weaker and needed his Assistance most But tho hitherto Spain was an unequal Match to France yet all Spain being now united except Portugal and strengthned by the Accession of the Dominions of Burgundy and inriched by the discovery of the Indies and all this falling into the hands of so great a Prince as Charles afterwards the fifth Emperor of that Name the ballance between these Kingdoms grew as equal as the Qualities of the Princes themselves were which ingaged them in a Rivalry that made their Minds as divided as their Interests were opposite Charles being preferred to Francis in the Competition for the Empire that kindled the Animosity higher and seemed to encrease Charles's Party tho the extent and distance of his Dominion was such that one Soul tho his was one of the largest and most active in the World could not animate so vast a Body He is courted both by France and Spain Both these Princes saw how considerable an Ally or Enemy England might prove under a King so much esteemed and beloved so they spared no Arts that might engage him into their Interests they gained his Ministers by their Presents and himself by their Complements for it was soon found out that Vanity was his weak side May 1520 The Emperour came in Person to England without the distrustful Precaution of a Passport and did so prevail with him and his great Favourite Cardinal Wolsey by the promise of the Popedom that tho an Interview followed between Francis and him June yet he found the Scale of France was then the heavier so that upon the War which followed between those Princes he joyned with the Emperour Charles to assure himself of Cardinal Wolsey gave him hopes of the Popedom which perhaps he did the more easily because Pope Leo being so young a Man there was no great appearance of a Vacancy but the Pope dying sooner than perhaps was expected Adrian Decemb 1521 that had been the Emperour's Tutor was then chosen and Cardinal Wolsey had the promise of succeeding him But a second Vacancy following within two Years the Emperour broke his word the second time upon which the Cardnial was so offended that he resolved to take his Revenge so soon as a favourable Conjuncture should offer it self and tho he had laid the best Train he could at Rome for the Chair yet upon Clement the seventh's Advancement he dissembled the matter so with him as to protest that he was the very person whom he had wished to see raised to that Dignity The Battel of Pavia Francis the first is taken Prisoner in which Francis was taken Prisoner and his Army defeated turned the Scale mightily the Pope was nearest the danger and felt it soonest for he projected the Clementine League by which both He and the Republick of Venice and the Princes of Italy engaged in the Interests of France and the King of England was declared the Protector of it Both publick and private Interests wrought on the King and his own Resentments as well as the Cardinals animated him to it for the Emperour was so lifted up with his Success that he began to form the Project of an Universal Empire and tho he had come to England in Person a second time and had contracted a Marriage with the King's Daughter yet he preferred a Match with the Infanta of Portugal to it judging it to be of more Importance to him to keep all quiet in Spain Francis was now at liberty but had given his Sons as Hostages so he was slow in his Proceedings tho he was the Person most concerned in the League The Emperour was highly displeased with the Pope whom he look'd on as his own Creature but it was always observed that of what Faction soever a Cardinal might be yet upon the Advancement he became the Head of his own The Colonesi entred Rome with three thousand Men Septemb. and sack'd it the Pope retiring to the Castle of Saint Angelo and submitting to the Conditions that were offered but their Troops being drawn out of Rome the Pope gathered his together and fell on their Lands and by a Creation of fourteen Cardinals for Money which perhaps may be excused from Simony because they took no care of Souls he was enabled to prosecute the War but the Duke of Bourbon that upon a Discontent given him in France had gone over to the Emperour's Service came to Rome and took it by storm himself being killed in the Assault the Pope and seventeen Cardinals May And afterwards the Pope shut themselves in the Castle St. Angelo but he was forced to render and was kept Prisoner some Months This gave great Scandal to all Europe the Emperour himself seem'd ashamed of it for he would suffer no rejoycing to be in Spain for his Sons Birth but appointed publick Processions for the Pope's Liberty Wolsey had now the best opportunity he could wish to declare his Zeal for the Pope's Service and his Aversion to the Emperour so he went to France and made a new League for setting the Pope at liberty The Emperour prevented the Conjunction he saw like to follow and having brought the Pope to his own Terms he restored him again to his Freedom And thus both the Pope and the King of France that by very unususal Accidents had been taken Prisoners acknowledged that their Liberty was chiefly due to the Indeavours that King Henry had used for procuring it When he was thus firmly united to the Interests of France Scotland in disorder he had less to fear from Scotland which being a perpetual Ally to France gave him no Disturbance but as it was drawn into the War by that Court That Kingdom was also for many Years under a King not of Age and so was much distracted by Faction and those Broils at home being the surest way to keep them from making Inroads into England were kept up by the Mony which the King sent the Malecontents therefore both the Courts of France and England by the Pensions they gave kept the several Parties there in pay which Advantage that Kingdom lost when it was joyned to England As for Domestick Affairs in the Government of England the King left Matters much in the hands of his Council in which there were two different Parties Factions in the Council headed by the Bishop of Winchester and the Lord Treasurer that was Duke of Norfolk The former much complained of the Consumption of the Treasure the other justified himself that he only obeyed the King's Orders But the Treasurer's Party under a bountiful King must always be strongest both in the Court and Council In the first Parliament the Justice done upon Empson and Dudly gave so great Satisfaction that all things went as the Court desired In the second Parliament a Brief that Pope Julius writ complaining of Lewis the twelfth was first read in the House of Lords and then carried down by the L. Chancellor and some other Lords
in the Sacrament Pag. 79 Arguments against the Corporal Presence Pag. 81 Anabaptists in England Pag. 85 Two were burnt Pag. 84 The Doctrine of Predestination abused Pag. 87 Tumults in several parts of England ibid The Rebellion in Devonshire Pag. 89 And in Norfolk Pag. 91 The French begin a War ibid The Rebels every where routed Pag. 92 A Visitation at Cambridge Pag. 94 Bonner's Process Pag. 95 And Deprivation Pag. 100 Ill Success of the English Pag. 101 Several Expedients proposed Pag. 105 The Emperour refuses his Assistance Pag. 106 A Faction against the Protector Pag. 108 Which turns to a Publick Breach Pag. 110 The Protector 's Fall Pag. 112 The Emperour will not assist them Pag. 114 A Session of Parliament ibid 1550. The Duke of Somerset fined but restored into Favour Pag. 116 A Progress of the Roformation ibid. The Book of Ordinations put out Pag. 117 Pool chosen Pope but lost it Pag. 120 A Treaty with France Pag. 122 Ridley made Bishop of London Pag. 123 Gardiner 's Process Pag. 124 Latimer preaches at Court Pag. 126 Hooper made Bishop of Glocester has some Scruple concerning the Vestments ibid A review of the Common-Prayer Book Pag. 128 Bucer offers some Advices to the King Pag. 130 The King 's great Knowledg ibid Altars put down Pag. 131 Affairs of Scotland Pag. 132 And Germany Pag. 133 1551. The Popish Party comply generally Pag. 134 Bucer 's Death Pag. 135 Gardiner 's Deprivation Pag. 136 The Articles of Religion agreed on Pag. 138 Changes made in the Com. Prayer Book Pag. 139 Lady Mary in trouble for having Mass said Pag. 142 The Earl of Warwick's Designs Pag. 147 A Treaty for a Marriage