stir vp the wits of others partly that the desires of Forainers might in some sort be satisfied who not without cause complaine that these times then which for a thousand yeares wee have had none more memorable in reguard of their divers and remarkable changes are not described by any otherwise then slightly and as if they they had not intended any such thing As for Polydore Virgill he hath written either nothing or very little concerning them and that little so false and misbeseeming the ingenuitie of an Historian that he seemeth to have aimed at no other end then by bitter invectives against Henry the Eighth and Cardinall Wolsey to demerit the favour of Queene Mary already more then befitted incensed against both for the Divorce of her Mother J have therefore written friendly Reader and so written that although many things I will not deny conducing to an Historian may be wanting in me yet am I confident that this my endeuour will finde acceptance with many Other Writers may here have as it were a store-house from whence they may if I be not deceived furnish themselves with some matter which may helpe to raise an everlasting monument Forainers also ignorant of the English tongue may have a taste of these times vnvntill some one arise who can and will compile a History of our Nation worthy the maiestie of the British name J have in this worke beene so observant of Jmpartiality Simplicity and Truth that I feare nothing so much as a Domestique anger for not being pious enough because I would not be over-pious Many contend that a good Prince should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This I thinke no man will affirme of an Historian though some seeme to opine it So that he shall come short of his duty either to God or his Countrey who in the delivery of an History will not be at the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who by affirming incertainties and knowne truthes shall not yeild much to his affections so they be ioined with the love of Religion and Countrey But how much do they inure Truth who from lies and falshood beg helpes to vnderprop her Avant We have no need of them And had we yet would it not much profit vs to rely on such weake advantages one pious lye detected proving more hurtfull then a thousand others although so artificially contrived that they avoid discovery can prove profitable For example whereof seeke no farther then the Papists whose fained miracles impostures and Legends patched vp of lyes have brought to passe that even in those things which are true they scarce gaine beliefe Wherfore I am well content that Truth which maugre her enemies will at length be every where victorious shall prevaile with me J have done to my power Politely eloquently politiquely I could not write Truly and fide Atticâ as they say I could If I have done amisse in ought it is not out of malice but errour which the gentle Reader will I hope pardon This â—ernestly intreate withall beseeching the All-good and All-mighty God that this my labour directed to no other end then to his glory and the good of his Church may attaine its due and by me desired successe Farewell Regem dedi iratus eis J. Cecill sculp ANNALES OF ENGLAND From the Yeare 1508. to the Yeare 1558. The first Booke AFter the death of HENRY the Seventh his only Sonne HENRY Prince of Wales vndertooke the government of this Kingdome He had then attained to the age of eighteene yeares and was richly adorned with endowments both of Bodie and Mind For of Stature he was tall of a beautifull Aspect and of Forme through all his age truly beseeming a King hee was wittie docile and naturally propense to Letters vntill pleasures to which the libertie of Soueraigntie easily prompteth did somewhat vnseasonably withdraw him from his Studies to these you may addâ— a great Spirit aspiring to the glorie both of Foâ—titude and Munificence This towardlinesse was so seconded by the happie care of his Tutors that if the end of his Raigne had beene answerable to the beginning HENRY the Eighth might deservedly haue beene ranked amongst the greatest of our Kings For if you consider his first twentie yeares you shall not easily find any one that either more happily managed affaires abroad or gouerned more wisely at home or that bare greater sway among his Neighbour Princes This I thinke ought chiefly to be ascribed to the prouidence of his wise Father and his Grandmother then still aliue For they tooke care that he should haue wise and vertuous Ouer-seers in his youth by whose assistance hauing once passed the hazards thereof he happily auoided those rockes whereon so many daily suffer wracke But these either dying or being so broken with age that they could bee no longer imployed in affaires of State and He himselfe being now come to those yeares that commonly cast aside modestie Modestie I say the Guardian of that great Vertue then making vse of no Counsellour but his will he fell into those vices which notwithstanding the glorie of his former Raigne branded him deeply with the fowle staines of Luxurie and Crueltie But remitting those things to their proper places those Worthies appointed his Counsailours were William Warham Archbishop of Canterburie and Lord Chancelour of England Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester Thomas Ruthall Bishop of Durham Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey Lord Treasurer of England George Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie Lord Steward of the Kings Houshold Charles Somerset Lord Chamberlaine Knights Sir Thomas Louell Knights Sir Henrie Wyat Knights Sir Edward Poynings These men the solemnitie of the dead Kings Funerals being duly and magnificently performed erected him a Tombe all of brasse accounted one of the stateliest Monuments of Europe which one would hardly conceiue by the bill of accompts For it is reported that it cost but a thousand pound The Monument is to be seene at Westminster the vsuall place of our Kings Interments in that admirable Chappell dedicated to Saint Stephen by this King heretofore built from the ground a testimonie of his religious pietie I haue read that this Chappel was raised to that height for the summe of fourteene thousand pounds and no more and that he at the same time built a Ship of an vnusuall burthen called from him The great Henrie which by that time it was rigged cost little lesse then that stately Chappell But now O HENRY what is become of that Ship of thine that other worke besides the reward of Heauen will perpetually proclaime thy pious munificence Hence learne ô Kings that the true Trophies of Glorie are not to be placed in Armories and Arsenalls but and those more durable in pious Workes Seeke first seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and without doubt all other things shall be added vnto you But to goe on in my proposed course although HENRY the Eighth began his Raigne the two and twentieth of April
hee saw into what straights our King was likely to driue the French being weake if he would pressehard vpon him and pierce farther into the Kingdome although hee were a profest enemie to the French yet was he iealous of our prosperous proceeding and therefore by all meanes perswaded HENRY to dismantle Therouenne and thence to proceed to the siege of Tournay Hee blamed him not without iust cause for his late setting forth Summer being first welâ—neere spent Winter was now at hand when it would not quit cost to maintaine such an Armie good desigues being not then to bee put in execution Hee told him that Therovenne was so farre from him that it could not bee kept without great difficultie therefore hee should doe well to dismantle it that it might not hereafter serue for a Bulwarke to the Eenemie That Tournay was a French Citie but like an Island with the Sea surrounded with Flanders and Hainault and farre divided from the rest of France True it was that it was well stored with inhabitants and not meanly fortified but that there was no other Garrison then of Citizens and these hee should finde effeminate and for provision that they had none Hee should therefore make speed and come on them vnawares and with a few dayes siege force them to yeild That the French King if hee intended to succour them must first march through all Henault and passe over two or three great Riuers amongst which were the Escaut and the Scarpe That the Souldiers should finde good booties there and the King himselfe the triumph of a most assured conquest That the addition of such a Citie would bee no meane increase of his Dominions and so much the lesse care to bee taken of it for as much as it would bee as easie for him to keepe it in obedience as it was for the French for the space of so many yeares to defend it being placed amidst so many Enemies that still had a greedie eye over it King HENRY by this time had so much of Warre that hee began to bee wearie of the toyle thereof and to cast his minde on the pleasures of the Court Wherefore although hee wanted not Counsailors for the best hee followed the Emperours advice as being the more easie The Flemmings who begged it of the King had leave to rase the walls of Therouenne to fill the ditches and to burne all the buildings except the Church and the Chanons houses which they in regard of the dissensions vsuall to bordering Nations very gladly performed Therouenne being thus taken and destroyed away they march with all speed to Tournay indevouring by their celeritie to prevent the fame of their comming But the Citizens suspecting some such enterprise had fortified themselves as well as the shortnesse of time would permit them and the Peasants thereabouts bring all their goods into the Citie as to a place of safeguard The Citie was of no great circuit yet at the beginning of the siege it contained fourescore thousand people By reason whereof victuals quickly began to faile them and they could no way hope for reliefe The French King was farre off they had no Garison the Citizens bad Souldiers two great Princes had begirt the Towne with fifâ—ie thousand men but they had an Enemy within called Famine more cruell and insupportable then both So having for some few dayes held out the siege the nine and twentieth of September their lives being granted them they yeild and to saue themselves from spoile pay a hundred thousand Crownes The King makes them sweare Fealty to him and appoints Sir EDWARD POYNINGS a Knight of the Garter their Governour Next hee gives order for store of warlike provision puts in a small Garison and builds a Cittadell for the confirmation of his conquest Neither amongst these politique affaires did he neglect those of the Church For the Bishop being proscribed hee conferres the Sea with all the revenues vpon THOMAS WOLSEY of whose first rising and immoderate power we shall have much occasion to speake hereafter All things being thus ordered because Winter came on apace hee beganne to bethinke himselfe of returning with his Armie into England This thought so farre pleased him that having beene absent scarce foure monethes hee tooke ship and about the end of October came home triumphing in the glory of a double conquest By the way hee was entertained with the newes of another victorie the Lord HOWARD Earle of Surrey having vnder his Fortune slaine the King of Scots The King of France being encumbred with many warres had coniured IAMES the Fourth King of Scots by the ancient Lawes of Amitie and the late League made betweene them that Hee would not forsake him intangled in so many difficulties If Hee regarded not his friends case yet Hee should at least looke to himselfe for whom it would not bee safe to suffer a bordering Nation alwayes at enmitie with Him by such additions to arise to that height of power The King of England busied with a foraine warre was now absent and with Him the flower of the English Chivalrie Hee should therefore forthwith take Armes and trie to recover Berwicke an especiall towne of the Scottish Dominions but for many yeares withheld by the English He would easily be victorious if He would but make vse of this occasion so happily offered It could not be but this warre would bee for His Honour and profitable to His Friend if not to Himselfe He should thereby also make knowne to His Enemies that the Scottish Armes were not to bee contemned whose former victories a long and to them hurtfull peace had obscured and buried in oblivion among the English As for the charges of it Hee need not bee troubled for that Hee would afford Him fiftie thousand Crownes towards the providing of Munition and Ordinance These reasons so preuailed with the yong King covetous of glory that notwithstanding he had lately made a League with our King whose Sister hee had married and her vehement dissuasions he proclaimed warre against HENRY which proved fatall to him bloudie to his and the cause of many ensuing calamities So having raised a great Armie hee breakes into our Marches and besiegeth Norham Castle belonging to the Bishop of Durham the which having held out sixe dayes was at last yeilded vnto him Thence hee removes his Campe to Berwicke wasting all the Countrey as hee marcht with fire and sword The newes whereof are brought vnto them to whom the governement of the Kingdome was committed in the absence of the King and a leuy being made through all the North parts of the Kingdome Alnewike is appointed the rendez-vous where all the troupes should meete at a set day that thence they might set forward against the Enemie vnder the conduct of the Lord THOMAS HOWARD Earle of Surrey Among the first to his Fathers great ioy comes the Earles Sonne THOMAS Lord Admirall leading a veterane troupe of fiue thousand men of tried valour and
Authoritie His Brother in law the Duke of Suffolke was lately deceased SEIMOVR the yong Princes Vnkle was a man whose Goodnesse was not tempered with Severity and being descended of a Family more ancient then noble as having vntill now never transcended Knighthood would be subiect to contempt They who more neerly participated of the Bloud Royall as they any way excelled in Power or Vertue were the more suspected and hated by him The Family of the HOWARDS was then most flourishing the chiefe whereof was THOMAS Duke of Norfolke a man famous for his exploits in France Scotland and elsewhere long exercised in the schoole of Experience many wayes deriving himselfe from the Crowne popular of great command and revenues But the edge of the old mans disposition made milde and blunted with age administred the lesse cause of suspition Of his eldest Sonne HENRY Earle of Surrey the King was certainly iealous and resolved to cut him off Hee had lately in the wars of France manifested himselfe heire to the glory of his Ancestors was of a ripe wit and endued with great learning so that Elogy afterwards given to his sonne HENRY that hee was the Learnedst among the Nobility and the Noblest among the Learned might have as fitly beene applied to him was very gracious with the people expert in the Art Military and esteemed fit for publique Government These great Vertues were too great Faults and for them hee must suffer Treason is obiected to him and vpon the surmise hee and his Father sent to the Tower On the thirteenth of Ianuary he is arraigned the chiefe point of his accusation whereon they insisted being for bearing certaine Armes which only belonged to the King and consequently aspiring to the Crowne Of other things hee easily acquitted himselfe and as for those Armes he constantly affirmed that they hereditarily pertained vnto him yet notwithstanding hee would not have presumed to have borne them but being warranted by the opinion of the Heralds who onely were to give iudgement in these cases The Iudges not approving of his answer condemne him and so the Flower of the English Nobilitie is on the nineteenth of Ianuary beheaded the King lying in extremity and breathing his last in Bloud The Duke was adiudged to perpetuall imprisonment where he continued vntill he was by Queene MARY set at libertie The King his disease growing on him at last makes his Will wherein by vertue of a Law lately enacted hee ordaines Prince EDWARD his Sucessour in the first place and in the second Prince EDWARD dying issâ—lesse substitutes the Lady MARY begotten of CATHARINE of Arragon and vpon the like defect of issue in MARY in the third place substitutes the Lady ELIZABETH These three raigned successiuely and accomplished the number of fiftie six yeares at the expiration where of Queene ELIZABETH ended her long glorious Raine and left the Diadem to King IAMES in the many reguards of his Learning Religion Goodnesse peaceable and happy Raigne the Mirrour of late ages The next care was of his Executors whom hee also appointed Tutors shall I say or Counsailours to his Sonne and were in number sixteene viz. Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Wriothsley Lord Chancellour William Pawlet Lord Saint-Iohn Iohn Russel Lord Priuy Seale Edward Seimour Earle of Hertford Iohn Dudley Viscount Lisle Lord Ad-Admirall Cuthbert Tonstall Bishop of Duresme Sir Anthony Browne Master of the Horse Sir Edward Mountague Chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas. Sir William Paget Sir William Harbert Sir Thomas Bromley Sir Anthony Denny Sir Edward North. Sir Edward Wotton Doctor Wotton Deane of Canterbury and Yorke To whom hee added as Assistants especially in matters of great consequence Henry Earle of Arundell William Earle of Essex Sir Thomas Cheny Steward of the Kings Houshold Sir Iohn Gage Comptroller Sir Anthony Wingfield Vice-chamberlaine Sir VVilliam Peter Secretarie Sir Richard Rich. Sir Iohn Baker Sir Ralph Sadler Sir Thomas Seimour Sir Richard Southwell Sir Edmond Pecham He ordained his body should be interred at Windsore in a Monument yet imperfect erected by Cardinall WOLSEY not for himselfe as many falsly surmise but for the King as by the Inscription is manifest which cannot be of later date For therein HENRY is stiled Lord of Irland without any mention of Supreme Head of the Church which two particles it is manifest were changed in the Title after WOLSEY his death In the same his last Will he commanded that the Monuments of HENRY the Sixt and EDWARD the Fourth both interred in Windsore should be made more magnificent and stately and other things of leâ—sâ— moment most of which were neglected This last Will aud Testament hee confirmed subscribed and sealed the last of December and survived a moneth after dying at Westminster the eight and twentieth of Ianuary and that in this manner The King having long languished the Physicians finding apparant symptomes of approaching death wished some of his friends to admonish him of his estate which at last Sir ANTHONY DENNY vndertooke who going directly to the fainting King told in few but those plaine words That the hope of humane helpe was vaine wherefore he beseeched his Maiestie to erect his thoughts to Heaven and bethinking him of his forepassed life through Christ to implore Gods Mercy An advise not very acceptable to him But finding it grounded vpon the iudgement of the Physicians hee submitted himselfe to the hard law of necessitie and reflecting vpon the course of his Life which hee much condemned he professed himselfe confident that through Christ his infinite Goodnesse all his sinnes although they had beene more in number and waight might bee pardoned Being then demanded whether he desired to confer with any Divines With no other saith he but the Archbishop CRANMER and not with him as yet I will first repose my selfe a little and as I then finde my selfe will determine accordingly After the sleepe of an houre or two finding himselfe fainting hee commanded the Archbishop then at Croydon should be sent for in all hast Who vsing all possible speed came not vntill the King was speechlesse As soone as he came the King tooke him by the hand the Archbishop exhorting him to place all his hope in Gods Mercies through Christ and beseeching him that if hee could not in words he would by some signe or other testifie this his Hope Who then wringed the Archbishops hand as hard as he could and shortly after expired having lived fiftie five yeares and seven moneths and thereof raigned thirty seven yeares nine monethes and six dayes Thus ended HENRY the Eighth his Life and Raigne which for the first yeares of his Government was like NERO'S Five yeares Admirable for often Victories and happy Successe in war Glorious for the many Changes vnder it Memorable For the Foundation of the Churches Reformation Laudable to Queenes most vnhappy for the Death of so many for the most great Personages Bloudy and for the frequent Exactions and Subsidies and Sacrilegious Spoile of the Church much
lived a second prop of this Estate who on the fourth of August 1598. piously ended his long but for the publique weales sake ever restlesse life leaving two Sonnes THOMAS by King IAMES created Earle of Excester and ROBERT out of the same Fountaine of Royall Goodnesse Earle of Sarisbury and Lord Treasurer of England And now the ill cemented affections of the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland dissolved into open enmity In the prosecution wherof Somerset otherwise of a most milde disposition but Patience abused oft runneth into the extreme of Fury provoked by continuall iniuries resolved as some write to murther Northumberland To this end but vnder colour of a visite privily armed and well attended by Seconds who awaited him in an vtter chamber he comes to his Adversary at that time by reason of some indisposition of body keeping his Chamber hath accesse vnto him naked as hee was in his bed but is so courteously entertained and with such smooth language that the Duke of Somerset good man repenting himselfe of his bloudy resolutions would not execute what he purposely came for At his departure one of his conspirators is reported to have asked him Whether he had done the feat and vpon his denial to have added Then you are vndone This his intent being by his owne Party bewraied a second accusation is ingrossed against him The matter is referred to the Counsaile Table and he on the sixteenth of October againe committed to the Tower together with the Duchesse his Wife the Lord Gray of Wilton Sir RALPH VANE Sir THOMAS PALMER Sir MILES PARTRIDGE Sir MICHAEL STANHOP Sir THOMAS ARVNDELL and many other of his Friends On the first of December the Marquis of Winchester being for that day high Steward he is arraigned for Treason against the Estate which hee had not onely ill but treacherously managed and for conspiracy against the Duke of Northumberland Of Treason he cleered himselfe and his Peeres acquitted him For the Conspiracy he was by his owne confession condemned and that by vertue of a Law enacted 3. HENR 7. which made the very intent nay imagination of killing a Privy Counsailor punishable by death But howsoever the Law enacted as some conceive vpon somewhat differing intents and meaning were extended to the highest of it's rigour yet can I not but wonder how a man so great in the reguards of his Reigning Nephew of his Honors of the popular Favour should be so destitute of Learned Advice as not to exempt himselfe from a felonious death by his Clergy But such were the times such his misfortunes in the minority of his Prince from whose revengefull hand how could the adverse Faction presume themselves secure in the future Neither could they choose but be somewhat terrified with that ecchoing testimony of the peoples ioy who seeing that fatall Virge the Axe vsually marshalling Traitors to the Barre laied aside vpon his freedome from the guilt of Treason from Westminster Hall certified that part of the City by their loud festivall acclamations of the gladsome tidings of their Favorite's conceived Absolution And these peradventure might be causes that his execution was deferred Hitherto had the Estate patiently indured the obstinate opposition of some Bishops in point of Reformation who for their non-conformity are at length deprived and others substituted in their Bishopricks Of some of them we have occasionally already spoken whose censures notwithstanding fall in with this yeare GARDINER Bishop of Winchester was deprived the fourteenth of February DAY of Chichester and HEATH of Worcester on the tenth of October TONSTALL of Duresme on the twentieth of December committed to the Tower and BONER of London on the first of October 1549. had beene already exautorated All of them for feare of practising against the Estate were deteined in Prison And on the last of October FRANCIS INGLEFIELD WALGRAVE and ROCHESTER Servants to the Lady MARY as also FRANCIS MALLET Doctor of Divinity her Chaplaine were committed I cannot speake any thing certaine of the causes of any of their imprisonments excepting Doctor MALLET'S only At the Emperours request he was permitted to celebrate Masse but with this limitation In the presence of the Lady MARY not otherwise for adventuring to celebrate in her absence it was thought fit he should be punished for his presumptuous transgression With the Lady her selfe all meanes had beene vsed to conforme her to the Times the King himselfe had taken much paines with her by often suasory Letters the Counsaile had done the like and personally to satisfie her with reason divers learned men had beene imploied But their labours were vaine for hatred to our Religion for her Mothers for her owne sake and some politique respects for by the Decrees of our Religion she was made illegitimate and consequently cut off from the Succession to the Crowne if her brother should dy issulesse confirmed her in that Superstition which she had sucked from her Mother On the fourteenth of Aprill one GEORGE PARIS a Gormane was at London burned for Arrianisme On the five and twentieth of May Croydon and seven or eight other Villages in Surrey were terribly shaken with an Earthquake Toward the beginning of November MARY Dowager of Scotland arriving at Portsmouth sent to the King and craved leave to passe through England into Scotland Which being granted and she invited to London entred the City on the second of November where her entertainment was generall and Royall On the sixt of November she departed for Scotland and had the charges of her whole Retinue borne vntill she arrived there in safety About the same time also the Earle of Arundell and the Lord Paget were but for what causes is vncertaine committed to the Tower In the ensuing Aprill the Garter was taken from the Lord Paget and conferred on the Earle of Warwick the Duke of Northumberlands eldest Sonne As for the Earle oâ— Arundell he was on the third of December in the next yeare set at liberty On the one and twentieth of December was the Lord Rich removed from the Chancellorship and THOMAS GOODRICH Bishop of Ely made Lord Chancellor Anno Dom. 1552. Reg. 6. THe Duke of Somerset had now continued two moneths in prison since his condemnation At length the violence of his enemies notwithstanding the Kings desire to save his Vnkle vnder whose tuitioâ— he had passed his childehood drew him to the Scaffold Being on the twenty foure of Ianuary brought to the place of execution he in this manner bespake the Assembly Being by the Law condemned I here willingly submit my selfe by exemplary punishment to satisfie it's Rigour That God hath beene pleased to grant me so long a preparative to my end I humbly thanke his eternall Goodnesse But in that he hath beene farther pleased to inspire me with the knowledge of his Truth and to make me an instrument for the propagation of the same J can never sufficiently magnify his Mercies Jn this do J
