how much value the Courage and Conduct of a Prince is yet before he died by the contrivance of the Queen Mother Roger Mortimer and their Adherents such a dishonourable Peace is made with the Scots as exceedingly displeased the whole Kingdom and in the end proved fatal to the principal actor Mortimer For at this Treaty the King then in his Minority Sealed Charters to the Scots at Northampton contrived by the Queen her Favourite and Sir James Dowglas without the knowledge or consent of the Peers of England whereby that famous Charter called Ragmans Roll was surrendred to them with several Jewels and among them one of an extraordinary value called the Black Cross of Scotland all which were taken from the Scots by the Victorious King Edward I. The Scots Kings were likewise freed and discharged for ever from doing homage and fealty to the Kings of England or from acknowledging them to have any Right or Superiority over that Kingdom And that all Englishmen should forfeit their Lands in Scotland unless they went and resided there and swore Allegiance to that King Moreover under pretence of making reparation for damages King Robert was obliged to pay the King of England Thirty Thousand Marks Sterling which Money was given to Mortimer as a reward for his procuring this destructive and mischievous Treaty And to conclude all David Bruce Prince of Scotland a Child of Seven or Eight Years Old and Heir to K. Robert Married Jane Sister to K. Edward at Berwick whom the Scots in derision both of the Peace and Marriage scornfully nicknamed Jane Make Peace Lastly The Queen and Mortimer being sensible that some of the Principal Nobility disliked their proceedings and hindred their absolute Government they resolved to contrive some means for removing them out of the way and among others Edward Earl of Kent the King's Unckle To effect this it is said Mortimer caused a report to be spread abroad that K. Edward II. was still alive at Corf-Castle but not to be seen in the day time and to countenance the deceit for many Nights together there were Lights set up in all the Windows of the Castle and an appearance made of Masquing Dancing and other Royal Solemnities as if for the King's diversion This being observed by the Countrey People they confirmed the rumour of the late King 's being there which was soon dispersed throughout England The Earl of Kent hearing the news sent a Preaching Frier to the Castle to find out the truth of it who by giving Money to the Porter was admitted into the Castle lying very privately in his Lodg all day at night the Porter causing him to put off his own Priestly Robes and put on his the Frier was brought into the Hall where he saw as he imagined King Edward II. sitting in Royal Majesty at supper The Frier returning to the Earl assured him of the reality of what he had seen whereupon the Earl being discontented swore that he would endeavour by all ways possible to deliver his Brother out of Prison and restore him to his Throne To which purpose he ingaged several other Noblemen in the design with the Provincial of the White and Carmelite Friers the Bishop of London and others This Conspiracy being discovered though it were only a Lye and fancy the Frier being imposed upon only by a King made of Clouts Yet the Earl of Kent by his words and some Letters that were found about him was condemned as a Traytor for conspiring to set a dead Man at liberty But so generally was this Noble Lord beloved and honoured that he stood upon a Scaffold at the Castle-Gates at Winchester from Noon till five a Clock at Night for want of an Executioner none being to be found that would behead him till at length Mortimer sent for a poor wretched Fellow out of the Jayl who with much ado and many blows hack'd his Head from his Body The Malice and Ambition of Mortimer and his Associates in making so little conscience of shedding Royal Blood with the many other Male-administrations aforementioned raised inveterate discontents throughout the Kingdom against the Insolent Authors of them But in the mean time they who resolved to support their Grandeur in despight of Peers and People summoned a Parliament at Nottingham where Roger Mortimer appeared in the utmost splendor and glory being Created Earl of March and having greater attendance and stronger Guards than the King himself whom he would suffer to rise up to him and with whom he walked as his Companion yea went before him with his Officers He likewise very scornfully and insolently rebuked Henry Earl of Lancaster the King's Cousin that without his leave he had taken up Lodgings in the Town so near the Queen and obliged him with the Earl of Hereford and Effex to remove their Lodgings a Mile from Nottingham This notorious affront caused great murmuring among the Noblemen who said publickly That Roger Mortimer the Queens Gallant and the Kings's Master sought by all means possible to destroy all the Royal Blood thereby to Usurp the Crown and Government which some of the King's Friends being mightily concerned at endeavoured to make him sensible of his danger swearing that if he would espouse their Cause they would faithfully assist him and secure his Person The Young King began already to put on serious thoughts and acted the Man much beyond his years so that the Lords soon prevailed upon him to join with them in asserting his own Authority which he himself saw so much lessened by Mortimer's 〈◊〉 grown Power He was likewise informed that 〈◊〉 was commonly reported the Queen was with Child by Mortimer to the great dishonour both of his Mother and himself and to the grief of all his Loyal Subjects Hereupon he resolutely ingaged with the Peers to bring this Miscreant and his Abettors to punishment In order to which Robert Holland who had been long Governour of Nottingham-Castle and knew all the secret passages and conveyances therein was taken into the design Now there was in the Castle a private Passage cut through the Rock upon which it is built which was divided into two ways one opening toward the River of Trent which runs under it and the other went a great deal farther under the adjoining Meadows and was after called Mortimer's Hole The King lying one Night without the Castle was conducted by Torch-light through this Passage himself and his Valiant Attendants being all well Armed and their Swords drawn till he came to the door of the Queens Bed-Chamber which the secure and careless Lords had left wide open Some of the foremost entred the Room desiring the King to retire a little that the Queen might not see him and slew Sir Hugh Turpington who opposed them from whom they went towards the Queen Mother with whom they found Mortimer both just ready to go into Bed and seizing him they led him out into the Hall whom the Queen followed crying out Bel silz bel filz ayes pitie
