from the one out of desire and from the other out of dissimulation about the negotiation of Peace The French King mean-while invaded Britain with great Forces and distressed the City of Nantes with a strait Siege and as one who though he had no great Judgement yet had that that he could Dissemble home the more he did urge the prosecution of the War the more he did at the same time urge the solicitation of the Peace Insomuch as during the Siege of Nantes after many Letters and particular Messages the better to maintain his dissimulation and to refresh the Treaty he sent Bernard Daubigney a person of good quality to the King earnestly to desire him to make an end of the business howsoever The King was no less ready to revive and quicken the Treaty and thereupon sent three Commissioners the Abbot of Abbington Sir Richard Tunstal and Chaplain Urswick formerly employed to do their utmost endeavours to manage the Treaty roundly and strongly About this time the Lord Woodvile Uncle to the Queen a valiant Gentleman and desirous of Honour sued to the King that he might raise some Power of Voluntaries under-hand and without licence or pasport wherein the King might any ways appear go to the ayd of the Duke of Britain The King denyed his request or at least seemed so to do and 〈◊〉 strait Commandment upon him that he should not stir for that the King thought his Honour would suffer therein during a Treaty to better a Party Nevertheless this Lord either being unruly or out of conceit that the King would not inwardly dislike that which he would not openly avow sailed secretly over into the Isle of 〈◊〉 whereof he was Governour and levied a fair Troop of four hundred men and with them passed over into Britain and joyned himself with the Duke's forces The news whereof when it came to the French Court put divers Young bloods into such a fury as the English Ambassadors were not without peril to be outraged But the French King both to preserve the Priviledge of Ambassadors and being conscious to himself that in the business of Peace he himself was the greater dissembler of the two forbad all injuries of fact or word against their Persons or Followers And presently came an Agent from the King to purge himself touching the Lord Woodvile's going over using for a principal argument to demonstrate that it was without his privity for that the Troops were so small as neither had the face of a Succour by Authority nor could much advance the Britains Affairs To which Message although the French King gave no full credit yet he made fair weather with the King and seemed satisfied Soon after the English Ambassadors returned having two of them been likewise with the Duke of Britain and found things in no other terms than they were before Upon their return they informed the King of the state of the Affairs and how far the French King was from any true meaning of Peace and therefore he was now to advise of some other course Neither was the King himself 〈◊〉 all this while with credulity meerly as was generally supposed but his Errour was not so much facility of belief as an ill-measuring of the Forces of the other Party For as was partly touched before the King had cast the business thus with himself He took it for granted in his own judgement that the War of Britain in respect of the strength of the Towns and of the Party could not speedily come to a period For he conceived that the Counsels of a War that was undertaken by the French King then Childless against an Heir-apparent of France would be very faint and slow And besides that it was not possible but that the state of France should be embroyled with some troubles and 〈◊〉 in favour of the Duke of Orleance He conceived likewise that Maximilian King of the Romans was a Prince warlike and potent who he made account would give succours to the Britains roundly So then judging it would be a work of Time he laid his Plot how he might best make use of that Time for his own affairs Wherein first he thought to make his vantage upon his Parliament knowing that they being affectionate unto the Quarrel of Britain would give Treasure largely Which Treasure as a noise of War might draw forth so a Peace succeeding might coffer up And because he knew his People were 〈◊〉 upon the business he chose rather to seem to be deceived and 〈◊〉 asleep by the French than to be backward in himself considering his Subjects were not so fully capable of the reasons of State which made him hold back Wherefore to all these purposes he saw no other expedient than to set and keep on foot a continual Treaty of Peace laying it down and taking it up again as the occurrence required Besides he had in consideration the point of Honour in bearing the blessed person of a Pacificator He thought likewise to make use of the Envy that the French King met with by occasion of this War of Britain in strengthning himself with new Alliances as namely that of Ferdinando of Spain with whom he had ever a consent even in Nature and Customs and likewise with Maximilian who was particularly interessed So that in substance he promised himself Money Honour Friends and Peace in the end But those things were too fine to be fortunate and succeed in all parts for that great affairs are commonly too rough and stubborn to be wrought upon by the finer edges or points of Wit The King was likewise deceived in his two main grounds For although he had reason to conceive that the Council of France would be wary to put the King into a War against the Heir-apparent of France yet he did not consider that Charles was not guided by any of the principal of the Blood or Nobility but by mean men who would make it their Master-piece of Credit and Favour to give venturous Counsols which no great or wise man durst or would And for Maximilian he was thought then a Greater-matter than he was his unstable and necessitous Courses being not then known After Consultation with the Ambassadors who brought him no other news than he expected before though he would not seem to know it till then he presently summoned his Parliament and in open Parliament propounded the Cause of Britain to both Houses by his Chancellor Morton Archbishop of Canterbury who spake to this effect MY Lords and Masters The King's Grace our Sovereign Lord hath commanded me to declare unto you the Causes that have moved him at this time to summon this his Parliament which I shall do in few words craving Pardon of his Grace and you all if I perform it not as I would His Grace doth first of all let you know that he retaineth in thankful memory the Love and Loyalty shewed to him by you at your last Meeting in Establishment of his Royalty freeing and discharging
the King remits himself to your grave and mature Advice whereupon he purposeth to rely This was the effect of the Lord Chancellor's Speech touching the Cause of Britain For the King had commanded him to carry it so as to affect the Parliament towards the Business but without engaging the King in any express Declaration The Chancellor went on FOR that which may concern the Government at home the King hath commanded me to say unto you That he thinketh there was never any King for the small time that he hath reigned had greater and juster cause of the two contrary Passions of Joy and Sorrow than his Grace hath Joy in respect of the rare and visible Favours of Almighty GOD in girting the Imperial Sword upon his side and assisting the same his Sword against all his Enemies and likewise in blessing him with so many good and loving Servants and Subjects which have never failed to give him faithful Counsel ready Obedience and couragious Defence Sorrow for that it both not pleased God to suffer him to sheath his Sword as he greatly desired otherwise than for Administration of Justice but that he hath been forced to draw it so oft to cut off Trayterous and disloyal Subjects whom it seems God hath left a few amongst many good as the Canaanites among the People of Israel to be thorns in their sides to tempt and try them though the end hath been always God's Name be blessed therefore that the Destruction hath faln upon their own Heads Wherefore his Grace saith That he seeth that it is not the Blood spelt in the Field that will save the Blood in the City not the Marshal's Sword that will set this Kingdom in perfect Peace But that the true way is to stop the Seeds of Sedition and Rebellion in their beginnings and for that purpose to devise confirm and quicken good and wholsom Laws against Riots and unlawful Assemblies of People and all Combinations and Confederacies of them by Liveries Tokens and other Badges of Factious dependance that the Peace of the Land may by these Ordinances as by Bars of Iron be soundly bound in and strengthned and all Force both in Court Countrey and private Houses be supprest The care hereof which so much concern eth your selves and which the nature of the Times doth instantly calls for his Grace commends to your Wisdoms And because it is the King's desire that this Peace wherein he hopeth to govern and maintain you do not bear only'unto you Leaves for you to sit under the shade of them in Safety but also should bear you fruit of Riches Wealth and Plenty Therefore his Grace prays you to take into consideration matter of Trade as also the Manufactures of the Kingdom and to repress the bastard and barren Employment of Moneys to Usury and unlawful Exchanges that they may be as their natural use is turned upon Commerce and lawful and Royal Trading And likewise that Our People be set on work in Arts and Handy-crafts that the Realm may subsist more of it self that Idleness be avoided and the draining out of our Treasure for Foreign Manufactures stopped But you are not to rest here only but to provide further that whatsoever Merchandize shall be brought in from beyond the Seas may be employed upon the Commodities of this Land whereby the Kingdoms stock of Treasure may be sure to be kept from being diminished by any over-trading of the Foreiner And lastly because the King is well assured that you would not have him poor that wishes you rich he doubteth not but that you will have care as well to maintain his Revenues of Customs and all other Natures as also to supply him with your loving Ayds if the case shall so require The rather for that you know the King is a good Husband and but a Steward in effect for the Publick and that what comes from you is but as Moisture drawn from the Earth which gathers into a Cloud and falls back upon the Earth again And you know well how the Kingdoms about you grow more and more in Greatness and the Times are stirring and therefore not fit to find the King with an empty Purse More I have not to say to you and wish that what hath been said had been better exprest But that your Wisdoms and good Affections will supply GOD bless your Doings IT was no hard matter to dispose and affect the Parliament in this Business as well in respect of the Emulation between the Nations and the Envy at the late growth of the French Monarchy as in regard of the Danger to suffer the French to make their approaches upon England by obtaining so goodly a Maritim Province full of Sea-Towns and Havens that might do mischief to the English either by Invasion or by interruption of Traffick The Parliament was also moved with the point of Oppression for although the French seemed to speak Reason yet Arguments are ever with multitudes too weak for Suspitions Wherefore they did advise the King roundly to embrace the Britons Quarrel and to send them speedy Ayds and with much alacrity and forwardness granted to the King a great rate of Subsidy in contemplation of these Ayds But the King both to keep a decency towards the French King to whom he 〈◊〉 himself to be obliged and indeed desirous rather to shew War than to make it sent new solemn Ambassadors to intimate unto him the Decree of his Estates and to iterate his motion that the French would desist from Hostilitiy or if War must follow to desire him to take it in good part if at the motion of his People who were sensible of the cause of the Britons as the ancient Friends and Confederates he did send them Succours with protestation nevertheless that to save all Treaties and Laws of Friendship he had limited his Force to proceed in ayd of the Britons but in no wise to war upon the French otherwise than as they maintained the possession of Britain But before this formal Ambassage arrived the Party of the Duke had received a great blow and grew to manifest declination For near the Town of Saint Alban in Britain a Battel had been given where the Britons were overthrown and the Duke of Orleance and the Prince of Orange taken Prisoners there being slain on the Britons part six thousand men and amongst them the Lord Woodvile and almost all his Souldiers valiantly fighting And of the French part one thousand two hundred with their Leader James Galeot a great Commander When the news of this Battel came over into England it was time for the King who now had no subterfuge to continue further Treaty and saw before his Eyes that Britain went so speedily for lost contrary to his hopes knowing also that with his People and Foreiners both he sustained no small Envy and disreputation for his former delays to dispatch with all possible speed his Succour into Britain which he did under the Conduct of Robert Lord Brook
the Judges and chief Lawyers of the Realm at his left hand sate the Temporal Lords and behind them the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Lambert being brought to the Bar Day Bishop of Chichester by the King's appointment made an Oration wherein he declared the cause of this meeting saying That Lambert having been accused of Heresie before his Ordinary had made his Appeal unto the King as if expecting from his Majesty more favour for Heresie than from the Bishop So that he now found it to be true whereof he had been oft informed That the credulous People were verily perswaded that his Majesty abhorring the Religion of his Ancestors had embraced the new Tenets lately broached in Germany True it was the tyranny of the Court of Rome had been troublesom to his Predecessors but to Him intolerable and therefore had He shaken it off That Religion might no longer patronize Idleness He had expelled Monks who were no other than Drones in the Bee-hive He had taken away the idolatrous worship of Images had permitted to his Subjects the reading and knowledge of God's Word hitherto prohibited by the Church of Rome lest their wiles and cozenages should be discovered And had made reformation in some other things peradventure of less moment which no man could deny would much redound to the good both of Church and Commonwealth But as for other things He had determined there should be no change in the Church during his Reign Which his Resolution He now intended publickly to manifest His Majesty's desire was That the Delinquent renouncing his Errours should suffer himself to be received into the bosom of the Church To which end partly and partly to shew that He thirsted not after any one's blood out of his elemency He had procured the presence of those Grave and Learned men meaning the Bishops who by Authority and force of Arguments should if it were possible bring back this strayed Sheep into the Fold of the Church But if he perversly oppugned the Truth and all perswasions notwithstanding became immoveable He would by this man's exemplary punishment make known what others should in the like Case expect and instruct the Judges and Magistrates what they ought to do therein The Bishop having ended the King demanded of Lambert What he thought of the presence of Christ's Body in the Sacrament Whose answer being little to the King 's liking reasons and arguments were produced as if a Disputation in the Schools and not a Justiciary Session had been appointed Five whole hours this Disputation lasted the King being as it were Prior Opponent Archbishop Cranmer also and nine other Bishops forcibly pressing upon poor Lambert But neither this course nor the battery of threats and terrours prevailing against his constancy the King commanded the Lord Cromwell to pass sentence of condemnation upon him by virtue whereof within a day or two after he was burned Neither this dreadful Sentence nor his torturing death did any way appale him which he so little regarded that going to his death he merrily took his Breakfast with some Gentlemen into whose company he chanced as if he had been going to some sportful Game rather than his Execution ANNO DOM. 1539. REG. 31. ON the third of March Sir Nicholas Carew Knight of the Garter and Master of the Horse was beheaded for being of Counsel with the Marquess of Exceter and the Lord Mountague And on the eight and twentieth of April a Parliament began wherein Margaret Countess of Salisbury Mother to Cardinal Pool and Daughter to George Duke of Clarence who was Brother to Edward the Fourth was attainted of high Treason and condemned without hearing and with her the Cardinal her Son Gertrude Widow to the Marquess of Exceter Sir Adrian Fortescue and Sir Thomas Dingley Dingley and Fortescue were beheaded on the tenth of July and the Countess being then aged threescore and ten years suffered two years after In the same Parliament it was Enacted That the King might erect new Episcopal Sees in opportune places of the Realm For the performance whereof and of some other things no less specious the late dissolution of those Abbeys whereon the King seised was confirmed and all Religious Houses as yet unsuppressed were granted to the King for ever Upon notice whereof many either out of guilt of conscience or desirous to purchase the King's favour surrendred their charge even before they were required And first of all the Abbot and Convent of St. Albans the first Abbot of the Realm as St. Alban was the first Martyr which Honour was conferred on this House by Pope Adrian the Fourth whose Father had long lived a Monastical life therein forsake their rich Abbey seated near the ruins of Verolamium once a great and antient City and leave it to the mercy of the Courtiers Which dereliction afforded matter of example to many other few enjoying that security of conscience that they durst lay claim to their own Only three were found whose innocence made them so regardless of threats promises or reward that they could never be induced to betray the goods of their Churches to the merciless impiety of sacrilegious Harpies Which three were John Bech Abbot of Colchester in Essex Hugh Faringdon Abbot of the Abbey of Reding built by Henry the First for the place of his Sepulture and Richard Whiting Abbot of Glastonbury one of the stateliest and antientest Monasteries of Europe being first builded by Joseph of Arimathea who buried the Body of our Saviour Christ and is himself there interred as is also beside some Saxon Kings that most renowned King Arthur whose glorious Acts had they been undertaken by a fit Historian would have ranked him among the antient Worthies without the help of a fabulous Romance Against these men therefore other courses not availing that one was taken of administring the Oath of Supremacy which they refusing are as enemies to the Estate condemned of high Treason Bech was hanged at Colchester and Faringdon with two Priests named Rug and Ognion at Reding Whiting a man very aged and by reason thereof doating scarce perceiving that he had been condemned returning from the place of Judgment which was in the Bishop's Palace at Wells distant from Glastonbury four miles with conceit that he was restored to his Abbey was suddenly rapt up to the top of the Tor a Hill that surveys the Countrey round about and without leave of bidding his Convent farewel which he earnestly begged was presently hanged the stain of ingratitude sticking fast to the authors of this speedy execution of whom the poor Abbot is reported to have better deserved With Whiting were two Monks also executed named Roger James and John Thorn their Bodies all drawn and quartered and set up in divers places of the Countrey The punishment of these few so terrified the rest that without more ado they permitted all to the King's disposal The number of those that were supprest is not easily cast But the names of
dispositions had bred a mutual affection to awake him for that having Elected him they were purposely come an accustomed ceremony to Adore him and dissolve the Conclave Priulo having signified to him with testimonies of excessive joy the intent of these Cardinals was gently blamed by him and they dismissed with this answer That a matter of so great consequence carrying with it so great a burthen that it would deterr an 〈◊〉 man from the acceptation of it was not to be tumultuously but upon mature deliberation orderly to be transacted as for the season it was utterly unfit for asmuch as God was the God of Light and not of Darkness they should therefore do well to deferr it until the next day and if then their resolutions proved the same he would submit himself to their pleasures The Italian Cardinals conceiving these delays to proceed out of stupidity began to contemn him and changing their determinations a little after pitched upon Cardinal Montanus whom they created Pope by the name of Julius the Third ANNO DOM. 1550. REG. 4. THe Duke of Somerset having now for three months continued a prisoner and not convicted of any crime which might touch his life it being not thought fitting that so great a man lately Protector of the King's Person and Realm should for a small offence be condemned to perpetual imprisonment is under-hand dealt with to submit himself with acknowledgement that he had deserved this or whatsoever greater punishment the King should be pleased to inflict on him and withal to implore the favour of his Majesty's Royal Clemency To this he easily condescended and was on the sixth of February set a liberty but not restored to the dignity of Protector only contenting himself with the rank of a Privy Counsellor But it being conceived that revenge might draw the Duke to new practices by mediation of Friends he is reconciled to the Earl of Warwick and that this atonement might be the more firm and sincere the Duke's Daughter is on the third of June married to the Viscount Lisle the Earl of Warwick's Son the King gracing the Nuptials with his presence Thuanus I know not upon what grounds writeth That the Earl by a kind of counterfeit shew that he was desirous of the restitution of the Romish Religion had setled himself in the good opinion of the vulgar who had not yet learned to renew themselves by casting off the old skin but reverenced Superstition for its reputed Antiquity and that his dissimulation being discovered fearing lest he should be forsaken of them whom he had with false hopes deluded the consideration thereof and of the Duke 's mild and free disposition would endear his Adversary to them to prevent this danger he contrived this alliance with the Duke and procured his liberty In the mean of these passages on the nineteenth of January the Lord Russel Lord Privy Seal was created Earl of Bedford William Lord Saint-John Earl of Wiltshire and Sir William Paget Lord Paget The Earl of Bedford and the Lord Paget were within three days after with Sir William Peters and Sir John Mason dispatched into France for the Treaty of a Peace with the Deputies appointed by the French who were Montmorency Governour of Picardy Gasper Coligny Lord of Chastillon afterward Admiral of France Andrew Gillar Mortair and William Boucherelle The Lord Paget not long before had been sent to the Emperour to signifie how we were distressed on the one side by the Scots and on the other by the French and miserably rent at home by intestine dissentions that our necessities required speedy succours or would force us to condescend to an inconvenient Peace with France But perceiving nothing was to be obtained of him we strook hands with the French upon these conditions That Boloigne and all the Forts in Boloignois should be surrendred to the French together with the Artillery and other military provision That in lieu thereof the King of France should pay unto Edward four hundred thousand Crowns by equal portions at two payments That the English should restore to the Scots Lauder and Douglas and if the Queen of Scots should desire it should rase their Fortifications in Haymon and at Roxburgh The Emperour was on both sides comprehended in the League and the Queen of Scots by the French The two Kings presented each other with their Military Orders and as one writeth it was on both parts agreed on that Edward should marry one of the Daughters of France For the ratification of the Articles on the eighth of April Hostages were given By Us The Duke of Suffolk The Earl of Hertford Son to the Duke of Somerset The Earl of Arundel The Earl of Derby The Earl of Bath By the French John of Bourbon Duke of Anguien Glaud of Lorain Marquis of Mayenne Francis Son to the Constable Montmorency Lewis of Tremoville Francis of Vendosme Vidame of Chartres Claud d'Annebalt This Peace between us and France was on the third of March solemnly Proclaimed in London and on the five and twentieth of April Bouloigne being accordingly furrendred to the French our Hostages were returned On the thirtieth of July died the Lord Wriothsley Knight of the Garter late Lord Chancellour of England and Earl of Southampton He had about the beginning of this King's Reign delivered up the Seal the Custody whereof was committed to the Lord Rich. But having been about half a year past removed as was also the Earl of Arundel but for what cause is uncertain from the Council Table he at length whether out of Grief or some other cause fell sick and died He was Father to Henry the second Earl and Grandfather to Henry the third Earl of Southampton not long since deceased who having tasted of both fortunes did heretofore as generously behave himself in adversity as he did since moderately in prosperity whereto by the Clemency of our late Sovereign he was restored ANNO DOM. 1551. REG. 5. MEntion hath formerly been made concerning the Sweating Sickness a disease to which England hath given a name as well in regard of its original as of the known disposition of our Bodies to admit of this virulent contagion England had been formerly afflicted with it but never so mortally as this present year Shrewsbury was now the first place acquainted with this Pestilence there it began in April and thence diffusing it self over the most part of the Kingdom at length it vanished away in the North about the beginning of October The fury of it 〈◊〉 such as if it would never end but by its proper cruelty when it should not have left subjects whereon to feed The dead whom it swept away were numberless In London only eight hundred was scarce a seven-nights stint It made its first entry into this Island in the Reign of Henry the Seventh 〈◊〉 1486 and from hence it took its progress into other Nations The Infected flowed away and within the space of twenty four hours when this
October 1549 had been already exautorated All of them for fear of practising against the Estate were deteined in Prison And on the last of October Francis Inglefield Walgrave and Rechester Servants to the Lady Mary as also Francis Mallet Doctor of Divinity her Chaplain were committed I cannot speak any thing certain of the causes of any of their Imprisonments excepting Doctor Mallet's only At the Emperour's request he was permitted to celebrate Mass but with this limitation In the presence of the Lady Mary not otherwise for adventuring to Celebrate in her absence it was thought fit he should be punished for his presumptuous Transgression With the Lady her self all means had been used to conform her to the Times the King himself had taken much pains with her by often suasory Letters the Council had done the like and personally to satisfie her with Reason divers Learned men had been employed But their labours were vain for hatred to our Religion for her Mothers for her own sake and some politick respects for by the Decrees of our Religion she was made Illegitimate and consequently cut off from the Succession to the Crown if he Brother should die Issueless confirmed her in that Superstition which she had sucked from her Mother On the fourteenth of April one George Paris a German was at London burned for Arrianism On the five and twentieth of May Croydon and seven or eight other Villages in Surrey were terribly shaken with an Earthquake Toward the beginning of November Mary Dowager of Scotland arriving at Portsmouth sent to the King and craved leave to pass through England into Scotland Which being granted and she invited to London entred the City on the second of November where her Entertainment was general and Royal. On the sixth of November she departed for Scotland and had the Charges of her whole Retinue born until she arrived there in safety About the same time also the Earl of Arundel and the Lord Paget were but for what causes is uncertain committed to the Tower In the ensuing April the Garter was taken from the Lord Paget and conferred on the Earl of Warwick the Duke of Northumberland's eldest Son As for the Earl of Arundel he was on the third of December in the next year set at liberty On the one and twentieth of December was the Lord Rich removed from the Chancellorship and Thomas Goodrich Bishop of Ely made Lord Chancellor ANNO DOM. 1552. REG. 6. THe Duke of Somerset had now continued two Months in Prison since his Condemnation At length the violence of his Enemies notwithstanding the King's desire to save his Uncle under whose Tuition he had passed his Childhood drew him to the Scaffold Being on the twenty fourth of January brought to the place of Execution he in this manner bespake the Assembly Being by the Law condemned I here willingly submit my self by exemplary punishment to satisfie its Rigour That God hath been pleased to grant me so long a Preparative to my End I humbly thank his Eternal Goodness But in that he hath been farther pleased to inspire me with the Knowledge of his Truth and to make me an Instrument for the propagation of the same I can never sufficiently magnifie his Mercies In this do I rejoice in this only do I triumph beseeching him that his Church in this Realm being now reformed according to the Institution of the antient Primitive the Members thereof may conform their lives to the purity of its received Doctrine More he would have said but a strange tumult and sudden consternation of the Assembly mterrupted him The People possessed with a Panick terror as it were with an unanimous consent cryed out Fly quickly fly insomuch that of that infinite multitude which the expectation of the Duke's death had drawn together as many as well could seeking to shift for themselves many are troden to death and others in the throng as unfortunately 〈◊〉 the rest amazedly expect their own destruction when their own fears were the greatest danger The cause of their fears no man could certainly speak one said he heard a terrible crack of Thunder another the noise of a Troop of Horse and some over credulous according to the sway of their Affections joyfully affirmed that Messengers were come with a Pardon for the Duke But certain Halberdiers appointed to guard the Duke to the Scaffold but coming tardy and crying to their Fellows Away away were more probably the occasion of this Tumult The true meaning of this amphibological 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 terrour and confusion The affrighted People being at length with much ado pacified the Duke intreating them for a while to contain themselves that he might with a more setled mind depart out of this World by Prayer commended his Soul to God and then suffered with admirable constancy neither by voice gesture nor 〈◊〉 shewing himself any way dejected or moved at the apprehension of Death unless peradventure you might take this for a token of fear that when he covered his Eyes with his Handkerchief his Cheeks had a little more tincture of red than usual That his Death was generally lamented is manifest Many there were who kept Handkerchiefs dipped in his Blood as so many sacred Relicks Among the rest a spriteful Dame two years after when the Duke of Northumberland was led Captive through the City for his opposition against Queen Mary ran to him in the streets and shaking out her bloody Handkerchief before him Behold said she the Blood of that worthy man that good Uncle of that excellent King which shed by thy treacherous machination now at this instant begins to revenge it self upon thee And Sir Ralph Vane who on the twenty sixth 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 〈◊〉 were there beheaded going to his Execution said that His Blood would make Northumberland's Pillow uneasie to him These four Knights being to be Executed did each of them take God to witness that they never practised any thing against the King nor any of his Council To return to the Duke such was his End As for his Life he was a pious just man very zealous in point of Reformation very solicitous of the King's safety every way good and careful of the Weal publick only a little tainted with the Epidemick of those times who thought it Religion to reform the Church as well in its exuberancy of Means as of superstitious Ceremonies whereof not a few of our Cathedrals to this day complain Many Prodigies ensued his death whereby many did presage the Calamities of succeeding times In August six Dolphins a Fish seldom seen in our Seas were taken in the Thames three near Quinborough and three a little above Greenwich where
