reading of Sermons grew into a practise in this Church in which if there was not that heat and fire which the â—ryars had shewed in their Declamations so that the passions of the Hearers were not so much wrought on by it yet it has produced the greatest Treasure of weighty grave and solid Sermons that ever the Church of God had which does in a great measure compensate that seeming â—atness to vulgar ears that is in the delivery of them The Injunctions take notice of another thing which the sincerity of an Historian obliges me to give an account of tho it was indeed the greatest blemish of that time These were the Stage-plays and Enterludes that were then generally acted and often in Churches They were representations of the corruptions of the Monks and some other feats of the Popish Clergy The Poems were ill contrivâ—d and worse expressed if there lies not some hidden wit in these Ballads for verses they were not which at this distance is lost But from the representing the immoralities and disorders of the Clergy they proceeded to act the Pageantry of their Worship This took with the people much who being provoked by the miscarriages and cruelties of some of the Clergy were not ill pleased to see them and their Religion exposed to publick scorn The Clergy complained much of this and said it was an introduction to Atheism and all sort of Irreligion For if once they began to mock sacred things no stop could be put to that petulant humour The grave and learned sort of Reformers disliked and condemned these courses as not sutable to the genius of true Religion but the political men of that party made great use of them encouraging them all they could for they said Contempt being the most operative and lasting affection of the mind nothing would more effectually drive out many of those Abuses which yet remained than to expose them to the contempt and scorn of the people In the end of this year a war broke out between England and Scotland set on by the instigation of the French King who was also beginning to be an uneasie Neighbour to those of the English pale about Callice The King set out a long Declaration in which he very largely laid out the pretensions the Crown of England had to an Homage from the Kings of Scotland In this I am no fit person to interpose the matter being disputed by the learned men of both Nations The Scots said it was only for some Lands their Kings had in England that they did Homage as the Kings of England did for Normandy and Guienne to the Kings of France But the English Writers cited many Records to shew that the Homage was done for the Crown of Scotland To this the Scots replied that in the Invasion of Edward the first he had carried away all their ancient Records so these being lost they could only appeal to the Chronicles that lay up and down the Nation in their Monasteries That all these affirmed the contrary and that they were a free Kingdom till Edward the first taking advantage of their disputes about the Succession to their Crown upon the death of Alexander the third got some of the Competitors to lay down their pretensions at his feet and to promise Homage That this was also performed by Iohn Balliol whom he preferred to the Crown of Scotland but by these means he lost the hearts of the Nation and it was said that his Act of Homage could not give away the Rights of a free Crown and People And they said that whatsoever submissions had been made since that time they werâ— only extorted by force as the effects of Victory and Conquest but gave no good right nor just Title To all this the English Writers answered That these submissions by their Records which were the solemn Instruments of a Nation that ought never to be called in question were sometimes freely made and not by their Kings only but by the consent of their States In this uncertainty I must leave it with the Reader But after the King had opened this Pretension he complained of the disorders committed by the Scots of the unkind returns he had met with from their King for his care of him while he was an Infant taking no advantage of the confusions in which that Kingdom then was but on the contrary protecting the Crown and quieting the Kingdom But that of â—ate many depredations and acts of hostility had been committed by the Scots and though some Treaties had been begun they were managed with so much shufling and inconstancy that the King must now try it by a War Yet he concluded his Declaration ambiguously neither keeping up nor laying down his Pretensions to that Crown but expressing them in such a manner thaâ— which way soever the success of the War turned he might be bound up to nothing by what he now declared But whatsoever justice might be in the Kings Title or Quarrel his Sword was much the sharper He ordered the Duke of Norfolk to march into Scotland about the end of October with an Army of 30000 men Hall tells us they burnt many Towns and names them But these were only single Houses or little Villages and the best Town he names is Kâ—lso which is a little open Market-Town Soon after they returned back into England whether after they had spoiled the Neighbouring Country they felt the incoveniencies of the season of the year or whether hearing the Scots were gathering they had no mind to go too far I cannot determine for the Writers of both Nations disagree as to the reason of their speedy return But any that knows the Country they spoiled and where they stopt must conclude that either they had secret Orders only to make an Inroad and destroy some Places that lay along the River of Tweed and upon the Border which done without driving the Breach too far to retire back or they must have had apprehensions of the Scotish Armies coming to lie in these Moors and Hills of Saâ—trey or Lammer-Moor which they were to pass if they had gone farther and there were about 10000 men broughâ— thither but he that commanded them was much blamed for doing nothing his excuse was that his number did not equal theirs About the end of November the Lord Mâ—xâ—ell brought an Army of 15000 men together with a Train of Artillery of 24 peeces of Ordnance And since the Duke of Norfolk had retired towards Berwick they resolved to enter England on the Western side by Solway Frith The King went thither himself but fatally left the Army and yet was not many miles from them when they were defeated The truth of it was that King who had hitherto raised the greatest expectation was about that time disturbed in his fancie thinking that he saw apparitions particularly of one whom it was said he had unjustly put to death so â—hat he could not rest nor be at quiet But as his leaving
King intended to Marry her to France the more effectually to seclude her from the Succession considering the aversion his Subjects had to a French Government that so he might more easily settle his Bastard Son the Duke of Richmond in the Succession of the Crown While this Treaty went on the Kings scruples about his Marriage began to take vent It is said that the Cardinal did first infuse them into him and made Longland Bishop of Lincoln that was the Kings Confessor possess the Kings mind with them in Confession If it was so the King had according to the Religion of that time very just cause of Scruple when his Confessor judged his Marriage sinful and the Popes Legate was of the same mind It is also said that the Cardinal being alienated from the Emperor that he might irreparably embroil the King and him and unite the King to the French Interests designed this out of Spite and that he was also dissatisfied toward the Queen who hated him for his lewd and dissolute Life and had oft admonished and check't him for it And that he therefore designing to engage the King to Marry the French Kings Sister the Dutchess of Alenoon did to make way for that set this Matter on foot but as I see no good Authority for all this except the Queens suspitions who did afterwards charge the Cardinal as the cause of all her trouble so I am inclined to think the Kings Scruples were much ancienter for the King declared to Simon Grineus four years after this that for seven years he had abstained from the Queen upon these Scruples so that by that it seems they had been received into the Kings mind three years before this time What were the Kings secret motives and the true grounds of his Aversion to the Queen is only known to God and till the discovery of all Secrets at the day of Judgment must lye hid But the reasons which he always owned of which all Humane Judicatories must only take notice shall be now fully opened He found by the Law of Moses if a man took his Brothers Wife they should die childless This made him reflect on the death of his Children which he now looked on as a Curse from God for that unlawful Marriage Upon this he set himself to Study the case and called for the judgments of the best Divines and Canonists For his own Enquiry Thomas Aquinas being the Writer in whose works he took most pleasure and to whose judgment he submitted most did decide it clearly against him For he both Concluded that the Laws in Leviticus about the forbidden degrees of Marriage were Moral and Eternal such as obliged all Christians and that the Pope could only Dispense with the Laws of the Church but could not Dispense with the Laws of God Upon this reason that no Law can be Dispenced with by any Authority but that which is equal to the Authority that enacted it Therefore he infers that the Pope can indeed Dispence with all the Laws of the Church but not with the Laws of God to whose Authority he could not pretend to be equal But as the King found this from his own private Study so having commanded the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to require the Opinions of the Bishops of England they all in a Writing under their hands and Seals declared they judged it an unlawful Marriage Only the Bishop of Rochester refused to set his hand to it and though the Arch-Bishop pressed him most earnestly to it yet he persisted in his refusal saying that it was against his Conscience Upon which the Arch-Bishop made another write down his Name and set his Seal to the Resolution of the rest of the Bishops But this being afterwards questioned the Bishop of Rochester denied it was his hand and the Arch-Bishop pretended that he had leave given him by the Bishop to put his hand to it which the other denied Nor was it likely that Fisher who scrupled in Conscience to Subscribe it himself would have consented to such a weak Artifice But all the other Bishops did declare against the Marriage and as the King himself said afterwards in the Legantine Court neither the Cardinal nor the Bishop of Lincoln did first suggest these scruples but the King being possessed with them did in Confession propose them to that Bishop and added that the Cardinal was so far from cherishing them that he did all he could to stiffle them The King was now convinced that his Marriage was unlawful both by his own study and the resolution of his Divines And as the point of Conscience wrought on him so the Interest of the Kingdom required that there should be no doubting about the Succession to the Crown left as the long Civil-War between the Houses of York and Lancaster had been buried with his Father so a new one should rise up at his death The King of Scotland was the next Heir to the Crown after his Daughter And if he Married his Daughter to any out of France then he had reason to judge that the French upon their Ancient Alliance with Scotland and that they might divide and distract England would be ready to assist the King of Scotland in his pretensions Or if he Married her in France then all those in England to whom the French Government was hateful and the Emperour and other Princes to whom the French Power grew formidable would have been as ready to support the pretensions of Scotland Or if he should either set up his Barstard Son or the Children which his Sister bore to Charles Brandon there was still cause to fear a Bloody decision of a Title that was so doubtful And though this may seem a consideration too Politick and Forreign to a matter of that nature yet the obligation that lies on a Prince to provide for the happiness and quiet of his Subjects was so weighty a thing that it might well come in among other Motives to incline the King much to have this matter determined At this time the Cardinal went over into France under colour to conclude a League between the Two Crowns and to Treat about the means of setting the Pope at liberty who was then the Emperours Prisoner at Rome and also for a project of Peace between Francis and the Emperour But his chief business was to require Francis to declare his Resolutions concerning that alternative about the Lady Mary To which it was answered That the Duke of Orleance as a fitter Match in years was the French King's Choice but this matter fell to the ground upon the Process that followed soon aâ—ter The King did much apprehend the opposition the Emperour was like to make to his designs either out of a principle of nature and honour to protect his Aunt or out of a Maxime of State to raise his Enemy all the trouble he could at home But on the other hand he had some cause to hope well even in that