it not a marvellous thing to think into what great Debt this great Cardinal hath brought you to all your Subjects How so quoth the King Why says she there is not a man in your whole Kingdom worth an hundred pounds but he hath made you a Debtor to him Meaning the Loan which the Cardinal had borrowed for the King some years before and which he procured the House of Commons who were most the King's Servants to discharge without repaying a farthing to the great loss of the People Nay added she how many violencies and oppressions is he guilty of to your great dishonour and disgrace in divers parts of the Realm so that if my Lord of Norfolk my Lord of Suffolk my own Father or any other Nobleman had done but half so much wrong as he they well deserved to lose their Heads Then I perceive said the King that you are no friend of my Lord Cardinal 's Why Sir quoth she I have no cause no more have any others that love the King Neither has your Grace any reason to be kind to him considering his indirect and unlawful actions The King said no more but went away The Council and the Nobility perceiving that the King's Heart was estranged from Woolsey they resolved if possible utterly to depress him for he was generally hated for his excessive Pride insulting Tyranny grievous oppressions monstrous injustice unsatiable covetousness abominable debauchery malicious and cruel revenge and likewise for his secret Intreagues with the Pope and Church of Rome whereby the King's Authority and Prerogative Royal in all things touching the Church and Clergy were made void Hereupon they concluded him guilty of a Praemunire and that consequently he had forfeited all his Promotions Spiritual and Temporal with all the rest of his Estate and likewise his Liberty to the King These crimes the Nobility drew into Articles which were ingrossed and signed with their hands and then delivered to the King Which were as followeth I. That by subtil and indirect means he had procured himself without the King's consent to be made a Legate whereby he deprived the Bishops and Clergy of England of all jurisdiction in Ecclesiastical Affairs II. That in all his Letters to Foreign Princes he used the insolent stile of Ego Rex meus I and my King as if the King were his Inferior or Servant III. That he unchristianly and abominably slandered the Church of England to the Pope affirming That they were Reprobates and without Faith and that there was an absolute necessity for him to be made a Legate to reduce them to the true belief IV. That without the King's consent he carried the Great Seal of England to Flanders only for vain Glory and to the great damage of the Subjects of England V. That he being filthily powdered with the French Pox by reason of his excessive Letchery and Debauched Life did oft presume to discourse with and cast his unwholesome Breath into the King's Face VI. That he caused the Cardinals Hat to be put on the King's Coin VII That to obtain his Dignities he had conveyed out of the Realm 240000 l. at one time and incredible sums at other times And to inrich the K. again had of his own accord sent out Commissions for exacting infinite sums contrary to Law which raised hatred and insurrections among the People against the King These with many other Articles being charged against VVoolsey he with his own Hand freely Subscribed to them confessing all of them to be true throwing himself upon the King's mercy hoping he would have forgiven him but afterward finding that he disposed of his Offices and part of his Estate he secretly procured a Bull from the Pope to Curse and Excommunicate the King unless he would restore to him all his Dignities and Lands who likewise declared that the King himself nor no other authority on Earth but the Pope alone had power to punish any Clergyman for any crime or offence whatsoever This Bull with the Letters sent him by several Cardinals to incourage him not to faint or be discouraged assuring him of his Restoration and that the King should be certainly crost in the business of his Marriage so animated the Cardinal that he did not doubt of his re-advancement if not with yet without the King's consent so that he made great preparations for his in stalment into his Archbishoprick of York which he designed to solemnize with extraordinary Pomp and Magnificence to which purpose he had erected a stately seat of an extraordinary height in that Cathedral resembling the Throne of the King and writ Letters to the Nobility and Gentry of the North wherein he kindly invited them to be present at his Instalment for which he had made extraordinary provision of all manner of Dainties These mighty preparations being made without acquainting the King therewith and seeming to be in contempt of him who had been so kind to allow him the Bishopricks of York and VVinchester though justly forfeited to the Crown caused the King to put a stop to his aspiring purposes so that he sent order to the Earl of Northumberland to Arrest him and deliver him to the Earl of Shrewsbury Lord High Steward of the Houshold The Earl accordingly went to his Mannor of Caywood about seven Miles from York and coming into his Chamber told him he arrested him for High Treason in the King's name The Cardinal was so astonisht that for some time he stood speechless at length recovering himself he said You have no power to Arrest me who am both a Cardinal and a Legate and also a Peer of the See Apostolick of Rome and ought not to be Arrested by any Temporal Power for I am Subject to none and none I will obey Well said the Earl here is the King's Commission and therefore I charge you to submit I remember when I was sworn Warden of the Marches you your self told me that with my staff only I might Arrest any man under the degree of a King and now I am stronger for I also have a Commission for what I have done The Cardinal at length recollecting himself Well my Lord said he I am contented to submit but though by negligence I fell into the danger of a Praemunire whereby I forfeited all my Lands and Goods to the Law yet my Person was under the King's Protection and I was pardoned that offence therefore I much wonder I should be now Arrested especially considering I am a Member of the Sacred College at Rome on whom no Temporal Man ought to lay hands Well I find the King wants good Counsellors about him He was then kept close in one of his Chambers and Dr. Austin his Physician was at the same time Arrested for High Treason and sent to the Tower The Cardinal's Goods were all seized and his Servants discharged And he himself was so dejected that he continually lamented his hard fortune with such a mean and unbecoming forrow as such haughty Spirits are
by the Bearward who shewed it to a Priest he presently perceived it was a Refutation of the six Articles and told the Bearward that the Author would certainly be hanged The Secretary coming to demand his Book which he said was the Archbishops and offering him a Crown to Drink for saving it The Fellow being an obstinate Papist replied he would not part with it for five hundred Crowns The Secretary acquainting Cromwell with the matter he sent for the Bearward who guessing at the business brought the Book with intent to have delivered it to Stephen Gardiner or Sir Anthony Brown both inveterate Enemies to Protestancy Cromwell seeing him snatcht the Book from him and giving it to the Secretary Here says he I know this is your hand take it with you and Sirrah says he to the Fellow you deserve to be punisht for detaining a Privy Counsellor's Book when demanded you being fitter to meddle with Bears than matters of State And so Cranmer was preserved from the danger of Fire which at this time threatned him by Water The blow at Cromwel was suddenly given and being in disgrace he had the common Lot of discarded Favourites to be forsaken by his Friends and insulted over by his Enemies of whom Gardiner was the most implacable only Cranmer stuck to him and in a Letter to the King on his behalf he assured him He had always found that the Lord Cromwel ever loved his Majesty above all things and that he had served him with such Fidelity and Success that he was of the Opinion no King of England had ever a more faithful Minister wishing the King might find a Councellor who