THE HISTORY OF THE REIGNS OF HENRY the SEVENTH HENRY the EIGHTH EDWARD the SIXTH AND QUEEN MARY The First Written by the Right Honourable FRANCIS Lord VERULAM Viscount St. ALBAN The other Three by the Right Honourable AND Right Reverend Father in God FRANCIS GODWYN Lord Bishop of HEREFORD LONDON Printed by W. G. for R. Scot T. Basset J. Wright R. Chiswell and J. Edwyn M. D C. LXXVI To the most Illustrious and most Excellent PRINCE CHARLES Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall Earl of Chester c. It may Please Your Highness IN part of my acknowledgment to Your Highness I have endeavoured to do Honour to the Memory of the last King of England that was Ancestour to the King your Father and Your self and was that King to whom both Unions may in a sort refer That of the Roses being in him Consummate and that of the Kingdoms by him begun Besides his times deserve it For he was a Wise Man and an Excellent King and yet the times were rough and full of Mutations and rare Accidents And it is with Times as it is with Ways Some are more Vp-hill and Down-hill and some are more Flat and Plain and the One is better for the Liver and the Other for the Writer I have not flattered him but took him to life as well as I could sitting so far off and having no better light It is true Your Highness hath a Living Pattern Incomparable of the King Your Father But it is not amiss for You also to see one of these Ancient Pieces GOD preserve Your Highness Your Highness most humble and devoted Servant FRANCIS St. Alban AN INDEX ALPHABETICAL Directing to the most Observable Passages in the ensuing HISTORY A. AN Accident in it self trivial great in effect Pag. 108 Advice desired from the Parliament 33 35 56 Aemulation of the English to the French with the reasons of it 36 Affability of the King to the City of London 113 Affection of King Henry to the King of Spain 61 Affection of the King to his Children 136 Aid desired by the Duke of Britain 33 Aid sent to Britain 37 Aiders of Rebels punished 23 Alms-deeds of the King 131 Ambassadors to the Pope 24 into Scotland 25 Ambassadors from the French King 26 Ambassadors in danger in France 31 Ambassadors into France 54 Ambition exorbitant in Sir William Stanley 78 Answer of the Archduke to the King's Ambassadors 74 Appeach of Sir William Stanley 76 Arms of King Henry still victorious 133 Arrows of the 〈◊〉 the length of them 96 Articles between the King and the Archduke 91 Arthur Prince married to the Lady Katherine 116 Arthur Prince dies at Ludlow 117 Aton Castle in Scotland taken by the Earl of Surrey 98 Attainted persons in Parliament excepted against 8 Attaindor and corruption of Blood reacheth not to the Crown ibid. 15 Avarice of King Henry 134 Audley General of the Corhish Rebels 93 B. BAnishment of 〈◊〉 our of the Kingdom 74 Battel at Bosworth-field 1 at Stokefield 〈◊〉 at St. Albans in Britain 87 at Bannocksbourn in Scotland 〈◊〉 at Black-heath 〈◊〉 Behaviour of King Henry towards 〈◊〉 Children 117 Benevolence to the King for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benevolence who the first Author ibid Benevolence 〈◊〉 by Act of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benevolence revived by Act of 〈◊〉 ibid A Benevolence 〈◊〉 to the King 23 Birth of Henry the 〈◊〉 35 Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the King 〈◊〉 Blood not unrevenged 112 122 Britain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 37 Three causes of the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 ibid. Britain united 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Marriage 〈◊〉 Brakenbury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murder King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Broughton Sir 〈◊〉 joyned with the Rebels 11 A Bull procured from the Pope by the King for what causes 24 Bulloign besieged by King Henry 63 C. CArdinal Morton dieth 113 Capell Sir William fined 80 131 Cap of Maintenace from the Pope 101 Ceremony of Marriage new in these parts 48 Chancery power and description of that Court 38 Clifford Sir Robert flies to Perkin 70 revolts to the King 72 Clergy priviledges abridged 39 Christendom enlarged 61 Columbus Christopher and Bartholomeus invite the King to a discovery of the West Indies 107 Confiscation aimed at by the King 76 Conference between King Henry and the King of Castile by casualty landing at Weymouth 128 Conquest the Title unpleasing to the People declined by William the Conqu 3 and by the King 5 〈◊〉 for Perkin 70 Contraction of Prince Henry and the Lady Katherine 118 Conditional speech doth not qualifie words of Treason 77 Commissioners into Ireland 79 Commissioners about Trading 91 Coronation of King Henry 7 Coronation of the Queen 24 Counsel the benefit of good 25 Counsel of what sort the French King used 32 Counsel of mean men what and how different from that of Nobles ibid. Lord Cordes envy to England 48 Cottagers but housed Beggars 44 Counterfeits Lambert proclaimed in Ireland 15 Crowned at Dublin 19 taken at Battell 22 put into the King's Kitchin ibid. made the King's Faulconer ibid. Duke of York counterfeit See Perkin Wilford another counterfeit Earl of Warwick 111 Courage of the English when 37 Court what Pleas belong to every Court 38 Court of Star-chamber confirmed ibid. Creations 6 Crown confirmed to King Henry by Parliament 7 Cursing of the King's Enemies at Paul's Cross a custom of those times 72 122 D. DAm a Town in Flanders taken by a slight 59 Lord Daubeny 96 Devices at Prince Arthur's Marriage 117 Device of the King to divert Envy 64 Decay of Trade doth punish Merchants 90 Decay of People how it comes to pass 44 Declaration by Perkin to the Scottish King 85 Desires intemperate of Sir William Stanley 78 Dighton a murderer of King Edward's two Children 71 Dilemma a pleasant one of Bishop Morton 58 Diligence of the King to heap Treasures 120 Displacing of no Counsellors nor Servants in all King Henry's Reign save of one 138 Dissimulation of the French King 29 30 49 Dissimulation of King Henry in pretending War 56 A Doubt long kept open and diversly determined according to the diversity of the times 117 Dowry of Lady Katherine how much 116 Dowry of Lady Margaret into Scotland how much 119 Drapery maintained how 45 Dudley one of the King's Herse-leeches 119 Duke of York counterfeit See Perkin E. EArl of Suffolk flies into Flanders 121 returns 129 Earl of Northumberland slain by the People in collecting the Subsidy somewhat harshly 40 Earl of Warwick executed 111 Earl of Warwick counterfeit 13 110 Earl of Surrey enters Scotland 98 Edmund a third Son born to King Henry but died 109 Edward the Fifth murdered 85 Envy towards the King unquenchable the cause of it 111 Envy of the Lord Cordes to England 48 Enterview between the King and the King of Castile 128 Emblem 94 Empson one of the King's Horse-leeches 119 Errours of the French King in his business for the Kingdom of Naples 82 Errours of King Henry occasioning his many troubles 128 〈◊〉 service 92 Espials in
the Rebels camp 21 Espousals of James King of Scotland and Lady Margaret 118 Exchanges unlawful prohibited 40 Exceter besieged by Perkin 102 the Loyalty of the Town 103 the Town rewarded with the King 's own Sword 105 Execution of Humphrey Stafford 12 John a Chamber and his fellow-Rebels at York 41 Sir James Tyrril murderer of King Edward's two Sons 71 of divers others 75 Sir William Stanley 77 Rebels 79 Perkin's company 81 Audley and Cornish Rebels 96 another counterfeit Earl of Warw. 110 Perkin Warbeck 111 the Mayor of Cork and his Son ibid. Earl of Warwick ibid. F. FAme ill affected 97 Fame entertained by divers the reasons of it 70 Fame neglected by Empson and Dudley 119 Fear not safe to the King 79 Fines 43 Without Fines Statute to sell Land 58 Flammock a Lawyer a Rebel 92 Flemings banished 75 Flight of King Henry out of Britain into France wherefore 34 Forfeitures and Confiscations furnish the King's wants 9 17 Forfeitures aimed at 45 76 Forfeitures upon Penal Laws taken by the King which was the blot of his times 80 Fortune various 16 22 Forwardness inconsiderate 96 Fox made Privy Counsellor 10 made Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal ib. his providence 98 Free-fishing of the Dutch 129 Title to France renewed by the King in Parliament 56 Frion joyns with Perkin 68 First-fruits 10 In forma Pauperis a Law enacted for it 84 G. GAbato Sebastian makes a Voyage for Discovery 107 Gordon Lady Katherine wife to Perkin 87 Granado vindicated from the Moors 60 Guard Yoomen first instituted 7 Gifts of the French King to King Henry's Counsellors and Souldiers 64 Gratitude of the Pope's Lègate to King Henry 42 H. HAllowed Sword from the Pope 101 Hatred of the People to the King with the main reason of it 12 Hearty Acclamations of the People to the King 〈◊〉 King Henry his Description 133 c. his Piety 1 60 he hath three Titles to the Kingdom 2 Hereticks provided against a rare thing in those times 115 Hern a Counsellor to Perkin 101 Hialas otherwise Elias to England how 98 Holy War 114 Hopes of gain by War 64 Hostages redeemed by the King 10 Houses of Husbandry to be maintained to prevent the decay of People 45 Histories defects in them what 46 I. IAmes the Third King of Scotland his distress and death 42 Idols vex God and King Henry 105 John Egremond Leader of the Rebels 41 Inclosures their manifest inconveniencies and how remedied 44 Ingratitude of Women punished 85 Innovation desired 12 Incense of the People what 118 Instructions of Lady Margaret to 〈◊〉 66 Intercursus Magnus 91 Intercursus Malus ibid. 129 Invectives of Maximilian against the French King 〈◊〉 Invectives against the King and Council 79 Improvidence of King Henry to prevent his troubles 12 14 Improvidence of the French 82 Jointure of Lady Katherine how much 117 Jointure of Lady Margaret in Scotland how much 119 Joseph a Rebel 92 Ireland favoureth York Title 15 Ireland receiveth Simon the Priest of Oxford with his counterfeit ibid. Irish adhere to Perkin 68 Jubile at Rome 114 Juno i. e. the Lady Margaret so called by the King's friends 65 K. KAtherine Gordon Perkin's Wife royally entertained by K. Hen. 104 Kent loyal to the King 81 94 The King the publick Steward 36 Kings their miseries 50 King of Rakehels Perkin so called by King Henry 103 The King's Skreen who 92 King of France Protector of King Henry in his trouble 133 Kingdom of France restored to its integrity 25 King of France buys his Peace of King Henry 64 King of Scots enters England 87 again 98 Knights of the Bath 95 Knights of Rhodes 〈◊〉 King Henry Protector of the Order 115 L. LAncaster Title condemned by Parliament 3 Lancaster House in possession of the Crown for three Descents together 〈◊〉 Lambert Simnel See Counterfeit 13 Laws enacted in Parliament 38 Divers Laws enacted 123 Law charitable enacted 84 A good Law enacted ibid. A Law of a strange 〈◊〉 83 A Law against carrying away of Women by violence the reasons of it 39 Law of Poynings 79 Laws Penal put in execution 80 A Legate from the Pope 42 preferred to be Bishop in England by King Henry ibid. his gratitude to King Henry ibid. Lenity of the King abused 101 Letters from the King out of France to the Mayor of London 64 A Libel 55 Libels the causes of them 79 Libels the females of Sedition ibid. Libels the Authors executed ibid. A Loan from the City to the King repaid 46 London entred by King Henry in a close Chariot wherefore 5 London in a tumult because of the Rebels 95 London purchase Confirmation of their Liberties 124 M. MAlecontents their effects 40 Margaret of Burgundy the fountain of all the mischief to K. Henry 18 she entertains the Rebels 41 69 she a Juno to the King 65 she instructs Perkin 66 Lady Margaret desired in Marriage by the Scottish King 108 Manufacture forein how to be kept out 36 123 Marriage of King Henry with Lady Elizabeth 10 of the French King with the Duchess of Britain 55 of Prince Arthur 116 Mart translated to Calice the reasons of it 74 Maintenance prohibited by Law 38 Merchants of England received at Antwerp with procession and great joy 91 A memorable Memorandum of the King 121 Military power of the Kingdom advanced how 44 Mills of Empson and Dudley what and the gains they brought in 124 Mitigations 120 Money bastard employments thereof repressed 36 Money left at the King's death how much 132 Morton made Privy Counsellor 10 made Archbishop of Canterbury ib. his Speech to the Parliament 32 Morton's Fork 58 Morton author of the Union of the two Roses 114 Moors expelled Granado 61 Murmuring 14 Murmurs of the People against the King 70 Murther and Manslaughter a Law concerning it in amendment of the common Law 39 Murther of King Edward the Fifth 85 Murther of a Commissioner for the Subsidy 93 N. NAvigation of the Kingdom how advanced 45 Neighbour over-potent dangerous 34 Bad News the effect thereof in Souldiers 63 Nobility neglected in Council the ill effects of it 32 Nobility few of them put to death in King Henry's time 134 North the King's journey thither for what reasons 11 O. OAth of Allegiance taken 9 Oath enforced upon Maximilian by his Subjects 46 Oath kept ibid. Obedience neglected what follows 42 First Occasion of a happy Union 109 Obsequies for the French King performed in England ibid. Obsequies to Tyrants what 1 An Ominous answer of the King 119 An Ominous Prognostick 129 Opinions divers what was to be done with Perkin 105 Orator from the Pope met at London-Bridge by the Mayor 101 Order of the Garter sent to Alphonso 64 Ostentation of Religion by the King of Spain 60 Over-merit prejudicial to Sir William Stanley 73 Outlawries how punished 120 Oxford Earl fined for breach of the Law 121 P. PAcificator King Henry between the French King and Duke of Britain 32 Pardon
proclaimed by the King 9 11 16 A Parliament called speedily 7 A Parliament called for two reasons 33 another 122 Parliaments advice desired by the King 33 35 56 Passions contrary in King Henry joy and sorrow with the reasons of both 36 Peace pretended by the French King 29 Peace to be desired but with two conditions 33 Peace concluded between England and France 64 People how brought to decay the redress of it by the King 44 Pensions given by the King of France 64 A Personation somewhat strange 65 A great Plague 12 Edward Plantagenet Son and Heir of George Duke of Clarence 4 Edward Plantagenet shewed to the People 17 Plantagenet's Race ended 195 Perkin Warbeck History of him 65 his Parentage 68 God son to K. Edward the Fourth ibid. his crafty behaviour 65 69 favoured by the French King 68 by him discarded 69 favoured by the Scottish King 85 he yieldeth and is brought to the Court 106 set in the Stocks 109 executed at Tyburn 111 A Pleasant passage of Prince Arthur 118 Policy to prevent War 26 A point of Policy to defend the Duchy of Britain against the French 29 34 Policy of State 26 Pope sows seeds of War 54 Pope Ambassador to him 24 Poynings Law in Ireland 79 Priest of Oxford Simon 13 Pretence of the French King 28 29 Prerogative how made use of 133 Price of Cloth limited 45 Prisoners Edward Plantagenet 4 Prince of Orange and Duke of Orleance 37 Maximilian by his Subjects 46 Priviledges of Clergy abridged 39 Priviledges of Sanctuary qualified in three points 24 Proclamation of Perkin what effect 90 Protection for being in the King's service limited 58 Proverb 104 Providence for the future 43 Q. QUeen Dowager 13 enclosed in the Monastery of Bermondsey 16 her variety of Fortune ibid. Queens Colledge founded in Cambridge 17 Q. Elizabeth Crowned after two years 24 Queen Elizabeth's death 119 R. REbellion of Lord Lovel and Staffords 11 Rebellion in Yorkshire 41 Rebellion how to be prevented 35 Rebellion how frequent in King Henry's time 42 Rebellion of the Cornishmen 92 Rebels but half-couraged men 96 Religion abused to serve Policy 122 Remorse of the King for oppression of his People 131 Restitution to be made by the King 's Will 132 Return of the King from France 64 Retribution of King Henry for Treasure received of his Subjects 43 Revenge divine 1 Revenge of Blood 122 Reward proposed by Perkin 111 Richard the Third a Tyrant 1 Richard slain at Bosworth-field ibid. this 〈◊〉 Burial ibid. murder of his two Nephews 2 jealous to maintain his Honour and Reputation ibid. hopes to win the People by making Laws ibid. this Virtues overswayed by his Vices 2 yet favoured in Yorkshire 40 Riches of King Henry at his death 132 Riches of Sir William Stanley 76 Richmond built upon what occasion 106 Riot and Retainers suppressed by Act of Parliament 123 Rome ever respected by King Henry 42 A Rumour false procuring much hatred to the King 12 Rumour false enquired after to be punished 23 Rumour that the Duke of York was alive first of the King 's own nourishing 37 S. SAnctuary at Colneham could not protect Traytors 12 Sanctuary-priviledges qualified by a Bull from the Pope in three points 24 Saturday observed and fancied by King Henry 5 96 Saying of the King when he heard of Rebels 41 Scottish men voyded out of England 58 Service of 〈◊〉 92 Simon the Priest 13 Skreens to the King who 92 A Sleight ingenious and taking good effect in War 〈◊〉 Sluce besieged and taken ibid. Soothsayers Prediction mistaken 〈◊〉 Speeches 32 49 53 Speech of the King to Parliament 55 Speech of Perkin 85 Speech conditional doth not qualifie 〈◊〉 of Treason 77 Speeches bitter against the King 64 Sparks of Rebellion neglected dangerous 〈◊〉 Spies from the King 72 Sprites of what kind vexed K. Henry 65 Stanley Sir William crowns King Henry in the field 〈◊〉 motives of his falling from the King 77 is appeached of Treason 70 is confined examined and consesseth 〈◊〉 is beheaded 77 Reasons which aliènated the King's affections 78 Star-Chamber Court confirmed in certain cases 38 Star-Camber Court described what Causes belong to it ibid. Statute of Non-claim 43 Steward publick the King 36 Strength of the Cornishmen 96 Spoils of Bosworth-field 78 Spoils as water spilt on the ground 97 Subsidy denied by the inhabitants of Yorkshire and Durham the reason wherefore 40 Subsidies denied by the Cornishmen 92 Subsidy Commissioner killed 93 Subsidy how much 91 Swart Martin 19 Sweating Sickness 6 the manner of the cure of it ibid. Sweating Sickness the interpretation the People made of it 23 T. ATale pleasant concerning the King 137 Terrour among the King's Servants and Subjects 67 Tyrrell Sir James a murderer of King Edward's two Sons 71 Tyrell executed 122 Thanks of the King to the Parliament 32 Thanksgiving to God for the Victory 1 23 24 61 Three Titles to the Kingdom meet in King Henry 2 Title to France stirred 54 by the King himself 55 Treasure to be kept in the Kingdom 45 Treasure raised by the King how 23 31 120 Treasure inordinately affected by the King 121 Treasure how increased 124 Treasure left at the King's death how much 132 Trade the increase thereof considered 36 Trade in decay pincheth 90 Traytors taken out of Sanctuary 12 Tower the King's lodging wherefore 75 A Triplicity dangerous 94 Triumph at the Marriage of the Lady Elizabeth to King Henry 10 Truce with Scotland 25 Tyrants the Obsequies of the People to them 1 V. VIctory wisely husbanded by the French 37 Victory at Black-heath 96 Union of England and Scotland its first original 98 Voyage of King Henry into France 63 Voyage for Discovery 107 Urswick Ambassador 65 Usury 40 W. VVAlsingham Lady vowed to by King Henry 20 Wards wronged 120 War between the French King and the Duke of Britain 30 War the fame thereof advantagious to King Henry 31 War gainful to the King 91 War pretended to get money 57 War of France ended by a Peace where at the Souldiers murmur 64 White Rose of England 69 104 Wilford counterfeit Earl of Warwick 110 A Wives affection 129 Woodvile voluntarily goes to aid the Duke of Britain 31 Woodvile slain at St. Albans in Britain 62 Wolsey employed by the King 130 Women carried away by violence a Law enacted against it the reasons 39 Womens ingratitude punished by Law 84 Y. YEomen of the Guard first instituted 7 Yeomanry how maintained 44 York House and Title favoured by the People 3 12 York Title and Line depressed by King Henry 4 10 York Title favoured in Ireland 15 Yorkshire and Durham deny to pay the Subsidy 49 THE HISTORY Of the Reign of KING HENRY The SEVENTH AFter that Richard the Third of that Name King in Fact only but Tyrant both in Title and Regiment and so commonly termed and reputed in all times since was by the Divine Revenge favouring the Design of an Exil'd man overthrown and slain at
should reign in Labour because his Reign began with a sickness of Sweat But howsoever the King thought himself now in a Haven yet such was his Wisdom as his Confidence did seldom darken his Fore-sight especially in things near hand And therefore awakened by so fresh and unexpected dangers he entred into due consideration as well how to weed out the Partakers of the former Rebellion as to kill the Seeds of the like in time to come and withal to take away all shelters and harbours for discontented Persons where they might hatch and foster Rebellions which afterwards might gather strength and motion And first he did yet again make a Progress from Lincoln to the Northern parts though it were indeed rather an Itinerary Circuit of Justice than a Progress For all along as he went with much severity and strict inquisition partly by Martial Law and partly by Commission were punished the Adherents and Ayders of the late Rebels not all by Death for the Field had drawn much blood but by Fines and Ransoms which spared Life and raised Treasure Amongst other Crimes of this nature there was diligent inquiry made of such as had raised and dispersed a bruit and rumour a little before the Field fought That the Rebels had the day and that the King's Army was overthrown and the King fled Whereby it was supposed that many Succours which otherwise would have come unto the King were cunningly put off and kept back Which Charge and Accusation though it had some ground yet it was industriously embraced and put on by divers who having been in themselves not the best affected to the King's part nor forward to come to his ayd were glad to apprehend this colour to cover their neglect and coldness under the pretence of such discouragements Which cunning nevertheless the King would not understand though he lodged it and noted it in some particulars as his manner was But for the extirpating of the roots and causes of the like Commotions in time to come the King began to find where his shooe did wring him and that it was his depressing of the House of York that did rancle and fester the Affections of his People And therefore being now too wise to disdain perils any longer and willing to give some contentment in that kind at least in Ceremony he resolved at last to proceed to the Coronation of his Queen And therefore at his coming to London where he entred in State and in a kind of Triumph and celebrated his Victory with two days of Devotion for the first day he repaired to St. Pauls and had the Hymn of Te Deum sung and the morrow after he went in Procession and heard the Sermon at the Cross the Queen was with great solemnity Crowned at Westminster the five and twentyeth of November in the third year of his Reign which was about two years after the Marriage Like an old Christning that had staid long for Godfathers Which strange and unusual distance of time made it subject to every man's note that it was an Act against his stomach and put upon him by necessity and reason of State Soon after to shew that it was now fair weather again and that the Imprisonment of Thomas Marquess Dorset was rather upon suspition of the Time than of the Man he the said Marquess was set at liberty without Examination or other circumstance At that time also the King sent an Ambassador unto Pope Innocent signifying unto him this his Marriage and that now like another Aeneas he had passed through the floods of his former Troubles and Travels and was arrived unto a safe Haven and thanking His Holiness that he had honoured the Celebration of his Marriage with the presence of his Ambassador and offering both his Person and the Forces of his Kingdom upon all occasions to do him service The Ambassador making his Oration to the Pope in the presence of the Cardinals did so magnifie the King and Queen as was enough to glut the Hearers But then he did again so extol and deifie the Pope as made all that he had said in praise of his Master and Mistress seem temperate and passable But he was very honorably entertained and extremely much made on by the Pope who knowing himself to be lazy and unprofitable to the Christian World was wonderfully glad to hear that there were such Eccho's of him sounding in remote parts He obtained also of the Pope a very just and honorable Bull qualifying the Priviledges of Sanctuary wherewith the King had been extremely galled in three Points The first that if any Sanctuary-man did by night or otherwise get out of Sanctuary privily and commit mischief and trespass and then come in again he should lose the benefit of Sanctuary for ever after The second that howsoever the Person of the Sanctuary-man was protected from his Creditors yet his Goods out of Sanctuary should not The third that if any took Sanctuary for case of Treason the King might appoint him Keepers to look to him in Sanctuary The King also for the better securing of his Estate against mutinous and male-contented Subjects whereof he saw the Realm was full who might have their refuge into Scotland which was not under Key as the Ports were For that cause rather than for any doubt of Hostility from those parts before his coming to London when he was at Newcastle had sent a solemn Ambassage unto James the Third King of Scotland to treat and conclude a Peace with him The Ambassadors were Richard Fox Bishop of Exceter and Sir Richard Edgcomb Comptroller of the King's House who were honourably received and entertained there But the King of Scotland labouring of the same disease that King Henry did though more mortal as afterwards appeared that is Discontented Subjects apt to rise and raise Tumult although in his own affection he did much desire to make a Peace with the King Yet finding his Nobles averse and not daring to displease them concluded only a Truce for seven years giving nevertheless promise in private that it should be renewed from time to time during the two Kings lives HItherto the King had been exercised in setling his Affairs at home But about this time brake forth an occasion that drew him to look abroad and to hearken to forein business Charles the Eighth the French King by the virtue and good fortune of his two immediate Predecessors Charles the Seventh his Grand-father and Lewis the Eleventh his Father received the Kingdom of France in more flourishing and spread Estate than it had been of many years before being redintegrate in those principal Members which antiently had been portions of the Crown of France and were after dissevered so as they remained only in Homage and not in Sovereignty being governed by absolute Princes of their own Anjou Normandy 〈◊〉 and Burgundy there remained only Britain to be re-united and so the Monarchy of France to be reduced to the antient Terms and Bounds King Charles was
to the number of eight thousand choise men and well armed who having a fair wind in few hours landed in Britain and joyned themselves forthwith to those Briton Forces that remained after the Defeat and marched straight on to find the Enemy and encamped fast by them The French wisely husbanding the possession of a Victory and well acquainted with the Courage of the English especially when they are fresh kept themselves within their Trenches being strongly lodged and resolved not to give Battel But mean-while to harrass and weary the English they did upon all advantages set upon them with their Light-horse wherein nevertheless they received commonly loss especially by means of the English Archers But upon these Atchievements Francis Duke of Britain deceased an accident that the King might easily have foreseen and ought to have reckoned upon and provided for but that the Point of Reputation when news first came of the Battel lost that somewhat must be done did over-bear the Reason of War After the Duke's decease the principal persons of Britain partly bought partly through faction put all things into confusion so as the English not finding Head or Body with whom to joyn their Forces and being in jealousie of Friends as well as in danger of Enemies and the Winter begun returned home five Months after their landing So the Battel of Saint Alban the death of the Duke and the retire of the English Succours were after some time the causes of the loss of that Duchy which action some accounted as a blemish of the King's Judgement but most but as the misfortune of his times But howsoever the temporary Fruit of the Parliament in their Ayd and Advice given for Britain took not nor prospered not yet the lasting Fruit of Parliament which is good and wholesom Laws did prosper and doth yet continue to this day For according to the Lord Chancellor's admonition there were that Parliament divers excellent Laws ordained concerning the Points which the King recommended First the Authority of the Star-Chamber which before subsisted by the ancient Common-Laws of the Realm was confirmed in certain Cases by Act of Parliament This Court is one of the sagest and noblest Institutions of this Kingdom For in the distribution of Courts of Ordinary Justice besides the High Court of Parliament in which distribution the King's-Bench holdeth the Pleas of the Crown the Common-Place Pleas-Civil the Exchequer-Pleas concerning the King's Revenue and the Chancery the Pretorian power for mitigating the rigour of Law in case of extremity by the conscience of a good man there was nevertheless always reserved a high and preheminent power to the King's Council in Causes that might in example or consequence concern the state of the Common-wealth which if they were Criminal the Council used to sit in the Chamber called the Star-Chamber if Civil in the White-Chamber or White-Hall And as the Chancery had the Pretorian power for Equity so the Star-Chamber had the Censorian power for Offences under the degree of Capital This Court of Star-Chamber is compounded of good Elements for it consisteth of four kinds of Persons Counsellors Peers Prelates and chief Judges It discerneth also principally of four kinds of Causes Forces Frauds Crimes various of Stellionate and the Inchoations or middle acts towards Crimes capital or heinous not actually committed or perpetrated But that which was principally aimed at by this act was Force and the two chief Supports of Force Combination of Multitudes and Maintenance or Headship of Great persons From the general peace of the Countrey the King's care went on to the peace of the King's House and the security of his great Officers and Counsellors But this Law was somewhat of a strange composition and temper That if any of the King's Servants under the degree of a Lord do conspire the death of any of the King's Council or Lord of the Realm it is made Capital This Law was thought to be procured by the Lord Chancellor who being a stern and haughty man and finding he had some mortal Enemies in Court provided for his own safety drowning the envy of it in a general Law by communicating the priviledge with all other Counsellors and Peers and yet not daring to extend it further than to the King's Servants in Check-roll lest it should have been too harsh to the Gentlemen and other Commons of the Kingdom who might have thought their ancient Liberty and the clemency of the Laws of England invaded If the will in any case of Felony should be made the deed And yet the reason which the Act yieldeth that is to say That he that conspireth the death of Counsellors may be thought indirectly and by a mean 〈◊〉 conspire the death of the King himself is indifferent to all Subjects as well as to Servants in Court But it seemeth this sufficed to serve the Lord Chancellor's turn at this time But yet he lived to need a General Law for that he grew afterwards as odious to the Countrey as he was then to the Court. From the peace of the King's House the King's care extended to the peace of Private Houses and Families For there was an excellent Moral Law molded thus The taking and carrying away of Women forcibly and against their will except Female-Wards and Bond-Women was made Capital The Parliament wisely and justly conceiving that the obtaining of Women by force into Possession howsoever afterwards Assent might follow by Allurements was but a Rape drawn forth in length because the first Force drew on all the rest There was made also another Law for Peace in general and repressing of Murthers and Man-slaughters and was in amendment of the Common Laws of the Realm being this That whereas by the Common Law the King's Suit in case of Homicide did expect the Year and the Day allowed to the Parties Suit by way of Appeal and that it was found by experience that the Party was many times compounded with and many times wearied with the Suit so that in the end such Suit was let fall and by that time the matter was in a manner forgotten and thereby Prosecution at the King's Suit by Indictment which is ever best Flagrante crimine neglected it was Ordained That the Suit by Indictment might be taken as well at any time within the Year and the Day as after not prejudicing nevertheless the Parties Suit The King began also then as well in Wisdom as in Justice to pare a little the Priviledge of Clergy ordaining That Clerks convict should be burned in the hand both because they might taste of some corporal Punishment and that they might carry a Brand of Infamy But for this good Acts sake the King himself was after branded by Perkin's Proclamation for an execrable breaker of the Rites of Holy Church Another Law was made for the better Peace of the Countrey by which Law the King's Officers and Farmors were to forfeit their Places and Holds in case of unlawful Retainer or partaking in Routs and
