HISTORY OF MALTA.

26

To complete the miseries of this venerable old man, HenryVIII.abolished the order in his dominions*. This prince began by in-justice, and ended in cruelty. From sectary he became persecutor ;and in order to commit crimes with impunity, he no longer acknow-ledged the head of the church; who could never be induced tobelieve, that Christian morality could conform to the caprices ofmankind, and become subservient to their passions. Henry, there-fore, declared himself supreme chief of his new' religion, which heinsisted upon all his subjects embracing: and though this religionappeared founded upon principles of tolerance and independence, hecaused scaffolds to be erected, and prisons to be opened. Allthose who, though contented as subjects to submit to the laws ofthe land, thought themselves entitled to liberty of conscience,underwent the most cruel persecutions. Amongst the knights ofMalta whose blood flow r ed for the faith, we feel a melancholypleasure in tracing the following names, transmitted to us byhistory, viz. : Ingley, Adrian Forrest, Adrian Fortescu, and Mar-maduke Bohus, who, refusing to renounce the belief of theirancestors, perished by the axe of the executioner. Thomas Myttonand Edward Waldegrave, imprisoned in a horrible dungeon, choserather to die honourably in their confinement, than to purchasetheir liberty by the crime of perjury. Richard and James Bell,John Noel, &c. likewise preferred the true and solid consolationsChristianity affords to those who suffer in its cause, to the deceitful

* 1534 .