to the King Pag. 149 The Duke of Somerset 's Fall Pag. 150 His Tryal Pag. 151 Rich gives up the Great Seal and it was given to the Bishop of Ely Pag. 154 The Duke of Somerset 's Execution Pag. 156 The Affairs of Germany Pag. 158 1552. A Session of Parliament Pag. 161 An Act against Vsury Pag. 164 A Repeal of the Settlement of the Duke of Somerset 's Estate Pag. 165 Tonstall is imprisoned Pag. 166 A Reformation of Ecclesiastical Laws Pag. 167 The Heads of it Pag. 169 The Poverty of the Clergy Pag. 174 Affairs in Ireland Pag. 175 A Change in the Garter Pag. 177 Northumberland's Severity Pag. 178 Trade flourishes much Pag. 179 Cardan in England Pag. 180 Affaires in Scotland Pag. 183 The Affairs in Germany Pag. 185 An Account of the Council of Trent Pag. 187 The Emperours Designs are blasted Pag. 189 1553. A Bill proposed that Laymen should not hold Church Dignities Pag. 191 An Act suppressing the Bishoprick of Durham ibid Another Visitation Pag. 192 Bishops made by the King's Patent Pag. 193 Affairs in Germany Pag. 194 The King's Sickness Pag. 196 The Patents for the Succes to the Crown Pag. 197 The King's Death and Character Pag. 199 BOOK III. The Life and Reign of Queen Mary QVeen Mary succeeds Pag. 203 But Lady Jane Gray is proclaimed Pag. 205 Censures past upon that Pag. 206 Many turn to Queen Mary Pag. 208 Northumberland marches against her Pag. 209 The Council declares for her Pag. 210 She comes to London Pag. 212 Her former Life ibid The Councils then laid down Pag. 214 Northumberland 's Trial Pag. 215 And Execution Pag. 216 King Edward 's Funeral Pag. 217 A Tumult at St. Pauls Pag. 218 Severe Proceedings against the Men of Suffolk and others Pag. 220 Particularly against Judge Hales Pag. 221 Cranmer 's Imprisonment Pag. 222 The Strangers driven out of England Pag. 224 The Popular Arts used by Gardiner Pag. 225 A Parliament meets and repeals several Laws Pag. 226 The Queen's Mother's Marriage confirmed Pag. 227 King Edward 's Laws about Religion repealed Pag. 229 The Duke of Norfolk's Attainder repealed Pag. 230 A Treaty for reconciling England to the Pope Pag. 232 And for a Match with the Prince of Spain Pag. 233 Pool 's Advices to the Queen Pag. 234 The Parliament opposes the Match and is dissolved Pag. 236 A Convocation meets and dispute about the Sacrament Pag. 237 1554. The Treaty of Marriage begun Pag. 241 Which provokes some to rebel Pag. 242 Lady Jane Gray's Execution Pag. 245 Several others suffered Pag. 247 The Imposture of the Spirit in the Wall Pag. 248 Iujunctions sent to the Bishops ibid. Many Bishops turned out Pag. 249 A new Parliament Pag. 251 A Proposition to make the Queen absolute Pag. 252 New Disputations at Oxford with Cranmer Pag. 254 The Prince of Spain lands and marries the Queen Pag. 258 The Bishops visit their Diocesses Pag. 261 Another Parliament Pag. 263 The Nation is reconciled to the See of Rome Pag. 264 Gardiner 's Policy in the steps of this Change Pag. 268 Consultations about the way of proceedings against Hereticks Pag. 269 1555. A Persecution is set on foot Pag. 271 Rogers and Hooper condemned and burnt Pag. 272 The Burnings much condemned Pag. 274 Arguments against them and for them Pag. 276 The Queen restores the Church-Lands Pag. 279 Marcellus chosen Pope Paul the 4th succeeds ibid. The English Ambassadors come to Rome Pag. 280 The English grow backward to Persecution Pag. 281 The Queen's Delivery in vain looked for Pag. 282 More Hereticks burnt ibid. Religious Houses set up Pag. 285 Sir Tho. More 's Works published ibid. Ridley and Latimer burnt Pag. 286 Gardiner 's Death Pag. 289 The Parliament ill pleas'd with the Queens conduct Pag. 290 Pool 's Decrees for the Reformation of the Clergie Pag. 293 He refuses to bring the Jesuits into England Pag. 295 More of the Reformed are burnt Pag. 296 Affairs in Germany ibid. Charles the 5th 's Resignation Pag. 297 1556. Cranmer 's Sufferings Pag. 298 He repents and is burnt Pag. 301 His Character Pag. 303 More Burnings Pag. 304 The Reformed encrease upon this Pag. 306 The Troubles at Frankford ibid. Pool made Arch-bishop of Canterbury Pag. 307 More Religious Houses ibid. The Pope sets on a War between France and Spain Pag. 309 1557. A Visitation of the Vniversities Pag. 311 A severe Inquisition of Hereticks Pag. 312 More Burnings Pag. 313 Lord Stourton hanged Pag. 315 The Queen joyns in a War against France Pag. 316 The Battel at St. Quintin Pag. 317 The Pope recals Pool Pag. 318 Affairs of Germany Pag. 320 1558. Calais and other Places taken by the French Pag. 322 Great Discontents in England Pag. 324 The Parliament meets Pag. 325 The Carriage and Vsage of L. Eliz. all this Reign ibid. Ill Success and strange Accidents Pag. 329 The Dauphin and the Q. of Scotland married Pag. 331 A Parliament in England Pag. 332 The Queens Death Pag. 333 Pool 's Death and Character ibid. The Queens Character Pag. 334 BOOK IV. QVeen Elizabeth proclaimed Pag. 337 The Queen came to London Pag. 338 Philip proposes Marriage to the Queen but in vain Pag. 339 The Counsels about changing Religion Pag. 340 A Scheme proposed Pag. 341 The Impatience of some Pag. 342 Parker
of which they were lately driven and were now setled in Malta They were under a great Master who depended on the Pope and the Emperour But some they could not be brought to surrender of their own accord as others had done it was necessary to suppress them by Act of Parliament Another House which they had in Ireland was also suppressed and Pensions were reserved for the Priors and Knights On the 14th of May the Parliament was Prorogued to the 25th a Vote having past that the Bills should continue in the State they were in On the 12th of June Cromwel's Fall there was a sudden turn at Court for the Duke of Norfolk arrested Cromwel of High Treason and sent him Prisoner to the Tower He had many Enemies The meanness of his Birth made the Nobility take it ill to see the Son of a Black-Smith made an Earl and have the Garter given him besides his being Lord Privy Seal Lord Chamberlain of England Lord Vicegerent and a little while before he had also the Mastership of the Rolls All the Popish Clergy hated him violently They imputed the Suppression of Monasteries and the Injunctions that were laid on them chiefly to his Counsels And it was thought that it was mainly by his means that the King and the Emperour continued to be in such ill Terms The King did now understand that there was no agreement like to be made between the Emperour and Francis for it stuck at the matter of the Dutchy of Milan in which neither of them would yield to the other and the King was sure they would both court his Friendship in case of a War and this made him less concerned for the Favour of the German Princes So now Cromwel's Counsels became unacceptable With this a secret Reason concurred The King did not only hate the Queen but was now come to be in Love with Katherine Howard Neece to the Duke of Norfolk which both raised his Interest and deprest Cromwel who had made the former Match The King was also willing to cast upon him all the Errours that had been committed of late and by making him a Sacrifice he hoped he should regain the Affections of his People The King had also Informations brought him That he secretly encouraged those that opposed the six Articles and discouraged those who went about the Execution of it His Fall came so suddenly that he had not the least Apprehension of it before the Storm brake on him He had the common Fate of all disgraced Ministers his Friends forsook him and his Enemies insulted over him only Cranmer stuck to him and wrote earnestly to the King in his Favours He said he found that he had always loved the King above all things and had served him with such Fidelity and Success that he believed no King of England had ever a faithfuller Servant And he wished the King might find such a Councellour who both could and would serve him as he had done So great and generous a Soul had Cranmer that was not turned by changes in his Friends Fortunes and would venture on the displeasure of so Imperious a Prince rather than fail in the Duties of Friendship But the King was now resolved to ruine Crom wel and that unjust Practice of Attainting without hearing the Parties Answer for themselves which he had promoted