THE HISTORY OF THE REIGNS OF HENRY the SEVENTH HENRY the EIGHTH EDWARD the SIXTH AND QUEEN MARY The First Written by the Right Honourable FRANCIS Lord VERULAM Viscount St. ALBAN The other Three by the Right Honourable AND Right Reverend Father in God FRANCIS GODWYN Lord Bishop of HEREFORD LONDON Printed by W. G. for R. Scot T. Basset J. Wright R. Chiswell and J. Edwyn M. D C. LXXVI To the most Illustrious and most Excellent PRINCE CHARLES Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall Earl of Chester c. It may Please Your Highness IN part of my acknowledgment to Your Highness I have endeavoured to do Honour to the Memory of the last King of England that was Ancestour to the King your Father and Your self and was that King to whom both Unions may in a sort refer That of the Roses being in him Consummate and that of the Kingdoms by him begun Besides his times deserve it For he was a Wise Man and an Excellent King and yet the times were rough and full of Mutations and rare Accidents And it is with Times as it is with Ways Some are more Vp-hill and Down-hill and some are more Flat and Plain and the One is better for the Liver and the Other for the Writer I have not flattered him but took him to life as well as I could sitting so far off and having no better light It is true Your Highness hath a Living Pattern Incomparable of the King Your Father But it is not amiss for You also to see one of these Ancient Pieces GOD preserve Your Highness Your Highness most humble and devoted Servant FRANCIS St. Alban AN INDEX ALPHABETICAL Directing to the most Observable Passages in the ensuing HISTORY A. AN Accident in it self trivial great in effect Pag. 108 Advice desired from the Parliament 33 35 56 Aemulation of the English to the French with the reasons of it 36 Affability of the King to the City of London 113 Affection of King Henry to the King of Spain 61 Affection of the King to his Children 136 Aid desired by the Duke of Britain 33 Aid sent to Britain 37 Aiders of Rebels punished 23 Alms-deeds of the King 131 Ambassadors to the Pope 24 into Scotland 25 Ambassadors from the French King 26 Ambassadors in danger in France 31 Ambassadors into France 54 Ambition exorbitant in Sir William Stanley 78 Answer of the Archduke to the King's Ambassadors 74 Appeach of Sir William Stanley 76 Arms of King Henry still victorious 133 Arrows of the 〈◊〉 the length of them 96 Articles between the King and the Archduke 91 Arthur Prince married to the Lady Katherine 116 Arthur Prince dies at Ludlow 117 Aton Castle in Scotland taken by the Earl of Surrey 98 Attainted persons in Parliament excepted against 8 Attaindor and corruption of Blood reacheth not to the Crown ibid. 15 Avarice of King Henry 134 Audley General of the Corhish Rebels 93 B. BAnishment of 〈◊〉 our of the Kingdom 74 Battel at Bosworth-field 1 at Stokefield 〈◊〉 at St. Albans in Britain 87 at Bannocksbourn in Scotland 〈◊〉 at Black-heath 〈◊〉 Behaviour of King Henry towards 〈◊〉 Children 117 Benevolence to the King for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benevolence who the first Author ibid Benevolence 〈◊〉 by Act of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benevolence revived by Act of 〈◊〉 ibid A Benevolence 〈◊〉 to the King 23 Birth of Henry the 〈◊〉 35 Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the King 〈◊〉 Blood not unrevenged 112 122 Britain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 37 Three causes of the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 ibid. Britain united 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Marriage 〈◊〉 Brakenbury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murder King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Broughton Sir 〈◊〉 joyned with the Rebels 11 A Bull procured from the Pope by the King for what causes 24 Bulloign besieged by King Henry 63 C. CArdinal Morton dieth 113 Capell Sir William fined 80 131 Cap of Maintenace from the Pope 101 Ceremony of Marriage new in these parts 48 Chancery power and description of that Court 38 Clifford Sir Robert flies to Perkin 70 revolts to the King 72 Clergy priviledges abridged 39 Christendom enlarged 61 Columbus Christopher and Bartholomeus invite the King to a discovery of the West Indies 107 Confiscation aimed at by the King 76 Conference between King Henry and the King of Castile by casualty landing at Weymouth 128 Conquest the Title unpleasing to the People declined by William the Conqu 3 and by the King 5 〈◊〉 for Perkin 70 Contraction of Prince Henry and the Lady Katherine 118 Conditional speech doth not qualifie words of Treason 77 Commissioners into Ireland 79 Commissioners about Trading 91 Coronation of King Henry 7 Coronation of the Queen 24 Counsel the benefit of good 25 Counsel of what sort the French King used 32 Counsel of mean men what and how different from that of Nobles ibid. Lord Cordes envy to England 48 Cottagers but housed Beggars 44 Counterfeits Lambert proclaimed in Ireland 15 Crowned at Dublin 19 taken at Battell 22 put into the King's Kitchin ibid. made the King's Faulconer ibid. Duke of York counterfeit See Perkin Wilford another counterfeit Earl of Warwick 111 Courage of the English when 37 Court what Pleas belong to every Court 38 Court of Star-chamber confirmed ibid. Creations 6 Crown confirmed to King Henry by Parliament 7 Cursing of the King's Enemies at Paul's Cross a custom of those times 72 122 D. DAm a Town in Flanders taken by a slight 59 Lord Daubeny 96 Devices at Prince Arthur's Marriage 117 Device of the King to divert Envy 64 Decay of Trade doth punish Merchants 90 Decay of People how it comes to pass 44 Declaration by Perkin to the Scottish King 85 Desires intemperate of Sir William Stanley 78 Dighton a murderer of King Edward's two Children 71 Dilemma a pleasant one of Bishop Morton 58 Diligence of the King to heap Treasures 120 Displacing of no Counsellors nor Servants in all King Henry's Reign save of one 138 Dissimulation of the French King 29 30 49 Dissimulation of King Henry in pretending War 56 A Doubt long kept open and diversly determined according to the diversity of the times 117 Dowry of Lady Katherine how much 116 Dowry of Lady Margaret into Scotland how much 119 Drapery maintained how 45 Dudley one of the King's Herse-leeches 119 Duke of York counterfeit See Perkin E. EArl of Suffolk flies into Flanders 121 returns 129 Earl of Northumberland slain by the People in collecting the Subsidy somewhat harshly 40 Earl of Warwick executed 111 Earl of Warwick counterfeit 13 110 Earl of Surrey enters Scotland 98 Edmund a third Son born to King Henry but died 109 Edward the Fifth murdered 85 Envy towards the King unquenchable the cause of it 111 Envy of the Lord Cordes to England 48 Enterview between the King and the King of Castile 128 Emblem 94 Empson one of the King's Horse-leeches 119 Errours of the French King in his business for the Kingdom of Naples 82 Errours of King Henry occasioning his many troubles 128 〈◊〉 service 92 Espials in
yet stood stoutly to it But the main Battel where the King was consisting of choice men and better armed against our shot was not so easily defeated For the Scots although they being inclosed as it were in a toyl were forced to fight in a ring made most desperate resistance and that without doubt so much the rather because they not only heard their King encouraging them but saw him also manfully fighting in the foremost Ranks until having received wound upon wound he fell down dead They say there fell with him the Archbishop of St. Andrews his natural Son two other Bishops two Abbots twelve Earls seventeen Barons and of common Souldiers eight thousand The number of the Captives is thought to have been as many They lost all their Ordnance and almost all their Ensigns insomuch that the Victory was to be esteemed a very great one but that it was somewhat bloody to us in the loss of fifteen hundred This Field was fought the ninth of September near Flodon-Hill upon a rising Bank called Piperdi not far from Bramston I am not ignorant that the Scottish Writers constantly affirm the King was not slain in the field but having saved himself by flight was afterwards killed by his own people and that the Body which was brought into England was not the King 's but of one Alexander Elfinston a young Gentleman resembling the King both in visage and stature whom the King that he might delude those that pursued him and might as with his own presence animate them that fought elsewhere had caused with all tokens of Royalty to be armed and