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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45326	The life & death of that renowned John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester comprising the highest and hidden transactions of church and state, in the reign of King Henry the 8th, with divers morall, historicall and political animadversions upon Cardinall Wolsey, Sir Thomas Moor, Martin Luther : with a full relation of Qu. Katharines divorce / carefully selected from severall ancient records by Tho. Baily ...	Hall, Richard, 1535 or 6-1604.; Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. Testamentum.; Bayly, Thomas, d. 1657?	1655 (1655)	Wing H424; ESTC R230	97,933	254

half alive you shall be cut downe and throwne to the ground your bowels to he taken out of your body before you being alive your head to be smitten off and your body to be divided into four quarters and after your head and quarters to be set up where the King shall apoint And God have mercy upon your soule After the pronouncing of this cruell sertence the Lieutenant of the Tower with his band of men stood ready to receive and carry him back again to his prison Be●ore his departure he desired audience of the Commissioners for a few words which being granted he said thus in effect My Lords I am here condemned before you of high Treason for deniall of the Kings Supremacy over the Church of England but by what order of Iustice I l●ave to God who is the search●r both of the Kings Majesty's conscience and yours Neverthelesse being found guilty as it is termed I am and must be consented with all that God shall send to whose will I wholly referre and submit my self And now to tell you more plainly my minde touching this matter of the Kings Supremacy I think indeed and alwaies have thought and do now lastly affirm that his Grace cannot justly claime any such Supremacy over the Church of God as he now taketh upon him neither hath it ever been seen or heard of that any temporall Prince before his daies hath presumed to that dignity wherefore if the King will now adventure himself in proceeding in this strange and unwonted case no doubt but he shall deeply incurre the gri●vous displeasure of Almighty God to the great dammage of his owne soule and of many others and to the utter ruine of this Realme committed to his charge whereof will ensu● some sharp punishment at his hand wherefore I pray God his Grace may remember himself in time and hearken to good counsell for the preserva●ion of himselfe and his Realme and the quietnesse of all Christendome Which words being ended he was conveyed back againe to the Tower of London part on foot and part on horseback with a number of men bearing holberts and other weapons about him as was before at his coming to raignment And when he was come to the Tow●r 〈◊〉 he turned him back to all his tra●●● 〈◊〉 had thus conducted him forward and 〈◊〉 and said unto them My Master● I thank you all for the great labour and paines 〈…〉 with me this day I am not able to give you any thing in recompence for I have nothing left and therefore I pray you accept in good part my hearty thanks And this he 〈◊〉 with so lu●ty a courag● so amiable a countenance and with so fresh and lively a colour as he seemed rather ●o have come from some great feast or banquet than from his arraignment shewing by all his gesture and outward countenance nothing else but joy and gladnesse Thus being after his condemnation the space of three or four daies in his prison he occupi●d himselfe in continuall p●ayer most fervently and although he looked daily for death yet could ye not have perceived him one whit dismayed thereat neither in word nor countenance but still continued his former trade of constancy and patience and that rather with a more joyfull cheere and free minde than ever he had done before which appeared well by this chance that I will tell you There hapned a false rumour to rise sodainely among the people that he should b● brought to his execution by a certain day whereupon his Cook that was wont to dres● his dinner and carry it daily unto him hearing among others of this Ex●cution dressed him no dinner at all that day wherefore at the ●●ook's next repaire unto him he demanded the cause why he b●ought him not his dinner as he was wont to doe Sir said the Cook it was commonly talked all the towne over that you should have died that day and therefore I thought it but in vaine to dresse any thing for you Well said he merrily unto him againe for all that report thou seest me yet alive and therefore whatsoever newes thou shalt heare of me hereafter let me no more lack my dinner but make it ready as thou art wont to do and if thou see me dead when thou comest then eat it thy selfe but I promise thee if I be alive I minde by