too much before was now turned upon himself He had such Enemies in the House of Lords that the Bill of Attainder was dispatched in two days being read twice in one day Cranmer was absent and no other would venture to speak for him But he met with more Justice in the House of Commons for it stuck ten days there And in Conclusion a new Bill was drawn against him and sent up to the Lords to which they consented and it had the Royal Assent In it they set forth His Attainder That tho the King had raised him from a base State to great Dignities Yet it appeared by many Witnesses that were Persons of Honour that he had been the most Corrupt Traitor that ever was known That he had set many at Liberty that were condemned or suspected of Misprision of Treason That he had given Licences for transporting out of the Kingdom things prohibited by Proclamation And had granted many Passports without search made That he had said he was sure of the King That he had dispersed many Erroneous Books contrary to the Belief of the Sacrament And had said That every Man might Administer it as well as a Priest That he had licensed many Preachers suspected of Heresy And had ordered many to be discharged that were committed on that account and had discharged all Informers That he had many Hereticks about him That above a Year before he had said The preaching of Barns and others was good And that he would not turn tho 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 that might pierce him to the Heart if he should not do it he had also said If he lived a year or two longer it should not be in the King's Power to hinder it He had likewise been found guilty of great Oppression and Bribery And when he heard that some Lords were taking Counsel against him he had threatned that he would raise great stirrs in England For these things he was Attainted both of High Treason and Heresy A Proviso was added for securing the Church of Wells of which he had been Dean This was lookt on as very hard Measure It was believed Censures past upon it That he had at least Verbal Orders from the King for the Licences and Orders that were complained of and perhaps he could have shewed some in Writing if he had been heard to make his Answers Bribery seemed to be cast on him only to render him odious but no Particulars were mentioned Nor was it credible That he could have spoken such Words of the King as were alledged especially when he was in the height of his Favour and if he had spoken them above a Year before it is not to be imagined that they could have been so long kept secret and what was said of his drawing out a Dagger look'd like a design to affix an overt Act to them This being done The King's Marriage annulled The King went on to move for a Divorce An Address was moved to be made to him by the Lords that he would suffer his Marriage to be examined Cranmer and others were sent down to desire the Concurrence of the Commons and they ordered 20 of their number to go along with the Lords who went all in a body to the King He granted their desire the matter being concerted before So a Commission was sent to the Convocation to discuss it Gardiner opened it to them and they appointed a Committee for the Examination of Witnesses The Substance of the whole Evidence amounted to these Particulars
instruct their Hearers in the Fundamentals of Religion of which they had known little formerly This made the Nation run after these Teachers with a wonderful Zeal but they mixed too much Sharpness against the Friars in their Sermons which was judged indecent in them to do tho their Hypocrisy and Cheats did in a great measure excuse those Heats and it was observed that our Saviour had exposed the Pharisees in so plain a manner that it did very much justify the treating them with some Roughness yet it is not to be denied but Resentments for the Cruelties they or their Friends had suffered by their means might have too much Influence on them This made it seem necessary to suffer none to preach at least out of their own Parishes without Licence and many were licensed to preach as Itinerants There was also a Book of Homilies on all the Epistles and Gospels in the Year put out which contained a plain Paraphrase of those Parcels of Scripture together with some practical Exhortations founded on them Many Complaints were made of those that were licensed to preach and that they might be able to justify themselves they began generally to write and read their Sermons and thus did this Custom begin in which what is wanting in the heat and force of Delivery is much made up by the strength and solidity of the Matter and has produced many Volumes of as excellent Sermons as have been preached in any Age. Plays and Enterludes were a great Abuse in that time in them Mock-Representations were made both of the Clergy and of the Pageantry of their Worship The Clergy complained much of these as an Introduction to Atheism when things Sacred were thus laught at and said They that begun to laugh at Abuses would not cease till they had represented all the Mysteries of Religion as ridiculous The graver sort of Reformers did not approve of it but political Men encouraged it and thought nothing would more effectually pull down the Abuses that yet remained than the exposing them to the scorn of the Nation A War did now break out between England and Scotland at the Instigation of the King of France A War with Scotland King Henry set out a Declaration pretending that the Crown of Scotland owed Homage to him and cited many Precedents to shew that Homage was done not only by their Kings but by consent of the States for which Original Records were appealed to The Scots on the other hand asserted that they were a free and independent Kingdom that the Homages antiently made by their Kings were only for Lands which they had in England and that those more lately made were either offered by Pretenders in the case of a doubtful Title or were extorted by Force And they said their Kings could not give up the Rights of a free Crown and People The Duke of Norfolk made an In-road into Scotland with 20000 Men in October but after he had burnt some small Towns and wasted Teviotdale he returned back to England In the end of November an Army of 15000 Scots with a good Train of Artillery was brought together They intended to march into England by the Western Road. The King went to it in Person but he was at this time much disturbed in his Fancy and thought the Ghost of one whom he had unjustly put to death followed him continually he not only left the Army but sent a Commission to Oliver Sinclare then called his Minion to command in chief This disgusted the Nobility very much who were become weary of the Insolence of that Favourite so they refused to march and were beginning to separate While they were in this Disorder 500 English appeared and they apprehending it was a fore Party of the Duke of Norfolk's Army refused to fight so the English fell upon them and dispersed them they took all their Ordinance and Baggage and 1000 Prisoners of whom 200 were Gentlemen The chief of these were the Earls of Glencarn and Cassilis The News of this so over-charged the Melancholy King that he died soon after leaving only an Infant Daughter newly born to succeed him The Lords that were taken were brought up to London and lodged in the Houses of the English Nobility Cassilis was sent to Lambeth where he received those Seeds of Knowledg which produced afterwards a great Harvest in Scotland The other Prisoners were also instructed to such a degree that they came to have very different Thoughts of the Changes that had been made in England from what the Scotish Clergy had possessed them with who had encouraged their King to engage in the War both by the assurance of Victory since he fought against an Heretical Prince and the Contribution of 50000 Crowns a Year The King's Death and the Crowns falling to his Daughter made the English Council lay hold on this as a proper Conjuncture for uniting the whole Island in one therefore they sent for the Scotish Lords and proposed to them the marrying the Prince of Wales to their young Queen this the Scots liked very well and promised to promote it all they could And so upon their giving Hostages for the performing