sute so they were altogether as forward to confer it on him not doubting but that during the time of such Government he would by all wayes and means study travail and imploy himself to advance the weal both publick and private of this Realm and Dominions thereunto belonging according to the trust reposed in him with no less good will and affection than if his Highness had been naturally born amongst us Set Forms of Prayers were also made for her safe delivery and one particularly by Weston the Prolocutor of the first Convocation in which it was prayed That she might in due season bring forth a child in body beautiful and comeâ—y in mind noble and valiant So that she forgetting the trouble might with joy laud and praise c. Great preparations were also made of all things necessary against the time of her delivery which was supposed would fall out about Whiâ—sun tide in the month of June even to the providing of Midwives Nurses Rockers and the Cradle too And so far the hopes thereof were entertained that on a sudden rumour of her being delivered the bels were rung and bonfires made in most parts of London The like solemnities were used at Antwerp by discharging all the Ordnance in the English ships for which the Mariners were gratified by the Queen Regent with 100 Pistolets In which as all of them seem'd to have a spice of madness in them so none was altogether so wild as the Curate of St Anns neer Aldersgate who took upon him after the end of the Procession to describe the proportion of the child how fair how beautiful and great at Prince it was the like whereof had never been seen But so it hapned that notwithstanding all these triumphs it proved in fine that the Queen neither was with child at the present nor had any hopes of being so for the time to come By some it was conceived that this report was raised upon policy only to hold her up in the affection of her husband and the love of her subjects by others that she had been troubled with a Timpany which not only made her belly swell but by the windiness of the disease possess'd her with a fancy of her being quick And some again have left in writing that having had the misfortune of a false conception which bred in her a fleshy and informed substance by the Physicians called a Moâ—a the continual increase whereof and the agitation it made in her occaâ—ioned her to believe what she most desired and to report what she believed But this informed lump being taken from her with no small difficulty did not onely turn her supposed joy to shame and sorrow but made much game amongst some of the Zuâ—nglian Gospellers for I cannot think that any true English Protestant could make sport thereat who were so far from desiring that the Queen should have any Issue to succeed in the Throne that they prayed God by shortning her days to deprive her of it Insomuch that one Râ—se the Minister to a private Congregation in Bow Church-yard did use to pray That God would either turn her heart from Idolatry or else shorten her days On which occasion and some others of the like ill nature an Act was made in the said Parliament for punishing of traiterous words against the Queen in which it was enacted That the said Praiers and all others of the like mischievous quality should be interpreted to be high treason against the Queen The like exhorbitances I find too frequent in this Queens Reign to which some men were so transported by a furious zeal that a Gun was shot at one Doctor Pendleton as he preached at St. Paul's Cross on Sunday the 10th of June Anno 1554. the Pellet whereof went very near him but the Gunner was not to be heard of Which occasioned the Queen to publish a Proclamation within few days after prohibiting the shooting in Hand-guns and the bearing of weapons Before which time that is to say on the 8th of April some of them had caused a Cat to be hanged upon a Gallows near the Cross in Cheapside with her head shorn the likeness of a Vestment cast upon her and her two fore-feet tied together holding between them a piece of paper in the form of a Wafer Which tending so apparently to the disgrace of the Religion then by Law established was showed the same day being Sunday at St. Paul's Crosse by the said Doctor Pendleton which possibly might be the sole reason of the mischief so desperately intended to him Such were the madnesses of those People but the Orthodox and sober Protestant shall be brought to a reckoning and forced to pay dearly for the follies of those men which it was not in their powers to hinder The Governours of the Church exasperated by these provocations and the Queen charging Wyat's Rebellion on the Protestantâ— party she both agreed on the reviving of some antient Statutes made in the time of King Richard the 2d King Henry the 4th and King Henry the 5th for the severe punishment of obstinate Hereticks even to death it self Which Act being passed the three great Bishops of the time were not alike minded for the putting it in execution The Lord Cardinal was clearly of opinion that they should rest themselves contented with the restitution of their own Religion that the said three Statuâ—es should be held forth for a terrour onely but that no open persecution should be raised upon them following therein as he affirmed the counsell sent unto the Queen by Charls the Emperour at her first comming to the Crown by whom she was â—dvised to create no troubble unto any man for matter of conscience but to be warned unto the contrary by his example who by endeavouring to compell others to his own Religion had tired and spent himself in vain and purchased nothing by it but his own dishonour But the Lord Chancellor Gaâ—dinâ—r could not like of this to whom it seemed to be all one never to have revived the said three Statutes as not to see them put in execution That some blood should be drawn in case of refractorinesse and an incorrigible non-conformity he conceived most necessary But he would have the Ax laid onely to the Root of the Tree the principal supporters of the Hereticks to be taken away whether they were of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy or the Lay-Nobility and some of the more pragmatick preachers to be cut off also the rest of the people to be spared as they who meerly did depend on the power of the other Let but the Shepherds be once smitten and the whole flock will presently be scattered without further trouble Well then said Bonner to himself I see the honour of this work is reserved for me who neither fear the Emperor's frowâ—s nor the peoples curses Which having said as if he had been pumping for a reâ—olution he took his times to make it known unto the other two that he perceived they were
grave and buried in a common dunghil About the same time also such strangers as were gathered together into the Church of John Alasco not only were necessitated to forbear their meetings but to dissolve their Congregation and to quit the Countrey Such a displeasure was conceived against them by those which governed the affairs that it was no small difficulty for them to get leave for their departure and glad they were to take the opportunity of two Danish ships and to put themselves to sea in the beginning of winter fearing more storms in England than upon the Ocean And so farwel to John Alasco It was an ill wind which brought him hit her and worse he could not have for his going back The like haste made the French Protestants also And that they might have no pretence for a long stay command was sent unto the Mayor of Rie and Dâ—ver on the 16th of September to suffer all French Protestants to cross the seas except such only whose names should be signified unto them by the French Ambassadors But notwithstanding these removes many both Dutch and French remained still in the Kingdom some of which being after found in Wiat's Army occasioned the banishing of all the rest except Denizens and Merchants only by a publick Edict At which time many of the English departed also as well Students as others to the number of 300. or thereabouts hoping to find that freedome and protection in a forein Country which was denied them in their own The principal of those which put themselves into this voluntary exile were Katherine the last wife of Charls Brandon Duke of Suffoâ—k Robert Bertye Esquire husband to the Dutchess the Bishops of Winchester and Wells Sir Richard Morison Sir Anthony Cook and Sir John Cheek Dr Cox Dr Sanays and Dr Grindall and divers others of whom we shall hear more hereafter on another occasion Of all these things they neither were not could be ignorant in the Court of Rome to which the death of Edward had been swiftly posted on the wings of fame The newes of the succession of Queen Mary staid not long behind so much more welcome to Pope Julius 3d. who then held that See because it gave him some assurance of his re-admission into the power and jurisdiction of his predecessors in the Realm of England For what less was to be expected considering that she was brought up in the Catholick Religion interessed in the respects of her mother and Cosen in the first degree unto Charles the Emperour In the pursuance of which hopes it was resolved that Cardinal Pole should be sent Legate into England who being of the Royal blood a man of eminent learning and exemplary life was looked on as the fittest instrument to reduce that Kingdome The Cardinal well knowing that he stood attainted by the Lawes of the Land and that the name of Henry was still preserved in estimation amongst the people thought it not safe to venture thither before he fully understood the state of things He therefore secretly dispatcheth Commendonius a right trusty Minister by whom he writes a private Letter to the Queen In which commending first her perseverance in Religion in the time of her troubles he exhorteth her to a continuance in it in the days of her happiness He recommended also to her the salvation of the souls of her people and the restitution of the true worship of God Commendonius having diligently inform'd himself of all particulars found means of speaking with the Queen By whom he