yet for certain reasons that our Author may guess at if he will he should not enlarge too much on this even tho the promise had been given both frequently and solemnly for this awakens ill Ideas in peoples minds and makes them conclude with the Ecclesiastes that the thing which hath been is that which shall be 6. King Henry excepted many out of the General Pardon others were presently seised on for engaging into new Conspiracies and against all these he proceeded upon no pretended Crimes but upon that of High Treason for having been in actual Rebellion against him 7. All that suffered by form of Law for those Rebellions were only two Peers six Knights and the Wife of one of them six Abbots and a Monk and sixteen men of a meanner rank now considering what a formidable Rebellion that had been this will not appear to have been a very extraordinary severity and without running too far back to things past the memory of man it were possible to instance Rebellions that were not so dreadful and yet that have ended in many more Sacrifices 8. He tells us of some that died in secret if he means that died in their Beds in Prison the thing may be very true but then it is not extraordinary but if he means the putting them to death secretly and the using them so barbarously that they languished and died under the hands of their Tormentors he must know that these are things which the English Nation knows not they may be practised by Courts of Inquisition or where Dragoons and De Rapines have the Execution of the Kings Parchment and Wax put in their hands but all Tryals and Executions in England are open and publick which is too gentle a Nation to bear the Cruelty of Torture VIII Mr. Varillas would needs have an extraordinary stroke of Providence appear here for he tells us that the last of those who suffered under the hand of the Hangman was no sooner dead then the Kings beloved Son the Duke of Richmond whom he had designed to make his Successor died suddenly of a malignant Feaver But I had warned our Author of the necessity of buying a Chronological Table for I saw what would come on it if he would not be at that charge The Duke of Richmond died the 22. of Iune 1536. and the first of all the tumults that was begun in Lincoln-Shire did not fall out before the October following so here is a lovely stroke of the Poem spoiled 2. It does not appear that the King had any such design on this Son of this for as he gave him none of the Titles of the Royal Family so he did not raise him up to any such degree of lustre as must have naturally followed on such a design IX He joyns to this Edward the sixths Birth and says That his Mother not being able to bring him forth King Henry ordered her Belly to be opened saying that he could find another Wife but that he was not sure to find another Son and that he began presently after her death to think on a fourth Marriage Again it appears that Mr. Varillas wants a Chronological Table for he joins King Edward's birth to the Duke of Richmond's death tho there was sixteen moneths between them for King Edward was born the twelfth of October 1537. and that was nine moneths after all the Executions were over 2. King Edward was born in the ordinary way and the Queen was as well a day after as any Woman in her condition could be of this there are many good Proofs extant for her Council writ Letters over all England giving notice of her safe delivery and of her good health and two days after others say three days after she was taken with a distemper ordinary to Women in her condition of which she died 3. Our Author should have considered the decorum of his Fable better than to make the King speak of a Son before he was born it had been more natural to make him speak of a Child indefinitly 4. This Queens death affected K. Henry so much that he let two years pass before he entred into any Treaty for a new Wife 5. He puts this in the year 1538. tho it fell out in the year 1537. X. He opens upon the Death a Project for Reconciling England to the Court of Rome and says That in order to the satisfying that Court it was not doubted but the Parliament of England would annual King Henry's second Marriage and declare Elisabeth a Bastard He adds That a Marriage of King Henry with Margaret Daughter to Francis the First was projected and here he shews how great a resemblance of Humours there was between them He adds That Pope Paul the Third was much pressed by the Colledge of Cardinals to fulminate against Henry since the Cardinals Hat which he had sent to Fisher had only served to precipitate his death upon which the Pope was bound both in Honour and Interest to revenge that contempt that was put on the Purple for if the persons of Cardinals were not esteemed sacred this would very much slacken their courage upon dangerous occasions The Pope therefore very dexterously resolved to shew his Thunder without discharging it So tho a new Sentence was past yet it was not published in hopes that the King for the safety of his person that was always exposed to the resentments of Zealous Catholicks or for the securing himself from those Seditions which broke out in one place as soon as they were quieted in another would at last reconcile himself to the holy See The only Project that was ever set on foot after the breach for reconciling England to the Court of Rome was almost two years before this upon Anne Bullens fall for then the Pope proposed it to Cassali that had been the Kings Ambassador at Rome but the King rejected it with so much scorn that in his next Parliament he past two Laws against all commerce with that Court severer than any of the former 2. There was no need of asking an Act of Parliament for annulling the Kings Marriage with Anne Bullen and for illegitimating the Issue for that was already done upon a confession of a Pre-contract that was drawn from her of which it is plain Mr. Varillas knew nothing tho it is in our Statute Books and these were then printed both in French and English 3. It does not appear that there was ever the least motion of a Marriage between King Henry and Margaret of France muchless that it was believ'd concluded 4. Our Author does not observe the decency of the Cardinals pressing the Pope to severity when he expressed it by his Revenging the contempt put upon the Purple It must be confessed that this is too haughty a stile for him that pretends to be the Vicar of Christ the language of Revenge does not agree with the Meekness of the Lamb of God 5. But if he makes the Cardinals speak
