The historie of the holy vvarre by Thomas Fuller ...

Chap. 8.

Queen Mary setteth up the Hospitallers again; They are again deposed by Queen Elisabeth.

QUeen Mary (a Princesse more zealous then politick) at∣tempted to restore Abbeys to their pristine estate and for∣mer glory: And though certain of her counsellers objected, that the state of her Kingdome and dignity thereof and her Crown imperiall could not honourably be furnished and maintained without the possession of Abbey-land; yet she * 1.1 frankly restored, resigned, and confirmed by Parliament all ecclesiasticall revenues which by the authority of that high Court in the dayes of her Father were annexed to the Crown, protesting she set more by her salvation, then by ten King∣domes.

But the Nobilitie followed not her example: They had eat∣en up the Abbey-lands, and now after twenty yeares posses∣sion digested and turned them into good bloud in their estates: they were loth therefore to emptie their veins again; and the forwardest Romanist was backward enough in this costly piece of devotion.

However, out of her own liberalitie, she set up two or three bankrupt Covents, as Sion and Westminster, and gave them stock to trade with. The Knights also of S. John of Jerusa∣lem she reseated in their place; and S^r Thomas Tresham of

Rushton in Northamptonshire was the first and last Lord Prior after their restitution: For their nests were plucked down before they were warm in them, by the coming in of Queen Elisa∣beth.

To conclude; in the founders of religious houses were some good intents mixt with superstitious ends; amongst the Religi∣ous persons themselves, some pietie, more loosnesse and lazi∣nesse; in the confounders of those houses, some detestation of the vices of Friars, more desire of the wealth of Friaries; in God, all just, all righteous, in permitting the badnesse and cau∣sing the destruction of these numerous Fraternities.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Parlam. Anno 2^• & 3^• Phil. & Mariae.