understood not only her own good affections to the See Apostolick but that she was resolved to use her best endeavours for re-establishing the Religion of the Church of Rome in all her Kingdomes Which being made known unto the Cardinal he puts himself into the voyage The newes whereof being brought to Charls who had his own design apart from that of the Pope he signified by Dandino the Pope's Nuncio with him that an Apostolick Legate could not be sent into England as affairs then stood either with safety to himself or honour to the Church of Rome and therefore that he might do well to defer the journy till the English might be brought to a better temper But the Queen knowing nothing of this stop and being full of expectation of the Cardinals coming had called a Parliament to begin on the 10th of October In which she made it her first Act to take away all Statutes passed by the two last Kings wherein certain offences had been made High Treason and others brought within the compass of a Premunire And this she did especially for Pole's security that neither he by exercising his Authority nor the Clergy by submitting to it might be intangled in the like snares in which Cardinal Wolsie and the whole Clergy of his time had before been caught It was designed also to rescind all former Statutes which had been made by the said two Kings against the jurisdiction of the Pope the Doctrine and Religion of the Church of Rome and to reduce all matters Ecclesiastical to the same estate in which they stood in the beginning of the Reign of the King her Father But this was looked upon by others as too great an enterprise to be attempted by a woman especially in a green estate and amongst people sensible of those many benefits which they enjoyed by shaking off their former vassalage to a forein power It was advised therefore to proceed no further at the present than to repeal all Acts and Statutes which had been made in derogation to the Doctrine of the Church of Rome in the time of her brother which being passed in his minority when all affairs were carried by faction and strong hand contrary to the judgement of the best and soundest part of the Clergy and Laity might give a just pretence for their abrogation till all particulars might be considered and debated in a lawful Synod According to which temperament the point was carried and the Act pass'd no higher than for Repeaâ—ing certain Statutes of the time of King Edward by which one blow she felled down all which had been done in the Reformation in seven years before For by this Act they took away all former Statutes for Administring the Communion in both kinds for establishing the first and second Liturgie for confirming the new Ordinal or form of consecrating Archbishops and Bishops c. for abrogating certain Fasts and Feastivals which had been formerly observed for authorizing the marriage of Priests and Legitimation of their children not to say any thing of that Statute as not worth the naming for making Bishops by the King's Letters Patents and exercising their Episcopal jurisdiction in the King's name only So that upon the matter not only all things were reduced to the same estate in which they stood at Edward's coming to the Crown but all those Bishops and Priests which had maried by authority of the former Statutes were made uncanonical and consequently obnoxious to
with the present as to receive the same in a Sollemn Assembly of the Cardinalls and Court of Rome expressing the contentment which he took therein by a fluent Oration the Copy whereof we have in Speed Fol. 991. And whereas in former times the French were Honoured with the Title of Most Christian and the Spaniard lately with the Title of The Catholick King This Pope in due acknowledgement of so great a Merit bestowes on Henry the more Glorious Attribute of The Defender of the Faith Which Bull being dated on the tenth of Octob. Anno 1521. is to be found exemplified in The Titles of Honour and thither I referr the Reader for his satisfaction Twenty three yeares the King enjoyed this Title by no other Grant then the Donation of Pope Leo. But then considering with himselfe that it was first Granted by that Pope as a Personall favour and not intended to descend upon his Posterity as also that the Popes by the reason of such differences as were between them might possibly take a time to deprive him of it he resolved to stand no longer on a ground of no greater certainty And therefore having summoned his High Court of Parliament to Assemble on the 29th of March Anno 1544. he procured this Title to be assured unto his Person and to be made perpetuall to his Heires and Successors for all times succeeding For which Consult the Statute 35. Hen. 8. Cap. 3. And by the Act it was ordained that whosoever should malitiously diminish any of his Majesties Royall Titles or seek to deprive him of the same should suffer death as in case of Treason and that from thenceforth the Stile Imperiall should no otherwise be exprest then in this forme following that is to say N. N. by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and on Earth of the Churches of England and Ireland the Supreme Head By vertue of which Act Queen Mary still retained this Title though she disclaimed the other of Supreme Head by Act of Parliament in the first yeare of her Reign as being incompetible with her submission and Relations to the See of Rome As for the Title of King of Ireland it was first given unto this King by a Parliament there holden in the Month of June 1541. under Sir Anthony Saint-Leiger being then Lord Deputy The Acts whereof being transmitted to the King and by him confirmed he caused himselfe to be first Proclaimed King of Ireland on the 23th of January then next following Which though it added somewhat to him in point of Title yet it afforded him no advantage in point of Power but that the name of King was thought to carry more respect and awe with it amongst the Irish then the Title of Lord which only till that time had been assumed by the Kings of England For otherwise the Kings of England from the first Conqâ—est of the Country by King Henry the second enjoyed and exercised all manner of Royalties and Preheminences which do or can belong to the greatest Kings Governing the same by their Vice-Gerâ—nts to whom sometimes they gave the Title of Lord Lieutenants sometimes Lord Deputies of Ireland then whom no Vice-Roy in the VVorld comes nearer to the Pomp and splendor of a Soveraign Prince And though they took no other Title to themselves then Lords of Ireland yet they gave higher Titles to their Subjects there many of which they advanced to the Honour and Degree of Earles And at the same time when King Richard the second contented himselfe with no Higher Stile then Lord of Ireland he exalted his great Favourite Robert d' Vere the tenth Earle of Oxon of that Family first to the Dignity and Stile of Marquesse of Dublin and after to the invidious Appellation of Duke of Ireland which he enjoyed unto his death The Countrey at the same time changed it's Title also being formerly no otherwise called in our Records then Terra Hiberniea or the Land of Ireland but from henceforth to be called upon all occasions in Acts of Parliament Proclamations and Letters Patents by the name of Regnum Hiberniae or the Realm of Ireland At the assuming of which new Title by this King the Scots were somewhat troubled but the Pope much more The Scots had then some footing in the North parts of that Iland and thought the taking of that Title by the Kings of England to tend to the endangering of their possession or at least to bring them under a Subjection of a Foreign Prince And on the other side it was complained of in the Court of Rome as a great and visible encroachment on the Pâ—pall Power to which it only appertained to erect new Kingdomes and that the injury was the greater in the present case because the King holding that Iland by no other Title as it was then and there pretended then by the Donation of Pope Adrian to King Henry the second was not withâ—ut the Popes consent to assume that Title But the King cared as little for the Pope as he did for the Scots knowing how able he was to make good all his Actings against them both and not only for enjoying this Title for the rest of his life but for the leaving of it to his Heires and Successors though afterward Queen Mary accepted a new Grant of it from the Pope then being Having thus setled and confirmed the Regall Style his next care was for setling and preventing all disputes and quarrells which might be raised about the Succession of the Crown if the Prince his son should chance to dye without lawfull issue as he after did In which as he discharged the trust reposed in him so he waved nothing of the Power which he had took unto himself by Act of Parliament made in that behalfe in the 35 year of his Reign as before wasnoted In pursuance whereof finding himself sensibly to decay but having his wits and understanding still about him he framed his last Wil and Testament which he caused to be signed and attested on the 30 of December Anno 1546 being a full Month before his death First published by Mr. Fuller in his Church History of Brittain Lib. 5. Fol. 243 244. And out of him I shall crave leave to transcribe so much thereof as may suffice to show unto posterity the sence he had of his own condition the vile esteem he had of his sinfull body what pious but unprofitable care he took for the Decent Interment of the same in what it was wherein he placed the hopes of Eternall life and finally what course he was pleased to take in the intailing of the Crown after his decease by passing over the line of Scotland and setling the Reversion in the House of Suffolk if his own children should depart without lawfull Issue as in fine they did In which and in some other points not here summed up the Reader may best satisfie himselfe by the words and tenour of the VVill which are