was dissolved by the King 's Death XXXVI He says The Church of the Franciscans was opened in London 25. dayes before his death and he had said before that King Henry was 57. years of Age compleat when he dyed This Church that he represents as the Cordelier's Church was indeed opened but it was in order to the making it an Hospital and was no more the Cordeliers Church But now I will shew Mr. Varillas how just I am to him for I think I am bound to take notice that this date is right For tho it is of no great consequence yet it is the first that I have found him give true and perhaps it is true because it is of no consequence but he is above a full year wrong in a matter of greater importance which is King Henry's Age for he was born the 28. of Iune 1491. so on the 27. Ianuary or the 28. for he dyed in the night between them 1547. he wanted five moneths of six and fifty So natural is it for Mr. Varillas to mislead his Reader in every thing XXXVII He says The disorder of the Kings Marriages and the three Children that he had by three of them gave grounds to apprehend a Civil War upon his death against which he provided by putting his only Son Edward first in the Succession But out of what part of our Authors study of the Law did he find this that a Son of an unquestioned Marriage on all hands could receive any opposition from two Sisters both born in Marriages that had been questioned The Succession had been also expresly regulated by Act of Parliament and the Kings power of disposing of it by his Testament was only in default of all his own Children or of issue by them XXXVIII He gives us a character of the Duke of Somerset that shews how well he knew him he says He had an Extraordinary Capacity and a Penetration of Spirit superiour to the greatest Affairs The D. of Somerset was indeed a man of great probity but his Capacity and Penetration of Spirit were far from Extraordinary Mr. Varillas thought those strokes were magnificent so he did not trouble himself whether they were true or false XXXIX Mr. Varillas tells us that Somerset represented to the English Nobility the inconvenience of having 16. Governours for their young King as King Henry had determined it and that three parts of four of these were most zealous for reconciling England to the See of Rome and so no doubt they would breed up the King in those sentiments and by consequence as soon as the King came of Age he would annul all that his Father had done which would ruin the whole Nobility and that since it was much fitter to have only one Regent he engaged to them that if they would pitch on him he should take care of the Kings Education and should be so far from disturbing the Nobility in the possession of the Church Lands that he should grant them all the Ratifications that should be necessary all this was so well received that King Henry's true Testament was suppressed and a new one was forged by which Somerset was declared Regent and Protector which surprised all those who had the chief Interest to maintain the Government during the Minority in the state in which King Henry had left it 1. King Henry died the 28. of Ianuary upon which the young King was presently brought up to London and upon the first of February Somerset was declared Protector 2. This was not done by the Interposition of the Nobility but by the consent of the major part of the sixteen Governours whom King Henry had named and the Original Instrument of this under all their hands is yet extant 3. There was no new Will forged for that which was then published was the same that made all the sixteen equal in power and Somerset had the Title of Protector given him by these only with this express condition that he should do nothing without the Advice and Consent of the rest Nor was it ever pretended that King Henry had ordered it so by his Will so all that Negotiation with the Nobility is to pass for a Fiction of Mr. Varillas's or of some other that is about his pitch of sincerity XL. He says Vrisly the Chancellour was the only person that complained of this but that was made use of as a pretence to send him away from the Court. 1. Wriothesley the Chancellour perhaps did not like Somerset's Advancement but he signed it with the rest 2. The pretext upon which he was turned out was the passing an illegal Patent for divolving the Execution of his Office in the matters of Justice to some other persons which being contrary to Law he to redeem himself from a further Censure resigned his place XLI He says Somerset forbad the Bishops to confer Orders without the Kings permission and made them come up to London to obtain it and that he granted it only for a limited time and during pleasure and that he forced the new Preachers to take their Mission for it under the Kings Name and by this means he hindred those to preach who were able to defend the Catholick Doctrines And for the Proof of all this he cites the Ordonnances of Edward the Sixth There is a particular misfortune on Mr. Varillas in all he writes for tho there was indeed an Act of Parliament passed before the end of this Year that did very much subject the Bishops in many things to the Regal power yet there is a special exception in it of Collations or Presentations to Benefices and of Letters of Orders in which no Limits were set them 2. The Licences that were given to Preachers were only Civil things being Permissions to preach but there was nothing of Mission pretended to be in them 3. Tho the King did Licence some Preachers to preach in any part of England yet the Bishops retained still their Authority of granting them within their own Diocesses 4. That which Mr. Varillas perhaps relates to in some parts of this Period is that under King Edward the Bishops were obliged to take out new Commissions from the King such as they had taken out under King Henry for holding their Bishopricks during the Kings pleasure This Bonner and some of the other Popish Bishops had first set on foot under King Henry hoping by so abject a Submission to gain much credit with him but Cranmer prevailed so far as to get this to be quickly laid aside And now all these things shew that our Author is still as careful as he was in his Citations XLII He pretends That Cranmer set out at this time a Catechism which inclined more to the Lutheran Doctrine upon which the Protector looked down upon him not thinking it fit to carry his displeasure farther Cranmer could not know to what the Protector 's coldness was to be ascribed but fancying that a further Declaration of
condemning men without hearing them was applied to himself so he was condemned and executed the 6. of Iuly his body being cut up as is usual to Traitors and Quartered And to justify all this he cites on the margin Cromwells Process But that Process or rather the Act of Parliament that condemned him is in print taken from the Record in which there is not one word of all this business of signing a League with Forreign Princes without the Kings orders 2. No such thing can be done according to our forms Amhassadours that have formal powers can sign Leagues but the Ministers about the King cannot bind him nor sign Leagues without him and no Prince would have either asked or accepted any such thing 3. All that is objected to Cromwell in his condemnation is so Inconsiderable that it is plain there was no great matter against him some Malversations and illegal Warrants some high boasting words is all that is to be found in his Attaindor 4. There was no such Law ever made for Parliaments do not make Laws with relation to their own proceedings but this practice was indeed begun not three moneths but a full year before this 5. Mr. Varillas is incurable in his venturing upon Dates for Cromwels Execution was not on the 6. but on the 18. of Iuly 6. Cromwel was only beheaded it is true the Hangman did it in a butcherly manner but all the rest is fiction and I am not much concerned whether Florimond or Mr. Varillas is the Contriver XXVIII He says Anne of Cleves was terrified with a Sentence of Death as being a Heretick and that She was so far wrought on by that as to become the Chief Instrument of her own Degradation for She confessed that She had promised Marriage to