Gods grace to eat never a bit the lesse Thus while this blessed B●shop lay daily expecting the houre of h●s death the King who no lesse desired his death than himself looked for it caused at last a writ of Execution to be made and brought to Sir Edmond Walsingham Lieutenant of the Tower Bu● where by his Judgement at Westminster he was condemned as ye have read before to Drawing Hanging and Quartering as Traitors alwaies use to be yet was he spared from that cruell execution wherefore order was taken that he should be led no further than Tower-Hill and there to have his Head struck off After the Lieutenant had received this bloody writ he called unto him certaine persons whose service and presence was to be used in that businesse commanding them to be ready against the next day in the morning and because that was very late in the night and the Prisoner asleep he was loath to disease him of his rest for that time and so in the morning before five of the clock he came to him in his chamber in the Bell tower finding him yet asl●ep in his bed and waked him sh●wing him that he was come to him on a message from the King and after some circumstance used with perswasion that he should remember himself to be an old man and that for age he could not by course of Nature live long he told him at last that he was come to signifie unto him that the Kings pleasure was he should suffer death that forenoone Well quoth this blessed Father if this be your errand you bring me no great newes for I have long time looked for this message I most humbly thank his Majesty that it pleaseth him to rid me from all this worldly businesse and I thank you also for your tidings But I pray you Mr. Li●utenant said he when is mine houre that I must go hence your houre said the Lieutenant must be nine of the clock and what houre is it now said he it is now about five said the Lieutenant Well then said he let me by your patience sleep an houre or two for I have slept very little this night And yet to tell you the truth not for any feare of Death I thank God but by reason of my great infirmity and weaknesse The Kings further pleasure is said the Lieutenant that you should use as little speech as may be especially any thing touching his Maj●sty whereby the people should have any cause to think of him or his proceedings otherwise than well For that said he you shall see me order my self as by Gods grace neither the King

began to tell him in plain termes that the Marriage between him and his wife in regard she had been his Brothers was not lawfull and that it was a thing which was much spoken of as well in forraign Nations as in his own Realm and that therefore he was bound in conscience to tell him of it to the intent he might consider of it and inquire further The King looking a long time very earnestly upon the Cardinall as if he had been greatly dismayed at last answered him in these mild terme● Why my Lord you know this Marriage was sufficiently discussed at the beginning by sundry grave and learned men and was at last by them concluded to be good lawfull which was afterwards confirmed and dispensed with by the Pope himself and therefore good Father take h●ed what you say in this great and weighty matter whereupon they thus parted for that time from one another Having once broke the Ice he thus intends to passe thorough the Ford he sends for one Dr. Iohn Longland Bishop of Lincoln Confessor to the King a very timerous man and one that was afraid to say or doe any thing that might displease the Cardinall and therefore was there placed as a man wholy for his purpose him the Cardinall conjures that when the King should deal with him concerning a Scruple of conscience about the marriage of his wife Queen Katharine that by any means he should further the same as much as in him lay and make it a great matter of Conscience to co-habit with her being not his lawfull wife Longland as he supposed having given him his lesson within two or three daies the Cardinall addresseth himselfe to the King and after that he had discussed a while with him concerning the invalidity of the Marriage he adviseth him by all means to resolve on nothing rashly but to advise with his ghostly Father which when he had done his ghostly Father was not altogether the man which the Card took him to be for when the King advised with him concerning the businesse he put it off from himself and advised his Majesty to consult with some other that were the most learned Bishops whereupon the Cardinall had a g●me to play for that which he thought to have got by slight of hand for now the King was pleased to send for the most able Bishops and Divines that he could think upon amongst all which there was not any one in all his kingdome of whom he had a more reverend estimation both for honestly and