to three of them and selected the 19 20 and 21 what these related to I find not Upon which Providellus pleaded and answered the Objections that did seem to militate against them but neither would the Imperiallists appear that Session In Iune news were brought to Rome which gave the Pope great offence A Priest had preached for the Popes Authority in England and was for that cast into prison And another Priest being put in prison by the Archbishop of Canterbury upon suspition of Heresie had appealed to the King as the Supreme Lord upon which he was taken out of the Archbishops hands and being examined in the Kings Courts was set at liberty This the Pope resented much but the Embassadors said all such things might have been prevented if the King had got Justice at the Popes hands The King also at this time desired a Bull for a Commission to erect six new Bishopricks to be endowed by Monasteries that were to be suppressed This was expedited and sent away at this time And the old Cardinal of Ravenna was so jealous that the Embassadors were forced to promise him the Bishoprick of Chester one of the new Bishopricks with which he was well satisfied having seen by a particular state of the Endowment that was designed for it what advantage it would yield him But he had declared himself so openly before against the Reasons for the Excuse that he could not serve the King in that matter but in the main Cause he undertook to do great service and so did the Cardinals De Monte and Ancona Upon the 27th of Iune the Debate was brought to a Conclusion about the Plea Excusatory and when it was expected that the Pope should have given sentence against the Articles he admitted them all Si prout de jure Upon which the Imperiallists made great Complaints The Cardinals grew weary of the length of the Debate since it took up all their time but it was told them the matter was of great importance and it had been better for them not to have proceeded so precipitately at first which had now brought them into this trouble and that the King had been at much pains and trouble on their account therefore it was unreasonable for them to complain who were put to no other trouble but to sit in their Chairs two or three hours in a week to hear the Kings Defences The Imperiallists had also occasioned the Delays though they complained of them by their Cavils and Allegations ofLaws and Decisions that never were made by which much time was spent But it was objected That the Kings Excuse for not coming to Rome because it was too remote from his Kingdom and not safe was of no force since the place was safe to his Proxy And the Cardinal of Ravenna pressed the Embassadors much to move the King instead of the Excusatory Process to send a Proxy for examining and discussing the Merits of the Cause in which it would be much easier to advance the Kings matter and that he having appeared against the King in this Process would be the less suspected in the other The business being further considered in three Sessions of the Consistory it was resolved that since the Vacation was coming on they would neither allow of nor reject the Kings Excusatory Plea but the Pope and College of Cardinals would write to the King intreating him to send a Proxy for judging the Cause against the Winter And with this Bonner was sent over with Instructions from the Cardinals that were gained to the King to represent to him that his Excusatory Plea could not be admitted for since the Debate was to be whether the Pope could grant the Dispensation or not it could not be committed to Legats but must be judged by the Pope and the Consistory He was also ordered to assure the King that the Pope did now lean so much to the French Faction that he needed not fear to refer the matter to him But while these things were in debate at Rome there was another Session of Parliament in April and then the King sent for the Speaker of the House of Commons and gave him the Answer which the Clergy had drawn to the Addresses they made in the former Session about their Courts The King himself seemed not at all pleased with it but what the House did in it does not appear further than that they were no way satisfied with it But there happened another thing that offended the King much One Temse of the House of Commons moved that they should address to the King to bring the Queen back to the Court and ran out upon the Inconveniences that were like to follow if the Queen were put away particularly the ill consequence of the Illegitimation of the Princess Upon this the King took occasion when he gave them the Clergies Answer to tell them that he wondered at that motion made in their House for the matter was not to be determined there It touched his Soul he wished his Marriage were good but the Doctors and Learned men had determined it to be null and detestable and therefore he was obliged in Conscience to abstain from her which he assured them flowed from no Lust nor foolish Appetite He was then 41 years old and at that Age those Heats abate But except in Spain or Portugal it had not been heard of that a man married two Sisters and that he never heard that any Christian man before himself had married his Brothers Wife Therefore he assured them his Conscience was troubled which he desired them to report to the House In this Session the Lord Chancellour came down to the Commons with many of the Nobility about him and told them the King had considered the Marches between England and Scotland which were uninhabited on the English side but well peopled on the Scottish and that laid England open to the Incursion of the Scots therefore the King intended to build Houses there for planting the English side This the Lords liked very well and thought it convenient to give the King some Aids for the Charges of so necessary a Work and therefore desired the Commons to consult about it Upon which the House voted a Subsidy of a Fifteenth But before the Bill could be finished the Plague broke out in London and the Parliament was prorogued till February following On the 11th of May three days before the Prorogation the King sent for the Speaker of the House of Commons and told him That he found upon Inquiry that all the Prelats whom he had looked on as wholly his Subjects were but half-Subjects for at their Consecration they swore an Oath quite contrary to the Oath they swore to the Crown so that it seemed they were the Popes Subjects rather than his Which he referred to their care that such order might be taken in it that the King might not be deluded Upon which the two Oaths that the
often reproved him boldly for it he grew weary of him The Clergy perceiving this were resolved to fall upon him So he withdrew to Berwick but wrote to the King that if he would hear him make his defence he would return and justifie all that he had taught He taxed the cruelty of the Clergy and desired the King would restrain their Tyranny and consider that he was obliged to protect his Subjects from their severity and malice But receiving no satisfactory answer he lived in England where he was entertain'd by the Duke of Suffolk as his Chaplain Not long after this one Forrest a simple Benedictin Monk was accused for having said that Patrick Hamilton had died a Martyr yet since there was no sufficient proof to convict him a Frier one Walter Lainge was sent to confess him to whom in Confession he acknowledged he thought Hamilton was a good man and that the Articles for which he was condemned might be defended This being revealed by the Frier was taken for good evidence So the poor man was condemned to be burnt as an Heretick As he was led out to his Execution he said Fie on falshood fie on Friers revealers of Confession Let never man trust them after me they are despisers of God and deceivers of men When they were considering in what place to burn him a simple man that attended the Arch-bishop advised to burn him in some low Cellar for said he the smoak of Mr. Patrick Hamilton has infected all those on whom it blew Soon after this Abbot Hamiltons Brother and Sister were brought into the Bishops Courts but the King who favoured this Brother perswaded him to absent himself His Sister and six others being brought before the Bishop of Ross who was deputed by the Arch-Bishop to proceed against them the King himself dealt with the Woman to abjure which she and the other six did Two others were more resolute The one was Normand Gowrlay who was charged with denying the Popes Authority in Scotland and saying there was no Purgatory The other was David Straiton He was charged with the same Opinions They also alledged that he had denied that Tithes were due to Church-men and that when the Vicar came to take the Tith out of some Fish-boats that belonged to him he alledged the Tith was to be taken where the stock grew and therefore ordered the tenth fish to be cast into the Sea and bade the Vicar to seek them there They were both judged obstinate Hereticks and burnt at one Stake the 27th of August 1534. Upon this persecution some others who were cited to appear fled into England Those were Alexander Alesse Iohn Fife Iohn Mackbee and one Mackdowgall The first of these was received by Cromwel into his Family and grew into great favour with King Henry and was commonly called his Scholar of whom see what was said Page 214. But after Cromwels death he took Fife with him and they went into Saxony and were both Professors in Leipsick Mackbee was at first entertained by Shaxton Bishop of Salisbury but he went afterwards into Denmark where he was known by the name of Doctor Maccabeus and was Chaplain to King Christian the second But all these violent proceedings were not effectual enough to quench that light which was then shining there Many by searching the Scriptures came to the knowledg of the Truth and the noise of what was then doing in England awakned others to make further enquiries into matters of Religion Pope Clement the 7th apprehending that King Henry might prevail on his Nephew to follow his example wrote Letters full of earnest exhortations to him to continue in the Catholick Faith Upon which King Iames called a Parliament and there in the presence of the Popes Nuncio declared his zeal for that Faith and the Apostolick See The Parliament also concurred with him in it and made acts against Hereticks and for maintaining the Popes authority That same Pope did afterwards send to desire him to assist him in making war against the King of England for he was resolved to divide that Kingdom among those who would assist him in driving out King Henry But the firm peace at that time between the King of England and the French King kept him quiet from any trouble which otherwise the King of Scotland might have given him Yet King Henry sent the Bishop of St. Davids with the Duke of Norfolks Brother Lord William Howard to him so unexpectedly that they came to him at Sterlin before he had heard of their being sent The Bishop brought with him some of the Books that had been writ for the justifying King Henry's proceeding and desired that King would impartially examine them But he put them into the hands of some about him that were addicted to the interests of Rome who without ever reading them told him they were full of pestilent Doctrine and Heresie The secret business they came for was to perswade that King to concur with his Uncle and to agree an Interview between them and they offered him in their Masters name the Lady Mary in Marriage and that he should be made Duke of York and Lord Lieutenant of all England But the Clergy diverted him from it and perswaded him rather to go on in his design of a match with France And their Counsels did so prevail that he resolved to go in person and fetch a Queen from thence On the first of Ianuary 1537. he was married to Magdalen daughter to Francis the First But she being then gone far in a Consumption died soon after he had brought her home on the 28th of May. She was much lamented by all persons the Clergy only excepted for she had been bred in the Queen of Navarres Court and so they apprehended she might incline the King to a Reformation But he had seen another Lady in France Mary of Guise whom he then liked so well that after his Queens death he sent Cardinal Beaton into France to treat for a match with her This gave the Clergy as much joy as the former marriage had raised fear for no Family in Christendome was more devoted to the interests of the Papacy than that was And now the King though he had freer thoughts himself yet was so engaged to the pretended old Religion that he became a violent persecutor of all who differed from it The King grew very expensive he indulged himself much in his pleasures he built four noble Palaces which considering that Kingdom and that Age were very extraordinary Buildings he had also many natural Children All which things concurred to make him very desirous of Money There were two different parties in the Court The Nobility on the one hand represented to him the great wealth that the Abbots had gathered and that if he would do as his Uncle had done he would thereby raise his Revenue to the triple of what it was and provide plentifully for his Children The Clergy on