another before King Henry had pretended to her upon which her Marriage was dissolved and She was sent back to Germany I have already shewed the falsehood of this from the Sentence it self that dissolved the Marriage Nor did She ever go back to Germany but stayd still in England being contented with the appointments that were set off for her and with the honour of being made the King's adopted Sister which it seems was more supportable to her than to return to her own Countrey with the Infamy of such a Degradation which she indeed bore either with the constancy of a great Philosopher or with the insensibility of one that was extreamly stupid XXIX He tells us of a new project of a Reconciliation with the Pope in which he is so particular as to set down the Articles that were proposed and King Henry's Exceptions to them and he tells us at last That King Henry stood so much on the point of Honour that he thought it below his Dignity to make any Submission to the Pope All this is Fiction without the least proof for it does not appear that after that proposition that was made upon Anne Bullen's fall there was ever the least step made by either side in this matter Our Author had heard there was one made but not knowing where to place it his fancy rambled about Indeed the King was so much alienated from the Court of Rome that Gardiner and Knevet being sent Ambassadours to the Diet at this time one discovered to Knevet some secret Enterviews that had passed between Gardiner and the Legate which Gardiner considered as so great an Injury to him and as that which must have ruined him in the Kings spirit that he prosecuted the Informer as a Slanderer and got him to be put in Prison concerning which his Letters to the King are in print which shew clearly that there was no such Negotiation at this time on foot otherwise those secret Enterviews could not have been such offensive things XXX Mr. Varillas says That the K. who would not submit himself so far as to confess his Sins did a much meaner thing for he accused his Queen Katherine Howard to the Parliament for her disorders both before and after her Marriage with Thomas Culper and Francis Dirham and so her Head was cut off There are few Writers that do not at some time or other tell things true but Mr. Varillas must needs be an extraordinary person and commit such Errors as no other man ever did before him Catherine Howard's Incontinence was discovered and proved many moneths before the Parliament met nor would the King at all appear in the business as it is expresly mentioned in the Record It were too great an Honour to our Author to insist on such small Faults as that he names the Persons wrong XXXI Nor ought I to make any great Account of his Ignorance of our English Families since he calls Catherine Parre Sister to the Earl of Essex who was Sister to the Marquis of Northampton these things might indeed be forgiven him if it were not that he sets them down to shew how well he is informed even in the smallest matters which no doubt will make some Impression on Strangers who do not know our Affairs nor our Pedigrees XXXII He reproaches the Emperour for making a League with Henry against Francis notwithstanding his Schism But why might not Charles the fifth do the same thing that Francis had done for seven years together It is known that Francis was not so scrupulous as to decline the making of any League that might be to his Advantage not only with Schismaticks but even with Mahometans and some have been so malicious as to say that this is a maxim that some of his Successors have thought fit to keep up and put in practise against the House of Austria XXXIII Mr. Varillas tells us That Richer was appointed to set on the King of Denmark against England and that he represented to him that King Henry had taken occasion to come over to Picardy at the same time that Charles the fifth entred into Champaigne with a formidable Army and that K. Henry had besieged Bulloigne and tahen it therefore the K. of France resolved to make England the scene of the War and that since he knew the great pretensions that the Crown of Denmark had upon England which his Subjects had formerly conquered he thought the present conjuncture proper for the renewing these so he invited him to share with him and to accept the Provinces that lay over against Denmark while the French King should seise on those that lay nearer him Now it is to be considered that this was in the year 1542. as he warns us by his Margin and all this is founded as he told us in his Preface on Richers Negotiation of whose Relation he makes so great an account telling us both that he was the first that negotiated according to form with the Kings of the North and owning that he had drawn his thirteenth Book out of his Memoirs in which there are some things that by the order of time had belonged to his fifth Book but he had not seen those
was done by Somerset's direction yet he seemed offended when it was told him and sent for Latimer and ordered him to retract that which he had said concerning his Brother But Latimer reply'd boldly that he knew the Admiral had layd a design against the Kings Life which he thought himself bound to discover upon this the Duke of Somerset ordered the Iudges to take his deposition yet he threatned to proceed against him with the utmost severity if he were found to be a false Accuser Latimer had his Witnesses laid and the Conspiracy was proved upon which Somerset seemed to be very much troubled yet he said he must prefer the King's safety to all Considerations whatsoever so he signed a Warrant for his Brothers Imprisonment his process upon that was made and he was found guilty of High Treason and condemned to be quartered which was accordingly executed the 20. of March 1549. I do not know how it comes that in such a series of Falsehoods our Author has hit the date right but it is the only circumstance of this whole Recital that is true For 1. It is true Latimer in a Sermon at Court reflecting on the Atheism of some about the King described the Admiral who was a man that laughed at Religion but this had nothing to do with the State and nothing followed upon it 2. The Admiral had broke out the former year and thought to have made a Rent in the Parliament yet that had been made up and Somerset had made him a very considerable grant out of the Lands of the Crown but he laid his design next year deeper he bought Magasins of Arms and listed many men he intended to have carried away the King and had ordered much False Money to be coined so that all this being discovered he was clapt in the Tower yet a moneth past before the matters against him were brought in to the Parliament and during that time Somerset tryed if it was possible to bring him to a better mind but all was in vain 3. He was not tryed by a Common Court of Peers but was condemned by Act of Parliament 4. There was not a word said in the whole Process of any Design on the Kings Life on the contrary he had gained so much upon the young King that this gave the greatest jealousy of all 5. He was not quartered but only beheaded for the Original warrant for his Execution is yet extant in the Books of Council signed by all the Privy Councellours that mentions expresly that he should be beheaded and that his Head and Body should be buried in the Tower And now is not Mr. Varillas a