Hume and Smollett's Celebrated History of England, from Its First Settlement to the Year 1760 (Abridged, Paperback, Abridged edition)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1831 Excerpt: ...epistles to Philip, who seldom returned her any answer, and scarcely deigned to pretend any sentiment of love, or even of gratitude, towards her. The chief part of government to which she attended, was the extorting of money from her people, in order to satisfy his demands; and as the parliament had granted her but a scanty supply, she had recourse to expedients very violent and irregular. She levied loans and exacted contributions with the greatest rapacity; and this at a time when she was at peace with all the world, and had no other occasion for money than to supply the demands of a husband, who attended only to his own convenience, and showed himself indifferent to her interests. Philip was now become master of all the wealth of the new world, and of the richest and most extensive dominions in Europe, by the voluntary resignation-.'rr(of the emperor Charles V., who, though still in the vigour of his age, had taken a disgust to the world, and was determined to seek, in the tranquility of retreat, for that happiness which he had in vain pursued amidst the tumults of war, and the restless projects of ambition. Philip, finding himself threatened with a war with France, was desirous of embarking England in the quarrel; and though the queen was extremely averse to the measure, yet she was incapable of resisting her husband's importunity. But she had little weight with her council, and still less with her people; and a new act of barbarity, of which she was guilty, rendered her government extremely unpopular. Cranmcr had long been detained prisoner; but the queen now determined to bring him to punishment; and m order fne more fully to satiate her vengeance, she resolved to punish him for heresy, rather than for treason. He was cited by the pope to stand his tr...