learning than he had of Doctor Fisher Bishop of Rochester wherefore he was one of the nominates within the list of summons to a meeting at the Cardinall's house in Westminster where after much debatement of the businesse and that the Bishop of Roshester had fully answered and refelled all the Arguments and Reasons which were there made and given concerning the validity of the M●rriage to the satisfaction of most of the Bishops he concluded that there was no cause at all of any question to be made seeing the marriage between the King and the Queen was good and lawfull from the beginning and that therefore it was necessary to remove that scruple from the Kings breast as soone as possible and so the Conference was ended While the Clergy were all thus dancing about a scruple in a lofty room led by the Cardinall they were not aware of the loose fire which was brought into the powder room which was under them ready and at last blew them all up for just in this nick of time the King was deeply falne in love with a faire young Gentlewoman of the Court then waiting upon the Queen called Mrs. A. Bullein secretly a Lutheran and the first that ever opened her mouth to advise the K. to al eration in Religion Daughter to Sir Thomas Bullein Knight who afterward for his daughters sake was promoted to many high honours and dignities This Mrs. Anno had formerly been brought up in the Court of France under the Lady Mary the French Queen Sister to King Henry and sometimes wife of Lewis the 12. King of France wherd she had learnt much courtly fashion and behaviour then strange and dainty in the English Court whereby she farre surpassed all other Lad●es her companions which so inslamed the Kings minde having conceived within himself a possibility of riddance from his old wife and probability of having issue Male by this that inwardly he was resolved to have her nolens volens whereupon for the present he shewed her great favour and expressed unto her many signs of the love which she was yet ignorant of so that now he was resolved upon a hand gallop in this businesse Insomuch that when the Cardinall inscious of his design made his addresse u●to him to give him account of the Conference which was between the Bishops and had told the King how that all did and was likely to stick in the Lord of Rochesten as the onely Remora to that proceeding supposing that if the King could take him off all the rest would follow his judgement the King by this time desiring nothing more than that the Divorce should take effect speedily fell into consulta●ion with the Cardinall how the Bishop might be won to his now design the Cardinall advised his Majesty to send for the Bi●●shop and to work him to him by faire means and gentle usage whereupon the King did as he was advised for the Bishop being sent for and come into the Kings presence the King treated him with exceeding courtesie and liberality of good language and at last took him with him into the long gallery and there walking awhile with him after that he had bestowed many words of praise and commendation upon him for his great Learning and Vertue at length in the presence of the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk and some Bishops that were there he un●olded his minde unto him concerning the businesse that was in hand telling him how sore his Conscience was tormented and how for that cause he had secretly consulted with his ghostly Father and divers other men by whom he was not yet satisfied therefore he said upon special confidence which he had in his great learning he had now made choic● of him to use his advise above all others requiring him to declare his opinion therein freely whereby he might be sufficiently instructed in his conscience and remaine no longer in suspence The Bishop hearing all this ●ell suddenl● upon his knees and in that posture would have delivered his minde unto him but the King immediately lifted him up with his own ●ands and blamed him for so doing where upon he spake as followeth I beseech your Grace to be of good cheer not to disquiet your self one whit concerning this matter nor to be dismayed or troubled at this businesse for there is no heed to be taken of these men who account themselves so wife and do arrogate to themselves more knowledge and learning in

