the monasteries were rising
from their ruins. Westminster was again an abbey. Feckenham was
installed abbot on the 29th of November, with the ancient ceremonies,
and walked in sad procession round the cloisters at the head of his
friars.[589] The remnant of the monks of Glastonbury had crawled back
into the ruins of their home. The queen had spared no effort and no
{p.278} sacrifice where her own power extended; and she had exhorted
and advised where she was unable to act. Yet enough had not been done.
In Ireland, indeed, the Catholic spirit had life in it. The Earl of
Desmond had allowed no stone to be thrown down from the religious
houses which had fallen to his share in the distribution. He had
sheltered and supported the monks in the bad times, he now replaced
them at his private cost;[590] and the example was telling among the
chiefs. But in England, unfortunately, the lay owners of the church
lands, orthodox and unorthodox alike, were hopelessly impenitent.

[Footnote 589: The new monks did not do credit to
their restoration. Anne of Cleves died the next
year, and lay in state in the abbey.

"The 22nd of August," says Machyn, "was the herse
of my Lady Anne Cleves taken down at Westminster,
the which the monks by night had spoiled of all
velvet cloth, arms, banners, penselles, of all the
majesty and valence, the which was never seen afore
so done."--_Diary_, p. 148.]

[Footnote 590: Desmond to the Queen: _Irish MSS._
State Paper Office.]

This, perhaps, was one cause of God's displeasure--the heretics were
another; the heretics, and the sympathy with heresy displayed by the
inhabitants of London, which had compelled the temporary release of
the prisoners sent up from Essex.

It has been mentioned that the legate took occasion to admonish the
citizens for their behaviour. In the present or the following
year[591] he issued a pastoral letter, laying before them, and before
the educated inhabitants of England generally, their duty at the
present crisis; with an explanation, not entirely accurate, of the
spirit in which the church had hitherto dealt with them. "That by
license and dispensation," he said, "you do enjoy, and keep, and
possess such goods and lands of the church as were found in your
hands, thi