was as willing and able to do him Service as he was But the King being freed from his Marriage and having made Katherine Howard his Queen in a few Weeks after the Duke of Norfolk had now an opportunity to be revenged on him she being Daughter to the Lord Edmund Howard Brother to the Duke So that from henceforth the King looked discontentedly upon his former intimate Favourite and inward Counsellor as being told that he was the cause of all his late Troubles Those who had long desired his Downfal soon perceiving this Alteration drew up a long Bill of Attainder against him in the House of Lords which was read twice in one day and sent to the Commons who after ten days debate passed it whereby he was condemned for High Treason and Heresie by that unjust way of Attainder without coming to an Answer wherein it was set forth That though the King had raised him from a low Estate to high Dignities yet it appeared by many Witnesses that were Persons of Honour that he was the most corrupt Traytor that ever was known That joining with the last Queen Ann he had favoured the Lutherans above measure and so strongly supported them against the Catholick Prelates and Priests of this Kingdom that when he was told by some of the Clergy that they doubted not but the King would shortly curb their Boldness and Presumption the said Lord Cromwel did reply That he was sure of the King and that about two Years before he had said the Preaching of Barnes and other Hereticks was good and that he would not turn though the King did turn but if the King turned he would fight in Person against him and all that turned and drawing out his Dagger he wisht he might be pierced to the Heart with it if he did not do it And that if he lived a Year or two longer it should not be in the King's Power to hinder it That he had set many at liberty who were condemned or suspected of Misprision of Treason That he had given Licenses for Transporting out of the Kingdom things prohibited by Proclamation had granted Pasports without searching and had dispersed many erroneous Books contrary to the belief of the Sacrament And had said that every man might administer it as well as the Priest That he had Licensed several Preachers suspected of Heresie and had discharged many that were committed on that account That he had many Hereticks about him and had discouraged Informers He was likewise charged with Bribery and Oppression and that when he heard some Lords were consulting about him he threatned that he would raise great disturbances in England Many of these things were charged upon him in general but no particulars produced And the words about the King being sworn to have been spoken two years before it was strange that they should be so long concealed considering the powerful Adversaries which he had As to the Licenses it was thought he had the King's Order for what he did in it Bribery and Oppression seem to be added only to render him odious who always appeared of a quite contrary temper And therefore Authors think that the chief cause of the King's Indignation was that having discovered his affection for the Lady Katherine Howard to him Cromwell used some words in defence of Queen Ann of Cleve and in dislike of the Lady Katherine which so much displeased the King that he thereupon delivered him up into the hands of his Enemies who thirsted for his Blood and fearing that he would clear himself from all their Calumnies by a Legal Trial they Tried Judged and Condemned him by a way which seems both against Nature and Reason and Justice not being suffered to appear or speak a word in his own defence When he was Prisoner in the Tower several Commissioners were sent thither to examine him who found him in a very composed sedate frame bearing his affliction with a Patient and Christian Constancy of Mind not at all ruffled with the suddenness of his Fall for he foresaw the Tempest before it came and prepared for the same And being sensible of the vigilance power and malice of his adversaries he called his Servants before him and told them that he found himself upon a very uncertain foundation and that a storm was approaching and therefore charged them that they should manage all their affairs with Uprightness and Justice that so he might not be blamed or suffer by any misdemeanors of theirs He entertained the Commissioners with much gravity and freedom and answered all their Interrogatories with great moderation and discretion being as well informed in all matters Ecclesiastical or Civil as themselves He once desired one of these Commissioners supposed to be Stephen Gardiner his most implacable Enemy to carry a Letter from him to the King who replied That he would carry no Letter to the King from a Traytor Then said the Lord Cromwell Pray deliver a Message to him by word of Mouth This he consented to provided it were not against his Allegiance ' Well my Lords said he to the rest pray be witnesses of what this Lord hath promised Pray then present my duty to the King and tell him That when he hath tried and proved you so throughly as I have done he will find you the falsest man that ever he had
end in reciprocal ruin And thus it happened with King Richard and the Duke of Buckingham his intimate Favourite who had been Confederates in the Death of many which now dissolves in the destruction of them both What the cause of the first breach was could not be known Whether the Duke did not think he was sufficiently rewarded for his Services Or that King Richard did not judg himself safe whilest he that set him on the Throne remained so Great Or that the Duke being Ambitious and Aspiring grew envious at his own ast in advancing him The last of which conjectures he seemed to confirm by pretending sickness to avoid being present at the Coronation Which King Richard was jealous of and therefore obliged him to come by sending word That if he did not he would ferch him Whereupon the Duke came with so ill a will that ever after there was no good understanding between them retiring presently after to his Castle at Brecknock And here the inscrutable depth of Divine Providence is very remarkable which the greatest Polititians cannot Fathom For the King had committed the Bishop of Ely to the Duke's custody as one that would secure him from doing any hurt and therefore designed it for the Bishop's punishment Whereas this very thing occasioned the Bishop's liberty and advancement and was a means of King Richard's destruction For the Duke retiring home seemed to be much disturbed and discontented in his mind and wanting rest would be sometimes talking with the Bishop who being a Man of great Wit and Judgment the Duke became at length extreamly pleased with his company and opened himself more freely to him whereby the Bishop perceived that the chief cause of his trouble was his envy to King Richard and thereupon he took an opportunity to discourse him to this purpose My Lord ' You know that formerly I took part with King Henry VI. and could have wished his Son had enjoyed the Crown but after God had ordained King Edward IV. to Reign I was never so mad to contend for a dead Prince against a living one and so I was a faithful Chaplain to King Edward and would have been glad his Child had succeeded him but since by the secret judgment of God it hath happened otherwise I will not strive to set up that which God hath pluck'd down And as for the Lord Protector and now King Here the Bishop made a sudden pause saying He had already medled too much in the World and would for the future be concerned