declared void and incestuous and a Law enacted wherein all Appeales to Rome were forbidden and that none should stile CATHARINE other then Princesse of Wales and Widow or Dowager of Prince ARTHVR By vertue and authority of the same Law the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied with some other Bishops comming to Dunstable six miles from Ampthill where CATHARINE then resided caused her to be cited before Him next vnder the King chiefe Iudge in all Ecclesiasticall causes within the Province of Canterbury to shew what reasons could be alleaged why the marriage not lawfully contracted betweene the King and her should not be disanulled and pronounced impious incestuous and consequently void To these things by one of her servants she answered that it beseemed not the Archbishop to thrust his sickle into anothers harvest this Cause did yet depend vndecided before the Pope CHRIST'S Vicar on earth whose Decree she would obey and other Iudge would shee acknowledge none Being called fifteene dayes together and not appearing Shee is pronounced Contumax and for her contumacie separated from the Kings bed and company Wherevpon the Lady ANNE proclaimed Queene throughout the Kingdome on Easter eve shewed her selfe publiquely as Queene and was at Whits ontide crowned with as great pompe and solemnitie as ever was Queene The particulars I will let passe excepting that propheticall Disticke vpon one of the triumphant Arches purposely erected in London where shee was to passe Regina ANNA paris Regis de sanguine Natam Et paries populis aurea secla tuis In English ANNE thou a daughter bearest to our King And to thy people golden dayes shalt bring Wafers also with the same impression were throwne about saith STOW But I rather beleeve that this Disticke was made after the Queenes deliverie Whensoever it were hee that truely considers the feâ—icitie of the foure and fortie yeares raigne of this Queenes Daughter will thinke this Oracle could not proceed from any but a Delphian APOLLO For the Queene at the time of her Coronation was great with childe whereof the seventh of September shee was delivered at Greenwich which was that ever famous Queene ELIZABETH who after the death of her Brother and Sister so gloriously ruled this Kingdome The Pope was certified of all these passages that his authoritie in England was abrogated that the late Queene CATHARINE was put away that ANNE BOLEN as Queene was taken to the Kings bed that the King stiled himselfe Supreme Head of the Church of England that the Archbishop of Canterbury executed all those offices which formerly the Pope only did and that not as the Popes Legate but as Primate of England who vnder the King claimed chiefe authority in Ecclesiasticall affaires throughout his whole Province Wherwith being neâ—ed hee seemed to breath nothing but threats and revenge But knowing himselfe to have beene the motive of it and doubtfull of the event he was easily persuaded by the French King as yet not to proceed by excommunication against HENRY vntill he had made triall of some milder course Wherevpon FRANCIS by BELLAY Bishop of Paris entreates HENRY not to withdraw himselfe wholy from the obedience of Rome for as much as it was a matter of great danger Hee would therefore advise him once more by Embassadours to Rome to signifie that he was not vtterly averse from a râ—conciliation which if hee did hee made no doubt but all things would succeed to his minde HENRY was certaine of enioying his Love and let the Pope decree what he list was resolved to keepe her Hee had beene formerly abused by the Court of Rome and was loath to make farther triall of their dilatory proceedings Yet had BELLAY prevailed so faâ—re with him that Hee would be content once more to submit himselfe to the Church of Rome if hee could bee assured of the Popes intention to do him equity The Bishop conceiving some hopes of a peace although it were in the winter time goes himselfe to Rome gives the Pope an account of his actions and certifies him that the matter was not yet desperate Wherevpon a day is appointed by which a Post returning from the King was to give notice of an intended Embassie But the Consistory gave so short a time to have an answere that the Post came short two dayes at his returne The terme expired they proceed hastily to the confirmation of their Censures notwithstanding the Bishops instance to obtaine six dayes more for as much as contrary windes or some other chance might hinder the messenger and six dayes would be no great matter considering the King had wauered six whole yeares before hee fell The more moderate thought the Bishop demanded but reason but the preposterous haste of the greater sort preuailed Two dayes were scarce past after the prefixed time but the Post arriuing with ample authority and instructions from England did greatly amaze those hasty Cardinalls who afterwards would faine but could not finde any meanes to mend what they had so rashly marred For the matter to please the Emperor was so hudled vp as that which could not ritely bee finished in three Consistories was done in one So the King and the whole Realme was interdicted the Bull whereof the Messengers not daring to come neerer was brought to Dunkirk The report hereof comming to the King hee laies all the blame on the Lady CATHARINE Whereupon the Duke of Suffolke was sent to lessen her Houshold They who might be any way suspected to haue been imploied by her in this businesse are turned away the rest are commanded to take their oathes to serve her as Princesse of Wales not as Queene of England They that refuse are caâ—hiered and they that are content to sweare are by her cast off so that for a time shee had few or no Attendants In the meane time on the three and twentieth of June died MARY Queene of France the Kings Sister and was buried in the Abbey of Saint Edmundsbury Anno Dom. 1534. Reg. 26. ABout this time was discouered the grand imposture of ELIZABETH BARTON which brought her to a deserued end Shee had formerly beene sicke of a strange disease which not only afflicted her inwardly but as often as her fit tooke her so wonderfully distorted her mouth and other parts of her body that most were of opinion it could not peoceed from any naturall cause But Custome growing to a second Nature the continuance of the Disease had taught her to distort her body after her recouery in the fame manner as when she was sicke Hoping to make a profit of this her counterfeit Convulsion she imparted the secret to the Curate of the Parish by whose deuice after â—ong deliberation betweene them it was agreed that she should often faine her selfe to be in an ecstasie and whereas shee was wont when the fit seased her to ly still without motion as if she had been dead shee should now sometimes vtter some godly sentences inveigh against the wickednesse of the times but
especially against Heretiques and broachers of new Opinions and should relate strange visions revealed by God to her in the time of her ecstasie By these jugling trickes not only among the Vulgar who termed the holy Maid of Kent but among the wiser sort such as were Archbishop WARHAM Bishop FISHER and others her sanctity was held in admiration The Imposture taking so generally her boldnesse increased Shee prefixeth a day whereon she shall be restored to perfect health and the meanes of her recouery must be procured forsooth by a pilgrimage to some certaine Image of our Lady The day came and shee beeing brought to the place by the like cousenage deceiued a great number of people whom the expectation of the miracle had drawne thither and at last as if she had iust then shaken off her disease shee appeares whole and straight vnto them all saying That by especiall command from God shee must become a Nunne and that one Doctor BOCKING a Monke of Canterbury there present was ordained to bee her Confessor which office hee willingly vndertooke vnder pretext whereof this Nunne liuing at Canterbury BOCKING often resorted to her not without suspition of dishonesty The intended Divorce from CATHARINE and marriage with ANNE BOLEN had much appalled most part of the Clergy for then a necessity was imposed on the King of a divorce from the Papall Sea in which the Church and all Ecclesiasticall persons were likely to suffer The apprehension whereof wrought so with BOCKING that making others conscious of the intent hee persuaded ELIZABETH BARTON by denuntiation of Gods revealed judgements to deterre the King from his purposed change Shee according as shee was instructed proclaimes it abroad That the King aduenturing to marry another CATHARINE surviving should if in the meane time hee died not some infamous death within one moneth after be depriued of his Kingdome The King heares of it and causeth the Impostrix to be apprehended who vpon examination discouered the rest of the conspirators who were all committed to prison vntill the next Parliament should determine of them ELIZ. BARTON BOCKING MASTERS the afore mentioned Curate of the Parish DEERING and RISBEY Monkes with GOLD a Priest are by the Parliament adiudged to dy The Bishop of Rochester and ADESON his Chaplaine one ABEL a Priest LAVRENCE the Archdeacon of Canterbury his Register and THOMAS GOLD Gentleman for hauing heard many things whereby they might guesse at the intents of the Conspirators and not acquainting the Magistrate with them are as accessory condemned in a Praemunire confiscation of their goods and perpetuall imprisâ—nment ELIZABETH BARTON and her Companions hauing each of them after a Sermon at Pauls Crosse publiquely confessed the Imposture are on the twentieth of Aprill hanged and their heads set ouer the gates of the City By the same Parliament the authority of the Convocation to make Canonicall Constitutions vnlesse the King giue this Rovall assent is abrogated It is also inacted That the Collocation of all Bishoprickes the Seas being vacant should henceforth be at the Kings dispose and that no man should be chosen by the Chapter or consecrated by the Archbishop but he on whom the King by his Congé D'eslire or other his Letters had conferred that Dignity And wheras many complained that now all commerce with Rome was forbidden all meanes were taken away of mitigating the rigour of the Ecclesiasticall Lawes of Dispensation Papall authority is granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury the King reserving to himselfe the power of dispensing in causes of greater moment And that all Appeales formerly wont to be made from the Archbishop to the Pope should now bee from the Archbishop to the King who by Delegates should determine all such suites and controversies Furthermore the Kings marriage with the Lady CATHARINE is againe pronounced incestuous the Succession to the Crowne established on the Kings Issue begotten on Queene ANNE And all aboue the age of sixteen yeares throughout the Kingdome are to be bound by oath to the obseruance of this Law whosoeuer refused to take this oath should suffer losse of all their goods and perpetuall imprisonment Throughout all the Realme there were found but two who durst refractoâ—ily oppose this Law viz