very Credible Author LIV. Our Author sets down the Agony into which the Admiral 's Death threw his Wife and after he had turned this as Romantically as he could he makes her to dye so soon after her Husband that She was buried at the same time with him But if Mr. Varillas had seen the Articles upon which the Admiral was condemned he would have found that the Queen Dowager was dead long before for she died in the September preceding and as was suspected of poison and that after her death he had renewed his pretensions to the Kings second Sister Elisabeth which is reckoned among his Crimes as it was certainly a very great one and is it not now a great pity to see so tender a stroke in the Romance spoiled LV. Mr. Varillas tells us a long story of the Earl of Warwick's Designs to dismount Somerset for doing which the two occasions that presented themselves were First the taking of several Forts in the Bolognese and that as the English had often failed in observing the Law of Nations so the French treated them in the same manner and put all that they took Prisoners to the edge of the Sword that the English Souldiers who came over complained that the Forts that were lost could not be longer desended for want of Provisions that upon this Warwick advised some Malecontents to demand the calling of a Parliament and perswaded Somerset likewise to agree to it The other was a general Insurrection that was among the Commons of England against the Nobility upon which Warwick likewise pressed Somerset to call a Parliament So the Members were all chosen by the Earl of Warwicks Means There appeared before them more Accusers and Witnesses against the Duke of Somerset than was needful for destroying him upon which he was put in prison the 14. of October 1549. How it comes that Mr. Varillas has thus given two Dates one after another true amidst so much falsehood is that which amases me But the rest of this Section is writ in his ordinary strain Yet before I open that I will take the liberty to set down a passage relating to King Henry the Seconds invading the Bolognese which I have found in an Original Letter of the Councils writ to Sr. Philip Hobby tho Mr. Varillas will perhaps tell me upon it that I have done an irreparable Injury to the Memory of that King In that Letter that bears date the seventh of September 1549. and is signed by the Duke of Somerset and seven other Councellors they write That the King of France had corrupted two that had the Charge of one of the Forts which was by that means lost and this occasioned the loss of the other Forts they were surprised with this Invasion for on the 20. of July last the French King had promised to their Ambassadour par la foy d'un Gentilhomme that he would not make War without giving warning first and yet he having heard of the Progress of the Insurrections that were in the several parts of England broke his word four days after he made it That was indeed thought strange in those dayes but in our days it would not appear extraordinary since we have seen promises publickly made and broken in the very time in which they were made But now to return to Mr. Varillas 1. He forgot to mention the Western Rebellion that hapned a little before that rising of the Commons against the Gentry tho this was not kindly done of him since it was by his Friends the Zealous Catholicks who declared openly that the change made in Religion was the reason of their rising 2. There was no demand made of a Parliament nor was there any need of calling or choosing one for there was one then on foot running in a Prorogation 3. Those Insurrections were all quieted before there was any opposition made to the Duke of Somerset's Government 4. He was not at all questioned in Parliament but in Council for the greatest part of the Councellors went to London and joyned with the City to demand the King out of his hands whom he had carried to Windsor and he finding that he was not able to stand against so strong a party submitted himself to them upon which he was not only turned out of his Protectorship but was also sent to the
Tower And is not Mr. Varillas a fit person to undertake the writing of History who does not know the most Publick and the most Important transactions of those times LVI The next time that Mr. Varillas returns to English Affairs he tells us that Dudley Earl of Warwick made head against the Duke of Somerset and threw him out of the Government clapt him in prison and cut off his Head according to form Now I lookt over and over again to see if there was an a linea here because there was an Interval of two years between for the Duke of Somerset came again into a share in the Government with the rest and was not beheaded before Ianuary 1552. above two year after this Mr. Varillas had excused the like Error in another place by telling me that he had begun a linea And so by that I should have known that there was an Interval of two years but that being omitted here I hope he will forgive my taking notice of it LVII After this he gives a long Negotiation between Dudley now Duke of Northumberland and the Court of France which I must conclude to be all a Fiction for I never saw the least mark of any thing like it in all the Papers of that time There is in this a lovely dash of a Pen in the character of Mr. de Novailles which no doubt Mr. Varillas hopes will draw him some Recompence from his Heirs It is the greatest that can possibly be given but it is certain that it is as true as the other things that our Author gives out so liberally he says that his foresight went so far that the first advance that those who treated with him made was sufficient to make him discover that which lay hid in their Intentions what care soever they took to disguise them But I allow him to go on in such excessive praises only I wish he were a little less excessive in something else that I will not name LVIII He pretends here That both King Edward 's Sisters Elisabeth as well as Mary made open Profession of the Catholick Religion The contrary to this is so well known that tho it was often objected to Queen Elisabeth that she had dissembled her Religion in her Sister Queen Mary's time it was never so much as once objected to her that she had professed Popery in King Edward's time LIX After a series of things that are equally true and pertinent he tells us that when the D. of Northumberland got the Marriage of Jean Grey for his Son Guilford her two Sisters were married to the Earles of Pembrok and Huntington But I have warned him not to medle with Genealogies yet nothing will prevail upon him The Duke of Northumberland married his second Daughter to the Earl of Huntington his eldest having married to Sidney the Earl of Leicester's Ancestor in whose Arms King Edward dyed Lady Iean Gray's second Sister was indeed marryed to the Earl of Pembrok's eldest Son and her third Sister that was crooked was married to one Keyes an ordinary Gentleman LX. He says upon this nothing remained for the Duke of Northumberland to do but to forge a Testament for King Edward by which both his Sisters and the Queen of Scotland were excluded from the Succession his Sisters as being both Bastards and the Queen of Scotland because born out of the Kingdom so that the Succession came to the Dutchess of Suffolk's Daughters All this with all the other particulars mentioned by Mr. Varillas