with nothing but his Books and his Beads Because he ended with King the Duke was impatient to have him proceed saithfully promising no hurt should come from it but it may be much good assuring him that the reason why he desired the King to put him under his custody was that he might secretly ask his councel and advise My Lord Said the Bishop I humbly thank your Grace but I confess I do not much care to talk of Princes since it may often prove dangerous though nothing be ill meant But a Man's words may be interpreted not as he intended them but as the Prince pleases to construe them which puts me in mind of one of Aesop's Fables The Lyon had published a Proclamation That upon pain of death no Horned Beast should continue in an adjoining Wood now a certain Beast that had a bunch in his forehead flying away in great haste was met by a Fox who ask'd him whither he ran so fast Fast quoth he I think it is time to run if I intend to save my life Why Brother Reynard han't you heard of the Proclamation against Horned Beasts What then you Fool quoth the Fox That does not concern you for I am sure you have no Horns on your Head Ay marry quoth the Beast that I know well enough but what if the Lyon should call my bunch a horn where were I then Brother Reynard The Duke laughed at the story and said My Lord I warrant you neither the Lyon nor the Boar shall pick any matter out of any thing that has been spoken for it shall never come near their Ears In good faith Sir says the Bishop What we have said if taken as we meant it could only deserve thanks but being wrested as some would do might be of ill consequence to us both The Duke intreated him to go on in his former discourse My Lord said the Bishop As for the late Protector since he is now King in possession I shall not dispute his Title but for the good of the Kingdom I could wish he had in him those excellent Virtues wherewith God Almighty has qualified your Grace Here he stopt again My Lord said the Duke I much wonder at these sudden pauses which so interrupt your discourse that I can neither comprehend your thoughts of the King nor your affection to my self I therefore beg of you not to conceal your thoughts any longer but freely to discover your sentiments and upon my Honour I will be as secret as the Deaf and Dumb person is to the Singer or the Tree to the Hunter The Bishop upon the assurance of the Dukes thus followed his discourse My Lord ' I plainly perceive that this Realm is in great danger of being brought to confusion and desolation under the present Government but I have still some hope remaining by the dayly observation of your Noble Personage your Justice your ardent love to your Countrey and likewise the great love the People have toward you and should think the Kingdom fortunate which had a Prince so fit and apt to be their Governour as your self whose Person and actions contain in them all that is truly great just and honourable He then reproached the King for his many Murders Cruelties and Oppressions adding ' And now my Lord If you love God your posterity or your Native Country you must your self take upon you the Imperial Crown and Diadem of this Realm But if you refuse the same I then adjure you by the Faith you owe to God and the regard you ought to have for your Native Land in your Princely Wisdom to contrive some means whereby the Kingdom may be setled in Peace Liberty and safety under a Legal Government and if you think fit to advance again the House of Lancaster or to Marry the Eldest Daughter of King Edward IV. to some powerful Prince the new Crowned King may be quickly removed from his Usurp'd Throne and thereby Peace and Plenty and Tranquility will again be restored to the Nation The Bishop having ended his Speech the Duke remained silent for some time only breathing forth many deep sighs which much startled the Bishop and made his colour change The Duke perceiving it Be not afraid my Lord said he All promises shall be kept and so for that time they parted Next day the Duke sent for the Bishop and having repeated their former discourse he proceeded ' My Lord of Ely Because I discern you have a real
Words against the Cardinal who having notice of it sent for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen again saying he would examine them upon Oath what they were worth which they also denied to have done and one of their Counsellours pleaded that the demanding or paying of any Benevolence was contrary to the Statute made in the I. Year of King Richard III. What says the Cardinal do you quote a Law made by an Usurper and Murtherer the Counsellour replied the Act was made by the Lords and Commons of England and not by him alone Well my Lord Mayor and Aldermen said the Cardinal pray tell me what you will give My Lord pray excuse me said the Lord Mayor for if I should offer any thing I do not know but it may cost me my Life ' What for your kindness to your King that 's very strange said the Cardinal why then I am afraid you will constrain the King to force you to your Duty well my Lord pray go home and tell your Neighbours the King will be very kind to them if they do but shew their good will to him in some competent summ next day the Lord Mayor called a Common Council where it was unanimously Voted that the Meeting of the Aldermen in their respective Wards in order to the demanding a Benevolence of the Subject was contrary to Law and therefore not to be regarded two or three of the Common Council moved that every Man should go to the Cardinal and give him privately what they thought fit but this so inraged the rest that they required that these Men should be for ever banisht and excluded from sitting in the Common Council and so the Court broke up in disorder and every Man went to his own home Neither had this Project better success in other places of this Realm the People in Kent Essex Suffolk Norfolk c. assembling three or four thousand in a Company and openly declaring against the Benevolence and the Duke of Norfolk coming to them and demanding what was the cause of their Insurrection and who was their Captain was answered that Poverty was both their Cause and Captain the great Taxes they had already paid having so ruined their Trades that they had not Bread for their Families nor Work to imploy them in desiring the Duke to mediate with the King on their behalf The King having daily Intelligence of these disorders thought it dangerous to proceed further in this matter and therefore summoned a great Council to York Place now Whitehall where he again made a solemn Protestation That he never designed to demand any thing of his People which might tend to the breach of the Laws and therefore desired to know by whose Order those Commissions were issued out to demand the Sixth Part of every Man's Estate the Cardinal answered That it was done by the consent of the whole Council and by the Advice of the Judges for the supply of the King's wants who said it might lawfully be demanded and that he took God to witness he never designed to oppress the Subject but like a true and just Counsellour contrived how to inrich the King and some Clergy men had told him that it might be done by the Law of God because Joseph caused Pharaoh King of Egypt to take the Fifth Part of every Man's Goods in that Land ' But however said he since I find every Man is willing to free himself of this burden I am content to take upon me the scandal of it and bear the ill Will of the Multitude for my good Will toward the King and to clear you my Lords and Counsellours