FISHER Bishop of Rochester and Sir THOMAS MOORE the late Lord Chancellor men who were indeed very learned but most obstinate stickers in the behalfe of the Church of Rome who being not to be drawne by any persuasions â—o be conformable to the Law were committed to prison from whence after a yeares durance they were not freed but by the losse of their liues But the King fearing that it might be thought That hee tooke these courses rather out of a contempt of Religion than in regard of the tyrannie of the Court of Rome to free himselfe from all suspition either of favouring LVTHER or any authors of new Opinions began to persecute that sort of men whom the Vulgar called Heretiques and condemned to the cruelty of that mercilesle Element Fire not only certaine Dutch Anabaptists but many Professors of the Truth and amongst others that learned and godly young man IOHN â—RITH who with one HEWET and others on the two and twentieth of July constantly endured the torments of their martyrdome The fiue and twentieth of September died CLEMENT the Seuenth Pope in whose place succeeded ALEXADER FARNESE by the name of PAVLVS the Third who to begin his time with some memorable Act hauing called a Consistory pronounced HENRY to be fallen from the Title and Dignity of a King and to be deposed re-iterating withall the thunder of Excommunication with which bug-beare his predecessor CLEMENT had sought to affright him But this peradventure happened in the insuing yeare after the death of FISHER and MORE A Parliament is againe called in November wherein according to the Decree of the late Synod the King was declared Supreme Head of the Church of England and the punishment all crimes which formerly pertained to the Ecclesiasticall Courts is made proper to him So the Kingdome is vindicated from the vsurpation of the Pope who before shared in it and the King now first began to raigne entirely Also all Annates or first Fruits formerly paid to the Pope are granted to the King And Wales the seat of the remainder of the true antient Britans hitherto differing from vs compounded of Normans and Saxons as well in the forme of their gouernment as in Language is by the authority of this Parliament to the great good of both but especially that Nation vnited and incorporated to England EDWARD the First was the first who subdued this Countrey yet could hee not prevaile over their mindes whome the desire of recouering their lost liberty animated to many rebellions By reason whereof and our suspitions being for two hundred yeares oppressed either with the miseries of seruitude or war they neuer tasted the sweet fruits of a true and solid peace But HENRY the Seuenth by bloud in reguard
the MOWBRAYES who had beene all Dukes of Norfolke enioyed this Honour by right of Inheritance But because in Bosworth field where hee was slaine hee tooke part with the Vsurper both he and his Posteritie were deprived of that Honour This THOMAS dying in the yeare 1524. his Sonne of the same name succeeded him who deceased in the yeare 1554. His Sonne HENRY a young Lord of great hopes his Father then living was beheaded towards the end of this Kings Raigne Hee left Issue THOMAS the last Duke of Norfolke who also lost his head the yeare 1572. and HENRY at nurse when his Father died a very learned and wise man whom King IAMES no good man repining thereat created Earle of Northampton THOMAS Duke of Norfolke had three Sonnes that survived him PHILIP THOMAS and WILLIAM PHILIP Earle of Surrey and by his Mother of Arundell condemned the yeare 1589. and after dying in prison left Issue THOMAS then a little one who by King IAMES his favour succeeded his Father in his Honors His Vncle THOMAS out of the same fountaine of Royall Goodnes was created Earle of Suffolke with addition of the dignity of Lord Chamberlaine Beside these this Family hath CHARLES Earle of Nottingham Lord Admirall of England Nephew by the Lord WILLIAM his father to THOMAS Duke of Norfolke that famous Triumpher ouer the Scots This is he who in emulation of his grandfathers glory in the yeare 1588. vnder the fortune of Queene ELIZABETH most happily ouerthrew that vainely called Inuincible Armada of Spaine THOMAS also Viscount Bindon is deriued from THOMAS Duke of Norfolke by his sonne the Lord THOMAS So this noble House latély afflicted now gloriously flourishing hath foure Earles and a Viscount all braue and famous men and of whom there will be occasion of much to be spoken hereafter I therefore thought it good in briefe to set downe their Genealogie lest I should trouble the Reader with too often repetition of their Race vpon each mention of the Name At the time of this Dukes creation others were also honored with new titles CHARLES BRANDON made Duke of Suffolke and CHARLES SOMERSET Earle of Worcester and EDWARD STANLEY Lord Mountegle Sir WILLIAM BRANDON Standard bearer to HENRY the seuenth in Bosworth field and there slaine by the hand of RICHARD the Third was father to this new Duke of Suffolke of whose education he then a little one King HENRY hauing obtained the Crowne was verie carefull and made him rather a companion than a seruant to the young Prince of whose household hee was The Prince so greatly fauored him partly for his fathers deserts chiefely for his owne that he being afterward King created him Viscount Lisle and intending at least many were so persuaded to giue him to wife the Ladie MARY his sister who afterward was married to the King of France thought it first good to honour him with the Duchie of Suffolke which this yeare at the feast of Candlemas was performed But how he was frustrated of his hopes and afterward beyond all hope enioyed her shall be declared hereafter SOMERSET the naturall sonne of HENRY of the House of Lancaster the last Duke of Somerset tooke his surname of his fathâ—rs Honour whereas he should haue beene called BEAVFORT or rather PLANTAGENET according to the antient name of our English Kings Heâ— being Couzen german to HENRY the Seuenth whose mother was MARGARET Sister to the Duke of Somerset and famous for his many vertues of which that King was a quicke and exact Iudge was by him made L. high Chamberlaine of England But hauing behaued himself very valiantly in this last expedition against the French wherein GVICCIARDIN vntruly reporteth him to haue been slaine HENRY the eighth added this new title which his posteritie still inioyes to his antient honors He was great grandfather by his son HENRY nephew WILLIAM to EDWARD the now Earle who being one of his Maiesties most honorable priuy Counsel Lo. Priuy Seale doth by his vertues much more ennoble his so noble Ancestors The French King hearing of the ouerthrow of the Scots perceiuing himselfe depriued of such a frieud confederat seeing his kingdom on fire about his ears and none to relie vpon but himselfe determined if so he might fairely and with credit to craue his League with vs. Pope IVLIVS 2. the Incendiarie of Christendoine was lately dead and the French king himselfe was now a widower He therefore intends to try whither by marrying the lady MARY the kings sister he might secure himselfe from war on our side and by so neere alliance gaine the assured friendship of so potent a Prince LEO 10. succeeding IVLIVS 2. did openly side with the French against the Spaniard He therefore earnestly soliciting a reconciliation a Peace was cluded profitable to the French acceptable to vs and on the 9 of October the nuptials were with great pompe solemnised The French king was well stricken in yeres his wife a tender virgin of some 16. or 18. yeares of age but wonderfull beautifull Besides the forementioned reasons the desire of children for he had no masle issue on His part on Her part the publique weale the authoritie of her brother so willing and which beares chiefest sway in a womans heart the supremacy of honor in the title of a Queen were motiues to match so Vneuen a Paire But many not without cause were persuaded that she had rather haue made choice of BRANDON for her husband so her power had been answerable to her wil than the greatest Monarch in the world neither was it long before she enioyed her desire For the king as it often happens to elderly men that apply theÌ„selues to yong womeÌ„ died the last of Febr. hauing scarce 3 months suruiued his wedding The queenâ— might then lawfully according to the articles of agreemeÌ„t return into England which she earnestly desiring the Duke of Suffolke was sent to conduct her who becomming a fresh suitor vnto her so far easily preuailed that before their departure from Paris they were there priuatly married The marriage was afterward by the kings consent celebrated at Greenwich the 13 day of May of the ensuing yeare And now we must speake something of VVOLSEY'S sudden and for these our times incredible rising who hauing as we haue related before beene inuested in the Bishopricke of Tournay was within the yeare preferred to two other Bishopricks That venerable Bishop of Lincolne WILLIAM SMITH was lately deceased who beside many other monuments of his piety hauing begun in Oxford a Colledge for students called Brasen nose Colledge was immaturely taken away before he could finish so good a work So the Sea being vacant it is conferred on WOLSEY now high in the Kings fauour Hee was of verie meane parentage a Butchers sonne and Jpswiâ—h a towne in Suffolke but of Norwich Diocesse where hee afterward laid the foundation of a stately Colledge was the place of his birth He was brought vp at Oxford in