which are too many to be set down are all false In the Declaration that King Edward made there is no special exclusion of his Sisters or of the Queen of Scots tho they are in effect excluded the Daughters of Suffolk being declared the next Heirs 2. This was not done by a Testament but by a Declaration made in Council all writ with the King 's own Hand upon which an Act of Council was also signed by all the Board and then Letters Patents were passed under the Seal conform to it 3. There was no possibility of Forgery here for it was done too solemnly to admit of that and here I will publish the discovery that I have made in that matter since I writ my History The Original Paper all writ with K. Edward's own Hand and the original Act of Council signed by all the Council have come into my Hands and as I kept them long enough by me to shew them to many persons so I have thought fit to publish them here as Papers that are extremely curious and I would gladly do somewhat that may be a better entertainment to the Reader than the constant discovery of a series of Errors which come so thick one upon another that there is not any one part sound K. EDWARD'S Device for the Succession FOr lack of Issue Male of my Body to the Issue Male coming of the Issue female as I have after declared to the Lady Francis's Heirs Males if She have any for lack of such Issue before my death to the L. Iane and her Heir's Males to the L. Katherine's Heir 's Males to the L. Marie's Heir 's Males to the Heirs Males of the Daughters which She shall have hereafter then to the L. Marget's Heir 's Males for lack of such Issue to the Heir's Males of the Lady Ianes Daughters to the Heirs Males of the L. Katherin's Daughters and so forth till you come to the L. Marget's Heir 's Males 2. If after my death the Heir Male be entred into 18. year old then he to have the whole Rule and Governance thereof 3. But if he be under 18. then his Mother to be Governess till he enter 18. year old but to do nothing without the Advice and Agreement of six parcel of a Council to be pointed by my Last Will to the number of twenty 4. If the Mother dye before the Heir enter into 18. the Realm to be governed by the Council provided that after he be 14. year all great matters of importance be opened to him 5. If I died without Issue and there were none Heir Male then the Lady Francis to be Governess Regent for lack of her her eldest Daughters and for lack of them the L. Marget to be Governess after as is aforesaid till some Heir Male be born and then the Mother of that Child to be Governess 6. And if during the Rule of the Governess there dye four of the Council then shall She by her Letters call an Assembly of the Council within one month following and choose four more wherein She shall have three Voices but after her death the 16. shall choose among themselves till the Heir come to 14. year old and then he by their Advise shall choose them The Order of King EDWARD the Sixth and of his Privy Council concerning the Succession to the Crown EDWARD WE whose Hands are underwritten having heretofore many times heard the Kings Majesty our most gracious
the King would not accept of the Present â—hat was offered him by the Clergy unâ—ess they would likewise give him that Title Now it is agreed on by all that â—is submission was past by the whole Convocation unanimously Fisher â—eing the only man that stood out a â—hile but even he at last concurred â—ith the rest And Pool was at that 〈◊〉 Dean of Exeter and so he was a â—ember of the Convocation he also â—â—joyed his Deancy several years after â—is so that it cannot be imagined â—â—at the King would have let him go 〈◊〉 of England and have allowed 〈◊〉 a good benefice for supporting 〈◊〉 in his Studies if he had set himâ—â—â—f so vigorously to oppose him in a â—â—â—ter that touched him so near III. Mr. Varillas tells us that in the 〈◊〉 1536. the King made a Law obliging his Subjects to continue firm in the six principal Points which the Hereticks disputed most And to put his Reader out of doubt as to this matter he cites the Acts of Parliament for that year But Chronology is a study too low for so sublime a Writer and therefore since he thought the Fable would go on the better if this Law were puâ— in this year he would needs Anticipateâ— three years and put a Law that pasâ— not before the year 1539. in the yeaâ— 1536. but in this he followed his Sanders or which is all one his Florimonâ—â— de Raimond exactly IV. He reckons up the six Articles it seems as others had done before him but it is certain he never looked into our Acts of Parliament for as they would have set him righâ— as to the year so they would havâ— shewed him that the sixth Article diâ— not at all mention the seven Sacramentâ— and as to Auricular Confession it 〈◊〉 only decreed that it was expedient 〈◊〉 necessary and that it ought to be retaâ—ned in the Church For upon this theâ—â— was a great dispute most of the Cleâ—gy endeavouring to carry the matlâ—â— so far as to declare Confession necessary by the Law of God but King Henry would not consent to that and there is a long Letter yet extant all writ with his own hand in which he argues this matter liker a learned Divine than a great King V. He tells us that Arch-bishop Cranmer conferred all Benefices in the quality of Vicar General of the Church of England and that he disputed with Jesus Christ the Institution of four Sacraments But neither the one nor the other is true for he gave no Benefices but those of his own Diocess and as for his expression of disputing with Iesus Christ the Institution of four Sacraments I pass it as a Sublime of our Author 's yet even the thing is false all the ground for it is that in the first part of the Erudition of a Christian-man that was set out this year no mention was made of these four Sacraments but they were all set forth some years after this when that work was finished VI. He says that upon this the zealous Catholicks of England concluded that the King himself leaned to Heresy and that the Provinces of Lincoln and Northumberland Cambridge-Shire York-Shire and Durresm were the first that revolted and made up a body more than 50000. men Here Mr. Varillas shews us still how well he likes Rebellion by giving those Rebels no worse name than that of Zealous Catholicks and here he gives us the accomplishment of the Cardinal de Bellay's threatnings but one would have thought that a Writer who resolved to dedicate his Book to the King should have softned this part a little otherwise a Zealous Protestant may be naturally carried to make the Inference that if the Fears of the change of Religion in England might carry Catholicks to Rebel on whom no worse Character is bestowed than that of Zealous why may not Protestants oppressed and ruined contrary to the faith of irrevocable Edicts claim the same priviledge His laying of Lincoln-shire and Northumberland together and then returning to Cambridg-Shire and going back to York-Shire shews how well he knows the situation of our â—Counies and he instead of Lanca-Shire and Westmorland has out of his store put Northumberland and Cambridge-Shire in the Rebellion he also represents this rising only as a beginning whereas these were the only Counties that rebelled nor did they ever joyn together for those of Lincoln-Shire were suppressed within that County before the rising in