unlawful Assemblies These were the Laws that were made for repressing of Force which those times did chiefly require and were so prudently framed as they are found fit for all succeeding times and so continue to this day There were also made good and politick Laws that Parliament against Usury which is the Bastard-use of Money And against unlawful Chievances and Exchanges which is Bastard-Usury And also for the Security of the King's Customs And for the Employment of the Procedures of Forein Commodities brought in by Merchant-strangers upon the Native-Commodities of the Realm together with some other Laws of less importance But howsoever the Laws made in that Parliament did bear good and wholesom Fruit yet the Subsidy granted at the same time bare a Fruit that proved harsh and bitter All was inned at last into the King's Barn but it was after a Storm For when the Commissioners entred into the Taxation of the Subsidy in Yorkshire and the Bishoprick of Duresm the People upon a sudden grew into great mutiny and said openly that they had endured of late years a thousand miseries and neither could nor would pay the Subsidy This no doubt proceeded not simply of any present necessity but much by reason of the old humour of those Countries where the memory of King Richard was so strong that it lyes like Lees in the bottom of mens hearts and if the Vessel was but stirred it would come up And no doubt it was partly also by the instigation of some factious Malecontents that bare principal stroke amongst them Hereupon the Commissioners being somewhat astonished deferred the matter unto the Earl of Northumberland who was the principal man of Authority in those Parts The Earl forthwith wrote unto the Court signifying to the King plainly enough in what flame he found the people of those Countries and praying the King's direction The King wrote back peremptorily That he would not have one penny abated of that which had been granted to him by Parliament both because it might encourage other Countries to pray the like Release or Mitigation and chiefly because he would never endure that the base Multitude should frustrate the Authority of the Parliament wherein their Votes and Consents were concluded Upon this dispatch from Court the Earl assembled the principal Justices and Free-holders of the Countrey and speaking to them in that imperious Language wherein the King had written to him which needed not save that an harsh business was unfortunately fallen into the hands of a harsh man did not only irritate the People but make them conceive by the stoutness and haughtiness of delivery of the King's Errand that himself was the Author or principal Perswader of that Counsel Whereupon the meaner sort routed together and suddenly assailing the Earl in his house slew him and divers of his servants And rested not there but creating for their Leader Sir John Egremond a factious person and one that had of a long time born an ill Talent towards the King and being animated also by a base Fellow called John A Chamber a very Boutefeu who bare much sway amongst the vulgar and popular entred into open Rebellion and gave out in flat terms that they would go against King Henry and fight with him for the maintenance of their Liberties When the King was advertised of this new Insurrection being almost a Fever that took him every year after his manner little troubled therewith he sent Thomas Earl of Surrey whom he had a little before not only released out of the Tower and pardoned but also received to special favour with a competent Power against the Rebels who fought with the principal Band of them and defeated them and took alive John A Chamber their firebrand As for Sir John Egremond he fled into Flanders to the Lady Margaret of Burgundy whose Palace was the Sanctuary and Receptacle of all Traytors against the King John A Chamber was Executed at York in great state for he was hanged upon a Gibbet raised a Stage higher in the midst of a square Gallows as a Traytor paramount and a number of his men that were his chief Complices were hanged upon the lower Story round about him and the rest were generally pardoned Neither did the King himself omit his custom to be first or second in all his Warlike Exploits making good his Word which was usual with him when he heard of Rebels that He desired but to see them For immediately after he had sent down the Earl of Surrey he marched towards them himself in person And although in his journey he heard news of the Victory yet he went on as far as York to pacifie and settle those Countries And that done returned to London leaving the Earl of Surrey for his Lieutenant in the Northern parts and Sir Richard Tunstal for his principal Commissioner to levy the Subsidy whereof he did not remit a Denier About the same time that the King lost so good a Servant as the Earl of Northumberland he lost likewise a faithful Friend and Allie of James the Third King of Scotland by a miserable disaster For this unfortunate Prince after a long smother of discontent and hatred of many of his Nobility and People breaking forth at times into seditions and alterations of Court was at last distressed by them having taken Arms and surprised the person of Prince James his Son partly by force partly by threats that they would otherwise deliver up the Kingdom to the King of England to shadow their Rebellion and to be the titular and painted Head of those Arms. Whereupon the King finding himself too weak sought unto King Henry as also unto the Pope and the King of France to compose those troubles between him and his Subjects The King accordingly interposed their Mediation in a round and Princely manner Not only by way of request and perswasion but also by way of protestation of menace declaring that they thought it to be the common Cause of all Kings If Subjects should be suffered to give Laws unto their Sovereign and that they would accordingly resent it and revenge it But the Rebels that had shaken off the greater Yoak of Obedience had likewise cast away the lesser Tye of Respect And Fury prevailing above Fear made answer That there was no talking of Peace except the King would resign his Crown Whereupon Treaty of Accord taking no place it came to a Battel at Bannocks-bourn by Strivelin In which Battel the King transported with wrath and just indignation inconsiderately fighting and precipitating the charge before his whole numbers came up to him was notwithstanding the contrary express and straight commandment of the Prince his Son slain in the Pursuit being fled to a Mill situate in the field where the Battel was fought As for the Pope's Embassy which was sent by Adrian de Castello an Italian Legate and perhaps as those times were might have prevailed more it came too late for the Embassy but not for the Ambassador
but contrariwise professing and giving out strongly that he meant to proceed with that Match And that for the Duchess of Britain he desired only to preserve his right of Seigniory and to give her in Marriage to some such Allie as might depend upon him When the three Commissioners came to the Court of England they delivered their Ambassage unto the King who remitted them to his Council where some days after they had Audience and made their Proposition by the Prior of the Trinity who though he were third in place yet was held the best Speaker of them to this effect MY Lords the King our Master the greatest and mightiest King that reigned in France since Charles the Great whose Name he beareth hath nevertheless thought it no disparagement to his Greatness at this time to propound a Peace yea and to pray a Peace with the King of England For which purpose he hath sent us his Commissioners instructed and enabled with full and ample power to treat and conclude giving us further in charge to open in some other business the secrets of his own intentions These be indeed the pretious Love-tokens between great Kings to communicate one with another the true state of their Affairs and to pass by nice Points of Honour which ought not to give Law unto Affection This I do assure your Lordships It is not possible for you to imagine the true and cordial Love that the King our Master beareth to your Sovereign except you were near him as we are He useth his Name with so great respect he remembreth their first acquaintance at Paris with so great contentment nay he never speaks of him but that presently he falls into discourse of the miseries of great Kings in that they cannot converse with their Equals but with Servants This affection to your King's Person and Virtues GOD hath put into the Heart of our Master no doubt for the good of Christendom and for purposes yet unknown to us all For other Root it cannot have since it was the same to the earl of Richmond that it is now to the King of England This is therefore the first motive that makes our King to desire Peace and League with your Sovereign Good affection and somewhat that he finds in his own Heart This affection is also armed with reason of Estate For our King doth in all candour and frankness of dealing open himself unto you that having an honourable yea and a Holy purpose to make a Voyage and War in remote parts he considereth that it will be of no small effect in point of Reputation to his Enterprize if it be known abroad that he ulin in good peace with all his Neighbour Princes and specially with the King of England whom for good causes he esteemeth most But now my Lords give me leave to use a few words to remove all scruples and miss-understandings between your Sovereign and ours concerning some late Actions which if they be not cleared may perhaps hinder this Peace To the end that for matters past neither King may conceive unkindness of other nor think the other conceiveth unkindness of him The late Actions are two that of Britain and that of Flanders In both which it is true that the Subjects swords of both Kings have encountred and stricken and the ways and inclinations also of the two Kings in respect of their Confederates and Allies have severed For that of Britain The King your Sovereign knoweth best what hath passed It was a War of necessity on our Masters part And though the Motives of it were sharp and piquant as could be yet did be make that War rather with an Olive-branch than a Laurel-branch in his hand more desiring Peace than Victory Besides from time to time he sent as it were Blank-papers to your King to write the conditions of Peace For though both his Honour and Safety went upon it yet he thought neither of them too precious to put into the King of England's hands Neither doth our King on the other side make any unfriendly interpretation of your King 's sending of Succours to the Duke of Britain for the King knoweth well that many things must be done of Kings for satisfaction of their People and it is not hard to discern what is a King 's own But this matter of Britain is now by the Act of GOD ended and passed and as the King hopesh like the way of a Ship in the Sea without leaving any impression in either of the Kings minds as he is sure for his part it hath not done in his For the Action of Flanders As the former of Britain was a War of Necessity so this was a War of Justice which with a good King is of equal necessity with danger of Estate for else he should leave to be a King The Subjects of Burgundy are Subjects in Chief to the Crown of France and their Duke the Homager and Vassal of France They had wont to be good Subjects howsoever Maximilian hath of late distempered them They fled to the King for Justice and deliverance from Oppression Justice he could not deny Purchase he did not seek This was good for Maximilian if he could have seen it in people mutined to arrest Fury and prevent Despair My Lords it may be this I have said is needless save that the King our Master is tender in any thing that may but glance upon the Friendship of England The amity between the two Kings no doubt stands entire and inviolate And that their Subjects swords have clashed it is nothing unto the publick Peace of the Crowns it being a thing very usual in Auxiliary Forces of the best and straitest Confederates to meet and draw blood in the Field Nay many times there be Ayds of the same Nation on both sides and yet it is not for all that A Kingdom divided in it self It resteth my Lords that I impart unto you a matter that I know your Lordships all will much rejoyce to hear as that which importeth the Christian Common-weal more than any Action that hath hapned of long time The King our Master hath a purpose and determination to make War upon the Kingdom of Naples being now in the possession of a Bastardship of Arragon but appertaining unto his Majesty by clear and undoubted right which if he should not by just Arms seek to recover he could neither acquit his Honour nor answer it to his People But his Noble and Christian thoughts rest not here For his Resolution and Hope is to make the Re-conquest of Naples but as a Bridge to transport his Forces into Grecia and not to spare Blood or Treasure if it were to the impawning of his Crown and dis-peopling of France till either he hath overthrown the Empire of the Ottomans or taken it in his way to Paradise The King knoweth well that this is a design that could not arise in the mind of any King that did not stedfastly look up unto GOD whose quarrel this
is and from whom cometh both the will and the Deed. But yet it is agreeable to the Person that he beareth though unworthy of the Thrice-Christian King and the Eldest Son of the Church Whereunto he is also invited by the Example in more ancient time of King Henry the Fourth of England the First Renowned King of the House of Lancaster Ancestor though not Progenitor to your King who had a purpose towards the end of his time as you know better to make an Expedition into the Holy Land and by the Example also present before his eyes of that Honourable and Religious War which the King of Spain now maketh and hath almost brought to perfection for the Recovery of the Realm of Granada from the Moors And although this Enterprize may seem vast and unmeasured for the King to attempt that by his own Forces wherein heretofore a Conjunction of most of the Christian Princes hath found work enough yet his Majesty wisely considereth that sometimes smaller Forces being united under one Command are more effectual in Proof though not so promising in Opinion and Fame than much greater Forces variously propounded by Associations and Leagues which commonly in a short time after their beginnings turn to Dissociations and Divisions But my Lords that which is as a Voice from Heaven that called the King to this Enterprize is a Rent at this time in the House of the Ottomans I do not say but there hath been Brother against Brother in that House before but never any that had refuge to the Arms of the Christians as now hath Gemes Brother unto Bajazeth that reigneth the far braver man of the two the other being between a Monk and a Philosopher and better read in the Alcoran and Averroes than able to weild the Scepter of so warlike an Empire This therefore is the King our Master 's memorable and heroical Resolution for an Holy War And because he carrieth in this the person of a Christian Soldier as well as of a great Temporal Monarch he beginneth with Humility and is content for this cause to beg Peace at the hands of other Christian Kings There remaineth only rather a Civil Request than any essential part of our Negotiation which the King maketh to the King your Sovereign The King as the World knoweth is Lord in chief of the Duchy of Britain The Marriage of the Heir belongeth to him as Guardian This is a private Patrimonial Right and no business of Estate yet nevertheless to run a fair course with your King whom he desires to make another Himself and to be one and the same thing with him his Request is That with the King's Favour and Consent he may dispose of her Marriage as he thinketh good and make void the intruded and pretended Marriage of Maximilian according to Justice This my Lords is all that I have to say desiring your pardon for my weakness in the delivery THus did the French Ambassadors with great shew of their King's affection and many sugred words seek to adulce all matters between the two Kings having two things for their ends The one to keep the King quiet till the Marriage of Britain was past and this was but a Summers-fruit which they thought was almost ripe and would be soon gathered The other was more lasting and that was to put him into such a temper as he might be no disturbance or impediment to the Voyage for Italy The Lords of the Council were silent and said only That they knew the Ambassadors would look for no answer till they had reported to the King and so they rose from Council The King could not well tell what to think of the Marriage of Britain He saw plainly the ambition of the French King was to impatronize himself of the Duchy but he wondred he would bring into his House a litigious Marriage especially considering who was his Successor But weighing one thing with another he gave Britain for lost but resolved to make his profit of this business of Britain as a quarrel for War and that of Naples as a Wrench and mean for Peace being well advertised how strongly the King was bent upon that Action Having therefore conferred divers times with his Council and keeping himself somewhat close he gave a direction to the Chancellor for a formal Answer to the Ambassadors and that he did in the presence of his Council And after calling the Chancellor to him apart bade him speak in such language as was fit for a Treaty that was to end in a Breach and gave him also a special Caveat that he should not use any words to discourage the Voyage of Italy Soon after the Ambassadors were sent for to the Council and the Lord Chancellor spake to them in this sort MY Lords Ambassadors I shall make answer by the King's Commandment unto the eloquent Declaration of you my Lord Prior in a brief and plain manner The King forgetteth not his former love and acquaintance with the King your Master But of this there needeth no repetition For if it be between them as it was it is well if there be any alteration it is not words that will make it up For the Business of Britain the King findeth it a little strange that the French King maketh mention of it as matter of well-deserving at his hand For that Deserving was no more but to make him his Instrument to surprize one of his best Confederates And for the Marriage the King would not meddle in it if your Master would marry by the Book and not by the Sword For that of Flanders if the Subjects of Burgundy had appealed to your King as their Chief Lord at first by way of Supplication it might have had a shew of Justice But it was a new form of Process for Subjects to imprison their Prince first and to slay his Officers and then to be Complainants The King saith That sure he is when the French King and himself sent to the Subjects of Scotland that had taken Arms against their King they both spake in another Stile and did in Princely manner signifie their detestation of Popular Attentates upon the Person or Authority of Princes But my Lords Ambassadors the King leaveth these two actions thus That on the one side he hath not received any manner of satisfaction from you concerning them and on the other that he doth not apprehend them so deeply as in respect of them to refuse to treat of Peace if other things may go hand in hand As for the War of Naples and the Design against the Turk the King hath commanded me expresly to say That he doth wish with all his heart to his good Brother the French King that his Fortunes may succeed according to his hopes and honourable intentions And whensoever he shall hear that he is prepared for Grecia as your Master is pleased now to say that he beggeth a Peace of the King so the King will then beg of him a part in that War
Clifford and him he had said That if he were sure that that young man were King Edward's Son he would never bear Arms against him This Case seems somewhat an hard Case both in respect of the Conditional and in respect of the other words But for the Conditional it seems the Judges of that time who were Learned men and the three chief of them of the Privy Council thought it was a dangerous thing to admit Ifs and And 's to qualifie words of Treason whereby every man might express his malice and blanch his danger And it was like to the Case in the following times of Elizabeth-Barton the holy Maid of Kent who had said That if King Henry the Eighth did not take Catherine his Wife again he should be deprived of his Crown and dye the death of a Dog And infinite Cases may be put of like nature Which it seemeth the grave Judges taking into Consideration would not admit of Treasons upon Condition And as for the Positive words That he would not bear Arms against King Edward's Son though the words seem calm yet it was a plain and direct Over-ruling of the King's Title either by Line of Lancaster or by Act of Parliament Which no doubt pierced the King more than if Stanley had charged his Lance upon him in the field For if Stanley would hold that opinion that a Son of King Edward had still the better right he being so principal a person of Authority and favour about the King it was to teach all England to say as much And therefore as those times were that speech touched the quick But some Writers do put this out of doubt for they say that Stanley did expresly promise to ayd Perkin and sent him some help of Treasure Now for the Motive of his falling off from the King It is true that at Bosworth-Field the King was be-set and in a manner inclosed round about by the Troops of King Richard and in manifest danger of his life when this Stanley was sent by his Brother with three thousand men to his Rescue which he performed so that King Richard was slain upon the Place So as the condition of Mortal men is not capable of a greater benefit than the King received by the hands of Stanley being like the benefit of Christ at once to Saye and Crown For which service the King gave him great gifts made him his Counsellor and Chamberlain and some what contrary to his nature had winked at the great Spoils of Bosworth-Field which came almost wholly to this man's hands to his infinite enriching Yet nevertheless blown up with the conceit of his Merit he did not think he had received good Measure from the King at least not Pressing-down and Running-over as he expected And his ambition was so exorbitant and unbounded as he became Sultor to the King for the Earldom of Chester Which ever being a kind of Appennage to the Principality of Wales 〈◊〉 and using to go to the King's Son his Suit did not only end in a Denial but in a Distaste The King perceiving thereby that his Desires were intemperate and his Cogitations vast and irregular and that his former Benefits were but cheap and lightly regarded by him Wherefore the King began not to brook him well And as a little Leaven of new Distaste doth commonly sowre the whole Lump of former Merits the King's Wit began now to suggest unto his Passion that Stanley at Bosworth-Field though he came time enough to save his life yet he stayed long enough to endanger it But yet having no matter against him he continued him in his Places until this his Fall After him was made Lord Chamberlain Giles Lord Dawbeny a man of great sufficiency and valour the more because he was gentle and moderate There was a common Opinion That Sir Robert Clifford who now was become the State-Informer was from the beginning an Emissary and Spy of the King 's and that he fled over into Flanders with his consent and privity But this is not probable both because he never recovered that degree of Grace which he had with the King before his going over and chiefly for that the Discovery which he had made touching the Lord Chamberlain which was his great Service grew not from any thing he learn'd abroad for that he knew it well before he went These Executions and especially that of the Lord Chamberlain's which was the chief strength of the Party and by means of Sir Robert Clifford who was the most inward man of Trust amongst them did extremely quail the Design of Perkin and his complices as well through Discouragement as Distrust So that they were now like Sand without Lime ill bound together especially as many as were English who were at a gaze looking strange one upon another not knowing who was faithful to their Side but thinking that the King what with his Baits and what with his Nets would draw them all unto him that were any thing worth And indeed it came to pass that divers came away by the Thred sometimes one and sometimes another Barley that was Joynt-Commissioner with Clifford did hold out one of the longest till Perkin was far worn yet made his Peace at the length But the Fall of this Great man being in so high Authority and Favour as was thought with the King and the manner of Carriage of the Business as if there had been secret Inquisition upon him for a great time before and the Cause for which he suffered which was little more than for saying in effect That the Title of York was better than the Title of Lancaster which was the Case almost of every man at the least in Opinion was matter of great Terrour amongst all the King's Servants and Subjects Insomuch as no man almost thought himself secure and men durst scarce commune or talk one with another but there was a general Diffidence every where Which nevertheless made the King rather more Absolute than more Safe For Bleeding Inwards and shut Vapours strangle soonest and oppress most Hereupon presently came forth Swarms and Volies of Libels which are the Gusts of Liberty of Speech restrained and the Females of Sedition containing bitter Invectives and Slanders against the King and some of the Council For the contriving and dispersing whereof after great Diligence of Inquiry five mean persons were caught and executed Mean while the King did not neglect Ireland being the Soil where the Musbromes and Upstart-Weeds that spring up in a Night did chiefly prosper He sent therefore from hence for the better setling of his affairs there Commissioners of both Robes The Prior of Lanthony to be his Chancellour in that Kingdom and Sir Edward Poynings with a Power of Men and a Marshal Commission together with a Civil Power of his Lieutenant with a Clause That the Earl of Kildare then Deputy should obey him But the Wild-Irish who were the principal Offendors fled into the Woods and Bogs after their manner and those
my self to expect the Tyrant's death and then to put my self into my Sisters hands who was next Heir to the Crown But in this season it happened one Henry Tidder Son to Edmond Tidder Earl of Richmond to come from France and enter into the Realm and by subtil and foul means to obtain the Crown of the same which to me rightfully appertained So that it was but a change from Tyrant to Tyrant This Henry my extreme and mortal Enemy so soon as he had knowledge of my being alive imagined and wrought all the subtil ways and means he could to procure my final Destruction For my mortal Enemy hath not only falsly surmised me to be a feigned Person giving me Nick-names so abusing the World but also to deferr and put me from entry into England hath offered large summs of Money to corrupt the Princes and their Ministers with whom I have been retained and made importune Labours to certain Servants about my Person to murther or Poyson me and others to forsake and leave my righteous Quarrel and to depart from my Service as Sir Robert Clifford and others So that every man of Reason may well perceive that Henry calling himself King of England needed not to have bestowed such great summs of Treasure nor so to have busied himself with importune and incessant Labour and Industry to compass my Death and Ruine if I had been such a feigned Person But the truth of my Cause being so manifest moved the most Christian King Charles and the Lady Duchess Dowager of Burgundy my most dear Aunt not only to acknowledge the truth thereof but lovingly to assist me But it seemeth that God above for the good of this whole Island and the knitting of these two Kingdoms of England and Scotland in a strait Concord and Amity by so great an Obligation had reserved the placing of me in the Imperial Throne of England for the Arms and Succours of your Grace Neither is it the first time that a King of Scotland hath supported them that were bereft and spoiled of the Kingdom of England as of late in fresh memory it was done in the Person of Henry the Sixth Wherefore for that your Grace hath given clear signs that you are in no Noble quality inferiour to your Royal Ancestors I so distressed a Prince was hereby moved to come and put my self into your Royal Hands desiring your Assistance to recover my Kingdom of England promising faithfully to bear my self towards your Grace no otherwise than if I were your own Natural Brother and will upon the Recovery of mine Inheritance gratefully do you all the Pleasure that is in my utmost Power AFter Perkin had told his Tale King James answered bravely and wisely That whatsoever he were he should not repent him of putting himself into his hand And from that time forth though there wanted not some about him that would have perswaded him that all was but an Illusion yet notwithstanding either taken by Perkin's amiable and alluring behaviour or inclining to the recommendation of the great Princes abroad or willing to take an occasion of a War against King Henry he entertained him in all things as became the person of Richard Duke of York embraced his Quarrel and the more to put it out of doubt that he took him to be a great Prince and not a Representation only he gave consent that this Duke should take to Wife the Lady Catherine Gordon Daughter to Earl Huntley being a near Kinswoman to the King himself and a young Virgin of excellent beauty and virtue Not long after the King of Scots in person with Perkin in his company entred with a great Army though it consisted chiefly of Borderers being raised somewhat suddenly into Northumberland And Perkin for a Perfume before him as he went caused to be published a Proclamation of this tenour following in the name of Richard Duke of York true Inheritor of the Crown of England IT hath pleased God who putteth down the Mighty from their Seat and exalteth the Humble and suffereth not the hopes of the Just to perish in the end to give Us means at the length to shew Our Selves armed unto Our Lieges and People of England But far be it from Us to intend their hurt and damage or to make War upon them otherwise than to deliver Our Self and them from Tyranny and Oppression For Our mortal Enemy Henry Tidder a false 〈◊〉 of the Crown of England which tolls by Natural and Lineal Right appertaineth knowing in his own Heart Our undoubted Right We being the very Richard Duke of York younger Son and now surviving Heir-male of the Noble and Victorious Edward the Fourth late King of England hath not only deprived Us of Our Kingdom but likewise by all foul and wicked means sought to betray Us and bereave Us of Our Life Yet if his Tyranny only extended it self to Our Person although Our Royal Blood teacheth Us to be sensible of Injuries it should be less to Our Grief But this Tidder who boasteth himself to have overthrown a Tyrant hath ever since his first entrance into his Usurped Reign put little in practice but Tyranny and the feats thereof For King Richard Our unnatural Uncle although desire of Rule did blind him yet in his other actions like a true Plantagenet was Noble and loved the Honour of the Realm and the Contentment and Comfort of his Nobles and People But this Our Mortal Enemy agreeable to the meanness of his Birth hath trod under foot the Honour of this Nation selling Our hest Confederates for Money and making Merchandize of the Blood Estates and Fortunes of Our Peers and Subjects by feigned wars and dishonourable Peace only to enrich his Coffers Nor unlike hath been his hateful Mis-government and evil Deportments at home First he hath to fortifie his false Quarrel caused divers Nobles of this Our Realm whom he held Suspect and stood in dread of to be cruelly murthred as Our Cousin Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain Sir Simon Mountfort Sir Robert Ratcliff William Dawbeney Humphrey Stafford and many others besides such as have dearly bought their Lives with intolerable Ransoms Some of which Nobles are now in the Sanctuary Also he hath long kept and yet keepeth in Prison Our right entirely beloved Cousin Edward Son and Heir to Our Uncle Duke of Clarence and others with-bolding from them their rightful Inheritance to the intent they should never be of might and power to aid and assist Us at Our need after the duty of their Liegeances He also married by compulsion certain of Our Sisters and also the Sister of Our said Cousin the Earl of Warwick and divers other Ladies of the Royal Blood unto certain of his Kinsmen and Friends of simple and low Degree and putting apart all well-disposed Nobles he hath none in favour and trust about his Person but Bishop Fox Smith Bray Lovel Oliver King David Owen Risley Turbervile Tiler Cholmley Empson James Hobart John Cut Garth