the night in the morning hearing the Kings forces to approach most of them slipt away onely some thrâ—e hundred remained whereof eleuen were women and being apprehended supplied their places whom theybefore had freed They were all arraigned onely thirteene designed for death whereof nine suffered on diuers gibbets purposely erected in diuers parts of the Citie LINCOLNE SHERWIN and two brethren named BETS Chiefetaines in this sedition were carried to Cheapside where LINCOLNE was deseruedly hanged The Executioner readie to turne off another was preuented by the Kings gracious Pardon The minde of man beeing prone to pittie wee may imagine that others were well pleased at the newes but certainely the condemned had cause to reioice The Queenes of England the two Dowagers of of France and Scotland both of them the Kings Sisters and then at Court became incessant Petitioners to his Maiestie and that on their knees in the behalfe of these condemned persons and at length WOLSEY consenting by whome the King was wholly swayed their Petitions were graunted to them and to the poore men their liues This was the last scene of this tragicall tumult the like whereof this well gouerned Citie had not knowne in manie ages For the Lawes verie well prouided in that case do vnder a great penaltie forbid Assemblies especially of armed men if not warranted by publicke Authoritie In August and September the sweating sicknesse termed beyond Sea Sudor Anglicus or the English sweat began a disease vtterly vnknowne to former ages Of the common sort they were numberlesse that perished by it Of the Nobilitie the Lords CLINTON and GREY of Wilton The symptomes and cure you may finde in Polydore Virgill in Anno. 1. HENR 7. who as confidently as I beleeue truely maintaines That this disease was neuer till then knowne to bee much lesse to bee mortall As if there were a concatenation of euills one euill seldome commeth alone A Pestilence succeeded this former mortalitie and so raged the whole Winter season in most parts of the Realme that the King for feare of infection attended by a few was faine euery day to remoue his Court from one place to another The eleuenth of Februarie was borne the Ladie MARY afterwards Queene of England Anno Dom. 1518. Reg. 10. THe Peace so long treated of betweene vs and the French was now in September at length concluded on these Conditions That the DAVLPHIN should marrie the Ladie MARIE the Kings only Châ—lde and not yet two yeares old That Tournay should bee restored to the French That the French should pay King HENRY foure hundred thousand Crownes viz. two hundred thousand for his charge in building the Cittadell for the Artillerie Powder and Munit on which hee should leaue there and other two hundred thousand crownes partly for the expence of that warre wherein the Citie was taken and partly in regard of other Pensions that were due vnto him For the paiment of which summes the French gaue eight hostages so saith BELLAY But our Writers speake of a farre different summe viz. Six hundred thousand crownes for the Citie and foure hundred thousand crownes for the Cittadell besides three and twenty thousand pounds Tournois which the City of Tournay ought the King and an annual Pension of a thousand Markes assigned to Cardinall WOLSEY for renouncing all claime and title to the Bishopricke of Tournay For the confirmation of these Articles the Earle of Worcester and the Bishop of Ely with some others were sent into France where both by the King and Princes of the Realme they were magnificently entertained Anno Dom. 1519. Reg. 11. THis yeare on the twelfth of Ianuarie in the three and sixtie yere of his age died the Emperor MAXIMILIAN hauing to preuent a disease to which hee thought himselfe inclining vnseasonably taken a Medicine of vncertaine opperation His death bred an equall desire in the mindes of two great Princes who became Competitours for the Empire FRANCIS King of France and CHARLES King of Spaine But CHARLES although King of Spaine yet being by birth borne at Gand and discent a German at the age of nineteene yeares was chosen Emperour of Germanie with the full consent and sufferages of all the Princes Electors This Election how euer other slight matters were pretended was vndoubtedly the cause of the ensuing dreadfull war betweene these Princes The French King taking this repulse impatiently meditates nothing but reuenge And that his designes might no way be crossed by vs he labors amain for the confirmation of the peace lately agreed vpon betweene HENRY and him Therefore by the Admirall BONIVET he deales with WOLSEY that at an enteruiew betweene the two Kings the League might be ratified To this end HENRY intends to come to Guisnes FRANCIS to Ardres and a conuenient place betweene both is made choice of for their enteruiew Anno Dom. 1520. Reg. 12. HEreupon the King setting forward towards France by easy iourneis comes to Canterbury intending there to keepe his Whitsontide The next day after being the twenty sixth of May the new created Emperor CHARLES the fifth in his return from Spaine arriues at Douer distant twelue miles from Canterbury The King gladly entertaines the newes and although it were midnight takes horse and within little more than an houre comes by torch light to Douer Castle where the Emperour lay who seaweary was then asleepe But being certified of the Kings arriuall hee suddenly apparelled himselfe and met the King at the top of the staires They embraced and saluted one another they long conferred together and the next morning beeing Whitsonday they rode together to Canterburie the Emperour alway keeping the right hand and the Earle of Derby bearing the Sword before them both Canterburie is a Citie more famous for antiquitie than for moderne beauty To let passe that it was aboue a thousand yeares since made an Archiepiscopall Sea our Chronicles do sufficiently testify that both in respect of priuate mens faire houses and the magnificent structure of it's Churches it antiently excelled the brauest cities of England But within these few yeares it hath lost so much of it's greatnesse and beautie that a man shall finde little of Canterburie beside the name Why it should so much in so short space decay many reasons may be alledged As the vicinity of London which swelling like the spleene suckes both bloud and moisture from all the other languishing Cities of the Kingdome Likewise the subuersion of Saint AVGVSTINES Monasterie the losse of Calais and the pulling downe of Archbishop BECKET his Shrine things which occasioned a great concourse of people and did by their losse and ouerthrow much impaire this Cities splendor One only Ornament therof suruiues which is the Cathedrall and Metropoliticall Church with such a Maiesty piercing the skies saith ERASMVS that it a far off fills the beholder with deuout amazement This Church being at first dedicated to our Sauiour CHRIST a few ages past degenerated into the nickname of S. THOMAS
forasmuch as the Commissioners demanded it after an impudent and shamelesse manner they in most places incurred the dislike and indignation of the people especially in Germany where they saw this facultie of redeeming soules from Purgatory was either solde for little or nothing or played away in their Tauernes But what speake I of the Commissioners That which made the Germans most impatient was that the heedlesse Pope had giuen to his sister MAGDALEN the profit of the exactions of Indulgences in many parts of Germany and that so openly that euery one must needs know it For all Germany spake it that this money was not gathered for the Pope or the Treasurie of the Church whereby peraduenture some part of it might be employed to good vses but was exacted to satisfie the greedinesse of a woman At that time liued MARTIN LVTHER a Doctor of Diuinity and an Augustine Monke one who vnder a religious Habit did not consecrate himselfe to idlenesse but to God It is reported how truly I know not that recreating himselfe in the fields his companion with whom he then discoursed was suddenly stricken dead with thunder He therupon falling into due consideration of the vncertaintie of death and of iudgment left the study of the Ciuill Law to which he then applied himselfe and renouncing the world betooke himselfe to a Cloister where for his deportment he was beyond exception for learning especially diuine he was scarce matchable Vpon this horrible abuse of the authority of the Keyes being inflamed with a pious zeale he could not containe himselfe but boldly and bitterly inueighed against this grosse impiety Neither staied he there but storme the Pope neuer so much proceeds to other enormities in the Church of Rome some whereof that Church hath since reformed the rest religious Princes by LVTHER awakened out of their dead sleepe of superstition notwithstanding the practises of Rome haue God be thanked exploded New opinions especially in matters of Religion are of themselues alwayes odious HENRY being offended with LVTHERS new as the world then deemed them Tenets thought it would proue to his honor by writing against LVTHER to manifest his learning and pietie to the world Herupon vnder his name a book was set forth better beseeming some antient and deep Diuine than a youthfull Prince whom although he earnestly endeauoured it yet his affaires would not permit to bury himselfe among his books which many thought to haue beene compiled by Sir THO. MOORE some by the Bishop of Rochester and others not without cause suspected to be the worke of some other great Scholler Whosoeuerwrit it LVTHER repli ed in such sort that although his holy zeale were approved by many yet those many could haue wished him more temperate and respectiue of the Maiesty of Kings This Booke was so acceptable to the Pope that according to the example of ALEXANDER the Sixt who entituled the King of Spaine Catholique and of that Pope whosoeuer he were that gaue the French King the title of Most Christian he decreed to grace King HENRY and his Successors with that honorable one of Defender of the Faith Which severall titles are by these Princes retained to this day But LEO long surviued not his gift about the end of the yeare dying as is suspected by poison In the meane time the exulcerated mindes of the Emperour and the French King according to the nature of ambitious hatred that for it 's owne ends makes all causes iust burst out into open wars for the composing whereof each of them had formerly agreed to refer themselues if any differences should arise to the arbitrement of HENRY He therefore sends to each of them Embassadours the Cardinall of Yorke the Earle of Worcester and others who should if it were possible reconcile these inraged Princes All they could do proued but an endeavor for when they thought they had compassed their desires sudden newes came That the Admirall BONIVET had by force taken Fuentaraby a Towne of the Emperours in Biscay The Emperour would not then ratify the Agreement vnlesse this towne were redeliuered which the French denying to do all fell to pieces againe and the War was renewed After their deuoir in this cause our Embassadours went directly to Bruges to the Emperour of whom for a fortnight which was the time of their stay there they had royall entertainment But he held the Cardinall in so great esteeme that it was apparant hee was not ignorant how powerfull the Cardinall was with his Prince And here perhaps it would not be amisse in reguard of those times to let the Reader know the pompe and state of this Cardinall how many Gentlemen attended him apparrelled with velvet and adorned with gold chaines then how many were cloathed in skarlet coats the skirts whereof were guarded with veluet the full bredth of a hand But let him guesse HERCVLES stature by the length of his foot Such was the brauerie of his attendants that in CHRISTIERNE King of Denmarke and other Princes then residing at Bruges it bred amazement It was also reported that he was by Gentlemen of the best ranke serued on the knee a kinde of state which Germany had yet neuer knowne He spent a huge masse of money in that Embassage and that as it is thought not against his will For he by all meanes sought the Emperors fauour hoping that LEO although much younger either cut off by treachery or his owne intemperance might leaue the world before him And then were it no hard matter for him being vnderpropped by the Emperour and our King to be aduanced to the Papacy Wherefore at the first bruit of his death hee posted away PACEY the Deane of Pauls into Italy with Mandates to certaine Cardinalls whom he thought respected him that they should do their best in his behalfe But before hee could reach Rome he was certainely informed that ADRIAN sometimes Tutor to the Emperour and then Viceroy of Spaine was already elected by the name of ADRIAN the Sixt. Anno Dom. 1522. Reg. 12. WOLSEY neuerthelesse was as full of ambitious hope as euer For ADRIAN was a decrepit weake old man and therefore not likely as indeed he did not to survive him In the mean time he might make an ascent by which his ambition might clime He therefore seeks to aduance the Emperors designes more than ever to that end he persuadeth HENRY to denounce war against the French for that he denied to surrender Fuentaraby had broken the Couenants made between them in not standing to the arbitrement of HENRY as both CHARLES FRANCIS had compromised at what time it was likewise decreed that HENRY should declare himself an enemy to the obstinate refuser The French discerning the storme before it came arrests all English ships commits the Merchants to prison and seizeth their goods to His own vse stops all Pensions due either to HENRY for Tournay or to his Sister the Dowager of France for her Ioincture The French