but the Eternal God knoweth all Well said the King I have been informed that my Realm was never so rich as now and that no trouble would have risen upon this demand since every Man would freely pay it at the first request but now I find all contrary at which all held their Peace Come said the King I 'll have no more of these disturbances pray send Letters to every County in England to recal the Benevolence I will freely pardon what is past but pray let me hear no more of it The Lords on their Knees returned the King thanks and Letters were sent accordingly wherein somewhat to excuse the Cardinal it was inserted That the Lords Judges and others of the Privy Council first contrived that demand and that the Cardinal only concurred with them in it but however the Common People had a mortal Aversion to him for this and many other illegal Practices and his Interest with the King seemed likewise daily to lessen and to disoblige the Court he insinuated into the King that his Family was much out of Order and thereupon undertook to reform the same by removing several Officers and Servants from their Places and putting ill Men in their Rooms He likewise presented his Mannor and Palace of Hampton-Court to the King a little to sweeten him in recompence of which the King gave him leave to keep his Court in his Palace at Richmond wherein King Henry VIIth did so extreamly delight which yet made him the more abhorr'd both by the Courtiers and Common People who reproachfully said Who would ever have thought to have seen a Butcher's Dog lye in the Palace of Richmond After this the Marriage of the King with Queen Katherine his Brother Arthur's Widow began to be questioned and some Authors say the scruple about it was first put into the King's Head by Cardinal Woolsey who being naturally revengeful and never forgiving any Injury moved it partly to be avenged on the Emperour whose Sister Queen Katherine was for not making him Pope and partly because the Queen had often secretly and modestly reproved him for his Tyranny Covetousness Oppression Pride and Lasciviousness King Henry seemed very much disturbed at this Motion and desired that the Legality of his Marriage might be debated among the Learned pretending that he had no design in it but only to satisfie his Conscience and to establish the Succession of the Crown in a rightful Heir which could not be done if Queen Katherine were not his lawful Wise upon this account a religious Sorrow seemed to seize upon him 〈◊〉 he refrained from the Queen's Bed till by a Ju 〈…〉 Sentence this grand Affair might be settled the Cardinal to advance his Reputation higher with the King procured a Commission from the Pope to himself and Cardinal Campeius that before them as Supream Judges this Question might be debated by legal Processes and Proceedings and determined according to the Laws of God and Man the King declared that he intended nothing but Justice in the Case and therefore allowed the Queen to chuse what Counsellours she pleased to defend her Cause who accordingly nominated Warham Archbishop of Canterbury West Bishop of Ely Fisher Bishop of Rochester the Bishop of St. Asaph and some others Cardinal Campeius being again arrived in England the two Legates caused a stately Court to be erected in Black Fryers
and their Commission being read the Cryer called Henry King of England who answered Here Then he cried Katherine Queen of England come into the Court the Queen made no answer but rising out of her Chair came to the King and kneeling at his Feet she in broken English spake thus to him ' Sir I beseech you do me Justice and right and take some Pity upon me I am a Poor Woman and a stranger Born out of your Dominions having here no indifferent Council and less Assurance of Friendship Alas Sir how have I offended you that you thus intend to shorten my Days I take God to witness I have been to you a True and Loyal Wife ever conformable to your Will and never contradicting your desires but have always complied and submitted to your Pleasure in all things without the least grudging or discontent For your sake I have loved all Men whom you loved whether they were my Friends or Enemies I have been your Wife these twenty Years by whom you have had many Children and when I first came to your Bed God and your own Conscience knows that I was a Virgin If you can prove any dishonesty by me whereby you may lawfully put me from you I am willing to leave you with shame and rebuke but if I am guilty of none I beseech you set me have Justice at your hands The King your Father was a man of excellent VVisdom in his time and accounted a second Solomon and the King of Spain Ferdinand my Father was reckoned one of the wisest Princes that has reigned there for many years And doubtless they had both as wise Counsellors as any are at this day And who could never have imagined when you and I were Married that such new devises should have been invented as to compel me to submit to the decrees of this Court from whom I may expect to receive wrong and may be condemned for not answering but not to have Right administred to me since I can have no indifferent Council assigned me to plead my Cause but must make choice of your own Subjects who know your Mind and dare not contradict your VVill. Therefore I most humbly beseech you spare till I know how my Friends in Spain will advise me But if you will not you may do your pleasure Then making a low Curtesie to the King she departed out of the Court Upon which the King bid the Crier call her back which he did but she refused to return saying It is no indifferent Court to me I will not go back VVhen she was gone the King declared to the Court that she had been a loyal loving and obedient Wife to him and was endued with all the good qualities and virtues of a Woman either of her Dignity or of any meaner Estate After which Cardinal Woolsey said ' I humbly beseech your Highness to declare to this audience whether I have been the first and chief Mover of this matter to your Highness or not for I am much suspected of all men The King declared he was not but rather advised the contrary but that the special cause that moved him in this matter was a certain scruple of Conscience upon some words spoken by the Bishop of Bayon the French Ambassador upon a debate about a Marriage between the Lady Mary his only Daughter and the Duke of Orleans second Son to the French King and the Bishop desiring time to consult his Master whether the Lady Mary were Legitimate as being born of his Brother Arthur's Wife This discourse so affected him considering he had no Heirs Male they all dying as soon as born that he judged God Almighty was displeased at this match Hereupon considering the state of the Realm and dispairing to have any more Children by his Queen whereby the Kingdom might be endangered for want of a Prince to succeed him and to quiet his own mind which was tossed with the Waves of troublesome doubts he desired to have the opinion of the Learned Prelates and Pastors of the Realm whether by the Laws of God and the Land he might take another Wife if his first Marriage were not Legal by which he might have more Issue Affirming in the presence of God that he had no dislike to the Person nor Age of the Queen with whom he could be content to live if it were the Will of God Nor out of carnal Concupiscence or desire of change but only for the setling of his Conscience After this the Court sate daily where many subtile and learned Arguments and Disputations touching the lawfulness or insufficiency of