the Army was ill advised so his giving a Commissâ—on to Oliver Sinclar â—hat was his Minion to command in Chief did extreamly disgust the Nobility They loved not to be commanded by any but their King and were already weary of the insolence of that Favourite who being but of ordinary birth was despised by them so that they were beginning to separate And when they were upon that occasion in great disorder a small body of English not above 500 Horse appeared But they apprehending it was the Duke of Norfolks Army refused to fight and fell in confusion Many Prisoners were taken the chief of whom were the Earls of Glencairn and Cassillis the Lords Maxwell Sommervell Oliphant Gray and Oliver Sinclar and about 200 Gentlemen and 800 souldiers and all the Ordnance and Baggage was also taken The news of this being brought to the King of Scotland encreased his former disorders and some few days after he dyed leaving an infant Daughter but newly born to succeed him The Lords that were taken Prisoners were brought to London where after they had been charged in Council how unkindly they had used the King they were put in the keeping of some of the greatest quality about Court But the Earl of Cassillis had the best luck of them all For being sent to Lambâ—th where he was a Prisoner upon his parole Cranmer studied to free him from the darkness and fetters of Popery in which he was so successful that the other was afterwards a great Promoter of the Reformation in Scotland The Scots had been hitherto possessed with most extraordinary prejudices against the Changes that had been made in England which concurring with the ancient Animosities between the two Nations had raised a wonderful ill opinion of the Kings proceedings And though the Bishop of St. Davids Barlow had been sent into Scotland with the Book of the Institution of a Christian Man to clear these ill impressions yet his endeavours were unsuccessful The Pope at the instance of the French King and to make that Kingdom sure made David Beaton Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews a Cardinal which gave him great Authority in the Kingdom so he with the rest of the Clergy diverted the King from any correspondence with England and assured him of Victory if he would make War on such an Heretical Prince The Clergy also offered the King 50000 Crowns a-year towards a War with England and possessed all the Nation with very ill thoughts of the Court and Clergy there But the Lords that were now Prisoners chiefly the Earl of Cassillis who was best instructed by his Religious Host conceived a better opinion of the Reformation and carried home with them those seeds of knowledg which produced afterwards a very fruitful Harvest On all these things I have dwelt the longer that it might appear whence the inclination of the Scotish Nobility to Reform did take its first rise though there was afterwards in the Methods by which it was advanced too great a mixture of the heat and forwardness that is natural to the Genius of that Countrey When the news of the King of Scotlands death and of the young Queens birth that succeeded him came to the Court the King thought this a very favourable conjuncture to unite and settle the whole Island But that unfortunate Princess was not born under such happy Stars though she was Mother to him in whom this long-desired Union took effect The Lords that were then Prisoners began the motion and that being told the King he called for them to Hampton-Court in the Christmas-time and said now an opportunity was put in their hands to quiet all troubles that had been between these two Crowns by the Marriage of the Prince of Wales to their young Queen In which he desired their assistance and gave them their Liberty they leaving hostages for the performance of what was then offered by them They all promised their Concurrence and seemed much taken with the greatness of the English Court which the King always kept up not without affectation they also said they thought God was better served there than in their own Countrey So on New-years-day they took their journey towards Scotland but the sequel of this will appear afterwards A Parliament was summoned to meet the two and twentieth of Ianuary which sate to the 12th of May. So the Session begun in the 34th and ended in the 35th year of the Kings Reign from whence it is called in the Records the Parliament of the 34th and 35th year Here both the Temporality and Spirituality gave great Subsidies to the King of six shillings in the Pound to be paid in three years They set forth in their Preambles The expence the King had been at in his War with Scotland and for his other great and urgent occasions by which was meant a War with France which broke out the following Summer But with these there passed other two Acts of great importance to Religion The Title of the first was An Act for the advancement of True Religion and abolishment of the contrary The King was now entring upon a War so it seemed reasonable to qualifie the severity of the late Acts about Religion that all might be quiet at home Cranmer moved it first and was faintly seconded by the Bishops of Worcester Hereford Chichester and Rochester who had promised to stick to him in it At this time a League was almost finished between the King and the Emperour which did again raise the Spirits of the Popish Faction They had been much cast down ever since the last Queens fall But now that the Emperor was like to have an Interest in English Councils they took heart again and Gardiner opposed the Arch-Bishops motion with all possible earnestness And that whole Faction fell so upon it that the timorous Bishops not only forsook Cranmer but Heath of Rochester and Skip of Hereford were very earnest with him to stay for a better opportunity But he generously preferred his Conscience to those arts of Policy which he would never practise and said he would push it as far as it would go So he plied the King and the other Lords so earnestly that at length the Bill passed though clogg'd with many Provisoes and very much short of what he had designed The Preamble set forth that there being many dissensions about Religion the Scriptures which the King had put into the hands of his People were abused by many seditious persons in their Sermons Books Playes Rithmes and Songs from which great Inconveniences were like to arise For preventing these it was necessary to establish a Form of sincere Doctrine conformable to that which was taught by the Apostles Therefore all the Books of the Old and New Testament of Tindals Translation which is called Crafty False and Vntrue are forbidden to be kept oâ— used in the Kings Dominions with all other Books contrary to the Doctrine set forth in the year 1540. with
Punishments and Fines and Imprisonment upon such as sold or kept such Books But Bibles that were not of Tindals Translation were still to be kept only the Annotations or Preambles that were in any of them were to be cut out or dashed and the Kings Proclamations and Injunctions with the Primmers and other Books Printed in English for the instruction of the people before the year 1540 were still to be in force and among these Chancers Books are by name mentioned No Books were to be Printed about Religion without the Kings Allowance In no Playes nor Enterludes they might make any Expositions of Scripture but only reproach Vice and set forth virtue in them None might read the Scripture in any open Assembly or expound it but he who was Licensed by the King or his Ordinary with a Proviso that the Chancellors in Parliament Judges Recorders or any others who were wont in publick occasions to make Speeches and commonly took a place of Scripture for their Text might still do as they had done formerly Every Noble-man or Gentle-man might cause the Bible to be read to him in or about his House quietly and without disturbance Every Merchant that was a Housholder might also read it But no Woman nor Artificers Apprentices Journeymen Serving-men under the degree of Yeomen nor no Husbandmen or Labourers might read it Yet every Noble Woman or Gentlewoman might read it for her self and so might all other persons but those who were excepted Every person might read and teach in their Houses the Book set out in the year 1540. with the Psalter Primmer Paternoster the Ave and the Creed in English All Spiritual persons who preached or taught contrary to the Doctrine set forth in that Book were to be admitted for the first conviction to renounce their errors for the second to abjure and carry a Faggot which if they refused to do or fell into a third offence they were to be burnt But the Laity for the third offence were only to forfeit their Goods and Chattels and be liable to perpetual Imprisonment But these offences were to be objected to them within a year after they were committed And whereas before the Party accused was not allowed to bring Witnesses for his own Purgation this was now granted him But to this a severe Proviso was added which seemed to overthrow all the former favour that the Act of the six Articles was still in the same force in which it was before the making of this Act. Yet that was moderated by the next Proviso That the King might at any time hereafter at his pleasure change this Act or any Provision in it This last Proviso was made stronger by another Act made for the due execution of Proclamations in pursuance of a former Act to the same effect of which mention was made in the 31st year of the Kings Reign By that former Act there was so great a number of Officers of State and of the Kings Houshold of Judges and other persons to sit on these Trials that those not being easily brought together the Act had never taken any effect Therefore it was now appointed that nine Counsellors should be a sufficient number for these Trials At the passing of that Act the Lord Montjoy protested against it which is the single Instance of a Protestation against any publick Bill through this Kings whole Reign The Act about Religion freed the Subjects from the fears under which they were before For now the Laity were delivered from the hazard of burning and the Spirituality were not in danger but upon the third Conviction They might also bring their own witnesses which was a great favour to them Yet that high power which was given the King of altering the Act or any parts of it made that they were not absolutely secured from their fears of which some instances afterwards appeared But as this Act was some mitigation of former severities so it brought the Reformers to depend wholly on the Kings Mercy for their Lives since he could now chain up or let loose the Act of the six Articles upon them at his pleasure Soon after the end of this Parliament a League was sworn between the King and the Emperour on Trinity Sunday Offensive and Defensive for England Calais and the places about it and for all Flanders with many other particulars to be found in the Treaty set down at large by the Lord Herbert There is no mention made of the Legitimation of the Lady Mary but it seems it was promised that she should be declared next in the Succession of the Crown to Prince Edward if the King had no other Children which was done in the next Parliament without any reflections on her Birth and the Emperor was content to accept of that there being no