vicarages of the clergy, disappearing
at the moment they were suddenly perceived to be near. Their slanders
were not only coarse buffooneries, but the hottest effusions of
hatred, with an unparalleled invective of nicknames.[414] Levelled at
the bishops, even the natural defects, the personal infirmities, the
domestic privacies, much more the tyranny, of these now "petty popes,"
now "bouncing priests," now "terrible priests," were the inexhaustible
subjects of these popular invectives.[415] Those "pillars of the
State" were now called "its caterpillars;" and the inferior clergy,
who perhaps were not always friendly to their superiors, yet dreaded
this new race of innovators, were distinguished as "halting neutrals."
These invectives were well farced for the gross taste of the
multitude; and even the jargon of the lowest of the populace affected,
and perhaps the coarse malignity of two _cobblers_ who were connected
with the party, often enlivened the satirical page. The _Martin
Mar-Prelate_ productions are not, however, effusions of genius; they
were addressed to the coarser passions of mankind, their hatred and
contempt. The authors were grave men, but who affected to gain over
the populace with a popular familiarity.[416] In vain the startled
bishops remonstrated: they were supposed to be criminals, and were
little attended to as their own advocates. Besides, they were solemn
admonishers, and the mob are composed of laughers and scorners.

The Court-party did not succeed more happily when they persecuted
Martin, broke up his presses, and imprisoned his assistants. Never
did sedition travel so fast, nor conceal itself so closely; for they
employed a moveable press; and, as soon as it was surmised that Martin
was in Surrey, it was found he was removed to Northamptonshire, while
the next account came that he was showing his head in Warwickshire.
And long they invisibly conveyed themselves, till in Lancashire the
snake was scotched by the Earl of Derby, with all its little
brood.[417]

These pamphlets were "speedily dispersed and greedily read," not only
by the people; they had readers and even patrons among persons of
condition. They were found in the corners of chambers at Court; and
when a prohibition issued that no person should carry about them any
of the Mar-Prelate pamphlets on pain of punishment, the Earl of Essex
observed to the Queen, "What then is to become of me?" drawing one of
these pamphlets out of his bo