Henry Wyat and such other Cattiffs and Villains of Birth which by subtil Inventions and Pilling of the People have been the principal Finders Occasioners and Counsellors of the Mis-rule and Mischief now reigning in England We remembring these Premisses with the great and execrable Offences daily committed and done by Our foresaid great Enemy and his Adherents in breaking the Liberties and Franchises of Our Mother the Holy Church upon pretences of Wicked and Heathenish Policy to the high displeasure of Almighty God besides the manifold Treasons abominable Murthers Man-slaughters Robberies Extortions the daily Pilling of the People by Disms Taxes Tallages Benevolences and other unlawful Impositions and grievous Exactions with many other heinous Effects to the likely destruction and desolation of the whole Realm shall by God's grace and the help and assistante of the great Lords of Our Blood with the counsel of other sad Persons see that the Commodities of Our Realm be employed to the most advantage of the same the intercourse of Merchandise betwixt Realm and Realm to be ministred and handled as shall more be to the Common-weal and prosperity of Our Subjects and all such Disms Taxes Tallages Benevolences unlawful Impositions and grievous Exactions as be above rehearsed to be fore-done and laid apart and never from henceforth to be called upon but in such cases as Our Noble Progenitors Kings of England have of old time been accustomed to have the ayd succour and help of their Subjects and true Liege-men And further We do out of Our Grace and Clemency hereby as well publish and promise to all our Subjects Remission and free Pardon of all By-past Offences whatsoever against Our Person or Estate in adhering to Our said Enemy by whom We know well they have been mis-led if they shall within time convenient submit themselves unto Us. And for such as shall come with the foremost to assist Our Righteous Quarrel We shall make them so far partakers of Our Princely Favour and Bounty as shall be highly for the Comfort of them and theirs both during their life and after their death As also We shall by all means which God shall put into Our hands demean Our selves to give Royal contentment to all Degrees and Estates of Our People maintaining the Liberties of Holy Church in their Entire preserving the Honours Priviledges and Prebeminences of Our Nobles from contempt or disparagement according to the dignity of their Blood We shall also unyoak Our People from all heavy Burthens and Endurances and confirm Our Cities Boroughs and Towns in their Charters and Freedoms with enlargement where it shall be deserved and in all points give Our Subjects cause to think that the blessed and debonair Government of Our Noble Father King Edward in his last times is in Us revived And for as much as the putting to death or taking alive of Our said Mortal Enemy may be a mean to stay much effusion of Blood which otherwise may ensue if by Compulsion or fair Promises he shall draw after him any number of Our Subjects to resist Us whith We desire to avoid though We be certainly informed that Our said Enemy is purposed and prepared to flie the Land having already made over great masses of the Treasure of Our Crown the better to support him in Forein Parts We do hereby declare That whosoever shall take or distress Our said Enemy though the Party be of never so mean a Condition he shall be by Us rewarded with a Thousand Pound in Money forthwith to be laid down to him and an Hundred Marks by the year of Inheritance besides that he may otherwise merit both toward God and all good People for the destruction of such a Tyrant Lastly We do all men to wit and herein We take also God to witness That whereas God hath moved the Heart of Our dearest Cousin the King of Scotland to aid Us in Person in this Our righteous Quarrel it is altogether without any Pact or Promise or so much as demand of any thing that may prejudice Our Crown or Subjects But contrariwise with promise on Our said Cousin's part that whensoever he shall find Us in sufficient strength to get the upper hand of Our Enemy which we hope will be very suddenly he will forthwith peaceably return into his own Kingdom contenting himself only with the glory of so Honourable an Enterprize and Our true and faithful Love and Amity Which We shall ever by the Grace of Almighty God so order as shall be to the great comfort of both Kingdoms BUT Perkin's Proclamation did little edifie with the people of England neither was he the better welcom for the company he came in Wherefore the King of Scotland seeing none came in to Perkin nor none stirred any where in his favour turned his Enterprize into a Rode and wasted and destroyed the Countrey of Northumberland with fire and sword But hearing that there were Forces coming against him and not willing that they should find his men heavy and laden with booty he returned into Scotland with great Spoils deferring further prosecution till another time It is said that Perkin acting the part of a Prince handsomly when he saw the Scottish fell to waste the Countrey came to the the King in a passionate manner making great lamentation and desired That that might not be the manner of making the War for that no Crown was so dear to his mind as that he desired to purchase it with the blood and ruine of his Countrey Whereunto the King answered half in sport that he doubted much he was careful for that that was none of his and that he should be too good a Steward for his Enemy to save the Countrey to his use By this time being the Eleventh year of the King the Interruption of Trade between the English and the Plemmish began to pinch the Merchants of both Nations very sore Which moved them by all means they could devise to affect and dispose their Savereigns respectively to open the Intercourse again Wherein time favoured them For the Arch-Duke and his Council began to see that Perkin would prove but a Runnagate and Citizen of the World and that it was the part of Children to fall out about Babies And the King on his part after the Attempts upon Kent and Northumberland began to have the business of Perkin in less estimation so as he did not put it to accompt in any Consultation of State But that that moved him most was that being a King that loved Wealth and Treasure he could not endure to have Trade sick nor any Obstruction to continue in the Gate-vein which disperseth that blood And yet he kept State so far as first to be sought unto Wherein the Merchant-Adventurers likewise being a strong Company at that time and well under-set with rich men and good order did hold out bravely taking off the Commodities of the Kingdom though they lay dead upon their hands for want of Vent At the last Commissioners met
but unquiet and popular and aspiring to Ruine came-in to them and was by them with great gladness and cries of Joy accepted as their General they being now proud that they were led by a Noble-man The Lord Audley led them on from Wells to Salisbury and from Salisbury to Winchester Thence the foolish people who in effect led their Leaders had a mind to be led into Kent fancying that the people there would joyn with them contrary to all reason or judgment considering the Kentish-men had shewed great Loyalty and Affection to the King so lately before But the rude People had heard Flammock say that Kent was never Conquered and that they were the freest People of England And upon these vain Noises they looked for great matters at their hands in a cause which they conceited to be for the liberty of the Subject But when they were come into Kent the Countrey was so well setled both by the King 's late kind usage towards them and by the credit and power of the Earl of Kent the Lord Abergaveny and the Lord Cobham as neither Gentleman nor Yeoman came-in to their aid which did much damp and dismay many of the simpler sort Insomuch as divers of them did secretly flie from the Army and went home But the sturdier sort and those that were most engaged stood by it and rather waxed Proud than failed in Hopes and Courage For as it did somewhat appall them that the people came not in to them so it did no less encourage them that the King's Forces had not set upon them having marched from the West unto the East of England Wherefore they kept on their way and encamped upon Black-heath between Greenwich and Eltham threatning either to bid Battel to the King for now the Seas went higher than to Morton and Bray or to take London within his view imagining with themselves there to find no less Fear than Wealth But to return to the King When first he heard of this Commotion of the Cornish-men occasioned by the Subsidie he was much troubled therewith Not for it self but in regard of the Concurrence of other Dangers that did hang over him at that time For he doubted lest a War from Scotland a Rebellion from Cornwal and the Practices and Conspiracies of Perkin and his Partakers would come upon him at once Knowing well that it was a dangerous Triplicity to a Monarchy to have the Arms of a Foreiner the Discontents of Subjects and the Title of a Pretender to meet Nevertheless the Occasion took him in some part well provided For as soon as the Parliament had broken up the King had presently raised a puissant Army to war upon Scotland And King James of Scotland likewise on his part had made great preparations either for defence or for new assailing of England But as for the King's Forces they were not only in preparation but in readiness presently to set forth under the Conduct of Dawbeney the Lord Chamberlain But as soon as the King understood of the Rebellion of Cornwal he stayed those Forces retaining them for his own service and safety But therewithal he dispatched the Earl of Surrey into the North for the defence and strength of those parts in case the Scots should stir But for the course he held towards the Rebels it was utterly differing from his former custom and practice which was ever full of forwardness and celerity to make head against them or to set upon them as soon as ever they were in Action This he was wont to do But now besides that he was attempered by Years and less in love with Dangers by the continued Fruition of a Crown it was a time when the various appearance to his Thoughts of Perils of several Natures and from divers Parts did make him judge it his best and surest way to keep his Strength together in the Seat and Centre of his Kingdom According to the ancient Indian Emblem in such a swelling Season To hold the hand upon the middle of the Bladder that no side might rise Besides there was no necessity put upon him to alter this Counsel For neither did the Rebels spoil the Countrey in which case it had been dishonour to abandon his People Neither on the other side did their Forces gather or increase which might hasten him to precipitate and assail them before they grew too strong And lastly both Reason of Estate and War seemed to agree with this course For that Insurrections of base People are commonly more furious in their Beginnings And by this means also he had them the more at Vantage being tired and harrassed with a long march and more at Mercy being cut off far from their Countrey and therefore not able by any sudden flight to get to Retrait and to renew the Troubles When therefore the Rebels were encamped on Black-heath upon the Hill whence they might behold the City of London and the fair Valley about it the King knowing well that it stood him upon by how much the more he had hitherto protracted the time in not encountring them by so much the sooner to dispatch with them that it might appear to have been no Coldness in foreslowing but Wisdom in choosing his time resolved with all speed to assail them and yet with that Providence and Surety as should leave little to Venture or Fortune And having very great and puissant Forces about him the better to master all Events and Accidents he divided them into three parts The first was led by the Earl of Oxford in chief assisted by the Earls of Essex and Suffolk These Noble-men were appointed with some Cornets of Horses and Bands of Foot and good store of Artillery wheeling about to put themselves beyond the Hill where the Rebels were encamped and to beset all the skirts and descents thereof except those that lay towards London whereby to have these Wild Beasts as it were in a Toyl The second part of his Forces which were those that were to be most in Action and upon which he relyed most for the Fortune of the Day he did assign to be led by the Lord Chamberlain who was appointed to set upon the Rebels in Front from that side which is toward London The third part of his Forces being likewise great and brave Forces he retained about himself to be ready upon all Events to restore the Fight or consummate the Victory and mean while to secure the City And for that purpose he encamped in Person in St. George's Fields putting himself between the City and the Rebels But the City of London specially at the first upon the near encamping of the Rebels was in great Tumult As it useth to be with wealthy and populous Cities especially those which for greatness and fortune are Queens of their Regions who seldom see out of their Windows or from their Towers an Army of Enemies But that which troubled them most was the conceit that they dealt with a Rout of People with whom
there was no Composition or Condition or orderly Treating if need were but likely to be bent altogether upon Rapine and Spoil And although they had heard that the Rebels had behaved themselves quietly and modestly by the way as they went yet they doubted much that would not last but rather make them more hungry and more in appetire to fall upon spoil in the end Wherefore there was great running to and fro of People some to the Gates some to the Walls some to the Water 〈◊〉 giving themselves Alarms and Panick fears continually Nevertheless both Tate the Lord Mayor and Shaw and Haddon the Sheriffs did their parts stoutly and well in arming and ordering the People And the King likewise did adjoyn some Captains of experience in the Wars to advise and assist the Citizens But soon aften when they understood that the King had so ordered the matter that the Rebels must win three Battels before they could approach the City and that he had put his own Person between the Rebels and them and that the great care was rather how to impound the Rebels that none of them might escape than that any doubt was made to vanquish them they grew to be quiet and out of fear The rather for the confidence they reposed which was not small in the three Leaders Oxford Essex and Dawbency all men famed and loved amongst the People As for Jasper Duke of Bedford whom the King used to employ with the first in his Wars he was then sick and dyed soon after It was the two and twentieth of June and a Saturday which was the day of the week the King fancied when the Battel was fought though the King had by all the Art he could devise given out a false Day as if he prepared to give the Rebels Battel on the Monday following the better to find them unprovided and in disarray The Lords that were appointed to circle the Hill had some days before planted themselves as at the Receipt in places convenient In the afternoon towards the decline of the day which was done the better to keep the Rebels in opinion that they should not fight that day the Lord Dawbeney marched on towards them and first beat some Troops of them from Detford-bridge where they fought manfully But being in no great number were soon driven back and fled up to their main Army upon the Hill The Army at that time hearing of the approach of the King's Forces were putting themselves in Array not without much Confusion But neither had they placed upon the first high-ground towards the Bridge any Forces to second the Troops below that kept the Bridge neither had they brought forwards their Main-Battel which stood in array far into the Heath near to the ascent of the Hill So that the Earl with his Forces mounted the Hill and recovered the Plain without resistance The Lord Dawbeney charged them with great fury Insomuch as it had like by accident to have brandled the Fortune of the Day For by inconsiderate Forwardness in fighting in the head of his Troops he was taken by the Rebels but immediately rescued and delivered The Rebels maintained the Fight for a small time and for their Persons shewed no want of courage but being ill armed and ill led and without Horse or 〈◊〉 they were with no great difficulty cut in pieces and put to flight And for their three Leaders the Lord Audley the Black-smith and Flammocke as commonly the Captains of Commotions are but half-couraged Men suffered themselves to be taken alive The number slain on the Rebels part were some two thousand men their Army amounting as it is said unto the number of sixteen thousand The rest were in effect all taken for that the Hill as was said was encompassed with the King's Forces round about On the King's part there dyed about three hundred most of them shot with Arrows which were reported to be of the length of a Taylor's-yard So strong and mighty a Bow the Cornish-men were said to draw The Victory thus obtained the King created divers Bannerets as well upon Black-heath where his Lieutenant had won the Field whither he rode in Person to perform the said Creation as in St. George's Fields where his own person had been encamped And for matter of Liberality he did by open Edict give the goods of all the Prisoners unto those that had taken them either to take them in Kind or compound for them as they could After matter of Honour and Liberality followed matter of Severity and Execution The Lord Audley was led from Newgate to Tower-hill in a Paper-Coat painted with his own Arms the Arms reversed the Coat torn and he at Tower-hill beheaded Flammocke and the Black-smith were hanged drawn and quartered at Tyburn The Black-smith taking pleasure upon the Hurdle as it seemeth by words that he uttered to think that he should be famous in after-times The King was once in mind to have sent down Flammocke and the Black-smith to have been executed in Cornwal for the more terrour But being advertised that the Countrey was yet unquiet and boyling he thought better not to irritate the People further All the rest were pardoned by Proclamation and to take out their Pardons under Seal as many as would So that more than the blood drawn in the Field the King did satisfie himself with the lives of only three Offenders for the expiation of this great Rebellion It was a strange thing to observe the variety and inequality of the King's Executions and Pardons And a man would think it at the first a kind of Lottery or Chance But looking into it more nearly one shall find there was reason for it much more perhaps than after so long a distance of time we can now discern In the Kentish Commotion which was but an handful of men there were executed to the number of one hundred and fifty and in this so mighty a Rebellion but three Whether it were that the King put to accompt the men that were slain in the field or that he was not willing to be severe in a popular cause or that the harmless behaviour of this People that came from the West of England to the East without mischief almost or spoil of the Countrey did somewhat mollifie him and move him to compassion or lastly that he made a great difference between People that did rebel upon Wantonness and them that did rebel upon Want After the Cornish-men were defeated there came from Calioe to the King an honourable Ambassage from the French King which had arrived at Calice a Month before and there was stayed in respect of the troubles but honourably entertained and defrayed The King at their first coming sent unto them and prayed them to have patience till a little Smoak that was raised in his Countrey were over which would soon be Slighting as his manner was that openly which nevertheless he intended seriously This Ambassage concerned no great Affair but only the Prolongation
according to the Law which inflicted a pecuniary Mulct they that were touch'd saith Polydor Virgil cryed out that this proceeded out of Covetousness rather than Severity But the wiser sort conceived the King's intent to be partly to curb the fierce mind of the People bred up in faction partly that by these Fines he might not only weaken the rich but also increase his own strength and fortifie himself against civil Attempts whereof he had lately seen some sparkles flie abroad if so be any smothered coal should happen to break out into a flame What-ever the matter was many there were who by accusing others sought the King's favour and enlarged their own Estates amongst whom two were chief the one was called Richard Empson the other Edmund Dudley both Lawyers and both for having served the King's turn lately made Barons of the Exchequer It is said that Empson was born at Torcester in Northampton-shire his Father was a Sievier Dudley though he were well descended yet being not befriended by Fortune long strugled with Adversity But after they had some Months taken pains in these matters both of them arise to that greatness that there were few of the Nobility that would not crouch to them and be ambitious of their favour Therefore it is not so much to be wondred at if they grew exceeding wealthy But this Wealth drew with it an Envy greater than it self which nevertheless did them little hurt during the life of Henry the Seventh but afterwards cast them both down as low as Envy could have wisht The King upon his death-bed commanded in his Will and Testament that restitution should be made to all who had been wronged by the Exchequer Whereupon infinite numbers flocking to the Court and demanding restitution there could not a fitter means be thought of to stop their mouthes than by committing of Empson and Dudley the occasioners thereof to the People as Sacrifices to appease their fury They were therefore arraigned and condemned of high Treason And these things were done presently upon Henry the Eighth his coming to the Crown So their goods being seized upon they for a whole year endured the miseries that usually accompany a Prison and yet were the Commons as eager against them as ever Whence it should first arise I know not but such a report there was that the Queen had begged the poor mens Pardons The Nobility disdaining that such mean fellows had been heretofore so prevalent with their Prince and the Commons being easily incited against them by some as eager enemies to them as themselves cried out that they were cheated of their just revenge and wearying the King with continual petitions for their death he was in a manner forced to satisfie them Whereupon on the seventeenth day of August they were both publickly beheaded Such was the end of Empson and Dudley who abounding with Wealth and flourishing under their Prince's favour while they set light by all things else became a Sacrifice to the giddy multitude And it may serve to teach us to use our power moderately and to take heed how we give offence to that Beast with many heads I mean the People which being angred and having once got the reins rageth like a tumultuous Sea Dudley left behind him a Son named John who as if he had been heir to his Father's fortune being created Duke of Northumberland concluded his powerful life with the like unhappy end leaving much Issue behind him even to our time but yet whereof the heirs male have long since failed ANNO DOM. 1511. REG. 3. THis year on New-years-day the Queen was delivered of a Son Heir-apparant to this Crown but he out-lived not the three and twentieth of the ensuing February to the great grief of the King and Kingdom About the same time there came Ambassadors from Ferdinand King of Arragon who craved of the King his Son-in-Law fifteen hundred auxiliary Archers He was then in hostility with the Moors inhabiting Africk The King very willingly granted their request and having levied the full number embarqued them for Spain in four Ships of the Navy Royal under the command of Thomas Lord Darcy They were scarce arrived there when news was brought that a Peace being made Ferdinando stood in no farther need of their aid Yet every one was liberally paid the General and those of greatest note that accompanied him were richly rewarded and all being dismissed with many thanks safely returned home In their absence Margaret Duchess of Savoy who was Daughter to the Emperor Maximilian and Governess of the Netherlands under Charles the Infant of Spain prevailed with our King for the like number of Archers she having then Wars with the Duke of Gueldres against whom she meant to employ them These men in the space of five Months did many brave exploits at Brimnost Aske and Venloo under the command of Sir Edward Poynings a brave Souldier and in great favour with his Prince Of them fourteen hundred returned home much commended and well rewarded the fortune of War had cut off one hundred Four Captains in regard of their valour were Knighted by the Infant Charles afterwards Emperor viz. John Norton John Fog John Scot and Thomas Lynd. The King of Scots had then War with the Portugal under pretext whereof one Andrew Barton a famous Pirat took all Ships that coasted either England or Scotland affirming them always to be Portugals of what Nation soever they were or at least fraught with Portugal Merchandise The King sent Edward Howard Lord Admiral of England and his Brother the Lord Thomas Howard eldest Son to the Earl of Surrey with one John Hopton to take this Rover. When they had once found him out after a long and bloody fight they took him alive but mortally wounded with his two Ships and all his companions that survived the fight and brought them to London ANNO DOM. 1512. REG. 4. AS yet Henry had no War with any forein Prince neither did the wiser sort wish that he should have any But he a young King in the heat of one and twenty years was transported with a vehement desire of War which saith the Proverb is sweet to them that never tasted of it Although he had about a year or two before made a League with Lewis the Twelfth of France yet he was easily intreated by Pope Julius to renounce this Confederacy This Pope more like to that Caesar whose Name he bare than Peter from whom he would fain derive his Succession that like another Nero sitting still he might from on high be a Spectator while the whole World was on fire had written Letters to our King wherein he intreated his assistance towards the suppression of the French Who without fear of God or man these were the pretended Causes had not only sacrilegiously laid hold on the Revenues of the Church had caused Cardinal William to usurp the Papacy had upheld Alphonso of Ferara and the Bentivogli in Rebellion against him