the Marriage were handled but the Queen Appealing to the Court of Rome for deciding this Question from which she could not be dissuaded The King expected a final â—efinitive Sentence on his behalf the two Legates declined to give it which so iâ—raged the King who now perceived their dissimulation and that they purposely contrived delays that from this time he had a mortal hatred against his false Favourite Woolsey whom from a contemptible Birth and Estate he had prefer'd to be Abbot of St. Albans his Almoner a Counsellor of State Bishop of Winchester Durham Lincoln Bath Worcester Hereford Tournay Archbishop of York an Ambassador to Kings and Princes his Chancellor and a Cardinal who by contriving this business thereby to render himself Gracious with the King and to be revenged of his Enemies brought ruin and destruction at length upon himself For notwithstanding the King excused him from being the Author of this scruple of Conscience yet Woolsey seemed at first very forward in promoting it and to incline to have it determined according to the King's Mind but afterward perceiving the fatal consequences which might ensue thereupon so as at length to shake the Infallibility of the Papal Chair if the Case were decided according to the Scriptures he declined proceeding therein For if the Marriage was unlawful then the former dispensation of Pope Julius was null and void and if it was lawful then the Judgment of so many learned Universities as had given their Opinion to the contrary was false In this difficulty his Collegue Campeius went out of the Kingdom before the day of the final determination of the matter leaving Woolsey to bear all the weight of the King's Indignation Another cause of the Cardinal 's opposing the Divorce was that the King during the Ventilation of this Knotty Case had fallen in love with Mrs. Ann Bullen who he after Married one of the Maids of Honour to Queen Katherine and Daughter to Sir Tho. Bullen afterward Earl of Wiltshire a Lady no way favourable to his Pontifical Grandeur nor to the Superstitions of the Church of Rome So that when the King discovered his great affection for her the Cardinal upon his Knees used many arguments to dissuade him from it Which the Lady had notice of and therefore when the King once entertained him at a great Feast She being present among other discourses said ' Sir is
wholly of Possessions of this nature or else were greatly inlarged by them and the restoration of them to their former uses was thereby rendred so impracticable that all the flaming zeal of Queen Mary for Popery was never able to effect any thing of that kind And this may be thought to have been one strong Barrier and Security of this Nation against Popish Slavery to this very day notwithstanding the many attempts that have since been made to reduce us back to that House of bondage The Churches being thus cleansed from rubbish the magnanimous Lord Cromwell resolved to place better Ornaments in them and therefore he sent out Injunctions requiring the Clergy to set up English Bibles in their Churches and to incourage all to read them Exhorting the People not to dispute about the sense of difficult places but to leave that to better Judgments Ministers were likewise commanded to instruct the People and to teach them the Creed the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments in English and that once every Quarter there should be a Sermon to declare the true Gospel of Christ and to exhort the People to works of Charity and not to trust to other mens Works to Pilgrimages or Relicks or telling their Beads which was only Superstition Also the folly of offering Candles to Images and that to make any use of Images in Divine Worship was Idolatry and the praying to Saints unnecessary These struck at some of the main Points of the former Superstition but the free use of the Scriptures gave the deadliest blow of all Yet all the Clergy submitted to them without murmuring The Death of Queen Ann Bullen who was beheaded some time before for several pretended Crimes which she utterly denied at the Scaffold and of which a great number of worthy men thought her Innocent gave fresh hopes to the Popish Clergy that a stop would have been put to any further Reformation of which she was reckoned a great promoter and inconrager And the Succession of the Crown being likewise altered by Parliament By whom Queen Mary was declared Illegitimate as born of Queen Katherine in unlawful Marriage and a new Oath imposed upon all the People to acknowledge the Children of the Queen Ann to be rightful Heirs to the Crown and she leaving one Daughter who was afterward the renowned Queen Elizabeth that Party had likewise expectations that she being dead the Lady Mary would succeed to the Crown to which end she was persuaded to submit her self to the King and own him as Supream Head of the Church of England which she had hitherto refused But within twenty days after this Tragedy was over the King Married the Lady Jane Seymour Daughter of Sr. John Seymour by whom he had the most excellent Prince Edward who succeeded him though within few days after the good Queen died The birth of a Son blasted the Papists expectations and therefore Gardiner Bonner and the rest of that Clergy seemed now very zealous in promoting the Injunctions that Cromwell had lately published Yet Gardiner still retaining a secret hatred against the Reformation he by his Artifices and Flatteries prevailed much with the King persuading him that his zeal against Heresie was the greatest advantage that his Cause in renouncing the Pope could have over all Europe Which meeting with the King 's own persuasion of the Corporal presence of Christ in the Sacrament caused him to sit in Person upon the Trial of one John Lambert a learned man who because he would not recant his opinion about Transubstantion was cruelly burnt in Smithfield and in the next Parliament an Act was made for making it death not to consent to the six Articles following which were after called the six bloody Articles I. That after the words of Consecration the Real and Natural Body and Blood of Christ was in the Sacrament II. That Communion in both kinds was not necessary to Salvation III. That Priests by the Laws of God ought not to Marry IV. That Vows of Chastity are to be observed V. That private Massies were agreeable to the Word of God VI. That Auricular Confession was necessary to be retained Against most of these Cranmer argued several days and Cromwell promoted Bonner to the Bishoprick of Hereford to be a faithful second to Cranmer in his Pious designs though he afterward proved a violent Persecutor and indeed Cranmer wanted support against the other Bishops who made great complaints of the rashness of the Protestant Preachers who were very furious against some things not yet abolished Upon which Letters were writ to the Bishops to take care that as the People should be rightly instructed so they should not be offended with too many Novelties Thus was Cranmer's interest so low that he had none but Cromwell to depend on There was not a Queen now in the King's Bosom to support them and the refusal of owning these Articles caused the death of many Protestants as the denying the King's Supremacy cut off several Papist so that at the same time Protestants were burnt on one side Smithfield and Papists hanged on the other which made Forreigners admire as not understanding what Religion King Henry was of Hereupon Cromwell contrived how the King should be ingaged in a nearer Alliance with the