their Promises faithfully they were sent home and went away much pleased both with the Splendor of the King's Court and with the way of Religion which they had seen in England A Parliament was called A Parliament called in which the King had great Subsidies given him of six Shillings in the Pound to be paid in three Years A Bill was proposed for the advancement of true Religion by Cranmer and some other Bishops for the Spirits of the Popish Party were much fallen ever since the last Queen's Death yet at this time a Treaty was set on foot between the King and the Emperour which raised them a little for since the King was like to engage in a War with France it was necessary for him to make the Emperour his Friend Cranmer's Motion was much opposed and the timorous Bishops forsook him yet he put it as far as it would go An Act about Religion tho in most Points things went against him By it Tindall's Translation of the Bible was condemned as crafty and false and also all other Books contrary to the Doctrine set forth by the Bishops But Bibles of another Translation were still allowed to be kept only all Prefaces or Annotations that might be in them were to be dashed or cut out All the King's Injunctions were confirmed No Books of Religion might be printed without Licence there was to be no Exposition of Scripture in Plays or Enterludes none of the Laity might read the Scripture or explain it in any publick Assembly But a Proviso was made for publick Speeches which then began generally with a Text of Scripture and were like Sermons Noblemen Gentlemen and their Wives or Merchants might have Bibles but no ordinary Woman Tradesman Apprentice or Husbandman might have any Every Person might have the Book set out by the
made between the Duke of Norfolk and the Scots they promised to be the Queen 's perpetual Allies and that after the French were driven out of Scotland The Queen of England assists the Scots they should continue their Obedience to their own Queen upon which 2000. Horse and 6000. Foot were sent to assist the Scots These besieged Lieth during which there were considerable losses on both sides but the losses on the side of the English were more easily made up supplies being nearer at hand The French offered to put Calais again in the Queen of England's hands if she would recall her Forces out of Scotland She answered on the sudden that she did not value that Fish-Town so much as she did the quiet of the Isle of Brittain But she offered to Mediate a Peace between them and the Scots Before this could be effected 〈◊〉 June The Queen Regent dies the Queen Regent of Scotland died she sent for some of the Scottish Lords in her sickness and asked them pardon for the Injuries she had done them She advised them to send both the French and English out of Scotland and prayed them to continue in their Obedience to their Queen She also discoursed with one of their Preachers and declared that she hoped to be saved only by the Merits of Christ She had governed the Nation before the last year of her life with such Justice and Prudence and was so great an Example both in her own Person and in the Order of her Court that if she had died before her Brother's bloody Counsels had involved her in these last passages of her life she had been the most lamented and esteemed Queen that had been in that Nation for many Ages Her own Inclinations were Just and Moderate and she often said that if her Counsels might take place she did not doubt but she should bring all things again to perfect Tranquillity and Peace Soon after a Peace was concluded between England France and Scotland An Oblivion was granted for all that was past The French and English were to be sent out of Scotland and all other things were referred to a Parliament During the Queen's absence the Kingdom was to be governed by a Council of 12. all Natives of these the Queen was to name 7. and the States were to choose 5. So both the English and French were sent out of Scotland and the Parliament met in August In it A Parliament meets and settles the Reformation all Acts for the former way of Religion were repealed and a confession of Faith penned by Knox afterwards inserted among the Acts of Parliament 1567. was confirmed These Acts were opposed only by three Temporal Lords who said they would believe as their Fathers had done but all the Spiritual Lords both Bishops and Abbots consented to them and they did dilapidate the Lands and Revenues of the Church in the strangest manner that was ever known the Abbots converted their Abbies into Temporal Estates and the Bishops though they continued Papists still divided all their Lands among their Bastards or Kindred and procured confirmations of many of the Grants they gave from Rome by which that Church was so impoverished that if King James and King Charles the First had not with much zeal and great endeavours retrieved some part of the Ancient Revenues and provided a considerable maintenance for the Inferiour Clergy all the encouragements to Religion and Learning had been to such a degree withdrawn that Barbarism must have again over-run that Kingdom When these Acts thus agreed on in the Parliament of Scotland were sent over to France they were rejected with great scorn so that the Scots began to apprehend a new War but Francis the second 's death soon after delivered them from all their fears for their Queen having no more the support of so great a Crown was forced to return home and govern in such a manner as that Nation was pleased to submit to Thus had the Queen of England divided Scotland from its ancient dependance on France The Queen of England the Head of all the Protestants and had tied it so to her own Interests that she was not only secure on that side of her Dominions but came to have so great an interest in Scotland that affairs there were for most part governed according to the Directions she sent thither Other Accidents did also concur to give her a great share in all the most Important affairs of Europe In France upon Henry the second 's fatal end great Divisions arose between the Princes of the Blood and the Brothers of the House of Guise Both in France into whose hands the administration of affairs was put during Francis the second 's short Reign It was pretended on the one hand that the King was not of Age till he was 22. and that during his Minority the Princes of the Blood were to Govern by the Advice of the Courts of Parliaments and the Assembly of Estates On the other hand it was said that the King might assume the Government and Imploy whom he pleased at 14. A design was laid in which many of both Religions concurred for taking the Government out of the hands of the strangers and seising on the King's Person but a Protestant moved by a Principle of Conscience discovered it Upon this the Prince of Conde and many others were seised on and if the King had not died soon after they had suffered for it Charles the Ninth succeeding who was under Age the King of Navarre was declared Regent but he though before a Protestant was drawn into the Papist Interest and joyned himself with the Queen Mother and the Constable A severe Edict was made against the Protestants but the Execution of it was like to raise great disorders so another was made in a great Assembly of many Princes of the Blood Privy Councellours and 8. Courts of Parliament allowing the free exercise of that Religion yet after this the Duke of Guise reconciled himself to the Queen Mother and they resolved to break the Edict so the Duke of Guise happening to pass by a Meeting of Protestants his Servants offered violence to them from reproachful words it went to the throwing of stones by one of which the Duke was hurt upon which his Servants killed 60. of the Protestants and wounded 200. and upon this the Edict was every where broken It was said that the Regent's power did not extend so far as that he could break so Publick an Edict and that therefore it was lawful for the Protestants to defend themselves The Prince of Conde set himself at the Head of them and the King of Navarre being killed soon after the breaking out of the War he as the first Prince of the Blood that was of Age ought to have been declared Regent so that the Protestants said their defending themselves was not Rebellion since they had both the Law and the first Prince of the Blood on their side The