any other shuffling till the end of the Game this very Parliament without any sensible alteration of the Members of it being continued by Protogation from Session to Session untill at last it ended by the Death of the King For a Preparatory whereunto Richard Lord Rich was made Lord Chancellour on the twenty fourth of October and Sir John Baker Chancellour of the Court of First-Fruits and Tenths was nominated Speaker for the House of Commons And that all things might be carried with as little opposition and noise as might be it was thought fit that Bishop Gardiner should be kept in Prison till the end of the Session and that Bishop Tonstal of Duâ—ham a man of a most even and moderate Spirit should be made less in Reputation by being deprived of his Place at the Council-Table And though the Parliament consisted of such Members as disagreed amongst themselves in respect of Religion yet they agreed well enough together in one Common Principle which was to serve the present Time and preserve themselves For though a great part of the Nobility and not a few of the Chief Gentry in the House of Commons were cordially affected to the Church of Rome yet were they willing to give way to all such Acts and Statutes as were made against it out of a fear of losing such Church-Lands as they were possessed of if that Religion should prevail and get up again And for the rest who either were to make or improve their Fortunes there is no question to be made but that they came resolved to further such a Reformation as should most visibly conduce to the Advancement of their several Ends. Which appears plainly by the strange mixture of the Acts and Results thereof some tending simply to God's Glory and the Good of the Church some to the present Benefit and enriching of particular Persons and some again being devised of purpose to prepare a way for exposing the Revenues of the Church unto Spoil and Rapine Not to say any thing of those Acts which were merely Civil and tended to the Profit and Emolument of the Common-Wealth Of the first Sort was The Act for repealing several Statutes concerning Treason Under which head besides those many bloody Laws which concerned the Life of the Subject in Civil Matters and had been made in the distracted Times of the late King Henry there was a Repeal also of all such Statutes as seemed to touch the Subject in Life or Liberty for matter of Conscience some whereof had been made in the Times of King Richard the Second and Henry the Fourth against such as dissenting in Opinion from the Church of Rome were then called Lollards Of which Sort also was another made in the twenty fifth of the King Deceased together with that terrible Statute of the Six Articles commonly called The whip with six strings made in the thirty first year of the said King Henry Others were of a milder Nature but such as were thought inconsistent with that Freedom of Conscience which most men coveted to enjoy that is to say The Act for Qualification of the said Six Articles 35. H. 8. cap 9. The Act inhibiting the Reading of the Old and New Testament in the English Tongue and the Printing Selling Giving or Delivering of any such other Books or Writings as are there in mentioned and condemned 34. H. 3. cap. 1. But these were also Abrogated as the others were together with all and every Act or Acts of Parliament concerning Doctrine and Matters of Religion and all and every Article Branch Sentence and Matter Pains and Forfeitures in the same contained By which Repeal all men may seem to have been put into a Liberty of Reading Scripture and being in a manner their own Expositours of entertaining what Opinions in Religion best pleased their Fancies and promulgating those Opinions which they entertained So that the English for a time enjoyed that Liberty which the Romanes are affirmed by Tacitus to have enjoyed without comptrol in the Times of Nerva that is to say A liberty of Opining whatsoever they pleased and speaking freely their Opinions wheresoever they listed Which whether it were such a great Felicity as that Authour makes it may be more then questioned Of this Sort alâ—o was the Act. entituled An Act against such as speak against the Sacrament of the Altar and for the receipt thereof in both kinds cap. 1. In the first part whereof it is Provided with great Care and Piety That Whatsoever person or persons from and after the first day of May next coming shall deprave despise or contemn the most Blessed Sacrament by any contemptuous words or by any words of depraving despising or reviling c. that then he or they shall suffer Imprisonment and make Fine and Ransome at the King's pleasure And to say Truth it was but time that some provision should be made to suppress that Irreverence and Profaness with which this Blessed Sacrament was at that time handled by too many of those who seemed most ignorantly Zealous of a Reformation For whereas the Sacrament was in those Times delivered unto each Communicant in a small round Wafer called commonly by the name of Sacramentum Altaris or The blessed Sacrament of the Altar and that such parts thereof as were reserved from time to time were hanged up over the Altar in a Pix or Box those zealous ones in hatred to the Church of Rome reproached it by the odious Names of Jack-in-a-box Round-Robin Sacrament of the Halter and other Names so unbecoming the Mouths of Christians that they were never taken up by the Turks and Infidels And though Bishop Ridley a right Learned and Religious Prelate frequently in his Sermons had rebuked the irreverent behaviour of such light and ill-disposed Persons yet neither he nor any other of the Bishops were able to Reform the Abuse the Quality and Temper of the Times considered which therefore was thought fit to be committed to the power of the Civil Magistrate the Bishop being called in to assist at the Sentence In the last branch of the Act it is First declared According to the Truth of Scripture and the Tenour of approved Antiquity That it is most agreeable both to the Institution of the said Sacrament and more conformable to the common Vse and Practice both of the Apostles and of the Primitive Church by the space of five hundred years after Christ's Ascension that the said Blessed Sacrament should rather be ministred unto all Christian people under both the Kinds of Bread and Wine then under the form of Bread onely And thereupon it was Enacted That The said most Blessed Sacrament should be hereafter commonly delivered and ministred unto the People within the Church of England and Ireland and other the King's Dominions under both the Kinds that is to say of Bread and Wine With these Provisoes notwithstanding If necessity did not otherwise require as in the Case of suddain Sickness and other such like Extremities in
thought fit to nominate to that imployment And afterwards appointed a Sub-Committee of eight Persons to prepare the Work make it ready for the rest that it might be dispatched with the more expedition which said eight persons were the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Doctour Thomas Goodrick Bishop of Elâ— Doctour Richard Cox the King's Almoner and Peter Martyr Doctour in Divinity William May and Rowland Taylour Doctours of the Laws John Lucas and Richard Goodrick Esquires By whom the Work was undertaken and digested fashioned according to the Method of the Romane Decretals and called by the Name of Reformatiâ— Legum Ecclesiasticarum c. But not being Commissionated hereunto till the eleventh of November in the year 1551 they either wanted time to communicate it to the chief Commissioners by whom it was to be presented to the Kâ—ng or found the King encumbred with more weighty matters then to attend the peâ—â—sal of it And so the King dying as he did before he had given life unto it by his Royal Signature the Design miscarried never thought fit to be resumed in the following Times by any of those who had the Government of the Chuâ—ch or were concerned in the Honour and Safety of it There also passed another Act in Order to the Peace of the Common-Wealth but especially procuâ—ed by the Agents of the Duke of Sommerset the better to secure him from all Attempts and Practices for the Times ensuing by which his Life might be illegally endangered The purport of which Act was to make it High Treason for any twelve Persons or above assembled together to kill or imprison any of the King's Council or alter any Laws or continue together the space of an hour being Commanded to return by any Justice of the Peace Mayour Sheriff c. Which Act intended by his Friends for his Preservation was afterwards made use of by his Enemies for the onely means of his Destruction deferred a while but still resolved upon when occasion served It wâ—s not long before Earl Dudly might perceive that he had served other mens Turâ—s against the Duke as well as his own and that having served their Turns therein he â—ound no such forwardness in them for raising him unto the Place They were all willing enough to unhorse the Duke but had no mind that such a rank Rider as the Earl should get into the Saddle Besides he was not â—o be told that there was nothing to be charged against the Duke which could touch his life that so many men of dâ—fferent Humours were not like to hold â—ong in a Plot together now their Turns were served that the Dukâ—'s Friends could not be so dull as not to see the emptiness of the Practice which was forged against him nor the King so forgetfull of his Uncle when the Truth was known as not to raise him up again to his former height it therefore would be fittest for his ends and purposes to close up the Breach to set the Duâ—e at Liberty from his Imprisonment but so to order the Affair that the Benefit should be acknowledged to proceed from himself alone But first the Duke must so acknowlege his Offences that his Adversaries might come off with Honour In Order whereunto he is first Articled against for many Crimes and Misdemeanours rather imputed to him then proved against him And unto all these he must be laboured to subscribe acknowledging the Offences contained in them to beg the Favour of the Lords and cast himself upon his Knees for his Majestie 's Mercy All which he very poorly did subscribing his Confession on the