York-Shire VII He says The King ordered the Dukes of Northfolk and Suffolk to go to the Rebels and to promise them all that they demanded upon which these Dukes undertook this Message and went to the Rebels Camp with all the shews of Humility that could have been expected from the most abject of the vanquished they desired them to put their Complaints in writing and when they saw them they thought them very just and signed a Treaty with them in the Kings Name by which they obliged him to redress all the Innovations that had been made in matters of Religion and with this they satisfied those who were in Arms who were so foolish as to lay down their Arms upon the faith of this Treaty yet the King after he had thus dispersed them did not trouble himself much with the keeping of his word to them but as he knew the names of the chief Instruments of this Sedition so he put them all in prison at several times upon some pretended Crimes with which they were charged and soon after they were proceeded against according to the forms of Law and not one of them escaped death either in secret or in publick By this Relation of this Affair one would think that the King sent those Dukes as Supplicants to the Rebels but they went both of them at the Head of the Kings Troops and both to different Armies 2. They were so far from promising every thing in the Kings Name that the Kings Answers to their Demands are yet extant in which he treats them as Brute Beasts that medled themselves in things that they did not understand the King told them their duty was to obey and not to command and that he would not at all be advised by them He did indeed promise a Pardon of what was past to those who should return to their duty but lie would not alter any thing at their sute 3. Our Author did not know that this Rebellion was after the suppression of the lesser Monasteries and that this was one of the Chief of their Grievances otherwise he had embelished it no doubt 4. He taxes them of Imprudence for trusting the Kings promises but one would have expected that in a Reign of so much submission as this is he should have rather shewed their Fidelity and Loyalty that made them so easily believe a Kings word but it seems Mr. Varillas thinks it is a piece of Imprudence to rely too much on that 5. A Prince's breaking his Faith is a thing that needs no aggravation
he made Cromwel Great Chamberlain and created him Earl of Essex and made his Son a Lord. But this is so false that the King from the time he saw Anne of Cleve had an aversion for her and intended once to have sent her away without Marrying her and after he had married her he told Cromwel how much he disliked her and that he believed She was no Maid and that her person was loathsom so that he believed he should never be able to consummate the Marriage so that Cromwel had rather reason to apprehend that this proving so unhappy it would be his Ruin He was not made Earl of Essex till the April following so that as this Marriage was too unlucky to do him any service it seems it did not hurt him much neither XXII He shews us how well he understands our Constitutions when he says That the Subsidy granted the King was a Tenth and the Fourth part of a fifteenth whereas it was a Tenth and Four Fifteenths XXIII He says That Cromwel having met with some Opposition by three members of Parliament who were the Bishop of Chichester Dr. Wilson and Frammer a Merchant he charged some false Crimes on them and put them in prison but he proceeded more severely against John Nevil Knight of the Garter for he subordned false Witnesses against him so that he was beheaded 1. The Bishop of Chichester comply'd with every thing that was done in Parliament as appears by the Journal of the House of Lords but some Correspondence that he held with the Court of Rome being discovered about this time he was put in prison but upon his submission he was set at Liberty 2. Wilson being a Clergy-man could not be of the House of Commons and he was no Bishop so that he could not be a Member of either House but he was clapt up as a Compsice of the Bishop of Chichester's and likewise set at liberty with him Frammer is not named there is indeed one Grunceter a Merchant named who was condemned of Treason a year before this 3. There was one Sr. Edward Nevil a Knight tho not of the Garter who was indeed condemned and executed a year before this but it was for being in a Confederacy with Cardinal Pool and more particularly for having said that the King was a Beast and worst than a Beast God only knows whether the Witnesses swore true or false against him XXIV He tells us That Câ—omwel to fill up the measure of his Iniquities got a Law to be made by which he might easily dispatch all those who should oppose his Designs which was that any man condemned in absence without being heard to justify himself either in person or by proxy should be esteemed as justly condemned as if it had been done in the common form Here is indeed the great blemish of of King Henry's Reign and of Cromwel's Ministry but it is told in such a manner by Mr. Varillas that it appears to be no extraordinary thing as he relates it 1. There was no Law made about this it was only practised by the Parliament as the Legislative Body without giving the common Courts of Judicature the power of using it 2. The Condemning men in Absence has been always practised by our Law when the Absence was wilful and if Mr. Varillas accuses the putting men to death upon such a Sentence it may probably be supposed to be an effect of his aversion to the King of England and put here on design to aggravate the Execution of Sr. Thomas Armstrong and the Duke of Monmouth who were the two last that suffered being condemned in absence 3. The Heinousness of this matter which our Author shews he understood not consists in this that men who were in prison were condemned upon the examination of Witnesses against them without confronting them with their Witnesses or bringing them to answer for themselves now tho this was taken from the Holy Courts of Inquisition and was only put in practise by the Parliament it self yet I will not go about to soften much less to justify a practice so contrary to the most Indispensable Rules of Equity and Morality XXV He says K. Henry being sooner disgusted at Anne of Cleve than he had been of his other Wives dissolved the Marriage for two reasons the one was that she was Incapable of having children and the other was her Heresy to which the English Writers that favour Henry add two others the one that those of the League of Smalcald would not receive the English into their Vnion and the other that K. Henry's Interests were then changed to these four reasons he adds a fifth that She had not that engaging Temper that was necessary to charm Henry 1. It is a strange thing to see an Historian mistake every thing and that there should not be one single part of his work sound The sentence annulling the K's Marriage with Anne of Cleve is printed according to the Record yet extant in which as there is not one of all the reasons mentioned by Mr. Varillas so there are other Reasons that would have given him much better grounds to have censured this Action than those he sets up chiefly the second which is that K. Henry had not given an inward clear perfect and entire consent to the Marriage which I had laid open