apparrelled like himself But to let pass the great number of Nobility whose carcases found about him sufficiently testifie that they guarded their true King and consequently that the counterfeit fought else-where It is manifest that his Body was known by many of the Captives who certainly affirmed that it could be no other than the King 's although by the multitude of wounds it were much defaced For his Neck was opened to the midst with a wide wound his left Hand almost cut off in two places did scarce hang to his Arm and the Archers had shot him in many parts of his body Thus was James the Fourth King of Scots taken away in the flower of his youth who truly in regard of his Princely Virtues deserved a longer life For he had a quick wit and a majestical countenance he was of a great spirit courteous mild liberal and so merciful that it was observed he was often forced against his will to punish offendors These virtues endeared him to his People in his life time and made them so much lament the loss of him being dead that as all Historians report they seemed to have lost only him in the whole succession of their Kings which sufficiently argues the improbability of the Subjects pretended Parricide But he had not fallen into this misery if he would have hearkned to the advice of those who perswaded him to have returned home before the Fight contented with what he had already performed in the Expedition that he should not upon so weak forces hazard the estate of his Kingdom he had won glory-enough and abundantly fulfilled his Friends request But the French Agent and some of the King's Mignons corrupted by the French urging to the contrary this haughty Prince even otherwise very desirous to give proof of his valour was easily perswaded to await our great Forces already marching His Body if at least that were his and not Elfinston's being enclosed in Lead and brought into England was by our King's I will not say cruel but certainly inhumane command cast in some by-corner or other without due Funeral Rites saying that It was a due punishment for one who had perjurously broken his League whereas if we examine the premisses we shall find he wanted not probale pretexts for what he undertook ANNO DOM. 1514. REG. 6. THE next year having begun his course Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey he who had been victorious over the Scots was created Duke of Norfolk the title and dignity of his Ancestors John his Father deriving his pedigree from Thomas de Brotherton Son to King Edward the First the Segraves and the Mowbrays who had been all Dukes of Norfolk enjoyed this Honour by right of Inheritance But because in Bosworth-Field where here he was flain he took part with the Usurper both he and his Posterity were deprived of that Honour This Thomas dying in the year 1524 his Son of the same name succeeded him who deceased in the year 1554. His Son Henry a young Lord of great hopes his Father then living was beheaded towards the end of this King's Reign He left Issue Thomas the last Duke of Norfolk who also lost his Head the year 1572 and Henry at nurse when his Father dyed a very learned and wise man whom King James no good man repining thereat created Earl of Northampton Thomas Duke of Norfolk had three Sons that survived him Philip Thomas and William Philip Earl of Surrey and by his Mother of Arundel condemned the year 1589 and after dying in prison left Issue Thomas then a little one who by King James his favour succeeded his Father in his Honours His Uncle Thomas out of the same fountain of Royal Goodness was created Earl of Suffolk with addition of the dignity of Lord Chamberlain Beside these this Family hath Charles Earl of Nottingham Lord Admiral of England Nephew by the Lord William his Father to Thomas Duke of Norfolk that famous Triumpher over the Scots This is he who in emulation of his Grandfather's glory in the year 1588 under the fortune of Queen Elizabeth most happily overthrew that vainly called Invincible Armada of Spain Thomas also Viscount Bindon is derived from Thomas Duke of Norfolk by his Son the Lord Thomas So this noble House lately afflicted now gloriously flourishing hath four Earls and a Viscount all brave and famous men and of whom there will be occasion of much to be spoken hereafter I therefore thought it good in brief to set down their Genealogy lest I should trouble the Reader with too often repetition of their Race upon each mention of the Name At the time of this Duke's creation others were also honored with new Titles Charles Brandon made Duke of Suffolk and Charles Somerset Earl of Worcester and Edward Stanley Lord Mountegle Sir William Brandon Standard-bearer to Henry the Seventh in Bosworth-Field and there slain by the hand of Richard the Third was Father to this new Duke of Suffolk of whose Education he then a little one King Henry having obtained the Crown was very careful and made him rather a Companion than a Servant to the young Prince of whose houshold he was The Prince so greatly favoured him partly for his Father's deserts chiefly for his own that he being afterward King created him Viscount Lisle and intending at least many were so persuaded to give him to Wife the
malignant disease was most merciful in its execution peradventure within twelve did sweat out their Souls Women children and old men it for the most part over-passed and wreaked it self on the robustious youth and well compact middle age who if in the beginning of their sickness did but slumber perished instantly If it seised 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 until time had found out a remedy the manner whereof was thus If any be taken in the day time he must without shifting of his apparel betake himself to bed If by night and in bed let him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thence until twenty four hours be run In the mean let the coverture be such that it provoke not sweat but that it may gently distil of it self if it be possible for him so long to forbear let him not eat nor drink more than may moderately serve to extinguish thirst But above all let him so patiently endure hear that he uncover not any part of his body no not so much as a hand or a foot The strangeness of this disease I do not so much admire for that Pliny in his twenty sixth Book the first Chapter witnesseth and daily experience teacheth us that every Age produceth new and Epidemical 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 especial note were Henry Duke of Suffolk and his Brother who were the Sons of Charles Brandon the King's Cousins germane young Gentlemen of great and lively hopes by the death of Henry the Duchy was for some few hours devolved to the younger Brother who had the unhappy honour but to be seised of the Title and die The Lord Gray Marquis of Dorset having married Frances the eldest Daughter of Charles Brandon in the right of his Wife made claim to the Duchy and was on the eleventh of October invested in it At what time also John Dudley Earl of Warwick was created Duke of Northumberland William Fowlet Earl of Wiltshire Marquis of Winchester and Sir William Herbert Lord Cardif Master of the Horse Earl of Pembroke The masculine Line of Dudley and Gray hath been long since extinct Of the Family of the Powlets we have spoken already The Lord Herbert Brother-in-Law to Queen Catharine Parr derived himself from William Herbert in the time of Edward the Fourth Earl of Pembroke and was 〈◊〉 in the Earldom by his Son Henry Father to william the modern Earl whose mature wisdom and gravity even in his greener years long since ranked him in the sage 〈◊〉 of the Privy Council to two successive Kings and to Philip by King James created Earl of 〈◊〉 Then also were knighted Sir John 〈◊〉 the King's Schoolmaster Sir Henry Dudley Sir Henry Novill and whom I cannot mention but with due honour Sir William Cecill Cecill I say who then Secretary of Estate was afterward by all Europe held in admiration for his wisdom whom Queen Elizabeth made Lord Treasurer of England and Baron of Burleigh and was whilest he lived a second prop of this Estate who on the fourth of August 1598 piously ended his long but for the publick weals sake ever restless life leaving two Sons Thomas by King James created Earl of 〈◊〉 and Robert out of the same Fountain of Royal Goodness 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 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 whereof Somerset otherwise of a most mild disposition but Patience abused oft runneth into the extreme of Fury provoked