had fortified themselves as well as the shortness of time would permit them and the Peasants thereabouts bring all their goods into the City as to a place of safeguard The City was of no great circuit yet at the beginning of the Siege it contained fourscore thousand People by reason whereof Victuals began quickly to fail them and they could no way hope for relief The French King was far off they had no Garrison the Citizens bad Soldiers two great Princes had begirt the Town with fifty thousand men but they had an Enemy within called Famine more cruel and insupportable than both So having for some few days held out the Siege the nine and Twentieth of September their lives being granted them they yield and to save themselves from spoil pay a hundred thousand Crowns The King makes them swear Fealty to him and appoints Sir Edward Poynings a Knight of the Garter their Governour Next he gives order for store of Warlike provision puts in a small Garrison and builds a Cittadel for the confirmation of his Conquest Neither amongst these Politick affairs did he neglect those of the Church For the Bishop being proscribed he conferrs the See with all the revenues upon Thomas Wolsey of whose first rising and immoderate Power we shall have much occasion to speak hereafter All things being thus ordered because Winter came on apace he began to bethink himself of returning with his Army into England This thought so far pleased him that having been absent scarce four Months he took Ship and about the end of October came home triumphing in the Glory of a double Conquest By the way he was entertained with the news of another Victory the Lord Howard Earl of Surrey having under his Fortune slain the King of Scots The King of France being encumbred with many Wars had conjured James the Fourth King of Scots By the ancient Laws of Amity and the late League made between them that He would not forsake him entangled in so many difficulties If He regarded not his Friend's case yet he should at least look to Himself sor whom it would not be safe to suffer a bordering Nation always at enmity with Him by such additions to arise to that height of power The King of England busied with a forein War was now absent and with Him the flower of the English Chivalry He should therefore forthwith take Arms and try to recover Berwick an especial Town of the Scottish Dominions but for many years with-held by the English He would easily be victorious if He would but make use of this occasion so happily offered It could not be but this War would be for His Honour and profitable to His Friend if not to Himself He should thereby also make known to His Enemies that the Scottish Arms were not to be contemned whose former Victories a long and to them hurtful Peace had obscured and buried in oblivion among the English As for the charges of it He need not be troubled for that he would afford Him fifty thousand Crowns towards the providing of Munition and Ordnance These Reasons so prevailed with the young King covetous of glory that notwithstanding he had lately made a League with our King whose Sister he had married and her vehement dissuasions he proclaimed War against Henry which proved fatal to him bloody to his and the cause of many ensuing calamities So having raised a great Army he breaks into our Marches and besiegeth Norham-Castle belonging to the Bishop of Durham the which having held out six days was at last yielded unto him Thence he removes his Camp to Berwick wasting all the Countrey as he marcht with Fire and Sword The news whereof are brought unto them to whom the government of the Kingdom was committed in the absence of the King and a levy being made through all the North parts of the Kingdom Alnewike is appointed the rendezvous where all the Troops should meet at a set day that thence they might set forward against the Enemy under the conduct of the Lord Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey Among the first to his Father's great joy comes the Earl's Son Thomas Lord Admiral leading a veteran Troop of five thousand men of tryed valour and haughty in regard of their former Naval Victories obtained under the command of this young Lord. After him came the Lords Dacres Clifford Scrope Latimer Canyers Lumley and Ogle besides Sir Nicholas Appleyard Master of the Ordnance Sir W. Percie Sir William Sidney Sir William Bulmer Sir John Stanley Sir William Molineux Sir Thomas Strangwayes Sir Richard Tempest and many other Knights These sitting in Council thought it best to send an Herald to the King to expostulate with him concerning the outrages committed to complain that He had without all right or reason spoiled the Countrey of a Prince not only Ailied unto him but also his Confederate and therefore to certifie him that they were ready by Battel to revenge the breach of League if so be he durst await their coming but a few days in a ground that might be fitting for the meeting of both Armies The King makes answer by writing wherein He retorts the violation of the League calling God to witness that King Henry had first by his many injuries shown evident signs of an alienated mind For the English he pretended robbed all along the Marches of Scotland without restitution or punishment Andrew Barton a stout and bonest man had been unjusty slain by the King's command and one Heron who had murthered Robert Car a Scottish Noble-man vaunted himself openly in England the King taking no notice of so heinous a fact Of these things he had often complained by his Ambassadors but without effect There was therefore no other way for him but to betake himself to Arms for the common defence of himself and his Kingdom against the King's injustice As for the meeting he signified that he accepted of it and appointed both time and place for the Battel Neither party failed the prefixed day The Scot seeks to animate his men by taking away all hope of safeguard by flight commanding them I know not how wisely but the event shewed how unhappily for them to forsake their Horses forasmuch as they were to trust to their Hands not to their Horses heels and by his own example shewing what he would have done he alights and prepares himself to fight on foot The rest doing the like the whole Army encountred us on foot to whom after a long and bloody fight the fortune of the Victory inclined The Scots had two and twenty pieces of great Ordnance which stood them in no stead For our men climbing up a Hill where the Enemy sate hovering over us the shot passed over our heads Our chief strength were our Archers who so incessantly played upon four Wings of Scots for the King divided his Army into five Battalions that were but lightly armed that they forced them to flie and leave their fellows who
of Ill May-day Long Peace having with us begate Plenty the Mother and Nurse both of good and bad Arts allured the most excellent Artificers of forein Nations to partake of our happiness by frequenting the City of London But the giddy multitude not conceiving what good became of communicating their skill unto us took it very heinously that Strangers should be permitted to enjoy the Priviledges of the City and our home-bred Artificers did most especially complain That their means were every day curtalled for as much as no small part was necessarily to be defalked for the maintenance of these Strangers This was now grown the common discourse and had gon so far that one Lincoln a ringleader of this tumultuous rout did not stick to persuade some Preachers publickly in the Pulpit to lay open these common grievances before the Estates of the Realm Our Ladies Hospital in London commonly called the Spittle is famous for the Easter-Sermons one of which was to be preached by Dr. Henry Standish afterward Bishop of St. Asaph a grave and learned man Lincoln had assayed him and had the denial as in a matter the very mention whereof a good Patriot should abhor But Dr. Bell a Divine who was after Standish to preach in the same Place without fear or wit seconding their seditious attempts did publickly in his Sermon read the Bill by them exhibited to him taking for his Text that of the Prophet in the hundred and fifteenth Psalm The heavens even the heavens are the Lords but he hath given the earth to the sons of men Thence most foolishly concluding that England was given to English-men only and that therefore it was not to be endured that Aliens should enjoy any part thereof Many things by him spoken to this purpose were accepted with great applause and approbation of the Vulgar who out of extreme hatred to Strangers breathed nothing but sedition And to add more fuel to this fire it happened that many outrages were about that time committed by some of these Strangers This evil then thus spreading it self Foreiners were every where ill intreated and commonly knockt down in the streets having not offered injury to any man The authors of these riots being by the Lord Mayor committed to prison a sudden rumor ran through the City That on May-day next all Strangers should be massacred This without doubt proceeded from some of this unruly crew and was intended as a watch-word to all the Faction but the Strangers made so good use of it that they had all withdrawn themselves before that time and the Magistrates very carefully attended each occasion endeavouring to crush all Tumultuous Designs in the shell On May-day-Eve therefore the next day being the Feast of the Apostles Philip and Jacob the solemnity thereof is usually augmented by the liberty granted to the younger sort to sport themselves and to make merry the Citizens in general are by Proclamation commanded to keep fast their doors and to restrain their Servants from going abroad until nine of the Clock the next day But before this had been throughly proclaimed an Alderman walking in the streets saw a troop of young men consisting of Apprentices and such like gathered together and playing at cudgels He sharply reproved them for not obeying the King's Edict withal threatning to punish them if they the sooner betook not themselves every one to his home Words not prevailing he laid hold on one or two intending to have committed them But what reckoning they made of Authority their resistance in rescue of their Companions shewed and by outcries giving an Alarm drew together all the rest of their Faction in that quarter of the City The fame of this hurliburly increased their numbers by sending Mariners Gentlemens Servants Beggars and Citizens but the greatest part were Apprentices Sedition like a torrent carried them headlong and animated them to all villany They break open the Prisons set those at liberty that were imprisoned for their outrages on Strangers flie about the City as in a whirlwind rob all Foreiners houses and not content with their goods seek after them for their lives They found their nests but the birds were fled Having thus spent the night in the morning hearing the King's forces to approach most of them slipt away only some three hundred remained whereof eleven were Women and being apprehended supplied their places whom they before had freed They were all arraigned only thirteen designed for death whereof nine suffered on divers Gibbets purposely erected in divers parts of the City Lincoln Sherwin and two Brethren named Bets Chieftains in this sedition were carried to Cheapside where Lincoln was deservedly hanged The Executioner ready to turn off another was prevented by the King 's gracious Pardon The mind of man being prone to pity we may imagine that others were well pleased at the news but certainly the condemned had cause to rejoyce The Queens of England the two Dowagers of France and Scotland both of them the King's Sisters and then at Court became incessant Petitioners to his Majesty and on their knees in the behalf of these condemned persons and at length Wolsey consenting by whom the King was wholly swayed their Petitions were granted to them and to the poor men their lives This was the last Scene of this Tragical Tumult the like whereof this well-governed City had not known in many Ages For the Laws very well provided in that case do under a great penalty forbid Assemblies especially of armed men if not warranted by publick Authority In August and September the Sweating-sickness termed beyond Sea Sudor Anglicus or the English sweat began a disease utterly unknown to former Ages Of the common sort they were numberless that perished by it of the Nobility the Lords Clinton and Grey of Wilton The symptoms and cure you may find in Polydor Virgil in Anno 1. Henr. 7. who as confidently as I believe truly maintains That this disease was never till then known to be much less to be mortal As if there were a concatenation of evils one evil seldom cometh alone A Pestilence succeeded this former mortality and so raged the whole Winter season in most parts of the Realm that the King for fear of infection attended by a few was fain every day to remove his Court from one place to another The eleventh of February was born the Lady Mary afterwards Queen of England ANNO DOM. 1518. REG. 10. THe Peace so long treated of between us and the French was now in September at length concluded on these Conditions That the Daulphin should marry the Lady Mary the King 's only Child and not yet two years old That Tournay should be restored to the French That the French should pay King Henry four hundred thousand Crowns viz. two hundred thousand for his charge in building the Cittadel for the Artillery Powder and Munition which he should leave there and other two hundred thousand Crowns partly for the expence of that
War wherein the City was taken and partly in regard of other Pensions that were due unto him For the payment of which summs the French gave eight Hostages so saith Bellay But our Writers speak of a far different summ viz. Six hundred thousand Crowns for the City and four hundred thousand Crowns for the Cittadel besides three and twenty thousand Pounds Tournois which the City of Tournay ought the King and an annual Pension of a thousand Marks assigned to Cardinal Wolley for renouncing all claim and title to the Bishoprick of Tournay For the confirmation of these Articles the Earl of Worcester and the Bishop of Ely with some others were sent into France where both by the King and Princes of the Realm they were magnificently entertained ANNO DOM. 1519. REG. 11. THis year on the twelfth of January in the sixty third year of his age died the Emperour Maximilian having to prevent a disease to which he thought himself inclining unseasonably taken a Medicine of uncertain operation His death bred an equal desire in the minds of two great Princes who became Competitors for the Empire Francis King of France and Charles King of Spain But Charles although King of Spain yet being by birth born at Gand and descent a German at the age of nineteen years was chosen Emperour of Germany with the full consent and suffrages of all the Princes Electors This Election how-ever other slight matters were pretended was undoubtedly the cause of the ensuing dreadful War between these Princes The French King taking this repulse impatiently meditates nothing but revenge And that his designs might no way be crossed by us he labours amain for the confirmation of the Peace lately agreed upon between Henry and him Therefore by the Admiral Bonivet he deals with Wolsey that at an Enterview between the two Kings the League might be ratified To this end Henry intends to come to Guisnes Francis to Ardres and a convenient place between both is made choice of for their Enterview ANNO DOM. 1520. REG. 12. HEreupon the King setting forward towards France by easie journeys comes to Canterbury intending there to keep his Whitsontide The next day after being the twenty sixth of May the new created Emperour Charles the Fifth in his return from Spain arrives at Dover distant twelve miles from Canterbury The King gladly entertaines the news and although it were midnight takes horse and within little more than an hour comes by torch-light to Dover-Castle where the Emperour lay who Sea-weary was then asleep But being certified of the King's arrival he suddenly apparelled himself and met the King at the top of the stairs They embraced and saluted one another they long conferred together and the next morning being Whit-Sunday they rode together to Canterbury the Emperour alway keeping the right hand and the Earl of Derby bearing the Sword before them both Canterbury is a City more famous for antiquity than for modern beauty To let pass that it was above a thousand years since made an Archiepiscopal See our Chronicles do sufficiently testifie that both in respect of private mens fair Houses and the magnificent structure of its Churches it antiently excelled the bravest Cities of England But within these few years it hath lost so much of its greatness and beauty that a man shall find little of Canterbury 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 Spleen sucks both blood and moisture from all the other languishing Cities of the Kingdom Likewise the subversion of St. Augustine's Monastery the loss of Calais and the pulling down of Archbishop Becket's Shrine things which occasioned a great concourse of people and did by their loss and overthrow much impair this Cities splendour One only Ornament thereof survives which is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church with such a majesty piercing the skies saith Erasmus that it a far off fills the beholder with devout amazement This Church being at first dedicated to our Saviour CHRIST a few Ages past degenerated into the nick-name of St. Thomas This Thomas sirnamed Becket having obstinately opposed Henry the Second was in this Church slain by certain Souldiers and being afterward canonized for a Saint his Sepulcher mightily increased the glory of the place For from those times even almost to our days all sorts of people from all parts of Europe superstitiously frequented the Shrine of this upstart Saint with rich Oblations endeavouring to procure his favour Hence the Monastery was so enriched that of it and the Church Erasmus said That every place was enlightened with the lustre of most precious and huge stones and the Church throughout abounded with more than Royal Treasure But the Shrine especially that contained the Relicks of this Saint was so embossed with Jewels that Gold was the meanest thing about it Hither accompanied with King Henry came the Emperour Charles but whether out of devotion or curiosity I cannot say But this is certain that the Cardinal and the Clergy going in Procession to the Church they went directly where a great deal of time was spent in Ceremonious Worship and Oblations at Becket's Tomb not only by the Emperour but even by him who shortly after defaced the Monument and seized upon that infinite Treasure heaped up by the devout folly of many preceding Ages From the Church they went to the Archbishop's Palace where the Queen Aunt to the Emperour awaited them and very joyfully welcomed her Nephew Three days were spent in banqueting pastimes and then the Emperour went to his Navy at Sandwich the King and Queen to Dover from whence they passed to Calais that the intended Interview of the two Kings might work its due effects The seventh of June was the appointed day the place between Ardres and Guisnes There the two Kings mounted on Spanish Gennets attended by such a multitude of Nobility as the occasions of a hundred years before had not at once brought together the like encountred each other both in the flower of their age the goodliest Princes of the world and most expert in all kind of combats both on horse and foot It were needless to set forth the magnificence of these Princes when the bravery of their attendants was such that the place was thence named The golden Camp Having embraced each other on horse-back they alight and betake themselves to a Pavilion there purposely pitched Henry attended on by the Cardinal of York and the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk Francis by the Admiral Bonivet the Chancellor du Prat and some other Counsellors Having had familiar conference concerning some private matters they gave order for erecting a Theatre and enclosing a ground for a Tilt-yard that so they might solace themselves whiles their Council treated of graver matters the conclusion whereof they might at leisure every day know by relation Fourteen days these Princes gave each other the meeting with
the Sixth who entituled the King of Spain Catholick and of that Pope whosoever he were that gave 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 several Titles are by these Princes retained to this day But Leo long survived not his gift about the end of the year dying as is suspected by poison In the mean time the exulcerated minds of the Emperour and the French King according to the nature of ambitious hatred that for its own ends makes all causes just burst out into open Wars for the composing whereof each of them had formerly agreed to refer themselves if any differences should arise to the arbitrement of Henry He therefore sends to each of them Ambassadors the Cardinal of York the Earl of Worcester and others who should if it were possible reconcile these enraged Princes All they could do proved but an endeavour for when they thought they had compassed their desires sudden news came that the Admiral Bonivet had by force taken Fuentaraby a Town of the Emperour 's in Biscay The Emperour would not then ratifie the Agreement unless this Town were redelivered which the French denying to do all fell to pieces again and the War was renewed After their devoir in this cause our Ambassadors went directly to Bruges to the Emperour of whom for a fortnight which was the time of their stay there they had Royal entertainment But he held the Cardinal in so great esteem that it was apparent he was not ignorant how powerful the Cardinal was with his Prince And here perhaps it would not be amiss in regard of these times to let the Reader know the pomp and state of this Cardinal how many Gentlemen attended him apparelled with Velvet and adorned with Gold-chains and then how many were cloathed in Scarlet-coats the skirts whereof were guarded with Velvet the full bredth of a hand But let him guess Hercules stature by the length of his foot Such was the bravery of his attendants that in Christiern King of Denmark and other Princes then residing at Bruges it bred amazement It was also reported that he was by Gentlemen of the best rank served on the knee a kind of state which Germany had yet never known He spent a huge mass of money in that Ambassage and that as it is thought not against his will For he by all means sought the Emperour's favour hoping that Leo although much younger either cut off by treachery or his own intemperance might leave the world before him And then were it no hard matter for him being under-propped by the Emperour and our King to be advanced to the Papacy Wherefore at the first bruit of his death he posted away Pacey the Dean of Pauls into Italy with Mandates to certain Cardinals whom he thought respected him that they should do their best in his behalf But before he could reach Rome he was certainly informed that Adrian sometimes Tutor to the Emperour and then Viceroy of Spain was already elected by the name of Adrian the Sixth ANNO DOM. 1522. REG. 14. VV Olsey nevertheless was as full of ambitious hope as ever For Adrian was a decrepit weak 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 climb He therefore seeks to advance the Emperour's designs more than ever and to that end he persuadeth Henry to denounce War against the French for that he denied to surrender Fuentaraby and had broken the Covenants made between them in not standing to the Arbitrement of Henry as both Charles and 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 storm before it came arrests all English Ships commits the Merchants to prison and seizeth their goods to his own use stops all Pensions due either to Henry for Tournay or to his Sister the Dowager of France for her Joincture The French Ships and Merchants in England find the like entertainment the Hostages given by the French for the ' foresaid summs are committed to close prison and the French Ambassador confined to his house Levies are made throughout England and great preparations for another Expedition into France To which the King being wholly bent Ambassadors suddenly arrive from the Emperour whose request was That he would joyn his forces with the Imperials and that if it so pleased him Charles would within few days be in England that so they might personally confer and advise what course they were best to run Many reasons moved the Emperour by the way to touch at England His Grandfather Ferdinand being dead his presence was necessarily required in Spain whither he must pass by England He feared lest this breach betwixt us and France might easily be made up he being so far distant He had an Aetna in his breast which burned with extreme hatred toward the French and was confident that his presence would raise our sparkle to a flame They might personally treat and conclude more safely and securely than by Agents and Posts of whom in matters of moment no wise man would make use unless forced by necessity But the chief cause as I conjecture of this his second coming into England was that he was weary of Wolsey with whom he saw it was impossible long to continue friend For the Cardinal by his importunity one while for the Papacy another while for the Archbishoprick of Toledo did much molest him who had determined to afford him nothing but good words He disdained not in his Letters to a Butcher's Son to use that honorable compellation of Cousin and whether present or absent he afforded him all kind of honour whatsoever But when the Cardinal craved any earnest of his love some excuse or other was found out to put him by yet so as still to entertain him with hopes But Wolsey was subtil and of a great spirit And these devices were now grown so stale that they must needs be perceived Charles therefore neglecting his wonted course by Wolsey studies how to be assured of the King without him For this no fitter means could be thought of than this Interview The King was naturally courteous loved the Emperour exceedingly and reposed great confidence in him Charles therefore hoped that by the familiarity of some few weeks he might make the King his own But Henry he thought would not long continue so unless he could some way lessen his favour toward the Cardinal This he hoped might be effected by admonishing the King that he was now past the years of a child and needed no Tutor that it was not fit he should suffer himself to be swaied by a Priest one in all reason better skilled in the mysteries of the Altar than of State against which in this respect besides the abuse of his power
sixty paces enter within it the first Squadron taking the way to Mirabell the rest marching toward the King's Army The King thought the Imperials went to Mirabell as making choice of the plain open fields to fight in He was unwilling to leave the besieged at liberty and yet the Plains were advantageous for his Horse He therefore commands his Artillery to be discharged which somewhat endamaged them and though unwilling draws his Forces out of their trenches than which the Imperials desired nothing more and opposed the whole strength of his Army against them But passing before the Cannon hinders their execution They that took the way to Mirabell now turn head and both Armies engage themselves in a cruel fight wherein the King more following Shadows than Substances and the idle rumours of the vulgar than the means of a most certain and glorious Victory is overthrown and taken prisoner losing beside the flower of the French Nobility almost all either taken or slain at one blow the Duchy of Milan the possession whereof had made him Lord of the greatest part of Lombardy Pope Clement who had left the Emperour for the French which he afterward repented often advertised the King that the Imperials were in great distress and want that they continually mutinied for lack of pay that he had taken so sufficient order with the King of England and the rest of the Confederates that they should continue bare enough of money If therefore he would but hold his hand and forbear to fight necessity enforcing the Imperials to disband he should be victorious without bloodshed But he was not capable of so good advice His Forces were great yet short of his account his Captains treacherously abusing him in not furnishing those numbers of Foot for which they received pay and it were equally a dishonour to him either to seem to avoid the Enemy or to lie still so long at a Siege to no purpose The Divine Power having decreed to chastise him permitted him through impatience to run headlong into these errours which so deeply plunged him in those calamities that without God's especial favour had proved fatal to him and his France When I consider this and many other the like chances happening as well in the course of a private man's life as in publick affairs I cannot but wonder at the sottish valour of this Age wherein rather than endure the touch of the least though false aspersion we will run the hazard both of life and fortunes How many brave men do we daily see wonderful ingenious in this kind of folly 〈◊〉 who standing upon I know not what Points of Honour upon the least offence challenge the field and wilfully seek out their own destruction What in God's name is become of the patience of that lingering Fabius who quietly bearing the bitter taunts and mocks of his Souldiers of the People and the Senate yet brought home an easie though late Victory We are certainly too blame with the Dog we catch at the shadow and lose the substance Of our Saviour we shall learn that it is the highest point of Fortitude In patience to possess our Souls And according to Aristotle true Valour is regardless of ill language Mordear approbriis falsis mutemque colores Falsus honor juvat mendax infamia terret Quem nisi mendosum mendacem It is Horace Back-bitten must I needs turn pale for it False honours please and lying slanders fright Whom but the unworthy and vain-glorious wight In the Tent of the captive King the Letters of the Pope and our King concerning their late League with the French being found the Duke of Bourbon now knew the cause why supplies of Money came in so slowly And Prat Leiger here for the Emperour upon notice of it without leave withdrew himself from Court and on the ninth of April secretly departed the land In the mean time Henry little suspecting that these secret compacts were known to the Emperour about the end of March sent Ambassadors to him Cutbert Tonstal Bishop of London and Sir Richard Wingfield Knight of the Garter by whom He did congratulate his late victorious success admonishing him to a close pursuit of his fortunes That if his Imperial Majesty intended with greater forces to oppress the already vanquished in regard of the strict tie of Friendship between them his necessary endeavours should in no sort be wanting What answer the Emperour gave I know not It is very likely he paid the King in his own coin and dissembled with the Dissembler but having courteously entertained our Ambassadors as courteously dismissed them But the King wants money and must now dissemble with his Subjects He pretended War with France and with this key hopes to open his Subjects coffers The expectation of supplies by a Parliament would prove tedious some shorter course must be taken Money is therefore demanded by Proclamation and that no less than according to the sixth part of every man's Moveables Divers great personages appointed Commissioners use all fair means to draw the people to contribute But although they sate in Commission in divers parts of the Kingdom at one and the same time they were so far from prevailing that as if the people had universally conspired it was every where denied and the Commissioners very ill entreated not without further danger of sedition and tumult Hereupon the King calls a Parliament to be held at London wherein he professeth himself to be utterly ignorant of these intolerable courses by such burthenous taxations The King disclaiming it every one seeks to free himself The Cardinal was at last fain to take all upon himself protesting That as a faithful Servant he had no further end in it than the profit of his Lord the King and that he had advised not only with his Majesties Council which they all acknowledged but also with the Learned in the Laws both Divine and Humane whose opinion it was That the King might lawfully take the same course that Pharaoh did who by the ministery of Joseph sequestred a certain portion of every mans private estate for the publick good But the dislike of the people occasioned by this though fruitless project was greater than could be removed by this excuse And yet this project was not altogether fruitless the King 's apparent want affording a sufficient pretext of deferring the War with France until another year Neither was it the King's intent to make use of his advantages over the French who now lay open to all his blows Henry having put away his Wife the Emperour must needs be netled and then the amity of France would stand him in some stead Indeed Catharine was a noble and a virtuous Lady but she had lived so long as to make her Husband weary of her He affected the Daughter of Sir Thomas Bolen Treasurer of his Houshold Her he intends to marry and to be divorced from the other For he did in his soul abhor this incestuous Match