present only their Decrees were to be brought to him to be Signed before they should be Inrolled This being done without any authority from the Protector and the other Executors was thought a high Presumption since he did hereby devolve on others that trust which was deposited in his hands Upon this some Lawyers complained to the Protector and they seem'd also apprehensive of a design to change the Common Laws which was occasioned by the Decrees made by the Civilians that were more suted to the Imperial than to the English Laws The Judges being desired to give their opinions made report That what the Chancellour had done was against Law and that he had forfeited his place and might be imprisoned for it during pleasure But he carried it high he threatned both the Judges and Lawyers and when it was urged that he had forfeited his place he said he had it from the late King who had likewise named him one of the Executors during his Sons minority But it was answered That the major part had power over any of the rest otherwise one of them might rebel and pretend he could not be punished by the rest He being driven out of that was more humble and acknowledged he had no Warrant for granting the Commission he thought by his Office he might lawfully do it he asked Pardon for his offence and desired he might lose his place with as little disgrace as was possible and then it was resolved on by the rest to take the Seal from him and to Fine him as they should afterwards think fit So he being suffered to go home with the Seal the Lord Seimour and some others were sent to demand it of him He was also confined to his house and kept under the terrour of an Arbitrary Fine But upon giving a Bond of 4000 l. to be payed upon demand he was freed from his confinement Yet he was not put out of the trust of the King and the Government for it seems the Council did not look on that as a thing that was in their power to do Soon after this the Protector took a Patent for his Office under the Great Seal March Protectors Patent then in the keeping of the Lord St. John by which he was confirmed in his Authority till the King should be eighteen years of Age he was also authorized to bring in new Councellours besides those enumerated in the Patent who are both the Executors and the Councellours nominated by the late King The Protector with so many of the Council as he thought meet were empowered to administer the affairs of the Kingdom but the Council was limited to do nothing without his Advice and Consent And thus was he now as well established in his Authority as Law could make him He had a Negative on the Council but they had none on him and he could either bring his own creatures into it or select a Cabinet Council out of it as he pleased And the other Executors having now delivered up their Authority to him were only Privy Councellors as the rest were without retaining any singular authority peculiar to them as was provided by King Henry's Will The first business of consequence that required great consideration The affairs of Germany was the Smalcaldick War then begun between the Emperor and the Princes of that League the effects of which if the Emperor prevailed were like to be not only the extirpating of Lutheranism but his being the absolute Master of Germany which the Emperor chiefly designed in order to an Universal Monarchy but disguised it to other Princes to the Pope he pretended that his design was only to extirpate Heresie to other Princes he pretended it was only to repress some Rebels and denied all design of suppressing their new Doctrines which he managed so artificially that he divided Germany it self and got some Lutheran Princes to declare for him and others to be Neutrals and having obtained a very liberal supply for his Wars with France and the Turk for which he granted an Edict for liberty of Religion he made Peace with both those Princes and resolved to imploy that Treasure which the Germans had given him against themselves That he might deprive them of their chief Allies he used means to engage King Henry and Francis the First in a War but that was chiefly by their Interposition composed And now when the War was like to be carried on with great Vigour they lost both those Princes for as Henry died in January so Francis followed him into another World in March following Many of their Confederates began to capitulate and forsake them and the divided command of the Duke of Saxe and the Landgrave of Hesse lost them great advantages the former year in which it had been easie to have driven the Emperor out of Germany but it fell often out that when the one was for engaging the other was against it which made many very doubtful of their success The Pope had a mind to engage the Emperor in a War in Germany that so Italy might be at quiet and in order to that and to Imbroil the Emperor with all the Lutherans he published his Treaty with him that so it might appear that the design of the War was to extirpate Heresie though the Emperor was making great protestations to the contrary in Germany He also opened the Council of Trent which the Emperor had long desired in vain but it was now brought upon him when he least wished for it for the Protestants did all declare that they could not look upon it as a free General Council The Council of Trent since it was so entirely at the Popes devotion that not so much as a Reformation of some of the grossest abuses that could not be justified was like to be obtained unless clogged with such Clauses as made it ineffectual Nor could the Emperor prevail with the Council not to proceed to establish the doctrine and condemn Heresie but the more he obstructed that by delays the more did the Pope drive it on to open the eyes of the Germans and engage them all vigorously against the Emperor yet he gave them such secret assurances of tollerating the Ausburg Confession that the Marquess of Brandenburg declared for him and that joyned with the hopes of the Electorate drew in Maurice of Saxe The Count Palatine was old and feeble the Archbishop of Colen would not make resistance but retired being condemned both by Pope and Emperor and many of the Cities submitted And Maurice by falling into Saxe forced the Elector to separate from the Landgrave and return to the defence of his own Dominions This was the state of the affairs in Germany so it was a hard point to resolve on what answer the Protector should give to the Duke of Saxe's Chancellor whom he sent over to obtain an Aid in Money for carrying on the War It was on the one hand of great importance to the safety of England to preserve
freedome of Speech but being much cried down he said they were a company of men who had dissembled with God and the World in the late Reign and were now met together to set forth false devices which they were not able to maintain Theodoret's words were much and often insisted on so Weston answered if Theodoret should be yielded to them they had an hundred Fathers on the other side Cheyney shewed out of Hesychius that the custome of Jerusalem was to burn so much of the Elements as was not consumed And he asked what it was that was burnt One answered it was either the Body of Christ or the substance of Bread put there by Miracle at which he smiled and said a reply was needless When much discourse had past Weston asked if the House were not fully satisfied to which the Clergy answered Yes but the Spectators cried out No No for the doors were opened then Weston asked the five Disputants if they would answer the Arguments that should be put to them Ailmer said they would not enter into such a Disputation where matters were so indecently carried They proposed only the Reasons why they could not joyn with the Vote that had been put concerning the Sacrament but unless they had fairer Judges they would go no further Weston broke up all by saying You have the Word but we have the Sword rightly pointing out that wherein the strength of both fides consisted It is not to be doubted but that the Popish party pretended they had the Victory for that always the stronger side does upon such occasions Yet it was visible that this dispute was not so fairly carried