twenty third of December Which he subjoyned unto the Articles and so returned it to the Lords Anno Regni Edw. Sexti 4 o. An. Dom. 1549 1550. THe Lords thus furnished with sufficient matter for a Legal Proceeding condemned him by a Sentence passed in the House of Peers unto the Loss of all his Offices of Earl Marshal Lord Treasurer and Lord Protectour as also to â—he Forfeiture of all his Goods and near two thousand pounds of good yearly Rents Which being signified unto him he acknowledged himself in his Letter of the second of February to be highly â—avoured by their Lordships in that they brought his Cause to be Finable Which Fine though it was to him almost unsupportable yet he did never purpose to contend with them nor once to justifie himself in any Action He confess'd That being none of the wisest he might easily err that it was hardly possible for any man in Eminent place so to carry himself that all his Actings should be blameless in the eye of Justice He therefore submitted himself wholly to the King's Mercy and to their Discretions for some Moderation desiring them to conceive of what he did amiss as rather done through Rudeness and want of Judgment then through any malicious Meaning and that he was ready both to do and suffer what they should appoint And finally he did again most humbly upon his Knees intreat Pardon and Favour and they should ever finde him so lowly to their Honours and Obedient to their Orders as he would thereby make Amends for his former Follies By which Submission it may be called an Abjectedness rather as he gave much secret Pleasure to the most of his Adversaries so he gained so far upon the King that he was released of his Imprisonment on the fourth day after And by his Majestie 's Grace and Favour he was discharged of his Fine his Goods and Lands being again restored unto him except such as had been given away either the malice of his Enemies being somewhat appeased or wanting power and credit to make Resistance This great Oak being thus shrewdly shaken there is no doubt but there will be some gathering up of the Sticks which were broken from him and somewhat must be done as well to gratifie those men which had served the Turn as to inclinâ— others to the like Propensions And therefore upon Candlemasâ—-Day being the dâ—y on which he had made his humble Submission before-mentioned William Lord St. John Lord Great Master and President of the Council is made Lord Treasurer John Dudley Earl of Warwick Lord High Chamberlain is preferred to the Office of Lord Great Master the Marquess of North-hampton created Lord High Chamberlain Sir Anthony Wingfield Captain of the Guard is made Comptroller of the King's House in the place of Sir William Paget of whom more anon and Sir Thomas Darcie advanced to the Office of Vice-Chamberlain and Captain of his Majestie 's Guard And though the Earls of Arundel and Souâ—â—-hampton had been as forward as any of the rest in the Duke's destruction yet now upon some Court-displeasures they were commanded to their Houses and dismissed from their Attendance at the Council-Table the Office of Lord Chamberlain of his Majestie 's Houshold being taken from the Earl of Arundel and bestowed on Wentworth ennobled by the Title of Lord Wentworth in the first year of the King Some Honours
name of Treason and Felony because in all Treasons the intent and purpose is as Capital as the Act it self if once discovered either by word or deed or any other material Circumstance though it go no further But though Treason made the loudest noise it was the Felony which was especially relied upon for his Condemnation Two Statutes were pretended for the Ground of the whole Proceedings The first made in the time of King Henry the Seventh by which it was Enacted to be Felony for any inferiour Person to contrive the death of a Lord of the Council The second that of the last Session of Parliament By which it was Declared to be Treason for any Twelve Persons or more to Assemble together with an intent to murther any of the Lords of the Council if after Proclamation made they dissolved not themselves within the space of an hour The Indictment being Read and the Confessions of Palmer and the rest being produced and urged by the King's Council who spared not to press them as is accustomed in such Cases to the best advantage The Duke though much dismayed returned this Answer to the Branches of his Accusation viz. That He never intended to raise the North Parts of this Realm but that upon some bruits he apprehended a Fear which made him send to Sir William Herbert to remain his Friend That He determined not to kill the Duke of Northumberland nor any other Lord but spake of it onely and determined the contrary That It had been a mad enterprise with his hundred men to assail the Gens d' Arms consisting of nine hundred which in case he had prevailed would nothing have advanced the pretended purpose That Therefore this bâ—ing senseless and absurd must needs discredit other matters which otherwise might have been believed That At London he never projected any stir but ever held it a good place for his security That For having men in his Chamber at Greenwich it was manifest that he meant no harm because when he might have done it he did not And further against the persons of them whose Examinations had been read he objected many things desiring that They might be brought to his face which in regard of his Dignity and Estate he conceived to be reasonable And so it happened unto him as with many others that hoping to make his fault seem less by a fair Confession he made it great enough to serve for his Condemnation For presently upon these words the Council thinking they had matter enough from his own Confession to convict him of Felony insisted chiefly on that Point and flourished out their Proofs upon it to their best Advantage But so that they neglected not to aggravate his Offence in the Treason also that his Peers might be under some necessity of finding him guilty in the one if they should finde themselves unsatisfied for passing their Verdict in the other And though neither the one nor the other were so clear in Law as to make him liable to a Sentence of Condemnation if either the Statute in the Contents had been rightly opened or the Opinion of the Judges demanded in them yet what cannot the Great Wit of some Advocates do when they have a mind to serve their Turn upon a Statâ—te contrary to the Mind and Meaning of them that made it The Duke of Northumberland thereupon with a Counterfeit Modesty conceiving that he had him fast enough in Respect of the Felony desired their Lordships that no Act against his life might be brought within the Compass of Treason and they who understood his meaning at half a Word after a full hearing of the Evidence withdrew themselves into a Room appointed for them and after some Conference amongst themselves acquitting him of Treâ—son they pronounced him guilty of the Felony onely which being returned for their Verdict by all the Lords one after another in their Rank and Order and nothing objected by the Duke that Judgement should not pass upon him the Lord High Steward with a seeming Sorrow gave Sentence That he should be had to the Place from whence he came from thence to the Place of Execution and there to hang while he was dead which is the Ordinary Form of condemning Felons A Matter not sufficiently to be admired that the Duke should either be so ignorant or ill advised so destitute of present Courage or so defective in the Use of his Wit and Judgment as not to crave the common Benefit of his Clergy which had he done it must have been allowed him by the Rules of the Court whether it were that of his own Misfortunes might render him uncapable of laying hold on such Advantages as the Laws admitted or that he thought it better to die once for all then living in a perpetual Fear of dying daily by the malicious Practises and Devises of his powerfull Adversaries or that he might presume of a Pardon of Course in regard of the nature of the Offence in which neither the King nor the Safety of the Kingdom was concerned and that the Law by which it was found guilty of Felony had never been put in Execution upon a man of his Quality if perhaps at all or finally whether it were some secret Judgment on him from above as some men conceived that he who had destroyed so many Churches invaded the Estate of so many Cathedrals deprived so many Learned Men of their Means and Livelyhood should want or rather not desire the Benefit of the Clergy in his greatest extremity In stead whereof he suffered Judgment of death to pass upon him gave thanks unto the Lords for his gentle Tryall craved Pardon of the Duke of Northumberland the Marquess of North-hampton and the Earl of Pembroke for his ill Meaning towards them concluding with an humble Suit for his Life and Pity to be shewed to his Wife and Children It is an antient Custome in the Triall of all great Persons accused of Treason that the Ax of the Tower is carried before them to the Bar aâ—d afterwards at their Return from thence on the Pronouncing of the Sentence of Condemnation Which Ceremony not being performed at his going thence in regard he was condemned of the Felony onely gave an occasion unto such as had thronged into the Hall and knew not otherwise how things passed to conceive that he had been acquitted absolutely of the whole Indictment And thereupon so loud a Shout was made in the lower end of the Hall that the noise thereof was heard beyond Charing-Cross to the great Terrour and Amazement of his guilty Adversaries But little pleasure found the Prisoner in these Acclamations and less the People when they understood of his Condemnation so that departing thence with grief they left the way open for the Prisoner to be carried by water to the Cranes in the Viâ—etry and from thence peaceably conveyed to the Tower again Not long after followed the Arraignment of Sir Michael Stanhop Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Ralph Vane and Sir
