Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	law_n	life_n	power_n	7,966	5	5.2131	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02858	The life, and raigne of King Edward the Sixt Written by Sr. Iohn Hayward Kt. Dr. of Lawe.	Hayward, John, Sir, 1564?-1627.; Vaughan, Robert, engraver.	1630 (1630)	STC 12998; STC 12997a.5; ESTC S122951	125,151	202

MAIESTY THE LIFE AND RAIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE SIXT Written by S ● Iohn Hayward 〈◊〉 D r. of Lawe London ●…inted for Iohn Partridge and are to 〈◊〉 sold at the signe of the Sunne in Paules Churchyard POWER Courteous Reader THis noble Prince whose Storie is here deliuered seemes to haue had the same aduersitie of fortune in his life and death which he had at his birth For as he was destituted of the helpes of nature at his entrance and was faine to haue his way made into the world with a knife so in his life was there continuall imployment of either Sword or Axe of that either at home against his Rebells or against his enemies abroad of this vpon his Nobles and particularly vpon his owne vncles by the mothers side of which the Duke of Somerset's case is very remarkable As his birth was violent and his reigne troublesome so was his death praemature not without suspicion of some practice of which besides vulgar rumour Cardan in calculating his scheme seemes to haue some iealous coniecture For whether he diuined it by his art in Astrology or apprehended it by the course and carriage of businesse hee made a dangerous praediction when hee foresaw that the King should shortly dye a violent death and as he reporteth fled out of the kingdome for feare of further danger Howsoeuer he was as noble a branch as euer sprung out of the Royall stocke worthy if so it had seemed good to God of a more fauourable birth a quieter reigne and a longer life But as the notable accidents in his tumultuous times doe deserue to be recorded so doth the King himselfe for his sweet condition for his minde as innocent as his yeares for his rare endowments well deserue to be commended to euerlasting memory that he may bee permanent so much the longer in the life of an history by how much the threed of his naturall life was cut shorter by the Fates And indeed as he had the birth of Caesar so had he beene worthy to haue had the fortune and fame of Caesar but a better conclusion This history is left vs from the pen of a worthy Author of whom we haue another essay in Henry the fourth This comes out into the world after the death of the father a Posthumus and is not like to finde any Patron but the loue and affection of thee fauourable Reader to which I commend it and thee to God THE LIFE AND RAIGNE OF K. EDVVARD THE SIXTH EDWARD K. of England the sixth of that name of the Norman Race was borne at Hampton court the 17 of October 1537. being the only surviving sonne of K. Henry the 8. by Iane his third wife daughter to S r. Iohn Seymer Knight And because K. Henry did take her to wife after the death of Katherine his first wife from whom he had beene divorced no question nor conceit was cast but that this Issue betweene them had right to succeede All reports do constantly runne that he was not by naturall passage delivered into the world but that his mothers body was opened for his birth and that shee dyed of the incision the fourth day following After which sort men brought forth were by the ancient Romanes esteemed fortunate and commonly proved great enterpris●…rs with happy successe For so Plinie writeth Auspicatius enecta matre nascuntur sicut Scipio Africanus prior natus These were called Caesones and afterwards Caesares as Plime Festus Pompeius Solinus and Titius Probus affirme Quia caeso matris vtero in lucem 〈◊〉 In this maner was Caeso Fabius borne whom Livy reporteth to haue beene thrice Consull first with Lucius Aemilius next with Sp. Furius and thirdly with T. Uirginius Thus also was Scipio borne who by reason of his braue atchieuements in Africke was surnamed Scipio Africanus prior But in that Plinie affirmeth that he was the first who was called Caesar à caeso matris vtero he seemeth to haue made a slippe ●…or before him and somewhat before the warres with the Samnites one Claudius was surnamed Caesar because he was in that fashion brought into the world In ancient times these births were esteemed sacred to Apollo as Servius noteth out of these words in Uirgill I●…de Lycham ferit exectum cum matre perempta tibi Phoebe sacrum And therefore Aesculapius because he was ripped from his mothers wombe was feigned to be the sonne of Apollo as Servius vpon another place of Uirgill hath observed For this cause also in the ancient state of Rome things consecrated to Apollo were kept by the familie of the Caesars That Iulius Caesar was so borne it is an vncontrouled Report But that he was the first of the familie of Caesars who was so either named or borne It is a thicke mistie error supported chiefly by some men of excellent iudgement in their owne professions but childishly vnskilfull in anything besides Plinie writeth that his Father was surnamed Caesar who having borne