by continual injuries resolved as some write to murther Northumberland To this end but under colour of a visit privily armed and well attended by Seconds who awaited him in an outer Chamber he comes to his Adversary at that time by reason of some indisposition of Body keeping his Chamber hath access unto him naked as he was in his Bed but is so courteously entertained and with such smooth language that the Duke of Somerset good man repenting himself of his Bloody 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 upon his denial to have added Then you are undone This his intent being by his own Party bewrayed a second Accusation is engrossed against him The matter is reforred to the Council Table and he on the sixteenth of October again committed to the Tower together with the Duchess his Wife the Lord Gray of wilton Sir Ralph Vane Sir Thomas Falmer Sir William Partridge Sir Michael Stanhop Sir Thomas Arundelt and many other of his Friends On the first of December the Marquis of Winchester being sot that day High Steward he is Arraigned for Treason against the Estate which he had not only ill but treacherously managed and for Conspiracy against the Duke of Northumberland Of Treason he cleared himself and his Peers acquitted him For the Conspiracy he was by his own Confession condemned and that by virtue of a Law Enacted 3 Hen. 7. which made the very Intent nay Imagination of Killing a Privy Counsellour punishable by Death But howsoever the Law Enacted as some conceive upon somewhat differing intents and meaning were extended to the highest of its rigour yet can I not but wonder how a man so great in the regards of his Reigning Nephew of his Honours of the Popular Favour should be so destitute of Learned Advice as not to exempt himself from a Felonious Death by his Clergy But such were the Times such his Misfortunes in the minority of his Prince from whose revengeful 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 Joy who seeing that fatal Virge the Ax usually marshalling Traytors to the Bar laid aside upon his freedom from the guilt of Treason from Westminster Hall certified that part of the City by their loud festival Acclamations of the gladsom tidings of their Favourite's conceived Absolution And these peradventure might be causes that his Execution was deferred Hitherto had the Estate patiently endured 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 Year Gardiner Bishop of Winchester was deprived the fourteenth of February Day of Chichester and Heath of Worcester on the tenth of October Tonstall of Duresm on the twentieth of December committed to the Tower and Boner of London on the first of
the Water is scarce tainted with the Seas brackishness On the seventh day of October were three Whales cast up at Gravesend And on the third of August at Middleton in Oxfordshire was born a Monster such as few either Naturalists or Historians write of the like It had two Heads and two Bodies as far as the Navil distinct where they were so conjoined that they both had but one way of egestion and their Heads looking always contrary ways The Legs and Thighs of the one did always ly at the trunk of the other This Female Monster lived eighteen days and might have longer peradventure if it had not been so often opened to satisfie curiosity that it took cold and died This year the Monastery of the Franciscan Friers in London was converted into a brave Hospital wherein four hundred poor Boys are maintained and have education befitting free-born men It is at this day called Christ-Church In Southwark also was another like place provided for the relief of Poor sick persons and is dedicated to the memory of St. Thomas ANNO DOM. 1553. REG. 7. THis year sets a period to young Edward's Reign who by the defluxion of a sharp Rheum upon the Lungs shortly after became hectical and died of a Consumption Some attribute the cause of his sickness to Grief for the death of his Uncles some to Poison and that by a Nosegay of sweet Flowers presented him as a great dainty on New-years-day But what hopeful Prince was there ever almost immaturely taken away but Poison or some other treachery was imputed Our deluded hopes being converted into grief out of passion we bely Fate Had there been the least suspition of any such inhumane practice Queen Mary would never have suffered it to have passed as an act of indifferency without an inquest It was doubtless a posthumous rumour purposely raised to make the Great ones of that Reign distastful to the succeeding times Howsoever it were the Nobility understanding by the Physicians that the King's estate was desperate began every one to project his own ends The Duke of Northumberland as he was more potent than rest so did his ambition fly higher It was somewhat strange that being not any way able to pretend but a shadow of Right to the Crown he should dream of confirming the Succession of it in his Family But he shall soar so high that he shall singe his Wings and fall no less dangerously than he whom the Poets feign to have aspired to a like unlawful Government As for the Ladies Mary and Elizabeth two obstacles to be removed he doubted not by reasons drawn from their questionable Births to exclude them The next regard must be of the Daughters of Henry the Seventh But of the Queen of Scots who was Niece to Margaret the eldest Daughter of Henry the Seventh he was little solicitous For by reason of our continual Enmity with the Scots and thence inveterate Hatred he imagined that any shew of Reason would put her by especially she being contracted to the French whose insolent Government he was confident the English would never brook In the next place consideration is to be had of Lady Frances Daughter to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk by Mary Dowager of France the second Daughter of Henry the Seventh who her two Brothers then alive had been married to Henry Gray Marquis of Dorset The two Brothers as before dying of the late mortality the Marquis is in the right of his Wife created Duke of Suffolk and this was another stop to his Ambition For the removal whereof he intends this course He imparts his designs to the Duke of Suffolk and desires that a Match may be concluded between the Lord Guilford Dudley his fourth Son and Lady Jane Grey the Duke of Suffolk's eldest Daughter And because if only right of Inheritance should be pretended the Duchess of Suffolk were in reason to be preferred before her Daughter he undertakes to perswade the King not only to disinherit his Sisters by Will and Testament but also by the same to declare the Lady Jane his next and immediate Successour Suffolk biting at this bait they complot by drawing the chiefest of the Nobility to contract Affinity either with the one or the other to procure the general assent of them all So on the same day that Lady Jane under an unhappy Planet was married to Lord Guilford the Duke of Suffolk's two youngest Daughters are married Catharine to Lord Henry eldest Son to the Earl of Pembroke and crouch-backed Mary to Martin Keyes Groom Porter Northumberland's eldest Daughter also named Catharine was married to the Lord Hastings eldest Son to the Earl of Huntington These Marriages were in June Solemnized at London the King at that time extremely languishing Having thus brought these things to a desired pass nothing now remained but to act his part with the weak King To Him he inculcates In what danger the estate of the Church would be if He dying provision were not first made of a pious Successour and such a one as should maintain the now established Religion How the Lady Mary stood affected was well known Of the Lady Elizabeth there might be peradventure better hopes But their causes were so strongly connexed that either both must be excluded or the Lady Mary be admitted That is was the part of a Religious and Good Prince to set apart all respects of Blood where God's Glory and the Subject's weal might be endangered They that should do otherwise were after this Life which is short to expect Revenge at God's dreadful Tribunal where they are to undergo the tryal either of eternal Life or eternal Death That the Duke of Suffolk had three Daughters nearest to him in degrees of Blood they were such as their Virtues and Birth did commend and from whom the violation of Religion or the danger of a Forein yoak by any Match was not to be feared for asmuch as their Education had been Religious they had as it were with their Milk suckt in the Spiritual food of true Christian Doctrine and were also matched to Husbands as zealous of the Truth as themselves He could wish and would advise that these might be successively called to the Crown but with this caution That they should maintain the now established Religion And although Lady Jane the eldest of the three were married to his Son he would be content that they should be bound by Oath to perform whatsoever his Majesty should decree For he had not so much regard to his own as the general good These Reasons so prevailed with the young King that he made his Will and therein as much as in him lay excluded both his Sisters from the Succession to the Crown and all thers whatsoever beside the Duke of Suffolk's Daughters This Will was read in presence of the Council and chief Judges of the Realm and by each of them confirmed with a strict command that no man should publish the contents of it
