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and the change of religion in fome degree fhook his go- 

 vernment. But the influence of the crown was ftill 

 enormous ; the power which it had obtained by conceffion 

 of parliament was exceffive ; and Henry aimed at the 

 affumption of power which he found had been attained 

 by fome princes on the continent. He had not, however, 

 like his father, a fettled fyftem of tyranny for the fake 

 of the crown; his views were confined to himfelf, and 

 died with him. 



The minority of Edward the fixth undid many of the 

 mifchiefs of the preceding reign ; and altho the reign of 

 Mary was generally a flretch of power, {he dared not go 

 the lengths her father had done. 



Elizabeth had the fphit of defpotifm ; but fhe fuc- 

 ceeded by a doubtful title ; and during her whole reign 

 was compelled to feek the love of her fubjects for her 

 perfonal fafety. She, or her counfellors, had the fenfe 

 alfo to perceive that the hour of arbitrary rule was pafled ; 

 that the fpirit of freedom had begun to rife in effervefcence 

 with the fpirit of fanaticifm ; and that it required great 

 addrefs to keep down the mafs, and prevent it's over- 

 flowing, and bearing away all government. Yet fhe 

 drew from the religious zeal of her parliaments acls for 

 the eftablifhment of extraordinary judicatures highly dan- 

 gerous to the freedom of the country. 



With her ended the houfe of Tudor, whofe tyrannical 

 eftablimments, graced with the fanHon of the lawful 

 legiflature, (tho now all happily abolifhed) did infinitely 

 more injury to the conftitution than the changes produced 

 by the Norman conqueft. 



The folly of James, and the wretched policy of Charles 

 the firft, who madly endeavoured to renew the tyranny 

 which the worft of his predeceflbrs had vainly attempted, 

 or had been compelled to abjure, brought on the civil 



war 



