Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/297

1553.] however, from attachment to Courtenay, partly from loyalty to his country, he shook off the temptation and continued to support the opposition. A look at Gardiner, at this time, through contemporary eyes, assists much towards the understanding him. Thomas Mountain, parson of St Michael's by the Tower, an ultra-Reformer, had been out with Northumberland at Cambridge. The following story is related by himself.'Sunday, October 8,' Mountain says, 'I ministered service, according to the godly order set forth by that blessed prince King Edward, the parish communicating at the Holy Supper. Now, while I was even a breaking of bread at the table, saying to the communicants, Take and eat this, Drink this, there were standing by several servingmen, to see and hear, belonging to the Bishop of Winchester; among whom one of them most shamefully blasphemed God, saying:'Yea, by God's blood, standest thou there yet, saying—Take and eat, Take and drink; will not this gear be left yet? You shall be made to sing another song within these few days, I trow, or else I have lost my mark.'A day or two after came an order for Mountain to appear before Gardiner at Winchester House. Mountain said he would appear after morning prayers; but the messenger's orders were not to leave him, and he was obliged to obey on the instant.The Bishop was standing when he entered, 'in a bay window, with a great company about him; among them Sir Anthony St Leger, reappointed Lord Deputy of Ireland.''Thou heretic,' the Bishop began; 'how darest thou be so bold as to use that schismatical service still, seeing God hath sent us a Catholic Queen. There is such an abominable company of you, as is able to poison a whole realm with heresies.My lord,' Mountain replied, 'I am no heretic, for in that way you count heresy, so worship we the living God.God's passion,' said the Bishop, 'did I not tell you, my Lord Deputy, how you should know a heretic. He is up with his living God as though there was a dead God. They have nothing in their mouths, these heretics, but the Lord liveth; the living God; the Lord! the Lord! and nothing but the Lord.Here,' says Mountain, 'he chafed like a bishop; and as his manner was, many times be put off his cap, and rubbed to and fro up and down the forepart of his head, where a lock of hair was always standing up.My good Lord Chancellor,' St Leger said to him, 'trouble not yourself with this heretic; I think all the world is full of them; God bless me from them. But, as your