was more to the holding of the Parliament which began but seven days after It was a Pestilent-Feaver but as it seemeth not seated in the Veins or Humors for that there followed no Carbuncle no purple or livid Spots or the like the Mass of the Body being not tainted only a malign Vapour flew to the Heart and seised the Vital Spirits which stirred Nature to strive to send it forth by an extreme Sweat And it appeared by Experience that this Disease was rather a Surprize of Nature than obstinate to Remedies if it were in time looked unto For if the Patient were kept in an equal temper both for Clothes Fire and Drink moderately warm with temperate Cordials whereby Natures work were neither irritated by Heat nor turned back by Cold he commonly Recovered But infinite Persons dyed suddenly of it before the manner of the Cure and attendance was known It was conceived not to be an Epidemick Disease but to proceed from a Malignity in the Constitution of the Air gathered by the predispositions of Seasons and the speedy Cessation declared as much On Simon and Jude's Even the King dined with Thomas Bourcchier Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Cardinal and from Lambeth went by Land over the Bridge to the Tower where the morrow after he made Twelve Knights-Bannerets But for Creations he dispensed them with a sparing Hand For notwithstanding a Field so lately fought and a Coronation so near at hand he only created Three James Earl of Pembrook the King's Uncle was created Duke of Bedford Thomas the Lord Stanley the King's Father-in-Law Earl of Derby and Edward Courtney Earl of Devon though the King had then nevertheless a purpose in himself to make more in time of Parliament bearing a wise and decent respect to Distribute his Creations some to honour his Coronation and some his Parliament The Coronation followed two days after upon the Thirtyeth day of October in the year of our Lord 1485. At which time Innocent the Eighth was Pope of Rome Frederick the Third Emperour of Almaine and Maximilian his Son newly chosen King of the Romans Charles the Eighth King of France Ferdinando and Isabella Kings of Spain and James the Third King of Scotland with all which Kings and States the King was at that time in good Peace and Amity At which Day also as if the Crown upon his Head had put Perils into his Thoughts he did institute sor the better Security of his Person a Band of Fifty Archers under a Captain to attend him by the name of Yeomen of his Guard and yet that it might be thought to be rather a matter of Dignity after the imitation of that he had known abroad than any matter of Diffidence appropriate to his own Case he made it to be understood for an Ordinance not Temporary but to hold in Succession for ever after The Seventh of November the King held his Parliament at Westmister which he had Summoned immediately after his coming to London His Ends in calling a Parliament and that so speedily were chiefly three First to procure the Crown to be entayled upon himself Next to have the Attaindors of all of his Party which were in no small Number reversed and all Acts of Hostility by them done in his Quarrel remitted and discharged and on the other side to attaint by Parliament the Heads and Principals of his Enemies The Third to calm and quiet the fears of the rest of that Party by a General Pardon not being ignorant in how great danger a King stands from his Subjects when most of his Subjects are conscious in themselves that they stand in his danger Unto these three special Motives of a Parliament was added that he as a prudent and moderate Prince made this Judgement That it was fit for him to hasten to let his People see that he meant to govern by Law howsoever he came in by the Sword and fit also to reclaim them to know him for their King whom they had so lately talked of as an Enemy or Banished man For that which concerned the Entayling of the Crown more than that he was true in his own Will that he would not endure any mention of the Lady Elizabeth no not in the nature of Special-Intail he carried it otherwise with great Wisdom and measure For he did not press to have the Act penned by way of Declaration or Recognition of Right as on the other side he avoided to have it by new Law or Ordinance but chose rather a kind of middle-way by way of Establishment and that under covert and indifferent words That the inheritance of the Crown should rest remain and abide in the King c. which words might equally be applied That the Crown should continue to him but whether as having former Right to it which was doubtful or having it then in Fact and Possession which no man denyed was left fair to Interpretation either way And again for the limitation of the Entail he did not press it to go further than to himself and to the Heirs of his Body not speaking of his right Heirs but leaving that to the Law to decide so as the Entail might seem rather a personal Favour to him and his Children than a total Dis-inherison to the House of York And in this form was the Law drawn and passed Which Statute he procured to be confirmed by the Pope's Bull the year following with mention nevertheless by way of Recital of his other Titles both of Descent and Conquest So as now the wreath of Three was made a wreath of Five for to the three first Titles of the two Houses or Lines and Conquest were added two more the Authorities Parliamentary and Papal The King likewise in the Reversal of the Attaindors of his Partakers and discharging them of all Offences incident to his service and succour had his Will and Acts did pass accordingly In the passage whereof exception was taken to divers Persons in the House of Commons for that they were Attainted and thereby not legal nor habilitate to serve in Parliament being disabled in the highest degree And that it should be a great incongruity to have them to make Laws who themselves were not Inlawed The truth was that divers of those which had in the time of King Richard been strongest and most declared for the King's Party were returned Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament whether by care or recommendation from the State or the voluntary inclination of the People many of which had been by Richard the Third attainted by Outlawries or otherwise The King was somewhat troubled with this For though it had a grave and specious Shew yet it reflected upon his Party But wisely not shewing himself at all moved therewith he would not understand it but as a Case of Law and wished the Judges to be advised thereupon who for that purpose were forthwith Assembled in the Exchequer-Chamber which is the Council-Chamber of the Judges and upon deliberation they gave a grave