added from the Holy Scripture where Solomon is found to be preferred unto the Throne by David before Adonijah the youngest Son before the eldest a Childe before a Man experienced and well grown in years And some Examples also might be had of the like Transpositions in the Realm of Scotland in Hungary Naples and else where enough to shew that nothing had been done in this great Transaction which was not to be presidented in other Places Upon all which Considerations it was thought most agreeable to the Rules of Polity that the King by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England should so dispose of the Possession of the Crown with such Remainders and Reversions as to him seemed best as might prevent such Inconveniencies and Emergent Mischiefs as might otherwise happen which could not better be effected then by setting the Crown on the Head of the Lady Jane a Lady of a Royal Blood born in the Realm brought up in the Religion now by Law established Married already to a Person of Desert and Honour and such an one in whom all those Graces were concentred which were sufficient to adorn all the rest of Her Sex Thus Reason being thus prepared the next Care was to have the Instrument so contrived in due form of Law that nothing might be wanting in the Stile and Legalities of it which might make it any way obnoxious to Disputes and Questions For the doing whereof it was thought necessary to call in the Assistance of some of the Judges and others of His Majesties Council learned in the Laws of this Realm by whose Authority it might be thought more passable amongst the People Of all which Rank none was thought fitter to be taken into the Consultation then Sir Edward Montague not onely as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and very well experienced in His own Profession But because he being one of the Executours of the King deceased his concurrence with the rest of the Council seemed the more considerable A Letter is therefore sent unto him on the eleventh of June subscribed by the Lord Treasurer the Duke of Northumberland the Earls of Shrewsbury Bedford and Pembroke the Lord Admiral Clinton the Lord Darcie Sir John Gale Sir William Peter Sir William Cecil and Sir John Cheek By the Tenour whereof he was commanded to attend upon their Lordships the next day in the Afternoon and to bring with him Sir John Baker Chancellour of the first-Fruits and Tenths Master Justice Bromeley together with the Attorney and Sollicitour General Being brought into the King's Presence at the time appointed whom they found attended by the Lord Treasurer and some others of those who had subscribed the former Letter the King declared Himself with a weak Voice to this Effect viz. That He had considered in His Sickness of the Estate of His Realm which if it should descend on the Lady Mary who was then unmarried it might so happen that She might marry a Stranger born whereby not onely the Laws of the Realm might be changed and altered but all His own Proceedings in Religion might be also reversed That it was His Pleasure therefore that the Crown should Descend after His Decease unto such Persons aâ—d in such Form as was contained in certain Articles then ready to be shewed unto them to be by them digested and disposed of in due Form of Law These Articles when they had Perused and Considered of they signified unto the King that they conceâ—ved them to be contrary to the Act of Succession which being made in Parliament could not be Frustrated or made Ineffectual but by Parliaments onely Which Answer notwithstanding the King without allowing further time or deliberation commanded them to take the Articles along with them and give the Business a Dispatch with all speed as might be But finding greater Difficulties in it then had appeared unto their Lordships they made a Report unto them at their next Attendance that they had Considered of the King's Articles and the Act of Succession whereby it appeared manâ—festly that if they should make any Book concerning the King's Commandment they should not onely be in danger of Treason but their Lordships also The sum of which Report being cerâ—ifiâ—d to the Duke of Northumberland who though absent was not out of Call he came in great Rage and Fury to the Council-Chamber called the Chief Justice Traitour affirmed that he would fight in his Shirt in that Quarrel against any man living and behaved himself in such an outragious manner as put both Mountague and Justice Bromely in a very great fear that he would have struck them Calâ—ed to the Court again by a Letter of the fourteenth of the same Moneth they found the King more earnest in it then He was before requiring them with a sharp Voice and a displeased Countenance to dispatch the Book according to the Articles delivered to them and telling them that He would have a Parliament shortly to Confirm the same When nothing else would serve the turn Answer was made That His Câ—mmandment should be obeyed upon Condition that they might be Commissionated so to do by His Majestie 's Warrant under the Great Seal of England and have a General Pardon for it when the Deed was done Not daring longer to resist and having made as good Provision as they could for their own Indemnâ—ty they betook themselves unto the Work digested it in form oâ— Law caused â—t to be Engrossed in Parchment and so dispatched it for the Seal to the Lord Chancellour Goodrick sufficiently prepared before-hand not to stick upon it Bâ—t then appeared another Difficulty amongst the Lords of the Council some of whâ—ch not well satisfied with these Proceedings appeared as backward in Subscribing to the Instrument before it went unto the Seal as the Great Lawyers had done at the first in being brought to the Employment But such was the Authority which Dudley and his Party had gained amongst them that some for fear and some for favour did Subscribe at last a Zeal to the Reformed Religion prevailing in it upon some a doubt of loosing their Church-Lands more powerfully over-swaying others and all in fear of getting the displeasure of that Mighty Tyrant who by his Power and Practices carried all before him The last that stood it out was Arch-Bishop Cranmer Who being sent for to the Court when all the Lords of the Council and most of the Judges of the Realm had subscribed the Instrument refused to put his hand unto it or to consent to the Disherison of the late King's Daughters After much Reasoning of the Case he requires a longer time of deliberation consults about it with some of the most Learned Lawyers and is finally sent for by the King who having fully set his heart upon the Business did use so many Reasons to him in behalf of Religion and plyed him with such strong Perswasions in pursuance of them that at the last he suffered himself to be overcome by His Importunities
Sir John Mason Master of the Requests R. Bowes Master of the Rolls Most of which had formerly subscribed the answer to a Letter which came to them from the Princesse Mary on the ninth of July and were all pâ—â—doned for so doing except Cranmer only Now the Tenor of the said 〈◊〉 was as followeth In the name of our Soveraign Lady Mary the Queen to be declared to the Duke of Northumberland and all other his Band of what degree soever they be YOu shall command and charge in the Queens Highness name the said Duke to disarm himselfe and the cease all his men of war and to suffer no part of his army to do any villany nor any thing contrary to the peace and himself to forbear his comming to this City untill the Queens pleasure be expressedly declared unto him And if he will shew himselfe like a good quiet subject we will then continue as we have begun as humble suitors to our Soveraign Lady the Queen's Highnesse for him and his and for our selves And if he do not we will not fail to spend our lives in subduing of him and his Item Ye shall declare the like matter to the Marquesse of Northampton and all other Noble men and Gentlemen and to all men of war being with any of them Item Ye shall in all places where ye come notifie it If the Duke of Northumberland do not submit himselfe to the Queens Highnesse Queen Mary he shall be accepted as a Traytor And all we of the Nobility that were Counsellors to the late King will to the utmost portion of our power persecute him and his to their afterconfusion The Pursuivant having communicate his Instructions found none more ready to obey them then the Duke himselfe who had before dismist his forces and now prepared for his departure from that place though to what he knew not But as he was pulling on his boots he was first slaid by some of the Pensioners who being drawn into the action against their wils resolved to have him in a readinesse to bear witnesse to it and after taken into custody by Slegg a Serjeant The businesse being in dispute another Packet comes from the Lords of the Council by which all parties were required to depart to their severall dwellings the benefit whereof the Duke laid claim to for himself and was accordingly left by them at his own disposal And so he passed that night in some good assurance that he should fare no worse than the rest of the Council who had engaged him in the same cause and by whose order he had undertaken the command of that Army In the mean time the Earl of Arundell had done his errand to the Queen to so good a purpose that he was presently dispatched with Order to seize upon him Who coming to Cambridge the next morining found him preparing for his journy laid hold upon him and committed him to the charge of some of the Guard It is reported that the Duke had no sooner seen the Earle of Arundell but he fell down upon his knees and besought him to be good unto him humbling himselfe before him with more abjectednesse than formerly he had insulted over him with pride and insolence By safe but easie journies he is brought unto the Tower on the 25 day of July together with the Earl of Warwick the Earle of Huntington the Lord Hastings the Lord Ambrose and the Lord Henry Dudley two of Northumberlands younger sons Sir Andrew Dudly the Duke's brother Sir John Gates and Henry Gates his brother Sir Thomas Palmer who formerly had served his