the office of Praetor determined his life by suddaine death What would haue beene either the fortunes or endeavours of K. EDWARD he never attained to yeares of proofe Assuredly both for the time of his age and raigne he is rather to bee admired then commended whereby he raised an high expectation for times to ensue In one point hee was like the like borne Iulius Caesar. For as Caesar in the middest of his greatest actions wrote an exact and curious Commentary of all his notable enterprises by Armes So this Edward during all the time of his Raigne but most especially towards the end kept a most iudicious Iournall of all the most principall passages of the affaires of his estate These memorialls written with K. Edwards hand which now shall be the ground of this historie were imparted vnto me by the great Treaserer of English antiquities S. Robert Cotton Knight Baronet who as he hath beene a most industrious both collector and conseruer of choice peeces in that kinde so is he most ingenuously free to communicate the vse of them to others This young Prince was brought vp among nurses vntill he arriued to the age of sixe yeares when he had passed this weake and sappi●… age he was committed to D r Cox●… who after was his Almoner M. Iohn Cheeke men of meane birth But so well esteemed for virtue and learning by reason of the place of their employment that they might well besaid to be borne of themselues These having equall authority for instruction of the young Prince and well agreeing bare equall stroake in divers faculties D r Coxe for knowledge of Divinity Philosophy and gravitie of manners M ● Cheeke for eloquence in the Latine and Greeke tongues But for other sufficiencies so farre as it appeares by the bookes which hee wrote Pedantique enough Others also were appointed to acquaint him with the vse of the most respected forraigne languages all iointly endevouring to infuse into him knowledge and vertue by some

as of meane birth so prone to thrust forwards the ruine of great persons in this manner spake vnto them I am not ignorant into what aduenture I now plunge my selfe in speaking against a man both high in honour and great in fauour both with the King and many of the people But my duty prevailing against respect of danger I will plainly declare the discontentments of the Lords of his Maiesties counsaile haue already conceiued against the actions past of the Lorde Protector as also their fears touching matters to ensue that with your aide they may in good time happily remedy the one and remoue the other assuring you all that as I will not vtter any thing falsly so will I forbeare to tell many truths And first to touch vpon his open ambition with what good reason or purpose thinke wee did he being a man of many imperfections as want of eloquence personage learning or good wit aspire to the great offices of gouerning all affaires of state sit for none but whom God hath fauoured with fitting graces And albeit these defects might haue beene well supplied by sufficiency of others of the counsaile yet was hee so peeuishly opiniatiue and proud that he would neither aske nor heare the advice of any but was absolutely ruled by the obstinate and imperous woman his wife whose ambitious and mischieuous will so guided him in the most weighty affaires of the realme that albeit he was counsailed by others what was best yet would he doe quite contrary least he should seeme to need their aduice And yet this was not enough as auarice and ambition haue neuer enough but to adde dignity to authority and to make sure that as no man should as in power so in title surmount him he would be aduanced to the Degree of Duke of Somerset which hath alwaies beene a title for one of the kings sonns inheritable to the crowne And albeit it may seeme a light matter to speake of bribery and extortion against him yet his robberies and oppressions haue beene such that no man would willingly haue adventured to commit them vnlesse he thought by treason so to assure himselfe as he could not be called to answere for them For he hath laid his rauenous hands vpon the Kings treasure and Iewels left by his Father which were knowne to be of an inestimable value that it might well be said euen as he had giuen forth that K. Henry died a very poore prince and had beene vtterly shamed in case he had liued one quarter of a yeare longer Then also what hauocke hath he made of the Kings lands and inheritance What sales and exchanges vpon pretence of necessity And yet what a high deale hath he transported to himselfe Without regard of others who haue emploied their trauailes estates in seruice of the King of his deceased Father What artes hath he vsed to spend those spare himself against the time of his mischievous purpose How greedily how insatiably hath he neuer ceased the whilest to rake gleane mony together What shamefull sale of offices preferments hath he made nothing regarding the worthinesse of the person but the worth and weight of the gift Betraying thereby the administration of the realme into the hands both of worthlesse and corrupt men To speake nothing the