and safe Opinion and Advice mixed with Law and Convenience which was That the Knights and Burgesses attainted by the course of Law should forbear to come into the House 'till a Law were passed for the Reversal of their Attaindors It was at that time incidently moved amongst the Judges in their Consultation what should be done for the King himself who likewise was attainted But it was with unanimous consent Resolved That the Crown takes away all defects and stops in Blood and that from the time the King did assume the Crown the Fountain was cleared and all Attaindors and Corruption of Blood discharged But nevertheless for Honours sake it was Ordained by Parliament that all Records wherein there was any memory or mention of the King's Attaindor should be defaced cancelled and taken off the File But on the part of the King's Enemies there were by Parliament attainted the late Duke of Glocester calling himself Richard the Third the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Surrey Viscount Lovel the Lord Ferrers the Lord Zouch Richard Ratcliff William Catesby and many others of degree and quality In which Bills of Attaindors nevertheless there were contained many just and temperate Clauses Savings and Proviso's well shewing and foretokening the Wisdom Stay and Moderation of the King's Spirit of Government And for the Pardon of the rest that had stood against the King the King upon a second advice thought it not fit it should pass by Parliament the better being matter of Grace to impropriate the Thanks to himself using only the Opportunity of a Parliament time the better to disperse it into the Veins of the Kingdom Therefore during the Parliament he Published his Royal Proclamation offering Pardon and Grace of Restitution to all such as had taken Arms or been participant of any Attempts against him so as they submitted themselves to his Mercy by a Day and took the Oath of Allegiance and Fidelity to him Whereupon many came out of Sanctuary and many more came out of Fear no less guilty than those that had taken Sanctuary As for Money or Treasure the King thought it not seasonable or fit to demand any of his Subjects at this Parliament both because he had received satisfaction from them in matters of so great Importance and because he could not remunerate them with any General Pardon being prevented therein by the Coronation-Pardon passed immediately before but chiefly for that it was in every mans Eye what great Forfeitures and Confiscations he had at that present to help himself Whereby those Casualties of the Crown might in reason spare the Purses of his Subjects especially in a time when he was in Peace with all his Neighbours Some few Laws passed at that Parliament almost for form sake amongst which there was One to reduce Aliens being made Denizens to pay Strangers Customs and another to draw to himself the Seisures and Compositions of Italian Goods for not employment being Points of Profit to his Coffers whereof from the very Beginning he was not forgetful and had been more happy at the Latter End if his early Providence which kept him from all necessity of Exacting upon his People could likewise have attemp'red his nature therein He added during Parliament to his former Creations the Innoblement or Advancement in Nobility of a few others The Lord Chandos of Britain was made Earl of Bath and Sir Giles Dawbeny was made Lord Dawbeny and Sir Robert Willoughby Lord Brook The King did also with great Nobleness and Bounty which Virtues at that time had their turns in his Nature restore Edward Stafford eldest Son to Henry Duke of Buckingham attainted in the time of King Richard not only to his Dignities but to his Fortunes and Possessions which were great to which he was moved also by a kind of Gratitude for that the Duke was the man that moved the first Stone against the Tyranny of King Richard and indeed made the King a Bridge to the Crown upon his own Ruins Thus the Parliament brake up The Parliament being dissolved the King sent forthwith Money to redeem the Marquess Dorset and Sir John Bourchier whom he had left as his Pledges at Paris for Money which he had borrowed when he made his Expedition for England And thereupon he took a fit occasion to send the Lord Treasurer and Master Bray whom he used as Counsellor to the Lord Mayor of London requiring of the City a Prest of six thousand Marks But after many Parlees he could obtain but two thousand Pounds Which nevertheless the King took in good part as men use to do that practise to borrow Money when they have no need About this time the King called unto his Privy-Council John Morton and Richard Fox the one Bishop of Ely the other Bishop of Exceter vigilant men and secret and such as kept watch with him almost upon all men else They had been both versed in his Affairs before he came to the Crown and were partakers of his adverse Fortune This Morton soon after upon the death of Bourchier ' he made Archbishop of Canterbury And for Fox he made him Lord Keeper of his Privy-Seal and afterwards advanced him by Degrees from Exceter to Bath and Wells thence to Durham and last to Winchester For although the King loved to employ and advance Bishops because having rich Bishopricks they carried their Reward upon themselves yet he did use to raise them by steps that he might not lose the profit of the First-fruits which by that course of Gradation was multiplied At last upon the Eighteenth of January was Solemnized the so long expected and so much desired Marriage between the King and the Lady Elizabeth which Day of Marriage was celebrated with greater Triumph and Demonstrations especially on the Peoples part of Joy and Gladness than the days either of his Entry or Coronation which the King rather noted than liked And it is true that all his life time while the Lady Elizabeth lived with him for she dyed before him he shewed himself no very indulgent Husband towards her though she was beautiful gentle and fruitful But his aversion towards the House of York was so predominant in him as it found place not only in his Wars and Councils but in his Chamber and Bed Towards the middle of the Spring the King full of confidence and assurance as a Prince that had been Victorious in Battel and had prevailed with his Parliament in all that he desired and had the Ring of Acclamations fresh in his Ears thought the rest of his Reign should be but Play and the enjoying of a Kingdom Yet as a wise and watchful King he would not neglect any thing for his Safety thinking nevertheless to perform all things now rather as an Exercise than as a Labour So he being truly informed that the Northern parts were not only Affectionate to the House of York but particularly had been Devoted to King Richard the Third thought it would be a Summer well spent to visit
he was ever ready to wait upon all his Atchievements in person The King therefore first called his Council together at the Charterhouse at Shine Which Council was held with great secresie but the open Decrees thereof which presently came abroad were three The first was That the Queen Dowager for that she contrary to her Pact and Agreement with those that had concluded with her concerning the Marriage of her Daughter Elizabeth with King Henry had nevertheless delivered her Daughters out of Sanctuary into King Richard's hands should be Cloystered in the Nunnery of Bermonsey and forfeit all her Lands and Goods The next was That Edward Plantagenet then Close-prisoner in the Tower should be in the most publick and notorious manner that could be devised shewed unto the People In part to discharge the King of the Envy of that opinion and bruit how he had been put to death privily in the Tower But chiefly to make the People see the levity and imposture of the Proceedings of Ireland and that their Plantagenet was indeed but a Puppet or a Counterfeit The third was That there should be again Proclaimed a General-Pardon to all that would reveal their Offences and submit themselves by a Day And that this Pardon should be conceived in so ample and liberal a manner as no High-Treason no not against the King 's own Person should be excepted Which though it might seem strange yet was it not so to a wise King that knew his greatest dangers were not from the least Treasons but from the greatest These Resolutions of the King and his Council were immediately put in execution And first the Queen Dowager was put into the Monastery of Bermonsey and all her Estate seized into the King's hands whereat there was much wondering That a weak Woman for the yielding to the menaces and promises of a Tyrant after such a distance of time wherein the King had shewed no displeasure nor alteration but much more after so happy a Marriage between the King and her Daughter blessed with Issue-male should upon a sudden mutability or disclosure of the King's mind be so severely handled This Lady was amongst the Examples of great variety of Fortune She had first from a distressed Suitor and desolate Widow been taken to the Marriage-Bed of a Batchelor-King the goodliest Personage of his time and even in his Reign she had endured a strange Eclipse by the King's flight and temporary depriving from the Crown She was also very happy in that she had by him fair Issue and continued his Nuptial Love helping her self by some obsequious bearing and dissembling of his Pleasures to the very end She was much affectionate to her own Kindred even unto Faction which did stir great Envy in the Lords of the King's side who counted her Blood a disparagement to be mingled with the