but God forgive you wherefore Sir applying her self to the King it seemes to me to be no justice that I should stand to the order of this court seeing one of my Judges to be so partiall and if I should agree to stand to the judgement of this Court what Cou●cellours h●v● I but such as are your owne Subjects taken from your own Counsell to which they are privy and perhaps dare not go against it wherefore I refuse to stand to their advic● or plea or any judgement that is here and doe appeale unto the Sea 〈◊〉 before our holy Father the Pope humbly beseeching you by the way of charity to sp●re me till I may know what further course my friends in Spaine will advise me to and if this may not be granted then your pleasure be fulfilled With that making a low obeysance to the King she d●parted the Court leaving behinde her many ●●d hearts and weeping eyes among the which this good Bishop of Rochester was most compassionate After she was perceived to be quite departed from the Court for it was supposed that she meant to have returned to her place the King commanded that she should be called back againe but she would not in any wise returne saying to those that were about her This is no place for me to expect any indifferency for they are all agreed what they will doe and the King is resolved what shall be done Soe she departed cleare away from the Court and never afterwards did she appeare there any more CHAP. X. 1. The good Character which the King gave his Queen Katharine 2. The King declares his scruple of Consc●ence 3. Shewes the danger the Kingdom is in for lack of issue Male. 4. His proc●●dings with the Bishops therein THe King peroeiving that she was thus departed spake unto the Court as followeth Forasmuch as the Queene is now gone I will declare in her absence before you all that she hath ever been to me as true obedient and conformable a wife as I could wish or any man desire to have as having al● the vertuous qualities that ought to be in a woman of her dignity she is high born as the quality of her conditions do declare yet of so meek a spirit as if her humility had not been acquainted with her birth so that if I sought all Europe over I should never finde a better wife and therefore how willing I w●uld if it were lawfull continue her to be my wife ●●ill Death make the separation ye● may all guess but Conscience Conscience is such a thing who can endure the sting and prick of Conscience alwaies stinging and pricking wit●in his breast Wherefore my Lords this woman this good woman I say sometimes b●ing my broth●rs wife as ye all know or have heard h●●h bred such a scruple within the secrets of my breast as daily doth torment cumber and disquiet my minde fearing and mistrusting that I am in great danger of Gods indignation and the rather because he hath sent me no issue Male but such as died incontinently after they were born Thus my Conscience being tossed to and fro upon these unquiet waves almost in despaire of having any other issue by her it behoveth me I think to look ● little further and to consider now the welfare of this Realm and the great danger that it standeth in for lack of a Prince to succeed me in this office and therefore I thought good in respect of the discharging of my conscience and for the quiet state of this noble Realm to attemp● the Law herein that is to know by your good and learned counsell whether I might lawfully take another wife by whom God may send me issue Male in case this my first marriage should appeare not warrantable and this is the onely cause for which I have sought thus farre unto you and not for any displeasure or disliking of the Queenes p●rson or age with whom I could be as well contented to live and continue if our marriage may stand with the Laws of God as with any woman living and in this point consisteth all the doubt wherein I would be satisfied by the sound Learning Wisdome and Judgements of you my Lords the Prelates and Pastors of this Realme now here assembled for that purpose and according to whose determination herein I am contented to submit my selfe with all obedience and that I meant not to wade in so weighty a matter of my selfe without the opinion and judgement of my Lords spirituall it may well appeare in this that shortly after the coming of this scruple into my conscience I moved it to you my Lord of Lincolne my ghostly Father and forasmuch as you your selfe my Lord were then in some doubt you advised me to ask the counsell of the rest of the Bish●ps whereupon● moved you my Lord of Canterbury fi●st to have your Licence inasmuch as you were the Metropolitan to put this matter in question as I did to all the rest the which you all have granted under your Seales which I have here to shew That is true and if it please your Grace said the Bishop of Canterbury and I doubt not but my brethren here will acknowledge the same Now you must understand that the King having won the Archbishop wholly to his designe the Archbishop had got as many of the Bishops hands unto that Deed as he could and set the rest of the Bishops hands thereto of his own accord they both imagining that none would have been so bold as to contradict or charge so openly both the King and the Archbishop of an untruth but my Lord of Rochester being of an undaunted spirit and one of the Queenes