had the esteeme of a very learned man All things being thus formally ordered the Apparitor willed by the Register to cite the King cried HENRY King of England come into the Court who answered Here I am The Queene being likewise cited CATHARINE Queene of England come into the Court made no answere but rising from her seate went directly to the King to whom on her knees purposely raising her voice that every one might heare her shee is reported to have spoken to this effect Sir J humbly beseech your Maiestie so to deale with me at this present that I may neither have cause to complaine of Iniustice nor that you have debarred me the favour of your wonted Clemency J am here a Woman and a Stranger destitute of Friends and Counsaile so that plead for my selfe J cannot and whom J may else employ J know not My kindred and Friends are farre off neither can J safely rely on any here in a matter of so great consequence They that are here retained for mee are no other then whom you have beene pleased to appoint and are your owne Subiects who if they would deale vprightly which few will beleeve they dare do yet can they not here withstand your determinate will and pleasure But what have wretched J committed that after twenty yeares spent in peaceable wedlocke and having borne you so many Children you should now at length thinke of putting me away I was J confesse the Widow of your Brother if at least she may be accompted a Widow whom her husband never knew For I take Almighty God to witnesse and J am perswaded you cannot be ignorant of it that I came to your bed an vnspotted Virgin from which time how J haue behaved my selfe I am content to appeale even to them whosoever they are that do wish mee least good Certainly whatsoever their Verdict may be you have alwayes found me a most faithfull servant I may better say then wife having never to my knowledge withstood your pleasure so much as in shew J alwayes loved those whom J thought you favoured without questioning their deserts J so carefully farthered and procured your pleasures that I rather feare I have offended God in too much indeavouring your content then that I have any way failed in the least performance of my duty By this my observance vnto you if so be you ever thought it worthy of reguard by our common Issue by the memory of my Father whom you sometimes held deare I do humbly beg that you would be pleased to defer the farther hearing of this cause vntill having sent into Spaine I may thence be advised by my Friends in this case what course to take If then in Iustice it shall be thought meet to rend me from you a part of whom I have so long beene the apprehension whereof doth more terrifie me then death I will even in this continue my long observed course of obedience But as often as I bethinke me of the wisdome of Our Parents by whose indevours and consent this Match was ratified J cannot but hope very well of my cause Your Father was for his admirable wisdome accompted a second Salomon neither can Spaine throughout the whole Successions of the Kings of so many Kingdomes produce any one who may parallell my Father Ferdinand and what kinde of Counsailours must we thinke these Princes had that all should as it were conspire to hurle Vs into the miseries of an incectuous Marriage No question was then made concerning the lawfulnesse of this Match and yet those times afforded learned men yea and whereof to my harme I have had experimentall knowledge in holinesse of life and love of the Truth far surpassing the Flatterers of these times VVhich last wordes shee therefore spake because shee had heard that all the Bishops of the Realme had by a common Decree pronounced against the Marriage And indeed such a Decree subscribed and sealed by each of them was afterward in the presence of the King read publiquely in the Court Fisher Bishop of Rochester excepting against it who denied that hee had assented to it and obiected forgery to the Archbishop of Canterbury for putting to it in steed of Bishop Fishers a false Seale and a counterfeit hand The Queene having spoken thus much arising after her due obeisance to the King when every one expected shee would have returned to her seate made hast out of the Court Every one amazedly wonders what the Queene intends But before shee had gone far the King commanded the Apparitor to call her backe againe The Apparitor obeying the Gentleman who supported her told her she was called to whom shee replied I heare it very well but go you on I cannot hope for iustice in this Court let them proceed against me in what manner they will I am resolved not to stay So away shee went and would never after be persuaded to make her appearance either personally or by a Protector After she was gone the King commended her in those termes that might befit a great affection and her excellent vertues withall protesting how desirous he was to continue in that estate so that neither his soule nor the Common-wealth might be endangered by it Here WOLSEY interrupted him beseeching his Maiestie that forasmuch as it was bruited that hee had persuaded Him to this Divorce His Maiesty would vouchsafe to signifie to the present Assembly how farre this report was true The King although that hee knew that in this fame lied not yet to secure his Favourite from the generall hate of the people affirmed the Bishop of Bayeux having first made scruple of it to have first advised him to this course and that the Bishop of Lincolne his Confessor and other Bishops with whom he had conferred did the like These were the Acts of the first day This case was for a moneth or two held in controuersie the Kings Advocates alledging that It was not in the Popes power to ratifie this Marriage which as prohibited by the Law of Nature the Scripture had pronounced vnlawfull That Catharine had beene lawfully married to Prince Arthur the King 's elder Brother and that the Nuptials were publiquely solemnized no man could deny and many circumstances did manifest the consummation of the Marriage by a carnall coniunction On the otherside the Queenes Advocates maintained The Law which forbad the Iewes to marrie their Brothers wife to bee Iudiciall and not Morall and therefore abrogated by Christ but so far forth as the Church had retained it it was by the authority of the same Church dispensable especially being they were confident that the forealledged consummation could no way be proved Thus each side pleaded and time passed on The King observes Cardinall CAMPEGIVS to go more coldly to worke then he was wont from whom Hee before this expected the promised decision But fortune had since that turned her wheele The Emperours affaires prospered in Italy and CLEMENT knew it was not
of his Father and birth a Welchman comming to the Crowne as if they had recouered their liberty whereto they so long aspired they obeied him as their lawfull Prince So the English being freed of their former jealousies permitted them to partake of their Priuiledges since common to both Nations the good whereof equally â—edounded to both I could wish the like Vnion with Scotland That as wee all liue in one Island professing one Faith and speaking for the most part one Language vnder the gouernment of one and the same Prince so we may become one Nation all equally acknowledging our selues Britans and so recouer our true Countrey Britaine lost as it were so many hundreds of yeares by our divisions of it into England Scotland and Wales Anno Dom. 1535. Reg. 27. THe Coronation of the new Queene and other passages of entertainment had exhausted the Treasury The Pope and the Emperour were both enemies of HENRY watchfully attending all opportunities to do him mischiefe Neither in regard that so many sided with the Pope were all things safe at home The King was therefore forced to a course seemingly rash and full of dangerous consequences but very necessary for the time Hee resolves to demolish all the Monasteries throughout England Hee is content the Nobility should share with him in the spoile so inriching and strengthening himselfe by their necessary revolt from the Popish faction To this end they that were thought more especially in maintaining the Popes authority to withstand the Kings proceedings were condemned of high Treason and they that refused to acknowledge the King vnder CHRIST Supreme Head of the Church of England are hanged For this cause on the third of May were executed IOHN HOVGHTON Prior of the Charterhouse in London AVGVSTINE WEBSTER Prior of Bevaley and THOMAS LAWRENCE Prior of Exham and with them RICHARD REIGNALDS a Monke and Doctor of Divinity and IOHN HALES Vicar of Thistlehurst On the eighteenth of June EXMEW MIDDLEMORE and NVDIGATE all Charterhouse Monkes suffered for the same cause And foure dayes after IOHN FISHER Bishop of Rochester a man much reverenced by the People for his holy life and great learning was publiquely beheaded and his head set over London bridge Our Histories hardly afford a president of the execution of such a man But the Pope was the occasion of his death who to ease the burthen of his now a yeares imprisonment by the addition of a new title had on the one and twentieth of May created him Cardinall The newes whereof hastened him to a scaffold The sixth of Iuly Sir THOMAS MORE for the same stifnesse in opinion with Bishop FISHER suffered the like death This was that MORE so famous for his Eutopia and many other Workes both in English and Latin As for his conversation the most censorious fault him in nothing but his too too jesting I will not say scoffing wit to which he gaue more liberty then did beseeme the grauity of his person not tempering himselfe in the midst of his calamity no not at the very instant of death After his condemnation hee denied to giue any thing to the Barber that trimmed him affirming That head about which he had bestowed his paines was the Kings if he could prove it to be his that did â—eare it hee would well reward him To his Keeper demanding his vpper garment as his fee hee gaue his Hat Going vp the scaffold he desired him that went before him to lend him his hand to helpe him vp as for comming downe he tooke no care Laying his head vpon the