Christian antiquities -- Great Britain; Folklore -- Great Britain; Great Britain -- Social life and customs; Manners and customs
Determined efforts were made to proclaim the doctrines of the Roman
Catholic Church, and on the following Sunday, Mr. Thomas Watson, an
earnest preacher, gave a stirring sermon. He was guarded with 200
soldiers, "with their halberdes." Amongst those who listened to him, are
named the Marquis of Winchester, the Earl of Bedford, the Earl of
Pembroke, and the Lord Rich. Watson, some time previously, had been set in
the stocks at Canterbury, by the orders of Cranmer. The time was near at
hand when the teachings of the Roman Church were "heard without protest,
if not with approval." The Catholics took decided measures to close the
mouths of those who did not agree with them.
Mary died. In her stead, Elizabeth occupied the throne, and a change came
over the scene. The new Queen dearly loved pomp. On one occasion, she went
to hear one of the Reformers preach at St. Paul's, and in her train were a
large number of lords and ladies, 1000 soldiers, ten great cannons,
hundreds of drums and trumpets, a party of morris-dancers, and two white
bears. On Ash Wednesday, 1565, Dean Nowell preached. Queen Elizabeth was
present, and a very large number of the inhabitants of London, doubtless
being more anxious to see their Queen than listen to the preacher. The
Dean had not proceeded far with his sermon when he came to the subject of
images, which, we are told, "he handled roughly." The Queen cried out:
"Leave them alone." He did not hear her, and continued his invectives.
Raising her voice, she said: "To your text, Mr. Dean! to your text! Leave
that, we have heard enough of that! To your subject!" The Dean stammered a
few more incoherent words, and was obliged to give up any further attempts
to continue his sermon. The Queen left the place in a rage, and the
Protestant part of the congregation, we are told, were moved to tears.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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