King 's With which Lords of the King's Blood joyned also the King's Favorite the Lord Hastings who notwithstanding the King 's great affection to him was thought at times through her malice and spleen not to be out of danger of falling After her Husband's death she was matter of Tragedy having lived to see her Brother beheaded and her two Sons deposed from the Crown bastarded in their Blood and cruelly murthered All this while nevertheless she enjoyed her Liberty State and Fortunes But afterwards again upon the Rise of the wheel when she had a King to her Son-in-Law and was made Grand-mother to a Grand-child of the best Sex yet was she upon dark and unknown Reasons and no less strange Pretences precipitated and banished the World into a Nunnery where it was almost thought dangerous to visit her or see her and where not long after she ended her Life but was by the King's commandment Buried with the King her Husband at Windsor She was Foundress of Queens-College in Cambridge For this Act the King sustained great Obloquy which nevertheless besides the reason of State was somewhat sweetned to him by a great Confiscation About this time also Edward Plantagenet was upon a Sunday brought throughout all the principal Streets of London to be seen of the people And having passed the view of the Streets was conducted to St. Paul's Church in solemn Procession where great store of people were assembled And it was provided also in good fashion that divers of the Nobility and others of Quality especially of those that the King most suspected and knew the person of Plantagenet best had communication with the young Gentleman by the way and entertained him with speech and discourse which did in effect marr the Pageant in Ireland with the Subjects here at least with so many as out of Errour and not out of Malice might be mis-led Nevertheless in Ireland where it was too late to go back it wrought little or no effect But contrariwise they turned the Imposture upon the King and gave out That the King to defeat the true Inheritor and to mock the World and blind the Eyes of simple men had tricked up a 〈◊〉 in the likeness of Edward Plantagenet and shewed him to the People not sparing to prophane the Ceremony of a Procession the more to countenance the Fable The General-Pardon likewise near the same time came forth and the King therewithal omitted no diligence in giving straight Order for the keeping the Ports that Fugitives Male-contents or suspected Persons might not pass over into Ireland and Flanders Mean while the Rebels in Ireland had sent privy Messengers both into England and into Flanders who in both places had wrought effects of no small Importance For in England they won to their Party John Earl of Lincoln Son of John de la Pole Duke of Suffolk and of Elizabeth King Edward the Fourth's eldest Sister This Earl was a man of great Wit and Courage and had his thoughts highly raised by Hopes and Expectations for a time For Richard the Third had a Resolution out of his hatred to both his Brethren King Edward and the Duke of Clarence and their Lines having had his hand in both their Bloods to disable their Issues upon false and incompetent pretexts the one of Attaindor the other of Illegitimation and to design this Gentleman in case himself should dye without Children for Inheritor of the Crown Neither was this unknown to the King who had secretly an Eye upon him But the King having tasted of the Envy of the People for his Imprisonment of Edward Plantagenet was doubtful to heap up any more distasts of that kind by the Imprisonment of De la Pole also the rather thinking it Policy to conserve him as a Corrival unto the other The Earl of Lincoln was induced to participate with the Action of Ireland not lightly upon the strength of the Proceedings there which was but a Bubble but upon Letters from the Lady Margaret of Burgundy in whose succours and declaration for the Enterprize there seemed to be a more solid Foundation both for Reputation and Forces Neither did the Earl
of his Partakers and confiscation of his Traytors and Rebels more than which could not come from Subjects to their Sovereign in one action This he taketh so well at your hands as he hath made it a Resolution to himself to communicate with so loving and well-approved Subjects in all Affairs that are of publick nature at home or abroad Two therefore are the causes of your present Assembling the one a Forein business the other matter of Government at home The French King as no doubt ye have heard maketh at this present hot War upon the Duke of Britain His Army is now before Nantes and holdeth it straitly Besieged being the principal City if not in Creremony and Preheminence yet in Strength and Wealth of that Duchy Ye may guess at his Hopes by his attempting of the hardest part of the War first The cause of this War he knoweth best He alledgeth the entertaining and succouring of the Duke of Orleance and some other French Lords whom the King taketh for his Enemies Others divine of other Matters Both parts have by their Ambassadors divers times prayed the King's Ayds The French King Ayds or Neutrality the Britons Ayds simply for so their case requireth The King as a Christian Prince and blessed Son of the Holy Church hath offered himself as a Mediator to treat a Peace between them The French King yieldeth to Treat but will not stay the prosecution of the War The Britons that desire Peace most hearken to it least not upon considence or stiffness but upon distrust of true meaning seeing the War goes on So as the King after as much pains and care to effect a Peace as ever he took in any business not being able to remove the Prosecution on the one side nor the Distrust on the other caused by that Prosecution hath let fall the Treaty not repenting of it but despairing of it now as not likely to succeed Therefore by this Narrative you now understand the state of the Question whereupon the King prayeth your Advice which is no other but whether he shall enter into an auxiliary and defensive War for the Britons against France And the better to open your understandings in this Affair the King bath commanded me to say somewhat to you from him of the Persons that do intervene in this Business and somewhat of the Consequence thereof as it hath relation to this Kingdom and somewhat of the Example of it in general making nevertherless no Conclusion or Judgement of any Point until his Grace hath received your faithful and politique Advices First for the King our Sovereign himself who is the principal Person you are to eye in this business his Grace doth profess that he truly and constantly desireth to reign in Peace But his Grace saith he will neither buy Peace with Dishonour nor take it up at interest of Danger to ensue but shall think it a good Change if it pleased God to change the inward Troubles and Seditions wherewith he hath been hitherto exercised into an honourable Forein War And for the other two Persons in this Action the French King and the Duke of Britain his Grace doth declare unto you that they be the men unto whom he is of all other Friends and Allies most bounden the one having held over him his hand of Protection from the Tyrant the other having reacht forth unto him his hand of help for the Recovery of his Kingdom So that his affection toward them in his natural Person is upon equal terms And whereas you may have heard that his Grace was enforced to fly out of Britain into France for doubts of being betrayed his Grace would not in any sort have that reflect upon the Duke of Britain in defacement of his former benefits for that he is throughly informed that it was but the practice of some corrupt persons about him during the time of his Sickness altogether without his consent or privity But howsoever these things do interess his Grace in his particular yet he knoweth well that the higher Bond that tyeth him to procure by all means the safety and welfare of his loving Subjects doth dis-interess him of these Obligations of Gratitude otherwise than thus that if his Grace be forced to make a War he do it without Passion or Ambition For the consequence of this Action towards this Kingdom it is much as the French King's intention is For if it be no more but to range his Subjects to reason who bear themselves stout upon the strength of the Duke of Britain it is nothing to us But if it be in the French King's purpose or if it should not be in his purpose yet if it shall follow all one as if it were sought that the French King shall make a Province of Britain