their armes and peaceably to repaire to their homes These letters tooke vp the matter and set the Duke at liberty which notwithstanding lasted not long For the next morning as he was readie to take horse the Earle of Arundell intercepted him and with him apprehended the Earle of Huntingdon the Earle of Warwicke Northumberland's eldest sonne and two others younger Lord AMBROSE and Lord HENRY DVDLEY Sir ANDREW DVDLEY the Duke's brother Sir THOMAS PALMER Sir IOHN GATES his brother HENRY GATES and Doctour EDWIN SANDS who on the five and twentieth of Iuly were brought to London and presently committed to the Tower The Earle of Huntingdon was not long after set at liberty but his sonne was presently Sir IOHN GATES whom Northumberland accused to have beene the contriver of all this mischiefe and Sir THOMAS PALMER were after executed The Earle of Warwicke died in prison The Lords AMBROSE and HENRY DVDLEY were pardoned HENRY was afterward slaine with a shot at the siege of S. Quintin but AMBROSE finding fortune more propitious out-lived MARY and by Queene ELIZABETH created Earle of Warwicke long flourished in the happinesse of her favour Sir ANDREW DVDLEY after his condemnation was also pardoned Doctour SANDS being then ce-chancellour of the Vniversitie of Cambridge had by Northumberland's command in the Pulpit publiquely impugned Queene MARYES cause and defended that of Ladie IANE but with that wisdome and moderation although vpon the short warning of some few howers that hee abundantly satisfied the Duke and yet did not so deeply incurre the displeasure of the adverse part but that his friends prevailed with the Queene for his pardon So that after a yeares imprisonment he was set at libertie and presently fled over into Germany after the death of Queene MARY returning from his voluntary exile hee was consecrated Bishop of Worcester from which Sea he was translated to London and thence againe to the Archbishoprick of Yorke a man for his learning vertue wisdome and extract very famous but most especially happy in his Issue whereof many were admirable for their indowments both internall and externall and of whom wee have in our age seene three honoured with Knighthood On the six and twentieth of Iuly the Marquis of Northampton afterward condemned and pardoned Doctour RIDLEY Bishop of London who two yeares after was burned at Oxford and beside many others Lord ROBERT DVDLEY that great Earle of Leicester vnder Queene ELIZABETH were brought to the Tower On the seven and twentieth the Duke of Suffolke to whom the Queene with admirable clemency within foure dayes restored his libertie Sir IOHN CHEEKE King EDWARD'S Schoolemaster Sir ROGER CHOLMELEY chiefe Iustice of the King's Bench and Sir EDMOND MOVNTAGVE chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas were committed to the same place who were all on the third of September set at libertie On the thirtieth of Iuly the Ladie ELIZABETH accompanied by a great traine of Nobles Knights Gentlemen and Ladies to the number of five hundred some say a thousand set forward from the Strand through London and so to Wansted towards the Queene to congratulate her happy successe in vindicating her right to the Crowne Who on the third of August having dismissed her Army which had not yet exceeded the number of 13000. attended by all the Nobilitie made a triumphant entrance through London to the Tower where the Duke of Norfolke EDWARD COVRTNEY sonne to the Marquis of Excester beheaded in the yeare 1538. GARDINER late Bishop of Winchester and ANNE Duchesse of Somerset presented themselves on their knees and GARDINER in the name of them all spake a congratulatory Oration which ended the Queene courteously raised them and kissing each of them said These are all my owne prisoners and gave order for their present discharge EDWARD COVRTNEY she restored to his Fathers honours making him Marquis of Excester As for GARDINER shee not only reseated him in the Bishopricke of Winchester but also on the threâ— and twentieth of August made him Lord Chancellour of England notwithstanding that he had not only subscribed to the Divorce from CATHARINE the Queenes Mother but had published bookes wherein hee had defended King HENRY'S proceedings On the fift of August BONER and TONSTALL who had beene formerly deprived of their Bishoprickes the one of London the other of Duresme and shortly after DAY of Chichester and HEATH of Worcester were inlarged and restored to their Bishopricks the present Incumbents being without due processe of Law eiected On the tenth of August were celebrated the Exequies of King EDWARD DAY Bishop of Chichester preaching executing in English and administring the Sacrament according to the manner and forme received in the Raigne of EDWARD For as yet nothing had beene determined concerning any change in point of Religion So that when BOWRNE a Chanoin of Pauls afterward Bishop of Bath Wells preaching at the Crosse did inveigh against the Reformation in King EDWARD'S time and did in vpbrading manner argue the iniustice of those times which condemned BONER to perpetuall imprisonment for matter delivered by him in that place that time foure yeare who was now by a more iust clemency restored to his libertie and dignitie the people inured to the Protestant Religion and could abstaine from stoning him and one of them ayming a poniard at him missed him very narrowly the affections of the Assembly may by this be conceived that during the Raigne of Queene MARY the Authour of this bold attempt notwithstanding the diligence of ernest inquisitors could neuer be discovered The vproare increasing and divers pressing toward the Pulpit BOVRNE protected by two Protestant Preachers BRADFORD and ROGERS who were greatly reverenced by the people and afterward burned for their Religion was with great difficultie conveied to the Schoole at Pauls And now at length on the eighteenth of August the Duke of Norfolke sitting as high Steward of England were the Duke of Northumberland his sonne the Earle of Warwicke and the Marquis of Northampton arraigned at Westminster where the Duke of Northumberland pleading that he had done nothing but by authority of the Counsaile his plea being not admitted for sufficient he was condemned of high Treason The sentence being pronounced he craved the favour of such a death as was vsually executed on Noblemen and not the other He beseeched also that a favourable reguard might be had of his children in respect of their age Thirdly that hee might be permitted to confer with some learned Divine for the setling of his conscience And lastly that her Maiesty would be pleased to send vnto him foure of her Counsaile for the discovery of some things which might concerne the Estate The Marquis of Northampton pleaded to his inditement that after the beginning of these tumults hee had forborne the execution of any publique office and that all that while intent to hunting and other sports he did not partake in the conspiracie But it being manifest that he was party with the Duke of
birth of Queene Elizabeth Mary Queen of France dieth No Canons to be constituted without the Kings assent The King to collate Bishopricks The Archbishop of Canterbury hath Papall authority vnder the King Fisher and More imprisoned Persecution Pope Clement dâ—â—th First fruits granted to the King Wales vnited to England The King begins to subvâ—rt religious houses Certaine Priors Monks executed The Bishop Rochester beheaded Made Cardinall vnseasonably Sir Thomas Moore beheaded Religious Housâ—s visited The death of Queene Catharine Queene Anne the Viscont Rochford and others committed The Queene condemned with her Brother and Norris Her execution Lady Elizabeth disinherited The King marrieth Iane Seimour Death of the Duke of Somerset the Kings naturall Sonne Bourchier Earle of Bathe Cromwells Honor Dignity The beginning of Reformation The subuersion of religious houses of lesse note Commotion in Lincolneshire Insurrection in Yorkeshire Scarborough Castle besieged Rebellion in Irland Cardinall Poole Rebels executed Cardinall Poole writes against the King The birth of Prince Edward Seimour Earle of Hertford Fitz-William Earle of Southampton Powlet and Russell rise The abuse of Images restrained Beckets shrine demolish d. * Vniones The Image of our Lady of Walsingham Frier Forest makes good a Prophecy Saint Augustines as Canterbury Battaile Abbey and others suppressed The Bible translated The Marquis of Excester and others beheaded Lambert convented burned Margaret Countesse of Salisbury condemned The subversion of Religious Houses Some Abbots executed Glastonbury A catalogue of the Abbots who had voices among the Peeres New Bishoprickes erected The Law of the Six Articles Latimer and Schaxton resigne their Bishoprickes The arrivall of certaine Princes of Germany in England for the treatise of a Match betweene the King Lady Anne of Cleve The King marrieth the Lady of Cleve Cromwell created Earle of Essex and within three months after beheaded Lady Anne of Cleve repudiated The King marrieth Catharine Howard Protestants and Papists alike persecuted The Prior of Dancaster fox others hanged The Lord Hungerford hanged Beginnings of a Commotion in Yorke-shire Lord Leonard Grey beheaded The Lord Dacres hanged Queene Catharine beheaded Irland made a Kingdoms The Viscont Lisle deceased of a surfeit of ioy Sir Iohn Dudley made Viscont Lisle War with Scotland The Scots overthrowne The death of Iames the Fift King of Scotland Hopes of a match betweâ—ne ` Prince Edward and the Queene of Scots The Scottish captives set at liberty The Earle of Angus returneth into Scotland The league and match concluded The Scottish shipping detained War with Scotland War with France A League with the Emperour Landrecy besieged but in vaine The people licensed to eat White Meates in Lent The Kings sixt marriage Will am Parr Earle of Essex Another of the same name made Lord Parr The Lord Chancellour dieth An expedition into Scotland * Alias Bonlamberg The Earle of Hertford Protector King Henry's Funerals The Coronation The death of Francis King of France Musselburgh Feild Reformation in the Church The Scots French besiege Hadinton The Queene of Scots transported into France Humes Castle and Fasteastle gained by the Enemy Gardiner Bishop of Winchester committed to the Tower anddeprived Boner Bishop of London committed also Discord betweene the Duke of Somerset and his Brother the Lord Admirall The Lord Admirall beheaded An Insurrection in Norfolke and in Devonshire Some Forts lost in Boloignois * Corruptly Bonlamberg Enmity betweene the Protector the Earle of Warwick The Protector committed The death of Paul the Third Pope Cardinall Poole elected Pope The Duke of Somerset set at liberty Peace with the Scots and French The Sweating Sickenesse The death of the Duke of Suffolke A creation of Dukes and Earles The descent of the Earles of Pembroke Enmity betweene the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland revived Certaine Bishops deprived Some of the Seruants of the Lady Mary committed An Arrian burned An Earthquake The Queene of Scots in England The Earle of Arundell the Lord Paget committed The Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellor The Duke of Somerset beheaded A Monster The King sickeneth His Will wherin he disinheriteth his Sisters He dieth His Prayer Cardanus Lib. de Genituris Sir Hugh Willoughby frozen to death Commerce with the Muscovite Lady Mary flies into Suffolke Lady Iane proclaimed Queene Northumberland forced to be Generall * L. quiâ—â—e provinci◠§ Divus ff de Rit Nupt. L. â— C. d. Jncest Nupt. Gloâ— ibid. â— â—um inâ—er c. ex tâ—nore Extr. qui sil sint legit Northumberland forsaken by his souldiers The Lords resolue for Queene Mary And to supprâ—sse Lady Iane. Northumberland proclaimes Mary Queene at Cambridge Northumberlaud and some other Lords taken Queene Mary comes to London Gardiner made Lord Chancellour Deprived Bishops restored King Edward's Funerall The Duke of Northumberland the Earle of Warwicke the Marquis of Northampton condemned The Duke of Northumberland beheaded Bishops imprisoned Peter Martyâ— The Archbishop Cranmer Lady Iane Lord Guilford Lord Ambrose Dudley condemned The Coronation A Disputation in the Convocation house Popery restored The Queene inclines to marry The Articles of the Queenes marriage with Philip of Spaine * Which as I conceive would have fallen in the yeare 1588. Sir Thomas Wyats rebellion Sir Iohn Cheeke is taken and diâ—th Bret with 500. Londoners revolts to Wyat. The Duke of Suffolke persuades the people to Armes in vaine The Queens oration to the Londoners Wiat is taken The Lady Iane beheaded The Duke of Suffolke beheaded Wiat executed and Lord Thomas Grey A Disputation at Oxford Cranmer Ridley and Latimer condemned Additions to the former Nuptiall Compacts Philip arriveth in England and is marrâ—ed to the Queene Cardinall Poole comes into EnglaÌ„d Cardinall Pooles Oration to the Farliament The Realme freed from Interdiction The Queene thought to be with childe Lords created Lady Elizabeth and Marquis of Excester set at liberty Iohn Rogers burned and Bishop Hooper Bishop Farrar many others and Bishop Ridley and Latimer The death of Pope Iulius the Third Paul the Fourth succeedeth Gardiner suâ—th to be Cardinall Gardiner dieth Charles the Emperour resignes his Crownâ—s The Archbishop of Yorke Lord Chancellour A Comet A counterfâ—it Edward Archbishop Cranmer burned This yeare eighty foure burned The exhumation of Bucer and Phagius Cardinall Poole consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury An Embassage to Muscovia The Lord Stourton hanged Thomas Stafford indevouring an insurrection is taken and beheaded War against France proclaimed P Ole's 〈◊〉 Legantine abrogated and restored The French overthrowne at S. Quâ—ntin S. Quintin taken A 〈◊〉 Rainbow Calais besiâ—ged by the French Calais yeilded The battaile of Graueling The French overthrowne Conquet taken and burned by the English The Daulphin married to the Queene of Scots The death of Cardinall Poole The Queene dieth
greatest note that accompanied him were richly rewarded and all being dismissed with many thankes safely returned home In their absence MARGARET Duchesse of Sauoy who was Daughter to the Emperour MAXIMILIAN and Gouernesse of the Netherlands vnder CHARLES the Infant of Spaine preuailed with our King for the like number of Archers shee hauing then wars with the Duke of Gueldres against whom she meant to imploy them These men in the space of fiue moneths did many braue exploits at Brimnost Aske and Venloo vnder the command of Sir EDWARD POâ—NINGS a braue Souldier and in great fauour with his Prince Of them fourteene hundred returned home much commended and well rewarded the fortune of warre had cut off one hundred Foure Captaines in regard of their valour were Knighted by the Infant CHARLES afterwardes Emperour viz. IOHN NORTON IOHN FOG IOHN SCOT and THOMAS LYND The King of Scots had then warre with the Portugall vnder pretext whereof one ANDREW BARTON a famous Pirat tooke all ships that coasted either England or Scotland affirming them alwayes to bee Portugals of what Nation soeuer they were or at least fraught with Portugall marchandise The King sent EDWARD HOWARD Lord Admirall of England and his brother the Lord THOMAS HOWARD eldest sonne to the Earle of Surrey with one IOHN HOPTON to take this Rouer When they had once found him out after a long and bloudie fight they tooke him aliue but mortally wounded with his two ships and all his companions that survived the fight and brought them to London Anno Dom. 1512. Reg. 4. AS yet our HENRY had no warre with any forraine Prince neither did the wiser sort wish that he should haue any But hee a young King in the heat of one and twentie yeares was transported with a vehement desire of warre which saith the Prouerbe is sweet to them that neuer tasted of it Although he had about a yeare or two before made a League with LEWIS the Twelfe of France yet hee was easily entreated by Pope IVLIVS â—o renounce this Confederacie This Pope more like to that CAESAR whose Name hee bare the PETER from whom he would faine deriue his Succession that like another NERO sitting still hee might from on high be a spectator while the whole world was on fire had written Letters to our King wherein hee entreated his assistance towards the suppression of the French who without feare of God or man these were the pretended causes had not only sacrilegiously laid hold on the reuenues of the Church had caused Cardinall WILLIAM to vsurpe the Papacie had vpheld ALFONSO of Ferara and the Bentivogli in rebellion against him but had also farther decreed to make Italy the Theater of his tyrannie Wherefore he coniured him by the Loue of our Saâ—ionr by the Pietie of his Ancestors whose aides were neuer wanting when the Church stood in need and by the fast tie of Filiall Obedience that hee would enter into the Holy League of the Estates of Italy who had made choice of him for their Generall Iealousie and Reuerence to the Sea of Rome so prevailed with Him that hee easily condiscended to the Popes request Yet that he might some way colour his action hee would needs interpose himselfe as Vmpier betweene the Pope and the French whom by his Embassadours hee entreates to lay aside armes withall not obscurely threatning that if he did not so he intended to vndertake the defence of the Pope against him the common disturber of the peace of Christendome The French set light by this Wherefore warre is proclaimed by a Herald the French King commanded to part with the Kingdome of France and the Duchies of Normandie and Aquitaine which hee without right vniustly vsurped Then entring into League with MAXIMILIAN the Emperour the Arragonois and the Pope they consult of assaulting the French with ioint forces The Arragonois invites vs into Spaine that thence we might invade France promising besides certaine troupes of Horse store of Artillery Waggons for carriage Munition and many other things necessary for such an Expedition Our King relying on his Father in law his promises levies a great Armie whereof he ships onepart for Spaine and employes the other by Sea EDWARD HOWARD Lord Admirall had charge of the Sea forces who fought with the French Fleet in the Bay of Bretatgne In which fight there was no memorable thing done besides the combate of the two great ships the one having seven hundred English in it vnder the command of Sir THOMAS KNEVET the other nine hundred French vnder PRIMAVGET a Briton These ships being both fast grapled after a long fight fell both on fire and were vtterly consumed not a man being saved of whom it might bee learned whether this fire happened by chance or were purposely kindled by a forced despaire Our other Army vnder the command of the Lord THOMAS GRAY Marquis of Dorset amongst ten thousand tall English souldiers had fiue hundred Germanes vnder one GVINT a Flemming This Armie landed in Biscay where they spent some moneths in expectation of due performances from the Arragonois who feeding them with promises only tempered the heat of our men who were very eager vpon the march for France It hapned that GASTON of Foix Competitor for the Kingdome with IOHN King of Navarre died about the same time The Navarroâ—s had promised FERDâ—NAND some aides toward this warre But now fearing no Competitor hee whether out of inconstancie or that he thought his affaires so required secretly by his Agents makes a League with the French Vpon this FERDINAND turnes his Armes vpon the Navarrois and straines all his strings to draw our men to the same attempt but the Marquis of Dorset pleaded his Commission beyond which hee could not with safetie proceed The Navarrois was vtterly vnprouided and the Nobilitie so divided into the factions of the Egremonts and the Beaumonts that he could doe nothing It was bruited that two mighty Kings came against him with no lesse forces what should hee doe to hope from France were vaine the French were too farre off and deeply engaged in other warres At the approach of the Spantard hee quits his Kingdome and with his Wife and Children flying over the Pyrenean mountaines makes Beaâ—ne his receptacle FERDINAND having thus gotten a new Kingdome casts off all farther thought of â—rance onely intending the confirmation of his conquest to which end hee intreates of HENRY the helpe of our forces raised for France and prevailes but to no purpose For the English having their bodies inflamed with the intolerable heate of a strange climate and the drinking of strong wines dropâ— downe every where insomuch that we lost about a thousand some say of eighteene hundred men in an instant Wherefore impatient of farther delay they force their Commanders to set saile homeward The King was mightily enraged at their returne insomuch that hee once thought to haue punished them for their obstinacie but the multitude of Delinquents proved a
the MOWBRAYES who had beene all Dukes of Norfolke enioyed this Honour by right of Inheritance But because in Bosworth field where hee was slaine hee tooke part with the Vsurper both he and his Posteritie were deprived of that Honour This THOMAS dying in the yeare 1524. his Sonne of the same name succeeded him who deceased in the yeare 1554. His Sonne HENRY a young Lord of great hopes his Father then living was beheaded towards the end of this Kings Raigne Hee left Issue THOMAS the last Duke of Norfolke who also lost his head the yeare 1572. and HENRY at nurse when his Father died a very learned and wise man whom King IAMES no good man repining thereat created Earle of Northampton THOMAS Duke of Norfolke had three Sonnes that survived him PHILIP THOMAS and WILLIAM PHILIP Earle of Surrey and by his Mother of Arundell condemned the yeare 1589. and after dying in prison left Issue THOMAS then a little one who by King IAMES his favour succeeded his Father in his Honors His Vncle THOMAS out of the same fountaine of Royall Goodnes was created Earle of Suffolke with addition of the dignity of Lord Chamberlaine Beside these this Family hath CHARLES Earle of Nottingham Lord Admirall of England Nephew by the Lord WILLIAM his father to THOMAS Duke of Norfolke that famous Triumpher ouer the Scots This is he who in emulation of his grandfathers glory in the yeare 1588. vnder the fortune of Queene ELIZABETH most happily ouerthrew that vainely called Inuincible Armada of Spaine THOMAS also Viscount Bindon is deriued from THOMAS Duke of Norfolke by his sonne the Lord THOMAS So this noble House latély afflicted now gloriously flourishing hath foure Earles and a Viscount all braue and famous men and of whom there will be occasion of much to be spoken hereafter I therefore thought it good in briefe to set downe their Genealogie lest I should trouble the Reader with too often repetition of their Race vpon each mention of the Name At the time of this Dukes creation others were also honored with new titles CHARLES BRANDON made Duke of Suffolke and CHARLES SOMERSET Earle of Worcester and EDWARD STANLEY Lord Mountegle Sir WILLIAM BRANDON Standard bearer to HENRY the seuenth in Bosworth field and there slaine by the hand of RICHARD the Third was father to this new Duke of Suffolke of whose education he then a little one King HENRY hauing obtained the Crowne was verie carefull and made him rather a companion than a seruant to the young Prince of whose household hee was The Prince so greatly fauored him partly for his fathers deserts chiefely for his owne that he being afterward King created him Viscount Lisle and intending at least many were so persuaded to giue him to wife the Ladie MARY his sister who afterward was married to the King of France thought it first good to honour him with the Duchie of Suffolke which this yeare at the feast of Candlemas was performed But how he was frustrated of his hopes and afterward beyond all hope enioyed her shall be declared hereafter SOMERSET the naturall sonne of HENRY of the House of Lancaster the last Duke of Somerset tooke his surname of his fathâ—rs Honour whereas he should haue beene called BEAVFORT or rather PLANTAGENET according to the antient name of our English Kings Heâ— being Couzen german to HENRY the Seuenth whose mother was MARGARET Sister to the Duke of Somerset and famous for his many vertues of which that King was a quicke and exact Iudge was by him made L. high Chamberlaine of England But hauing behaued himself very valiantly in this last expedition against the French wherein GVICCIARDIN vntruly reporteth him to haue been slaine HENRY the eighth added this new title which his posteritie still inioyes to his antient honors He was great grandfather by his son HENRY nephew WILLIAM to EDWARD the now Earle who being one of his Maiesties most honorable priuy Counsel Lo. Priuy Seale doth by his vertues much more ennoble his so noble Ancestors The French King hearing of the ouerthrow of the Scots perceiuing himselfe depriued of such a frieud confederat seeing his kingdom on fire about his ears and none to relie vpon but himselfe determined if so he might fairely and with credit to craue his League with vs. Pope IVLIVS 2. the Incendiarie of Christendoine was lately dead and the French king himselfe was now a widower He therefore intends to try whither by marrying the lady MARY the kings sister he might secure himselfe from war on our side and by so neere alliance gaine the assured friendship of so potent a Prince LEO 10. succeeding IVLIVS 2. did openly side with the French against the Spaniard He therefore earnestly soliciting a reconciliation a Peace was cluded profitable to the French acceptable to vs and on the 9 of October the nuptials were with great pompe solemnised The French king was well stricken in yeres his wife a tender virgin of some 16. or 18. yeares of age but wonderfull beautifull Besides the forementioned reasons the desire of children for he had no masle issue on His part on Her part the publique weale the authoritie of her brother so willing and which beares chiefest sway in a womans heart the supremacy of honor in the title of a Queen were motiues to match so Vneuen a Paire But many not without cause were persuaded that she had rather haue made choice of BRANDON for her husband so her power had been answerable to her wil than the greatest Monarch in the world neither was it long before she enioyed her desire For the king as it often happens to elderly men that apply theÌ„selues to yong womeÌ„ died the last of Febr. hauing scarce 3 months suruiued his wedding The queenâ— might then lawfully according to the articles of agreemeÌ„t return into England which she earnestly desiring the Duke of Suffolke was sent to conduct her who becomming a fresh suitor vnto her so far easily preuailed that before their departure from Paris they were there priuatly married The marriage was afterward by the kings consent celebrated at Greenwich the 13 day of May of the ensuing yeare And now we must speake something of VVOLSEY'S sudden and for these our times incredible rising who hauing as we haue related before beene inuested in the Bishopricke of Tournay was within the yeare preferred to two other Bishopricks That venerable Bishop of Lincolne WILLIAM SMITH was lately deceased who beside many other monuments of his piety hauing begun in Oxford a Colledge for students called Brasen nose Colledge was immaturely taken away before he could finish so good a work So the Sea being vacant it is conferred on WOLSEY now high in the Kings fauour Hee was of verie meane parentage a Butchers sonne and Jpswiâ—h a towne in Suffolke but of Norwich Diocesse where hee afterward laid the foundation of a stately Colledge was the place of his birth He was brought vp at Oxford in