as those were in King Edward's days in which for near a year before any change was made there were publick disputes in the Universities which were more proper places for them than a Town full of noise and business The question was also here determined first and then disputed And the presence and favour of the Privy Council did as much raise the one party as it depressed the other In the end of this year Veysey was again repossessed of the See of Exeter Coverdale being now a Prisoner in the Tower In the beginning of the next year a great Embassy came from the Emperour The Treaty of Marriage begun to agree the conditions of the Marriage between his Son and the Queen Gardiner took care to have extraordinary ones granted both to induce the Parliament more easily to consent to it and to keep the Spaniards from being admitted to any share in the Government that so he might keep it in his own hands But the Emperour was resolved to grant every thing that should be asked It was agreed that the Government should be entirely in the Queen and that though Pr. Philip was to be named in all Writs and his Image was to be on the Coin and Seals yet the Queens hand alone was to give authority to every thing without his No Spaniard was to be capable of any Office No change was to be made in the Law nor was the Queen to be required to go out of England against her will Nor might their issue go out of England but by the consent of the Nobility The Queen was to have of Jointure 40000 l. out of Spain and 20000 l. out of the Netherlands If the Queen had a Son he was to inherit Burgundy and the Netherlands as well as England if Daughters only they were to succeed to her Crowns and to have such portions from Spain as was ordinary to be given to Kings Daughters The Prince was to have no share in the Government after her death And the Queen might keep up her League with France notwithstanding this Match But this did not satisfie the Nation Which provokes some to rebel which lookt on these offers only as baits to hook them into slavery The severities of the Spanish Government in all the Provinces that were united to that Crown and the monstrous Cruelties exercised in the West Indies were much talkt of and it was said England must now preserve it self or be for ever inflaved Carew and Wiat undertook to raise the Countrey the one in Cornwall and the other in Kent and the Duke of Suffolk promised to raise the Midland Counties for the disposition to rise was general and might have been fatal to the Queen if there had been good heads to have led the people But before it grew ripe the design was discovered and upon that Sir Peter Carew fled to France Wiat gathered some men about him Wiat's Rebellion and on the twenty fifth of January he made Proclamation at Maidstone that he intended nothing but to preserve the Nation from the yoke of strangers and assured the people that all England would rise The Sheriff of Kent required him under pain of Treason to disperse his Company but he did not obey his Summons One Knevet raised a body of men about Tunbridge and marched towards him but was intercepted and routed by a force commanded by the Duke of Norfolk who was sent with two hundred Horse and six hundred Londoners to dissipate this Insurrection but some that came over from Wiat as deserters perswaded the Londoners that it was a common cause in which they were engaged to maintain the liberty of the Nation So they all went over to Wiat. Upon this the Duke of Norfolk retired back to London and Wiat who had kept himself under the defence of Rochester-Bridge advanced towards it The Duke of Suffolk made a faint attempt to raise the Country but it did not succeed and he was taken and brought to the Tower The Queen sent the offer of a Pardon to Wiat and his men but that not being received by them she sent some of her Council to treat with him He was blown up with his small success and moved that the Queen would come to the Tower of London and put the command of it into his hands till a new Council were setled about her So it appeared there was no Treaty to be thought on The Queen went into London and made great protestations of her love to her people and that she would not dispose of herself in Marriage but for the good of the Nation Wiat was now four thousand strong and came to Southwark but could not force the Bridge of London He was informed the City would all rise if he should come to their aid but he could not find Boats for passing over to Essex so he was forced to go to the Bridge of Kingston On the fourth of February he came thither but found it cut yet his men mended it and he got to Hide Park next morning His men were weary and disheartned and now not above 500 so that though the Queens forces could have easily dispersed them yet they let them go forward that they might cast themselves into their hands He marched through the Strand and got to Ludgate where he hoped to have found the Gate opened but
the Council went no further only after this her Mass was said so secretly that she gave no publick scandal From Copthall where this was done she removed and lived at Hunsden and thither Ridley went to see her She received him very civilly and ordered her Officers to entertain him at dinner But when he begged leave to Preach before her she at first blusht but being further prest she said he might Preach in the Parish Church but neither she nor her Family would be there He asked her if she refused to hear the word of God She answered they did not call that Gods word now that they had called so in her Fathers days and that in his time they durst not have said the things which they then Preached And after some sharp and reproachful discourse she dismist him Wharton one of her Officers as he conducted him out made him drink a little but he reflecting on that blamed himself for it for he said when the Word of God was rejected he ought to have shaken off the dust of his Feet and gone away The Kings Sister Elizabeth did in all things conform to the Laws for her Mother at her death recommended her to Dr. Parker's care who instructed her well in the Principles of Christian Religion The Earl of Warwick began now to form great designs of bringing the Crown into his Family The Earl of Warwick's designs The King was alienated from his Sister Mary and the Privy Council had imbroiled themselves with her and so would be easily engaged against her The pretence against both the Sisters was the same that they stood illegitimated by two Sentences in the Spiritual Courts confirmed in Parliament So that it would be a disgrace to the Nation to let the Crown devolve on Bastards And since the fears of the Eldests revenge made the Council willing to exclude her the only reason on which they could ground that must take place against the second likewise And therefore though the Crown was provided to them both by Act of Parliament and the late Kings Will yet these being founded on an Errour that was indispensable which was the baseness of their descent they ought not to take place They being laid aside the Daughters of the French Queen by Charles Brandon stood next in the Act and yet it was generally believed that they were Bastards For it was given out that Brandon was secretly married to one Mortimer at the time that he married the French Queen and that Mortimer out-lived her so that the issue by her was Illegitimate The Sweating Sickness did this year break out in England with such Contagion that eight hundred died in one week of it in London those that were taken with it were inclined much to sleep and all that slept died but if they were kept awake a day they did sweat it out Charles Brandon's two Sons by his last Wife died within a day one of another His eldest Daughter by the French Queen was married to the Marquess of Dorset a good but weak man and so he was made Duke of Suffolk They had no Sons their eldest Daughter Jane Gray was thought the wonder of the age So the Earl of Warwick projected a Match between her and his fourth Son Guilford his three elder Sons being then married And because the Lady Elizabeth was like to stand most in the way care was taken to send her out of England and a Match was treated for her with the King of Denmark A splendid Message was sent to France A Treaty for