and joyn it to the Crown of France then it is worthy the consideration how this may import England as well in the increasement of the greatness of France by the addition of such a Countrey that stretcheth his Boughs unto our Seas as in depriving this Nation and leaving it so naked of so firm and assured Confederates as the Britons have always been For then it will come to pass that whereas not long since this Realm was mighty upon the Continent first in Territory and after in Alliance in respect of Burgundy and Britain which were Confederates indeed but dependant Confederates now the one being already cast partly into the greatness of France and partly into that of Austria the other is like wholly to be cast into the greatness of France and this Island shall remain confined in effect within the Salt-Waters and girt about with the Coast-Countries of two mighty Monarchs For the Example it resteth likewise upon the same Question upon the French King's intent For if Britain be carried and swallowed up by France as the World abroad apt to impute and construe the Actions of Princes to Ambition conceive it will then it is an Example very dangerous and universal that the lesser Neighbour-Estate should be devoured of the greater For this may be the case of Scotland towards England of Portugal towards Spain of the smaller Estates of Italy towards the greater and so of Germany or as if some of you of the Commons might not live and dwell safely besides some of these great Lords And the bringing in of this Example will be chiefly laid to the King's charge as to him that was most interessed and most able to forbid it But then on the other side there is so fair a Pretext on the French King's part and yet pretext is never wanting to power in regard the danger imminent to his own Estate is such as may make this Enterprize seem rather a work of Necessity than of Ambition as doth in reason correct the Danger of the Example For that the Example of that which is done in a man 's own defence cannot be dangerous because it is in another's power to avoid it But in all this business
beyond Seas But whatsoever else was in the Man he deserveth a most happy Memory in that he was the principal Mean of joyning the two Roses He dyed of great years but of strong health and Powers The next year which was the Sixteenth year of the King and the year of our Lord One thousand five hundred was the year of Jubile at Rome But Pope Alexander to save the Hazard and Charges of mens Journeys to Rome thought good to make over those Graces by exchange to such as would pay a convenient Rate seeing they could not come to fetch them For which purpose was sent into England Jasper Pons a Spaniard the Pope's Commissioner better chosen than were the Commissioners of Pope Leo afterwards employed for Germany for he carried the Business with great wisdom and semblance of Holiness In so much as he levied great summs of Money within this Land to the Pope's use with little or no Scandal It was thought the King shared in the Money But it appeareth by a Letter which Cardinal Adrian the King's Pensioner wrote to the King from Rome some few years after that this was not so For this Cardinal being to perswade Pope Julius on the King's behalf to expedite the Bull of Dispensation for the Marriage between Prince Henry and the Lady Katherine finding the Pope difficil in granting thereof doth use it as a principal Argument concerning the King's merit toward that See that he had touched none of those Deniers which had been levied by Pons in England But that it might the better appear for the satisfaction of the Common people that this was Consecrate Money the same Nuncio brought unto the King a Brief from the Pope wherein the King was exhorted and summoned to come in Person against the Turk For that the Pope out of the care of an Universal Father seeing almost under his eyes the Successes and Progresses of that great Enemy of the Faith had had in the Conclave and with the Assistance of the Ambassadors of forein Princes divers Consultations about an Holy War and a General Expedition of Christian Princes against the Turk Wherein it was agreed and thought fit that the Hungarians Polonians and Bobemians should make a War upon Thracia the French and Spaniards upon Gracia and that the Pope willing to sacrifice himself in so good a Cause in Person and in Company of the King of England the Venetians and such other States as were great in maritim Power would sail with a puissant Navy through the Mediterrane unto Constantinople And that to this end his Holiness had sent Nuncio's to all Christian Princes As well for a Cessation of all Quarrels and Differences amongst themselves as for speedy Preparations and Contributions of Forces and Treasure for this Sacred Enterprize To this the King who understood well the Court of Rome made an Answer rather Solemn than Serious Signifying THat no Prince on Earth should be more forward and obedient both by his Person and by all his possible Forces and Fortunes to enter into this Sacred War than himself But that the distance of Place was such as no Forces that he should raise for the Seas could be levied or prepared but with double the charge and double the time at the least that they might be from the other Princes that had their Territories nearer adjoyning Besides that neither the manner of his Ships having no Galleys nor the Experience of his Pilots and Mariners could be so apt for those Seas as theirs And therefore that his Holiness might do well to move one of those other Kings who lay fitter for the purpose to accompany him by Sea Whereby both all things would be sooner put in readiness and with less Charge and the Emulation and Division of Command which might grow between those Kings of France and Spain if they should both joyn in the War by Land upon Grecia might be wisely avoided And that for his part he would not be wanting in Ayds and Contribution Yet notwithstanding if both these Kings should refuse rather than his Holiness should go alone he would wait upon him as soon as he could be ready Always provided that he might first see all Differences of the Christian Princes amongst themselves fully laid down and appeased as for his own part he was in none And that he might have some good Towns upon the Coast in Italy put into his hands for the Retrait and safeguard of his Men. With this Answer Jasper Pons returned nothing at all discontented And yet this Declaration of the King as superficial as it was gave him that Reputation abroad as he was not long after elected by the Knights of the Rhodes Protector of their Order All things multiplying to Honour in a Prince that had gotten such high Estimation for his Wisdom and Sufficiency There were these two last years some proceedings against Hereticks which was rare in this King's Reign and rather by Penances than by Fire The King had though he were no good School-man the Honour to convert one of them by Dispute at Canterbury This year also though the King were no more haunted with Sprites for that by the sprinkling partly of Blood and partly of Water he had chased them away yet nevertheless he had certain Apparitions that troubled him still shewing themselves from one Region which was the House of York It came so to pass that the Earl of Suffolk Son to Elizabeth eldest Sister to King Edward the Fourth by John Duke of Suffolk her second Husband and Brother to John Earl of Lincoln that was slain at Stockfield being of an hasty and Cholerick disposition had killed a man in his fury whereupon the King gave him his Pardon But either willing to leave a Cloud upon him or the better to make him feel his Grace produced him openly to plead his Pardon This wrought in the Earl as in a haughty stomack it useth to do for the Ignominy printed deeper than the Grace Wherefore he being discontent fled secretly into Flanders unto his Aunt the Duchess of Burgundy The King startled at it But being taught by Troubles to use fair and timely Remedies wrought so with him by Messages the Lady Margaret also growing by often failing in her Alchymy weary of her Experiments and partly being a little sweetned for that the King had not touched her name in the Confession of Perkin that he came over again upon good terms and was reconciled to the King In the beginning of the next year being the Seventeenth of the King the Lady Katherine fourth Daughter of Ferdinando and Isabella King and Queen of Spain arrived in England at Plimouth the second of October and was married to Prince Arthur in Pauls the fourteenth of November following The Prince being then about fifteen years of age and the Lady about eighteen The manner of her Receiving the manner of her Entry into London and the Celebrity of the Marriage were performed with great and true Magnificence in regard of Cost