devotion He therefore resolved to endeavour the Advancement of Wolsey to the Chair from whom he promised to himself a success answerable to his desires Henry therefore sends away speedy Posts to Gardiner with with ample instructions in the behalf of Wolsey willing him to work the Cardinals some with promises others with gifts some with threats others with perswasions and to omit no means that might be any way available But this was to build Castles in the Air. The messenger had scarce set forth when report that had made Clement dead had again revived him ANNO DOM. 1527. REG. 19. THe sixth of May Rome was taken and sacked by the Imperials under the conduct of the Duke of Bourbon who was himself slain in the assault marching in the head of his Troops The Pope Cardinals Ambassadors of Princes and other Nobles hardly escaping into the Castle of St. Angelo were there for some days besieged At length despairing of succours and victuals failing the Pope for fear he should fall into the hands of the Lansquenets for the most part seasoned with Luther's Doctrine and therefore passionate enemies to the See of Rome agreeth with the Prince of Auranges after the death of the Duke of Bourbon chosen General by the Army yielding himself and the Cardinals to him who kept them close Prisoners in the Castle Rome was now subject to all kind of cruelty and insolencies usual to a conquered City intended for destruction Beside Slaughter Spoil Rapes Ruine the Pope and Cardinals were the sport and mockery of the licentious multitude Henry pretended much grief at this news but was inwardly glad that such an occasion was offered whereby he might oblige Clement in all likelihood as he had just cause offended with the Emperour for this so insolent and harsh proceeding Whereupon he dispatcheth Wolsey into France who should intimate to the King his perpetual Ally what a scandal it was to all Christendom that the Head of it should be oppressed with Captivity a thing which did more especially concern Francis his affairs The Cardinal set forth from London about the beginning of July accompanied with nine hundred Horse among which were many Nobles the Archbishop of Dublin the Bishop of London the Earl of Derby the Lords Sands Montegle and Harendon besides many Knights and Gentlemen Wolsey found the French King at Amiens where it is agreed that at the common charge of both Princes War shall be maintained in Italy to set the Pope at liberty and to restore him to the possessions of the Church Henry contributing for his part thirty thousand Pounds sterling a month Upon the return of the Cardinal Francis sent into England Montmorency Lord Steward and Mareschal of France for the confirmation of this League and to invest the King with the Order of St. Michael He arrived in England about the middle of October accompanied with John Bellay Bishop of Bayeux afterward Cardinal the Lord of Brion and among others Martin Bellay the Writer of the French History who in this manner describes the passages of this Embassage Montmorency arriving at Dover was honourably received by many Bishops and Gentlemen sent by the King who brought him to London where he was met by twelve hundred Horse who conducted him to his lodging in the Bishop of London's Palace Two days after he went by water to Greenwich four miles beneath London where the King oft resideth There he was very sumptuously entertained by the King and the Cardinal of York Having had Audience the Cardinal having often accompanied him at London and Greenwich brought him to a house which he had built a little before ten miles above London seated upon the banks of Thames called Hampton Court. The Cardinal gave it afterward to the King and it is this day one of the King 's chiefest houses The Ambassador with all his Attendants was there feasted by him four or five days together The Chambers had hangings of wonderful value and every place did glitter with innumerable vessels of Gold and Silver There were two hundred and fourscore Beds the furniture to most of them being Silk and all for the entertainment of Strangers only Returning to London we were on St. Martin's day invited by the King to Greenwich to a Banquet the most sumptuous that ever I beheld whether you consider the Dishes or the Masques and Plays wherein the Lady Mary the King's Daughter acted a part To conclude the King and Montmorency having taken the Sacrament together the King for himself Montmorency in the behalf of Francis swore the observation of the League The King bestowed great gifts on every one and dismissed Montmorency who left the Bishop of Bayeux Leiger for his King to endeavour the continuance of the amity begun between these Princes Shortly after were sent into France Sir Thomas Bolen Viscount Rochfort and Sir Anthony Brown Knight who together with John Clerre Bishop of Bath and Wells Leiger in France should take the French King's Oath not to violate the late League in any part and to present him with the Order of the Garter We had now made France ours Nothing remained but to let the Emperour know the effects of the late Confederacy To this end Sir Francis Pointz and 〈◊〉 King at Arms are dispatched away to the Emperour to demand the molety of the booty gotten in the Battel of Pavy and the Duke of Orleans one of the French King's Sons left Hostage for his Father to be delivered to Henry who had born a share in the charges of that War and therefore expected to partake in the gains To command him to draw his Army out of Italy and not to disturb the peace of Christendom by molesting Christ's Vicar This if he refused to do neither was there expectation of any thing else they should forthwith defie him They execute their Commission and perceiving nothing to be obtained Clarencieux and a certain French Herald being admitted to the Emperour's presence do in the names of both King 's proclaim War against him Charles accepts it chearfully But the Ambassadors of France Venice and Florence craving leave to depart are committed to safe custody until it be known what is become of his Ambassadors with these Estates The report hereof flies into England and withal that Sir Francis Pointz and Clarencieux were committed with the rest Whereupon the Emperour's Ambassador is detained until the truth be known as it shortly was by the safe return of them both But Sir Francis Pointz about the beginning of the next Summer died suddenly in the Court being infected with the Sweating Sickness The same happening to divers other Courtiers and the infection spreading it self over London the Term was adjourned and the King fain to keep a running Court But these were the accidents of the ensuing year ANNO DOM. 1528. REG. 20. POpe Clement was of himself naturally slow but his own ends made him beyond the infirmity of his nature protract time in this cause concerning the
King's Divorce Bearing himself as neuter between the Emperour and the French King he makes them both become jealous of him And War being renewed in Italy he perceives himself likely again to become a prey to the Conquerour Which if it should happen he must betake himself to the King of England of whose help he was certain as long as his cause did uncertainly hang in suspence But if he should determine in the behalf of the King would he in gratitude be as beneficial as hope or fear of offending had made him That he much doubted These thoughts possessing the Pope Caesar's affairs in Italy began to decline almost all the Towns throughout the Realm of Naples out of hatred to the insolent Spaniard and affection to the French making offer of their Keys and receiving Garrisons of French Clement therefore did not now much stand in awe of the Emperour much against whose mind he was intreated to send a Legate into England Lawrence Campegius Cardinal and Bishop of Sulisbury who together with the Cardinal of York should have the hearing of this Cause so long controverted to no purpose And the more to testifie his affection to the King he did by a Decretal Bull but privately drawn pronounce the King's Marriage with Catharine to be void This Bull was committed to the Legate with these instructions That having shewed it to the King and the Cardinal of York He should withal signifie to them that he had authority to publish it but not to give sentence until he received new instructions telling him that he was content the King should enjoy the benefit of it and it may be he was then so minded but that it stood him upon to have this business delayed until he had sufficiently secured himself from the Emperour These were the pretences of the old Fox to the Legate But his meaning was to make use of all seasons and to turn with the weather The ninth of October to London comes the Legate the King having given order to the City for his solemn entertainment But the old man's infirmity frustrated their preparations he was grievously tormented with the Gout and would be privately brought into the City After a few days rest catried in a Chair he was brought to the King's presence to whom his Secretary made a Latin Oration wherein having much complained of the extreme cruelty of the Imperials in the sacking of Rome he used many words to signifie that the King 's pious bounty shewed in his liberally relieving him in so needful a season was most acceptable to the Pope and the whole College of Cardinals To this speech Edward Fox afterward Bishop of Hereford returned an answer in Latin wherein he declared That his Majesty was much grieved at his Holiness calamity for as much as man is naturally touched with a feeling of anothers miseries That He had not only performed what could be expected from him as a man but had also done the part of a friend for a friend and what was due from a Prince to Christ's Vicar on earth He did therefore hope that in regard of his filial obedience to the Holy See if it should happen that He should stand in need of its assistance and authority his Holiness would be pleased readily to grant those things which it might beseem a Son to crave of the common Mother Thus much passed in publick The King and the Legates conferring in private Campegius assured the King of the Pope's forwardness to pleasure him Campegius was indeed no bad man and spake truly what he thought For Clement knowing how difficult a matter it was to deceive a man that was no fool by one conscious of the guile and that was not deceived himself made the Legate believe that in this matter of the Divorce he would be ready to do for the King whatsoever he should demand After these passages the Legates spent six whole months in confultation only concerning their manner of proceeding in the King's Divorce In the mean time the King understanding that among his Subjects but especially the women kind this his action was much traduced as if he took this course more to satisfie his Lust than his Conscience to give a stop to all farther rumours having assembled all the Nobles of the Realm Judges Lawyers and as many of the better fort of Commons as could conveniently attend upon the eighth of November made an Oration to this effect Twenty years have almost run their course faithful and loving Subjects since We first began Our Reign among you In all which tract of time we have by God's assistance so behaved Our Self that We hope We have neither given you cause to complain nor our Enemies to glory No forein power hath endeavoured ought against you but to his own loss neither have We employed Our Arms any where but We have triumphantly erected Our glorious Trophies So that whether you consider the sweet fruits of plentiful Peace or the glory of Our Warlike exploits We dare boldly avouch We have shewed Our Self not unworthy of Our Ancestors whom without offence be it spoken We have in all points equalled But when we reflect upon the necessary end of Our frail life We are surprized with fear lest the miseries of future times should so obscure the splendour and memory of Our present felicity that as the Romans did after the death of Augustus so you may hereafter be forced to wish with tears either that We had never been or might have perpetually lived to govern you We see many here present who in regard of their age might have been parties in the late Civil Wars which for eighty years together so miserably rended this Realm no man knowing whom to acknowledge for his Sovereign until the happy Conjunction of Our Parents did not resolve but took away all cause of farther doubt Consider then whether after Our death you can hope for better days than when the factions of York and Lancaster distracted this Realm We have a Daughter whom we the more affectionately tender because she is Our sole Issue But we would have you know that having lately treated with Our dear Brother of France concerning a match between this Our Daughter and Henry Duke of Orleans his younger Son both of Us were well pleased with this alliance until one of his Privy Council made a question of Our Daughter's birth for it was much to be doubted lest she were to be held illegitimate being begotten of Us and that Mother who had before been married to Our deceased Brother saying it was utterly repugnant to the Word of God that any one should marry his Brother's Widow wherefore he was of opinion that this match with Our most beloved Spouse was to be deemed no other than incestuous How grievously this relation afflicted Us God the Searcher of Our hearts knows For these words did seem to question not only Our dear Consort and Our Daughter but even the very estate of Our Soul
which after death must necessarily undergo eternal and inevitable torments if being admonished of so horrible an Incest We should not endeavour an amendment And for your parts you cannot but foresee how great dangers by reason of this doubt do threaten you and your Posterity Being therefore desirous as the case indeed required to be resolved in this point We first conferred with Our Friends and then with the most learned in the Laws both Divine and Humane who indeed were so far from satisfying Us that they left Us more perplexed ' We therefore had recourse to the Holy Apostolick See to the Decree whereof we think it fitting that Our Self and all others should be obedient To this and no other end We call immortal God to witness have We procured this Venerable Legate As for the Queen Our most beloved Consort whatsoever women may tattle or ill willers mutter in private We do willingly and ingenuously profess that in nobleness of Mind she far transcends the greatness of her Birth So that if We were now at liberty and free for a second choice We take God to witness among all the plenty of the worlds Beauties we would not make choice of any other if lawfully we might than of this Our now Queen one in regard of her mildness wisdom humility sanctity of mind and conversation We are verily perswaded not to be paralleled But when We consider that We are bestowed on the world to other ends than the pursuit of Our own pleasures We have thought it meet rather to undergo the hazard of an uncertain judgment than to commit impiety against God the liberal Giver of all blessings and ingratitude against Our Countrey the weal and safety whereof each one should prefer before his private life or fortunes Thus much have you heard from Our own mouth And we hope that you will hereafter give no heed either to seditious detractions or idle rumours of the people This Oration took according to the divers dispositions of the hearers some lamenting the Kings but many more the Queens case every one doubting and fearful of the event Some few weary of the present estate desired a change even to worse rather than a continuance of the present And by these the course the King had taken not approved by the vulgar as pious and imposed on him by his own and the publick necessity was according to the nature of hopeful flattery most highly applauded ANNO DOM. 1529. REG. 21. AT length about the beginning of April the King residing at Bridewel at the Black Friers in London began the Suit concerning the King's Divorce There was that to be seen the like whereof the Histories of no other Nation afford A most puissant Monarch actually Sovereign and bearing rule in his Realm being cited by the voice of an Apparitor made his appearance personally before the Judges The Ceremonies in a matter so unusual and indeed otherwise of great moment require an accurate and large relation beyond the intended shortness of this History A Chair of State whereto was an ascent of some steps was placed above for the King and by the side of it another but a little lower for the Queen Before the King at the fourth step sate the Legates but so as the one seemed to sit at his right hand the other at the left Next to the Legates stood the Apparitors and other Officers of the Court and among them Gardiner after Bishop of Winchester appointed Register in this business Before the Judges within the limits of the Court sate the Archbishop of Canterbury with all the other Bishops of the Realm At the farther end of each side were the Advocates and Proctors retained for each party For the King Sampson after Bishop of Chichester Bell after Bishop of Worcester Tregonel and Peters Father to the now Lord Peters all Doctors of Law For the Queen Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Standish Bishop of St. Assaph with Ridley Doctor whether of Divinity or Law I know not but one who had the esteem of a very Learned man All things being thus formally ordered the Apparitor willed by the Register to cite the King cryed Henry King of England come into the Court who answered Here I am The Queen being likewise cited Catharine Queen of England come into the Court made no answer but rising from her seat went directly to the King to whom on her knees purposely raising her voice that every one might hear her she is reported to have spoken to this effect Sir I humbly beseech your Majesty so to deal with me at this present that I may neither have cause to complain of Injustice nor that you have debarred me the favour of your wonted Clemency I am here a Woman and a Stranger destitute of Friends and Counsel so that plead for my self I cannot and whom I may else employ I know not My kindred and Friends are far off neither can I safely rely on any here in a matter of so great consequence They that are here retained for me are no other than whom you have been pleased to appoint and are your own Subjects who if they would deal uprightly which few will believe they dare do yet can they not here withstand your determinate will and pleasure But what have wretched I committed that after twenty years spent in peaceable Wedlock and having born you so many Children you should now at length think of putting me away I was I confess the Widow of your Brother if at least she may be accounted a Widow whom her Husband never knew For I take Almighty God to witness and I am perswaded you cannot be ignorant of it that I came to your bed an unspotted Virgin from which time how I have behaved my self I am content to appeal even to them whosoever they are that do wish me least good Certainly whatsoever their Verdict may be you have always found me a most faithful Servant I may better say than Wife having never to my knowledge withstood your pleasure so much as in shew I always loved those whom I thought you favoured without questioning their deserts I so carefully farthered and procured your pleasures that I rather fear I have offended God in too much endeavouring your content than that I have any way failed in the least performance of my duty By this my observance unto you if so be you ever thought it worthy of regard by our common Issue by the memory of my Father whom you sometimes held dear I do humbly beg that you would be pleased to defer the farther hearing of this cause until having sent into Spain I may thence be advised by my Friends in this case what course to take If then in Justice it shall be thought meet to rend me from you a part of whom I have so long been the apprehension whereof doth more terrifie me than death I will even in this continue my long observed course of obedience But as often as I bethink me of
although he after seemed a little to lift up his head yet was he never able to stand on his feet Nay the King being once alienated from him would never after admit him to his presence Behold the power of base Detraction yet I will not exclude the greatness of the Cardinal's wealth already devoured in conceit which wipes away the remembrance of the faithful service of so many years and the consideration of so great glory purchased to the King by Wolsey's labours I am not ignorant what things were objected against him But they carry so little shew of probability that I should much suspect his judgment that would give any credit to them Until it was known that the King enraged at the slow proceedings in the cause of his Divorce did day and night breathe out against him threats and revenge no man ever preferred Bill against him which considering the usual severe courses held by our Parliaments must needs acquit him of Abuse of Power As for the causes of the King's anger we will derive them rather from his own discontents than Wolsey's faultiness The King by this time knew the treachery of the dissembling Pope He had near five years wandered in the Labyrinth of the Court of Rome and could find no clew to lead him out He therefore determined to make a way where he could not find one and like Alexander by force to undo that Gordian Knot which by wit and labour he could not To Wolsey therefore he communicated his intent of marrying another whether the Pope were willing or no wishing him withal to find out some course or other whereby Campegius his Collegue notwithstanding the late Mandates to the contrary might be drawn to give sentence on his side Many things might be pretended to excuse the deed but chiefly the fear of the King 's high displeasure which peradventure he should feel too unless he assented to the King 's just request Wolsey his answer to this I cannot relate But this is certain that Wolsey whether for that he did not approve of the King 's intended course seeming as the times were then full of rashness and insolence or that he would not undertake the attempting of his Collegue or that as Sleidan writes the King had notice that the Cardinal had advised the Pope not to approve of the Divorce from Catharine forasmuch as the King was then resolved to marry another infected with Lutheranism Wolsey I say was so sharply taken up and threatned by the King that even then you might read in his face and gestures the symptoms of his waining fortune For the Cardinal at that time returning from the Court by water the Bishop of Carlile being with him in the same Barge complained of the heat which was then extraordinary to whom Wolsey replied My Lord if you had been but now in my place you would have found it hot indeed And as soon as he came home he put off his clothes and went sick to bed Before he had reposed himself an hour and half the Viscount Rochfort came to him and in the King's Name willed that he and his Collegue should instantly repair to the Queen and exhort her not to contend any longer with the King for that it would be more for her good and the honour of them both to submit her self to the King's pleasure than to undergo the disgrace of a publick judgment For it was now brought to that push that longer deferred it could not be The Cardinal advertised of the King's pleasure did arise and with his Collegue went to the Queen who having notice of their coming went forth and met them After mutual salutations the Cardinals desired she would vouchsafe a few words in private but the Queen refused to entertain any conference with them but where she might have witnesses of what passed Wolsey then began to speak in Latin but the Queen interrupted him willing that although she understood Latin yet he should speak in English So in the names of both Legates he began a Speech in English wherein he professed a great deal of observance and duty to her and that they came to no other end but to advise her for her good The Queen answered them much after this manner As for your good will I thank you as for your advice I will give you the hearing But the matter I believe about which you come is of so great importance that it will require a great deal of deliberation and the help of a brain surpassing that of feminine weakness You see my employments shewing them a skain of white thred hanging about her neck in these I spend my time among my Maids which indeed are none of the greatest Counsellors yet I have none other in England and Spain where they are on whom I dare rely God wot is far enough hence yet I am content to hear what you have to say and will give you an answer when we can conveniently So taking the Cardinal by the hand she brought them into a withdrawing Room where having attentively heard out their message she made this reply That now after twenty years the lawfulness of my Marriage should be questioned I cannot sufficiently wonder especially when I consider who were the Authors of it Many of them are yet alive both in England and Spain and what kind of men the rest were who are now dead the world knows Henry and Ferdinand our Parents the most sage Princes of their time and their Counsel such without doubt who for their wisdom were approved of as fit servants for so judicious Masters besides the Pope whose Dispensation I have to shew and which was procured by my Father at no small rate But what thing is there so sincere and firm which envy will not seek to blast Of these my miseries I can accuse none but you my Lord of York Because I could not away with your monstrous pride excessive riot whoredom and intolerable oppression therefore do I now suffer And yet not only for this for some part of your hatred I am beholding to my Nephew the Emperour whom for that he did not satisfie your insatiable ambition by advancing you to the Papacy you have ever since maligned You threatned to be revenged on him and his Friends and you have performed your promise for you have been the only incendiary and plotter of all the mischief and Wars against him these late years And I am his Aunt whom how you have persecuted by raising this new doubt God only knows to whose judgment only I commend my cause This she spake in French as it seemed very much moved and would not endure to hear Wolsey speak in defence of himself but courteously dismissed Campegius It was now June and the Harvest drawing on the Legates thought it high time to make an end of this Suit A day therefore being prefixed many of Nobility and a multitude of the Commonalty repaired to the Court verily expecting that judgment should
Deputies who should in the King's behalf follow the Suit An insolent proceeding and injury without example which did concern the French and all other Princes of Christendom For in like cases hapning among Sovereign Princes especially touching the conscience so near it was the usual custom of other Popes to send Judges to the place it being reasonable that the Persons should speak personally and not by their Attorneys and very unreasonable that a Sovereign Prince leaving the rule and government of his Estates should go and plead his cause at Rome Moreover he did complain of the intolerable exactions of the Church of Rome over the Clergy and people of England whereby the yoak before too heavy was now become insupportable neither did he doubt but the same courses were taken in France Germany had begun the way of freedom to the rest of Christendom why should not other Princes follow their example To conclude he did instantly require that they two should send their Ambassadors jointly together to the Pope to summon him to appear at the next general Council there to answer his extortions and by the authority and judgement of the Council to force him to a reformation affirming that there was no Nation in Christendom which did not desire that the insolencies of the Romanists should be repressed To this the French answered that he acknowledged these things to be true but it was not in his power to yield to the King's request yet for the brotherly love which he did bear unto him and the charitable regard of his own Countrey he professed himself ready to undergo all difficulties He wanted not sufficient injuries whereof to complain considering that he having so well deserved of the Apostolick See but more especially of this Pope yet he certainly found that Clement all this notwithstanding was not well affected towards him Clement had very lately suffered his reputation to be violated in his presence and by the Bishop of Verulo had secretly endeavoured to alienate the Suisses his Allies from him France groaned under the burthen of the new and undutiful exactions of the Pope's Officers by means whereof all the treasure was carried out of the Kingdom to the prejudice of his Subjects the Clergy especially who grew poor the Churches were unrepaired and the poor neither cloathed nor fed and if he himself levied any great summ of money the Tributes are longer coming in than usually they were wont But he thought it best before they proceeded to that harsh course to use some milder means whereto there was a fair occasion offered the Pope having by the Cardinal of Grandmont made him a promise of an interview at Nice or Avignon where if he could not obtain reason of him in the behalf of both he would endeavour to prevail by force where he could not by just intreaties In the mean time he desired him to attend the issue of their parley But Francis concealed the true cause of this intended interview for fear lest our Henry not approving it should seek to disswade him from it The French was implacable towards the Emperour against whom to strengthen himself he means to win the Pope by the marriage of his younger Son Henry Duke of Orleans who after reigned with Catharine de Medices Duchess of Urbin the Pope's Niece The Pope could not at first believe this potent Prince intended him so much honour but perceiving the French to be real he most eagerly farthered it appointing time and place for the consummation of it which was after done at Marseilles by Clement himself in the presence of the French King ANNO DOM. 1533. REG. 25. THe King's love brooked no delays Wherefore on the five and twentieth of January privately and in the presence of very few he marrieth the Lady Ann Bolen Shortly after by Act of Parliament the Marriage of the King and the Lady Catharine was declared void and incestuous and a Law enacted wherein all Appeals to Rome were forbidden and that none should stile Catharine other than Princess of Wales and Widow or Dowager of Prince Arthur By virtue and authority of the same Law the Archbishop of Canterbury accompanied with some other Bishops coming to Dunstable six miles from Ampthill where Catharine then resided caused her to be cited before him next under the King chief Judge in all Ecclesiastical causes within the Province of Canterbury to shew what reasons could be alledged why the Marriage not lawfully contracted between the King and her should not be disannulled 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 another's harvest this Cause did yet depend undecided before the Pope Christ's Vicar on earth whose Decree she would obey and other Judge would she acknowledge none Being called fifteen days together and not appearing she is pronounced Contumax and for her contumacy separated from the King's bed and company Whereupon the Lady Ann proclaimed Queen throughout the Kingdom on Easter-eve shewed her self publickly as Queen and was at Whitsontide crowned with as great pomp and solemnity as ever was Queen The particulars I will let pass excepting that prophetical Distich upon one of the Triumphant Arches purposely erected in London where she was to pass Regìna Anna paris Regis de sanguine Natam Et paries populis aurea secla tuis In English Ann thou a Daughter bearest to our King And to thy people golden days shalt bring Wafers also with the same impression were thrown about saith Stow. But I rather believe that this Distich was made after the Queens delivery Whensoever it were he that truly considers the felicity of the four and forty years Reign of this Queens Daughter will think this Oracle could not proceed from any but a Delphian Apollo For the Queen at the time of her Coronation was great with child whereof the seventh of September she was delivered at Greenwich which was that ever famous Queen Elizabeth who after the death of her Brother and Sister so gloriously ruled this Kingdom The Pope was certified of all these passages that his authority in England was abrogated that the late Queen Catharine was put away that Ann Bolen as Queen was taken to the King's bed that the King stiled himself 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 Pope's Legate but as Primate of England who under the King claimed chief authority in Ecclesiastical affairs throughout his whole Province Wherewith being netled he seemed to breath nothing but threats and revenge But knowing himself to have been the motive of it and doubtful of the event he was easily perswaded by the French King as yet not to proceed by Excommunication against Henry until he had made trial of some milder course Whereupon Francis by Bellay Bishop of Paris intreats Henry not to withdraw