Counsell assigned whereby he might deliver his mind the better knowing the clearnesse of his own conscience said unto the Archbishop No my Lord not so under your favour all the Bishops were not so farre agreed for to that instrument you have neither my hand nor my seale No 〈◊〉 said the King and with a ●rowning counten●nc● said to my Lord of Rochester Look here Is not this your hand and seale shewing him the instrument no forsooth said the Bishop it is none of my hand nor seale How say you to that said th● King to my Lord of Canterbury Sir said he● it is his hand and his seale No my Lord said the B●shop of Rochester indeed you were in hand with me often for my hand and seal as others of my Lords have been but I alwaies told both you and them I would in no wise consent to any such act for it was much against my conscience to have any such businesse called in question and therefore my h●nd and seale should never be put to any such instrument God willing with a great deale more which I said to that purpose if you remember Indeed said my Lord of Canterbury it is true you had such words with me but after our talk ended you were at last contented that I should

subscribe your name and put your seale thereto and you would allow the same as if it had been your act and deed then my Lord of Rochester seeing himself so unjustly charged said unto the Archbishop No no my Lord by your ●avour and licence that had been all one and that which you charge me with is not true And as he was proceeding in his speech the King interrupted him saying Well well my Lord of Rochester it makes no great matter we will not stand with you in argument you are but one man amongst the rest if the worst fall out but the rest of the Bishops that had bin dealt with in like manner said not a word so that the fi●st encounter on the Queen● side was not so well performed through want of seconds And this was all that was done for that day CHAP. XI 1. The pleadings of the Counsell on both sides 2. The d●position of the severall Witnesse 3. The honest Plea of Bishop Fisher. 4. The stout Plea of Doctor Ridley 5. Cardinall Wol●ey takes him up 6. The Doctors Reply thereto UPon the second meeting there was much matter propounded by the Counsell of the Kings part concerning the invalidity of the foresaid marriage from the beginning by reason of the carnall copulation there vehemently u●ged to have bin committed between Prince Arthur the Kings brother and the present Queene but being again as vehemently denied by the Queenes Counsell the whole matter rested onely upon proof to this purpose divers witnesses were produced As 1. Agnes the old Datchesse of Norfolk 〈◊〉 d●posed that she was present at the marriage of P●ince Arthur at S● Paul's in London and that sh● saw them both in bed together the next night after they were married the Prince being of the age of fifteen yeares and the Princesse elder 2. George Earle of Shrewsbury who deposed as to the celebration of the Marriage Decimo septimo Henrici 7. 1501. that he was born at Winchester secundo Hen. 7. that he believed Prince Arthur knew the Queen carnally and was able so to doe because he knew his wife before she was sixteen 3. William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury that never liked the marriage and that he told Hen. 7. as much 4. Sir William Thomas Knight who deposed as to the age of the parties and their cohabitation as man and wife five moneths together both at London and in L●dlow 5. Sir Anthony Poynes as to the age onely 6. Thomas Marquesse of Dorset as to age and that he was●of a good sanguine complexion and able as he supposed for the busin●sse 7. Robert Viscount Fir●water as to the age and that the next day after they had been ● bed together he waited on Prince Arthur whiles he was at breakfast where Maurice St. Iohn carved and the Lord Firzwater was Cupbearer where he heard Prince Arthur upon the said Maurice hi● asking the Prince how he had done the last night Answer I have been in Spain the last night 8. Thomas Lord Darcy William Lord Montjoy and Henry Guildford Knights of the Garter little to any purpose but what they had heard by publique fame 9. Charles Duke of Suffolk deposed to the ●ame effect with Mau●i●e S. Iohn and that the Prince soon after beg●n to decay in bodily health which said he as the said S. Iohn related grew by the Prince his lying with the Lady Katharine 10. David Owen as to the age onely 11. Thomas Duke of Norfolk Lord Treasurer of England to the same effect with Maurice S. Iohn by which words he believed that the Prince carnally knew the Lady and because he was of a good complexion and age as he supposed sufficient having performed the like himselfe at the same age 12. Anth Willoughby Kt. that the morrow after the Marriag● in the presence of divers witnesses