other terms to be obtained The Popish party who had set up their rest on bringing the King and Emperour to a League and putting the Lady Mary into the Succession no doubt prest the Emperor much to accept of this which we may reasonably believe was vigorously driven on by Bonner who was sent to Spain an Ambassador for concluding this Peace by which also the Emperor gained much for having engaged the Crowns of England and France in a War and drawn off the King of England from his League with the Princes of Germany he was now at more leisure to prosecute his designs in Germany But the negotiation in Scotland succeeded not to the Kings mind though at first there were very good appearances The Cardinal by forging a Will for the dead King got himself and some of his party to be put into the Government But the Earl of Arran Hamilton being the nearest in blood to the young Queen and being generally beloved for his Probity was invited to assume the Government which he managed with great moderation and an universal applause He summoned a Parliament which confirmed him in his Power during the Minority of the Queen The King sent Sir Ralph Sadler to him to agree the Marriage and to desire him to send the young Queen into England And if private ends wrought much on him Sadler was empowered to offer another Marriage of the Kings second Daughter the Lady Elizabeth to his Son The Earl of Arran was himself inclinable to Reformation and very much hated the Cardinal So he was easily brought to consent to a Treaty for the Match which was concluded in August By which the young Queen was to be bred in Scotland till she was ten years of age but the King might send a Nobleman and his Wife with other persons not exceeding 20 to wait on her And for performance of this six Noblemen were to be sent from Scotland for Hostages The Earl of Arran being then Governor kept the Cardinal under restraint till this Treaty was Concluded But he corrupting his Keepers made his escape and joyning with the Queen Mother they made a strong faction against the Governor all the Clergy joyned with the
Cardinal to oppose the Match with England since they looked for ruine if it succeeded The Queen being a sister of Guise and bred in the French Court was wholly for their Interests and all that had been obliged by that Court or depended on it were quickly drawn into the Party It was also said to every body that it was much more the Interest of Scotland to match with France than with England If they were united to France they might expect an easie Government For the French being at such distance from them and knowing how easily they might throw themselves into the Armes of England would certainly rule them gently and avoid giving them great Provocations But if they were united to England they had no remedy but must look for an heavier yoke to be laid on them This meeting with the rooted Antipathy that by a long continuance of War was grown up among them to a savage hatred of the English Nation and being inflamed by the considerations of Religion raised an universal dislike of the Match with England in the greatest part of the whole Nation only a few men of greater Probity who were weary of the depredations and Wars in the Borders and had a liking to the Reformation of the Church were still for it The French Court struck in vigorously with their Party in Scotland and sent over the Earl of Lenox who as he was next in blood to the Crown after the Earl of Arran so was of the same family of the Stewarts which had endeared him to the late King He was to lead the Queens party against the Hamiltons Yet they employed another Tool which was Iohn Hamilton base Brother to the Governor who was afterwards Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews He had great power over his Brother who being then not above four and twenty years of age and having been the only lawful Son of his Father in his old age was never bred abroad and so understood not the Policies and arts of Courts and was easily abused by his base Brother He assured him that if he went about to destroy Religion by matching the Queen to an Heretical Prince they would depose him from his Government and declare him Illegitimate There could be indeed nothing clearer than his Fathers Divorce from his first Wife For it had been formerly proved that she had been married to the Lord Yesters Son before he married her who claimed her as his Wife upon which her Marriage with the Earl of Arran was declared Null in the year 1507. And it was ten years after that the Earl of Arran did Marry the Governors Mother Of which things the Original Instruments are yet extant Yet it was now said that that Precontract with the Lord Yesters Son was but a forgery to dissolve that Marriage and if the Earl of Lenox who was next to the Crown in case the Earl of Arran was Illegitimated should by the assistance of France procure a review of that Process from Rome and obtain a Revocation of that Sentence by which his Fathers first Marriage was annulled then it was plain that the second marriage with the issue by it would be of no force All this wrought on the Governor much and at length drew him off from the Match with England and brought him over to the French Interests Which being effected there was no further use of the Eaâ—l of Lâ—nnox so he finding himself neglected by the Queen and the Cardinal and abandoned by the Crown of France fled into England where he was very kindly received by the King who gave him in marriage his Neece Lady Margaret Dowglass whom the Queen of Scotland had born to the Earl of Angus her second Husband From which Marriage issued the Lord Darnly Father to King Iames. When the Lords of the French Faction had carried things to their mind in Scotland it was next considered what they should do to redeem the Hostages whom the Lords who were Prisoners in England had left behind them And for this no other Remedy could be found but to let them take their hazard and leave them to the King of England's mercy To this they all agreed only the Earl of Cassilis had too much Honour and Vertue to do so mean a thing Therefore after he had done all he could for maintaining the Treaty about the Match he went into England and offered himself again to be a Prisoner But as generous actions are a reward to themselves so they often meet with that entertainment which they deserve And upon this occasion the King was not wanting to express a very great value for that Lord. He called him another Regulus but used him better For he both gave him his Liberty and made him noble Presents and sent him and his Hostages back being resolved to have a severer reparation for the injury done him All which I have opened more fully because this will give a great light to the affairs of that Kingdom which will be found in the Reigns of the succeeding Princes to have a great intermixture with the affairs of this Kingdom Nor are they justly represented by any who write of these times and having seen some Original Papers relating to Scotland at that time I have done it upon more certain information The King of England made War next upon France The grounds of this War are recited by the Lord Herbert One of these is proper for me to repeat That the French King had not deserted the Bishop of Rome and consented to a Reformation as he had once Promised The rest related to other things such as the seizing our Ships The detaining the yearly Pension due to the King The Fortifying Ardres to the prejudice of the English pale The revealing the Kings secrets to the Emperor The having given first his Daughter and then the Duke of Guises Sister in Marriage to his Enemy the King of Scotland and his confederating himself with the Turk And Satisfaction not being given in these particulars a War is declared In Iuly the King married Katharine Parre who had been formerly married to Nevil Lord Latimer She was a secret Favourer of the Reformation yet could not divert a storm which at this time fell on some in Windsor For that being a place to which the King did oft retire it was thought fit to make some examples there And now the League with the Emperour gave the Popish Faction a greater interest in the Kings Counsels There was at this time a Society at Windsor that favoured the Reformation Anthony Person a Priest Robert Testwood and Iohn Marbeck Singing Men and Henry Filmer of the Town of Windsor were the chief of them But those were much favoured by Sir Philip Hâ—bby and his Lady and several others of the Kings Family During Crâ—â—â—els power none questioned them but after his fall they were looked on with an ill eye Doctor Londâ—n who had by the most servile Flatteries insinuated himself into Cromâ—el and was much employed
censured p. 259 An Act about the Suppression of all Monasteries p. 260 Another for erecting New Bishopricks p. 262 The Kings design about these ibid. An Act for Obedience to the Kings Proclamations p. 263 An Act concerning Precedence p. 264 Some Acts of Attaindor ibid. The Kings care of Cranmer p. 265 Who wrote against the six Articles ibid. Proceedings upon that Act p. 266 Bonners Commission for holding his Bishoprick of the King p. 267 The total Dissolution of Abbeys ibid. Which were sold or given away p. 268 A Project of a seminary for Ministers of State p. 269 A Proclamation for the use of the Bible p. 270 The King designs to Marry Anne of Cleve ibid. Who comes over but is disliked by the King p. 271 Anno 1540. BVt he Marries her yet could never love her p. 273 A Parliament is called p. 274 Where Cromwel speaks as Lord Vice-gerent ibid. The Suppression of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem p. 275 Cromwells fall p. 276 The King is in love with Katherine Howard ibid. Cranmers friendship to Cromwell p. 277 Cromwels Attaindor p. 278 Censures past upon it p. 279 The Kings Divorce is proposed p. 280 And referred to the Convocation ibid. Reasons pretended for it ibid. The Convocation agree to it p. 281 Which was much censured ibid. It is Confirmed in Parliament p. 282 The Queen consents to it ibid. An Act about the Incontinence of Priests ibid. Another Act about Religion ibid. Another concerning Precontracts p. 283 Subsidies granted by Clergy and Laity ibid. Cromwell's Death p. 284 His Character Ibid. Designs against Cranmer p. 285 Some Bishops and Divines consult about Religion p. 286 An Explanation of Faith ibid. Cranmers Opinion about it p. 288 They Explain the Apostles Creed ibid. And the Seven Sacraments with great care p. 289 As also the Ten Commandments p. 290 The Lords Prayer the Ave Maria and free-will p. 291 And Iustification and Good works p. 292 Published by the King but much censured p. 293 A Correction of the Missalls p. 294 The Sufferings of Barnes and others p. 295 They are Condemned unheard p. 297 Their Speeches at their Death ibid. Bonners Cruelty p. 299 New Bishopricks Founded p. 300 Cranmers design is defeated p. 301 These Foundations are censured ibid. The State of the Court p. 302 The Bible is set up in Churches ibid. An Order for Churchmens house-keeping p. 303 The King goes to York p. 304 The State of Scotland ibid. The beginning of the Reformation p. 305 Patrick Hamiltons Sufferings ibid. A further Prosecution p. 308 The Kings was wholly quieted by the Clergy p. 309 Some put to death others escaped p. 310 The Queens ill life is discovered p. 312 Anno 1542. A Parliament called ibid. An Act about the Queen much censured p. 313 A design to suppress the English Bible p. 314 The Bible ordered to be revised by the Vniversities p. 315. B. Bonners Injunctions ibid. The way of Preaching at that time p. 316 Plaies and Enterludes then Acted p. 318 War between England and Scotland ibid. The Scots are defeated and their King dies p. 320 Anno 1543. CRanmer Promotes a Reformation p. 321 An Act of Parliament for it ibid. Another about the Kings Proclamations p. 322 A League between the King and the Emperor p. 323 A Match designed with Scotland ibid. But the French party prevailed there p. 324 A War with France p. 325 A Persecution of the Reformers Ibid. Marbecks great Ingeniousness p. 326 Three burnt at Windsor p. 327 Their Persecutors are Perjured ibid. A design against Cranmer ibid. It came to nothing p. 328 His Christian behaviour ibid. Anno 1544. A New Parliament ibid. An Act about the Succession ibid. An Act against Conspiracies p. 330 An Act for revising the Canon-Law ibid. A discharge of the Kings debts ibid. The War against Scotland p. 331 Audley the Chancellor dies ibid. The Prayers are put in English ibid. Bulloign is taken p. 332 Anno. 1545. THe Germans Mediate a peace between