turn in the destruction of the Duke of Sommerset and Dr Sandys Vice Chancelor of the University of Cambridge Followed the next day after by the Marquesse of Northampton Dr Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London the Lord Robert Dudley another of Northumberland's sons and Sir Robert Corbet who having made their Applications to the Queen at Framingham found there no better entertainment than if they had been take in some act of Hostility The 27 day brings in Sir Roger Chomley Chief Justice of the Kings Bench and Sir Edward Mountague Chief Justice of the Common Pleas the Duke of Suffolk and Sir John Cheek on the morrow after shutting up the Arrer But the Duke of Suffolk stayed not long for being considered in himself as an easie person of whom they were to fear no danger and otherwise no more in fault than the rest of the Council he was released again within three dayes after to the great comfort of his daughter the late queen Jane who would have died dayly for her Father though but once for her self But so it fared not with the Duke of Northumberland a more dangerous person who together with John Earl of Warwick his eldest son and William Marquesse of Northampton was brought to their tryal on the eighth of August before Thomas Duke of Norfolk then sitting as Lord High Steward in Westminster Hall The Duke being brought unto the bar humbled himself with great reverence before his Peers professing his faith and allegiance to the Queen against whom he confessed he had so grievously offended that he intended not to speak any thing in his own defence But having been trained up to the study of the Laws in his younger dayes he desired the judgement of the Court in these two points First Whether any man doing any act by Authority of the Princes Councel and by warrant of the Great Seal of England and doing nothing wâ—thâ—â—t the same might be charged with treason for any thing which he might do by warrant thereof And secondly which pinched then his Judges to some purpose Wheâ—her any such persons as were equally culpable in the crime and those by whose Letters and Commandments he was directed in all his doings might sit as Judges and passe upon his trial as his Peers Whereunto it was answered by the Court with advice of the Judges First That the Great Seal which â—e preâ—ended 〈◊〉 his warrant was not the Seal of the lawful Queen of the Realm but thâ— Seâ— of 〈◊〉 â—â—surper who had no authority and therefâ—re could bâ— no warrant to him And secondly That if any were as deeply to be touched in the case as himself yet so long as nâ— attainder was upon Record against them they were looked upon by the Law as persons capable of passing upon any tryal and not to bâ— challenged by any in that respect but only at the Prince's pleasure Which being delivered by the Court in point of Law the Duke conceived that it would be to no purpose for him to plead Not Guilty and thereupon confessed the Indictment as the other two prisoners also did they all received judgement in the usual form On the pronouncing whereof he besought the Lords to move the Queen that she would be gratious to his sons who might be able to do good service in the time to come considering that they went not with him of their own free will but only in
her than Philip Prince of Spain A Prince in the verdure of his years and eldest son to the most Mighty Emperour Charles the 5th by whom the Netherlands being laid to England and both secured by the assistance and power of Spain this nation might be render'd more considerable both by sea and land than any people in the world To this last Match the Queen was carefully sollicited by the Bishop of Winchester who neither loved the person of Pole nor desired his company for fear of growing less in power and reputation by coming under the command of a Cardinal Legate To which end he encouraged Charles the Emperour to go on with this mariage for his son not without some secret intimation on his Advice for not suffering Pole to come into England if he were suffered to come at all till the Treaty were concluded and the Match agreed on According whereunto the Lord Lamoralle Earl of Edgmond Charles Earl of Lalain and John 〈◊〉 Mount Morency Earl of Horn arrived in England as Ambassadors from the Emperour In the beginning of January they began to treat upon the mariage which they found so well prepared before their coming that in short time it was accorded upon these conditions 1. That it should be lawful for Philip to assume the Title of all the Kingdoms and Provinces belonging to his wife and should be joint Governour with her over those Kingdoms the Privileges and Customes thereof always preserved inviolate and the full and free distribution of Bishopricks Benefices Favours and Offices alwayes remaining intire in the Queen 2. That the Queen should also carry the Titles of all those Realms into which Philip either then was or should be afterwards invested 3. That if the Queen survived Philip 60 thousand pounds per annum should be assigned to her for her joynture as had been formerly assigned to the Lady Margaret Sister to King Edward the 4th and Wife to Charles Duke of Burgundy 4. That the Issue begotten by this mariage should succeed in all the Queens Dominions as also in the Dukedom and County of Burgundy and all those Provinces in the Neatherlands of which the Emperour was possessed 5. That if none but daughters should proceed from this mariage the eldest should succeed in all the said Provinces of the Neatherlands provided that by the Counsel and consent of Charles the son of Philip by Mary of Portugal his first wife she should make choice of a husband out of England or the Neatherlands or otherwise to be deprived of her right in the succession in the said estates and Charles to be invested in them and in that cafe convenient portions to be made for her and the rest of the daughters 6. And finally That if the said Charles should depart this life without lawful issue that then the Heir surviving of this mariage though female only should succeed in all the Kingdoms of Spain together with all the Dominions and Estates of Italy thereunto belonging Conditions fair and large enough and more to the advantage of the Realm of England than the Crown of Spain But so it was not understood by the generality of the people of England many of which out of a restless disposition or otherwise desirous to restore the reformed Religion had caused it to be noised abroad that the Spaniards were by this accord to become the absolute Lords of all the Kingdom that they were to have the managing of all affairs and that abolishing all the ancient Laws of the Realm they would impose upon the land a most intolerable yoke of servitude as a conquered Nation Which either being certainly known or probably suspected by the Queen and the Council it was thought fit that the Lord Chancelor should make a true and perfect declaration of all the points of the Agreement not only in the Presence Chamber to such Lords and Gentlemen as were at that time about the Court and the City of London but also to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and certain of the chief Commoners of that City purposely sent for to the Court upon the occasion Which services he perform'd on the 14th and 15th days of January And having summarily reported all the Articles of the capitulation he shewed unto them how much they were bound to thank God That such a Noble Worthy and Famous Prince would vonchsafe so to humble himself as in this mariage to take upon him rather as a subject than otherwise Considering that the Queen and her Council were to Rule and Govern all things as they did before and that none of the Spaniards or other strangers were to be of the Council nor to have the custody of any Castles Forts c. nor to have any office in the Queen's house or elsewhere throughout the Kingdom In which respect it was the Queens request to the Lords and Gentlemen That for her sake they would most lovingly receive the said Prince with â—oy and honour and to the Lord Mayor and the Citizens That they would behave themselves to be good subjects with all humility and rejoycing Which declaration notwithstanding the subjects were not easily satisfied in those fears and jealousies which cunningly had been infused into them by some popular spirits who greedily affected a change of Government and to that end sowed divers other discontents amongst the people To some they secretly complained That the Queen had broke her promise to the Suffolk men in suppressing the Religion setled by King Edward the 6th to others That the mariage with the Prince of Spain was but the introduction to a second vassalage to the Popes of Rome sometimes they pitied the calamity of the Lady Jane not only forcibly deposed but barbarously condemned to a cruel death and sometimes magnified the eminent vertues of the Princess Elizabeth as the only blessing of the Kingdom and by those Articles prepared the people in most places for the act of Rebellion And that it might succeed the better nothing must be pretended but the preservation and defence of their Civil Liberties which they knew was generally like to take both with Papists and Protestants but so that they had many engines to draw such others to the side as either were considerable for power or quality The Duke of Suffolk was hooked in upon the promise of re-establishing his daughter in the Royal throne the Carews and other Gentlemen of Devonshire upon assurance of marying the Lord Courtney to the Princess Elizabeth and setting the Crown upon their heads and all they that wished well to the Reformation upon the like hopes of restoring that Religion which had been setled by the care and piety of the good King Edward but now suppressed contrary to all faith the promise by the Queeâ— and her Ministers By means of which suggestions and subtil practices the contagion was so generally diffused over all the Kingdom that if it had not accidently broke out before the time appointed by them it was conceived by many wise and knowing