consecrated by the Archbishop but he on whom the King by his Congé D'eslire or other his Letters had conferred that Dignity And whereas many complained that now all commerce with Rome was forbidden all means were taken away of mitigating the rigour of the Ecclesiastical Laws of Dispensation Papal authority is granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury the King reserving to himself the power of dispensing in causes of greater moment And that all Appeals formerly wont to be made from the Archbishop to the Pope should now be from the Archbishop to the King who by Delegates should determine all such Suits and Controversies Furthermore the King's Marriage with the Lady Catharine is again pronounced incestuous the Succession to the Crown established on the King's Issue begotten on Queen Ann. And all above the age of sixteen years throughout the Kingdom are to be bound by Oath to the observance of this Law Whosoever refused to take this Oath should suffer loss of all their goods and perpetual imprisonment Throughout all the Realm there were found but two who durst refractorily oppose this Law viz. Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More the late Lord Chancellor men who were indeed very learned but most obstinate sticklers in the behalf of the Church of Rome who being not to be drawn by any perswasions to be conformable to the Law were committed to prison from whence after a years durance they were not freed but by the loss of their lives But the King fearing that it might be thought That he took these courses rather out of a contempt of Religion than in regard of the tyranny of the Court of Rome to free himself from all suspition either of favouring Luther or any authors of new Opinions began to persecute that sort of men whom the Vulgar called Hereticks and condemned to the cruelty of that merciless Element Fire not only certain Dutch Anabaptists but many Professors of the Truth and amongst others that learned and godly young man John Frith who with one Hewet and others on the two and twentieth of July constantly endured the torments of their martyrdom The five and twentieth of September died Clement the Seventh Pope in whose place succeeded Alexander Farnese by the name of Paulus the Third who to begin his time with some memorable Act having called a Consistory pronounced Henry to be fallen from the Title and Dignity of a King and to be deposed reiterating withal the thunder of Excommunication with which bugbear his predecessor Clement had sought to affright him But this peradventure happened in the ensuing year after the death of Fisher and More A Parliament is again 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 of all crimes which formerly pertained to the Ecclesiastical Courts is made proper to him So the Kingdom is vindicated from the usurpation of the Pope who before shared in it and the King now first began to reign entirely Also all Annats 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 us compounded of Normans and Saxons as well in the form of their Government as in Language is by the authority of this Parliament to the great good of both but especially that Nation united and incorporated to England Edward the First was the first who subdued this Countrey yet could he not prevail over their minds whom the desire of recovering their lost liberty animated to many Rebellions By reason whereof and our suspitions being for two hundred years oppressed either with the miseries of Servitude or War they never tasted the sweet fruits of a true and solid Peace But Henry the Seventh by blood in regard of his Father and birth a Welchman coming to the Crown as if they had recovered their liberty whereto they so long aspired they obeyed him as their lawful Prince So the English being freed of their former jealousies permitted them to partake of their Priviledges since common to both Nations the good whereof equally redounded to both I could wish the like Union with Scotland That as we all live in one Island professing one Faith and speaking for the most part one Language under the government of one and the same Prince so we may become one Nation all equally acknowledging our selves Britans and so recover our true Countrey Britain lost as it were so many hundreds of years by our divisions of it into England Scotland and Wales ANNO DOM. 1535. REG. 27. THe Coronation of the new Queen and other passages of entertainment had exhausted the Treasury The Pope and the Emperour were both enemies to Henry watchfully attending all opportunities to do him mischief 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 He resolves to demolish all the Monasteries throughout England He is content the Nobility should share with him in the spoil so enriching and strengthening himself by their necessary revolt from the Popish faction To this end they that were thought more especially in maintaining the Pope's authority to withstand the King's proceedings were condemned of high Treason and they that refused to acknowledge the King under Christ Supreme Head of the Church of England are hanged For this cause on the third of May were executed John Houghton Prior of the Charterhouse in London Augustine Webster Prior of Bevaley and Thomas Lawrence Prior of Exham and with them Richard Reignalds a Monk and Doctor of Divinity and John Hales Vicar of Thistlehurst On the eighteenth of June Exmew Middlemore and Nudigate all Charterhouse-Monks suffered for the same cause And four days after John Fisher Bishop of Rochester a man much reverenced by the People for his holy life and great learning was publickly 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 years imprisonment by the addition of a new Title had on the one and twentieth of May created him Cardinal The news whereof hastened him to a Scaffold The sixth of July Sir Thomas More for the same stiffness in opinion with Bishop Fisher suffered the like death This was that More so famous for his Eutopia and many other Works 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 gave more liberty than did beseem the gravity of his person not tempering himself in the midst of his calamity no not at the very instant of death After his condemnation he denied to give
was John Paslew Batchelor of Divinity and Abbot of Whalley put to death at Lancaster and with him one Eastgate a Monk of the same place and three days after them another Monk called Haydock was hanged at Whalley The Abbots of Sauley and Woburn with two Monks make the like end at Woburn And a little after one Doctor Macarell another Abbot the Vicar of Louth two other Priests and seven Lay-men All these for as much as I can any way collect were condemned for having been especial furtherers of the late Rebellions But the Chiestains and nobler sort were reserved until June at what time the Lords Darcy and Hussey were beheaded the one at Lincoln the other at London Sir Robert Constable Sir Thomas Percy Sir Francis Bigot Sir Stephen Hamilton and Sir John Bulmer were likewise put to death Margaret Lady to Sir John Bulmer was burned at London William Thurst Abbot of Fountaines Adam Sudbury Abbot of Gervaux the Abbot of Rivers Wold Prior of Birlington George Lumley Nicholas Tempest Esquires and Robert Aske with many others as having been partakers in the late Insurrection did likewise partake in punishment for the same And for a Commotion in Somersetshire in April were threescore condemned whereof only fourteen suffered But lest any one may wonder at these severe and unheard of courses taken against the Clergy I think it not amiss to relate what Sleidan writes of Cardinal Pool who set forth one or two Books which as yet lurking at Rome about this time were spred abroad in Germany and came at length to the King's hands Wherein directing his stile to the King he sharply reprehendeth him for taking upon him the title of Head of the Church which only belonged to the Pope who is Christ's Vicar on earth c. Then he proceeds to the matter of his Divorce alledging That he neither out of terrour of conscience nor fear of God as he pretended but out of lust and blind love had forsaken the Lady Catharine his Wife whom his Brother Prince Arthur a weak young man and but fourteen years old had left a Virgin That it was not lawful for him to marry Ann Bolen whose Sister he had before used as his Concubine And that he himself had confessed to the Emperour and others That he found the Lady Catharine a Maid He also eagerly reproveth him for seeking the Opinions of the Universities concerning his former Marriage and triumphing in his own wickedness when some of them had pronounced it Incestuous and that he might be ashamed to prefer the Daughter of a Whore before one that was legitimate and a most Virtuous Princess Then speaking of the death of the Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More he detests his cruelty He then rips up what tyranny he had exercised over his Subjects of all degrees in what miseries he had plunged this flourishing Realm what dangers he incurred from the Emperour in regard of the injury offered to his Aunt and the overthrow of Religion and that he could not expect any aid either from his own or forein Nations who had deserved so ill of the Christian Commonwealth After this he whets on the Emperour to revenge the dishonour of his Family affirming that Turcism meaning the Protestant Religion had found entertainment in England and Germany And after many bitter reproofs he invites Henry to repentance perswading him That for these evils there was no other remedy but to return to the bosom of the Church in the defence whereof a most glorious example he had made use not only of his Sword but his Pen also Neither did the Cardinal only by Book but by other personal endeavours manifest his spleen against the King being sent Ambassador from the Pope to the French under colour of reconciling him with the Emperour but his chief errant was to combine them both against Henry Whereof he having intelligence did by his Agent earnestly solicit Francis That in regard of their mutual amity he would cause Pool to be apprehended as guilty of high Treason and sent to him where he should undergo the punishment due therefore But because Religion and the Law of Nations had been violated in betraying any especially the Pope's Ambassador the French could not yield to the King's request But to shew that he would administer no cause of offence he refused to admit of his Embassy and commanded him speedily to depart out of his Dominions Hercules stature might be guessed at by the proportion of his and by this one man's endeavours Henry was taught what if need were he was to expect of his Clergy So that he was easily induced as any of them offended to send him to his grave for that a dead Lion biteth not And this course being taken with his professed enemies the fear of the like punishment would secure him of the rest On the twelfth of October the Queen having long suffered the throws of a most difficult travel and such a one wherein either the Mother or the Infant must necessarily perish out of her womb was ripped Prince Edward who after succeeded his Father in the Crown The Queen only surviving two days died on the fourteenth of October and on the twelfth of November was with great pomp buried at Windsor in the middle of the Quire on whose Tomb is inscribed this Epitaph Phoenix Jana jacet nato Phoenice dolendum Saecula Phaenices nulla tulisse duas Here a Phenix lieth whose death To another Phenix gave breath It is to be lamented much The World at once ne'r knew two such On the eighteenth of October the Infant was created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal and Earl of Chester and with him his Uncle Edward Seymour Brother to the deceased Queen Lord Beauchamp and Earl of Hertford which Honours only and not those afterwards conferred on him he left to his posterity William Fitz-Williams Lord Admiral was made Earl of Southampton Then also William Powlet and John Russel began their races in the lists of Honour Powlet being made Treasurer and Russel Comptroller of the King's Houshold and both sworn of the Privy Council Neither was here their non ultra the one being afterward raised to Lord Treasurer of England and Marquess of Winchester the other to Earl of Bedford wherein he dying in the year 1554 his Son Francis that pious old man and liberal reliever of the Poor succeeded him who at the very instant of his death lost his Son Francis slain by a Scot Anno 1587. Which Francis was Father to Edward Earl of Bedford and Brother to William by King James created Lord Russel Powlet living to be a very decrepit old man had to his Successor his Nephew by his Son William named also William the sole Marquess of England And to end this year with death as it began Thomas Howard youngest Son to the Duke of Norfolk having been fifteen months imprisoned for affiancing himself without the King's consent to Margaret Daughter to Archibald Douglas
admitted to intimate familiarity and made use of their counsels and endeavours as if he had advanced them to no other end but to depress them Wolsey had his turn Cromwell succeeds whose sudden downfal there want not those who attribute to God's Justice inflicted on him for the Sacriledge whereof he was reported to be the Author committed in the subversion of so many Religious Houses And indeed even they who confess the rouzing of so many unprofitable Epicures out of their dens and the abolishing of Superstition wherewith the Divine Worship had by them been polluted to have been an act of singular Justice and Piety do notwithstanding complain of the loss of so many stately Churches dedicated to God's service the goods whereof were no otherwise employed than for the satisfaction of private mens covetousness and although many have abused the Vail of Religion yet was that Monastical life instituted according to the pious example of antient Fathers that they who found themselves unfit for the execution of worldly affairs as many such there are might in such their voluntary retirements spend their days in Divine Writings or Meditations and are verily perswaded that for the taking away of these things God was offended both with the King and Cromwell But Sleidan peradventure comes nearer the matter touching the immediate cause of his death About this time saith he the King of England beheadeth Thomas Cromwell whom he had from fortunes answerable to his low parentage raised to great Honours repadiates the Lady Ann of Cleve and marrieth Catharine Howard Daughter to the Lord Edmond Howard who was Brother to the Duke of Norfolk Cromwell had been procurer of the Match with Ann. But the King loving Catharine is thought to have been perswaded by her to make away Cromwell whom she suspected to be a Remora to her advancement The actions of Kings are not to be sifted too nearly for which we are charitably to presume they have reasons and those inscrutable But let us see the process of this Divorce Six months this conjugal band lasted firm without scruple the King and Queen giving daily testimonies of their mutual love On the twentieth of June the Queen is willed to remove from London where the King stayed by reason of the Parliament to Richmond a place pretended in regard of the situation and air to be more for her health On the sixth of July Reasons are proposed by certain Lords purposely sent to the lower House of Parliament demonstrating the invalidity of the King's Marriage with the Lady Ann so that it was lawful for them both to marry where they pleased The same reasons are alledged in the Convocation-House and generally approved Whereupon the Queen also whether forced or willing consenting the Parliament pronounced the Marriage void What the allegations were is uncertain Some relate disability by reason of some defects to be objected to her which seems the more probable for that in her Letters wherein she submitted her self to the judgment and determination of the Parliament she affirmed that the King never knew her carnally Whether for this or for that Nature having not over-liberally endowed her with Beauty but a private woman she became and as such not enduring to return to her friends with dishonour she lived upon some Lands assigned her by the King who always used her respectively until the fifteenth of July Anno 1557 at what time she ended her discontented life and lieth buried at Westminster on the South side of the Quire in a Tomb not yet finished Scarce had the resolution of the Convocation-House and the Decree concerning it passed both Houses when this lusty Widower with as good success as before marrieth his fifth Wife Catharine Howard When their Nuptials were celebrated is not known but on the eighth of August in Royal habiliments she shewed her self as Queen The fautors of Reformation were much dismayed at the sudden unqueening of Ann fearing not without cause lest it proving occasion of enmity between 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 only caused three Anabaptists to be burned but also many sincere Professors of the Truth for not subscribing to the Six Articles Among whom three Divines were most eminent viz. Robert Barnes Doctor of Divinity Thomas Gerard and William Jerome Bachechelors who by Parliament unheard being condemned for Heresie were on the one and thirtieth committed to the torments of the merciless fire At the same time and place three other Doctors of Divinity viz. Powel Able and Fetherston were hanged for denying the King's 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 Monastical a crime now become as capital as the greatest being also condemned by Act of Parliament were hanged The same day with the Lord Cromwell the Lord Hungerford was also Beheaded As their causes were divers so died they alike differently Cromwell's conscience quietly welcomed death to the other suffering for that most unnatural crime of Sodomy death presented it self with that horror that the apprehension of it made him as impatient as if he had been seised with a frenzy ANNO DOM. 1541. REG. 33. THe late Yorkshire Rebellion was not so throughly quenched but it again began to shew it self but by the punishment of the chief Incendiaries it was quickly suppressed Fourteen of the Conspirators were put to death Leigh a Gentleman Thornton a Yeoman and Tattershall a Clothier at London Sir John Nevil and ten others at York 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 since condemned Countess of Sarisbury who on the seven and twentieth of May was Beheaded in the Tower The eight and twentieth of June the Lord Leonard Grey Deputy of Ireland did on the Tower Hill publickly undergo the like punishment He was Son to the Marquis of Dorset near allied to the King and a brave Martial 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 injury had invaded the Lands of the King's friends he 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 Busbrig slain by them in a fray was hanged at Tyburn Many in
Crown whose Reign lasted but to the beginning of Queen Elizabeth And now the affairs of Scotland which have without doubt been great and memorable crave a part in our History We have before made mention of our League with Scotland wherein it was determined concerning the Marriage between the now King Edward and the Queen of Scots The times since then were full of continual 〈◊〉 We at length resolved not to dally with them but to undertake the War with forces agreeable to the cause The Duke of Somerset by consent of the Privy Council is sent into Scotland with ten thousand Foot and six thousand Horse besides Pioners and Artificers thirteen hundred and and fifteen pieces of Brass Ordnance To the Lord Clinton is assigned a Navy consisting of four and twenty men of War one Galley and thirty Ships of burthen wherewith he was to scour the Seas and infest the maritim parts of Scotland On the third of September the Duke of Somerset made an hostile entrance upon the Enemies Countrey and forthwith dispatched Letters to the Earl of Arren Regent of Scotland much to this effect That he wished the Scots would consider that this War was waged among Christians and that our ends were no other than a just Peace whereto the endeavours of all good men should tend An occasion not only of a League but of a perpetual Peace was now happily offered if they would suffer the two differing and emulous Nations by uniting the Heads to grow together This as it had been formerly sought by us so had it been generally assented to by the Estates of Scotland Therefore he could not but wonder why they should rather treacherously recurr to Arms the events of War being usually even to the Victor sufficiently unfortunate than maintain inviolate their troth plighted to the good of both Nations They could not in reason expect that their Queen should perpetually live a Virgin-life And if she married where could she bestow her self bettter than on a puissant Monarch inhabiting the same Island and parlying the same language They saw what inconveniencies were the consequents of forein Matches whereof they should rather make tryal by the examples of others than at their own peril He demanded nothing but equity yet he so much abhorred the effusion of Christian blood that if he found the Scots not utterly averse from an accord he would endeavour that some of the Conventions should be remitted He would also permit that the Queen should abide and be brought up among them until her age made her marriageable at what time she should by consent of the Estates her self make choice of a Husband In the mean time there should be a Cessation of Arms neither should the Queen be transported out of her Realm nor entertain treatise of Marriage with the French or any other foreiner This if they would faithfully promise he would forthwith peaceably depart out of Scotland and whatsoever damages the Countrey had suffered by this invasion he would according to the esteem of indifferent Arbitrators make ample satisfaction The Scottish Army consisted of thirty thousand Foot some speak a greater number The chief Commanders whereof puffed up with confidence of their strength although they had lately lost eight hundred in a tumultuary skirmish and misconceiving our offers to proceed out of fear reject all Conditions of Accord And lest upon knowledge of the equity of our demands the Council should incline to resolutions of Peace they conceal our Letters And not only so but upon assurance of Victory spread a rumour that nothing would content the insolent English but the delivery of the Queen which if they could not otherwise they would by force obtain and proceed to the absolute conquest of the Kingdom This report enraged the Souldiers whom no motives could disswade from present engaging themselves in Battel The wiser sort were not ignorant of the necessities that long since began to press us who were brought to that pass that by reason of the difficulties of passages we could not make a safe retreat nor force the Enemy to fight in regard of the strength of the place where he was encamped But the vain hope of Victory had possessed the minds of the greater part and excluded reason Necessity forced us to a resolution brave and expedient which was to seek the Enemy in his lodging and endeavour to draw him to combat But the hot-spur Scots issuing from out their fastnesses seemed willing to prevent us So both Armies entertain a mutual resolution A little before the joyning of the Armies an accident happened which did not a little make way to our Victory The Enemy marching along near the Sea-shoar a piece of Ordnance discharged from our Galley took away five and twenty of their men whereof the eldest Son of the Lord Grimes was one Four thousand Archers terrified with so unexpected a slaughter made a stand and could never after be brought on The two Armies approaching each other the Duke of Somerset commanded the Lord Gray with the Cavallery to charge the Scots and find them employment until the Infantry had seized on an adjoyning Hill and if he could without much hazard to disorder the Enemy But they were gallantly received by a strong Squadron of Pikes whereon some of the formost having too far engaged themselves were cast away the rest retreated affirming that it was as easie to force a Wall as through the Scottish Ranks The Duke makes a second trial by the light Horse seconding them with the Ordnance and the Archers The Enemy either not able to stand so violent a charge or as some relate to draw us from the favour of our Cannon begins to give ground which we perceiving give a shout crying out withal They fly they fly which so amazed them that some began to fly indeed and at length the whole Army was routed The Scots complain that we tyrannized over the Captives especially the Priests and Friers whereof many served in this Field because by their instigation chiefly our Conditions were so arrogantly rejected Of the Enemies were flain thirteen thousand and among them beside the Earl of Lohemor and the Lord Fleming the chief of the Scottish Gentry with their Tenants who thought it a disgrace to survive their Lords In the chase were taken fifteen hundred among whom were the Earl Huntley Chancellour of Scotland the Lords Hefter Hobbey and Hamilton beside many other persons of Quality This lamentable overthrow was given the tenth of September The English become Victors beyond their expectation ransacked the Countrey five miles about fortified in the Forth the forsaken Islands Keth and Haymon took Brocth Castle by their terrour forced the Garrisons of Humes and Fastcastle to yield and having built a Fort at Lauder and repaired the ruines of Roxburgh by their departure recreated the dejected minds of the distressed Scots Our affairs thus succeeding abroad the Church at home had her changes Many of the Council but especially the Protector
fierce ambitious and conceived himself to be of the two the fitter for Publick Government Presently after the death of Henry the Admiral thrust on by the flattery of his overweening conceits resolved to add a lustre to his good parts by marrying the Lady Elizabeth as yet indeed scarce marriageable But the Protector wisely considering how rash and perilous this project was frustrated that design By his after marriage with Catharine a most beautiful and noble Lady and abounding with wealth befitting her dignity moft men were confident that the gulf of his vast desires would have been satisfied but the Law whereby he was condemned though peradventure Enacted by strength of Faction will manifest the contrary What notice I have received and what the publick Records testifie concerning this being perswaded that they swerve not much from the truth I think I may without blame relate The Admiral having now fortified himself with money and friends and deeming his Brother's Lenity Sluggishness began to behold him with the eye of contempt and to cast about how to dispossess him of the saddle and being of like degree of consanguinity to the King to enjoy the seat himself To the furtherance of this project it would be conducible secretly to vilisie and traduce the Protector 's actions to corrupt the King's Servants especially if in any degree of favour by fair words and large promises by degrees to assure himself of the Nobility to secure his Castle of Holt with a Magazin of warlike provision but above all to take care for money the nerves of War and assurance of Peace These things having been ordered with exact diligence and for supply of coin the Exchequer mightily pilled he unmasks himself to some of the Nobility signifying his intent of setling himself at the Stern by forcibly seising on the King's person Nay his madness so far transported him that to one of them conditionally that his assistance were not wanting to the advancement of his designs he promised that the King should marry his Daughter In the mean time the Queen his Wife being in September delivered of a Daughter died in child-bed and that not without suspition of Poison For after her death he more importunately sought the Lady Elizabeth than ever eagerly endeavouring to procure her consent to a clandestine Marriage as was that with the deceased Queen and not until after the Nuptials to crave the assent of the King or the Lords of the Council ANNO DOM. 1549. REG. 3. But the Admiral 's projects being opportunely discovered and a Parliament lately assembled he is by the authority thereof committed to the Tower and without tryal condemned The Parliament being on the fourteenth of March dissolved he is on the sixth day after publickly beheaded having first vehemently protested that he never willingly did either actually endeavour or seriously intend any thing against the Person of the King or the Estate Concerning his death the opinions of men were divers their censures divers Among some the Protector heard ill for suffering his Brother to be executed without ordinary course of trial As for for these faults proceeding from the violence of youthful heat they might better have been pardoned than the King be left destitute of an uncle's help or himself of a Brother's Nay they say there wanted not those that before this severe course taken with the Admiral admonished the Protector to have a heedy regard to this action Some peradventure might be content to let a Brother shed tears to shed his blood when they might prevent it scarce any it was much to be feared lest his Brother's death would be his ruine and the loss of such Friends a hazard to the King Others highly extolled his impartial proceeding whom fraternal affection could not divert from righting his Countrey For if Consanguinity or Alliance to the King should be a sufficient cause to exempt them from punishment who should plot and contrive the change of government in the Estate upon what ticklish terms should we all stand whiles nothing could be certain and sure in the publick government Others maintained the necessity of cutting off the Admiral and that it stood the Protector upon so to do if he either regarded his own or the King's safeguard For at what other mark did the Admiral aim but that having seised on the King's Person removed his Brother from the Protectorship and married the Lady Elizabeth he might by Poison or some other means make away the young King already deprived of his Friends and as in the right of his Wife invest himself in the Regal Throne whereto the Lady Mary although the elder Sister as incestuously begotten could make no claim And thus much was in a Sermon delivered before the King by Hugh Latimer who having ten years since resigned his Bishoprick had also hitherto abstained from Preaching until after the death of King Henry this Light was again restored that by his rays he might illustrate God's Church But how true his conjectures were concerning the Lord Seymour I will not undertake to determine Whether faulty in his ambition or over-born by his envious adversaries thus ended the Admiral his life who was indeed a valiant Commander and not unfit for a Consultation in whose ruine the Protector was likewise involved Not long after this great man's fall the People throughout almost the whole Realm brake out into a Rebellion whereto the frequent usurpations and avarice of the Gentry who in many places enclosed the common and waste grounds for their own pleasure and private profit had incited them The Lords of the Council upon notice of the Peoples discontents and the probability of an Insurrection unless speedy course were taken to appease them dispatched some into Kent the Fountain of this general Uproar who should upon due examination of the causes of the Peoples grievances admonish those that were in that kind faulty by throwing open the Inclosures to restore to the People what had been unjustly taken from them otherwise they should by Authority Royal be forced thereunto and by their punishments serve to deter others from the like insolencies and oppressions The most part obey and a most grateful spectacle to the People cause their new made Inclosures to be again laid open Wherewith Report acquainting the neighbouring Shires the unruly multitude enraged that like restitution had not as yet been made to them not expecting the necessary direction of the Magistrate but as if each one were authorized in his own cause both to judge of and revenge received injuries taking Arms level the Dikes assert the inclosed the Lands and give hope that there their fury would be at a stand But as the Sea having once transgressed the just limits of its shoar by little and little eats its way to an Inundation and is not but with excessive toil to be forced within its usual bounds So these having once transcended the prescripts of the Laws let themselves loose to all kind of licentiousness