The Emperor after all these passages of courtesy humanity departs toward Graueling mouÌ„ted on a braue horse couered with a foot cloth of cloth of gold richly beset with stones which the King had giuen him He would often speak of his Aunts happinesse that was matcht to so magnificent a Prince The King staied some few days after at Calais from whence passing to Douer he with all his traine arriued safe at London I cannot but enuy their happines who in so little time saw 3 the mightiest Monarchs in Christendom who for their exploits the great alterations happening vnder each of theÌ„ will without doubt be famous through all succeeding Ages Anno Dom. 1521. Reg. 13. EDWARD STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham was about this time arraigned of high Treason He was discended of a Family which whether it was more antient or noble is questionable He deriued himself by a direct line froÌ„ ROBERT de Stafford to whom WILLIAM the Conquerour gaue large revenues which his posterity greatly inlarged by matching with the heires female of many noble Families By the Lady ANNE daughter to THOMAS of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester who was Brother to EDWARD the Third hee participated of the Bloud Royall The first honourable title of the Family was of Lord Stafford the next of Earle of Stafford as was EDMVND that married the daughter to THOMAS of Woodstocke HVMFREY son to EDMVND was created Duke of Buckingham by HENRY the Sixt who left that Honor to his son HVMFREY who was grandfather to this EDWARD by his son HENRY the third Duke How HENRY assisted the Vsurper RICHARD the Third in oppressing EDWARD the Fifth how he after conspired with the Earle of Richmond afterwards HENRY the Seuenth against the Vsurper but was cut off by the Tyrant before he could bring any thing to passe the histories of those times declare EDWARD his son restored to Bloud Dignities by HENRY 7. for his discent wealth and Honors inferior to none but the King not content with this was by N. HOPKINS a Charterhouse Monke induced to beleeue that Heauen had decreed to cut off K. HENRY after whose death he should raigne and the Crowne be for euer established on his posterity This the Monke affirmed God the Gouernour of all things had reuealed vnto him He further aduised him by liberality aud curtesy to win the minds of the people for the time was at hand wherein this should certainly come to passe if it were not through his owne default The Duke no sot but blinded by ambition gaue such credit to the Monke who was either mad or else flattered him in hope of reward that although the time prefixed for these miracles were past yet was he still in hope fed the Impostor with gifts who fed him with aire secretly vilified the King and gaue profusely to all Nay he could not forbeare but at longth he must brag of the Iuglers promises as hee did to a gentleman named CHARLES KNEVET to whom he boldly vnmasked himselfe and gaue a reason of his actions Vpon KNEVETS accusation he was arraigned condemned the thirteenth of May and on the seuenteenth publiquely beheaded His death was lamented by many the rather for that he was no way faulty but in his vanity and pride which ouerthrew him Being a childe I haue heard antient men say that by his brauery of apparell and sumptuous feasts he exasperated the King with whom in these things he seemed to contend But he could by no meanes beare with the intolerable pride of the Cardinall whose hatred not improbably prooued fatall vnto him rather than did the Kings displeasure for many times Princes are with lesse danger offended than their Mignons There goes a tale That the Duke once holding the basen to the King the Cardinall when the King had done presently dipped his hands in the same water the Duke disdaining to debase himselfe to the seruice of a Priest shed the water in his shoos The Cardinall therewith incensed threatned him That he would fit vpon his skirts The Duke to shew that hee slighted his threats withall that the King might take notice of the Cardinalls malice came the next day to Court richly as he vsually was apparelled but without skirts to his dublet The King many others demanding what he meant by that strange fashion he answered readily That it was done by way of preuention for the Cardinall should not now sit vpon his skirts Hee thought he had put a jest vpon the Cardinal to whose informations as proceeding from enuy and spleen he hoped the King would hereafter giue the lesse credit But he missed his marke for most men were of opinion that the Cardinalls malice crushed him rather than did the weight of his owne offences It was the saying of CHARLES the Emperor vpon the report of his death That the Butchers Dog had killed the fairest Hart of England Howsoeuer it came to passe the king who had hitherto ruled without bloudshed induced by the former reasons so the Records run permitted his hands to be stained with the bloud of this poore Prince many lamenting that the indiscreet credulity of one man hauing not attempted ought against the Estate should be the ouerthrow of so noble a Family If I might lawfully pry so far into Gods iudgements which are indeed inscrutable I would be bold to impute the punishment of the Sonne to the Fathers treachery who conspired with the Vsurper against his lawfull Prince EDW. 5. who by his assistance was depriued of his life and kingdome But forasmuch as that being touched in conscience hee manifestly repented this fact for seeking to oppresse the Tyrant whom he himselfe had raised he perished miserably the Diume Iustice I thinke so far regarded his repentance that his posterity are neuerthelesse Peeres of the Realme by the title of L. Stafford The first point of wisdome is not to run into error the next quickly to ameÌ„d it The King hauing written a booke against MARTIN LVTHER sent it as a Present to Pope LEO the Tenth This LEO not yet thirty eight yeares old was by the combination of the Iunior Cardinallâ— elected Pope In which dignity hee behaued himselfe according to his yeares profusely spending the treasures of the Church in hawking and hunting and other pleasures not deemed ouer honest Need began at length to pince him and money must be had Wherupon he resolues to make vse of his Keyes against the most subtill lockes and strongest bars euer yet held preualent Indulgences of all sorts without distinction of time or place must now publiquely be sâ—t to sale Saint Peters Church this was the pretence was out of repaire towards which a certaine summe of money giuen would purchase pardon of sinnes not onely for the Liuing but for the Dead also whose soules should thereby bee redeemed from the paines of Purgatorie But whatsoeuer was pretended euery one palpably saw that these Pardons were granted to get money for his owne reliefe And
Garter by whom Hee did congratulate his late victorious successe admonishing him to a close pursuit of his fortunes That if his Jmperiall Maiesty intended with greater forces to oppresse the already Vanquished in regard of the strict â—y of friendship betweene them his necessary endeauors should in no sort be wanting What answer the Emperor gaue I know not It is very likely he paid the King in his owne coine and dissembled with the Dissembler but hauing courteously entertained our Embassadours as courteously dismissed them But the King wants money and must now dissemble with his subiects He pretended war with France and with this key hopes to open his Subiects coffers The expectation of supplies by a Parliament would prove tedious some shorter course must be taken Money is therfore demanded by Proclamation that no lesle then according to the sixth part of euery mans Moveables Divers great personages appointed Commissioners vse all faire meanes to draw the people to contribute But although they sate in Commission in divers parts of the Kingdome at one and the same time they were so far from preuailing that as if the people had vniuersally conspired it was every where denied and the Commissioners very ill entreated not without further danger of sedition and tumult Hereupon the King calls a Parliament to be held at London wherein he professeth himselfe to be vtterly ignorant of these intollerable courses by such burthenous taxations The King disclaiming it euery one seekes to free himselfe The Cardinall was at last faine to take all vpon himselfe protesting That as a faithfull Seruant he had no further end in it than the profit of his Lord the King and that hee had aduised not onely with his Maiesties Councell which they all acknowledged but also with the Learned in the Lawes both Diuine and Humane whose opinion it was that the King might lawfully take the same course that PHARAOH did who by the ministery of IOSEPH sequestred a certaine portion of euery mans priuate estate for the publique good But the dislike of the people occasioned by this though fruitlesse proiect was greater than could be removed by this excuse And yet this proiect was not altogether fruitlesse the Kings apparant want affording a sufficient pretext of deferring the war with France vntill another yeare Neither was it the Kings intent to make vse of his advantages ouer the French who now lay open to all his blows HENRY hauing put away his wife the Emperour must needs be netled and then the amity of France would stand him in some steed Indeed CATHARINE was a noble and a vertuous Lady but shee had liued so long as to make her Husband weary of her He affected the daughter of Sir THOMAS BOLEN Treasurer of his Houshold Her he intends to marry and to be diuorced from the other For he did in his soule abhor this incestuous Match and it stood not with the publique weale that He should live single especially the lawfulnesse of his Daughters birth being so questionable Hee married not againe for his pleasure but to settle the Kingdome on his lawfull Issue The Learned as many as Hee had conferred with did generally pronounce the first marriage void yet would Hee haue it lawfully decided that with a safe conscience He might make choice of a second Thus far had WOLSEY willingly led him hoping to haue drawne him to a Match in France But Hee was of age to choose for himselfe and had already els where setled his affections And the more to manifest his love on the eighteenth of Iune he created his future Father in law Sir THOMAS BOLEN Viscont Rochfort At the same time were created HENRY FITZ-ROY the Kings naturall fonne by ELIZABETH BLOVNT Daughter to Sir IOHN BLOVNT Knight Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Richmond and Somerset HENRY COVRTNEY Earle of Devonshire the Kings Couzen german Marquis of Excester HENRY BRANDON eldest sonne to the Duke of Suffolke by the Kings Sister the Dowager of France Earle of Lincolne THOMAS MANNERS Lord Roos Earle of Rutland Sir HENRY CLIFFORD Earle of Cumberland and ROBERT RATCLIF Lord Fitzwalter Viscont Fitzwalter Cardinall WOLSEY this yeare laid the foundation of two Colledges one at Ipswich the place of his birth another at Oxford dedicated to our Sauiour CHRIST by the name of Christ-Church This later though not halfe finished yet a magnificent and royall Worke a most fruitfull Mother of Learned Children doth furnish the Church and Common-wealth with multitudes of able men and amongst others acknowledgeth me such as I am for her Foster-childe The other as if the Founder had also been the foundation fell with the Cardinall and being for the most part pulled downe is long since converted to private vses The Cardinalls private estate although it were wonderfull great being not sufficient to endow these Colledges with revenues answerable to their foundation the Pope consenting he demolished fourty Monasteries of meaner note and conferred the lands belonging to them on these his new Colledges It hath been the observation of some That this businesse like that proverbiall gold of Tholouse was fatall to those that any way had a hand in it We will hereafter shew what became of the Pope and the Cardinall But of five whom he made vse of in the alienation of the guifts of so many religious men it afterward happened that two of them challenging the field of each other one was slaine and the other hanged for it a third throwing himselfe headlong into a Well perished wilfully a fourth before that a wealthy man sunke to that low ebbe that he after begged his bread and Doctor ALLEN the fift a man of especiall note being Archbishop of Dublin was murthered in Jreland I could wish that by these and the like examples men would learne to take heed how they lay hands on things consecrated to God If the Divine Iustice so severely punished those that converted the abused yet not regarding the abuse but following the sway of their ambitious desires goods of the Church to vndoubtedly better vses what can we expect of those that take all occasions to rob and spoile the Church hauing no other end but onely the inriching of themselues LVTHER had notice of HENRY his intended Divorce and that from CHRISTIERNE the expelled King of Denmarke who eagerly solicited him to write friendly vnto the King putting LVTHER in hope that HENRY being a courteous Prince might by milde persuasions be induced to embrace the reformation which LVTHER had begun And indeed LVTHER foreseeing the necessary consequences of this Divorce was easily entreated and did write vnto the King in this submissiue manner He doubted not but he had much offended his Majesty by his late reply but he did it rather enforced by others then of his owne accord Hee did now write presuming vpon the Kings much bruited humanity especially being informed That the King himselfe was not Author of the Booke against him which thing
and of France the Pope the Venetians Florentines and Suisses called the Holy League for the common libertie of Italy The Embassadours much amazed and seeing small hopes of the Dutchy of Burgorgne for which they came returne into Spaine and advertise the Emperour that if he will bee content with a pecuniarie ranson and free the two Princes the King was willing to pay it other Conditions he was like to have none In the meane time SOLYMAN not forgetting to make his profit of these horrible confusions invaded Hungary with a great Army overthrew the Hungarians slew King LEWIS the Emperours Brother in law and conquered the greatest part of the Kingdome For the obtaining of this victorie our Rashnesse was more availeable to him then his owne Forces The Hungarians in comparison of their Enemies were but a handfull but having formerly beene many times victorious over the Turkes they persuaded the young King that hee should not obscure the ancient glory of so warlike a Nation that not expecting the aides of Transylvania he should encounter the Enemy even in the open fields where the Turkes in regard of their multitudes of horse might be thought invincible The event shewed the goodnesse of this counsell The Army consisting of the chiefe strength and Nobilitie of the Countrey was overthrowne a great slaughter made and the King himselfe slaine with much of the Nobility and chiefe Prelates of the Realme and among them TOMORAEVS Archbishop of Colâ—cza the chiefe authour of this ill advised attempt I cannot omit an oddeiest at the same time occasioned by WOLSEY his arnbition It was but falsly rumoured that Pope CLEMENT was dead The Cardinall had long beene sicke of the Pope and the King lately of his Wife WOLSEY persuades the King there was no speedier way to compasseâ—his desires then if Hee could procure him to be chosen Pope CLEMENT being now dead STEPHEN GARDINER a stirring man one very learned and that had a working spirit did then at Rome solicit the Kings Divorce from Queene CATHARINE Wherein although vsing all possible meanes and that CLEMENT was no friend to the Emperour yet could hee not procure the Popes favour in the King's behalfe Nay whether he would not cut off all meanes of reconciliation with the Emperour if need were or whether being naturally slow hee did not vsually dispatch any matter of great moment speedily or peradventure whereto the event was agreeable that he perceived it would be for his profit to spin it out at length or which some alledge that he was of opinion that this marriage was lawfully contracted so that he could not giue sentence on either side without either offence to his Conscience or his Friend the Pope could not be drawne to determine either way in this businesse These delayes much vexed the King If matters proceed so slowly vnder CLEMENT on whom hee much presumed what could hee expect from another Pope one perhaps wholy at the Emperours devotion Hee therefore resolved to endevour the advancement of WOLSEY to the Chaire from whom hee promised to himselfe a successe answerable to his desires HENRY therefore sends away speedy Posts to GARDINER with ample instructions in the behalfe of WOLSEY willing him to worke the Cardinals some with promises others with guifts some with threats others with persuasions and to omit no meanes that might be any way availeable But this was to build Castles in the aire The messenger had scarce set forth when report that had made CLEMENT dead had againe revived him Anno Dom. 1527. Reg. 19. THe sixt of May Rome was taken and sacked by the Imperials vnder the conduct of the Duke of Bourbon who was himselfe slaine in the assault marching in the head of his troupes The Pope Cardinals Embassadours of Princes and other Nobles hardly escaping into the Castle of Saint Angelo were there for some dayes besieged At length despairing of succours and victuals failing the Pope for feare hee should fall into the hands of the Lansquenets for the most part seasoned with LVTHERS doctrine and therefore passionate enemies to the Sea of Rome agreeth with the Prince of Auranges after the death of the Duke of Bourbon chosen Generall by the Army yeilding himselfe and the Cardinals to him who kept them close Prisoners in the Castle Rome was now subiect to all kind of crueltie and insolencies vsuall to a conquered Citie intended for destruction Beside Slaughter Spoile Rapes Ruine the Pope and Cardinals were the sport and mockerie of the licentious multitude HENRY pretended much griefe at this newes but was inwardly glad that such an occasion was offred whereby he might oblige CLEMENT in all likelihood as he had iust cause offended with the Emperour for this so insolent and harsh proceeding Whereupon hee dispatcheth WOLSEY into France who should intimate to the King his perpetuall Ally what a scandale it was to all Christendome that the Head of it should bee oppressed with Captivitie a thing which did more especially concerne FRANCIS his affaires The Cardinall set forth from London about the beginning of Iuly accompanied with nine hundred Horse among which were many Nobles The Archbishop of Dublin the Bishop of London the Earle of Derby the Lords SANDS MONTEGLE and HARENDON besides many Knights and Gentlemen WOLSEY found the French King at Amiens where it is agreed that at the common charge of both Princes warre shall be maintained in Italy to set the Pope at libertie and to restore him to the possessions of the Church HENRY contributing for his part thirtie thousand pounds sterling a moneth Vpon the returne of the Cardinall FRANCIS sent into England MONTMORENCY Lord Steward and Mareschall of France for the confirmation of this League and to invest the King with the Order of Saint MICHAEL Hee arriued in England about the middle of October accompanied with â—OHN BELLAY Bishop of Bayeux afterward Cardinall the Lord of Brion and among others MARTIN BELLAY the Wriâ—er of the French Historie who in this manner describes the passages of this Embassage MONTMORENCY arriving at Dover was honourably received by many Bishops and Gentlemen sent by the King who brought him to London where he was met by twelue hundred horse who conducted him to his lodging in the Bishop of Londons Palace Two dayes after hee went by water to Greenwich fower miles beneath London where the King oft resideth There hee was very sumptuously entertained by the King and the Cardinall of Yorke Having had Audience the Cardinall having often accompanied him at London and Greenwich brought him to a house which he had built a little before ten miles aboue London seated vpon the bankes of Thames called Hampton Court. The Cardinall gave it afterward to the King it is this day one of the King 's chiefest houses The Embassador with all his Attendants was there feasted by him foure or fiue dayes together The Chambers had hangings of wonderfull value and euery place did glitter with innumerable vessels of gold and
Sonne a Prince of excellent forme and endowments whâ— deceased the two and twentieth of Iuly for whom the King a long time after mourned In the meane time on the nineteenth of Iuly IOHN BOVRCHIER Lord Fitz-waren was created Earle of Bathe whose successours in that Honour were his Sonne IOHN who begat IOHN deceased before his Father whose Sonne WILLIAM is now Earle of Bathe At what time also THOMAS CROMWELL a poore Smiths Sonne but of a dexterous wit whose first rising was in the Family of Cardinall WOLSEY in whose service by him faithfully performed he grew famous was made Lord CROMWELL many dignities being also conferred on him to the increase of his estate and honour For first he was Master of the Rolls and principall Secretary of Estate then Sir THOMAS BOLEN Earle of Wiltshire resigning he was made Lord Privy Seale and after that dignified with the vnheard of Title of The Kings Vicar generall in affaires Ecclesiasticall For the authority of the Pope being abrogated many businesses dayly happened which could not bee disparched without the Kings consent who not able to vndergo the burthen alone conferred this authority granted him by Act of Parliament on CROMWELL not for that he thought a Lay man fitter for this dignity than a Clergy man but because hee had determined vnder colour and pretence thereof to put in execution some designes wherein the Clergy in all probability would haue moved very slowly and against the haire Hee was therefore President in the Synod this yeare Certainly a deformed spectacle to see an vnlearned Lay man President over an assembly of sacred Prelates and such as for their learning England had in no preceding ages knowne the like For indeed HENRY is for that much to be commended who would not easily advance any one to place of government in the Church but whome his learning should make worthy By the authority of this Synod a booke was set forth wherein many points of Doctrine being proposed to be by the Curates expounded to their Parishioners mention was made of onely theee Sacraments Baptisme the Eucharist and Penance some holy dayes also were abrogated and other things pertaining to Religion and Ecclesiasticall discipline somewhat changed wherewith many were offended who preferred prescript Errors before the Truth The same time the Parliament assembled the fourth of Ianuary permitted all Monasteries the revenues whereof exceeded not two hundred pounds a yeare to the Kings disposall who causing them to be suppressed to the number of three hundred seventy and six entred vpon their lands amounting to thirty two thousand pounds a yeare and selling their goods even at very low rates most men accompting it sacrilegious to set to sale the goods of the Church raised aboue an hundred thousand pounds These things of themselves were distastfull to the vulgar sort Each one did as it were claime a share in the goods of the Church for many who being neither Monkes nor relied to Religious persons did receive no profit of Ecclesiastieall goods did notwithstanding conceiue that it might herafter come to passe that either their children friends or kinred might obtaine the places yet supplied by others whereas of these goods once confiscated they could not hope that any commodity should redound vnto them But the commiseration of so many people to the number of at least ten thousand who were without any warning giuen thrust out of dores and committed to the mercy of the world was a more forcible cause of generall distaste Which notwithstanding of it selfe sufficient was augmented by the malice of ill disposed and seditious persons who in their assemblies exaggerated these proceedings as the beginnings of greater evills that this was but a triall of their patience as yet the shrubs and vnderwoods were but touched but without speedy remedy the end would bee with the fall of the lofty oakes While these generall discontents thus vented themselves in private CROMWELL in September sent forth certaine Injunctions to the Clergy by vertue whereof each â—urate was to expound to his parishioners the Apostles Creed the Lords Prayer the Aue Maria and the Ten Commandements and earnestly to endeauour that they might learne them in the English Tongue This drave these Male contents into such extremes that the midwifry of any occasion served to produce the prodigious issues of their madnesse For in Lincolneshire the Commons being assembled about the beginning of October concerning Subsidies to be paid to the King as if the spirit of fury had generally animated them they suddenly to the number of twenty thousand tooke armes forcing certaine Lords and Gentlemen to be their leaders and to sweare to such Articles as they should propound such as refused were either imprisoned or put to death as was a certaine Priest Chancellor to the Bishop of Lincoln The King being certified of this Commotion sent against the Rebels with great Forces the Duke of Suffolke and the Earles of Shrewsbury and Kenâ— either to appease or suppresse them The rumonr of an Army marching against them so quailed their courages that they sent to excuse themselves vnto the King pretending That their endeavours tended to no other than the safety of his Maiesly and good of the Realme That â—ee hauing followed the advice of bad Counsellors had lately beyond the example of any of his Ancestors changed many things in the estate of Commonwealth and Church That having dispossessed the religious Inhabitants he had demolished many Monasteries where the poore had daily reliefe and God was wont to be deuoutly worshipped by godly men That the Feasts of Saints instituted many yeares since were profaned by his command That new Tenets which the Catholique Church did abhor were every where preached and obtruded to the people That now in each aged person was to be seene the Embleme of Jgnorance who having one foot in the grave were faine to betake them to their ABC Bookes that they might learne new kinde of Prayers never before vsed by any Christians That many vniust and pernicious Lawes had lately beene enacted and great Subsidies exacted both of the Clergy and Laity even in the time of Peace which were not wont to be demanded but for the maintenance of Wars That the Commons in generall did distaste these things and the rather for that they conceived them to be but trialls of their patience and the beginnings of more insupportable euills Wherefore they humbly beseeched his Maiesty whom they could not safely petition vnarmed that the Authours of these pernicious counsailes might sit no longer at the sterne but that others who should faithfully endeavour the amendment of the aforesaid evills might supply their places and that it might not be any way preiudiciall to them that they had taken Armes which even with the losse of their deerest bloud they were ready to imploy for his Maiesties safety and the defence of the Realme The King had a Spirit befitting his greatnesse and perceiving them to shrinke could not