blocke hee put aside his beard which was then very long saying The Executioner was to cut off his head not his beard The executions of so many men caused the Queene to be much maligned as if they had beene done by her procurement at least the Papist would haue it thought so knowing that it stood her vpon and that indeed â—hee endeavoured that the authority of the Pope of Rome should not againe take footing in England They desired nothing more than the downefall of this vertuous Lady which shortly after happening they triumphed in the overthrow of Innocence In the meane time they who vndertooke the subversion of the Monasteries invented an Engine to batter them more forcibly then the former course of torture and punishment They send abroad subtle headed fellowes who warranted by the Kings authority should throughout England search into the liues and manners of religious persons It would amaze one to consider what villanies were discouered among them by the meanes of CROMWELL and others Few were found so guiltlesse as to dare withstand their proceedings and the licentiousnesse of the rest divulged made them all so odious to the people that neuer any exploit so full of hazard and danger was more easily atchieued then was the subversion of our English Monasteries Anno Dom. 1536. Reg. 28. THis yeare began with the end of the late Queene CATHARINE whom extremity of griefe cast into a disease whereof on the eighth of January she deceased Queene ANNE now enioyed the King without a Rivall whose death not withstanding not improbably happened too soone for her For the King vpon May day at Greenwich beholding the Viscont Rochfort the Queenes brother HENRY NORRIS and others running a tilt arising suddenly and to the wonder of all men departing thence to London caused the Viscont Rochfort NORRIS the Queene her selfe and some others to be apprehended and committed The Queene being guarded to the Tower by the Duke of Norfolke AVDLEY Lord Keeper CROMWELL Secretary of Estate and KINGSTON Lieutenant of the Tower at the very entrance vpon her knees with dire imprecations disavowed the crime whatsoeuer it were wherewith shee was charged beseeching God so to regard her as the iustnesse of her cause required On the fifteenth of May in the hall of the Tower she was arraigned the Duke of Norfolke sitting high Steward to whom were adioined twenty six other Peeres and among them the Queenes Father by whom she was to be tried The Accusers hauing giuen in their evidence and the Witnesses produced she sitting in a chaire whether in regard of any infirmity or out of honour permitted to the Wife of their Soueraigne hauing an excellent quicke wit and being a ready speaker did so answer to all obiections that had the Peeres giuen in their verdict according to the expectation of the assembly shee had beene acquitted But they among whom the Duke of Suffolke the Kings brother in Law was chiefe one wholly applying himselfe to the Kings humor pronounce Her guilty Whereupon the Duke of Norfolke bound to proceed according to the verdict of the Peeres condemned Her to death either by being burned in the Greene in the Tower or beheaded as his Maiesty in his pleasure should thinke fit Her brother GEORGE Viscont Rochford was likewise the same day condemned and shortly after HENRY NORRIS WILLIAM BRIERTON and FRANCIS WESTON
passed both Houses when this lusty Widower with as good successe as before marrieth his fifth Wife CATHARINE HOWARD When their nuptialls were celebrated is not knowne but on the eighth of August in Royall habiliments shee shewed her selfe as Queene The fautors of Reformation were much dismaied at the sudden vnqueening of ANNE fearing not without cause least it proving occasion of enmity betweene HENRY and the Princes of Germany he must of necessity rely on them who misliked our divorce from Rome But the King proceeding still in the course he had begun like a torrent bearing all before him not onely caused three Anabaptists to be burned but also many sincere Professors of the Truth for not subscribing to the Six Articles Among whome three Divines were most eminent viz. ROBERT BARNES Doctor of Divinity THOMAS GERARD and WILLIAM IEROM Bachelors who by Parliament vnheard being condemned for Heresie were on the one and thirtieth committed to the â—orments of the mercilesse fire At the same time and place three other Doctors of Divinity viz. POWELL ABIE and FETHRSTON were hanged for denying the Kings Supremacy the sight whereof made a French man cry out in these words Deus bone quomodo hic vivunt gentes Suspenduntur Papistae comburuntur Antipapistae Good God how do the People make a shift to live here where both Papists are hanged and Antipapists burned In August the Prior of Dancaster and six other for defending the Institution of the life Monasticall a crime now become as capitall as the greatest being also condemned by Act of Parliament were hanged The same day with the Lord CROMWELL the Lord HVNGERFORD was also beheaded As their causes were divers so died they alike differently CROMWELLS conscience quietly welcommed Death to the other suffering for that most vnnaturall crime of Sodomy Death presented it selfe with that horror that the apprehension of it made him as impatient as if hee had been seized with a frenzy Anno Dom. 1541. Reg 33. THe late Yorke-Shire Rebellion was not so throughly quenched but it againe began to shew it selfe but by the punishment of the chiefe Incendiaries it was quickely suppressed Fourteene of the Conspirators were put to death LEIGH a Gentlenan THORNTON a Yeoman and TATTERSHALL a Cloatheir at London Sir IOHN NEVILL and ten others at Yorke Which Commotion whether raised in favour of Religion or being suspected that it had any abettors beyond the Seas is thought to have hastened the death of the long sithence condemned Countesse of Sarisbury who on the seven and twentieth of May was beheaded in the Tower The eight and twentieth of Iune the Lord LEONARD GREY Deputy of Irland did on the Tower hill publiquely vndergo the like punishment Hee was Sonne to the Marquis of Dorset neere allied to the King and a brave martiall man having often done his Countrey good service But for that he had suffered his Nephew GERARD FITZ-GERARD brother to THOMAS lately executed proclaimed enemy to the Estate to make an escape and in revenge of some conceived private iniury had invaded the lands of the Kings friends hee was arraigned and condemned ending his life with a resolution befitting a brave Souldier The same day THOMAS FINES Lord Dacres of the South with some other Gentlemen for the death of one BVSBRIG slaine by them in a fray was hanged at Tiburne Many in reguard of his youth and Noble Disposition much lamented his losse and the Kings inexorable rigour Anno Dom. 1542. Reg. 34. BY this time HENRY began to finde the conveniency of his change having married one as fruitfull in evill as his former wives were in good who could not containe her selfe within the sacred limits of a Royall marriage bed but must be supplied with more vigorous and active bodies then was that of the now growing aged and vnweildy King Alas what is this momentary pleasure that for it wee dare hazard a treble life of Fame of Body of Soule Heaven may be mercifull but Fame will censure and the inraged Lyon is implacable such did this Queene finde him who procured not only her to be condemned by Act of Parliament begun the sixteenth of Ianuary and with her the Lady IANE Wife to the Viscount ROCHFORT behold the thrift of the Divine Iustice which made her an Instrument of the punishment of her owne and others wickednesse who by her calumnies had betraied her owne Husband and his Sister the late beheaded Queene ANNE but two others also long since executed FRANCIS DERHAM and THOMAS CVLPEPPER in their double condemnation scarce sufficiently punished DERHAM had beene too familiar with her in her virgin time and having after attained to some publique offices in Irland was by her now Queene sent for and entertained as a houshold servant in which time whether hee revived his former familiarity is not manifest But CVLPEPPER was so plainly convict of many secret meetings with the Queene by the meanes of the Lady ROCHFORT that the adultery was questionles For which the Queene and the Viscontesse ROCHFORT were both beheaded within the Tower on the twelfth of February DIRHAM had beene hanged and CVLPEPPER beheaded at Tiburne the tenth of the preceding December Hitherto our Kings had stiled themselves Lords of Irland a Title with that rebellious Nation not deemed so sacred and dreadfull as to force obedience The Estates therefore of Jrland assembled in Parliament enacted him King of Irland according to which Decree he was on the three and twentieth of Ianuary publiquely proclaimed About the same time ARTHVR Viscont Lisle naturall Sonne of EDWARD the Fourth out of a surfeit of sudden ioy deceased Two of his Servants had beene executed the preceding yeare for having conspired to betray Calais to the French and the Viscont as being conscious committed to the Tower But vpon manifestation of his innocence the King sent vnto him Sir THOMAS WRIOTHSLEY Principall Secretary of Estate by whom he signified the great content he received in the Visconts approved fidelity the effects whereof hee should finde in his present liberty and that degree of favour that a faithfull and beloved Vnkle deserved The Viscont receiving such vnexpected newes imbelished with rich promises and Royall tokens the King having sent him a Diamond of great value of assured favour being not sufficiently capable of so great ioy free from all symptomes of any other disease the ensuing night expired After whose decease Sir IOHN DVDLEY was created Viscont LISLE claiming that honour as hereditary in the right of his mother Lady ELIZABETH Sister and Heire to the Lord EDWARD GREY Viscont LISLE Wife to the late deceased Lord ARTHVR but formerly married to EDMVND DVDLEY one of the Barons of the Exchequer beheaded the first yeare of this Kings raigne Which I the rather remember for that this man afterwards memorable for his power and dignities might have provod more happy in his Issue then his greatnesse had not his owne ambition betraied some of these