a Marriage to the King with the Order of the Garter The Marquess of Northampton carried it three Earls the Bishop of Ely and five Lords were sent with him and above two hundred Gentlemen accompanied them They were to make a Proposition of Marriage for the King with a Daughter of France The Bishop of Ely made the first Speech and the Cardinal of Lorrain answered him it was soon agreed on yet neither Party was to be bound either in Honour or Conscience till the Lady should be of Years to give consent A noble Embassy was sent in return from France to England with the Order of Saint Michael They desired in their Master's name the continuance of the King's friendship and that he would not be moved by Rumors that might be raised to break their Alliance The young King answered on the sudden that Rumours were not always to be believed nor always to be rejected for it was no less vain to fear all things than to doubt of nothing if any differences hapned to arise he should be always ready to determine them rather by reason than by force so far as his Honour should not be thereby diminished This was thought a very extraordinary answer to be made by one of Fourteen on the sudden There was at this time a great Creation of Peers The Duke of Somerset's fall Warwick was made Duke of Northumberland the blood of the Piercies being then under an Attainder Pawlet was made Marquess of Winchester Herbert was made Earl of Pembroke and a little before this Russel had been made Earl of Bedford and Darcy was made a Lord. There was none so likely to take the King out of Northumberlands hands as the Duke of Somerset who was beginning to form a new Party about the King so upon some Informations both the Duke of Somerset his Dutchess Sir Ralph Vane Sir Tho. Palmer Sr Tho. Arundel several others of whom some were Gentlemen of Quality and others were the Dukes servants were all committed to the Tower The committing of Palmer was to delude the World for he had betrayed the Duke and was clapt up as a Complice and then pretended to discover a Plot He said the Duke intended to have raised the People and that Northumberland Northampton and Pembroke having been invited to dine at the Lord Pagets he intended to have set on them by the way or have killed them at Dinner that Vane was to have 2000. Men ready Arundel was to have seized on the Tower and all the Gendarmoury were to have been killed All these things were told the young King with such Circumstances that he too easily believed them and so was much alienated from his Uncle judging him guilty of so foul a Conspiracy It was added by others that the Duke intended to have raised the City of London one Crane confirmed Palmers testimony and both the Earl of Arundel and Paget were also committed as Complices On the first of December His Trial the Duke was brought to his Trial The Marquess of Winchester was Lord Steward and 27. Peers sat to judge him among whom were the Dukes of Suffolk and Northumberland and the Earl of Pembroke The particulars charged on him were a design to seize on the King's Person to imprison the Duke of Northumberland and to raise the City of London it seemed strange to see Northumberland sit a Judge when the crime objected was a design against his life
for though by the Law of England no Peer can be challenged yet by the Law of Nature no Man can well judge where he is a Party The Chancellour though a Peer was left out upon suspicion of a reconciliation which he was making with the Duke He was not well skilled in Law and neither objected to the Indictment nor desired Councel to plead for him but only answered to matters of fact he denied all designs to raise the People or to kill Northumberland if he had talked of it it was in passion without any Intention and it was ridiculous to think that he with a small Troop could destroy the Gendarmoury who were 900. The armed Men he had about him were only for his own defence he had done no mischief to his Enemies though it was once in his power to have done it and he had rendred himself without making any resistance He desired the Witnesses might be brought face to face and objected many things to them chiefly to Palmer but that was not done and their Depositions were only read The King's Councel pleaded upon the Statute against unlawful Assemblies that to contrive the death of Privy Counsellors was Felony and to have Men about him for his defence was also Felony The material defence was omitted for by that Statute those Assemblies were not felonious except being required to disperse themselves they had refused to do it and it does not appear that any such Proclamation had been made in this case The Proofs of his raising Rebellion were insufficient so he was acquitted of Treason which raised a great shout of joy that was heard as far as Charing-Cross but he was found guilty of Felony for intending to imprison Northumberland He carried himself during the Trial with great temper and all the sharpness which the Kings Councel expressed in pleading against him did not provoke him to any undecent passion But when Sentence was given he sunk a little and asked the three Lords that were his Enemies pardon for his ill designs against them and made sute for his life and for his Wife and Children It was generally thought that nothing being found against him but an Intention to imprison a Privy Counsellor that never took effect one so nearly related to the King would not have been put to death on that account It was therefore necessary to raise in the King a great Aversion to him so a story was brought to the King as if in the Tower he had confessed a design to imploy some to Assassinate those Lords and the Persons named for that wicked service were also perswaded to take it on them This being believed by the King he took no more care to preserve him assassination being a crime of so barbarous a nature that it possessed him with a horrour even to his Uncle when he thought him guilty of it and therefore he was given up to his Enemies rage Stanhop Partridge Arundel and Vane were tried next the two first were not much pitied for they had made a very ill use of their Interest in the Duke during his greatness the other two were much lamented Arundels Jury was shut up a whole Day and a Night and those that were for the acquittal yielded to the fury of the rest only that they might save their own Lives and not be starved Vane had done great services in the Wars and carried himself with a Magnanimity that was thought too extravagant they were all condemned and Partridge and he were hanged the other Two were beheaded The Lord Chancellor was become a secret friend to the Duke of Somerset and that was thus discovered he went aside once at Council Rich gives up the Great Seal and it was given to the Bish of Ely and writ a Note giving the Duke notice of what was then in agitation against him and endorsed it only for the Duke and sent it to the Tower but his Servant not having particular directions fansied it was to the Duke of Norfolk and not to Somerset and carried it to him He to make Northumberland his friend sent this to him Rich understanding the mistake in which his Servant had fallen prevented the discovery and went immediately to the King and pretending some indisposition desired to be discharged and upon that took his Bed so it seemed too barbarous to do any thing further against him only the Great Seal was taken from him and was put in the Bishop of Ely's hands This was much censured for all the Reformers had inveighed severely against the secular imployments and high places which Bishops had in the Church of Rome since by these they were taken wholly off from the care of Souls or those spiritual exercises that might dispose them for it and assumed only the name and garb of Churchmen to serve their Ambition and Covetousness and by this the People were much prejudiced against them so upon Goodrick's advancement this was turned against the Reformers it was said they only complained of those things when their Enemies enjoyed them but changed their minds as soon as they fell into the hands of their friends but Goodrick was no Pattern he complied only with the Reformation but turned when Queen Mary succeeded Christ said Who made me a Judge St. Paul left it as a Rule that