Earle of Arren substituted but also committed to custody whence afterwards making an escape hee was the authour of more garboiles In the meane time the marriage of the young Queene and other conditions proposed to the Estate of Scotland by Sir RALPH SADLER the Kings Embassadour are fully assented vnto and hostages promised for the performance of them But the adverse Faction became so prevalent that the hostages were not delivered at the day neither did the Captive Nobility render themselves in England Only GILBERT KENNEDA Earle of Cassels like another REGVLVS had rather commit himselfe to the mercy of his enemies then prostitute his Honour to the fowle taint of base infidelity His brethren had become pledges for his returne the importunity nay violence of his friends could not deterre him from redeeming them So to London he caâ—â—e where the bountifull King duly honouring him for his constancy in steed of receiving a ranson gave him one dismissing him and his brothers fraught with honour and rewards The Scots falling off from their late agreement the King commandeth stay to bee made of all their ships and confiscateth their goods sends letters full of threats and iust complaints to the Estates at Edinborough blaâ—â—ing them for arrogantly reâ—ecting his Alliance the want whereof must needs be preiudiciall to them neither had they onely reiected it but vnmindfull of former benefitâ— had sowen seeds of new warre and forced him to armes But letters proving in effectuall Scotland is by the frontier Garisons invaded in three severall places forty Scots making resistance are slaine five and fifty Villages burned five hundred and sixtie prisoners taken and a booty brought into England of three thousand five hundred head of cattell eight hundred horses and seven thousand sheepe beside great provision of houshold stuffe But this obstinacy of the Scots proceeded not onely from themselves France and Scotland were ever combined against England so that to invade one was to draw on a war with both Wee had beene often victorious in France wherof many portions anciently belonged to Vs if we should make any claime to all or part of our Inheritance Scotland would serve either to distract our forces or to transfer the seat of the war neâ—rer home The vniting of England and Scotland would by securing vs at home facilitate our enterprises vpon France These were motives sufficient for FRANCIS notwithstanding the long inviolate amity betweene him and HENRY secretly to crosse our designes in Scotland Whereof HENRY could not long be sensible and not revenge Wherefore hee proclaimes open hostility with France as he had already with Scotlaâ—â— and reconciles himselfe with the Emperour before thought irreconciliable in reguard of his Aunts disgrace who professed that all causes of difference betweene them were buried with her yet is it certaine that vnto the Pope he accused HENRY to have dispatched her by poison But now they are become Confederates and an aide of ten thousand English sent to ioyne with Imperialls Landrecy a towne lately taken from the Emperour by the French is the first exercise of our Armes The Emperour also comming in Person it is invested with forty thousand men is furiously battered and the souldiers brought to the distresse of halfe a provant loafe of bread a day and to drinke water FRANCIS being certified of their wants assembles his forces drawesneere the Emperour feeding him with hope of a Battaile entertaining him with skirmishes relieves the besieged and without any more adoe vnder the covert of the night retreats Let vs now conclude the yeare at home And to begin with the Church In February the people by Proclamation is licenced to eate White Meates in Lent but vnder a great penalty enioyned to abstaine from Flesh The third of Iune MOROGH O BRIEN a Nobleman of Irland descended from the Kings of Limrick submitted himselfe to the King and was shortly after made Earle of Twomond which honour his posteritie at this day enioyeth having given ample proofe of their loyalty to succeeding Princes The twelf of Iuly the King married his sixt Wife the Lady CATHARINE PARR Widow to the Lord LATIMER and sister of WILLIAM PARR lately created Earle of Essex in the right of his Wife sole Daughter and heire to the late Earle HENRY BOVRCHIER At what time another of the same name Vnckle to the Queene and the Earle was created Lord Parr and Chamberlaine to the Queene The eight and twentieth of Iuly for the profession of their Faith were ANTHONY PARSONS ROBERT TESTWOOD and HENRY FILMER burned at London MARBECK was also condemned but afterward pardoned Anno Dom. 1544. Reg. 36. THe Lord THOMAS AVDLEY Chancellour of England deceasing the last of Aprill the Lord WRIOTHSLEY chiefe Secretary of Estate is designed his successor And the Earle of Hertford made Lieutenant of the North is sent thither with an Army to represse the incursions of the Scots The Viscount Lisle Admirall of England with a Navy of two hundred saile entred the Forth of Scotland landed ten thousand men forced the rich towne of Leith and then marched toward Edenburg the Metropolis of the Kingdome The Regent was there with the Cardinall at whose dispose hee now wholy was and many other Nobles guarded with six thousand horse and a great number of foote who vpon sight of an invading Army betooke themselves to flight and left the City voide of defendants The Provost craving parley offred to yeild the city vpon condition of departure with Bag and Baggage and saving the towne from fire But the breach of League and insolencies of the inhabitants of Leith and Edenburg had inspired vs with revenge so that no Conditions were to be admitted but what the Victor should impose This drives the Provost to a desperate resolution of defence The English give a furious assault enter at the Canygate put the inhabitants to the sword pillage and fire it The like calamitie felt the Country round about fire and sword cruelly feeding vpon Villages Castles and Noblemens houses Leith had hitherto beene reprived from the like misery but at our returne to the Navy it is made its owne funerall pile and the Peere of the haven vtterly consumed New imployments call home our Admirall HENRY resolves once more to transport his Armes into France there to ioyne with the Earles of Reux and Bares Imperiall Commanders It was agreed betweene the Emperour and the King that the one should invade Champaigne the other Picardy and having vnited their forces which should amount to fourescore thousand foote and eighteene thousand horse to march directly to Paris thereby either to force the French to fight with disadvantage or to suffer the ruine of his Countrey HENRY lands at Calais and finds Picardy vnfurnished of men FRANCIS having withdrawne his forces towards Champaigne to oppose them against the Emperour Hee therefore sends the Duke of Norfolke with the Earles of Reux and Bures to beseege Montrueil The Marshall of Biez
Father Lord Evers with an Army entred Scotland making all the Countrey desert about Iedbury and Kelson Thence marching to Coldingham fortified the Church and Tower and leauing a Garrison there departed The Garrison partly out of couetousnesse partly to distresse the Enemy if he should lay siege to them pillaged and wasted all the neighbouring Countrey The Regent according to their expectation besiegeth the Church with eight thousand men and batters it a whole day and a night But sudainly making none of the Nobles partakers of his determinations whether out of feare to be betraied by his Army or some other cause tooke horse and passed away to Dunbar which occasioned the disbanding of the Army and the freedome of the besieged Our often successe hauing emboldened vs we adventure vpon another impression the fury whereof disburdened it selfe in Merch Tâ—ifidale and Lauden the Inhabitants being either forced to yeild or fly and leave their goods to be seized on by Bellonas Haâ—bingers The Scots at length make head and although of more then equall number they betake themselves to stratagems They vnderstand by their Scouts of our approach and to deceive vs by the advise of WALTER SCOT send their horses to the adioyning hils Neither indeed was the place so advantageous for Horse as for Foot The horses backed by the Groomes that kept them did from the hils make shew of an Army and that flying We advance as loath to let our enemies escape in the pursuit of whom we vnawares fall among the whole Army not disorderly flying but prepared to receive vs. It is not vnusuall to encounter men but if Heaven and the Elements oppose vs how can we hope for victory Wee finde the number of our adverse Army great beyond our expectation the Sun farre declining to the West darted his rayes in our faces and a violent winde drives the smoke of the shot into our mouthes which not onely made the most necessary sence vnusefull but with a foule stench corrupted the aire and hindred the breathing of the already panting Souldiers The many advantages give them the victory Wee leave two hundred in the place and among them the Lord EVERS a thousand are taken whereof Alderman READ was one A little after this victory FRANCIS sent into Scotland a supply of five hundred French Horse and three thousand Footmen vnder the command of the Lord of Lorges Earle of Montgomery not so much to crosse our attempts against the Scots as to distract our forces that the violence of them vnited might not at once fall on France This yeare among other accidents is alâ—o memorable through the death of the King's Brother in law CHARLES BRANDON Duke of Suffolke a man of a mighty spirit yet so tempering it with mildnesse and faire demeanour that hee was generally beloved both of Prince and people Who in that height of favour carried him so evenly as to die quietly in his bed A happinesse vnder this Prince rare even to Fortunes and His Favourites A Parliament assembled in November granted the King the Disposall of all Colledges Chantries and Hospitals the demeasnes salaries and stipends thereto belonging or given to Priests to say Masse for the soules of the departed The King personally gave thankes to both Houses promising to have a care that they should be imployed to the honour of God and the publique good But we finde not the effect of his promises Anno Dom. 1546. Reg. 38. vltimo WE are now come to the last yeare of HENRY his Raigne Who having tired himselfe with the French wars began at length seriously to bethinke himselfe of peace Neither was FRANCIS lesse desirous of his friendship To this end Deputies from both sides meet often betweene Guisnes and Ardres For HENRY the Earle of Hertford GARDINER Bishop of Winchester the Viscount Lisle Lord Admirall Sir WILLIAM PAGET Secretary of Estate and Doctour WOTTON the first Deane of Canterbury For FRANCIS the Admirall ANNEBAVLT RAYMOND first President of Rouan and BOVCHEREL Secretary After many consultations a Peace was concluded on these Conditions That Francis within eight yeares should pay fourescore hundred thousand Crownes to the King as well for the arrerage of his Pension as for many other expenses made by him in war in the fortification of Boloigne and of the Countrey and vpon receipt of the said summe Henry should deliver vnto the King of France Boloigne and all the Countrey belonging to it with the ancient places or newly edified by him Mont-Lambert the Tower of Ordre Ambleteul and others with all the Artillery and Munition in them For the confirmation whereof the Viscount Lisle was sent Embassadour into France and from thence came the Admirall ANNEBAVLT to receive the oathes of each King and the Peace was proclaimed in London On the sixteenth of Iuly were burnt at London for their Religion IOHN LASSELS NICHOLAS OTTERDEN IOHN ADLAM and ANNE ASSKEW a young Gentlewoman aged twentie five of an ancient Descent excellent beauty and acute wit whose examinations writings tortures and patient suffering are at large set downe by Master FOX being before their execution by Doctour SCHAXTON exhorted to recant as he then was forced who some yeares passed had resigned his Bishopricke to enioy his Conscience And here I may not omit an addition to the septenary number of Sleepers WILLIAM FOXLEY a Potmaker in London who without any touch of any preceding infirmity was seised with such a dead sleepe that for fourteene daies and fifteene nights no force nor invention could awake him on the fifteenth day this miraculous sleepe forsaking him he was as it were restored to life and found as sound and entire as if he had taken no more then an ordinary repose Neither would he believe that he had taken other but that the building of a certaine wall made it apparant to him how much time he had slept away Hee lived above forty yeares after viz. to the yeare 1587. Let vs conclude this yeare with the death of MARTIN LVTHER that famous impugner of the Church of Rome who being sent for by the Counts of MANSFEILD to compose some differences betweene them concerning their inheritance died among them in his Climactericall yeare and after much contention for his body lieth buried at Wirtenberg Anno Dom. 1547. HENRY long since growne corpulent was become a burthen to himselfe and of late lame by reason of a violent vleer in his leg the inflammation whereof cast him into a lingering fever which by little and little decaying his spirits hee at length began to feele the inevitable necessity of death The cogitation of many things as in the like exigents vsually happeneth oppressed him and chiefly of his Sonnes nonage but now entring into his tenth yeare an age infirme and oportune to treacheries against which he found small provision in his friends having none amongst those on whose loyalty hee chiefly relied of so sufficient eminency as to vnderprop his weake Estate with those supporters of Royalty Power and
Preiudiciall to the Estate Grievous and Burthensome to the Subiect FINIS ANNALES OF ENGLAND EDVVARD THE SIXT The Second Booke LONDON Printed by Adam Islip and William Stansby 1630. Vae tibi Jerra cuius Rex Puer est ANNALES OF ENGLAND The second Booke EDWARD the Sixt. Anno Dom. 1547. Reg. 1. ROyalty like a Pythagorean Soule transmigrates Although HENRY were dead the King was still alive and survived in the person of young EDWARD who began his Raigne the eight and twentieth of Ianuary then in the tenth yeare of his age and having beene on the last of the same moneth proclaimed King came the same day from Enfield where the Court had then beene to the Tower there according to the ancient custome of our Kings to abide vntill his Inauguration at Westminster The next day the Counsaile assembled for the managing of the Estate conferred on the Kings Vnckle EDWARD SEIMOVR Earle of Hertford the honour and power of Protector of the King's Person and Kingdome Who to season his new Dignitie with some memorable act on the sixt of February dubbed the King Knight the King presently imparting the same Honour to RICHARD HOBLETHORNE Lord Maior of London On the fifteenth of February King HENRY his Funerals were solemnized and his Body Royally interred in the middle of the Quire in the Church at Windsore Two daies after were some of the Nobilitie dignified with greater Honours some new created The Lord Protector Earle of Hertford was made Duke of Somerset WILLIAM PARR Earle of Essex Marquis of Northampton IOHN DVDLEY Viscount Lisle Earle of Warmicke and the Lord Chancellour WRIOTHSLEY Earle of Southampton Sir THOMAS SEIMOVR brother to the Protector and Lord Admirall Sir THOMAS RICH Sir WILLIAM WILLOVGHBY and Sir EDMOND SHEFFEILD were inrolled among the Barons Other two daies being fled after their Predecessours the King passed triumphantly from the Tower through London to Westminster where he was solemnely crowned anointed and inaugurated by CRANMER Archbishop of Canterbury At what time also with incredible indulgence pardon of all crimes whatsoever was publiquely proclaimed and granted to all persons throughout the Realme six only being exempted from the benefit thereof namely the Duke of Norfolke Cardinall POOLE the lately beheaded Marquis of Excester his eldest Sonne one THROCMORTON FORTESCVE and RICHARD PATE late Bishop of Worcester who least hee should be constrained to acknowledge the King Head of the Church had some yeares passed fled to Rome On the nineteenth of Iune in the Cathedrall Church of Saint PAVL in London were celebrated the Exequies of FRANCIS King of France He deceased the two and twentieth of the precedent March having beene after the death of our HENRY much disposed to melancholy whether for that hee failed in the hope of strengthening their late contracted amity with some stricter tie or that being some few yeares the younger hee was by his death admonished of the like approaching fate They were also of so conspiring a similitude of disposition and nature that you shall hardly finde the like betweene any two Princes of what ever different times This bred a mutuall affection in them and as it were forcibly nourished the secret fire thereof betweene them vnlesse peradventure when emulation or the respect of publique vtilitie swaied them the contrary way so that the death of the one could not but much grieve the surviver He therefore in the Cathedrall at Paris celebrated the Funerals of HENRY though excommunicated by the Pope He also left one only Sonne named HENRY inheritor of his Crowne whose Raigne lasted but to the beginning of Queene ELIZABETH And now the affaires of Scotland which have without doubt beene great and memorable crave a part in our History Wee have before made mention of our League with Scotland wherein it was determined concerning the marriage betweene the now King EDWARD and the Queene of Scots The times since then were full of continuall iarres Wee at length resolved not to dally with them but to vndertake the war with forces agreeable to the cause The Duke of Somerset by consent of the Privie Counsaile is sent into Scotland with ten thousand Foot and six thousand Horse beside pioners and artificers thirteene hundred and fifteene peeces of brasse Ordnance To the Lord CLINTON is assigned a Navy consisting of foure and twenty men of war one Galley and thirty Ships of burthen wherewith hee was to scowre the Seas and infest the maritime parts of Scotland On the third of September the Duke of Somerset made an hostile entrance vpon the Enemies Countrey and forthwith dispatched letters to the Earle of Arren Regent of Scotland much to this effect That he wished the Scots would consider that this war was waged among Christians that our ends were no other then a iust Peace whereto the endevours of all good men should tend An occasion not only of a League but of a perpetuall Peace was now happily offred if they would suffer the two differing and emulous Nations by vniting the Head to grow together This as it had beene formerly sought by vs so had it beene generally assented to by the Estates of Scotland Therefore he could not but wonder why they should rather treacherously recurre to Armes the events of war being vsually even to the Victor sufficiently vnfortunate then maintaine in violate their troth plighted to the good of both Nations They could not in reason expect that their Queene should perpetually live a Virgin life And if shee married where could shee bestow her selfe better then on a puissant Monarch inhabiting the same Island and parlying the same language They saw what inconveniences were the consequents of foraine matches whereof they should rather make triall by the examples of others then at their owne perill He demanded nothing but equity yet he so much abhorred the effusion of Christian bloud that if hee found the Scots not vtterly averse from an accord hee would endevour that some of the Conventions should be remitted he would also permit that the Queene should abide and be brought vp among them vntill her age made her marriageable at what time she should by consent of the Estates her selfe make choice of a Husband In the meane time there should be a Cessation of Armes neither should the Queene be transported out of her Realme nor entertaine treatise of marriage with the French or any other forainer This if they would faithfully promise he would forthwith peaceably depart out of Scotland and whatsoever damages the Countrey had suffred by this invasion he would according to the esteeme of indifferent Arbitrators make ample satisfaction The Scottish Army consisted of thirty thousand Foot some speake a greater number The chiefe Commanders whereof puffed vp with confidence of their strength although they had lately lost eight hundred in a tumultuary skirmish and misconceiving our offers to proceed out of feare reiect all Conditions of Accord and least vpon knowledge of the equitie of our demands the Counsaile should
two thousand Horse Removing thence toward Saint Edmonsbury hee found that many of his souldiers had forsaken their Colours and was wonderfully iealous least of the remainder many would doe the like Wherefore returning to Cambridge hee plied the Lords of the Counsaile with continuall demands of supplies to fill his companies growne thinne by the departure of so many fugitives The Lords that favoured MARIES cause laying hold on this occasion obsequiously tendring their services for the furtherance of the Dukes designes decree speedie aides for him but pretend that it were dangerous to imploy any other in these levies then such of whose loyalty they might rest assured least the like treacherie might be committed as had beene already by Sir EDWARD HASTINGS and profer themselues for the execution of this affaire So by the Duke of Suffolke his permission they all let loose as it were out of prison disperse themselves over the Citie The chiefest of them that were resolved for the Queene were the Marquis of Winchester Lord Treasurer the Earle of Pembroke the Earle of Arundell whom after a yeares imprisonment with the Lord PAGET the Duke of Northumberland had lately set at liberty and Sir THOMAS CHEYNEY Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports By the industry of these as many of the Lords of the Counsaile as were within call excepting the Duke of Suffolke and as many other of the Nobilitie as were knowne to be at least not enemies to Queene MARYES cause had a meeting at Bainards Castle vnder pretence of conference with the French Embassadour LAVALL about I know not what important businesse But indeed to consult of a meane how to reduce Ladie IANE to her first originall of a private fortune There HENRY Earle of Arundell bitterly inveighing against the Duke of Northumberland after he had ripped vp the acts of former times and burthened him with all that had beene done vniustly cruelly or amisse in the Raigne of King EDWARD hee at last comes to that treacherous act of the disherison of the Children of HENRY the Eighth professing that hee wondred how he had so inthralled such personages intimating those Nobles present as to make them instruments of his wickednesse For by their consent and suffrages it came to passe that the Duke of Suffolkes Daughter the same Northumberland's Daughter in Law did now personate a Queene the grosse and power of Soveraignetie remaining indeed with Northumberland that hee might freely wreake his tyranny on their lives and fortunes Religion is indeed the thing pretended But suppose wee haue no reguard to these Apostolicall Rules Evill must not be done that good may come thereof and wee must obey even evill Princes not for feare but for conscience sake yet how doth it appeare that MARY intends any alteration in Religion Certainly having beene lately petitioned vnto in this point by the Suffolke men She gave them and that was true a very hopefull answer And what a mad blindnesse it is for the avoidance of an vncertaine danger to precipitate our selves into most certaine destruction I would we had not erred in this kind But errours past cannot be recalled some may peradventure be amended wherein speedy execution oftimes happily supplieth former defects Recollect your selves then and so make vse of your authority that MARY the vndoubtedly lawfull Heire may be publiquely proclaimed After hee had spoken to this purpose the Earle of Pembroke readily and generously professed that hee subscribed to the Earle of Arundel's motion and grasping his sword signified his resolution to maintaine the right of MARY against all opposers The rest take after them and decree the same So commanding the repaire of the Lord Maior and the rest of the Aldermen they in Cheapside proclaime Ladie MARY Queene with addition also of the title of Supreme Head of the Church And to adde more maiesty to their act by some devout solemnitie they go in Procession to Pauls singing that admirable hymne of those holy Fathers Saint AMBROSE and Saint AVGVSTINE commonly knowne by its first words Te Deum Then they dispatcht away some companies to seize on the Tower and command the Duke of Suffolke to render himselfe The Duke as easily deiected at the newes as he had formerly beene elevated by vaine hope entring his Daughters chamber forbad the farther vse of Royall ceremonies wishing her to be content with her returne to a private fortune Whereto shee answered with a setled countenance Sir I better brooke this message then my forced advancement to Royalty out of obedience to you and my mother I have grieuously sinned and offred violence to my selfe now I do willingly and as obeying the motions of my soule relinquish the Crowne and indevour to salve those faults committed by others if at least so great an errour may be salved by a willing relinquishment and ingenuous acknowledgement Having spoken thus much shee retired into a withdrawing roome more troubled at the danger she had incurred then the defeasance of so great hopes The Duke himselfe presently repaired to the rest of the Counsaile and subscribed to their Decree This Proclamation was on the nineteenth of Iuly published and entertained with such acclamations that no part of it could be heard after the first mention of Queene MARYES name The Earle of Arundell and the Lord PAGET having thus ordered this waightie affaire accompanied with thirty horse rid post that night vnto the Queene to certifie her of the gladsome tidings of her subiects loyall intentions In the meane time the Lords of the Counsaile certifie Northumberland of these passages commanmanding him withall to subscribe to the Decree and dismisse his Army But hee out of the presage of his owne fortune had before the receipt of their letters proclaimed her Queene at Cambridge where in a counterfait ioy he threw vp his Cap with the sincerer multitude Then hee cashiered the rest of his wavering companies and almost all the Lords who had hitherto followed him with a legall revolt passing over to the Queene and making Northumberland the sole author and cause of these disloyall distractions were vpon their submission pardoned Ladie IANE having as on a Stage for ten dayes only personated a Queene was committed to safe custodie and the Ladies who had hitherto attended her were commanded each to their homes The Duke of Northumberland was by the Queenes command apprehended by the Earle of Arundell and committed to the Tower The manner of his taking is reported to have beene thus After so many checkes vncertaine what course to take resolved to flie but not knowing whether the Pensioners who with their Captaine Sir IOHN GATES had followed him in this expedition while he was pulling on his boots seized on him saying that it was sit they shouâ—d excuse themselves from the imputation of treason by his testimony The Duke withstanding them and the matter being likely to grow to blowes at the very instant came those letters from the Counsaile which commanded them all â—o lay aside