refused to do their sentence was pronounced by the Prolocutor in the name of the rest in which they were deolared to be no members of the Chruch and that therefore they their patrons and followers were condemned as Hereticks In the reading whereof they were again severally asked whether they would turn or not to which they severally answered read on in God's name for they were resolved not to turn And so the sentence being pronounced they were returned again to their several prisons there to expect what execution would ensue upon it And execution there was none to ensue upon it â—ill the end of the Session of Parliament then next following because till then there was no saw in force for putting Hereticks to death as in former times During which interval they excrcited themselves in their private studies or in some godly meditations wrâ—â—ing consolatory Letters unto such of their friends as were reduced by the iniquity of the times to the like extremity amongst which as they understood their dear brother Mr John Hooper Bishop of Glocester to have been marked out for the slaughter so that intelligence revived in Bishop Râ—dley's thoughts the remembrance of that conteroveâ—sie which had been between them concerning the Episcopal habit in the time of King Edward There is no question to be made but that they had forgotten and forgiven that quarrel long before yet Ridley did not think he had done enough if he left not to the world some testimony of their mutual charity as well as their consent in doctrine such as might witness to the world that they maintained the spirit of unity in the bond of peace Concerning which he writes to him in this manner following viz. But now dear Brother forasmuch as I understand by your books which I have but superficially seen that we throughly agree and wholly consent together in those things which are the grounds and substantial points of our Religion against the which the world so furiously rageth in these our dayes however in times past in ceâ—ain by-matters and circumstances of Religion your wisdom and my simplicity I must confesse have a little jarred each of us following the aboundance of his own spirit Now I say be assured that even with my whole heart God is my witnesse in the bowels of Christ I love you in the truth and for the truths sake which abideth in us as I am perswaded and by the Grace of God shall abide in us for â—ver more And because the world as I perceive brother ceaseth not to play his pageant and busily conspireth against Christ our Saviour with all possible force and power Exalting high things against the knowlege of God Let us join hands together in Christ as if we cannot overthrow yet to our power and as much as in us lyeth let us shake those high Altitudes not with carnal but with spiritual weapons and withall brother lâ—t us prepare our selves to the day of dissâ—lâ—tion by that which after the short time of this bodily affliction by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall triumph together with him in eternal glory Comforted with reciprocal letters of this holy nature they both prepared themselves for death in which Hooper had the honour to lead the way as being more in Bâ—nner's eye when the Act past for reviving the Statutes before mentioned in the case of Heresie But Hooper having led the way and many â—ther godly and religious men following the same tract which he had made it came at last unto the turn of these reverend Prelates to pass through the same 〈◊〉 to the Land of Promise In order whereunto a Commission is directed from the Pope to Dr. James Broâ—ks Bishop of Glocester by which he is authorized as Subdelegate to his Holiness to proceed in the cause of â—homas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury The like Commission is directed to Dr Martin and Dr Story to attend the business as delegated thereunto by the King and Queen before whom convented in St Mary's Church on the 12th of September he did his reverence to the two Doctors as Commissioners for the King and Queen but could not be perswaded to shew any respect to the Bishop of Glâ—cesteâ— because commissionared by the Pope He had before abjur'd the Popes supremacy in the time of King Henry and would not now submit unto it in the Reign of Queen Mary desiring the Bishop not to interpret it an affront to his person to whom otherwise he should gladly pay all due regards had he appeared in any other capacity than the Popes Commissioner Not being able to remove him from that resolution they propounded to him certain Articles concerning his having been twice maried his denyal of the Pope's supremacy his judgement in the point of the blessed Sacrament his having been declared an Heretick by the late Prolocutor and the rest of the Commissioners there assembled To all which Articles he so answered as to deny nothing of the charge in matter of fact but only to stand upon his justification in point of Doctrine The whole proceeding being summed up he is cited to appear before the Pope within 80 dayes To which he said that he was most willing so to do if the King and Queen would please to send him And so he was returned to the prison from whence he came and there kept safe enough from making any journy to Rome remaining in safe â—â—stody till he was brought out to suffer death of which more hereafter On the 28th of the same month comes out another Commission from the Cardinal Legate directed to John White Bishop of Lincoln James Brooks Bishop of Glocester and John Holyman Bishop of Bristow or any two of them inabling them to proceed to the degradation of the other two Bishops if they retracted not those doctrines for holding which they had been formerly deâ—lared to be Hereticks But they couragiously adhering to their first opinions and otherwise expressing as little reverence to the Substitutes of the Cardinal Legate as Cranmer had done to the Commissioners of the Pope the sentence was pronounced upon them to this effect that is to say That forasmuch as the said Nichosas Ridley and Hugh Latimer did affiâ—m maintain and stubbornly desend certain opinions and Heresies contrary to the Word of God and the received faith of the Church as first In denying the true and natural body of Christ and his natural blood to be in the Sacrament of the Altar 2. In affirming the substance of bread and wine to râ—main after the words of the consecration And 3. In denying the Masse to be a lively sacrifice of the Church for the quick and the dead and by no means could be reduced from the same that therefore they said John of Lincoln James of Glocester and John of Bristol did adjudge and condemn them the said N. Ridlâ—y and H. Latimer as Hereticks both by word and deed to be degraded from the degree of a Bishop from Priesâ—hood and all
and so Subscribed it with the rest Onely Sir James Hales one of the Justices of the Common-Pleas carried the Honour of a Resolute and Constant Man not onely from those of his own Rank but even from all the Lords of the Council and almost all the Peers of the Realm to boot who being a man observed to be both Religious and upright did very worthily refuse to Subscribe and was afterwards as unworthily requited by Queen Mary for it Yet notwithstanding all these Rubs the Project was driven on so fâ—st by the haâ—ty Duke that by the one and twentieth of June the Letters Patents were made ready to pass the Seal which was about a fortnight before the Death of the King During which Interval he had another Game to Pay which was the getting into his Power the Princess Mary whom of all others he most feared as the most likely Person to destroy his whole Contrivance For well he knew that if She stood upon Her Right as no doubt She would She was not onely sure of a strong Party in the Realm who still remained in good Affections to the Church of Rome but that Her Party heâ—e would be Backed and Countenanced by Her Alliances abâ—â—ad wâ—o câ—â—ld â—ot but Prefer and Support Her Interess against all Pretenders 〈◊〉 â—ust make sure of Her or else account all Void and Frâ—stiate which was done already Aâ—d that he might make sure of Her he so prevailed that Letters were directed to â—er in the King's Name from the Lords of the Couâ—cil Willing Her foâ—l wâ—â—h to resort to the Kâ—ng as well to be a comfort to Him in His 〈◊〉 as to see all Matters well Ordered about Him The Lady suspecting to 〈◊〉 Mischief addressed Her Self with all speâ—d to the 〈…〉 gâ—eaâ— Joy that either Her Company or Her Service shâ—uld be esteem'd Needfull to the King But as She was upon the way and 〈…〉 half a Daâ—'s Journey of the Court She received Advice both of the King 's desperate Estate and of the Duke's Designs against Her whereupon She 〈◊〉 in haâ—t to Her House at Hoveden where in a very short time She hâ—ard the Sad Nâ—ws of Her Brother's Death who dyed upon the sixth of July as before was saâ—d Which being the same day of the Moneth on which King Henryâ—ad â—ad taken off the Head of Sir Thomas More for his Adhesion to the Pope the Interess of Queen Katharine Dowager and the Princess Mary gave an occasion unto â—hose of the Râ—mish Party to look upon it as a Piece of Divine Retrâ—bution in taking away the 〈◊〉 of His onely Son on the same day also Two days the Death of the King was by Special Order kept so secret that it was known to very fâ—w about the Court. And it concerned them so to do partly in expectation of the coming of the Princess Mary whâ—m thâ—y knâ—w to be upon the way and partly to make sure of the City of London the Favour and Fidelity whereof was of great Importance for the carrying on of the Design But understanding by their Espiâ—ls that the Princess Mary was retired a Message was sent on Saturday the eighth of July to Sir George Barns the Lord Mayour of London requiring him in the Name of the Lords of the Council to give his Attendance at the Court and bring with him six of the Principal Aldermen six Merchants of the Staple and as many of the Company of Merchant-Adventurers No haste was wanting on their parts And coming at the time appointed they were privily informed by some of the Council but in the Name of all the rest that the King