Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/278

 258 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [011.43. must be obeyed or worse would follow.' l Never were human beings in a more cruel position. Elizabeth sat still in malicious enjoyment of the torture which she was inflicting, while Parker and Grindal, after a fresh consultation with the lawyers, undertook at last to summon the London clergy and attempt to extort a promise from them to obey the Act of Uni- formity ; if the clergy refused, the Archbishop supposed that the Court was prepared for the consequences, and that he must proceed to sequestration and deprivation ; but while he consented to submit to the Queen's com- mands he warned Cecil of the inevitable consequences : many churches would be left destitute of service ; many ministers would forsake their livings and live at print- ing, teaching children, or otherwise as they could : ' what tumults would follow, what speeches and talks were like to rise in the realm and in the city, he left it to Cecil's wisdom to consider ; ' and driven as he was against his will to these unwise extremities, he again entreated that some member of the council might be joined in commission with him ' to authorize the Queen's commandments.' 2 On this last point Elizabeth would yield nothing. The clergy were under the charge of the bishops ; and the bishops should manage them with law or without. One or two of the most violent of the London preachers were called before the council and ' foul chidden : ' but 1 De Silva to Philip, March 12. 2 Parker and Grindal to Cecil, March 20 : Lansdowne MSS. 8.
 * they talked more rhetoric than reason ; the Queen