being offered and shall serve for a memorable example to posterity that Innocence excuseth not great misdeeds if they any way tend to the destruction of the Weale publique for he hath abundantly plunged himselfe in ill whosoever even perforce hath become the Jnstrument of anothers ambition Having spoken thus much and implored God's mercy by the helpe of her Gentlewoman she first disrobed her selfe of her gowne then her attire and vailing her eyes with her handkerchief laied her head on the blocke and exhorted the lingring Executioner to the performance of his office which he at length did his action drawing teares from the eyes of the spectators yea even of those who from the very beginning were affected to Queene MARIE'S Cause This was the end of IANE a Lady renouned for the greatnesse of her birth but far more for her vertues and excellency of wit who swayed by the ambition of her Father-in-law and imperious Mother tooke on her that fatall title of a Queene and being presently hurried from a Kingdome to a Scaffold suffered for the faults of others having overcome all the frownes of adverse fortune by constancy and innocence Much more iust was that execution which within three dayes after insued Twenty gibbets as well for terror of others as for present punishment being erected in divers parts of the City on the fourteenth and fifteenth of February fifty of the Kentish Rebells were hanged on them On the eighteenth of the same moneth ALEXANDER BRET who drew those five hundred Londoners into a revolt from the Duke of Norfolke was with a multitude of others wherof many were of the Gentry sent into Kent there to vndergo exemplary punishment On the twentieth of February foure hundred of the same crew with halters about their neckes were presented before the Queene all humble suppliants on their knees whome the Queene pardoned and commanded their present liberty On the three and twentieth of February HENRY GRAY Duke of Suffolke Father to Lady IANE having beene condemned on the seventeenth of the same moneth was publiquely beheaded a man whose facility to by-practises had occasioned all the troubles wherwith this Raigne had hitherto beene distracted whose rash ingratitude the Queene having once pardoned him beyond expectation diverted the current of the Queenes clemency toward his Daughter and brought him to a deserved end The next turne was WIAT'S and that on the eleventh of Aprill Who vpon a kinde of promise of pardon if he would detect the rest of the Conspirators suborned as is conceived by some malevolent persons among the rest traduced yong COVRTNEY as that having beene refused by Queene MARY he aspired to marry the Lady ELIZABETH to depose the Queene and so to raigne as it were in the right of his wife This accusation had procured their commitment the Lady ELIZABETH'S on the eighteenth of March COVRTEY'S on the twelfe of February But WIAT finding himselfe deluded and being toucht with the horridnes of so treacherous an accusation going to the place of his execution desired the favour of a few words with the Marquis of Excester which was granted him Of the Marquis he on his knees craved pardon for that irreparable iniury which he had done him not out of malice but desire of life The Sherives of the City with many others were then present and after testified the certainty of this acknowledgement But the Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellor who out of feare of change of Religion if Queene MARY dying ELIZABETH should come to the Crowne was content to lay hold on any occasion to cut her off affirmed in the Star-chamber and therto cited the testimony of the Lord Chandois that WIAT a little before his death exhorted the Marquis to acknowledge his crime and to submit himselfe to the Queenes mercy But what apparance of truth can there be in this it being certaine that WIAT having ascended the fatall scaffold seeing the instruments of death before his eyes and having composed himselfe for another world did with sincere protestations and religious asseverations acquit the Lady ELIZABETH and the Lord COVRTNEY from being any the least way conscious to his practises On the seven and twentieth of Aprill Lord THOMAS GRAY was beheaded for having by persuasions as it were thrust on his irresolute brother the Duke of Suffolke to partake with WIAT in his seditious attempts On the sixteenth of May the Lady ELIZABETH was removed from the Tower to Woodstock and the Marquis of Excester to Foderingay the place onely being altered and nothing remitted of the strictnesse of their imprisonment About the same time that reverend CRANMER yet Archbishop of Canterbury NICHOLAS RIDLEY lately deprived of the Bishopricke of London and HVGH LATIMER who so long ago resigned his Bishopricke of Worcester were removed from the Tower to Windsore and thence to Oxford there solemnly to dispute with the Divines of both Vniversities concerning the Eucharist Their vsage was extreme almost beyond beleefe Two dayes only were allotted them for their preparation and those two dayes were they in straight custody in severall either dungeons or places little differing debarred both the conference of any but their Gaoler and the vse of their owne papers and bookes In the Schooles the behavior toward them was as barbarous as their vsage had beene tyrannicall Shouts and outcries were the chiefest Arguments many opposing one without order without manners without modesty On the fourteenth of Aprill from the Prison they were brought to S. Maries and commanded to abjure vpon their refusall a day is prefixed for publique dispute CRANMER'S day was the sixteenth RIDLEY'S the seventeenth LATIMER'S the eighteenth of Aprill each in their course to answer all Opponents which each of them performed that so that notwithstanding they were amased with rude clamours and distracted with variety of Opponents all vrging and craving answer at the same time although they were scoffed at reviled and overborne with multitude yet did they force their Aduersaries to admire them CRANMER did learnedly and according to the dignity wherein hee so many yeares flourished gravely RIDLEY acutely and readily LATIMER with a pleasant tartnesse and more solidly then could be expected of a man so neere the age of fourescore The Disputation ended they are againe on the twentieth of Aprill brought to S. Maries and demanded whether they would persist in their opinions vpon their reply that they would they were declared Heretiques and condemned to the fire Their constancy was the more manifested by their contempt of death LATIMER was scarce capable of the joy he conceived that God was pleased he should end his long life whereto Nature would shortly set a period with so happy a clause As for their martyrdome it falls in with the next yeare and thither we remit it Presently after those forepassed tumults the Queene sends forth summons for a Parliament to begin the second of Aprill In this Parliament shee proposeth two things her Marriage and Subiection to Rome in
among the Nobility that nothing could be done therein Only it was decreed that the First-Fruits and Tenths granted to the King by the Clergy Anno 1534 should be remitted which Decree vpon consideration of the Treasuries poverty and of the many Pensions granted by HENRY to the eiected Religious Persons was quickly revoked About the same time an absurd I might say ridiculous accident happened by the Queens owne credulity and the flattery of fawning Courtiers By reason of a disease which Physitians terme a Mole her belly began to swell and some other reasons giving her cause to coniecture that she was with childe shee not entertaining the advice of any Physitians but of Mid wives and old women beleeving what she desired should be affirmed that she felt the stirring of the Embryo in her wombe To those that are affected with this malady that fleshy and informe substance which is termed Mola doth seeme sometimes to move but that slowly and with the generall motion of the whole belly By this and other symptomes Physitians would quickly have discovered her disease which vnlesse very maturely prevented is commonly incurable so that in processe of time her Liver being over-cooled she fell into a Dropsy which as FVCHSIVS and other Physitians write doth vsually happen But these flattering hopes betraied her to the laughter of the world and to her grave For on the seven and twentieth of November the Lords of the Counsaile sent some Mandates to the Bishop of London to disperse certaine formes of Praiers wherein after thankes given to God for his Mercies to this Kingdome by giving hopes of an Heire to the Crowne and infusing life into the Embryo they should pray for the preservation of the Queene and the Infant and her happy delivery and cause Te Deum to be sung every where Then by Parliament many things were enacted concerning the education of the Babe and much clutter was otherwise kept about preparatious for the Childes swadling clouts cradle and other things requisite at the Delivery vntill in Iune in the ensuing yeare it was manifested that all was little better then a dreame This yeare were many Barons created On the eleventh of March WILLIAM HOWARD was created Lord Howard of Effingam he was Father to CHARLES Lord Admirall and late Earle of Notingham on the fift of Aprill IOHN WILLIAMS Lord Williams of Tame on the seventh of Aprill EDWARD NORTH Baron of Chartlege on the eighth of Aprill IOHN BRVGES Lord Chandois on the fourteenth of May GERARD FITZ-GERARD of whome before Earle of Kildare and on the second of September ANTHONY BROWNE Viscount Mountague And in September deceased THOMAS Duke of Norfolke Anno Dom. 1555. Reg. MARIAE 2. 3. PHILIPPI 1. 2. ON the eighteenth of Ianuary the Lord Chancellor comming to the Tower with six other Lords of the Counsaile set many brave prisoners at liberty viz. the Archbishop of Yorke Sir IOHN ROGERS Sir IAMES CROFT Sir NICHOLAS THROCKMORTON Sir NICHOLAS ARNOLD Sir GEORGE HARPER Sir WILLIAM SENTLOW Sir GAWIN CAREW Sir ANDREW DVDLEY the Duke of Northumberland's Brother WILLIAM GIBS CVTBERT VAVGHAN HARINGTON TREMAINE and others The Archbishop having married a Wife was deprived and NICHOLAS HEATH sometimes Bishop of Worcester but deprived by King EDWARD and HOOPER being eiected and condemned to the fire lately restored by Queene MARY was substituted in his place ROGERS and CROFT were afterward Privy Counsailers to Queene ELIZABETH vnder whome they many yeares flourished in great authority THROCKMORTON a subtle man was thought to have beene the plotter of WIAT'S Rebellion his head was therefore especially aimed at But being indited and ten whole howers spent in sifting him he by such witty answers voided the accusation of his Adversary that the Iurors found him not guilty for which they were afterward soundly fined About the beginning of Aprill the Marquis of of Excester and a little after the Lady ELIZABETH were set at liberty Concerning Lady ELIZABETH it was long consulted what course to take with her wherein the resolutions of the Papists were bloudily bent to make her away when any colourable occasion should present it selfe The Bishop of Winchester vpon any speech concerning the punishment of Heretiques is repoâ—ted to have said We strip off the leaves or lop off the branches but vnles we strike at the Root that hope of Heretiques meaning Lady ELIZABETH we do nothing But after long search into her actions no sufficient matter of accusation being found although there wanted not those who sought to persuade the Queene that her liberty would indanger the Queene yet PHILIP aspiring to the opinion of clemency by his intercession toward the end of Aprill she had her liberty but so that she was bound to admit of into her Family Sir THOMAS POPE a Privy Counsailer GAGE and some others who should alwaies keepe watch over her actions This small sparkle of clemency was obscured by a gâ—eater flame of cruelty a multitude of godly men suâ—fering this yeare for their conscience only On the fourth of February IOHN ROGERS the Protomartyr of those times was burned at London He was TINDALL'S companion after whose death fearing persecution hee would not returne into his Countrey but went with his Wife to Wirtenberg where having attained to the Germane Tongue hee vndertooke the Cure of a certaine Church there which he faithfully discharged vntill vnder King EDWARD he was recalled from exile by RIDLEY Bishop of London made a Prebend of Pauls and Lecturer there Queene MARY having attained the Crowne the Papists endeavored to affright him and so to have once more forced him to a voluntary exile commanding him not so much as to peepe into the streets and in this manner lived he a yeare vntill at last refusing to fly he was imprisoned and condemned to the fire which cruell death notwithstanding that he was to leave a wife and ten children he did most constantly vndergo The like end on the ninth of February made IOHN HOOPER Bishop first of Glocester and then of Worcester too holding both Seas in Commendam who tooke much paines about BONER'S deprivation which thing now hastened him to a stake For as soone as Queene MARY was inthroned he was sent for to London committed to the Tower and condemned for an Heretique HENRY reigning he spent part of his life in Germany where hee tooke to wife a Burguignon and among other devout learned men had intimate familiarity with HENRY BVLLINGER by whome for his learning godly and sweet conversation he was held in dâ—ere esteeme After his condemnation hee was sent to Glocester there to suffer where hee was thought most to have sinned in sowing seeds of error He himselfe not a little rejoicing that he should by the testimony of his bloud confirme that Doctrine before their eyes into whose eares hee had so often inculcated it The same course was taken with FERRAR Bishop of S. Davids who was brought downe froÌ„ London to his owne Dioces there
pardon to all They did set forth in May and returned a little before Christinasse Anno Dom. 1513. Reg. 5. ABout the beginning of this yeare the King assembled the high Court of Parliament wherein war against France was determined a mightie masse of mony granted by the Commons Wherevpon in the very beginning of the spring a Fleet is set forth consisting of two and fortie men oâ— warre besides victuallers and lesser vessels The Lord Admirall who had the charge of this Fleet too too eagerly hunting after honour by his rashnesse frustrated the designes of so goodly preparations Hee attempts to land in the hauen neere adioyning to Brest where striving in person to set foot first in the Enemies countrey hee with a speare borne over board and drowned was the only man of all that Fleet that came short home He therein performed rather the part of a private Souldier then of a Commander For his death brought backe this headlesle Fleet into England Where the King makes the Lord THOMAS HOWARD Admirall in the place of his deceased younger brother exhosting him by imploying his service for his Countries honour to reuenge his brothers inglorious death This new Admirall with great speed brings his Nauy out of harbour and scouring vp and downe the Seas strooke such a terrour into the French that not so much as a fisher boate durst peepe abroad At last he lands in Witsand Bay ransacks all the Countrey thereabout and without resistance returnes safe to his ships In the meanâ— time the King having raised a mightie Army arriues at Calaâ—s the last of lune with a Fleet of foure hundred saile The one and twentieth of Iuly he marcheth with all his forces into the French Territorie and having sent some Ensignes before to besiege Terouenne a Citie in Picardie hee takes his way thither intending in person to sit downe before it with all the strength of his Armie By the way hee meets the French neere Dernom They at first seeme resolved to fight but whether they distrusted their owne strength and so purposely declined an vnequall combate or as by our side it is reported that our Ordinance being conveniently placed disordred them and that so they beto oke themselues to flight as if it had beene all one for vs to see them and conquer them away they went and could not any where afterward bee descried by vs. So without any let our Army came before Terouenne This Citie had according to the relation of our Writers foure thousand defendants whereof sixe hundred were horse The place being so well fortified it had beenâ— no hard matter to haue defended it against a mighty Army if so be they had beene accordingly provided of other necessaries but they were wanting Wherefore they certified their King to what an exigent they were brought But hee had his hands full else where For the Opaniard had made an inroade into Aquitaine and Navarre and the Suisses having lately overthrowne TREMOVILLE at Novarre had now coopt him vp in Dijon in Burgoigne insomuch that his forces being by these occasions distracted heâ— himselfe had not vnder his Colours aboue twenty thousand Foot the moity whereof were Lansquenets vnder the command of the Duke of Gueldres and two thousand fiue hundred Launces With these he comes to Amiens that the hope of succours hee being so neere might encourage the defendants For it much concerned him that the siege should be drawne out at length In our Army were forty thousand Foot and fiue thousand Horse so that there was no likelihood of doing any good against vs. Neither indeed did the French intend especially at that time to hazard the fortune of a battaile the losse whereof in the iudgement of the more expert would haue beene accompanied with no losse then the losse of the Kingdome which would easily haue followed our victorie The French King therefore sitting still at Amiens least he might seeme to neglect such a Citie the danger whereof did thorowly grieue him sends some troupes toward Therouenne with instructions to put into the Citie eighty horsemen compleatly armed but without horses the besiâ—ged desiring no other aide if possibly it could bee offected as it easily was by reason of the negligence of our centinels For indeed the desuetude of a long peace had made our men altogether vnapt for warre But the indiscretion of the French farre surpassed our negligence For whereas with the same hazard they might haue victualled the besieged and furnished them with other necessaries which they wanted desiring but too late to amend this errour they would needs effect it the same way as before But our men had by this time raised a new Fortification to hinder their entrance and had withall placed in ambush store of horse with fifteene thousand foot to cut them off in their retreat The French came neere the walls but finding all entrance debarred returned without suspition of any intended mischiefe They had not gone farre when some as if they had beene out of their Enemies reach impatient of the heate cast off their Helmets some fell a drinking most leaue their horses of service and for their ease mount on little nags Our men charge them vnawares and without any resistance made put them to route The French in this encounter lost three hundred horse there were taken prisoners LEWIS de LONGVEVILLE Marquis of Rotelin BADI CLERMONT d' ANIOV BVSSY d' AMBOISE BAYARD la FAYET and PALISSE who escapt out of prison with many others It was then the opinion of most men that this victory if wee had but made due vse of it laid an easie way for vs to the conquest of France For the French were so affrighted with the newes of this overthrow that they thought of nothing but flying and the King himselfe with teares in his eyes bewailing his hard fortune cast about for some place of refuge and determined to post into base Bretaigne But wee looking no farther then Therouenne brought our prisoners into the Campe and without farther prosecution left the Enemies to their feares The French call this the Battaile of Spurres because they trusted more to their heeles then their swords The Therouennois after this overthrow despairing of succour come to a parley and by the advice of their King yeild vp the Citie the three and twentieth of August vpon Condition That the Souldiers might depart with Bagge and Baggage Colours flying and Drums beating and the Citizens permittted to carrie away their goods A few dayes before the Citie was yeilded MAXIMILIAN the Emperour came to our Campe and which deserves to be recorded to the eternall honour of our Nation taking for pay a hundred Crownes a day besides what was disbursed among his Souldiers disdained not to serve vnder our Colours wearing the Crosse of England and a party coloured Rose the vsuall Cognizance of our English warfare But hee rather came to bee a Spectator then a Partaker in the danger Wherefore when
haughtie in regard of their former navall victories obtained vnder the command of this young Lord. After him came the Lords DACRES CLIFFORD SCROPE LATIMER CONIERS LVMLEY and OGLE besides Sir NICHOLAS APPLEYARD Master of the Ordinance Sir W. PERCIE Sir WILLIAM SIDNEY Sir WILLIAM BVLMER Sir IOHN STANLEY Sir WILLIAM MOLINEVX Sir THOMAS STRANGWAYES Sir RICHARD TEMPEST and many other Knights These sitting in Counsell thought it best to send an Herald to the King to expostulate with him concerning these out-rages committed to complaine that He had without all right or reason spoyled the Countrey of a Prince not onely Allied vnto Him but also His Confederate and therefore to certifie Him that they were readie by battaile to revenge the breach of League if so bee Hee durst awaite their comming but a few dayes in a ground that might be fitting for the meeting of both Armies The King makes answere by writing wherein Heeretorts the violation of the League calling God to witnesse that King HENRY had first by his many iniuries showne evident signes of an alienated mind For the English Hee pretended robbed all along the Marches of Scotland without restitution or punishment ANDREW BARTON a stout and honest man had beene vniustly slaine by the Kings command and one HERON who had murdered ROBERT CAR a Scottish Nobleman vaunted himselfe openly in England the King taking no notice of so hainous a fact Of these things Hee had often complained by his Embassadours but without effect There was therefore no other way for Him but to betake Himselfe to Armes for the common defence of Himselfe and his Kingdome against the Kings iniustice As for the meeting hee signified that he accepted of it and appointed both Time and Place for the battaile Neither partie failed the prefixed day The Scot seekes to animate his men by taking away all hope of safeguard by flight commanding them I know not how wisely but the event shâ—wed how vnhappily for thme to forsake their horses forasmuch as they were to trust to their hands not to their horses heeles and by his owne example shewing what hee would haue done hee alights and prepares himselfe to fight on foote The rest doing the like the whole Army encountred Vs on foote to whom after a long and bloudy fight the fortune of the victorie inclined The Scots had two and twentie Peeces of great Ordinance which stood them in no steed For our men climing vp a hill where the Enemy sate hovering over Vs the shot passed over our heads Our chiefe strength were our Archers who so incessantly played vpon foure wings of Scots for the King divided his Army into fiue Battalions that were but lightly armed that they forced them to flie and leave their fellowes who yet stood stoutly to it But the maine Battaile where the King was consisting of choice men and better armed against our sâ—ot was not so easily defeated For the Scots although they being inclosed as it were in a toyle were forced to fight in a ring made most desperate resistance and that without doubt so much the rather because they not onely heard their King incouraging them but saw him also manfully fighting in the foremost rankes vntill having received would vpon wound heâ—el down dead The say there fell with him the Archbishop of Saint ANDREWES his naturall Sonne two other Bishops two Abbots twelve Earles seventeene Barons and of common Souldiers eight thousand The number of the Captives is thought to haue beene as many They lost all their Ordinance and almost all their Ensignes insomuch that the victorie was to bee esteemed a very great one but that it was somewhat bloudie to Vs in the losse of fifteene hundred This field was fought the ninth of September neere Flodon hill vpon a rising banke called Piperdi not farre from Bramston I am not ignorant that the Scotish Writers constantly affirme the King was not slaine in the field but having saved himselfe by flight was afterwards killed by his owne people and that the body which was brought into England was not the Kings but of one ALEXANDER ELFINSTON a young Gentleman resembling the King both in visage and stature whom the King that hee might delude those that pursued him and might as with his owne Presence animate them that fought else-where had caused with all tokens of Royaltie to be armed and apparelled like himselfe But to let passe the great number of Nobilitie whose carcases found about him sufficiently testifie that they guarded their true King and consequently that the counterfaite fought else-where it is manifest that his body was knowne by many of the Captives who certainly affirmed that it could bee no other then the Kings although by the multitude of wounds it were much defaced For his necke was opened to the midst with a wide wound his left hand almost cut off in two places did scarce hang to his arme and the Archers had shot him in many places of his body Thus was IAMES the Fourth King of Scots taken away in the flower of his youth who truly in regard of his Princely Vertues deserved a longer life For hee had a quicke wit and a maiesticall countenance he was of a great spirit courteous milde liberall and so mercifull that it was observed hee was often forced against his will to punish offenders These vertues endeared him to his people in his life time and made them so much lament the losse of him being dead that as all Historians report they seemed to have lost onely him in the whole succession of their Kings which sufficiently argues the improbabilitie of the subiects pretended Parricide But he had not fallen into this misery if he would haue hearkened to the advice of those who perswaded him to have returned home before the fight contented with what hee had alreadie performed in the expedition that he should not vpon so weake forces hazard the estate oâ— his Kingdome hee had wonne glory enough and abundantly fulfilled his friends request But the French Agent and some of the Kings Mignons corrupted by the French vrging to the contrarie this haughtie Prince even otherwise very desirous to give proofe of his valour was easily perswaded to awaite our great Forces already marching His body if at least that were his not ELFINSTON'S being enclosed in Lead and brought into England was by our Kings I will not say cruell but certainly inhumane command cast in some by corner or other without due Funerall Rites saying that it was a due punishment for one who had periurously broken his League whereas if wee examine the premisses we shall find he wanted not probable pretexts for what hee vndertooke Anno Dom. 1514. Reg. 6. THe next yeare having begunne his course THOMAS HOWARD Earle of Surrey hee who had beene victorious over the Scots was created Duke of Norfolke the title and dignitie of his Ancestors IOHN his Father deriving his pedigree from THOMAS de Brotherton Sonne to King EDWARD the First the SEGRAVES and