whilest of his minte at Duresme place erected vsed for his priuate profit To speake nothing of the great Boutisale of colledges and chantries to speake nothing of all his other particular pillages all which were so farre from satisfying his bottomles desires that he proceeded to fleece the whole Commonwealth to cut and pare it to the very quicke For vnder colour of warre which either his negligence drew on or his false practises procured he leuied such a subsidie vpon the whole realme as neuer was asked a greater at once which should not haue needed albeit the warres had beene iust in case he had not imbereled the Kings treasure as he did for besides he extorted money by way of loane from all men who were supposed to haue it and yet left the Kings souldiers and servants vnpaid But in all these pretended necessities how profuse was he in his priuate expences Carrying himselfe rather as fitting his owne greatnesse then the common good How did he riot surfeit vpon vaine hopes as if new supply for wast would neuer want What treasures did he bury in his sumptuous buildings And how foolish and fancifull were they A fit man forsooth to gouerne a realme who had so goodly gouernment in his owne estate All these things as there are but few but know so we may be assured that hee neuer durst haue committed halfe of them with a minde to haue remained a subiect vnder the law and to be answerable for his actions afterwards but did manifestly intend to heape his mischiefs with so high a treason as he might climbe aboue his soveraigne and stand sure beyond reach of law And for inducement to this his traiterous designe he suborned his seruants and certaine preachers to spread abroad the praises of his government with as much abasing the noble King Henry as without impudence they could deuise Following therein the practises of K. Richard the tyrant by deprauing the Father to honour the sonne to extinguish the loue of the people to the young King by remembring some imperfections of his Father which example both traiterous and vnnaturall who doubts but his heart was ready to follow whose heart was ready to defame his father and set nought by his mother as it is well knowne and to procure yea labour the death of his brother whom albeit the law and consent of many had condemned vpon his owne speeches yet his earnest endeauor therein did well declare what thoughts can sinke into his vnnaturall breast what foule shifts he would haue made rather thē that his brother should haue escaped death to that end that he might remoue at once both an impeachment to his poysenous purposes a surety to the Kings life estate To this ende he also practised to dispatch such of the nobility as were like to oppose against his mischeiuous drift in such sort either to encumber weaken the rest that they should be noe impediments to him In the meane time he endeauored to winne the common people both by strayned curtesy by loosenes of life whereto he gaue not only licence but encouragement and meanes And the better to advance his intents he deviseth to intangle the realme not only with outward warre that with rumor thereof his dangerous diuices might be obscured bu●… but with inward sedition by stirring and nourishing discontentments among the nobility gentry and commons of the realme This he did vnder pretence of such matters as all men desired might be redressed more gladly then hee but in a more quiet and setled time But the time seemed most convenient for him when vnder the sweete pretence of release and libertie to the

all the chambers which opened towards the seaffold were taken vp Here the Duke first aduowed to the people that his intentions had beene not only harmelesse in regard of particuler persons but driuing to the common benefit both of the King and of the Realme Then he exhorted them vnto obedience assuring them that no persons could iustly auouch their faith to God who were not faithfull to their King But herewith behold certaine persons of a hamlet neere who had beene warned by the Lieuetenant of the tower to attend that morning about seauen of the clocke coming after their hower through the posterne and percesuing the prisoner to be mounted vpon the seaffold began to runne and to call to their fellowes to come away The sodaine of their coming the hast that they made the weapons they carried but especially the word come away being often doubled moued many of the neerest to surmise that a power was come to receiue the Duke whereupon many cried with a high voice Away Away the cry of those and the coming on of the other cast amazement vpon the rest so much the more terrible because no man knew what he feared or wherefore euery man conceiuing that which his astonished fancie did cast in his minde some imagined that it thundred others that it was an earthquake others that the powder in the armorie had taken fire others that troopes of horsemen approached In which medly of conceits they bare downe one another and iostled many into the tower ditch and long it was before the vaine tumult could be appeased No sooner was the people setled in quiet and the