CHAP. XVII. THE PRECIOUS METALS. 55 



silver were gradually transferred by commerce or 

 by war to the several other kingdoms, a portion 

 of those metals was devoted by piety to the ser- 

 vice of the deity and the saints. The protestant 

 religion, though it had raised its head, was then 

 in a weak condition, struggling not for the mas- 

 tery but for existence ; and its influence was not 

 such as in any great degree to check the prevailing 

 disposition, to dedicate to the purposes of devotion 

 some portion of every new acquisition of wealth. 

 When the goods of Cardinal Wolsey were confis- 

 cated, his plate was large for the age, as has been 

 already noticed; and most of the heads of the 

 religious houses in England, when their property 

 was seized by the rapacious Henry VIII., appear 

 to have possessed some store of gold or silver 

 utensils. It was not, however, in England that 

 the largest portion of the metallic wealth was 

 withdrawn from circulation to adorn religion. In 

 Spain itself; in Italy, then rich in general wealth 

 acquired by commerce ; in the Netherlands, which 

 had been enriched by manufactures; and in the 

 ecclesiastical states of Germany, whose agriculture 

 had been flourishing, the decorations of the reli- 

 gious houses were increased, the dress of the of- 

 ficiating priests was covered with gold and silver 

 embroidery, and the vessels for the holy rites 

 were changed gradually from copper or pewter to 

 silver. 



The extension of gold and silver utensils was 