ships and Merchants in England find the like entertainment the Hostages giuen by the French for the foresaid sums are committed to close prison and the French Embassadour confined to his house Levies are made throughout England great preparatioÌ„s for another expedition into France To which the King being wholly bent Embassadors suddenly arrive from the Emâ—erour whose request was That He would joine his forces with the Imperialls and that if it so pleased Him CHARLES would within few dayes be in England that so they might personally confer aduise what course they were best to run Many reasons mooued the Emperour by the way to touch at England His Grandfather FERDINAND being dead his presence was necessarily required in Spaine whither he must passe by England He feared lest this breach betwixt vs France might easily be made vp he being so far distant He had an Aetna in his brest which burned with extreame hatred toward the French and was confident that his presence would raise our sparkle to a flame They might personally treat conclude more safely securely than by Agents Posts of whom in matters of moment no wise man would make vse vnles forced by necessity But the chiefe cause as I coniecture of this his second coÌ„ming into England was that he was weary of WOLSEY with whom he saw it was impossible long to continue friend For the Cardinall by his importunity one while for the Papacy another while for the Archbishopricke of Toledo did much molest him who had determined to afford him nothing but good words He disdained not in his letters to a Butchers son to vse that honorable compellation of Couzen whether present or absent he afforded him all kind of honor whatsoeuer But when the Cardinall craued any ernest of his loue some excuse or other was found out to put him by yet so as still to entertaine him with hopes But WOLSEY was subtill and of a great spirit And these deuises were now growne so stale that they must needs be perceiued CHARLES therfore neglecting his wonted course by WOLSEY studies how to be assured of the King without him For this no fitter means could be thought of then this interview The King was naturally courteous loued the Emperour exceedingly and reposed great confidence in him CHARLES therefore hoped that by the familiarity of some few weekes hee might make the King his owne But HENRY he thought would not long continue so vnlesse he could some way lessen his fauor toward the Cardinall This he hoped might be effected by admonishing the King that he was now past the yeares of a childe and needed no Tutor that it was not fit he should suffer himselfe to be swaied by a Priest one in all reason better skilled in the mysteries of the Altar than of State against which in this respect besides the abuse of his power he must needs be some way though perhaps vnwillingly faulty The addition of some aspersions withalâ— were thought not to be amisse which if not true should at least carrie a shew of truth That the Emperour practised something in this kinde the consequences make it more than probable HENRY being a noble Prince and one that scorned money as much as any one breathing was very glad of the Emperors comming yet was his Treasury very bare and so great a Guest could not be entertained without as great expences CHARLES vpon notice of the Kings pleasure attended by the Marquis of Dorset the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield the Lord De La-ware others of the English Nobility comes from Graueling to Calais from whence he passed to Douer where he was receiued by the Cardinall who was accompanied with two Earles ten Bishops ten Abbots thirty six Knights 100 Gentlemen thirty Priests all these apparelled in velvet and at least seuen hundred seruants Two daies he staied at Douer before the King came At length he came and welcommed him with all Princely entertainment professing that no greater happinesse could betide him on earth then the inioying his Maiesties most desired company though but for so short a time From Douer taking Canâ—erbury in the way they came to Greenwich where the Queene awaited the longed for presence of her Nephew FroÌ„ thence to London where they werereceiued by the Citisens with the solemnities vsuall at the Coronation of our Kings At Whitsontide both Princes came to Pauls where they heard the Cardinall say Masse Sports agreeable to the entertainement of such a Guest were not wanting But when mention was made of renewing the League Windsore was thought fittest for the Treaty it being not aboue twenty miles from London and a place altogether as it were composed for pleasure Windsore is situated in a large Plaine vpon the bankes of the riuer Thames The Castle being the chiefest in England for strength comparable to that of Douer but far exceeding it in greatnesse and beauty is built on a hill This Castle containes besides the Kings Court a goodly Church by EDWARD the Third dedicated to the blessed Virgin and Saint George adioining to which is the Colledge where are the houses of the Deane Prebendaries and Vicars Chorall where also liue twelue Souldiers discharged of the wars called Knights and hauing pensions who in their habits are bound daily to frequent the Church there to pray vnto God for the Knights of the Illustrious Order of the Garter Of this Order the Castle is the Seat where according to the first Institution the Knights are to be installed on certaine dayes are to offer and to do some other duties Here vpon Corpus Christi day these Princes hauing on the robes of the Order in their stalls heard Masse and receiuing the Sacrament bound themselues by oath inuiolably to obserue the Conditions of this new League the chiefe Articles whereof were these That they should with joint and as great forces as they could inuade France That the Emperor should yearely pay to the King as much as was due to Him and his Sister from the French viz. 133000 crownes That the Emperor should at conuenient yeares take to Wife his Cousin german the Lady MARY the Kings onely Childe who after raigned and at age of fortie yeares was married to PHILIP the Emperors son That he by whose default it should happen that this match should not succeed should pay the other fiue hundred thousand crownes and for assurance of this the Emperour should put Saint Omers and Aires into the Kings hands One would haue thought it had passed the reach of human policy to haue dissolued this band But shortly after broken it was and could neuer after be firmely knit againe After eight dayes stay at Windsore these Princes went to Winchester and from thence to Southampton where was the Emperors Fleet consisting of a hundred and eighty ships Here on the first of Iuly the Emperor tooke ship and made for Spaine In the meane time the Earle of Surrey hauing gathered a Fleet landed neere Morleys
King vnderstanding that among his subiects but especially the women kinde this his action was much traduced as if Hee tooke this course more to satisfie his Lust then his Conscience to give a stop to all farther rumours having assembled all the Nobles of the Realme Iudges Lawiers and as many of the better sort of Commonsas could conveniently attend vpon the eight of November made an Oration to this effect Twentie yeares have almost run their course faithfull and loving Subiects since We first began Our Raigne among you Jn all which tract of time Wee haue by Gods â—ssistance so behaved Our Selfe that Wee hope Wee haue neither given you cause to complaine nor Our Enemies to glory No foraine power hath indevoured ought against you but to his owne losse neither have Wee employed Our Armes any where but We haue triumphantly erected Our glorious trophies So that whether you consider the sweet fruits of plentifull Peace or the glory of Our warlike exploits We dare boldly avouch Wee have shewed Our Selfe not vnworthy of Our Ancestors whom without offence bee it spoken Wee have in all points equalled But when wee reflect vpon the necessary end of Our fraile life We are surprised with feare least the miseries of future times should so obscure the splendour and memory of Our present felicitie that as the Romans did after the death of Augustus so you may hereafter bee forced to wish with teares either that VVe had never beene or might have perpetually lived to governe you VVee see many here present who in reguard of their age might have beene parties in the late Civill warres which for eightie yeares together so miserably rended this Realme no man knowing whom to acknowledge for his Soveraigne vntill the happie Coniunction of Our Parents did not resolve but tooke away all cause of farther doubt Consider then whether after Our death you can hope for better dayes then when the Factions of Yorke and Lancaster distracted this Realme VVee have a Daughter whom VVee the more affectionately tender because shee is Our sole Jssue But VVee would have you know that having lately treated with Our deare Brother of France concerning a match betweene this Our Daughter and Henrie Duke of Orleans his yonger sonne both of Vs were well pleased with this alliance vntill one of his Privy Counsell made a question of Our Daughters birth for it was much to bee doubted least she were to be held illegitimate being begotten of Vs and that Mother who had before beene married to Our deceased Brother saying it was vtterly repugnant to the Word of God that any one should marry his Brothers Widow wherefore he was of opinion that this match with Our most beloved Spouse was to be deemed no other then incestuous How grievously this relation afflicted Vs God the Searcher of Our hearts knowes For these words did seeme to question not onely Our deare Consort and Our Daughter but euen the very estate of Our soule which after death must necessarily vndergo eternall and inevitable torments if being admonished of so horrible an Incest We should not indevour an amendement And for your parts you cannot but foresee how great dangers by reason of this doubt do threaten you and your Posterity Being therefore desirous as the case indeed required to bee resolved in this point Wee first conferred with Our Friends and then with the most learned in the Lawes both Divine and Humane who indeed were so farre from satisfying Vs that they left Vs more perplexed Wee therefore had recourse to the Holy Apostolique Sea to the Decree whereof VVe thinke it fitting that Our Selfe and all others should bee obedient To this and no other end We call immortall God to witnesse have wee procured this Venerable Legate As for the Queene Our most beloved Consort whatsoever women may tattle or ill willers mutter in private We do willingly and ingenuously professe that in noblenesse of Mind she far transcends the greatnesse of her Birth so that if wee were now at liberty and free for a second choice We take God to witnesse among all the plenty of the worlds Beauties wee would not make choice of any other if lawfully wee might then of this Our now Queene one in regard of her mildnesse wisdome humility sanctity of minde and conversation We are verily perswaded not to be paralleled But when We consider that We are bestowed on the world to other ends then the pursuite of Our owne pleasures We have thought it meet rather to vndergo the hazard of an vncertaine iudgement then to commit impiety against God the liberall Giver of all blessings and ingratitude against Our Countrey the weale and safetie whereof each one should prefer before his private life or fortunes Thus much have you heard from Our owne mouth And we hope that you will hereafter give no heed either to seditious detractions or idle rumours of the people This Oration tooke according to the divers dispositions of the hearers some lamenting the King's but many more the Queenes case every one doubting and fearefull of the event Some few weary of the present estate desired a change even to worse rather then a continuance of the present And by these the course the King had taken not approved by the vulgar as pious and imposed on him by his owne and the publique necessitie was according to the nature of hopefull flattery most highly applauded Anno Dom. 1529. Reg. 21. AT length about the beginning of Aprill the King residing at Bridewell at the Blacke Friers in London began the suit concerning the King's Divorce There was that to be seene the like whereof the Histories of no other Nation afford A most puissant Monarch actually Soveraigne and bearing rule in his Realme being cited by the voice of of an Apparitor made his appearance personally before the Iudges The ceremonies in a matter so vnusuall and indeed otherwise of great moment require an accurate and large relation beyond the intended shortnesse of this Historie A Chaire of State whereto was an ascent of some steps was placed above for the King and by the side of it another but a little lower for the Queene Before the King at the fourth step sate the Legates but so as the one seemed to sit at his right hand the other at the left Next to the Legates stood the Apparitors and other Officers of the Court and among them GARDINER after Bishop of Winchester appointed Register in this businesse Before the Iudges within the limits of the Court sate the Archbishop of Canterbury with all the other Bishops of the Realme At the farther end of each side were the Advocates and Proctors retained for each partie for the King SAMPSON after Bishop of Chichester BELL after Bishop of Worcester TREGONEL and PETERS Father to the now Lord PETERS all Doctours of Law For the Queene FISHER Bishop of Rochester and STANDISH Bishop of Saint Assaph with RIDLEY Doctor whether of Divinitie or Law I know not but one who
the way to wipe out the remembrance of an old offence by committing a new Hee found some other pretence to send one FRANCIS CAMPANA into England but his chiefe errand was to will CAMPEGIVS to burne the Bull whereby the King's marriage had before beene pronounced void and to returne to Rome with speed But the newes of the Popes sicknesse at the same time made him deferre the execution of his Mandate For if CLEMENT should die the Cardinall might with safetie gratifie the King who had conferred on him the Bishopricke of Sarisbury and to whom the Cardinall had promised successe answerable to his desires And if hee should permit the King to be thus illuded he feared he might be accompted not onely ingratefull but also treacherous But hee shortly vnderstood the Pope was well whose Mandate he must obey and the Bull as if for Hereâ—ie must be condemned to the fire In the meane time the King who was deeply in loue with ANNE BOLEN according to the nature of Lovers counting each minute by the houre quickly resented this change and never rested vntill hee knew the whole carriage of the matter Then first fell his wrath like thunder on WOLSEY whose wit had hitherto made all his proiects feasible And hee could not beleeve but that it was in his power to effect this also Here I cannot choose but cry out with Comoedian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IOVE and yee Gods how hard a thing It is to serve a raging King Full twenty yeares had WOLSEY served the King behaving himselfe so that hee grew powerfull and wealthy beyond a private fortune and to the rest of the King's Titles had procured the addition of that rich one of a good Prince For as often as I consider how laudably HENRY had hitherto ruled and behold the calamities of ensuing times I cannot but accord with them who ascribe the sway which he did beare over all the Princes of Christendome to the excellency of WOLSEY his counsailes But WOLSEY being taken away to whom shall we impute those effects of Lust Tyrannie and Avarice two Wives killed two put away so many and among them many of the greater sort put to death for their Religion only extremitie only differing in the manner vsed by Hanging against Papists by Fire against Heretiques these were the termes of those dayes the Church or rather the Common-wealth horribly spoiled and robbed of her Patrimony Certainly had WOLSEY sate at the Sterne the King had never like a Ship destitute of a Pilot beene carried to and fro with such contrary and vncertaine motions But inordinate greatnesse is alwayes a burthen to it selfe the waight whereof is augmented by the vsuall attendance of publique enny and hatred the misbegotten Elfes of long and powerfull happinesse WOLSEY the King once offended began presently to totter and at his first frowne as at the roaring of a Lion before any harder course was taken with him was so deiected that although he after seemed a little to lift vp his head yet was hee never able to stand on his feet Nay the King being once alienated from him would never after admit him to his presence Behold power of base Detraction yet I will not exclude the the greatnesse of the Cardinals wealth already devoured in conceit which wipes away the remembrance of the faithfull service of so many yeares and the consideration of so great glory purchased to the King by WOLSEY'S labours I am not ignorant what things were obiected against him But they carry so little shew of probability that I should much suspect his iudgement that would give any credit to them Vntill it was knowne that the King inraged at the slow proceedings in the cause of his Divorce did day and night breath out against him threats and revenge no man ever preferred Bill against him which considering the vsuall severe courses held by our Parliaments must needs acquit him of Abuse of Power As for the causes of the King's anger wee will derive them rather from his owne discontents then WOLSEY'S faultinesse The King by this time knew the treachery of the dissembling Pope Hee had neere five yeares wandered in the Labyrinth of the Court of Rome and could find no clue to lead him out He therefore determined to make a way where he could not find one and like ALEXANDER by force to vndoe that Gordian knot which by wit and labour hee could not To WOLSEY therefore hee communicated his intent of marrying another whether the Pope were willing or no wishing him withall to finde out some course or other whereby CAMPEGIVS his Colleague notwithstanding the late Mandates to the contrary might be drawne to give sentence on his side Many things might be pretended to excuse the deed but chiefly the feare of the King 's high displeasure which peradventure hee should feele too vnlesse hee assented to the King 's iust request WOLSEY his answer to this I cannot relate But this is certaine that WOLSEY whether for that he did not approve of the King 's intended course seeming as the times were then full of rashnesse and insolence or that he would not vndertake the attempting of his Colleague or that as SLEIDAN writes the King had notice that the Cardinall had advised the Pope not to approve of the Divorce from CATHARINE forasmuch as the King was then resolved to marry another infected with Lutheranisme WOLSEY I say was so sharply taken vp and threatned by the King that even then you might reade in his face and gestures the symptomes of his waining fortune For the Cardinall at that time returning from the Court by water the Bishop of Carlile being with him in the same Barge complained of the heate which was then extraordinary to whom WOLSEY replied My Lord if you had beene but now in my place you would have found it hot indeed And as soone as hee came home he put off his clothes and went sicke to bed Before hee had reposed himselfe an houre and halfe the Viscount Rochfort came to him and in the King's Name willed that hee and his Colleague should instantly repaire to the Queene and exhort her not to contend any longer with the King for that it would be more for her good and the honour of them both to submit herselfe to the King's pleasure then to vndergo the disgrace of a publique iudgement For it was now brought to that push that longer deferred it could not be The Cardinall advertised of the King's pleasure did arise and with his Colleague went to the Queene who having notice of their comming went forth and met them After mutuall salutations the Cardinals desired shee would vouchsafe a few words in private but the Queene refused to entertaine any conference with them but where she might have witnesses of what passed WOLSEY then began to speake in Latine but the Queene interrupted him willing that although she vnderstood Latin yet hee should speake in English So in the
names of both Legates he began a speech in English wherein hee professed a great deale of observance and dutie to her and that they came to no other end but to advise her for her good The Queene answered them much after this manner As for your good will I thanke you as for your advise I will give you the hearing But the matter I beleeve about which you come is of so great importance that it will require a great deale of deliberation and the helpe of a braine surpassing that of feminine weaknesse You see my employments shewing them a skaine of white thred hanging about her necke in these I spend my time among my Maides which indeed are none of the greatest Counsailers yet I have none other in England and Spaine where they are on whom I dare relie God wot is farre enough hence yet I am content to heare what you have to say and will give you an answere when we can conveniently So taking the Cardinall by the hand she brought them into a withdrawing roome where having attentively heard out their message shee made this reply That now after twenty yeares the lawfulnesse of my marriage should be questioned I cannot sufficiently wonder especially when I consider who were the Authours of it Many of them are yet alive both in England and Spaine and what kind of men the rest were who are now dead the world knowes Henry and Ferdinand our Parents the most sage Princes of their time and their Counsaile such without doubt who for their wisdome were approved of as fit servants for so iudicious Masters besides the Pope whose Dispensation J have to shew and which was procured by my Father at no small rate But what thing is there so sincere and firme which enuy will not seeke to blast Of these my miseries I can accuse none but you my Lord of Yorke Because I could not away with your monstrous pride excessive riot whoredome and intolerable oppression therefore do I now suffer And yet not only for this for some part of your hatred I am beholding to my Nephew the Emperour whom for that he did not satisfie your insatiable ambition by advancing you to the Papacy you have ever since maligned You threatned to be revenged on him and his Friends and you have performed your promise for you have beene the onely incendiarie and plotter of all the mischiefe and wars against him these late yeares And J am his Aunt whom how you have persecuted by raising this new doubt God only knowes to whose iudgement only I commend my cause This Shee spake in French as it seemed very much moved and would not endure to heare WOLSEY speake in defence of himselfe but courteously dismissed CAMPEGIVS It was now Iune and the Harvest drawing on the Legates thought it high time to make an end of this suite A day therefore being prefixed many of the Nobility and a multitude of the Commonaltie repaired to the Court verily expecting that iudgement should have beene given for the King HENRY having I know not how conceived some hope of the Legates good intents caused a seat to bee placed for himselfe behind the hangings vnder the covert wherof he might vnseene heare whatsoever was spoken or passed in Court The Cardinals being seated the King's Advocates earnestly requiring that sentence might be given on their side CAMPEGIVS made this Oration well beseeming the constancy of a man not vnworthy of the place he supplied J have heard and diligently examined whatsoever hath beene alledged in the King's behalfe And indeed the arguments are such that I might and ought pronounce for the King if two reasons did not controll and curbe my desires of doing his Matestie right The Queene you see withdrawes her selfe from the iudgement of this Court having before vs excepted against the partialitie of the place where she saith nothing can be determined without the consent of the Plaintife Moreover his Holinesse who is the fountaine and life of our authoritâ—e hath by a messenger given vs to vnderstand that hee hath reserved this cause for his owne hearing so that if wee would never so faine proceed any farther peradventure wee cannot J am sure wee may not Wherefore which only remaineth I doe heere dissolve the Court Other then this as the case stands I cannot do and I beseech them whom this Cause concernes to take in good part what I have done Which if they will not although it may trouble me yet not so much as to reguard the threats of any one I am a feeble old man and see death so neere me that in a matter of so great consequence neither hope nor feare nor any other respect but that of the Supreme Iudge before whom I finde my selfe ready to appeare shall sway me How the King was pleased at this you may easily conceive It is reported that the Duke of Suffolke knowing the King to be present and conscious of his infirmitie in a great rage leaping out of his chaire bountifully bestowed a volley of curses vpon the Legates saying It was never well with England since it had any thing to doe with Cardinalls To whom WOLSEY returned a few wordes saying That it was not in his power to proceed without Authoritie from the Pope and that no man ought to accuse them for not doing that whereto their power did not extend But the Kings implacable anger admitted of no excuse WOLSEY himselfe must become a sacrifice to appease it As for CAMPEGIVS hee tasted neverthelesse of the King's bountie and had leave to depart But at Calais his carriages were searched by the King's command The pretence was that WOLSEY intending an escape had by CAMPEGIVS convaied his treasures for Rome But the Bull was the Treasure so much sought after The King could not beleive it was burned and if it were found it was enough to countenance his second marriage But found it was not no nor scarce so much money in all the Cardinals carriages as had beene given him by the King WOLSEY his rising and his fall were alike sodaine neither of them by degrees but as the Lion gets his prey by leapes Shortly after the departure of his Colleague vpon the eighteene of October the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke in his Maiesties name commanded him to surrender the Great Seale But he pleaded That the King had by Patent made him Lord Chancellour during terme of life and by consequence committed the custodie of the great Seale to him Neverthelesse hee would resigne his place if his Maiestie so commanded But hee thought it not fit having received the Seale from the King to deliver it to any other but vpon especiall Command The Lords returning to Windsore where the Court then was the next day brought the King's Letters whose Mandate the Cardinall forthwith obeied In this Dignitie the six and twentieth of October Sir THOMAS MORE succeeded whose admirably generall learning is so well knowne to the world that I
