Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/273

 1565 ] THE EMBASSY OF DE SILVA. 253 of the Church at such a time ' about things indifferent.' 1 On the 24th of January the Queen addressed a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, ' that whereas the eccle- siastical government ought to be the example in its per- fection to all others by the carelessness of him the Archbishop and of the other bishops, differences of opinion, differences of practice, differences in the rites used in the churches, had risen up throughout the realm, to the great offence of godly, wise, and obedient persons. She had hoped that the bishops would in time have remembered their duties ; but finding her ex- pectation disappointed she had now resolved to use her own authority and suppress and reform all novelties, diversities, and varieties. The Act of Uniformity should be obeyed in all its parts, and the bishops must see to it at their peril/ In the first draft of the letter a clause was added in Cecil's hand, recommending them to act with moderation ; but the words were struck through and a menace substituted in their place that ' if the bishops were now remiss, the Queen would provide other remedy by such sharp proceedings as should not be easy to be borne by such as were disordered ; and therewith also she would impute to them the cause thereof.' 2 Much might have been said on the manner of these injunctions. To the matter there was no objection, pro- 1 Pilkington to Leicester, October 25, 1564: STKYPE'S Parker, Ap- pendix. 2 The Queen to Archbishop Parker, January 24, 1565 ; STKYPE'S Life of Parker.