29. The manufactures of England were now fast increasing. Manchester, Birmingham, and Sheffield, were beginning to be known as manufacturing towns; the first, for woollens and cottons; the others, for cutlery and hardware. 30. Pewter plates and dishes were made in large quantities, for they were now used in the most respectable families instead of wood; hats were also made in England in this reign; and a clock, the first ever manufactured in this country. 31. But nothing was more useful than the improvements made in gardening, for which we are indebted to the Flemings and Dutch, who were the best gardeners in Europe, and who brought here many kinds of vegetables for the table, such as cabbages, lettuces, &c., and many fruits that had not been cultivated in England since the time of the Romans, particularly cherries and currants. 32. Potatoes were not known until the reign of queen Elizabeth, when Sir Walter Raleigh brought some from America, and planted them, first in Ireland, little thinking, perhaps, that this root would, at a future time, be almost the only food of the Irish people. 33. Henry the Eighth had three more wives, Anne of Cleves, whom he divorced; Catherine Howard, whom he had beheaded, like poor Anna Boleyn; and Catherine Parr, who outlived him. 34. He reigned thirty-eight years, and was succeeded by his son, Edward the Sixth, who was only nine years old, and died before he was sixteen; so that he can scarcely be reckoned among the kings of England. 35. He was a pious and amiable prince, fond of learning, and extremely charitable. He founded St. Thomas’s Hospital, for the sick poor; and Christ’s Hospital and School, for the education of boys who had lost their fathers. 36. He had a cousin, Lady Jane Grey, whom he was very fond of, for she was about his own age, gentle and beautiful, and being fond of study, was educated with him; so that it was no wonder he liked her. 37. They were both Protestants; but Edward’s eldest sister, Mary, was a Catholic; and as some of the great noblemen were Protestants, they did not like to have a Catholic queen; so when the young king was dying, they persuaded him to make a will, leaving the crown to Lady Jane Grey, which was not right, because his father had ordered, and the parliament confirmed his will, that, if he died, Mary was to be queen. Edward the Sixth died in the seventh year of his reign. 38. Lady Jane was married to young Lord Guildford Dudley, and knew nothing about king Edward’s will till after he was dead, when her husband’s father told her she was to be queen. 39. At first she refused, but was, at length, persuaded or compelled to allow herself to be proclaimed; and very unhappy it made her, so that she was very glad, at the end of ten days, to give up the title of queen to her who had a better right to it.