England and France ibid. Some great Church-Preferments p. 333 Wisharts Sufferings in Scotland ibid. Cardinal Beaton is killed p. 336 Anno 1546. A New Parliament p. 338. Chappels and Chanteries given to the King ibid. The Kings Speech to the Parliament ibid. The King confirms the Rights of Vniversities p. 334 A Peace with France p. 340 Designs of a further Reformation ibid. Shaxtons Apostacy ibid. The troubles of Anne Askew p. 341 She endures the Rack p. 342 And is burnt with some others ibid. A design against Cranmer ibid. The King takes care of him p. 343 A design against the Queen p. 344 The cause of the Duke of Norfolks Disgrace p. 345 Anno 1547. THe Earl of Surrey is Executed p. 346 The Duke of Norfolks Submission ibid. A Parliament meets p. 347 The Duke of Norfolk is Attainted ibid. His Death prevented by the Kings p. 348 The Emperors designs against the Protestants ibid. The Kings sickness ibid. His Latter will a Forgery p. 349 The Kings severities against the Popish Party p. 351 Some Carthusians Executed for denying the Kings Supremacy p. 352 And a Priest for Treason ibid. Three Monks Executed ibid. Fishers Tryal and Death p. 353 His Character p. 354 Mores Tryal and Death ibid. His Character p. 355 Attaindâ—rs after the Rebellion was quieted p. 356 Censures past upon it p. 357 F. Forrests Equivocation and Heresie ibid. The Proceedings against Cardinal Pole's friends p. 358 Attaindors without hearing the Parties p. 359 The Conclusion p. 362 Addenda p. 363 A COLLECTION OF RECORDS AND Original Papers With other INSTRUMENTS Referred to in the Former History I. The Record of Card. Adrian's Oath of Fidelity to Henry the 7th for the Bishoprick of Bath and Wells HEnricus Rex c. Reverend in Christo Patri Domino Sylvestro Episcop Wigorn. venerabili viro Domino Roberto Sherbourn Ecclesiae Sancti Pauli London decano nostris in Romana curia oratoribus ac Magistro Hugoni Yowng Sacrae Theologiae Professori salutem Cum omnes singuli Archiepiscopi Episcopi hujus nostri Inclyti Regni quorum omnium nominationes promotiones ad ipsas supremas dignitates nobis attinent ex regali peculiari quadam Praerogativa jureque municipali ac inveterata consuetudine hactenus in hoc nostro Regno inconcusse inviolabiliter observata teneantur astringantur statim immediate post impetratas Bullas Apostolicas super eorundem promotione ad ipsam nostram nominationem coram nobis in praesentia nostra si in hoc Regno nostro fuerunt vel coram Commissarijs nostris ad hoc sufficienter legittime deputatis si alibi moram traxerunt non solum palam publice expresse totaliter cedere in manus nostras renunciare omnibus quibusâ—unque verbis clausulis sententiis in ipsis Bullis Apostolicis contentis descriptis quae sunt vel quovis modo in futurumesse poterunt praejudicialia sive damnosa nobis haeredibusque de
of Bread and Wine The Tenth The Church of Christ hath doth and may lawfully order some Priests to be Ministers of the Sacraments altho the same do not preach nor be not admitted thereunto The Eleventh Priests being once dedicated unto God by the Order of Priesthood and all such Men and Women as have advisedly made Vows unto God of Chastity or Widowhood may not lawfully marry after their said Orders received or Vows made The Twelfth Secret auricular Confession is expedient and necessary to be retained continued and frequented in the Church of Christ. The Thirteenth The Prescience and Predestination of Almighty God altho in it self it be infallible induceth no necessity to the Action of Man but that he may freely use the power of his own will or choice the said Prescience or Predestination notwithstanding I Nicholas Shaxton with my Heart do believe and with my Mouth do confess all these Articles above-written to be true in every part Ne despicias hominem avertentem se a peccato neque improperes ei memento quoniam omnes in corruptione sumus Eccles. 8. XXX A Letter written by Lethington the Secretary of Scotland to Sir William Cecil the Queen of England's Secretary touching the Title of the Queen of Scots to the Crown of England By which it appears that K. Henry's Will was not signed by him I Cannot be ignorant that some do object as to her Majesties Forreign Birth and hereby think to make her incapable of the Inheritance of England To that you know for answer what may be said by an English Patron of my Mistriss's Cause although I being a Scot will not affirm the same that there ariseth amongst you a Question Whether the Realm of Scotland be forth of the Homage and Leageance of England And therefore you have in sundry Proclamations preceding your Warsmaking and in sundry Books at sundry times laboured much to prove the Homage and Fealty of Scotland to England Your Stories also be not void of this intent What the judgment of the Fathers of your Law is and what commonly is thought in this Matter you know better than I and may have better intelligence than I the Argument being fitter for your Assertion than mine Another Question there is also upon this Objection of Forreign Birth that is to say Whether Princes inheritable to the Crown be in case of the Crown exempted or concluded as private Persons being Strangers born forth of the Allegiance of England You know in this case as divers others the State of the Crown the Persons inheritable to the Crown at the time of their Capacity have divers differences and prerogatives from other Persons many Laws made for other Persons take no hold in case of the Prince and they have such Priviledges as other Persons enjoy not As in cases of Attainders and other Penal Laws Examples Hen. 7. who being a Subject was attainted and Ed. 4. and his Father Richard Plantagenet were both attainted all which notwithstanding their Attainders had right to the Crown and two of them attained the same Amongst many Reasons to be shewed both for the differences and that Forreign Birth doth not take place in the case of the Crown as in common Persons the many experiences before the Conquest and since of your King 's do plainly testify 2. Of purpose I will name unto you Hen. 2d Maud the Empress Son and Richard of Bourdeaux the Black Princes Son the rather for that neither of the two was the King of England's Son and so not Enfant du Roy if the word be taken in this strict signification And for the better proof that it was always the common Law of your Realm that in the case of the Crown Forreign Birth was no Bar you do remember the words of the Stat. 25. Ed. 3. where it is said the Law was ever so Whereupon if you can remember it you and I fell out at a reasoning in my Lord of Leicester's Chamber by the occasion of the Abridgment of Rastal wherein I did shew you somewhat to this purpose also these words Infant and Ancestors be in Praedicamento ad aliquid and so Correlatives in such sort as the meaning of the Law was not to restrain the understanding of this word Infant so strict as only to the Children of the King's Body but to others inheritable in remainder and if some Sophisters will needs cavil about the precise understanding of Infant let them be answered with the scope of this word Ancestors in all Provisions for Filii Nepotes and Liberi you may see there was no difference betwixt the first degree and these that come after by the Civil Law Liberorum appellatione comprehenduntur non solum Filii verum etiam Nepotes Pronepotes Abnepotes c. If you examine the Reason why Forreign Birth is excluded you may see that it was not so needful in Princes Cases as in common Persons Moreover I know that England hath oftentimes married with Daughters and married with the greatest Forreign Princes of Europe And so I do also understand that they all did repute the Children of them and of the Daughters of England inheritable in succession to that Crown notwithstanding the Forreign Birth of their Issue And in this case I do appeal to all Chronicles to their Contracts of Marriages and to the opinion of all the Princes of Christendom For tho England be a noble and puissant Country the respect of the Alliance only and the Dowry hath not moved the great Princes to match so often in marriage but the possibility of the Crown in succession I cannot be ignorant altogether in this Matter considering that I serve my Sovereign in the room that you serve yours The Contract of Marriage is extant betwixt the King my Mistris's Grandfather and Queen Margaret Daughter to King Henry the 7 th by whose Person the Title is devolved on my Sovereign what her Fathers meaning was in bestowing of her the World knoweth by that which is contained in the Chronicles written by Polidorus Virgilius before as I think either you or I was born at least when it was little thought that this Matter should come in question There is another Exception also laid against my Soveraign which seems at the first to be of some weight grounded upon some Statutes made in King Hen. 8. time viz. of the 28 th 35 th of his Reign whereby full power and authority was given him the said King Henry to give dispose appoint assign declare and limit by his Letters Patents under his Great Seal or else by his last Will made in writing and signed with his hand at his pleasure from time to time thereafter the Imperial Crown of that Realm c. Which Imperial Crown is by some alledged and constantly affirmed to have been limited and disposed by the last Will and Testament of the said King Hen. 8. signed with his hand before his death unto the Children of the Lady Francis and Elenor Daughter to
over to England But is much disliked by the King 1539. 1540. But yet Marries her And could never love her A Parliament called Where Cromwel speaks as Lord vice-gerent 1540. He is made Earl of Essex The Suppression of the Knights of St. Iohn at Ierusalem Cromwel◠〈◊〉 The King in love with Mistress Katharine Howard 1539. Cranmers friendship to Cromwel Journal Procâ—â— Parag. 58. Item Billa attincâ—â—rae Tâ—â—me Cromwel Comitis Essex de crimine Herisis Laesae Majestatis per Communes de novo concepta Allâ—nsa 〈◊〉 cum praâ—isione eidem annexa Quae quidem Billa 1º 2 do 3 â—io lecta est provisio ejusdem concernens Dâ—canatum Wellensem â—er lecta est communi omnium Procâ—rum consensu nemine discrepante expedita simul cum ea referebatur Billa Attiâ—cturae quae prius missa erat in Doâ—â—â— Communium Cromwels attaindor Collect. Numb 16. Censures past upon it The King designs a divorce from his Queen It 's referred to the convocation Collect. Numb 17. Collect. Numb 18. Reasons pretended for it 1540. Convocation agreed to it Collect. Numb 19. It is censured Collect. Numb 17. 1529. Report made to the Parl. The Queen consents to it Collect. Numb 20. An Act about the Incontinence of Priests Another about Religion 1540. Subsidies granted by thâ— Clergy And Laiety Cromweâ—s Death His Character Designs against Cranmer A Commission sits about Religion An Explanation of Faith 1539. Cranmers Opinion about it They explain the Apostles Creed 1540. The seven Sacraments With greaâ— maturity Collect. Numb 21. 1539. The ten Commandments 1540. The Lords Prayer The Ave Maria Free-will Justification Good Works All this set forth in a Book And published by the Kings Authority It is variously censured Corrections of the Mass-Book and other Offices Ex M S S. D.D. Stillingflâ—â—t A Persecution of Protestants Of Barnes and others Collect. Numb 22. Who were condemned in Parliament Their Speeches at the Stake Bonners cruelty New Bishopricks â—ounded Collect. Nâ—mb 23. Cranmer's design miscarries These Foundations censured 1541. The State of the Court at this time The Bible in English set up in all Churches Collect. Numb 24. Collect. Nuâ—b 25. 1541. Aâ—tiq Brit. in Râ—g Pâ—lo A Rule about Churchmens housekeeping * Bellaria The King goes to â—ork An account of the State of Scotland The beginings of Learning there And of the Reformation Arch-Bishop Spotswood Lesley Spotswood The Clergy were both ignorant and cruel Hamilton's sufferings The Kings Conâ—essor favâ—urs the Reâ—ormation Forrest's sufferings A further persecution in Sâ—otland The progress of the Reâ—ormation Lesley Buchanan * Regni Angliâ—i Vicarius The King wholly guided by the Clergy Two other Martyrs The Queens ill life is discovered And confessed by her self and others 1542. A new Parliament called 1542. The Act about the Queen Censures pasâ— uponit Act about Hospitals c. The Papists design to suppress the English Bible 〈◊〉 Injuâ—ctions Coll. Numâ— 26. The manner of Preaching at that time Plays and Erâ—erludes then actâ—d War between England and Scotland Duke of 〈◊〉 inroad into Scotlanâ— The Scotish Army defeated Many Prisoners taken 1543. 