Protestant Princes of Germany with whom he had already setled a League and who was acknowledged its Patron he sending over an hundred thousand Crowns a year for the support of it all ingaging That they would join against the Pope as the Common Enemy and set up the true Religion according to the Gospel Now that the King might be prevailed upon both by Affection and Interest to carry on what he had thus begun Cromwell resolved to bring about a Match between the King and the Lady Ann Sister to William Duke of Cleve whose other Sister Frederick Duke of Saxony a very zealous Protestant had espoused And the King unwilling to live any longer a Widower both the Emperor and the King of France proposed Matches to him but Reasons of State inclined him powerfully to that with the Lady Ann. Her Father had before Treated with the Prince of Lorrain about Marrying her but it went no farther than a Contract between the two Fathers And the famous Painter Hans Holbin much favoured her in the Picture which was sent to the King who never liked the Original so well as he did that The Duke of Saxe dissuaded the Match because the King was going backward in the Reformation as appear'd by his enacting the six bloody Articles but Cromwell carried it on with the greatest vigor Some write that the Lady was handsome enough but could speak only Dutch which the King understood not neither had she learned Musick and was also so stiff in her Carriage as no way suited the King's temper However the Marriage was concluded and arriving at Rochester the King was so impatient to see her that he went thither incognito but was much dampt at first sight for he thought
her demeanour so rude that he askt whether they had brought over a Flanders Mare to him and thenceforward had an absolute aversion for her Person Neither had he any kindness for her Religion and many Virtues she being a very Devout Protestant So that he resolved to break the Match if possible but for fear of disobliging the German Princes his affairs making their friendship very necessary to him at this time to obviate the designs of the Emperor Pope and French King now projecting against him he Married her but exprest his dislike of her so plainly that all about him took notice of it and the day after he told Cromwell that he had not consummated his Marriage with her and did believe he should never do it complaining of ill smells about her and that he suspected she was not a Virgin which so much increased his dislikes that he thought he should be never able to endure her Cromwell endeavoured in vain to overcome these prejudices so that though the King lived with her five Months and lay often in the Bed with her yet was his aversion rather increased than abated About this time all the ground that the Reformation gained after so much had been lately lost was a liberty for all private persons to have Bibles in their Houses the managing of which was put into Cromwell's hands by a particular Patent And a new Parliament being called as the Lord Chancellor declared the matters of State to them so the Vicegerent Cromwell spake to them concerning Religion telling them ' That the King desired nothing so much as an entire Union among all his Subjects but that some Incendiaries opposed it as much as he promoted it and that rashness on one side and inveterate Superstition on the other had raised great dissentions which were inflamed by the reproachful names of Papist and Heretick and though they had now the Word of God in all their hands yet they rather studied to justifie their Passions than amend and govern their Lives by it To remove which the King had appointed several Bishops to settle the Doctrine and Ceremonies and to publish an exposition of the Doctrine of Christ without corrupt mixtures and yet to retain such Ceremonies as should be thought necessary resolving afterward to punish all Transgressors of either side At this time Cromwell was created Earl of Essex which shâ—ws that the King's dislike of the Queen was not the chief cause of his ruin otherwise he had not now advanced him The Popish Bishops especially Gardiner being glad to be any way rid of a Protestant Queen heightned the King's aversion to the Lady Ann of Cleve by all means possible and persuaded the King to move for a Divorce The Queen seem'd little concerned at it and exprest much willingness to discharge him from a Marriage so unacceptable to him The Lords addrest to him that he would suffer the Marriage to be examined which being granted a Commission was sent to the Convocation to discuss it and Witnesses being heard it appeared that her Pre-contract with the Prince of Lorrain was not fully cleared And that the King had Married her against his Will And not having given an inward and compleat consent he had never consummated the Marriage so that no Issue could be expected from the Queen Whereupon the Convocation publisht an authentick Instrument under the Seals of the two Archbishops declaring to the Christian World that the King's Marriage with the Lady Ann of Cleve was a nullity void frustrate and of none effect because the said Lady under her own hand had upon due examination confest that the King never had nor could perform to her that Benevolence which by a Husband was due to a Wife This Sentence was confirmed by Parliament adding that it was lawful according to the Ecclesiastical Laws for the King to Marry another Wife and for the Lady Ann of Cleve to take another Husband according to the Laws of Holy Church And all such as by Writing Printing or Speaking did maintain the contrary should be punisht as for High Treason During this Transaction a sudden turn happened at Court The Lord Cromwell was suddenly Arrested for High Treason by the Duke of Norfolk in the Council Chamber at White-Hall and committed Prisoner to the Tower The lowness of his birth procured him many Enemies among the Nobility to see a Blacksmiths Son prefer'd to such high Dignity He being at the same time Lord Vicegerent Lord Privy Seal and Lord High Chamberlain of England Earl of Essex and Master of the Rolls The Popish Clergy hated him mortally the suppression of the Abbies and the Injunctions about Reformation in the Church being imputed to his Counsels And the King being freed from the fear of the Confederacy betwixt the Emperor and French King against him who could not agree upon the Terms Cromwells Counsel's now became useless to him and he hoped the making him a Sacrifice might somewhat appease the People who were much disturbed at some late proceedings And surther he now intended a Match with Katherine Howard Neice to the Duke of Norfolk a Papist and an Enemy to the Reformation The King was likewise told that Cromwell was an Enemy to the Six Articles and incouraged those that opposed them Of the truth of the fast we read this following Passage About two years before the King ordered Archbishop Cranmer to put in Writing all the Arguments he had used in Parliament against the six Articles He likewise sent Cromwell and the Duke of Norfolk to Dine with him and assure him of the continuance of his favour and kindness to him At Table they acknowledged that Cranmer had opposed the Articles with much Prudence and Learning expressing a great value for him and telling him that those who differed from his opinion could not but esteem him highly for his worth and since the King seemed to approve of them he need fear nothing Cromwell added That the King had so much respect for him above his other Counsellors that he would not give ear to any complaints against him and that as Cardinal Woolsey lost his friends by Pride the other gained upon his Enemies by his Humility and Moderation The Duke of Norfolk replied he could speak best of the Cardinal having been his man so long Cromwell replied warmly That he never liked his Manners but said he If he had been Pope I never intended to have gone into Italy with him as you my Lord Duke designed to have done The Duke swore he lied and gave him ill Language which put all the company into disorder and they were never friends afterward Cranmer drew up his Reasons against the six Articles and gave them to his Secretary to transcribe fairly for the King's use but crossing the Thames met with a very odd accident For a Bear being baited near the River broke loose and running into the Water overturned the Boat wherein the Secretary was whereby his Book fell into the Thames and was taken up