with the Indignation that so unjust a practice ought to raise in an Historian since here a ground was laid down by which all Faith and Commerce among men is quite destroyed so ill instructed was Mr. Varillas that tho he had a mind to write a Satyr against K. Henry he did not know where to take the true Advantages that a man better Informed would have found if he writes Panegyricks as he does Satyrs Mr. Varillas will still be Mr. Varillas XXVI He pretends that Cromwell would not so far comply with the King's aversion to Anne of Cleves as to concur with him in the Divorce which drew on him his Ruin His testimony was the fullest proof that the King made use of for obtaining the Divoce but whether he consented to it or not it cannot be known if he refused to do it he was so much the worthier man XXVII He tells us a long story of the different Interests to which K. Henry was leaning at last he says that Cromwellsigned a League in the Kings name with the German Princes which some say he did without the Kings knowledge thâ— others say the contrary upon which the Emperours Ambassadours reproached the King with it but the King denying it the discovery was made and after a dressing up of the scene with more of his Visions it ends in this That Cromwell was put in Prison yet he hoped to have justified himself for this Treaty if he had been brought to make his Defence but many other things besides this were laid to his charge and the Law that he had procured to be passed three moneths before this of
Memoirs when he writ his first Volum therefore his Reader must forgive him if there is any disorder in the recital that he gives and now from all this one would he disposed to believe that there is some truth in this matter and that he has really such a Book of Memoirs in his hands but I need give no other proof to shew that all this is Imposture save that Bulloign was not taken before the 18. of September 1544. so that all this Negotiation of Richers in 1542. must have been by the spirit of Prophesy 2. The state of Denmark at that time must make this project appear very ridiculous since they were far from being in a condition to set out great fleets and make Conquests 3. At this time Francis did indeed engage the King of Scotland to make an Invasion into the North of England which was a more reasonable project and that which our Author might have more justly guess't at tho he had known nothing of it for it was an easy thing to engage the Scots to fall into England but that was too true and too natural therefore our Author who loves to elevate and surprise his Reader would needs despise the Project in Scotland and so would carry it over to Denmark 4. It is also no less clear that Francis was at that time in no condition to make a descent upon England otherwise he used the Scots very ungratefully for tho he had engaged them in the war yet he left them to be overrun by the English without giving K. Henry any considerable diversion 5. But our Authors setting on the King of Denmark to renew pretensions of five hundred year old is of a piece with the Law at Metz and when England will examin its Ancient pretensions to some Provinces in a neighbouring Kingdom as it needs not go so far back so it will not be put to found them on hostile descents and depredations which was all the pretension that the Crown of Denmark could ever claim but on clear and undisputed Rights tho I confess they have been both discontinued and renounced but I build on the modern Law that neither Prescriptions Treaties nor Oaths can cut off the Rights of a Crown which are sacred and Inalienable Thus I have gone over his third Tome and I think I have missed nothing that relates to English affairs I confess I may have passed over some particulars that may perhaps lie Involved in other Relations as this of Richers had almost escaped me I have turned all his leaves over and over again to see for any thing that might relate to England But I could not prevail with my self to read him all for I am now past the Age of reading Romances XXXIV Mr. Varillas begins his discourse concerning English Affairs in his fourth Tome with a Character of K. Henry's cruelty that deserves indeed to be put in Capitals he says that during his Sickness his Conscience had time to reproach him with the 2. Cardinals the 3. Archbishops the 18. Bishops the 14. Arch deacons the 500. Priests Abbots and Priors the 60. Canons and 50. Doctors 12. Dukes Earles or Barons 29. Knights 336. Gentlemen and almost an Infinite number of people whom he had put to death for establishing his Primacy over the Church of England And because all this was so remarkable he would not put the numbers in Ciphers but in words at large and by the exactness of his small numbers a man that is not aquainted with his Talent would be tempted to think this might be true but what will he say if of all those ten Items besides the great Et cetera of the Infinit number there is not one that is either true or near truth 1. Fisher was the only person that can be called a Cardinal that was put to death 2. There was not one Archbishop that suffered and tho the Archbishop of York concurred in the Yorkshire Rebellion yet the King included him in the Indemnity 3. There was not one Bishop that suffered unless he subdivides Fisher as he did Charles the fifth and makes both a Cardinal and a Bishop out of him 4. There is not an Archdeacon to be found among all that died in this Reign 5. For the 500 Priests Abbots and Priors there were only 9. Abbots 3. Priors 18. Priests and 9. Monks that suffered which according to my Arithmetick makes only 39 but an Imagination that multiplies as Mr. Varillas's does can swell this up to 500. 6. There is but one among all that suffered that can be thought a Canon Crofts that is designed in the Record Chancellor of Exeter 7. There is but one Doctor unless Fisher comes into the account again 8. All of the Nobility that were executed during this reign were one Duke a Marquis 3. Earls and 3. Lords which make 8. but this comes the nearest his number yet since the Marquis that suffered was K. Henry's Cosen german he might have put Marquises among the degrees of the Peers that he reckons up as well as the rest 9. There were only ten Knights that were put to death so the 19. more are of his creating 10. There are ouly 33. others that suffered of which some were only Yeomen to make up his 336. Gentlemen and now I have set down the list exactly of all that died by the hand of justice in this Reign so that there is not a man left for his c. of almost an Infinite number of people But besides this all these except only 12. persons suffered either for being in actual Rebellion or for entring into Conspiracies for the raising of one so small was the number of those who suffered for denying the Kings Supremacy and even of these a distinction is to be considered which I must explain because some have fancied that I had contradicted my self in different parts of my History having said in some places that none suffered for not acknowledging the Kings Supremacy and having set forth in other places that men died for denying it But the refusing to swear the Oath of supremacy was only punishable at first with a Premunire that is loss of liberty and Goods so that those who suffered were not condemned for refusing to swear that Oath but for their having spoken against the Supremacy now the refusing to swear it and the speaking against it are two different things which some have confounded It is true afterwards a Law was made declaring it to be High Treason to refuse to swear the Supremacy But no man ever suffered upon that Law for no man ever refused it after that Law was made And thus we see what we may expect from our Author after such a beginning XXXV He says King Henry seemed to repent of what he had done when he was near death and that he spake with Gardiner concerning it who upon that advised him to call a Parliament But the Falsehood of this is too visible for there was a Parliament then sitting which
