth was so fond of be- stowing on them. The House of Commons had many times remon- strated in vain against their commut- ations of penance, their dispensa- tions for pluralities, their iniquitous courts, and the class of persons whom they ordained to the ministry. The Crown at length took up the complaint, and at an interview be- tween the Queen and council and a number of the bishops in February, 1585, there was the following singu- lar dialogue : ' Then spake my Lord Treasurer to my Lord of Canterbury, Truly, my Lord, her Majesty has declared unto you a marvellous great fault that you make in this time of light so many lewd and unlearned minis- ters. ' Well, quoth her Majesty, draw articles, and burden them that have offended. ' I do not burden, quoth my Lord Treasurer, them that be here ; but it is the Bishop of Lichfield that I mean, who made seventy ministers in one day for money, some tailors, some shoemakers, and other crafts- men. I am sure the greatest part of them are not able to keep houses. 1 Then said the Bishop of Roches- ter, That may be so, for I know one that made seven in one day. I would every man might bear his own burden. Some of us have the greatest wrong that can be offered. For mine own part, I am sure I never made above three in one day. But, my Lord, if you would have none but learned preachers admitted