1543. A new Parliament Cranmer promotes a Reformation An Act â—bout it A League between the King and Emperor A Treaty for a match with the Queen of Scotland The different Interests there The French party prevails A War with France A new persecution of Protestants 〈◊〉 great ingeniousness Three burnt at Windsor Their Persecuters are perjured A Conspiracy against Cranmer 〈…〉 His Christian â—emper of wind 1544. 1544. A new Parliament Act about the Successioâ— 1542. Act against Conspiracies Collect. Numb 27. 1544. The Wars against Sâ—otlanâ— succesfulâ— Colâ—ect Numb 2â— 1545. 〈…〉 1545. The German 〈…〉 peace Church resentments given to Informers 〈◊〉 suffâ—rings in Sâ—â—â—land Spotswood A Parliament sits Chapters and Chanteries given to the King The Kings speech to the Houses The King confirms the Rights of the Universities 1546. Peace with France A new design for Reformation Shaxtons Apostacy Collect. Numb 23. The troubles of Anne Askew She endures the Râ—ck And is burnt with some others A new design against Crâ—nmâ—â— The Kâ—ngs great â—aâ—e of him Antiqu. Brit. in vita Cranmer Another design against the Queen The causes of the Duke of Norfolks disgrace 1547. The Earl of Surrey Executed The Dukes submission to the King 1547. The Parliament meets The Duke of Norfolk Attainted His death prevented by the Kings Fox The Emperors designs against the Protestants The Kings sickness Collect. Numb 30. His latter will a Forgery 1542. 1547. An account of the Kings severities against the Popish Party Some 〈◊〉 executed for denying the Kings Supremacy And Hall a Priest for conspiring against the King Three other Monks Exeâ—â—â—d 1535. Fishers Tryal and death His Character His Character A â—aindors afâ—â—â— the Rebâ—llâ—on was quâ—â—â—d 1537. Hall Censures past upon it 1538. Forrests equivocation and Heresie Hall 1538. The proceedings against Cardinal Pools friends 1539. Some Attaindors without hearing the parties 1539. 4 Instit. 37.38 1540. 1535. The Conclusion Câ—llect Aâ—denda 〈◊〉 1. Colâ—ect Addenda Nâ—mb 2. Collect. Addenda Nâ—mb 3. Collect. Addenda Numb 4. Collect. Addenda Numb 5. Collect. Addenda Numb 6. Collect. Addenda Numb 7. Collect. Addenda Numb 8. Collect. Addenda Numb 9. Collect. Addenda Numb 10. Collect. Addenda Numb 11. Collect. Addenda Numb 12. Treat Rolls Registrum Warhami Fol. 26. Tonst Regist. Fol. 33. Regist. Fitz-Williams Anno Dom. 1523. Regist. Cuthberti Tonstall Folio 40 Regist. Tonst Fol. 138. Cott. libr. Vitel. B. 12. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 12. Cotton libr. Vitellius B. 9. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 10 Cotton Libr. Vâ—â—el B. 10. Cotton libr. Vitel. â— 10. Cotton libr. Vitel. B. 10. Câ—tt libr. Vitel. B. 10. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 10. Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 12. Cott. libr. Vitel. B. 10. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 10. Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 10. Cotton libr. Vitel. B. 10. Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 12. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 10. Cotton libr. Vitel. B. 10. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 10 Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 10. Cotton libr. Vitel. B. 11. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 11. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 11. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 11. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 11. Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 11 Cotton libr. Vitel. B. 11. Cotton libr. Vitel. B. 11. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 11. Cotton Libr. Vitell. B. 13. Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 13. Cotton Libr. Vesp. B. 5. Ex M S. D. Petyt Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 13. Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 13. This is all written with his own hand and was sent over by him to the King Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 13. Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 13. Cotton Libr. Vitel. B. 13. In an Inspeximus Rot. Pat. 25. Reg. 2 d. Paâ—t Cotton Libr. Cleopat E. 4. Cott. Libr. Cleop. E. 4. Cott. Libr. Cleop. E. 4. Anno Regni 28. Regni 27. Regni 28. Regni 29. Regni 30. * In the Houses of this Order there were Cloisters for both Sexes St. Gilbert L. of Semperingham founded it
the discovery of the Indies having brought great wealth into Europe Princes began to deal more in that trade than before so that both France and England had their Instruments in Scotland and gave considerable yearly Pensions to the chief heads of Parties and Families In the search I have made I have found several Warrants for Sums of Money to be sent into Scotland and divided there among the Favourers of the English Interest and 't is not to be doubted but France traded in the same manner which continued till a happier way was found out for extinguishing these Quarrels both the Crowns being set on one head Having thus shewed the State of this Kings Government as to forreign Matters I shall next give an account of the Administration of Affairs at home both as to Civil and Spiritual Matters The King upon his first coming to the Crown did choose a wise Council partly out of those whom his Father had trusted partly out of those that were recommended to him by his Grand-Mother the Countess of Richmond and Derby in whom was the Right of the House of Lancaster though she willingly devolved her pretensions on her Son claiming nothing to her self but the Satisfaction of being Mother to a King She was a wise and Religious Woman and died soon after her Grand-Son came to the Crown There was a Faction in the Council between Fox Bishop of Winchester and the Lord Treasurer which could never be well made up though they were oft reconciled Fox always complaining of the Lord Treasurer for squandring away so soon that vast Mass of Treasure left by the Kings Father in which the other justified himself that what he did was by the Kings Warrants which he could not disobey but Fox objected that he was too easie to answer if not to procure these Warrants and that he ought to have given the King better advice In the Kings first Parliament things went as he desired upon his delivering up Empson and Dudley in which his preventing the severity of the Houses and proceeding against them at the Common Law as it secured his Ministers from an unwelcome President so the whole honour of it fell on the Kings justice His next Parliament was in the Third year of his Reign and there was considered the Brief from Pope Iulius the Second to the King complaining of the Indignities and Injuries done to the Apostolick See and the Pope by the French King and entreating the Kings assistance with such cajoling words as are always to be expected from Popes on the like occasions It was first read by the Master of the Rolls in the House of Lords and then the Lord Chancellour Warham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Lord Treasurer with other Lords went down to the House of Commons and read it there Upon this and other reasons they gave the King subsidies towards the War with France At this time Fox to strengthen his Party against the Lord Treasurer finding Thomas Wolsey to be a likely man to get into the Kings favour used all his endeavours to raise him who was at that time neither unknown nor inconsiderable being Lord Almoner he was at first made a Privy Counsellour and frequently admitted to the Kings presence and waited on him over to France The King liked him well which he so managed that he quickly engrossed the Kings favour to himself and for 15 years together was the most absolute Favourite that had ever been seen in England all forreign Treaties and Places of Trust at home were at his Ordering he did what he pleased and his Ascendant over the King was such that there never appeared any Party against him all that while The great Artifice by which he insinuated himself so much on the King is set down very plainly by one that knew him well in these words In him the King conceived such a loving fancy especially for that he was most earnest and readiest in all the Counsel to advance the Kings only will and pleasure having no respect to the case and whereas the Ancient Counsellors would according to the Office of good Counsellors divers times perswade the King to have some time a recourse unto the Council there to hear what was done in weighty Matters the King was nothing at all pleased therewith for he loved nothing worse than to be constrained to do any thing contrary to his pleasure and that knew the Almoner very well having secret Insinuations of the Kings Intentions and so fast as the others Counselled the King to leave his pleasures and to attend to his Affairs so busily did the Almoner perswade him to the contrary which delighted him much and caused him to have the greater affection and love to the Almoner Having got into such Power he observed the Kings Inclinations exactly and followed his Interests closely for though he made other Princes retain him with great Presents and Pensions yet he never engaged the King into any Alliance but what was for his Advantage For affairs at home after he was established in his Greatness he affected to Govern without Parliaments there being from the Seventh year of his Reign after which he got the great Seal but one Parliament in the 14th and 15th year and no more till the One and Twentieth when matters were turning about But he raised great Sums of Money by Loans and Benevolences And indeed if we look on him as a Minister of State he was a very extraordinary Person but as he was a Church-man he was the disgrace of his Profession He not only served the King in all his secret pleasures but was lewd and vicious himself so that his having the French Pox which in those days was a matter of no small infamy was so publick that it was brought against him in Parliament when he fell in disgrace he was a man of most extravagant vanity as appears by the great State he lived in and to feed that his Ambition and Covetousness were proportionable He was first made Bishop of Tourney when that Town was taken from the French then he was made Bishop of Lincoln which was the first Bishoprick that fell void in this Kingdom after that upon Cardinal Bembridge his death he parted with Lincoln and was made Arch-Bishop of York then Hadrian that was a Cardinal and Bishop of Bath and Wells being deprived that See was given to him then the Abbey of St Albans was given to him in Comendam he next parted with Bath and Wells and got the Bishoprick of Duresm which he afterwards exchanged for the Bishoprick of Winchester But besides all that he had in his own hands the King granted him a full Power of disposing of all the Ecclesiastical benefices in England which brought him in as much money as all the Places he held for having so vast a Power committed to him both from the King and the Pope as to Church-preferments it may be easily gathered what