of Scripture The eight of December the King graced three noble and worthy men with new titles of honour THOMAS BOLEN Viscount Rochfort the King 's future Father in law was created Earle of Wiltshire ROBERT RATCLIF Viscount Fitz-Walter of the noble Family of the FITZ-WALTERS Earle of Sussex in which honour his sonne THOMAS his nephevves THOMAS first then HENRY brother to THOMAS and now ROBERT the sonne of HENRY have succeeded him And GEORGE Lord Hastings was made Earle of Huntingdon who left it to his son FRANCIS Father of HENRY who deceased without issue and GEORGE Grandfather to HENRY the now Earle by FRANCIS who died before his Father Anno Dom. 1530. Reg. 22. WILLIAM TINDALL having translated the New Testament into English and procured it to be printed at Antwerp had secretly dispersed many copies thereof throughout England Whereat the Bishops and Clergy especially those that were most addicted to the Doctrine of Rome stormed excedingly saying that this Translation was full of errours and that in the prefaces and else where it contained many things contrary to the Truth The King being angry with the Pope had long since determined to free himselfe from his vsurped power And therefore admonished the murmuring Clergy to correct this booke not to suppresse it for it was a most profitable worke and very necessary for the discovery of the deceits of the Court of Rome the tyranny whereof was become intolerable to all the Princes of Christendome Whereupon he giveth order to the Bishops and some other learned men to set forth a new Translation which his subiects might reade with safety and profit The hope of prevailing with the Pope by the French King's meanes had drawne HENRY to send on a second Embassage to the Pope the Earle of Wiltshire Doctour STOKESLEY Elect of London and EDWARD LEE WOLSEY his Successor in Yorke They found the Pope at Bononia with the Emperour but had no other answer to their demands then that his Holinesse when he came to Rome would indevour to do the King iustice Till then he could do nothing Faire meanes not prevailing the King runs another course â—y publique Proclamation throughout the Kingdome he forbids all commerce betweene his subiects and the Bishop of Rome commanding that no man should receive any thing from or send any thing especially money vnto him either by exchange or any other meanes calling him Tyrant the Harpy of the World the common Incendiary and deeming him vtterly vnworthy of that glorious title which he had vaingloriously vsurped Christs Vicar This in September But the wealth of the Clergy being very great and considering how they had in the Raignes of his Predecessors strongly sided with the Pope the King was some what iealous of them To curbe them hee condemnes the whole Clergy throughout the Kingdome in a Praemunire for that without licence from his Maiesty they had beene obedient to the authority of the Pope in acknowledging WOLSEY for his Legate The Clergy of the Province of Canterbury being assembled in Convocation buy their pardon at a hundred thousand pounds and in this Synode he is with much ado by the Clergy of both Provinces declared next vnder Christ Supreme Head of the Church of England and all foraine power or authority whatsoever disclaimed The Province of Yorke is moreover fined at eighteene thousand eight hundred forty pounds So this one fault if it may be so accompted it being certaine that WOLSEY was licenced to exercise his authority Legantine cost the Clergy a hundred and eighteene thousand eight hundred and forty pounds Anno Dom. 1531. Reg. 23. THe only publique memorable occurrents of this yeare were that the Laity for the most part as deepe in a Praemunire as the Clergy were by Act of Parliament pardoned In which assembly Sir THOMAS MORE Lord Chancellour and other remarkable speakers related at large the Conclusions of the Vniversities concerning the vnlawfulnesse of the Kings marriage And yet perhaps the notorious villany of RICHARD ROSE Cooke to the Bishop of Rochester might crave a place in this History who with poysoned broth killed sixteene of the Bishops servants The Bishop himselfe who was especially aimed at that day contrary to his accustomed diet forbearing broth escaped The poisoner according to a Law lately enacted was throwne into a cauldron of boyling water But the offence deserved tortures of a most exquisite straine Anno Dom. 1532. Reg. 24. ON the three and twentieth of August died WILLIAM WARHAM Archbishop of Canterbury to whom THOMAS CRANMER at that time in Germany about the Kings affaires was appointed Successor He was not so ambitious as to aspire to such a dignity and some reasons made him vnwilling to accept it being offred He knew before he could be consecrated he must sweare obedience to the Pope which with a safe conscience he could not He feared what would be the issue of this abrupt seperation from the Sea of Rome Hee knew the King's disposition to be violent such sudaine changes to be full of danger and the Court although hee had not yet purchased the acquaintance of it to be a meere schoole of fraud and dissembling The Kings pleasure must necessarily be obeyed and if he slipped neuer so little enuy the mischievous attendant of great felicity would helpe him forward to a breake-necke CRANMER also having long since lost his Wife whom he had married in his youth had taken a liking to a certaine maide neipce to OSIANDERS wife whom he intended to make his second wife yet hee knew that the Canon Law permitted not Priests to marry and made them vncapable of holy Orders who had beene twice married These considerations made him linger in Germany six whole moneths after the dispatch of his businesle hoping that his absence might afford meanes to some other to worke a way to the Archbiâ—hopricke But the times were such that they to whom desert might give greatest hopes of attaining it did abhorre this still â—ottering and slippery dignity and even they who were already advanced to the like indeavoured to betake themselves to the safety of meaner fortune As did Sir THOMAS MORE the Lord Chancellour who by his continuall ernest petitions obtained leave of the King on the fifteene of May to resigne his place and Sir THOMAS AWDLEY on the fourth of Iune was in his steed made Lord Keeper CRANMER having privately married his wife at Norimberg at length returned into England where the Kings importunity prevailing beyond all scrupulous difficulties CRANMER is though much against his will made Archbishop of Canterbury the Pope also by his Bull confirming the Election He refusing the Arbishopricke because hee must take an oath to the Pope delivered the Bull to the King protesting that hee would never accept of any Bishopricke in England but from the King who was Supreme Head of the Church of England and that he would not take any oath that should any way derogate from the King's
especially against Heretiques and broachers of new Opinions and should relate strange visions revealed by God to her in the time of her ecstasie By these jugling trickes not only among the Vulgar who termed the holy Maid of Kent but among the wiser sort such as were Archbishop WARHAM Bishop FISHER and others her sanctity was held in admiration The Imposture taking so generally her boldnesse increased Shee prefixeth a day whereon she shall be restored to perfect health and the meanes of her recouery must be procured forsooth by a pilgrimage to some certaine Image of our Lady The day came and shee beeing brought to the place by the like cousenage deceiued a great number of people whom the expectation of the miracle had drawne thither and at last as if she had iust then shaken off her disease shee appeares whole and straight vnto them all saying That by especiall command from God shee must become a Nunne and that one Doctor BOCKING a Monke of Canterbury there present was ordained to bee her Confessor which office hee willingly vndertooke vnder pretext whereof this Nunne liuing at Canterbury BOCKING often resorted to her not without suspition of dishonesty The intended Divorce from CATHARINE and marriage with ANNE BOLEN had much appalled most part of the Clergy for then a necessity was imposed on the King of a divorce from the Papall Sea in which the Church and all Ecclesiasticall persons were likely to suffer The apprehension whereof wrought so with BOCKING that making others conscious of the intent hee persuaded ELIZABETH BARTON by denuntiation of Gods revealed judgements to deterre the King from his purposed change Shee according as shee was instructed proclaimes it abroad That the King aduenturing to marry another CATHARINE surviving should if in the meane time hee died not some infamous death within one moneth after be depriued of his Kingdome The King heares of it and causeth the Impostrix to be apprehended who vpon examination discouered the rest of the conspirators who were all committed to prison vntill the next Parliament should determine of them ELIZ. BARTON BOCKING MASTERS the afore mentioned Curate of the Parish DEERING and RISBEY Monkes with GOLD a Priest are by the Parliament adiudged to dy The Bishop of Rochester and ADESON his Chaplaine one ABEL a Priest LAVRENCE the Archdeacon of Canterbury his Register and THOMAS GOLD Gentleman for hauing heard many things whereby they might guesse at the intents of the Conspirators and not acquainting the Magistrate with them are as accessory condemned in a Praemunire confiscation of their goods and perpetuall imprisâ—nment ELIZABETH BARTON and her Companions hauing each of them after a Sermon at Pauls Crosse publiquely confessed the Imposture are on the twentieth of Aprill hanged and their heads set ouer the gates of the City By the same Parliament the authority of the Convocation to make Canonicall Constitutions vnlesse the King giue this Rovall assent is abrogated It is also inacted That the Collocation of all Bishoprickes the Seas being vacant should henceforth be at the Kings dispose and that no man should be chosen by the Chapter or consecrated by the Archbishop but he on whom the King by his Congé D'eslire or other his Letters had conferred that Dignity And wheras many complained that now all commerce with Rome was forbidden all meanes were taken away of mitigating the rigour of the Ecclesiasticall Lawes of Dispensation Papall authority is granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury the King reserving to himselfe the power of dispensing in causes of greater moment And that all Appeales formerly wont to be made from the Archbishop to the Pope should now bee from the Archbishop to the King who by Delegates should determine all such suites and controversies Furthermore the Kings marriage with the Lady CATHARINE is againe pronounced incestuous the Succession to the Crowne established on the Kings Issue begotten on Queene ANNE And all aboue the age of sixteen yeares throughout the Kingdome are to be bound by oath to the obseruance of this Law whosoeuer refused to take this oath should suffer losse of all their goods and perpetuall imprisonment Throughout all the Realme there were found but two who durst refractoâ—ily oppose this Law viz FISHER Bishop of Rochester and Sir THOMAS MOORE the late Lord Chancellor men who were indeed very learned but most obstinate stickers in the behalfe of the Church of Rome who being not to be drawne by any persuasions â—o be conformable to the Law were committed to prison from whence after a yeares durance they were not freed but by the losse of their liues But the King fearing that it might be thought That hee tooke these courses rather out of a contempt of Religion than in regard of the tyrannie of the Court of Rome to free himselfe from all suspition either of favouring LVTHER or any authors of new Opinions began to persecute that sort of men whom the Vulgar called Heretiques and condemned to the cruelty of that mercilesle Element Fire not only certaine Dutch Anabaptists but many Professors of the Truth and amongst others that learned and godly young man IOHN â—RITH who with one HEWET and others on the two and twentieth of July constantly endured the torments of their martyrdome The fiue and twentieth of September died CLEMENT the Seuenth Pope in whose place succeeded ALEXADER FARNESE by the name of PAVLVS the Third who to begin his time with some memorable Act hauing called a Consistory pronounced HENRY to be fallen from the Title and Dignity of a King and to be deposed re-iterating withall the thunder of Excommunication with which bug-beare his predecessor CLEMENT had sought to affright him But this peradventure happened in the insuing yeare after the death of FISHER and MORE A Parliament is againe called in November wherein according to the Decree of the late Synod the King was declared Supreme Head of the Church of England and the punishment all crimes which formerly pertained to the Ecclesiasticall Courts is made proper to him So the Kingdome is vindicated from the vsurpation of the Pope who before shared in it and the King now first began to raigne entirely Also all Annates or first Fruits formerly paid to the Pope are granted to the King And Wales the seat of the remainder of the true antient Britans hitherto differing from vs compounded of Normans and Saxons as well in the forme of their gouernment as in Language is by the authority of this Parliament to the great good of both but especially that Nation vnited and incorporated to England EDWARD the First was the first who subdued this Countrey yet could hee not prevaile over their mindes whome the desire of recouering their lost liberty animated to many rebellions By reason whereof and our suspitions being for two hundred yeares oppressed either with the miseries of seruitude or war they neuer tasted the sweet fruits of a true and solid peace But HENRY the Seuenth by bloud in reguard
Gentlemen of the Kings Priuy Chamber and MARKE SVETON a Musitian either as Partakers or accessory were to run the same fortune The King greatly favoured NORRIS and is reported to be much grieved that he was to dy with the rest Whereupon he offered pardon to him conditionally that he would confesse that whereof hee was accused But hee answered resolutely and as it became the progenitor of so many valiant Heroes That in his conscience he thought her guiltlesse of the obiected crime but whether she were or no he could not accuse her of any thing and that he had rather vndergo a thousand deaths then betray the Innocent Vpon relation whereof the King cryed out Hang him vp then Hang him vp then Which notwithstanding was not accordingly executed For on the thirteenth of May two dayes after his condemnation all of them viz. the Viscont Rochfort NORRIS BRIERTON and SVETON were beheaded at Tower hill NORRIS left a sonne called also HENRY whom Queene ELIZABETH in contemplation of his Fathers deserts created Baron of Ricot This Lord NORRIS was father to those great Captaines WILLIAM IOHN THOMAS and EDWARD in our dayes so famous throughout Christendome for their braue exploits in England France Irland and the Netherlands On the nineteenth of May the Queene was brought to the place of execution in the greene within the Tower some of the Nobility and Companies of the City being admitted rather to be witnesses than spectators of her death To whom the Queene hauing ascended the scaffold spake in this manner Friends and good Christian people J am here in your presence to suffer death whereto J acknowledge my selfe adiudged by the Lawes how iustly J will not say for I intend not an accusation of any one J beseech the Almighty to preserue his Maiâ—sty long to raigne ouer you a more gentle or milde Prince neuer swayed Scepter his bounty and clemency towards me I am sure hath beene especiall If any one intend an inquisitiue survey of my actions J intreat him to iudge favourably of me and not rashly to admit of any hard censorious conceit And so I bid the world farewell beseeching you to commend mee in your Prayers to God To thee O Lord do J commend my Soule Then kneeling downe shee incessantly repeated these words CHRIST haue mercy on my soule Lord IESVS receive my soule vntill the Executioner of Caâ—ais at one blow smote off her head with a sword Had any one three yeares before at what time the King so hot in the pursuit of his loue preferred the enioying of this Lady beyond his Friends his Estate his Health Safeguard and his onely Daughter prophetically foretold the vnhappy fate of this Princesse he should haue beene beleeued with CASSANDRA But much more incredible may all wise men thinke the vnheard of crime for which shee was condemned viz. That fearing least her Daughter the Lady ELIZATETH borne while CATHARINE survived should bee accompted illegitimate in hope of other especially masle Issue whereof shee despaired by the King now neere fifty yeares old shee had lasciviously vsed the company of certaine young Courtiers nay not therewith content had committed incest with her owne Brother A strange ingratitude in one raised from so low degree euen to the height of honour I will not derogate from the Authority of publique Records But an Act of Parliament against her shall not worke on my beliefe Surely it carried so little shew of probability with foraine Princes that they alwaies deemed it an act of inhumane cruelty Especially the Estates of Germany Confederates for the defence of the Reformed Religion who having often treated with FOX Bishop of Hereford and other Embassadours had decreed to make HENRY Head of their League and had designed an Embassy by IOHN STVRMIVS who should haue brought with him into England those excellent Divines PHILIP MELANCTHON and MARTIN BVCER with one GEORGE DRACO who should endeavour that and the Reformation of our Church But having heard of the lamentable and vnworthy as they iudged it end of the Queene loathing the King for his inconstancy and cruelty they cast off all farther thought of that matter I will not presume to discusse the truth of their opinion But freely to speake what I my selfe thinke There are two reasons which sway much with mee in the behalfe of the Queene That her Daughter the Lady ELIZABETH was seated in the Royall Throne where shee for so many yeares ruled so happily and triumphantly What shall we thinke but that the Divine Goodnesse was pleased to recompence the iust calamity of the Mother in the glorious prosperity of the Daughter And then consider but the Kings precipitated Nuptialls the very next day after the death of his former Wife yet scarce interred and with whose warme bloud his imbrued hands yet reaked consider this I say and you shall easily be persuaded with mee that the insatiable Prince glutted with the satiety of one and out of the desire of variety seeking to enioy another did more willingly giue eare to the treacherous calumnies of the malicious Popelings than either befitted an vpright Iudge or a louing husband For it seemeth wonderfull strange to mee that either the fault of the one or the pleasing conditions and faire language of the other Wife should so far possesse the King as that hee should procure his daughter ELIZABETH to be by Act of Parliament declared illegitimate the matrimony contracted with both the former Queenes CATHARINE and ANNE to be pronounced invalid and the Crowne to be perpetually established on the posterity of the third wife or if the King had no Issue by her that then it should bee lawfull for him by Will and Testament to transfer it on whome hee pleased Parliaments were not then so rigid but that they could flatter the Prince and condescend to his demands though vniust even in cases which most neerely concerned the publique Weale But servile Feare is oft times more ready then Loue which slowly moves by apprehension of Good as the other is quickely forced by the apprehension of Danger On the twentieth of May the King married IANE SEIMOVR Daughter of Sir IOHN SEIMOVR who on the nine and twentieth of May being Whitsonday clad in royall habiliments was openly shewed as Queene So that the Court of England was now like a Stage whereon are represented the vicissitudes of ever various Fortune For within one and the same moneth it saw Queene ANNE flourishing accused condemned executed and another assumed into her place both of bed and honour The first of May it seemeth shee was informed against the second imprisoned the fifteenth condemned the seventeenth deprived of her Brother and Friends who suffered in her cause and the nineteenth executed On the twentieth the King married IANE SEIMOVR who on the nine and twentieth was publiquely shewed as Queene The death of this innocent Lady God seemed to revenge in the immature end of the Duke of Richmond the Kings only but naturall
the French vnder colour of reconciling him with the Emperour but his chiefe errant was to combine them both against HENRY Whereof hee having intelligence did by his Agent earnestly solicite FRANCIS That in reguard of their mutuall amity hee would cause POOLE to bee apprehended as guilty of high Treason and sent to him where hee should vndergo the punishment due therefore But because Religion and the Law of Nations had beene violated in betraying any especially the Popes Embassadour the French could not yeeld to the Kings request but to shew that hee would administer no cause of offence hee refused to admit of his Embassy and commanded him speedily to depart out of his Dominions HERCVLES stature might be guessed at by the proportion of his foot and by this one mans endeavours HENRY was taught what if need were hee was to expect of his Clergy So that hee was easily induced as any of them offended to send him to his grave for that a dead Lion biteth not And this course beeing taken with his professed enemies the feare of the like punishment would secure him of the rest On the twelfth of October the Queene having long suffered the throwes of a most difficult travaile and such a one wherein either the Mother or the Infant must necessarily perish out of her wombe was ripped Prince EDWARD who after succeeded his Father in the Crowne The Queene onely surviving two daies died on the fourteenth of October and on the twelfth of November was with great pompe buried at Windsore in the middle of the Quire on whose Tombe is inscribed this Epitaph Phoenix IANA iacet nato Phoenice dolendum Secula Phoenices nulla tulisse duas Here a Phoenix heth whose death To another Phoenix gaue breath It is to be lamented much The World at once ne'r knew two such On the eighteenth of October the Infant was created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewall and Earle of Chester and with him his Vnkle EDWARD SEIMOVR brother to the deceased Queene Lord Beauchampe and Earle of Hereford which Honours onely and not those afterwards conferred on him hee left to his posterity WILLIAM FITZ-WILLIAMS Lord Admirall was made Earle of Southampton Then also WILLIAM POWLET and IOHN RVSSELL began their races in the lists of Honour POWLET being made Treasurer and RVSSELL Comptroller of the Kings Houshold and both sworne of the Privy Counsaile Neither was here their non vltra the one being afterward raised to Lord Treasurer of England and Marquis of Winchester the other to Earle of Bedford wherein hee dying in the yeare 1554 his Sonne FRANCIS that pious old man and liberall releiuer of the Poore succeeded him who at the very instant of his death lost his Sonne FRANCIS slaine by a Scot Anno 1587. Which FRANCIS was Father to EDWARD Earle of Bedford and brother to WILLIAM by King IAMES created Lord RVSSELL POWLET living to be a very decrepit old man had to his Successour his Nephew by his Sonne WILLIAM named also WILLIAM the sole Marquis of England And to end this yeare with death as it began THOMAS HOWARD youngest sonne to the Duke of Norfolke having beene fifteene moneths imprisoned for affiancing himselfe without the Kings consent to MARGARET Daughter to ARCHIBALD DOVGLAS Earle of Angus and Lady MARGARET the Kings Sister on the first day of November to the vnspeakeable good of this Island deceased in the Tower For this MARGARET beeing after married to MATHEW Earle of Lenox had by him HENRY the Father of King IAMES of sacred memory the most happy Vnitor of divided Britaine Anno Dom. 1538. Reg. 30. IT is at length after many ages resolved That through the superstitious abuse of Images God was robbed of his due honour The King much prone to Reformation specially if any thing might be gotten by it thought it fit to remove this stumbling blocke and the rather for that hee conceived his Treasury would be thereby supplied There were some Images of more especiall fame and Shrines of reputed Saints Whereunto Pilgrimages were made from the farthest parts of the Kingdome nay even from foraine Countries also the Oblations whereto were so many and so rich that they not onely suffised for the maintenance of Priests and Monkes but also to the heaping vp of incredible wealth The Shrine of THOMAS BECKET Archbishop of Canterbury was covered with plates of gold and laden with guifts of inestimable value The blinde zeale of those and former times had decked it with gemmes chaines of gold of great weight and pearles of that large size which in our Language finde no proper terme This Tombe was razed and his bones found entire in steed of whose head the Monkes vsually obtruded the skull of some other peradventure better deserving then did their supposed Martyr The spoile of this Monument wherein nothing was meaner then gold filled two chests so full that each of them required eight strong men for the portage Among the rest was a stone of especiall lustre called the Royall of France offered by LEWIS the Seventh King of France in the yeare 1179 together with a great massy cup of gold at what time hee also bestowed an annuity on the Monkes of that Church of an hundred tunnes of wine This stone was after ward highly prised by the King who did continually weare it on his thumbe ERASMVS speakes much of the magnificence of this Monument as also of the Image of our Lady of Walsingham both which hee had seene and admired This Image was also stripped of whatsoeuer worthy thing it had the like being also done in other the like places and the statues and bones of the dead digged vp and burned that they might bee no further cause of superstition Among the rest of these condemned Images there was a Crucifex in South-Wales called of the Inhabitants Darvell Gatharen concerning which there was a kinde of prophecy That it should one day fire a whole Forest It chanced that at this time one Doctor FOREST a Frier Observant who had formerly taken the Oath of Supremacy was vpon his relapse apprehended and condemned of Treason and Heresy For this Fryer a new Gallowes was erected whereon hee was hanged by the arme pits and vnderneath him a fire made of this Image wherewith hee was burned and so by his death made good the Prophecy Great was the Treasure which the King raised of the spoiles of Churches and Religious Houses But whether the guilt of sacriledge adhering like a consuming canker made this ill gotten treasure vnprofitable or that he found he had need of greater supplies to withstand the dangers that threatened him from abroad not content with what hee had already corraded hee casts his eyes on the wealth of the Abbeyes that had escaped the violence of the former tempest and not expecting as hee deemed it a needlesse Act of Parliament seizeth on the rest of the Abbeyes and Religious Houses of the Realme And first hee begins with that