was dead and that He had Declared by His Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England subscribed by all the Lords of the Council and almost all the Peers of the Realm that His Cousin the Lady Jane Gray was to Succeed Him in the Crowns of England and Ireland as the most True Certain and Undoubted Heir of all His Dominions Which being signified unto them it was no hard matter to obtain their Consent to that which they were not able to deny And so upon a Promise of their best Assistance to Promote the Cause and to keep secret the King's Death untill further Order they were dismissed unto their Houses It is an Antient Custom of the Kings of England immediately on the Death of their Predecessours to provide their Lodgings in the Tower Taking possession as it were by that Royal Fortress of the rest of the Kingdom and from thence passing in a Solemn and Magnificent manner through the Principal Streets of London to their Coronation According to which Antient Custom the Lodgings in the Tower being fitted and prepared for the Queen's Reception the Lords of the Council passed over from Greenwich on Munday the tenth of the same Moneth A Letter had been brought the night before from the Princess Mary who had received Advertisement of Her Brother's Death notwithstanding all their Care and Diligence in labouring to conceal it from His nearest Servants which made them meet the earlier and in greater numbers to return an Answer thereunto The Princess knew Her own Right and the Wrong which was intended to Her both which She signified unto Them in these following words My LORDS WE Greet You well and have received sure Advertisement that Our Dearest Brother the King Our late Sovereign Lord is departed to God's Mercy Which News how wofull they be unto Our Heart He onely knoweth to whose Will and Pleasure We must and do humbly submit Vs and Our Wills But in this so lamentable a Case that is to wit after His Majestie 's Departure and Death concerning the Crown and Governance of this Realm of England with the Title of France and all things thereto belonging what hath been provided by Act of Parliament and the Testament and Last Will of Our Dearest Father besides other Circumstances Advancing Our Right You know the Realm and the whole World knoweth the Rolls and Records appear by the Authority of the King Our said Father and the King Our said Brother and the Subjects of this Realm So that We verily trust that there is no good true Subject that is can or would pretend to be ignorant thereof And of Our part We have of Our Selves caused and as God shall aid and strengthen Vs shall cause Our Right and Title in this behalf to be Published and Proclaimed accordingly And albeit this so Weighty a Matter seemeth strange that the Dying of Our said Brother upon Thursday at night last past We hitherto had no knowledge from You thereof yet We consider Your Wisdom and Prudence to be such that having eftsoons amongst You Debated Pondred and well Weighed this present Case with Our Estate Your Own Estate the Common-Wealth and all Our Honours We shall and may conceive Great Hope and Trust with much assurance in Your Loyalty and Service and therefore for the time interpret and take things not to the worst that Ye yet will like
next followed not long after by Sir Thomas Holdcroft Sir Miles Partridg Sir Michael Stanhop Wingfield Banister and Vaughan with certain others for whose Commitment there was neither cause known nor afterwards discovered Onely the greater Number raised the greater Noise increas'd the Apprehension of the present Danger and served to make the Duke more Criminal in the Eyes of the People for drawing so many of all sorts into the Conspiracy Much time was spent in the Examination of such of the Prisoners as either had before discovered the Practice if any such Practice were intended or were now fitted and instructed to betray the Duke into the Power and Malice of his Enemies The Confessions which seemed of most importance were those of Palmer Crane and Hammond though the Truth and Reality of the Depositions may be justly questioned For neither were they brought face to face before the Duke at the time of his Trial as in ordinary course they should have been nor suffered loss of Life or Goods as some others did who were no more guilty then themselves And yet the Business stai d not here the Earl of Arundel and the Lord Paget and two of the Earl of Arundel's Servants being sent Prisoners after the rest upon Crane's detection It was further added by Palmer that on the last St. George's-Day the Duke of Sommerset being upon a journey into the North would have raised the People if he had not been assured by Sir William Herbert that no Danger was intended to him Six Weeks there passed between the Commitment of the Prisoners and the Duke's Arraignment which might have given the King more then leisure enough to finde the depth of the Design if either he had not been directed by such as the new Duke of Northumberland had placed about him or taken by a Solemnity which served fiâ—ly for it For so it happened that the Queen Regent of Scotland having been in France to see Her Daughter and being unwilling to return by Sea in that cold time of the year obtained leave of the King by the mediation of the French Ambassadour to take Her journey through England Which leave being granted She put Her self into the Bay of Portsmouth where She was Honourably received and conveyed towards London From Hampton-Court She passed by Water on the second day of November to St. Paul's Wharf From whence She rode accompanied with divers Noble Men and Ladies of England besides Her own Train of Scotland to the Bishop's-Palace Presented at Her first coming thither in the name of the City with Muttons Beefs Veals Poultry Wine and all other sorts of Provisions necessary for Her Entertainment even to Bread and Fewel Having reposed Her self two days She was conveyed in a Chariot to the Court at White-Hall accompanied with the Lady Margaret Douglass Daughter of Margaret Queen of Scots by Her second Husband together with the Duchesses of Richmond Suffolk and Northumberland besides many other Ladies of both Kingdoms which followed after in the Train At the Court-Gate She was received by the Dukes of Suffolk and Northumberland and the Lord High-Treasurer the Guard standing on both sides as She went along and being brought unto the King whom She found standing at the end of the Great Hall She cast Her self upon Her knees but was presently taken up and Saluted by Him according to the Free Custom of the English Nation Leading Her by the Hand to the Queen's Chamber of Presence He Saluted in like manner all the Ladies of Scotland and so departed for a while Dinner being ready the King conducted Her to the Table prepared for them where they dined together but had their Services apart The Ladies of both Kingdomes were feaâ—ted in the Queen 's Great Chamber where they were most Sumptuously Served Dinner being done that Her Attendants might have time to partake of the Entertainment the King shewed Her His Gardens Galleries c. and about four of the clock He brought Her down by the Hand into the Hall where He Saluted Her and so She departed to the Bishop's-Paâ—ace as before Departing towards Scotland on the sixth of that Moneth She rode through all the Principal Streets of London betwixt the Bishop's House and the Church in Shore-ditch attended by divers Noble Men and Women all the way She went But more particularly the Duke of Northumberland shewed himself with one hundred Horse each having his Javelin in his hand and fourty of them apparelled in Black Velvet Guarded with White and Velvet Caps and White Feathers and Chains of Gold about their Necks Next to these stood one hundred and twenty Horsemen of the Earl of Pembroke's with black Javelins Hats and Feathers Next to them one hundred of the Treasurer's Gentlemen and Yeomen with Javelins These ranks of Horsemen reaching from the Cross in Cheap-side to the end of Birching-Lane in Cornhill Brought as far as Shoreditch-Church She was committed to the care of the Sheriffs of London by whom She was attended as far as Walâ—ham Conducted in like manner by the Sheriffs of all the Counties through which She passed till She came unto the Borders of Scotland Her Entertainment being provided by the King's appointment at the Charge of the Counties Which Passages not being otherwise Material in the Course of this History I have adventured to lay down the better to express the Gallantry and Glory of the English Nation before Puritanism and the Humour of Parity occasioned the neglect of all the laudable Solemnities which antiently had been observed both in Church and State The Discourse raised on this Magnificent Reception of the Scotish Queen so filled all Mouths and entertained so many Pens that the Danger of the Duke of Sommerset seemed for a time to be forgotten but it was onely for a time For on the first of December the Duke being brought by water to Westminster-Hall found all things there prepared for his Arraignment The Lord High-Steward for the time was the Marquess of Winchester who took his place under a Cloath of Estate raised three steps higher then the rest of the Scaffold The Peers to the number of twenty seven sitting one step lower Amongst these were the Duke of Northumberland the Marquess of North-hampton and the Earl of Pembroke who being Parties to the Charge ought in all Honesty and Honour to have excused themselves from sitting in Judgment on him at the time of his Trial. But no Challenge or Objection being made or allowed against them they took place with the rest The Court being sate and the Prisoner brought unto the Bar the Charge against him was divided into five Particulars viz. Firâ—â— His design of Raising men in the North Parts of the Realm and of assembling men at his House to kill the Duke of Northumberland 2. A resolution to assist his Attachment 3. The Plot for killing the Gens d' Arms. 4. His intent for raising London 5. His purpose of assaulting the Lords and devising their Deaths The whole Impeachment managed in the