to shake him in his Throne The Preamble of it was That as our Saviour had pity on St. Peter after his fall so it became St. Peters successors to imitate our Saviour in his Clemency and that therefore though he having heard of King Henry's crimes had proceeded to a sentence against him Here the former Bull was recited Yet some other Princes who hoped he might be reclaimed by gentler methods had interposed for a suspension of the Sentence and he being easie to believe what he so earnestly desired had upon their Intercession suspended it But now he found they had been deceived in their hopes and that he grew worse and worse and had done such dishonour to the Saints as to raise St. Thomas of Canterburies body to arraign him of High Treason and to burn his Body and Sacrilegiously to rob the Riches that had been offered to his Shrine as also to suppress St. Austins Abbey in Canterbury and that having thrust out the Monks he had put in wild Beasts into their grounds having transformed himself into a Beast Therefore he takes off the Suspension and publishes the Bull commanding it to be executed Declaring that the affixing it at Diepe or Bulloign in France at St. Andrews or Callistren that is Callstream a Town near the border of England in Scotland or Tuam or Artifert in Ireland or any two of these should be a sufficient Publication Dated the 7th of December Anno Dom. 1538. No man can read these Bulls but he must conclude that if the Pope be the Infallible and Universal Pastor of the Church whom all are bound to obey he has a full authority over all Kings to proceed to the highest Censures possible and since the matters of fact enumerated in the Sentence as the grounds of it were certainly true then 〈◊〉 the Pope is either cloathed with the powers of Deposing Princes or if otherwise he lied to the world when he pretended to it thus and taught false Doctrine which cannot stand with Infallibility And the pretended grounds of the sentence as to matter of fact being evidently true this must be a just Sentence and therefore all that acknowledged the Infallibility of that See were bound to obey it and all the Rebellions that followed during the reign of the King or his Children were founded on this sentence and must be justified by it otherwise the Popes Infallibility must fall to the ground But this was to be said for the Pope that though he had raised the several branches of this Sentence higher than any of his Predecessors had ever done yet as to the main he had very good and Authentick Precedents for what he did from the Depositions of Emperours or Kings that were made by former Popes for about 500 years together This I thought needful to be more fully opened because of the present Circumstances we are now in since hereby every one that will consider things must needs see that the belief of the Popes Infallibility does necessarily infer the acknowledgment of their power of deposing Heretical Kings For it is plain the Pope did this ex Cathedra and as a Pastor Feeding and Correcting his Flock But not content with this he also wrote to other Princes inflaming them against the King Particularly to the Kings of France and Scotland To the last of these he sent a Breve declaring King Henry a Heretique a Schismatique a manifest Adulterer a publick Murtherer a Rebel and convict of High Treason against him the Pope his Lord for which Crimes he had deposed him and offered his Dominions to him if he would go and invade them And thus the breach between him and the Pope was past reconciling and at Rome it was declared equally meritorious to fight against him as against the Turk But Card. Pool made it more meritorious in his Book Yet the Thunders of the Vatican had now lost their force so that these had no other effect but to enrage the King more against all such as were suspected to favour their interests or to hold any correspondence with Cardinal Pool Therefore he first procured a Declaration against the Popes pretensions to be Signed by all the Bishops of England In which after they declared against the Popes Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction upon the grounds formerly touched they concluded That the People ought to be Instructed that Christ did expresly forbid his Apostles or their Successors to take to themselves the power of the Sword or the authority of Kings And that if the Bishop of Rome or any other Bishop assumed any such power he was a Tyrant and Usurper of other mens Rights and a subverter of the Kingdom of Christ. This was subscribed by 19 Bishops all that were then in England and 25 Doctors of Divinity and Law It was at some time before May 1538. For Edward Fox Bishop of Hereford who was one that signed it died the 8th of May that year There was no Convocation called by Writ for doing this For as there is no mention of any such Writ in the Registers so if it had been done by Convocation Cromwell had signed it first but his hand not being at it it is more probable that a meeting of the Clergy was called by the Kings Missive Letters or that as was once done before the Paper was drawn at London and sent over the Kingdom to the Episcopal Sees for the Bishops hands to it There is another original Paper extant Signed at this time by eight Bishops from which I conjecture those were all that were then about London It was to shew That by the Commission which Christ gave to Church-men they were only Ministers of his Gospel to instruct the people in the purity of the Faith But that by other places of Scripture the Authority of Christian Princes over all their Subjects as well Bishops and Priests as others was also clear And that the Bishops and Priests have charge of Souls within their Cures Power to administer Sacraments and to teach the word of God To the which word of God Christian Princes acknowledg themselves subject and that in case the Bishops be negligent it is the Christian Princes Office to see them do their duty This being Signed by Iohn Hilsey Bishop of Rochester must be after the year 1537. in which he was consecrated and Latimer and Shaxton also Signing it must be before the year 1539. in which they resigned But I believe it was Signed at the same time that the other was And the design of it was to refuse those Calumnies spread at Rome as if the King had wholly Suppressed all Ecclesiastical Offices and denyed them any divine Authority making them wholly dependent on the Civil Power and Acting by Commission only from him And therefore they explained the limits of both these Powers in so clear and moderate a way that it must have stopt the Mouths of all Opposers But whether there was any publick use made of this Paper I can by no means discover
Christs express Command was to be drunk by all and that they were kept in a worship to which the unlearned could not say Amen since they understood not what was said either in the Collects or Hymns So the King had many Complaints brought him of the Abuses that were said to have risen from the Liberty given the people to read the Scriptures Upon which Bonner no doubt having obtained the Kings leave set up a new Advertisement in which he complained of these Abuses in the reading the Bible for which he threatned the people that he would remove these Bibles out of the Church if they continued as they did to abuse so high a favour Yet these Complaints produced no further severity at this time But by them the Popish party afterwards obtained what they desired This Summer the King turned the Monastery of Burton upon Trent into a Collegiat Church for a Dean and four Prebends and the Monastery of Thornton in Lincolnshire into another for a Dean and four Prebends In this year Cranmer took it into Consideration to what excess the Tables of the Bishops had risen whereby those Revenues that ought to have been applyed to better purposes were wasted on great Entertainment which though they passed under the decent name of Hospitality yet were in themselves both too high and expensive and proved great hindrances to Church-mens Charity in more necessary and profitable Instances He therefore set out an Order for Regulating that Expence by which an Arch-Bishops Table was not to exceed six dishes of meat and four of Banquet a Bishops five dishes of meat and three of Banquet a Deans or Arch-Deacons Table was not to exceed four dishes and two of Banquet and other Clergy-men might be served only with two dishes But he that gives us the account of this laments that this Regulation took no effect And complains that the people expecting generally such splendid House-keeping from the Dignified Clergy and not considering how short their Revenues are of what they were anciently they out of a weak Complyance with the Multitude have disabled themselves from keeping Hospitality as our Saviour ordered it not for the Rich but the Poor not to mention the other ill effects that follow too sumptuous a Table In the end of this year the Tragical fall of the Queen put a stop to all other proceedings The King had invited his Nephew the King of Scotland to meet him at York who was resolved to come thither The King intended to gain upon him all he could and to engage him to follow the Copy he had set him in Extirpating the Popes Supremacy and Suppressing Abbeys and to establish a firm agreement in all other things The Clergy of Scotland feared the ill effects of that Interview especially their King being a Prince of most extraordinary parts who had he not blemished his Government with being so extreamly addicted to his pleasures was the Greatest Prince that Nation had for several Ages He was a great Patron of Learning and Executor of Justice he used in person and Incognito to go over his Kingdom and see how Justice was every-where done He had no very good opinion of the Religious Orders and had encouraged Buchanan to write a severe and witty Libel against the Franciscan Friars So that they were very apprehensive that he might have been wrought on by his Uncle Therefore they used all their endeavours to divert his Journey But the French King that had him fast engaged to his Interests falling then off from the King wrought more on him So instead of meeting the King at York where magnificent preparations were made for his Reception he sent his Excuse which provoked his Uncle and gave occasion to a breach that followed not long after But here I shall crave the Readers leave to give a full representation of the state of Religion at this time in Scotland and of the footing the Reformation had got there Its neighbourhood to England and the union of these Kingdoms first in the same Religion and since under the same Princes together with the intercourse that was both in this and the next Reign between these Nations seem not only to justifie this Digression but rather to challenge it as a part of the History without which it should be defective And it may be the rather expected from one who had his Birth and Education in that Kingdom The Correspondence between that Crown and France was the cause that what Learning they had came from Paris where our Kings generally kept some Schollars and from that great Nursery they were brought over and set in the Universities of Scotland to propagate Learning there From the year 1412 in which Wardlaw Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews first founded that University Learning had made such a progress that more Colledges were soon after founded in that City Universities were also founded both at Glasgow and Aberdeen which have since furnished that Nation with many eminent Scholars in all professions But at the time that Learning came into Scotland the knowledg of true Religion also followed it and in that same Arch-Bishops time one Iohn Resby an English man a follower of Wickliffs opinions was charged with Heresie Forty Articles were objected to him of which two are only mentioned The one was that The Pope is not Christs Vicar The other was that he was not to be esteemed a Pope if he was a man of wicked life For maintaining these he was burnt Anno 1407. 24 years after that one Paul Craâ— came out of Germany and being a Bohemian and an Hussite was infusing his Doctrine into some at St. Andrews which being discovered he was judged an obstinate Heretick and burnt there Anno 1432. And to encourage people to prosecute such persons Fogo who had discovered him was rewarded with the Abbey of Melross soon after It does not appear that those Doctrines which were called Lollardies in England had gained many followers in Scotland till near the end of that Century But then it was found that they were much spread over the Western parts which being in the neighbourhood of England those who were persecuted there might perhaps fly into Scotland and spread their Doctrine in that Kingdom Several persons of Quality were then charged with these Articles and brought to the Arch-Bishop of Glasgows Courts But they answered him with such confidence that he thought fit to discharge them with an admonition to take heed of new Doctrines and to content themselves with the Faith of the Church At this time the Clergy in Scotland were both very ignorant and dissolute in their manners The Secular Clergy minded nothing but their Tithes and did either hire some Friers to Preach or some poor Priests to sing Masses to them at their Churches The Abbots had possessed themselves of the best seats and the greatest wealth of the Nation and by a profuse Superstition almost the one half of