Soveraign Lord's earnest Desire and express Commandment touch-the Limitation of the Succession in the Imperial Crown of this Realm and others his Majesties Realms and Dominions and having seen His Majesty's own Devise touching the said Succession first wholy written with His most Gracious Hand and after copied out in His Majesty's presence by His most high Commandment and confirmed with the Subscription of His Majesties own Hand and by His Highness delivered to certain Judges and other learned men to be written in full order do by His Majesty's special and absolute Commandment eftsoons given us agree and by these presents signed with our Hands and sealed with our Seales promise by our Oaths and Honours to observe fully perform and keep all and every Article Clause Branch and Matter contained in the said Writing delivered to the Judges and others and superscribed with His Majesty's Hand in six several places and all such other matter as His Majesty by his Last Will shall appoint declare or command touching or concerning the Limitation of the Succession of the said Imperial Crown And we do further promise by His Majesty's said Commandment never to vary or swerve during our lives from the said Limitation of the Succession but the same shall to the uttermost of our powers defend and maintain And if any of us or any other shall at any time hereafter which God forbid vary from this Agreement or any part thereof We and every of us do assent to take use and repute him for a Breaker of the Common Concord Peace and Unity of this Realm and to do our uttermost to see him or them so varying or swearving punished with most sharp punishments according to their deserts T. Cant. T. Ely Cane Winchester Northumberland I. Bedford H. Suffolk W. Northâ— F. Shrewsbury F. Huntington Pembroke E. Clynton T. Darcy G. Cobham R. Ryche T. Chene Iohn Gate William Petre. Iohn Cheek W. Cecil Edward Mountague Iohn Baker Edward Gryffin Iohn Lucas Iohn Gosnald By these Evidences it will appear that what Faults soever may be charged on the Memory of the Duke of Northumberland this of forging King Edward's Testament is none of them LXI He says the D. of Northumberland obliged all Mary and Elisabeth 's Friends to abandon them and made them be kept as close Prisoners in Hunsden-Castle as if they had been Criminals But these two Sisters were never so good Friends as to live together 2. They were both so free with their Families that Princess Mary was on her way to see King Edward and on the road she met the news of his Death LXII He says It was five moneths past from the time of Northumberland 's Son's marrying L. Jean Gray when K. Edward died on the sixth of Iuly There was but five weeks past for they were married in the beginning of Iune but on what day of Iune it is not certain for ought I know LXIII He tells us that Northumberland concealed King Edwards death as long as he could and that some days after that Jean Gray made a magnificent Entry thro London and then came on the War with Queen Mary But this whole business lasted only nine dayes from whence it is thought that the English Proverb of a Nine days wonder took its beginning So he ought to manage this time a little better Indeed this Phantasm of Lady Iean Gray as it disappeared soon so it never had force enough to pretend to any Magnificence two dayes after King Edward's Death she was conveyed secretly to the Tower of London out of which she never came for after a weeks Pageantry of her Queenship she was kept there till her Head was cut off LXIV Mr. Varillas who will always discover the secretest springs of mens thoughts pretends to tell us that the ground of the hatred that the Nation bore to the Duke of Northumberland was his rendring of Bulloigne to the French And here he tells us in his way that is with an equal measure of Ignorance and Presumption the various Reflections that the English made on that â—â—tter But as for the rendring of â—â—lloigne it was indeed necessary since 〈◊〉 Forts that covered it had been taâ—â—n and this having fallen out during â—â—merset's Ministry the blame of this â—â—ss was laid wholly on him 2. There â—â—ere several Sessions of Parliament afâ—â—r that rendition which fell out imâ—ediately upon the Duke of Somerset's all and a new one was called in the â—â—d of this Reign yet no complaint â—as ever made in Parliament upon â—â—at head 3. The Duke of Northumâ—erland was less guilty of it than any of 〈◊〉 Ministry for when the Emperour â—â—efused to assist them the Ministry 〈◊〉 that a War with France and Scotâ—â—nd was too great a load upon them 〈◊〉 a Minority in which their only â—onsiderable Ally failed them so that â—hey resolved to make a Peace by the endring of Bulloigne yet tho the Duke â—f Northumberland saw this could not â—e opposed he absented himself for â—ome days from Council and so did not â—â—gn the Peace with the other Privy Councellors who signed it and of which the Original Order was long in my Hands For the Original Couâ—â—cil-Book in which all the most Impoâ—â—tant Resolutions were signed by tâ—â— whole Board had fallen into privaâ—â— hands and was presented to me bâ—â— I delivered it in to the Clerks of tâ—â— Privy Council to be preserved by theâ— with the care that is due to the moâ—â— Authentical Remain of the last Agâ— 4. But as Mr. Varillas tells a faâ—â— ground of the Aversion that the Eâ—â—glish had to the Duke of Northumbeâ—â—land so he did not know the true one tho they are mentioned by all our Aâ—thors He was excessively haughty aâ—â—violent he was believed to be a man 〈◊〉 no Religion It was generally though that he had destroyed the Duke of Sâ—â—merset by false Witnesses he had noâ— excluded the right Heirs of the Crowâ— to set up his own Son and which wâ—â— beyond all the rest in the spirits of thâ— people it was generally believed thâ—â— King Edward was poisoned by his dâ—â—rections and here are grounds of a general dislike that were a little betteâ— founded than that feigned one for thâ— delivering up of Bulloigne three yeaâ— before but a man that will needs bâ— Writer of History in spite of so proâ—â—nd an Ignorance must ramble about 〈◊〉 conjectures and if he has as little â—â—dgment as sincerity he must make â—â—ch as Mr. Varillas does LXV He tells us that immediatly â—â—n King Edward's death â—orthumberland sent a body 〈◊〉 Horse to seise on Queen â—ary But here his Memory failed â—n too soon for he had but six paâ—s before said that both She and her â—â—ster Elisabeth were kept close prisoâ—â—rs in Hunsden so there was no ocâ—sion for seising on her person LXVI He tells us that Petre Seâ—â—tary to the D. of Northumâ—â—rland who was a Catholick â—â—he had pretended to be a Calâ—â—nist that so he might