being in the Privy chamber the Prince called to the s●id Willougby saying Willoughby give me a cup of Ale for I have been in the midst of Spain the last night 13. Nicholas B●shop of Ely that he could say nothing concerning the carnalis copula but that he very much doubted it in regard the Queen often sub testimonio conscientiae suae said to this D●ponent that she was never carnally k●own by Prince 〈◊〉 These things being 〈◊〉 the Bishop of Rochester stood up and spoke in this manner And all this is no more than what hath formerly been deposed examined throughly debated and scanned by the best and l●arnedst Divines and Lawyers that could possibly be got which time I do very well remember and am not ignoranc of the manner of their proceedings when and where all the allegations in respect of what was then produced to the contrary was a ju●lged vain and frivolous whereupon the Marriage was concluded which Marriage was afterwards approved and ratified by the See Apostoa bque and that in such large an lample ma●ner as that I think it a very hard matter now againe to call the same in question before another Iudge Then stood up another of the Q●●enes Counsell Doctor 〈…〉 we have heard how the Queene her selfe here in the face of the whole Court 〈…〉 presence and hearing of the King himself called the great God of heaven and earth to witness that she was a pure Virgin when she first came into the Kings bed and how she put it to his conscience speaking unto him face to face and if it were otherwise we cannot imagine that either the Queen durst so appeale ●●to him or the King so spoke unto if unworthily would not have contradicted her besides we have here the testimony of a most reverend Father who hath deposed upon his oath how the Queen had often 〈◊〉 testimonio 〈…〉 said unto him ●ow that she never had any carnall knowledge of Prince Ar●hur Now my Lords that such a ●rolick or a j●st as that about a cup of Ale or the midst o● Spaine which together with all the rest that hath beene said are but meere conjectures and presumptions should stand in competition with so great a testimony as a soveraigne 〈…〉 attestation of her cause upon the 〈◊〉 conscience and that conscience 〈…〉 such presumption by its own silence 〈…〉 to lay aside all reverence which 〈…〉 power and authority as that all the 〈◊〉 consultations 〈…〉 of all former powers even of the See Apostolique it selfe should become 〈◊〉 by your calling this matter againe into 〈◊〉 is a thing in my conceit ●ost detestable to be rehearsed and a great sha●e to this honourable Court to heare ●uch stuffe ripped up to no other purpose but in contempt of former Power and c●lling the wisdome of our Ancestors and 〈◊〉 together with our owne into question and derision Whereat Cardinall Wol●ey that he might not seeme to say nothing by saying something said unto him 〈…〉 D●mine Doctor magis reverenter No no my Lord said the Doctor there belongeth no reverence to be given at all for an 〈◊〉 matter would be unreverently answer'd Whereupon

hoping by a voluntary condescention in these particulars to save the r●st were of a minde to satisfie the Ki●g ther●in which the Bishop of Rochester perceivi●g spake as followeth My Lords and the rest of our Brethren here assembled I pray you to take good heed to what you doe l●st you do you know not what and what you cannot do for indeed the things that are demanded at our hands are none of ours to grant nor theirs to whom we should bestow them if we should grant them their desires but they are the Legacies of those testators who have given them unto the Church for ever under the penalty of a heavy ●urse imposed on all those who shall any way go abou● to aliena● their property from the Church and besides if we should grant these smaller Abbeys c. to the King what should we do otherwise than shew him the way how in time it may be lawfull for him to demand the greater wherefore the manner of these proceedings puts me in minde of a ●able how the Ax which wanted a handle came upon a time unto the Wood making his m●an to the great Trees how he wanted a handle to work withall and ●or that cause he was constrained to sit idle wherefore he made it his request unto them that they would be pleased to grant him one of their small saplings within the Wood to make him a Handle who mistrusting no guile granted him one of the smaller trees wherewith he mad● himself a handle so becoming a compleat Ax ●e so fell to work within the same wood that in processe of time there was neither great nor small tree to be found in the place where the wood stood And so my Lord if you grant the King these smaller Monasteries you do but make him a handle whereby at his owne pleasure he may ●ut downe all the Cedars within your 〈◊〉 and then you may thank your selves after ye have incurred the heavy