Chapter 6

Now let us sit in conclave. That these weeds
Be rooted from the vineyard of the church.
That these foul tares be severed from the wheat,
We are, I trust, agreed.--Yet how to do this,
Nor hurt the wholesome crop and tender vine-plants,
Craves good advisement.

THE REFORMATION.

The vesper service in the Monastery Church of Saint Mary's was now
over. The Abbot had disrobed himself of his magnificent vestures of
ceremony, and resumed his ordinary habit, which was a black gown, worn
over a white cassock, with a narrow scapulary; a decent and venerable
dress, which was calculated to set off to advantage the portly mien of
Abbot Boniface.

In quiet times no one could have filled the state of a mitred Abbot,
for such was his dignity, more respectably than this worthy prelate.
He had, no doubt, many of those habits of self-indulgence which men
are apt to acquire who live for themselves alone. He was vain,
moreover; and when boldly confronted, had sometimes shown symptoms of
timidity, not very consistent with the high claims which he preferred
as an eminent member of the church, or with the punctual deference
which he exacted from his religious brethren, and all who were placed
under his command. But he was hospitable, charitable, and by no means
of himself disposed to proceed with severity against any one. In
short, he would in other times have slumbered out his term of
preferment with as much credit as any other "purple Abbot," who lived
easily, but at the same time decorously--slept soundly, and did not
disquiet himself with dreams.

But the wide alarm spread through the whole Church of Rome by the
progress of the reformed doctrines, sorely disturbed the repose of
Abbot Boniface, and opened to him a wide field of duties and cares
which he had never so much as dreamed of. There were opinions to be
combated and refuted--practices to be inquired into--heretics to be
detected and punished--the fallen off to be reclaimed--the wavering to
be confirmed--scandal to be removed from the clergy, and the vigour of
discipline to be re-established. Post upon post arrived at the
Monastery of Saint Mary's--horses reeking, and riders exhausted--this
from the Privy Council, that from the Primate of Scotland, and this
other again from the Queen Mother, exhorting, approving, condemning,
requesting advice upon this subject, and requiring information upon
that.

These missives Abbot Boniface received with an important air of
helplessness, or a helpless air of importance,--whichever the reader
may please to term it, evincing at once gratified vanity, and profound
trouble of mind. The sharp-witted Primate of Saint Andrews had
foreseen the deficiencies of the Abbot of St.