at Canterbury dedicated to AVGVSTINE the English Apostle who was there interred This being the first Fruits of Christianity among this Nation I meane the Saxons for the Britans had beene watred with streames derived even from the Fountaines Apostolique far more pure then were those later overflowes of AVGVSTINE hee invades expells the Monkes and divides their meanes betweene his Exchequer and Courtiers Battaile Abbey built by WILLIAM the Conquerour in the same place where by the overthrow of HARALD the last Saxon King hee purchased this Kingdome to himselfe and his posterity did also run the same fortune So that it is not so much to be wondered at if those at Merton in Surrey Stratford in Essex Lewis in Sussex the Charterhouse Blacke-Friers Gray-Friers and White-Friers in London felt the fury of the same Whirlewinde At the same time among many other Reformations in this Church that wholesome Iniunction was one whereby the Bible translated and printed in English was commanded to be kept in every parish Church and to bee conveniently placed where any that were so desirous might reade therein They who were more eagerly addicted to the superstition of their Ancestours brooked not these proceedings among whom were chiefe HENRY COVRTNEY Marquis of Excester HENRY Lord Mountague brother to Cardinall POOLE and Sir EDWARD NEVILL brother to the Lord ABERGAVENNY who on the fifth day of November vpon the accusation of Sir GEOFFREY POOLE Brother to the Lord MOVNTAGVE were committed to the Tower for having maintained intelligence with the Cardinall and conspired the Kings destruction for which they were on the third of the ensuing Ianuary the Lord AVDLEY sitting high Steward for the time arraigned and condemned and on the ninth of the same moneth beheaded Two Priests named CROFTS and COLINS with one HOLLAND a Mariner as partakers in the same guilt were hanged and quartered at Tiburne This COVRTNEY was by the Fathers side of a very noble discent deriving himselfe from the bloud Royall of France by HVGH COVRTNEY created Earle of Devonshire by EDWARD the Third But by his mother hee far more neerely participated of the Bloud Royall of England being Sonne to CATHARINE Daughter to EDWARD the Fourth who was Sister to Queene ELIZABETH the Mother of King HENRY The King lâ—ng favoured him as his Couzen germane but at length in regard of his neere Alliance to the Crowne became jealous of his Greatnesse whereof hee had lately given more then sufficient testimony in suddenly arming some thousands to oppose against the Yorke-Shire Rebells The consideration whereof made HENRY gladly entertaine any occasion to cut off this Noble Gentleman About the same time IOHN LAMBERT a religious and learned man was also condemned the King himselfe sitting Iudge This LAMBERT being accused of Heresy appealed from his Ordinary to the King who fearing least hee should be accounted a Lutheran resolved vpon this occasion to manifest to the World how hee stood affected in Religion To this end summoning as many of the Bishops and other Peeres of the Realme as could conveniently be present he caused Scaffolds to be built in Westminster Hall from whence the people might be spectators and witnesses of the Acts of that day On the right hand of the King were seated the Bishops and behinde them the Iudges and chief Lawyers of the Realme at his left hand sate the Temporall Lords and behinde them the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber LAMBERT being brought to the Bar DAY Bishop of Chichester by the Kings appointment made an Oration wherein he declared the cause of this meeting saying That LAMBERT hauing beene accused of Heresy before his Ordinary had made his Appeale vnto the King as if expecting from his Maiesty more favour for Heresy then from the Bishop So that he now found it be true whereof hee had been oft informed That the credulous People were verily persuaded that his Maiesty abhorring the Religion of his Ancestors had embraced the new Tenets lately broached in Germany True it was the tyranny of the Court of Rome had beene troublesome to his Predecessors but to Him intolerable and therefore had Hee shaken it off That Religion might no longer patronize Jdlenesse Hee had expelled Monkes who were no other then Drones in the Bee-hive Hee had taken away the idolatrous worship of Jmages had permitted to his Subiects the reading and knowledge of Gods Word hither to prohibited by the Church of Rome least their wiles and cousenages should be discovered and had made reformation in some other things peradventure of lesse moment which no man could deny would much redound to the good both of Church and Common-wealth But as for other things Hee had determined there should be no change in the Church during his Raigne Which his Resolution Hee now intended publiquely to manifest His Maiesties desire was That the Delinquent renouncing his Errours should suffer himselfe to be received into the bosome of the Church to which end partly and partly to shew that Hee thirsted not after any ones bloud out of his clemency Hee had procured the presence of those Graue and Learned men meaning the Bishops who by Authority and force of Arguments should if it were possible bring backe this straied Sheepe into the Fold of the Church But if hee perversly oppugned the Truth and all persuasions notwithstanding became immoveable Hee would by this mans exemplary punishment make knowne what others should in the like Case expect and instruct the Judges and Magistrates what they ought to do therein The Bishop having ended the King demanded of LAMBERT What hee thought of the presence of CHRISTS body in the Sacrament Whose answer being little to the Kings liking reasons and arguments were produced as if a Disputation in the Schooles and not a Iusticiary Session had beene appointed Five whole houâ—es this Disputation lasted the King being as it were Prior Opponent Archbishop CRANMER also and nine other Bishops forcibly pressing vpon poore LAMBERT But neither this course nor the battery of threats and terrors prevailing against his constancy the King commanded the Lord CROMWELL to passe sentence of condemnation vpon him by vertue whereof within a day or two after hee was burned Neither this dreadfull Sentence nor his torturing death did any way appale him which hee so little reguarded that going to his death hee merrily tooke his breakâ—ast with some Gentlemen into whose company he chanced as if hee had beene going to some sportfull game rather then his execution Anno Dom. 1539. Reg. 31. ON the third of March Sir NICHOLAS CAREW Knight of the Garter and Master of the Horse was beheaded for being of Counsaile with the Marquis of Excester and the Lord MOVNTAGVE And on the eight and twentieth of April a Parliament began wherein MARGARET Countesse of Salisbury Mother to Cardinall POOLE and Daughter to GEORGE Duke of Clarence who was brother to EDWARD the Fourth was attainted of high Treason and condemned without hearing and with her the Cardinall
faire sprouts to the blast of vnseasonable hopes and nature denying any at least lawfull issue to the rest the name and almost remembrance of this great Family hath ceased Of which hereafter Scotland had beene long peaceable yet had it often administred motives of discontent and jealousy IAMES the Fifth King of Scots Nephew to HENRY by his Sister having long liued a Bachelor HENRY treated with him concerning a marriage with his then only Childe the Lady MARY a Match which probably would have vnited these neighbour Kingdomes But God had reserved this Vnion for a more happy time The antient League betweene France and Scotland had alwaies made the Scots affected to the French and IAMES prefer the alliance with France before that of England where the Dowry was no lesse than the hopes of a Kingdome So he marrieth with MAGDALEN a Daughter of France who not long surviving hee againe matcheth there with MARY of Guise Widow to the Duke of Longueville HENRY had yet a desire to see his Nephew to which end he desired an enterview at Yorke or some other oportune place IAMES would not condiscend to this who could notwithstanding vndertake a long and dangerous voyage into France without invitation These were the first seeds of discord which after bladed to the Scots destruction There having been for two yeares neither certaine peace nor a iust War yet incursions from each side Forces are assigned to the Duke of Norfolke to represse the insolency of the Scots and secure the Marches The Scot vpon newes of our being in Armes sends to expostulate with the Duke of Norfolke concerning the motives of this war and withall dispatcheth the Lord GORDON with some small Forces to defend the Frontiers The Herauld is detained vntill our Army came to Berwick that hee might not give intelligence of our strength And in October the Duke entring Scotland continued there ransacking the Countrey without any opposition of the Enemy vntill the middle of November By which time King IAMES having levied a great Army resolved on a battaile the Nobility persuading the contrary especially vnwilling that hee should any way hazard his Person the losse of his Father in the like manner being yet fresh in memory and Scotland too sensible of the calamities that ensued it The King proving obstinate they detaine him by force desirous rather to hazard his displeasure than his life This tendernesse of him in the language of rage and indignation hee termes cowardise and treachery threatening to set on the Enemy assisted with his Family only The Lord MAXWELL seeking to allay him promised with ten thousand only to invade England and with far lesse then the English Forces to divert the war The King seemes to consent But offended with the rest of the Nobility he gives the Lord OLIVER SAINTCLARE a private Commission not to be opened vntill they were ready to give the onâ—et wherein hee makes him Generall of the Army Having in England discovered five hundred English horse led by Sir THOMAS WHARTON and Sir WILLIAM MVS GRAVE the Lord SAINTCLARE commanded his Commission publiquely to be read the recitall whereof so distasted the Lord MAXWELL and the whole Army that all things were in a confusion and they ready to disband The oportunity of an adioining hill gave vs a full prospect into their Army and invited vs to make vse of our advantages Wee charge them furiously the Scots amazedly fly many are slaine many taken more plunged in the neighbouring fens and taken by Scotish Freebooters sold to vs. Among the Captives were the Earles of Glencarne and Cassells the Lords SAINTCLARE MAXWELL Admirall of Scotland FLEMING SOMERWELL OLIPHANT and GRAY besides two hundred of the better sort and eighthundred common souldiers The consideration of this overthrow occasioned as hee conceived by the froward rashnesse of his owne Subiects and the death of an English Herauld slaine in Scotland so surcharged him with rage and griefe that hee fell sicke of a Fever and died in the three and thirtieth yeare of his age and two and thirtieth of his raigne leaving his Kingdome to the vusally vnhappy governement of a Woman a Childe scarce eight dayes old The chiefe of the captives being conveied to the Tower were two dayes after brought before the King's Counsaile where the Lord Chancellour reprehended their treachery who without due denunciation of war invaded and spoiled the territories of their Allies and committed many outrages which might excuse any severe courses which might in iustice be taken with them Yet his Maiesty out of his naturall Clemency was pleased to deale with them beyond their deserts by freeing them from the irkesomenesse of a strict imprisonment and disposing of them among the Nobles to beby them entertained vntill He should otherwise determine of them By this time King IAMES his death had possessed HENRY with new hopes of vniting Britaine vnder one Head England had a Prince and Scotland a Queene but both so young that many accidents might dissolve a contract before they came to sufficiency Yet this seeming a course intended by the Divine Providence to extirpate all causes of enmity and discord betweene these neighbouring Nations a marriage betweene these young Princes is proposed With what alacrity and applaufe the proposition was on both sides entertained wee may conceive who have had the happinesse to see that effected which they but intended Which being a matter of so sweet a consequence it is to be wondred at that the conspiracy of a few factious spirits should so easily hinder it The hope of it prevailed with the King for the liberty of the Captives conditionally that they should leave hostages for their returne if peace were not shortly concluded which as also the furtherance of this so wished coniunction they faithfully promised Anno Dom. 1543. Reg. 35. AFter their short Captivity the Scottish Lords having beene detained onely twelve dayes at London on New yeares day began their iourney towards Scotland and with them ARCHIBALD DOVGLAS Earle of Angus whom his Sonne in law King IAMES had a little before his death intended to recall Fifteene yeares had hee and his brother GEORGE lived exiles in England HENRY out of his Royall Bounty allowing to the Earle a pension of a thousand markes and to his brother of five hundred The sudaine returne of these captive Lords caused in most as sudaine a ioy Only the Cardinall of Saint ANDREWS who had by forgery made himselfe Regent and his faction could willingly have brooked their absence They came not as freed from a Captivity but as Embassadours for Peace by them ernestly persuaded which by the happy coniunction of these Princes might be concluded to perpetuitie But the Cardinall with his factious Clergy the Queene Dowager and as many as were affected to the Flower de Lys interposed themselves for the good of France Yet notwithstanding the Cardinals fraud being detected hee is not only deposed from his Regency and IAMES HAMILTON
of these letters returnes to Dilling not far from Trent certifies his Holinesse of the whole carriage of the businesse and sends expostulatory letters to the Emperor shewing therin what an indignity it was to the Apostolique Sea that his Holinesse Legat sent vpon a treaty of Peace and to reduce a Kingdome to the obedience of the Church should so disgracefully with contempt to his Holinesse and that by the Emperours command be detained in the middest of Germany in the sight of the enemies of the Church That great Divine DOMINGO SOTO Ordinary Preacher to the Emperour was then at Dilling By him hee persuades the Emperour not to hinder this Legation being it would so much hazard the estate of the Church but especially of the Kingdome of England At length with much ado and that not vntill the Emperour had intelligence that the Articles concerning his Sonnes marriage were agreed on hee obtained leave to come to Brussells but on this condition that he should there reside vntill the Emperour were assured that the marriage betweene PHILIP aad MARY were solemnised So to Brussells he came where having saluted the Emperor who received him very courteously and that time might not passe vnprofitably with him he begins to put in execution one part of his Legation which was to draw the Emperor and the King of France to some indifferent termes of peace The Emperor professing that he would not reiect peace vpon any reasonable conditions the Cardinall goes into France to treat with HENRY concerning the same thing who made as faire shewes as did the Emperour but their mindes exulcerated with inveterate hate made all his paines fruitlesse HENRY at his departure embracing him signified the sorrow he had conceived that he had not sooner occasion to be acquainted with his worth for had he truly knowne him his endeavours should have beene totally for his advancement to the Papacy A little after his returne to Brussells came the Lords Paget and Hastings Embassadors to the Emperour from their Maiesties of England who signified their joint longing to see the Cardinall and therefore desired he might be forthwith dismissed that by vertue of his authority he might rectify the Church of England wonderfully out of tune by reason of the Schisme wherwith it had beene afflicted So in September hee had leave to go for England but was by contrary windes detained at Calais vntill November in which moneth he at length arrived at Dover His entertainment was most honorable the Kings and Nobles alike striving to manifest their joy And because being in the yeare 1539. by Parliament declared Enemy to the Estate and by the same Law condemned to dy the Estates then assembled in Parliament repealed that Act and restored him to his Bloud the Kings themselves comming to the House extraordinarily for the confirmation of the Act before his arrivall at London A little after his comming both Houses were sent for to the Court where the Bishop of Winchester lord Chancellor having in the presence of the Kings and the assembly spoken something concerning the Cardinalls gratefull arrivall the Cardinall himselfe began a long oration in English wherin Hee acknowledged how much he was bound to the Kings and the Estates of the Realme by whose favor those Lawes for his exile and proscription were repealed and he once more made a Native of the land he was bound by the Lawes of gratitude to endeavour the requitall of this benefit wherto an occasion happily offered it selfe The late Schisme had separated them from the vnion of the Church and made them exiles from heaven By the authority conferred on him by the Pope Saint PETER'S Successor CHRIST'S Vicar he would bring them backe into the Fold of the Church the sole meanes of attaining their celestiall Heritage Wherefore he exhorted them ingenuously to acknowledge the errors of these later yeares and to detest them with sincere alacrity of minde to accept of and retaine this benefit which God by his Vicar's Legate did proffer them For now nothing else remained but that hee being present with those Keyes which should open the gates of the Church they should also abrogate those Lawes which lately enacted to the preiudice of the Church had rended them from the rest of it's Body Having spoken a great deale to this purpose and ransacked Antiquity for examples of our fore-fathers devotion to the Sea of Rome his grave delivery excellent language and methodicall contexture of his speech wrote so effectually in the mindes of those who were addicted to Popery that they thought not themselves vntill this day capable of Salvation But many of the lower House who deemed it a rare felicity to have shaken off the yoke of Rome eagerly withstood the re-admittance of it But by the endeavours of the King and Queene all things were at last composed to the Cardinalls liking The authority which the Popes heretofore vsurped in this Realme is restored the title of Supreme Head of the Church is abrogated a Petition drawne by the whole Court of Parliament for the Absolution of the People and Clergy of England from Schisme and Heresy is by the Bishop of Winchester presented to the Legate who they all kneeling by the authority committed vnto him absolved them This being done they went to the Chappell in Procession singing Te Deum and the next Sunday the Bishop of Winchester in his Sermon at Pauls-Crosse made a large relation of what had passed These things being thus setled the Queene intends an honorable Embassy to Rome wherof she had at her first comming to the Crowne made promise For having resolved to replant the Religion of Rome she had privily written to POOLE requiring his advice therin The Pope was therefore pleased to send into England GIOVANNI FRANCISCO COMMENDONO his Chamberlaine afterward Cardinall for the more perfect notice of the estate of the Realme To him the Queene after much privat conference did vnder her hand promise obedience to the Sea of Rome desiring withall that the Kingdome might be absolved from the Interdict for the obtaining wherof she would by a solemne Embassy petition his Holinesse as soone as the Estate was setled So now about the end of this yeare the Bishop of Ely Sir ANTHONY BROWNE and EDWARD CARNE Doctor of Law are by the Kings sent to proffer their obedience to the Sea of Rome But these costs and paines were fruitlesse For before they came to Rome the Pope was dead In the meane time the Queene considering all her actions hitherto to have passed with full applause began to treat with the Nobility to condiscend that if not the Royall at least the matrimoniall Crowne of our Queenes might be imposed on PHILIP But it being a matter without precedent and that might perchance to an ambitious Prince give some colour for claime to the Kingdome they proved averse and shee content to surcease The next care was of restitution of Church lands But HENRY had so divided them and that
The Lord Paget not long before had beene sent to the Emperor to signifie how we were distressed on the one side by the Scots and on the other by the French and miserably rent at home by intestine dissensions that our necessities required speedy succours or would force vs to condescend to an inconvenient Peace with France But perceiving nothing was to bee obtained of him wee stroke hands with the French vpon these conditions That Boloigne and all the Forts in Boloignois should be surrendred to the French together with the Artillery and other military provision That in lieu thereof the King of France should pay vnto EDVVARD foure hundred thousand crownes by equall portions at two payments That the English should restore to the Scots Lauder and Douglas and if the Queene of Scots should desire it should rase their Fortifications in Haymon and at Roxburgh The Emperour was on both sides comprehended in the League and the Queene of Scots by the French The two Kings presented each other with their military Orders and as one writeth it was on both parts agreed on that EDWARD should marry one of the Daughters of France For the ratification of the Articles on the eight of Aprill Hostages were given By Vs The Duke of Suffolke The Earle of Hertford Sonne to the Duke of Somerset The Earle of Arundell The Earle of Derby The Earle of Bath By the French IOHN of Bourbon Duke of Anguien CLAVD of Loraine Marquis of Mayenne FRANCIS Sonne to the Constable MONTMORENCY LEWIS of Tremoville FRANCIS of Vendosme Vidame of Chartres CLAVD d' Annebalt This Peace betweene vs and France was on the third of March solemnely proclaimed in London and on the five and twentieth of Aprill Bouloigne being accordingly surrendred to the French our Hostages were returned On the thirtieth of Iuly died the Lord WRIOTHSLEY Knight of the Garter late Lord Chancellour of England and Earle of Southampton He had about the beginning of this Kings Raigne delivered vp the Seale the Custody wherof was committed to the Lord Rich. But having beene about halfe a yeare past removed as was also the Earle of Arundell but for what cause is vncertaine from the Counsaile Table he at length whether out of griefe or some other cause fell sicke and died He was father to HENRY the second Earle and Grandfather to HENRY the third Earle of Southampton not long since deceased who having tasted of both fortunes did hertofore as generously behave himselfe in adversity as he did since moderately in prosperity whereto by the Clemency of our late Soveraigne he was restored Anno Dom. 1551. Reg. 5. MEntion hath formerly beene made concerning the Sweating Sickenesse a disease to which England hath given a name as well in reguard of it's originall as of the knowne disposition of our bodies to admit of this virulent contagion England had beene formerly afflicted with it but never so mortally as this present yeare Shrewsbury was now the first place acquainted with this Pestilence there it began in Aprill and thence diffusing it selfe over the most part of the Kingdome at length it vanished away in the North about the beginning of October The fury of it was such as if it would never end but by it's proper cruelty when it should not have left subiects wheron to feed The dead whome it swept away were numberlesse In London only eight hundred was scarce a seven nights stint It made it's first entry into this Island in the Reigne of HENRY the Seventh Anno 1486. and from hence it tooke it's progresse to other Nations The Infected flowed away and within the space of twenty foure houres when this malignant disease was most mercifull in it's execution peradventure within twelve did sweat out their soules Women children and old men it for the most part overpassed and wreaked it selfe on the robustious youth and well compact middle age who if in the beginning of their sickenes did but slumber perished instantly If it seized on any that were full gorged the recovery was in a manner desperate Nay and of others whatsoever they were scarce one of a hundred escaped vntill time had found out a remedy the manner wherof was thus If any be taken in the day time hee must without shifting of his apparell betake himselfe to bed If by night and in bed let him not stir thence vntill twenty foure howers be run In the meane let the coverture be such that it provoke not sweat but that it may gently distill of it selfe if it be possible for him so long to forbeare let him not eat nor drinke more then may moderately serve to extinguish thirst But above all let him so patiently endure heat that hee vncover not any part of his body no not so much as a hand or a foot The strangenesse of this disease I do not so much admire for that PLINY in his twenty sixt Booke the first Chapter witnesseth and daily experience teacheth vs that every age produceth new and Epidemicall diseases But that which surpasseth the search of humane reason is this that this Pestilence afflicted the English in what part of the world soever without touching the Natives but in England alone This dire contagion promiscuously impoverisht the Land of people of all sorts among those of especiall note were HENRY Duke of Suffolke and his Brother who were the Sonnes of CHARLES BRANDON and the Kings Couzins germane young Noblemen of great and lively hopes by the death of HENRY the Duchy was for some few howers devolved to the younger Brother who had the vnhappy honour but to be seized of the Title and dy The Lord Gray Marquis of Dorset having married FRANCIS the eldest Daughter of CHARLES BRANDON in the right of his Wife made claime to the Duchy and was on the eleventh of October invested in it At what time also IOHN DVDLEY Earle of Warwicke was created Duke of Northumberland WILLIAM POWLET Earle of Wiltshire Marquis of Winchester and Sir WILLIAM HERBERT Lord Cardif Master of the Horse Earle of Pembroke The masculine Line of DVDLEY and GRAY hath beene long since extinct Of the Family of the POWLETS we have spoken already the Lord HERBERT Brother in law to Queene CATHARINE PARR derived himselfe from WILLIAM HERBERT in the time of EDWARD the Fourth Earle of Pembroke and was succeeded in the Earledome by his Sonne HENRY Father to WILLIAM the moderne Earle whose mature wisedome and gravity even in his greener yeares long since ranked him in the sage Senate of the Privy Counsaile to two successive Kings and to PHILIP by King IAMES created Earle of Montgomery Then also were knighted Sir IOHN CHEEKE the King's Schoolemaster Sir HENRY DVDLEY Sir HENRY NEVILL and whome I cannot mention but with due honor Sir WILLIAM CECILL CECILL I say who then Secretary of Estate was afterward by all Europe held in admiration for his wisedome whome Queene ELIZABETH made Lord Treasurer of England and Baron of Burleigh and was whilest he