no Man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life This Saint Cyprian and the other Fathers understood as a perpetual prohibition of Churchmen's medling with secular matters and condemned it severely Many Canons were made against it in Provincial Councils and a very full one was decreed at Chalcedon But as the Bishops of Rome and Alexandria grew rich and powerful they establisht a sort of secular principality in the Church and other Sees as they encreased in wealth affected to imitate them Charles the Great raised this much every where and gave great Territories and Priviledges to the Church upon which the Bishop and Abbots were not only admitted to a share in the Publick Counsels by virtue of their Lands but to all the chief Offices of the State and then Ecclesiastical Preferments were given to Courtiers as Rewards for their services and by these means the Clergy became very corrupt Merit and Learning being no more the standards by which Men were esteemed or promoted and Bishops were only considered as a sort of great Men who went in a peculiar Habit and on great Festivities were obliged to say Mass or perform some other Solemnities but they wholly abandoned the Souls committed to their care and left the spiritual part of their callings to their Vicars and Arch-deacons who made no other use of it but to squeeze the Inferiour Clergy and to oppress the People and it was not easie to perswade the world that those Bishops did much aspire to Heaven who were so indecently thrusting themselves into the Courts of Princes and medling so much in matters that did not belong to them that they neglected those for which they were to account
that would execute the Sentence Nor would any do so much as sell a Cord to tye him to the Stake so that the Archbishop was forced to send for the Cords of his own Pavilion The old Man expressed great firmness of mind and such chearfulness in his sufferings that the People were much affected at it and this being every where looked on as a Prologue to greater severities that were to follow the Nobility and Gentry began to consider what was fit to be done They had offered a Petition to the Queen Regent the last year that the worship might be in the Vulgar Tongue that the Communion might be given in both kinds and that scandalous Priests might be turned out and worthy Men be put in their places The Queen Regent being unwilling to irritate so great a Party before the Dauphin was declared King of Scotland promised that they should not be punished for having their Prayers in the Vulgar Tongue In Parliament they moved for a Repeal of the Laws for the Bishops proceedings against Hereticks and that nothing might be judged Heresie but that which was condemned by the Word of God but the Queen Regent told them these things could not pass because of the Opposition which was made to them by the Spiritual Estate upon that they made a Protestation that whereas they had modestly moved for a redress of abuses they were not to be blamed for the ill effects of rejecting their Petition and the Violences that might follow But when the Queen had gained her end in relation to the Dauphin she ordered a Citation to be served on all the Reformed Preachers The Earl of Glencawn was upon that sent to put her in mind of her former promises she answered him roughly That maugre all that would take those Mens part they should be banished Scotland and added that Princes were bound only to observe their promises so far as they found it convenient for them to do it To this he replied that if she renounced her Promises they would renounce their obedience to her In St. Johnstown It is first set up in St. Johnstown that Party entred into the Churches and had Sermons publickly in them The Ministers were coming from all parts to appear on the 20th of May for to that day they had been cited and great numbers came along with them The Queen apprehending the ill effects of a great Confluence of People sent them word not to come and upon this many went home again yet upon their not appearance they were all declared Rebels This foul dealing made many leave her and go over to those that were met at St. Johnstown And the heat of the People was raised to that pitch that they broke in upon the Houses of the Monks and Friars and after they had distributed all that they found in them except that which the Monks conveyed away to the Poor they pulled them down to the ground This provoked the Queen so much that she resolved to punish that Town in a most exemplary manner so she gathered the French Souldiers together with such others as would joyn with her but the Earl of Glencairn gathered 2500. Men together and with incredible hast he marched to that place where there were now in all 7000. armed Men. This made the Queen afraid to engage with them so an agreement was made An oblivion was promised for all that was past Matters of Religion were referred to a Parliament and the Queen was to be received into St. Johnstown without carrying her Frenchmen with her But she carried them with her into the Town and as she put a Garrison in it so she punished many for what was past and when her promises were objected to her she answered Princes were not to be strictly charged with their Promises especially when they were made to Hereticks and that she thought it no sin to kill and destroy them all and then would excuse it as well as could be when it was done This turned the Hearts of the whole Nation from her and in many places they began to pull down Images and to rase Monasteries The Queen Regent represented this to the King of France as done on design to shake off the French yoke and desired a great Force to reduce the Countrey On the other hand some were sent over from the Lords to give a true representation of the matter and to let him know that an Oblivion for what was past and the free Exercise of their Religion for the time to come would give full satisfaction The French King began now to apprehend how great a charge the keeping that Kingdom in peace was like to come to and saw the danger of the Scots casting themselves into the Arms of the Queen of England therefore he sent one in whom the Constable put an entire confidence to Scotland to bring him a true report of the state of that matter that was so variously represented But before he could return the King of France was dead and the Constable was in disgrace and all affairs were put in the hands of the Brothers of the House of Guise so that all moderate Councils were now out of doors The people did so universally rise against the Queen Regent that she was forced to retire to Dunbar-Castle She was once willing to refer the whole matter to a Parliament But 2000. Men coming over from France and assurances being sent Her of a greater Force to follow she took heart and came and fortified Leith and again broke her last agreement upon which the Lords pretended that in their Queens Minority the Government was chiefly in the States and that the Regent was only the chief Administrator and accountable to them so they resolved to depose her from her Regency They objected many Maleadministrations to her The Queen Regent is deposed as her beginning a War in the Kingdom and bringing in strangers to subdue it her embasing the Coin governing without consent of the Nobility breaking her Faith and Promises to them upon which they declared that she had fallen from her Regency and suspended her Power till the next Parliament The Lords now called the Lords of the Congregation retired from Edenburgh to Sterlin upon which the French came to Edenburgh and set up the Masse again in the Churches then a new Supply came from France commanded by the Marquess of Elbeufe one of the Queen Regents Brothers so that there were in all 4000. French in Scotland But by her having this foreign Force the whole Nation came to be united against the Queen and to look on her as a common Enemy The Scots who had been hitherto animated and secretly supplied with Money and Ammunition from England were now forced to desire the Queen of England's aid more openly and France was now like to be so much divided within it self that the Queen did not much apprehend a War with that Crown so she was more easily determined to assist the Scots A Treaty was