with the French King the very next day being the 19th of September which is set down at large by the Lord Herbert On the 30th of September the King returned into England in October following Bulloign was very near lost by a surprize but the Garrison put themselves in order and beat back the French Several Inroads were made into Scotland but not with the same success that the former Expedition had For the Scots animated with supplies sent from France and inâ—â—amed with a desire of revenge resumed their wonted courage and beat back the English with considerable loss Next year the French King resolving to recover Bulloign and to take Calais that so he might drive the English out of France intended first to make himself Master of the Sea And he set out a great Fleet of an hundred and fifty greater Ships and sixty lesser ones besides many Gallies brought from the Streights The King set out about an hundred Ships On both sides these were only Merchant Ships that were hired for this War But after the French Fleet had looked on England and attempted to Land with ill success both in the Isle of Wight and in Sussex and had engaged in a Sea-fight for some hours they returned back without any considerable action Nor did they any thing at Land But the Kings Fleet went to Normandy where they made a descent and burnt the Countrey So that this year was likewise glorious to the King The Emperor had now done what he long designed And therefore being courted by both Crowns he undertook a Mediation that under the Colour of Mediating a peace he might the more effectually keep up the War The Princes of Germany saw what mischief was designed against them The Council of Trent was now opened and was condemning their Doctrine A League was also concluded between the Pope and the Emperor for procuring Obedience to their Canons and Decrees And an Army was raising The Emperor was also setting on foot old quarrels with some of the Princes A firm Peace was concluded with the Turk So that if the Crowns of England and France were not brought to an Agreement they were undone They sent Ambassador to both Courts to mediate a Peace With them Cranmer joyned his endeavours but he had not a Cromwel in the Court to manage the Kings temper who was so provoked with the ill Treatment he had received from France that he would not come to an Agreement nor would he restore Bulloign without which the 〈◊〉 woâ—ld hear of no Peace Cranmer had at this time almost prevailed with the King to make some further steps in a Reformatiâ—â— But 〈◊〉 who was then Ambassadour in the Emperours Coâ—â—â— being advertised of it wrote to the King That the Emperour â—ould certainly joyn with France against him if he made any further Innovation in Religion This diverted the King from it and in August this year the only great Friend that Cranmer had in the Court died Charles Duke of Suâ—â—â—lk who had long continued in the height of favor which was always kept up not only by an agreement of humours between the King and him but by the constant success which followed him in all his exploits He was a Favourer of the Reformation as far as could consist with his interest at Court which he never endangered upon any account Now Cranmer was left alone without friend or support Yet he had gained one great Preferment in the Church to a man of his own mind The Arch-Bishoprick of York falling void by Lee's death Robert Alrich that was Bishop of Landaff was promoted to that See in Ianuary Kitchin being made Bishop of Landaff who turned with every Change that was made under the three succeeding Princes The Arch-Bishop of York set about the Reforming of things in his Province which had layn in great confusion all his Predecessors time So on the third of March he took out a Licence from the King for making a Metropolitical Visitation Dell that was Bishop of Worcâ—stâ—r had resigned his Bishoprick the former year the reason of which is not set down The Bishop of Rochester Heath was Translated to that See and Henry Holbeach that favoured the Reformation was made Bishop of Rochester And upon the Translation of Sampson from Chichester to Coventry and Litchfield Day that was a Moderate man and inclinable to Reformation was made Bishop of that See So that now Cranmer had a greater Party among the Bishops than at any time before But though there were no great Transactions about Religion in England this year there were very remarkable things done in Scotland though of a different nature which were the burning of Wishart and some months after that the killing of Cardinal Beaton the account of both which will not I hope be Ingrateful to the Reader Mr. George Wishart was descended of a Noble Family he went to finish his studies in the University of Cambridge where he was so well instructed in the Principles of true Religion that returning to Scotland Anno 1544. He Preached over the Countrey against the Corruptions which did then so generally prevail He stayed most at Dundee which was the chief Town in thâ—se parts But the Cardinal offended at this sent a threatning Message to the Magistrates upon which one of them as Wishart ended one of his Sermons was so obsequious as to forbid him to Preach any more among them or give them any further trouble to whom he answered That God knew he had no design to trouble them but for them to reject the Messengers of God was not the way to escape trouble when he was gone God would send Messengers of another sort among them He had to the hazard of his Life Preached the word of Salvation to them and they had now rejected him but if it was long well with them he was not led by the Spirit of Truth and if unlooked for trouble fell on them he bade them remember this was the Cause of it and turn to God by Repentance From thence he went to the Western parts where he was also much followed But the Arch-Bishop of Glasgow giving order that he should not be admitted to Preach in Churches he Preached often in the fields and when in some places his followers would have forced the Churches he checkt them and said it was the word of Peace that he Preached and therefore no blood should be shed about it But after he had stayed a month there he heard that there was a great Plague in Dundee which broke out the fourth day after he had left it upon which he presently returned thither and Preached oft to them standing over one of the Gates having taken care that the Infected persons should stand without and those that were clean within the Gate He continued among them and took care to supply the poor and to visit the sick and do all the Offices of a faithful Pastor in that extremity Once as he ended his
pass that he was believed a Prophet as well as a Saint And the Reformation was now so much opened by his Preaching and that was so confirmed by his death that the Nation was generally possessed with the love of it The Nobility were mightily offended with the Cardinal and said Wisharts death was no less than Murder since the Clergy without a Warrant from the Secular Power could dispose of no mans Life So it came universally to be said that he now deserved to die by the Law yet since he was too great for a Legal Tryal the Kingdom being under the feeble Government of a Regency it was fit private persons should undertake it and it was given out that the killing an Usurper was always esteemed a commendable Action and so in that state of things they thought secret practices might be justified This agreeing so much with the temper of some in that Nation who had too much of the heat and forwardness of their Countrey a few Gentlemen of Quality who had been ill used by the Cardinal conspired his death He was become generally hateful to the whole Nation and the Marriage of his Bastard Daughter to the Earl of Crawfords eldest Son enraged the Nobility the more against him and his carriage towards them all was insolent and provoking These offended Gentlemen came to St. Andrews the 29th of May and the next Morning they and their attendants being but twelve in all first attempted the Gate of his Castle which they found open and made it sure and though there were no fewer than an hundred reckoned to be within the Castle yet they knowing the passages of the House went with very little noise to the Servants Chambers and turned them almost all out of doors and having thus made the Castle sure they went to the Cardinals door He who till then was fast asleep suspecting nothing perceived at last by their rudeness that they were not his friends and made his door fast against them So they sent for fire to set to it upon which he treated with them and upon assurance of Life he opened the door but they rushing in did most cruelly and treacherously Murder him A Tumult was raised in the Town and many of his friends came to rescue him but the Conspirators carryed the dead body and exposed it to their view in the same Window out of which he had not long before lookt on when Wishart was burnt which had been universally censured as a most indecent thing in a Churchman to delighâ— in such a Spectacle But those who condemned this Action yet acknowledged Gods Justice in so exemplary a punishment and reflecting on Wisharts last words were the more confirmed in the opinion they had of his Sanctity This Fact was differently censured some justified it and said it was only the killing of a mighty Robber others that were glad he was out of the way yet condemned the manner of it as treacherous and inhumane And though some of the Preachers did afterwards fly to that Castle as a Sanctuary yet none of them were either Actors or Consenters to it it is true they did generally extenuate it yet I do not find that any of them justified it The exemplary and signal ends of almost all the Conspirators scarce any of them dying an ordinary death made all people the more inclined to condemn it The day after the Cardinal was killed about 140 came into the Castle and prepared for a Siege The House was well furnished in all things necessary and it lying so near the Sea they expected help from King Henry to whom they sent a Messenger for his Assistance and declared for him So a Siege following they were so well supplyed from England that after five months the Governor was glad to treat with them apprehending much the footing the English might have if those within being driven to extremities should receive a Garrison from King Henry They had the Governor also more at their mercy for as the Cardinal had taken his Eldest Son into his house under the pretence of educating him but really as his Fathers Hostage designing likewise to infuse in him a violent hatred of the new Preachers so the Conspirators finding him in the Castle kept him still to help them to better terms A Treaty being agreed on they demanded their pardon for what they had done together with an Absolution to be procured from Rome for the killing of the Cardinal and that the Castle and the Governors Son should remain in their hands till the Absolution was brought over Some of the Preachers apprehending the Clergy might revenge the Cardinals death on them were forced to fly into the Castle but one of them Iohn Rough who was afterwards burnt in England in Queen Maries time being so offended at the licentiousness of the Souldiers that were in the Castle who were a reproach to that which they pretended to favour left them and went away in one of the ships that brought Provisions out of England When the Absolution came from Rome they excepted to it for some words in it that called the killing of the Cardinal Crimen irremissibile an unpardonable crime by which they said the Absolution gave them no security since it was null if the Fact could not be pardoned The truth was they were encouraged from England so they refused to stand to the Capitulation and rejected the Absolution But some ships and Souldiers being sent from France the Castle was besieged at Land and shut up also by Sea and which was worst of all a Plague broke out within it of which many died Upon this no help coming suddenly from England they were forced to deliver up the place on no better terms than that their Lives should be spared but they were to be Banisht Scotland and never to return to it The Castle was demolished according to the Canon Law that appoints all places where any Cardinal is killed to be razed This was not compleated this year and not till two years after only I thought it best to joyn the whole matter together and set it down all at once In November following a New Parliament was held where toward the expence of the Kings Wars the Convocation of the Province of Canterbury granted a continuation of the former Subsidy of six shillings in the pound to be payed in two years But for the Temporality a Subsidy was demanded from them of another kind There were in the Kingdom several Colledges Chappels Chantries Hospitals and Fraternities consisting of Secular Priests who enjoyed Pensions for saying Mass for the Souls of those who had endowed them Now the belief of Purgatory being left indifferent by the Doctrine set out by the Bishops and the Trade of redeeming souls being condemned it was thought needless to keep up so many Endowments to no purpose Those Priests were also generally ill-affected to the Kings proceedings since their Trade was so much lessened by them Therefore many of them had been dealt