faire sprouts to the blast of vnseasonable hopes and nature denying any at least lawfull issue to the rest the name and almost remembrance of this great Family hath ceased Of which hereafter Scotland had beene long peaceable yet had it often administred motives of discontent and jealousy IAMES the Fifth King of Scots Nephew to HENRY by his Sister having long liued a Bachelor HENRY treated with him concerning a marriage with his then only Childe the Lady MARY a Match which probably would have vnited these neighbour Kingdomes But God had reserved this Vnion for a more happy time The antient League betweene France and Scotland had alwaies made the Scots affected to the French and IAMES prefer the alliance with France before that of England where the Dowry was no lesse than the hopes of a Kingdome So he marrieth with MAGDALEN a Daughter of France who not long surviving hee againe matcheth there with MARY of Guise Widow to the Duke of Longueville HENRY had yet a desire to see his Nephew to which end he desired an enterview at Yorke or some other oportune place IAMES would not condiscend to this who could notwithstanding vndertake a long and dangerous voyage into France without invitation These were the first seeds of discord which after bladed to the Scots destruction There having been for two yeares neither certaine peace nor a iust War yet incursions from each side Forces are assigned to the Duke of Norfolke to represse the insolency of the Scots and secure the Marches The Scot vpon newes of our being in Armes sends to expostulate with the Duke of Norfolke concerning the motives of this war and withall dispatcheth the Lord GORDON with some small Forces to defend the Frontiers The Herauld is detained vntill our Army came to Berwick that hee might not give intelligence of our strength And in October the Duke entring Scotland continued there ransacking the Countrey without any opposition of the Enemy vntill the middle of November By which time King IAMES having levied a great Army resolved on a battaile the Nobility persuading the contrary especially vnwilling that hee should any way hazard his Person the losse of his Father in the like manner being yet fresh in memory and Scotland too sensible of the calamities that ensued it The King proving obstinate they detaine him by force desirous rather to hazard his displeasure than his life This tendernesse of him in the language of rage and indignation hee termes cowardise and treachery threatening to set on the Enemy assisted with his Family only The Lord MAXWELL seeking to allay him promised with ten thousand only to invade England and with far lesse then the English Forces to divert the war The King seemes to consent But offended with the rest of the Nobility he gives the Lord OLIVER SAINTCLARE a private Commission not to be opened vntill they were ready to give the onâ—et wherein hee makes him Generall of the Army Having in England discovered five hundred English horse led by Sir THOMAS WHARTON and Sir WILLIAM MVS GRAVE the Lord SAINTCLARE commanded his Commission publiquely to be read the recitall whereof so distasted the Lord MAXWELL and the whole Army that all things were in a confusion and they ready to disband The oportunity of an adioining hill gave vs a full prospect into their Army and invited vs to make vse of our advantages Wee charge them furiously the Scots amazedly fly many are slaine many taken more plunged in the neighbouring fens and taken by Scotish Freebooters sold to vs. Among the Captives were the Earles of Glencarne and Cassells the Lords SAINTCLARE MAXWELL Admirall of Scotland FLEMING SOMERWELL OLIPHANT and GRAY besides two hundred of the better sort and eighthundred common souldiers The consideration of this overthrow occasioned as hee conceived by the froward rashnesse of his owne Subiects and the death of an English Herauld slaine in Scotland so surcharged him with rage and griefe that hee fell sicke of a Fever and died in the three and thirtieth yeare of his age and two and thirtieth of his raigne leaving his Kingdome to the vusally vnhappy governement of a Woman a Childe scarce eight dayes old The chiefe of the captives being conveied to the Tower were two dayes after brought before the King's Counsaile where the Lord Chancellour reprehended their treachery who without due denunciation of war invaded and spoiled the territories of their Allies and committed many outrages which might excuse any severe courses which might in iustice be taken with them Yet his Maiesty out of his naturall Clemency was pleased to deale with them beyond their deserts by freeing them from the irkesomenesse of a strict imprisonment and disposing of them among the Nobles to beby them entertained vntill He should otherwise determine of them By this time King IAMES his death had possessed HENRY with new hopes of vniting Britaine vnder one Head England had a Prince and Scotland a Queene but both so young that many accidents might dissolve a contract before they came to sufficiency Yet this seeming a course intended by the Divine Providence to extirpate all causes of enmity and discord betweene these neighbouring Nations a marriage betweene these young Princes is proposed With what alacrity and applaufe the proposition was on both sides entertained wee may conceive who have had the happinesse to see that effected which they but intended Which being a matter of so sweet a consequence it is to be wondred at that the conspiracy of a few factious spirits should so easily hinder it The hope of it prevailed with the King for the liberty of the Captives conditionally that they should leave hostages for their returne if peace were not shortly concluded which as also the furtherance of this so wished coniunction they faithfully promised Anno Dom. 1543. Reg. 35. AFter their short Captivity the Scottish Lords having beene detained onely twelve dayes at London on New yeares day began their iourney towards Scotland and with them ARCHIBALD DOVGLAS Earle of Angus whom his Sonne in law King IAMES had a little before his death intended to recall Fifteene yeares had hee and his brother GEORGE lived exiles in England HENRY out of his Royall Bounty allowing to the Earle a pension of a thousand markes and to his brother of five hundred The sudaine returne of these captive Lords caused in most as sudaine a ioy Only the Cardinall of Saint ANDREWS who had by forgery made himselfe Regent and his faction could willingly have brooked their absence They came not as freed from a Captivity but as Embassadours for Peace by them ernestly persuaded which by the happy coniunction of these Princes might be concluded to perpetuitie But the Cardinall with his factious Clergy the Queene Dowager and as many as were affected to the Flower de Lys interposed themselves for the good of France Yet notwithstanding the Cardinals fraud being detected hee is not only deposed from his Regency and IAMES HAMILTON
reioice in this only do J triumph beseeching him that his Church in this Realme being now reformed according to the Jnstitution of the antient Primitive the Members therof may conforme their lives to the purity of it s received Doctrine More he would have said but a strange tumult and sudden consternation of the Assembly interrupted him The People possessed with a Panique terror as it were with an vnanimous consent cried out Fly quickely fly insomuch that of that infinite multitude which the expectation of the Dukes death had drawne together as many as well could seeking to shift for themselves many are troden to death and others in the throng as vnfortunately prest the rest amazedly expect their owne destruction when their owne feares were the greatest danger The cause of their feares no man could certainly speake one said he heard a terrible cracke of thunder anoâ—â—er the noise of a troup of horse some over credulous according to the sway of their affections ioyfully affirmed that messengers were come with a pardon for the Duke But certain halberdiers appointed to guard the Duke to the scaffold but comming tardy crying to their fellows Away away were more probably the occasion of this tumult The true meaning of this amphibologicall word which commandeth haste to and from being mistaken and withall a company of armed men bending themselves as was supposed against the multitude filled all with terror and confusion The affrighted people being at length with much ado pacified the Duke entreating them for a while to containe themselves that he might with a more setled minde depart out of this world by prayer commended his soule to God and then suffered with admirable constancy neither by voice gesture nor countenance shewing himselfe any way deiected or moved at the apprehension of death vnles peradventure you might take this for a token of feare that when he covered his eyes with his handkerchiefe his cheekes had a little more tincture of red then vsuall That his death was generally lamented is manifest Many there were who kept handkerchiefes dipped in his bloud as so many sacred Reliques Among the rest a sprightfull Dame two yeares after when the Duke of Northumberland was led captive through the City for his opposition against Queene MARY ran to him in the streets and shaking out her bloudy handkerchief before him Behold said she the bloud of that worthy man that good Vnkle of that excellent King which shed by thy treacherous machination now at this instant begins to revenge it selfe vpon thee And Sir RALPH VANE who on the twenty sixt of February was with Sir MILES PARTRIDGE hanged at the same place where the Duke had suffered at what time also Sir MICHAEL STANHOP and Sir THOMAS ARVNDELL were there beheaded going to his execution said that His bloud would make Northumberland's pillow vneasy to him These foure Knights being to be executed did each of them take God to witnesse that they never practised any thing against the King nor any of his Counsaile To returne to the Duke such was his end As for his life he was a pious just man very zealous in point of Reformation very sollicitous of the King's safety every way good and carefull of the Weale publique only a little tainted with the Epidemique of those times who thought it Religion to reforme the Church as well in it's exuberancy of meanes as of superstitious Ceremonies wherof not a few of our Cathedralls to this day complaine Many prodigies ensued his death wherby many did presage the calamities of succeeding times In August six Dolphins a fish seldome seene in our seas were taken in the Thames three neere Quinborough and three a little above Greenwich where the water is scarce tainted with the Seas brackishnesse On the seventh day of October were three Whales cast vp at Gravesend And on the third of August at Middleton in Oxford-shire was borne a Monster such as few either Naturalists or Historians write of the like It had two heads and two bodies as far as the navill distinct where they were so conioined that they both had but one way of egestion and their heads looking alwaies contrary waies The legs and thighes of the one did alwaies ly at the trunke of the other This female Monster lived eighteene dayes and might have longer peradventure if it had not beene so often opened to satisfie curiosity that it tooke cold and died This yeare the Monastery of the Franciscan Friers in London was converted into a brave Hospitall wherin foure hundred poore boyes are maintained and have education befirting free borne men It is at this day called Christ-Church In South warke also was another like place provided for the reliefe of poore sicke persons and is dedicated to the memory of Saint Thomas Anno Dom. 1553. Reg. 7. THis yeare sets a period to yong EDWARDS Reigne who by the defluxion of a sharpe rheume vpon the lungs shortly after became hecticall and died of a consumption Some attribute the cause of his sicknesse to griefe for the death of his Vnkles some to poison and that by a nosegay of sweet flowers presented him as a great dainty on New yeares day But what hopefull Prince was there ever almost immaturely