with to Storm it was forced to retire and in his retreat had a great number of his Souldiers kill'd and drowned returning home with great disuonour Upon the return of the Fleet the Cry of the Nation was so great both for the Disgrace and the Seamen's want of Pay that the King was obliged to call a Parliamene which being met the Duke is declared the Grievance of Grievances and the Cause of all the miseries of the Kingdom But the King Proroguing the Parliament before they could proceed against him in the mean time Dr. Lamb the Duke's Creature is murthered in the City out of hatred to his Master And the Town of Rochel who had declared for the English when they were there being now closely besieged by the French The King had prepared a Fleet under the command of the Duke to relieve it who being advanced as far as Portsmouth to go aboard was slain by one Lieutenant Felton in his own Lodgings by one blow with a Knife under the left Rib and up to the Heart leaving the Knife in his Body and got away undiscovered In his fall to the Ground the Duke was heard to say The Villain has killed me Company coming in and finding him weltring in his Blood began to inquire for the Murtherer when Felton immediately stept out and said ' I am the man that have done the deed let no man suffer that is innocent VVhen he gave the fatal blow Felton cry'd The Lord have mercy upon thy Soul VVhich the Duke had not time to pronounce himself Felton had a Paper sticking to the Lining of his Hat wherein he had written as followeth ' I would have no man commend me for doing it but rather discommend themselves for if God had not taken away their Hearts for their Sins he had not gone so long unpunisht The man is cowardly base in mind opinion and deserves not the name of a Gentleman or Souldier that is unwilling to Sacrifice his Life for the Honour of God his King and Country Subscrib'd John Felton He confest to the Council that the motives to it were his want of pay his being disappointed of a Captains place which the Duke promised him Together with the late Remonstrance of the House of Commons against him A. B. Laud askt him whether the Puritans did not incite him to it which he denied or any body else VVell then said Laud we must make you confess your Accomplices on the Rack If you should said Felton it may be the torment would make me accuse you as soon as another So he was tried for murther and suffered very penitently at Tyburn and his Body was hung in Chains at Portsmouth in 1628. An Ingenious VVriter is much offended with Sir Henry VVotton for making a Parallel between the Earl of Essex aforementioned and the Duke of Buckinghim to be found in his remains which he says is much to the disadvantage of Essex who besides his last action never did any thing so ingrateful as might make him fear the anger or beg the favour of a Parliament much less owe his Life to the Dissolution of one He died like a Christian He was no instrument of Tyranny and Oppression his memory being still valuable among the People VVhereas the Duke's retains a contrary Tincture nor can his bounty to his Friends and Servants expunge his faults because the Money was drained either from the People the Publick Treasury or from the general safety of the Nation Whereas Essex obliged his Confidents out of his own store or by such innocent ways as the Subject had no cause to repine at His natural parts were as great and his Learning and Birth greater than the Dukes Nor can his last inconsiderate action that rather deserves the Title of a Riot than Treason come up to so great an ingratitude and indignity to the Nation as Buckingham's proceedings at Rochel wherein the Duke shewed no less folly in procuring so great a hatred among the People than Essex did in misapplying their love And if his Picture be exact Essex was as hand some as he which was the chief cause of Villers advancement Only in this Essex came short in having a Mistress that would attend to reason whether it came from friendship or malice Whereas the Dukes fortune depended on two Princes that in reference to their own weakness or his strongth remained deaf to all Complaints but what were made by him or his Creatures under pain of his high Displeasure which was usually much heavier than the King 's Concerning their Deaths saith my Author I can attest the Duke 's did occasion no lâ—… joy than the other did sorrow though the death of Queen Elizabeth her self be put into the Scale Nor was the Hangman willing to be hired to cut off Essex whereas Felton seemed to be inspired with some Daemon if not the Genius of our Nation Remarks on the Life Actions and Fatal Fall of Thomas Wentworth Earl of Strafford Favourite to King Charles I. THIS great Favourite was born in Chancery Lane London his Mother coming casually to the City but descended from an antient Family at Wentworth VVoodhouse in Yorkshire He was educated in St. John's College in Oxford whereby he was so accomplisht that his endowments soon advanced him to be a Member of the House of Commons wherein he appeared very zealous for the Liberties of his Country and that often with so much strength of reason that his Sentiments prevail'd for or against the Cause he managed Of which I shall give a few instances In the Parliament 3. Charles I. Upon a debate on the Grievances of the Kingdom by quartering Souldiers Loans Benevolence Privy Seals and Imprisoning Gentlemen that refused to lend Money on that account and were refused to be Bailed upon there Habeas Corpus he spake thus ' Surely these illegal ways are punishments and marks of indignation The raising of Loans strengthned by Commissions with unheard of Instructions and Oaths and the Billetting of Souldiers by Deputy Lieutenants have been such as if they could have persuaded Christian Princes that the right of Empires had been to take away mens Properties by strong hands These Projectors have introduced a Privy Council who have ravisht at once the Spheres of allantient Government shprisoning us without either Bail or Bond. They have taken from us what What shall I say indeed What have they left us The remedy I shall propound is To vindicate our antient vital Liberties by reinforcing the Laws made by our Ancestors by giving such a Character of them as no Licentious Spirit shall ever dare enter upon them hereafter Let 〈◊〉 secure our selves and our freedom from imprisonment Les us secure our Goods that no Levies be made but by Parliament no Bilseting of Souldiers If we are not secured in these we cannot give supplies I cannot forget that duty I owe to my Country and unless our Liberties be secured I incline to look upon the state of our Country whether it be