Duke beginning to finish his speech but vpon another idle apprehension they fell to be no lesse riotous in ioy then they had beene in feare For S r Anthony Browne coming on horsebacke vpon the spurre gaue occasion whereby many entertained hope that he brought a pardon whereupon a great shout was raised A pardon A pardon God saue the King But the Duke expressed great constancy at both these times often desiring the people to remaine quiet that he might quietly end his life For said he I haue often looked death in the face vpon great aduentures in the field he is now no stranger to me and among all the vaine mockeries of this world I repent me of nothing more then in esteeming life more deare then I should I haue endured the hate of great persons so much the more dangerous because vniust I haue incurred displeasure from inferiors not alwaies for any great faults of mine owne albeit I was neuer free but for giuing way to the faults of others and now being constantly resolued I neither feare to dy nor desire to liue and hauing mastered all griefe in my selfe I desire no man to sorrow for me so hauing testified his faith to God and his faithfulnesse to the King he yeelded his body into the executioners hand who with one stroake of the axe cut off all his confused cogitations and cares the more pitied by the people for the knowne hate of Northumberland against him Assuredly he was a man harmelesse and faithfull and one who neuer hatched any hopes preiudiciall to the King but alwaies intended his safety and honour but hard it is for greatnesse to stand when it is not sustained by the proper strength The people whose property it is by excessiue fauour to bring great men to miserie and then to be excessiue in pitty departed away grieued and afraid and yet feared to seeme to be afraid and for this cause chiefly did neuer beare good minde to Northumberland afterwards although in shew they dissemble the contrary for nothing is more easie then to discerne when people obserue great men from the heart or when they doe it for fashion or for feare and as it often happeneth that men oppressed worke reuenge after their deaths So the remembrance of Somerset much moued the people to fall from Northumberland in his greatest attempt and to leaue him to his fatall fall whereat they openly reioyced and presented to him handkerchiefes dipped in the blood of Somerset for whom they thought he deserued rather late then vndeserued punishment So certaine it is that the debts both of cruelty and mercy goe neuer vnpaied I omit the meane scourges of conscience For assuredly a body cannot be so torne with stripes as a minde is with remembrance of wicked actions but of him more hereafter shall be said and how his greatnesse turned to be fortunes scorne But outwardly and for the present he gained a great hand ouer the nobility who soone obseruing that he was able to endanger the estate of the greatest that the more respect they did beare to him the more safely they liued the more easily aduanced to honour they all contended to creepe into his humor to watch his wordes his gestures his lookes to doe that as of themselues which they conceiued he had a desire they should doe But the King albeit at the first he gaue no token of any ill tempered passion as taking it not agreeable to maiesty openly to declare himselfe and albeit the Lordes did much helpe to dispell any dampie thoughts which the remembrance of his vnkle might raise by applying him with great variety of exercises and disportes yet vpon speech of him afterwards he would often sigh and let fall teares sometimes he was of opinion that he had done nothing that deserued death or if he had that it was very small and proceeded rather from his wife then from himselfe And where th●…n said he was the good nature of a nephew where was the clemency of a Prince Ah how vnfortunate haue I beene to those of my blood My mother I slew at my very birth and since haue made away two of her brothers and happily to make away for the purposes of others against my selfe Was it euer knowen before that a Kinges vnkle a Lord Protector one whose fortunes had much aduanced the honour of the realme did loose his head for felony for a felony neither cleere in law and in fact weakly proued A lasse how falsely haue I beene abused How weakly caried How little was I master ouer my owne iudgement That both his death and the enuy thereof must be charged vpon mee Not long after the death of Somerset because it was not thought fit that such a person should be executed alone who could hardly be thought to offend alone S r Ralph Uane and S r Miles Partridge were hanged on tower hill S r Michaell Stanhope and S ● Thomas Arundell were there also beheaded All these tooke it vpon their last charge that they neuer offended against the King nor against any of his counsaile God knowes whether obstinatly secret or whether innocent and in the opinion of all men Somerset was much cleered by the death of those who were executed to make him appeare faulty S r Ralph Uane was charged with conspiring with Somerset but his bold answeres termed rude and