taken away but poison or some other treachery was imputed Our deluded hopes being converted into griefe out of passion we bely Fate Had there beene the least suspition of any such inhumane practise Queene MARY would never have suffered it to have passed as an act of indifferency without an inquest It was doubtlesse a posthumous rumor purposely raised to make the Great Ones of that Raigne distatefull to the succeeding times Howsoever it were the Nobility vnderstanding by the Physitions that the King's estate was desperate began every one to proiect his owne ends The Duke of Northumberland as he was more potent than the rest so did his ambition fly higher It was somewhat strange that being not any way able to pretend but a shadow of Right to the Crowne he should dreame of confirming the Succession of it in his Family But he shall sore so high that he shall singe his wings and fall no lesse dangerously than he whome the Poêts feigne to have aspired to a like vnlawfull governement As for the Ladies MARY and ELIZABETH two obstacles to be removed he doubted not by reasons drawne from their questionable Births to exclude them The next reguard must be of the Daughters of HENRY the Seventh But of the Queene of Scots who was Niepce to MARGARET the eldest Daughter of HENRY the Seventh he was little sollicitous For by reason of our continuall enmity with the Scots and thence inveterate hatred he imagined that any shew of reason would put her by especially shee being contracted to the French whose insolent government hee was confident the English would never brooke In the next place consideration is to be had of Lady FRANCIS Daughter to CHARLES BRANDON Duke of Suffolke by MARY Dowager of
France the second Daughter of HENRY the Seventh who her two Brothers then alive had beene married to HENRY GRAY Marquis of Dorset The two Brothers as before dying of the late mortality the Marquis is in the right of his Wife created Duke of Suffolke and this was another stop to his Ambition For the removall whereof he intends this course He imparts his designes to the Duke of Suffolke and desires that a Match may be concluded betweene the Lord GVILFORD DVDLEY his fourth Sonne and Lady IANE GREY the Duke of Suffolke's eldest Daughter And because if onely right of inheritance should be pretended the Duchesse of Suffolke were in reason to be preferred before her Daughter he vndertakes to persuade the King not only to disherit his Sisters by Will and Testament but also by the same to declare the Lady IANE his next and immediate Successor Suffolke biting at this bait they complot by drawing the chiefest of the Nobility to contract Affinity either with the one or tother to procure the generall assent of them all So on the same day that Lady IANE vnder anvnhappy Planet was married to Lord GVILFORD the Duke of Suffolk's two youngest Daughters are married CATHARINE to Lord HENRY eldest sonne to the Earle of Pembrooke and crouch backed MARY to MARTIN KEYES Groome Porter Northumberlands eldest Daughter also named CATHARINE was married to the Lord HASTINGS eldest sonne to the Earle of Huntington These marriages were in Iune solemnized at London the King at that time extremely languishing Hauing thus brought these things to a desired passe nothing now remained but to act his part with the weake King To Him he inculcates In what danger the estate of the Church would be if He dying provision were not first made of a pious Successour and such a one as should maintaine the now established Religion How the Lady MARY stood affected was well knowne Of the Lady ELIZABETH there might be peraduenture better hopes But their causes were so strongly connexed that either both must be excluded or the Lady MARY be admitted That it was the part of a religious and good Prince to set apart all respects of Bloud where God's Glory and the Subiects weale might be indangered They that should do otherwise were after this life which is short to exspect revenge at God's dreadfull Tribunall where they are to vndergo the tryall either of eternall life or eternall death That the Duke of Suffolke had three Daughters neerest to him in degrees of Bloud they were such as their Vertues and Birth did commend and from whome the violation of Religion or the danger of a forraine yoke by any match was not to be feared for asnuch as their education had beene Religious they had as it were with their milke suckt in the spirituall food of true Christian Doctrine and were also matched to Husbands as zealous of the Truth as themselves He could wish and would advise that these might be successively called to the Crowne but with this caution That they should maintaine the now established Religion And although Lady IANE the eldest of the three were married to his Sonne he would be content that they should be bound by oath to performe whatsoever his Maiesty should decree for he had not so much reguard to his owne as the generall good These reasons so prevailed with the young King that he made his Will and therin as much as in him lay excluded both his Sisters from the Succession to the Crowne and all others whosoever beside the Duke of Suffolke's Daughters This Will was read in presence of the Counsaile and the chiefe Iudges of the Realme and by each of them confirmed with a strict command that no man should publish the contents of it least it might prove an occasion of sedition and civill tumults The Archbishop CRANMER did for a while refuse to subscribe to it not deeming it any way agreeable to equity that the right of lawfull Succession should vpon any pretences be violated But the King vrging him and making Religion a motive which was otherwise likely to suffer after a long deceptation he was at length drawne to assent But these delaies of his were so little reguarded by Queene MARY that vnder her scarce any man was sooner marked out for destruction Some few daies after these passages on the fixt of Iuly in the sixteenth yeare of his age King EDWARD at Greenwich surrendred his soule to God having vnder his Tutors reigned six yeares five moneths and nineteene daies and even in that tender age given great proofe of his vertue a Prince of great devotion constancy of minde love of the Truth and incredibly studious vertues which with Royall Greatnesse seldome concur Some three howers before his death not thinking any one had beene present to over-heare him he thus commended himselfe to God O Lord God free me Ibeseech thee out of this miserable and calamitous life and receive me among the number of thine Elect if so be it be thy pleasure although not mine but thy will he done To thee O Lord do J commend my Spirit Thou knowest O Lord how happy J shall be may I live with thee in Heaven yet would I might live and be well for thine Elects sake that I might faithfully serve thee O Lord God blesse thy People and save thine Jnheritance O Lord God save thy people of England defend this Kingdome frome Popery and preserve thy true Religion in it that Iand my People may blesse thy most Holy Name for thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST Then opening his eyes which he had hitherto closed and seeing Doctor OWEN the Physition from whose report we have this Prayer sitting by Are you there quoth he J had not thought you had been so neere who answered I heard you speake but could not collect your words Jndeed replied the King J was making my prayer to God A little after he suddenly cried out I faint Lord have mercy vpon me and receive my Soule which words he had scarce spoken ere hee departed Much might be spoken in praise of this Prince but reguardfull of my intended brevity I will only give you a taste of him out of CARDAN who about a yeare before travailing through England toward Scotland was admitted to his presence The conference betweene them he thus describeth Aderant illi speaking of the King Gratiae Linguas enim multas callebat puer c. He was stored with Graces for being yet a Childe he spake many Languages his native English Latine French and as I heare was also skilled in the Greeke Italian Spanish and peradventure some others He wanted neither the rudiments of Logicke the principles of Philosophy nor Musicke He was full of Humanity the relish of Morality of Gravity befitting Royalty of hopes great as himselfe A Childe of so great wit and such expectation could not be borne without a kinde of miracle in nature I write not this Rhetorically with the excesse of an Hyperbole for to
Gentlemen of the Kings Priuy Chamber and MARKE SVETON a Musitian either as Partakers or accessory were to run the same fortune The King greatly favoured NORRIS and is reported to be much grieved that he was to dy with the rest Whereupon he offered pardon to him conditionally that he would confesse that whereof hee was accused But hee answered resolutely and as it became the progenitor of so many valiant Heroes That in his conscience he thought her guiltlesse of the obiected crime but whether she were or no he could not accuse her of any thing and that he had rather vndergo a thousand deaths then betray the Innocent Vpon relation whereof the King cryed out Hang him vp then Hang him vp then Which notwithstanding was not accordingly executed For on the thirteenth of May two dayes after his condemnation all of them viz. the Viscont Rochfort NORRIS BRIERTON and SVETON were beheaded at Tower hill NORRIS left a sonne called also HENRY whom Queene ELIZABETH in contemplation of his Fathers deserts created Baron of Ricot This Lord NORRIS was father to those great Captaines WILLIAM IOHN THOMAS and EDWARD in our dayes so famous throughout Christendome for their braue exploits in England France Irland and the Netherlands On the nineteenth of May the Queene was brought to the place of execution in the greene within the Tower some of the Nobility and Companies of the City being admitted rather to be witnesses than spectators of her death To whom the Queene hauing ascended the scaffold spake in this manner Friends and good Christian people J am here in your presence to suffer death whereto J acknowledge my selfe adiudged by the Lawes how iustly J will not say for I intend not an accusation of any one J beseech the Almighty to preserue his Maiâ—sty long to raigne ouer you a more gentle or milde Prince neuer swayed Scepter his bounty and clemency towards me I am sure hath beene especiall If any one intend an inquisitiue survey of my actions J intreat him to iudge favourably of me and not rashly to admit of any hard censorious conceit And so I bid the world farewell beseeching you to commend mee in your Prayers to God To thee O Lord do J commend my Soule Then kneeling downe shee incessantly repeated these words CHRIST haue mercy on my soule Lord IESVS receive my soule vntill the Executioner of Caâ—ais at one blow smote off her head with a sword Had any one three yeares before at what time the King so hot in the pursuit of his loue preferred the enioying of this Lady beyond his Friends his Estate his Health Safeguard and his onely Daughter prophetically foretold the vnhappy fate of this Princesse he should haue beene beleeued with CASSANDRA But much more incredible