displeasure of Almighty God This Sp●●ch qu●te changed the mindes of all those which were formerly bent to gratifie the K●ngs d●mands herein so that all was rejected for that time After this the Bishop escaped a very great danger for one R. Rose came into the B●shops kitchin being acquainted with the Cook at his house in Lamb. M●rsh having provi●ed a quantity of de●dly poyson whiles the C●ok went into the buterie to fetch him some drink he took his opportunity to throw that poyson into a m●ss of Grue●● which was prepared for the B●shops dinner and after he had stayed there awhile went his way but so it happened that when the Bishop was called unto his dinner he had no app●tite to any meat but wished his servants to fall to and be of good chear and that he would not eat till towards n●ght the Servants being set to dinner they that did eat of that poysoned dish were miserably infected whereof one Gentleman nam●d Mr. Bennet Carwin and an old Widow died sodainly and the rest never recovered their healths till their dying day The person that did this wicked deed was afterwards for the same offence boyled alive in Smithfield in the 22. yeare of K. Henry's reign Shortly after this there happened another great danger to him in this same house by reason of a Cannon bullet that was sh●t thorough his house close by his study window where he was used to spend much time in Pr●y●r and holy Meditations which made such a horrible noyse and clutter as it went thorough that all the house were suddenly amazed upon enqu●ry made from whence this mischief shou●d proceed it was f●und out how that it came from the other si●e of the River ●nd out of the E●●le of 〈◊〉 house Father to the La●dy Anne Bullein which being told unto the B●shop he cal●ed all his Se●vants before him and said u●to th●m Let a trusse up ou● baggage and be gone this is no place for us to abide in any longer so he set forwards in his j●urn●y towards 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Co●spiracies w●re contrived by the K●ng● consent or p●ivity it is not handsome to determine being 〈…〉 words against him at his table els●where which words ●xperience tel● us how too great 〈◊〉 may often take so large commission from them as to attemp● such things as are beyond the nature of their warrant The Bishop now come to Rochester f●ll to his old accustomed manner of frequent preaching visiting the Sick converting the Seduced and for his recreation he would sometimes go and see his workmen whiles they w●re employed in the reparation of Rochester 〈◊〉 upon which he had bestowed great cost ●ut 〈◊〉 had not long remained in those pa●ts but he was robbed almost of all his Plate by Thieves in the night-time who brake into his Manour house of Halling n●are Rochester which being perceived in the morning by his Servants they were all in great perplexity and pursued the thieves as well as they could and following them thorough the wood the thieves le● fall severall pieces of Plate through the great hast which they had made in flying so that they brought some of the Plate back ●gain before the Bishop had heard of the losse of any but the Bp. coming downe to his dinner perceived an unwonted kinde of heavinesse and sadnesse in their countenances insomuch that he asked them what was the matter they seeming unwilling to relate the story and looking upon one another who should begin he commanded them to inform him of the cause of such d●straction assuring them that he was armd for all adventures deeming it to be some great matter but when they had given a full relation of the whole businesse and how they had recovered some of the Plate back again the Bish. replyed if this be all we have more cause to rejoice that God hath restored to us some than to be discontented that wicked men have taken away any for the least favour of God Almighty is more to be esteemed than all the evill which the Devil and all his wicked instruments can doe unto us is to be valued wherefore let us sit down and be merry thank God it is no worse and look ye better to the rest CHAP. XV. 1. The Kings Agents are returned from Rome with sufficient matter of vexation to the Clergie 2. The King calls another Parliament 3. The whole Clergie are condemned in a praemunire 4. The King laies hold on that advantage to make himself head of the Church 5. The Bishop of Rochester his most admirable Speech upon that occasion whereupon the Proposition was rejected 6. The King persists in his demand BY this time the Kings Agents which were sent to Rome were returned with sufficient matter wherewith to ve● the whole Clergie for they had learned our how that there had been a priviledge formerly granted from the See of Rome no Legate de latere should enter the Realme of England except he were first sent for by the King now it happened that