retreated to Guisnes The Fort at the Tower of Ordre fortified both by nature and art gave a period to this years success standing resolutely upon defence until the extremity of Winter forced the French to raise their siege The loss of these small pieces set the Protector in the wane of the vulgar opinion and afforded sufficient matter for Envy to work on Among the Lords of the Privy Council the most eminent was the Earl of Warwick a man of a vast spirit which was the more enlarged by the contemplation of his great Acts performed both abroad and at home He had long looked a squint upon Somerset's greatness whom in a favourable esteem of himself he deemed far beneath him and was withal perswaded that could he but remove the Duke due regards would cast the Protectorship on him The consideration also of the Duke's nakedness disarmed of that metalsom piece the Admiral En quo discordia Fratres Perduxit miseros made his hopes present themselves in the more lively shapes He seeks about for sufficient matter wherewith to charge the Duke who could not be long ignorant of these practices against him The Duke finding himself aimed at but not well discerning whether the Earl intended a legal or military process against him on the sixth of October from Hampton-Court where the King then resided sent Letters to the City of London requiring from thence an aid of a thousand men who should guard the King and him from the treacherous attempts of some ill affected Subjects And in the mean time presseth in the adjacent Countrey where having raised a reasonable company he the same night carried away the King attended by some of the Nobility and some of the Council from thence 〈◊〉 Windsor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place because fortified more safe and convenient for resistance But the Earl had made a greater part of the Council who accompanied him at London To them he makes a formal complaint against the Protector beseeching them by their assistance to secure him from the Protector 's malice who 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 him for his life These Lords send a contre Letter to the 〈◊〉 demanding aids of them for the delivery of the King our of the hands of his Enemy for so they were pleased to term the Duke Then they send abroad Proclamations wherein they insert the chief heads of their accusation as that By sowing seeds of discord the Duke had troubled that setled and peaceable 〈◊〉 wherein King Henry had left this Kingdom and had been the chief cause that it had lately 〈◊〉 engaged in Civil Wars to the loss of many thousand lives That many Forts conquered by Henry with hazard of his Person were by the Duke 's either cowardise or treachery regained by the Enemy That he regarded not the advice of the rest of the Lords of the Council and had plainly neglected King Henry's Instructions concerning the Government of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland That his chief studies and wherein he was most seen were to rake up Wealth to maintain a Faction among the Nobility and yet comply with both parties for his own advantages to build stately Palaces far exceeding the proportion of a Subject and that even in the very instant that the Estate did shrink under the burthen both of intestine and forein Wars The Duke certified of their proceedings and seeing himself forsaken for the Londoners being prepossessed were so far from supplying him that they at the same time afforded his Adversary five hundred and the greatest part of the Nobility had by joyning with the Earl made their cause one at last forsook himself also and craving of the adverse party that they would abstain from violence toward him and proceed only according to the usual courses of Legal tryal delivered the King to their tuition and remitted himself to their disposal by whom on the fourteenth of October he was committed to the Tower together with Sir Michael Stanhop Sir Thomas Smith Sir John Thin and some others On the tenth of November died Paul the Third having sate Pope near about fifteen years The Conclave of Cardinals consulting about the election of a new Pope began to have regard of Cardinal Pool in whom the greatness of his Extract his Virtuous Life Gravity and admirable Learning were very considerable motives The Conclave was at that time divided some were Imperialists some French and a third Part whereof the Cardinal Farnese was principal stood Neuter These later at length joyning with the Imperialists cast their unanimous Votes upon Pool Who upon notice of his Election blamed them for their rashness advising them again and again that they should not in their Consultations be misled by perturbation of mind or do any thing for friendship or favour but totally to direct their cogitations to the honour of God and the profit of his Church Pool himself having thus put off the matter the French Cardinals began to alledge That in regard of the difficulties of ways and distance of places many of the Colledge were yet absent and that there was no reason why they should with such precipitation proceed to a partial Election before the Conclave were full The Cardinal Caraffa who some years after was Pope by the name of Paul the Fourth a wayward old man whose cold spirits were set on fire by Envy and Ambition sought to make use of Pool's Modesty to his own advantage hoping himself as eminent and in as fair a way as any of the Colledge Pool excepted might be advanced to the Chair and to lessen the favour of the Conclave towards Pool he betook himself to calumnies accusing Pool of suspition of Heresie and Incontinency that In Germany and his Legacy at Trent he had too much favoured the Lutherans had often entertained Immanuel Tremellius had enrolled Antonio Flaminio suspected of Lutheranism in his Family and promoted him to many Ecclesiastical Dignities and in his Legacy at Viterbo used not that severity against that sort of men that was requisite Neither could that composed gravity so free him from the taint of looseness but that many were of opinion he had cloistered a Virgin of his own begetting That he wondred what the Conclave meant with so impetuous a current to proceed to the Election of this one man and he a Foreiner As if Italy it self were so barren of deserving men that we must be fain to send for this man out of Britain almost the farthest part of the known World to invest him in the Papacy whereof what would be the effect but that the Emperour at whose devotion this man wholly was might once again make himself Master of Rome now by indulgence as before by force To these allegations Pool's reply was such that he not only cleared himself but also quickned the almost extinguished desires of the Conclave to elect him The major part whereof assembling at his Chamber by night wished Ludovico Priulo the Cardinal's bosom-friend between whom the correspondence of of their
lest it might prove an occasion of Sedition and Civil 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 lawful Succession should upon any pretences be violated But the King urging him and making Religion a motive which was otherwise likely to suffer after a long disceptation he was at length drawn to assent But these delays of his were so little regarded by Queen Mary that under her scarce any man was sooner marked out for destruction Some few days after these passages on the sixth of July in the sixteenth year of his age King Edward at Greenwich surrendred his Soul to God having under his Tutors reigned six years five months and nineteen days and even in that tender age given great proof of his Virtue a Prince of great Devotion Constancy of Mind Love of the Truth and incredibly Studious Virtues which with Royal Greatness seldom concur Some three hours before his Death not thinking any one had been present to over-hear him he thus commended himself to God O Lord God free me I beseech 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 be done To thee O Lord do I commend my Spirit Thou knowest O Lord how happy I 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 bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy People of England defend this Kingdom from Popery and preserve thy true Religion in it that I and my People may bless thy most Holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christ. Then opening his Eyes which he had hitherto closed and seeing Doctor Owen the Physician from whose report we have this Prayer sitting by Are you there quoth he I had not thought you had been so near who answered I heard you speak but could not collect your words Indeed replied the King I was making my Prayer to God A little after he suddenly cryed out I faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my Soul which words he had scarce spoken ere he departed Much might be spoken in praise of this Prince but regardful of my intended brevity I will only give you a tast of him out of Cardan who about a year before travelling through England toward Scotland was admitted to his presence The conference between 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 Child he spake many Languages his native English Latin French and as I hear was also skilled in the Greek Italian Spanish and peradventure some others He wanted neither the rudiments of Logick the principles of Philosophy nor Musick He was full of Humanity the relish of Morality of Gravity befitting Royalty of hopes great as himself A Child of so great Wit and such Expectation could not be born without a kind of Miracle in Nature I write not this Rhetorically with the excess of an Hyperbole for to speak all the truth were to speak far more Being yet but in his fifteenth year he spake Latin as readily and politely as I could What faith he is the subject of your Books De Rerum Varietate I had dedicated them to his Majesty Card. In the first Chapter I shew the long hidden and vainly sought after causes of Comets King And what is the cause Card. The concourse and meeting of the lights of the erratick Stars King But being the Planets are moved with several motions how comes it to pass that the Comet doth not either presently dissolve and scatter or move with their motion Card. It moves indeed but with a far swifter motion than the Planets by reason of the diversity of the aspect as we see in Crystal and the Sun when a Rainbow rebound upon a Wall for a little change makes a great difference of the place King But how can that be done without a subject for the Wall is the subject to the Rainbow Card. As in the Galaxia or Milky-way and in the reflection of lights when many Candles lighted are set near one another they do produce a certain lucid and bright mean You may know the Lion by his paw as they say For his ingenuous nature and sweet conditions he was great in the expectation of all either good or learned men He began to favour Learning before he could know it and knew it before he knew what use to make of it O how true is that saying Immodicis brevis est aetas rara senectus Immoderate growths short liv'd are aged seld He could give you only a tast of his Virtue not an example When occasion required a Majestick gravity you should see him act an old man in his affability and mildness he shewed his age He plaid on the Lute accustomed himself to publick affairs was liberally disposed c. So much Cardan His Corps was on the ninth of August with no very great pomp interred at Westminster near to his Grandfather Henry the Seventh And here had I with this King's death concluded this Second Part had not the consideration of a memorable Enterprize of this King 's occurred To Sebastian Cabota a Portugueze for his admirable skill in Cosmography and the Art of Navigation he allowed an Annuity of an hundred sixty six Pounds Edward by this Cabota's perswasion on the twelfth of May set forth three Ships under Sir Hugh Willoughby for the discovery of unknown Regions in the North parts of the World The main hope of this Voyage was that way to open a shorter passage to those vast Countries of the East Cathay and China Near upon the Coast of Norway these Ships were so severed by Tempest that they never met again One of these great Ships terrified with the greatness of irresistable dangers quickly returned home Sir Hugh Willoughby arrived at last at a Countrey under the Latitude of seventy four degrees not inhabited hitherto to us unknown and was forced to winter there where he and all his Company were frozen to death The Ship was afterward found by some the like English Adventurers and in his Desk a writing relating the Adventures of each day his Will also by which it appeared that he lived until January Richard Chanceller with the third Ship making a more prosperous Voyage after many dangers and incertainties arrived at last among the Russes and Muscovites To these parts some few years after he made a second Voyage but in his return suffered wreck on the Scottish Coast where seeking to save the Muscovite Ambassador he himself was drowned Howsoever he were unfortunate he opened a rich Vein of Traffick to succeeding times whereby we have an exact discovery of that Countrey and of the
the full and free distribution of Bishopricks Benesices Favours Offices always remaining entire to the Queen That the Queen likewise should be assumed into the society of all the Realms wherein Philip either then was or should be afterward invested That if She survived Philip sixty thousand Pounds per annum should be assigned for her Joynture as had been formerly assigned to Lady Margaret Sister to Edward the Fourth and Widow to Charles Duke of Burgoigne whereof forty thousand should be raised out of Spain and Arragon twenty thousand out of the Netherlands and the Provinces thereto belonging And to prevent all future Jars and Contentions about the Division of the Inheritance of the Kingdoms and Provinces which either then were or afterward should be belonging to either it is agreed That the Issue begotten by this Marriage should succeed in all the Queens Kingdoms and Dominions and in all the Principalities of the Netherlands and Burgoigne whereof the Emperour did stand possessed That Charles the eldest Son to Philip by a former Marriage should likewise succeed in all the Kingdoms as well of his Father as of his Grandmother and his Grandfather the Emperour both in Italy and Spain and by reason thereof should stand obliged for the Payment of the ' fore-mentioned forty thousand Pounds If by this Matrimony no other Issue shall be begotten than Female the Eldest shall succeed in all the Provinces of the Netherlands but with this Caution that by the counsel and consent of her Brother Charles she shall make choice of an Husband either out of England or the Netherlands if she marry from elsewhere without his consent she shall be deprived of her right of Succession and Charles be invested therein But to her and her Sisters a convenient Dowry shall be assigned according to the Laws and Customs of the places If it happen that Charles or his Successours shall die without Issue in that case the First-born by this Marriage although it be a Female shall succeed in all the Kingdoms belonging to both these Princes as well of the Netherlands as of Spain and in all the Principalities of Italy and shall be bound to preserve inviolate all the Laws Priviledges Immunities ' and Customs of each Kingdom Between the Emperour Philip and his Heirs between the Queen and her Children and Heirs and between both their Realms and Dominions constant Amity Concord a perpetual and inviolable League shall be continued This League Agreement and Articles shall be renewed and confirmed at Westminster the two and fortieth year of this Seculum and four years after on the sixteenth of January at Utrecht As soon as the Decree concerning these Nuptial Compacts was divulged many out of a restless disposition misliking the present times but especially traducing the intent of this Accord as if by it the Spaniard were to become absolute Lord of all who should have the free managing of all Affairs and abolishing our ancient Laws and Customs would impose an intolerable yoak as on a conquered Nation This was the general conceit of this Action But in private every one according to their divers humours did mutter diversly Some censuring the Queens actions others complaining of the change of Religion contrary to her promise made to the Suffolk men Some lamented the case of Lady Jane who had been forcibly deposed and cruelly condemned to an ill-deserved Death Some were swayed by pity some by the regard of Religion but most by the fear of a Spanish Servitude And others were by their own hopes and the desire of change animated to a Rebellion A Chieftain only was wanting which defect was quickly supplied by Sir Thomas Wyat a Knight of Kent Who having communicated the matter with the Duke of Suffolk Sir Peter Carow of Devonshire and some others concluded that it would not be expedient to attempt any thing until the arrival of Philip that so they might not seem to have taken Arms to any other end than to secure their Countrey from the Usurpation of a Forein Prince So reserving themselves for opportunity they disperse themselves into several places Wyat into Kent a Countrey adjoyning to London and disjoyned from Calais by a little fret of Sea Sir Peter Carow into Devonshire a part of England in the West opposite to the main of France and the Duke of Suffolk withdrew himself to his Place in Warwickshire situated in the very heart of the Realm In these several places they secretly furnish themselves with Arms Money and all sorts of Munition and seek to draw others to partake in the Conspiracy Sir Peter Carow whether thrust on by his Fate or thinking delay would prove dangerous began secretly to levy some Forces in Cornwall but the matter being sooner detected than was hoped and he quickly oppressed he presently took Ship and fled into France where he lurked some time until at length being seemingly reconciled to the King he was taken at Brussels and brought Captive into England By what means he afterward made an escape I know not But he flourished many years under Queen Elizabeth and died at Rosse in Leinster a Province of Ireland in the year 1577 as appeareth by his Monument in the Cathedral Church at Exceter erected at the costs of his Nephew Peter who was Brother to George whom King James for his many Virtues not long since created a Baron With Sir Peter at the same time Sir John Cheeke who had been King Edward's Tutour was also taken who came from Strasburg towards Brussels and that not without Publick Licence upon no other business but to visit as saith Fox the Queens Agents there or rather according to 〈◊〉 to marry a Wife Whatsoever were the cause of his Journey certain it is that he was intercepted on the way from Antwerp to Erussels unhorsed by some of the Queens Servants and tied with Cords to a Cart at last muffled carried on shipboard and conveyed to the Tower at London not knowing all the way for what part of the World he was bound There having always in Conscience abhorred the Errours of Popery he was forced to Abjure his Religion for which he afterward became so repentant that out of extremity of Grief he languished and shortly died These passages I do the more exactly describe because there want not some who relate that both Sir Peter Carow and Sir John Cheeke for their Religion suffered at a Stake on on the thirteenth of June this present year But to return to Wiat he perceiving that his intents were divulged and that he had nothing to trust to no refuge but Valour incited the People in Kent to a Rebellion and as Rebels never want common pretexts to colour their actions that Because the Queen relying too much upon the Advice of bad Counsellors bad lately done and did daily endeavour many things prejudicial to the Estate of the Realm That therefore to prevent farther inconveniences those Counsellors must be removed and others substituted who should so manage
ascended the fatal Scaffold seeing the Instruments of Death before his Eyes and having composed himself for another World did with sincere protestations and religious asseverations acquit the Lady Elizabeth and the Lord Courtney from being any the least way conscious to his practices On the seven and twentieth of April Lord Thomas Gray was Beheaded for having by perswasions as it were thrust on his irresolute Brother the Duke of Suffolk to partake with Wyat in his Seditious attempts On the sixteenth of May the Lady Elizabeth was removed from the Tower to Woodstock and the Marquess of Exceter to Foderingay the place only being altered and nothing remitted of the strictness of their Imprisonment About the same time that Reverend Cranmer yet Archbishop of Canterbury Nicholas Ridley lately deprived of the Bishoprick of London and Hugh Latimer who so long ago resigned his Bishoprick of Worcester were removed from the Tower to Windsor and thence to Oxford there solemnly to Dispute with the Divines of both Universities concerning the Eucharist Their usage was extreme almost beyond belief Two days only were allotted them for their preparation and those two days were they in straight custody in several either Dungeons or places little differing debarred both the conference of any but their Gaoler and the use of their own Papers and Books In the Schools the behaviour toward them was as barbarous as their usage had been tyrannical Shouts and outcries were the chiefest Arguments many opposing one without Order without Manners without Modesty On the fourteenth of April from the Prison they were brought to St. Maries and commanded to Abjure upon their refusal a day is prefixed for publick Dispute Cranmer's day was the sixteenth Ridley's the seventeenth Latimer's the eighteenth of April each in their course to answer all Opponents which each of them performed and that so that notwithstanding they were amazed with rude clamours and distracted with variety of Opponents all urging and craving answer at the same time although they were scoffed at reviled and over-born with multitude yet did they force their Adversaries to admire them Cranmer did learnedly and according to the dignity wherein he so many years flourished gravely Ridley acutely and readily Latimer with a pleasant tartness and more solidly than could be expected of a man so near the age of fourscore The Disputation ended they are again on the twentieth of April brought to St. Maries and demanded whether they would persist in their Opinions upon their reply that they would they were declared Hereticks and condemned to the Fire Their Constancy was the more manifest by their contempt of Death Latimer was scarce capable of the joy he conceived that God was pleased he should end his long life whereto Nature would shortly set a period with so happy a clause As for their Martyrdom it falls in with the next Year and thither we remit it Presently after those forepassed Tumults the Queen sends forth Summons for a Parliament to begin the second of April In this Parliament she proposeth two things her Marriage and Subjection to Rome in matters Ecclesiastical this last she could not for a while obtain the other was assented unto upon conditions That Philip should not advance any to any publick Office or Dignity in England but such as were Natives of England and the Queens Subjects He should admit of a set number of English in his Houshold whom he should use respectively and not suffer them to be injured by Foreiners He should not transport the Queen out of England but at her intreaty nor any of the Issue begotten by her who should have their Education in the Realm and should not be suffered but upon necessity or some good reasons to go out of the Realm nor then neither but with the consent of the English The Queen deceasing without Children Philip should not make any claim to the Kingdom but should leave it freely to him to whom of right it should belong He should not change any thing in the Laws either publick or private the Immunities and Customs of the Realm but should be bound to confirm and keep them He should not transport any Jewels or any part of the Wardrobe nor alienate any of the Revenues of the Crown He should preserve our Shipping Ordnance and Munition and keep the Castles Forts and Block-houses in good repair and well manned Lastly that this Match should not any way derogate from the League lately concluded between the Queen and the King of France but that the Peace between the English and the French should remain firm and inviolate Only it should be lawful for Philip out of other Kingdoms and Dominions belonging to his Father the Emperour to send Aids unto him either for propelling Injuries or taking revenge for any already received All things being thus transacted and no further impediment interposing between these Princes Philip setting sail from the Groin on the sixteenth of July with a good Southern gale within three days arrived at Southampton with a Fleet of one hundred and sixty Sail whereof twenty were English and other twenty Flemings Having rested himself there the space of three days attended by a great company of the English and Spanish Nobility on the four and twentieth of July being a very wet day he came to the Queen at Winchester The Feast-day of St. James the Tutelary Saint of Spain was destined for the Nuptials which were Celebrated at Winchester with great pomp There Don Juan Figueroa for the Emperour resigned the Kingdoms of Naples and and Sicily and conferred all his right thereto on Philip and the Heralds proclaimed their Titles in Latin French and English About the beginning of August these two Princes came to Basing and thence to Windsor where the King was installed Knight of the Garter On the eleventh of August they came to London where the Citizens received them with most magnificent Solemnity On the eleventh of November another Parliament began at Westminster about the beginning whereof Cardinal Pool who by King Henry had been proclaimed Enemy to the Estate was created Cardinal by Paul the Third had himself been Pope if he had but consented in time and in the opinion of many was thought a fit Husband for the Queen arrived in England Having been put beside the Papacy by others default more than his own craving leave of the new Pope Julius he withdrew himself to a Monastery in the Territory of Verona called Maguzano the Religious whereof were Benedictine Monks of which Order he himself while he continued at Rome had been Patron Having decreed there to hide himself and spend the remainder of his days the fame of King Edward's Death and Queen Maries advancement to the Crown drew him again out of the Cloister to Rome He was not ignorant how Mary stood affected to the See of Rome and therefore hoped not without good cause that Julius who much favoured him having by his delays attained the Papacy
might not be invested in the Archbishoprick which he himself for the former reasons hoped to attain But while Gardiner was wholly intent to this project Death had a project on him and cut him off by the extremity of a Dropsie which swelling from his Feet and Legs up to his Belly dispatched him on the twelfth of November who was with great Solemnity interred in his Cathedral at Winchester The Emperour Charles the Fifth having determined to resign the Empire and his Kingdom on the five and twentieth of October at Brussels where all the Estates of his Realms were assembled transferred all his Kingdoms and Dominions on his Son Philip whom he had formerly made King of Naples and Sicily and betook himself to the rest of a private life ANNO DOM. 1556. REG. MARIAE 3 4 PHILIPPI 2 3. TO begin the year with its first day on the first of January Nicholas Heath Archbishop of York was made Lord Chancellour In March a Comet in the twentieth degree of Libra was seen from the fifth to the seventeenth of the same month On the thirteenth of March a counterfeit Edward whose true name was William Fetherstone was Executed for a Traytor He being a Miller's Son in stature and lineaments of Body not much unlike the deceased King Edward and his Age also agreeable had been the last year publickly whipped through London for affirming himself to be the King But not sufficiently terrified by the smart of this punishment he again betakes him to the same Imposture privately affirms himself to be King Edward and causes Letters to be cast abroad that King Edward was alive for which he was at length deservedly Hanged And now we are at length come to the narration of the memorable Martyrdom of the Archbishop Cranmer Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester being dead Cardinal Pool as yet the Pope's Legate appointed James Brooke Bishop of Glocester for Cranmer's Tryal forasmuch as they judged it unlawful to punish an Archbishop but by leave from his Holiness John Story and Thomas Martin Doctors of Law Commissioners for the Queen accompanied the Bishop to Oxford that the Authority Royal might countenance the Delegates proceeding In St. Maries Church they had high Seats purposely erected for them Brooke sitting under the place where the consecrated Host did usually hang in a Pix beside him sate Martin and Story but a little lower and Cranmer habited like a Doctor of Divinity not like a Bishop was brought before them Being told that there were those who represented not only her Majesties person but also of the most holy Father the Pope he with due reverence saluted Story and Martin but would not so much as vouchsafe to cast his Eyes toward Brooke and that not as he afterward confessed out of contempt of the man whom he formerly loved but that he might not seem to acknowledge the Pope's Authority he having by Oath to King Henry obliged himself to the contrary especially in England where he could make no pretence of right Then each of them exhorted him to change his Opinion and return to the Union of the Church But he not regarding their admonition they cite him to appear within fourscore days before his Holiness which with her Majesties consent he promised he would But the Pope not expecting his coming within twenty days after by Letters to the King and Queen commanded him to be Condemned and committed to the Secular power After the intercourse of a few days new Authority is by the Pope granted to Boner Bishop of London and Thirlby Bishop of Ely for Cranmer's degradation from Orders both Presbyterial and Archiepiscopal and he then to be delivered over to the secular Magistrate to suffer for Heresie which was accordingly performed on the fourteenth of February Those Saint-like men Cranmer Ridley and Latimer as long as they lived did by Letters exhort each other to a generous Constancy for the maintenance of the truth of the Christian Faith But the other two Champions having made their way to Heaven and left him alone not plied with such firm Exhortations out of desire of longer Life his Constancy began at length to be shaken and that by the subtilty and daily perswasions of a Spanish Frier So being seduced with hope of pardon he retracts what-ever he had before written in defence of his Religion which Retractation was after printed and published But that little availed him For whether that Pool would not be longer excluded from the possession of the Archbishoprick or that which seems more probable the Queens inveterate hate and desire of revenge for her Mothers Divorce which could not be otherwise satiated than with the Blood of this grave man were the cause He being now confident of Life is presently rapt to the place of Execution and there cruelly Burned where Ridley and Latimer had five months before been crowned with Martyrdom On the day appointed for his Execution a Sermon by the appointment of the Cardinal was Preached by Dr. Cole Thither was Cranmer brought and placed conveniently near the Pulpit where Cole exhorted him to a constancy in that Faith which he was now content to acknowledge and that even unto Death which was now by the appointment of the Magistrate to be inflicted on him this very day God's wrath for the Death of Fisher and More could not otherwise be appeased but by his Blood But before his Death would he by a publick Confession testifie his sincere Conversion to the Union of the Church he should do an act most acceptable to God and men If with this unexpected news Cranmer were amazed I do not at all wonder But he recollecting himself stood up and without any sign of fear made a quick Oration to the Assembly wherein having premised many things concerning morality and amendment of life he repeats the principal points of his Doctrine briefly explains his Faith affirmeth That under the authority Papal the Kingdom of Antichrist was contained and established and lastly demonstrates how much he had offended God by the abnegation of the Truth He professeth therefore that he had resolved that his right Hand wherewith he had so horribly sinned by Subscribing to the Doctrine proposed by the enemies of Truth should first feel the smart of punishment when he would have proceeded to speak more the multitude of Romanists whose expectation he had so finely deluded with clamours and scoffs interrupted him and hurried him away presently to the place of Execution There was then to be seen a sad Spectacle and such as would I will not say have extorted pity from his very Enemies but have expressed tears from a Flint The chief Prelate of the Realm lately flourishing by reason of his power and favour of Princes a man of most holy conversation for his age aspect feature learning gravity and rare gifts of mind deservedly most Reverend clad out of intent to expose him to mockery in an obsolete garment for so had the Papists