may all wise men thinke the vnheard of crime for which shee was condemned viz. That fearing least her Daughter the Lady ELIZATETH borne while CATHARINE survived should bee accompted illegitimate in hope of other especially masle Issue whereof shee despaired by the King now neere fifty yeares old shee had lasciviously vsed the company of certaine young Courtiers nay not therewith content had committed incest with her owne Brother A strange ingratitude in one raised from so low degree euen to the height of honour I will not derogate from the Authority of publique Records But an Act of Parliament against her shall not worke on my beliefe Surely it carried so little shew of probability with foraine Princes that they alwaies deemed it an act of inhumane cruelty Especially the Estates of Germany Confederates for the defence of the Reformed Religion who having often treated with FOX Bishop of Hereford and other Embassadours had decreed to make HENRY Head of their League and had designed an Embassy by IOHN STVRMIVS who should haue brought with him into England those excellent Divines PHILIP MELANCTHON and MARTIN BVCER with one GEORGE DRACO who should endeavour that and the Reformation of our Church But having heard of the lamentable and vnworthy as they iudged it end of the Queene loathing the King for his inconstancy and cruelty they cast off all farther thought of that matter I will not presume to discusse the truth of their opinion But freely to speake what I my selfe thinke There are two reasons which sway much with mee in the behalfe of the Queene That her Daughter the Lady ELIZABETH was seated in the Royall Throne where shee for so many yeares ruled so happily and triumphantly What shall we thinke but that the Divine Goodnesse was pleased to recompence the iust calamity of the Mother in the glorious prosperity of the Daughter And then consider but the Kings precipitated Nuptialls the very next day after the death of his former Wife yet scarce interred and with whose warme bloud his imbrued hands yet reaked consider this I say and you shall easily be persuaded with mee that the insatiable Prince glutted with the satiety of one and out of the desire of variety seeking to enioy another did more willingly giue eare to the treacherous calumnies of the malicious Popelings than either befitted an vpright Iudge or a louing husband For it seemeth wonderfull strange to mee that either the fault of the one or the pleasing conditions and faire language of the other Wife should so far possesse the King as that hee should procure his daughter ELIZABETH to be by Act of Parliament declared illegitimate the matrimony contracted with both the former Queenes CATHARINE and ANNE to be pronounced invalid and the Crowne to be perpetually established on the posterity of the third wife or if the King had no Issue by her that then it should bee lawfull for him by Will and Testament to transfer it on whome hee pleased Parliaments were not then so rigid but that they could flatter the Prince and condescend to his demands though vniust even in cases which most neerely concerned the publique Weale But servile Feare is oft times more ready then Loue which slowly moves by apprehension of Good as the other is quickely forced by the apprehension of Danger On the twentieth of May the King married IANE SEIMOVR Daughter of Sir IOHN SEIMOVR who on the nine and twentieth of May being Whitsonday clad in royall habiliments was openly shewed as Queene So that the Court of England was now like a Stage whereon are represented the vicissitudes of ever various Fortune For within one and the same moneth it saw Queene ANNE flourishing accused condemned executed and another assumed into her place both of bed and honour The first of May it seemeth shee was informed against the second imprisoned the fifteenth condemned the seventeenth deprived of her Brother and Friends who suffered in her cause and the nineteenth executed On the twentieth the King married IANE SEIMOVR who on the nine and twentieth was publiquely shewed as Queene The death of this innocent Lady God seemed to revenge in the immature end of the Duke of Richmond the Kings only but naturall
Sonne a Prince of excellent forme and endowments whâ— deceased the two and twentieth of Iuly for whom the King a long time after mourned In the meane time on the nineteenth of Iuly IOHN BOVRCHIER Lord Fitz-waren was created Earle of Bathe whose successours in that Honour were his Sonne IOHN who begat IOHN deceased before his Father whose Sonne WILLIAM is now Earle of Bathe At what time also THOMAS CROMWELL a poore Smiths Sonne but of a dexterous wit whose first rising was in the Family of Cardinall WOLSEY in whose service by him faithfully performed he grew famous was made Lord CROMWELL many dignities being also conferred on him to the increase of his estate and honour For first he was Master of the Rolls and principall Secretary of Estate then Sir THOMAS BOLEN Earle of Wiltshire resigning he was made Lord Privy Seale and after that dignified with the vnheard of Title of The Kings Vicar generall in affaires Ecclesiasticall For the authority of the Pope being abrogated many businesses dayly happened which could not bee disparched without the Kings consent who not able to vndergo the burthen alone conferred this authority granted him by Act of Parliament on CROMWELL not for that he thought a Lay man fitter for this dignity than a Clergy man but because hee had determined vnder colour and pretence thereof to put in execution some designes wherein the Clergy in all probability would haue moved very slowly and against the haire Hee was therefore President in the Synod this yeare Certainly a deformed spectacle to see an vnlearned Lay man President over an assembly of sacred Prelates and such as for their learning England had in no preceding ages knowne the like For indeed HENRY is for that much to be commended who would not easily advance any one to place of government in the Church but whome his learning should make worthy By the authority of this Synod a booke was set forth wherein many points of Doctrine being proposed to be by the Curates expounded to their Parishioners mention was made of onely theee Sacraments Baptisme the Eucharist and Penance some holy dayes also were abrogated and other things pertaining to Religion and Ecclesiasticall discipline somewhat changed wherewith many were offended who preferred prescript Errors before the Truth The same time the Parliament assembled the fourth of Ianuary permitted all Monasteries the revenues whereof exceeded not two hundred pounds a yeare to the Kings disposall who causing them to be suppressed to the number of three hundred seventy and six entred vpon their lands amounting to thirty two thousand pounds a yeare and selling their goods even at very low rates most men accompting it sacrilegious to set to sale the goods of the Church raised aboue an hundred thousand pounds These things of themselves were distastfull to the vulgar sort Each one did as it were claime a share in the goods of the Church for many who being neither Monkes nor relied to Religious persons did receive no profit of Ecclesiastieall goods did notwithstanding conceiue that it might herafter come to passe that either their children friends or kinred might obtaine the places yet supplied by others whereas of these goods once confiscated they could not hope that any commodity should redound vnto them But the commiseration of so many people to the number of at least ten thousand who were without any warning giuen thrust out of dores and committed to the mercy of the world was a more forcible cause of generall distaste Which notwithstanding of it selfe sufficient was augmented by the malice of ill disposed and seditious persons who in their assemblies exaggerated these proceedings as the beginnings of greater evills that this was but a triall of their patience as yet the shrubs and vnderwoods were but touched but without speedy remedy the end would bee with the fall of the lofty oakes While these generall discontents thus vented themselves in private CROMWELL in September sent forth certaine Injunctions to the Clergy by vertue whereof each â—urate was to expound to his parishioners the Apostles Creed the Lords Prayer the Aue Maria and the Ten Commandements and earnestly to endeauour that they might learne them in the English Tongue This drave these Male contents into such extremes that the midwifry of any occasion served to produce the prodigious issues of their madnesse For in Lincolneshire the Commons being assembled about the beginning of October concerning Subsidies to be paid to the King as if the spirit of fury had generally animated them they suddenly to the number of twenty thousand tooke armes forcing certaine Lords and Gentlemen to be their leaders and to sweare to such Articles as they should propound such as refused were either imprisoned or put to death as was a certaine Priest Chancellor to the Bishop of Lincoln The King being certified of this Commotion sent against the Rebels with great Forces the Duke of Suffolke and the Earles of Shrewsbury and Kenâ— either to appease or suppresse them The rumonr of an Army marching against them so quailed their courages that they sent to excuse themselves vnto the King pretending That their endeavours tended to no other than the safety of his Maiesly and good of the Realme That â—ee hauing followed the advice of bad Counsellors had lately beyond the example of any of his Ancestors changed many things in the estate of Commonwealth and Church That having dispossessed the religious Inhabitants he had demolished many Monasteries where the poore had daily reliefe and God was wont to be deuoutly worshipped by godly men That the Feasts of Saints instituted many yeares since were profaned by his command That new Tenets which the Catholique Church did abhor were every where preached and obtruded to the people That now in each aged person was to be seene the Embleme of Jgnorance who having one foot in the grave were faine to betake them to their ABC Bookes that they might learne new kinde of Prayers never before vsed by any Christians That many vniust and pernicious Lawes had lately beene enacted and great Subsidies exacted both of the Clergy and Laity even in the time of Peace which were not wont to be demanded but for the maintenance of Wars That the Commons in generall did distaste these things and the rather for that they conceived them to be but trialls of their patience and the beginnings of more insupportable euills Wherefore they humbly beseeched his Maiesty whom they could not safely petition vnarmed that the Authours of these pernicious counsailes might sit no longer at the sterne but that others who should faithfully endeavour the amendment of the aforesaid evills might supply their places and that it might not be any way preiudiciall to them that they had taken Armes which even with the losse of their deerest bloud they were ready to imploy for his Maiesties safety and the defence of the Realme The King had a Spirit befitting his greatnesse and perceiving them to shrinke could not