and it stood not with the publick weal that he should live single especially the lawfulness of his Daughters birth being so questionable He married not again for his pleasure but to settle the Kingdom on his lawful Issue The Learned as many as he had conferred with did generally pronounce the first Marriage void yet would he have it lawfully decided that with a safe conscience he might make choice of a second Thus far had Wolsey willingly led him hoping to have drawn him to a Match in France But he was of age to choose for himself and had already elsewhere setled his affections And the more to manifest his love on the eighteenth of June he created his future Father-in-Law Sir Thomas Bolen Viscount Rochfort At the same time were created Henry Fitz-roy the King 's natural Son by Elizabeth Blount Daughter to Sir John Blount Knight Earl of Nottingham and Duke of Richmond and Somerset Henry Courtney Earl of Devonshire the King 's Cousin-german Marquess of Exceter Henry Brandon eldest Son to the Duke of Suffolk by the King's Sister the Dowager of France Earl of Lincoln Thomas Manners Lord Roos Earl of Rutland Sir Henry Clifford Earl of Cumberland and Robert Ratcliff Lord Fitzwalter Viscount Fitzwalter Cardinal Wolsey this year laid the foundation of two Colleges one at Ipswich the place of his birth another at Oxford dedicated to our Saviour CHRIST by the name of Christ-Church This latter though not half finished yet a magnificent and royal Work a most fruitful Mother of Learned Children doth furnish the Church and Commonwealth with multitudes of able men and amongst others acknowledgeth me such as I am for her Foster-child The other as if the Founder had also been the foundation fell with the Cardinal and being for the most part pulled down is long since converted to private uses The Cardinal 's private estate although it were wonderful great being not sufficient to endow these Colleges with revenues answerable to their foundation the Pope consenting he demolished forty Monasteries of meaner note and conferred the lands belonging to them on these his new Colleges It hath been the observation of some That this business like that proverbial Gold of Tholouse was fatal to those that any way had a hand in it We will hereafter shew what became of the Pope and the Cardinal But of five whom he made use of in the alienation of the Gifts of so many Religious men it afterward happened that two of them challenging the field of each other one was slain and the other hanged for it a third throwing himself headlong into a Well perished wilfully a fourth before that a wealthy man sunk to that low ebb that he after begged his bread and Dr. Allen the fifth a man of especial note being Archbishop of Dublin was murthered in Ireland I could wish that by these and the like examples men would learn to take heed how they lay hands on things consecrated to God If the Divine Justice 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 undoubtedly better uses what can we expect of those that take all occasions to rob and spoil the Church having no other end but only the enriching of themselves Luther had notice of Henry his intended Divorce and that from Christiern the expelled King of Denmark who eagerly solicited him to write friendly unto the King putting Luther in hope that Henry being a courteous Prince might by mild perswasions be induced to embrace the Reformation which Luther had begun And indeed Luther foreseeing the necessary consequences of this Divorce was easily intreated and did write unto the King in this submissive manner He doubted not but he had much offended his Majesty by his late Reply but he did it rather enforced by others than of his own accord He did now write presuming upon the King 's much bruited humanity especially being informed That the King himself was not Author of the Book against him which thing he understood was captiously cavilled at by some Sophisters And having occasion to speak of the Cardinal of York he called him the Caterpillar of England He understood the King did now loath that wicked sort of men and in his mind to favour the Truth Wherefore he craveth pardon of his Majesty beseeching him to remember that we being mortal should not make our enmities immortal If the King would be pleased to impose it he would openly acknowledge his fault and blazon his Royal Virtues in another Book Then he wished him to stop his ears against those standerous tongues that branded him with Heresie for this was the summ of his Doctrine That we must be saved through Faith in Christ who did bear the punishment of our sins in every part and throughout his whole body who dying for us and rising again reigneth with the Father for ever That he taught this to be the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and that out of this position he shewed what Charity was how we ought to behave our selves one towards another that we are to obey Magistrates and to spend our whole life in the profession of the Gospel If this Doctrine contain any Impiety or Errour why do not his Adversaries demonstrate it Why do they condemn him without either lawful hearing or confutation In that he inveigheth against the Pope and his Adherents he doth it not without good reason for asmuch as for their profits sake they teach things contrary to what Christ and the Apostles did that so they may domineer over the Flock and maintain themselves in Gluttony and Idleness That this was the mark at which their thoughts and deeds aimed and that it was so notorious that they themselves could not deny it That if they would reform themselves by changing their idle and filthy course of life maintained by the loss and wrong of others the differences might easily be composed That his Tenets were approved by many Princes and Estates of Germany who did reverently acknowledge this great blessing of God amongst whom he wonderfully desired he might rank his Majesty That the Emperour and some others opposed his proceedings he did not at all wonder for the Prophet David had many Ages since foretold That Kings and Nations should conspire against the Lord and against his Christ and cast away his yoak from them That when he did consider this and the like places of Scripture he did rather wonder that any Prince did favour the doctrine of the Gospel And to conclude he craved a favourable Answer The King made a sharp Reply to Luther's Letter accusing him of base Inconstancy He stands in defence of his Book which he said was in great esteem with many Religious and Learned men That he reviled the Cardinal a Reverend Father was to be regarded as from him from whose impiety neither God nor man could be free That both
admitted to intimate familiarity and made use of their counsels and endeavours as if he had advanced them to no other end but to depress them Wolsey had his turn Cromwell succeeds whose sudden downfal there want not those who attribute to God's Justice inflicted on him for the Sacriledge whereof he was reported to be the Author committed in the subversion of so many Religious Houses And indeed even they who confess the rouzing of so many unprofitable Epicures out of their dens and the abolishing of Superstition wherewith the Divine Worship had by them been polluted to have been an act of singular Justice and Piety do notwithstanding complain of the loss of so many stately Churches dedicated to God's service the goods whereof were no otherwise employed than for the satisfaction of private mens covetousness and although many have abused the Vail of Religion yet was that Monastical life instituted according to the pious example of antient Fathers that they who found themselves unfit for the execution of worldly affairs as many such there are might in such their voluntary retirements spend their days in Divine Writings or Meditations and are verily perswaded that for the taking away of these things God was offended both with the King and Cromwell But Sleidan peradventure comes nearer the matter touching the immediate cause of his death About this time saith he the King of England beheadeth Thomas Cromwell whom he had from fortunes answerable to his low parentage raised to great Honours repadiates the Lady Ann of Cleve and marrieth Catharine Howard Daughter to the Lord Edmond Howard who was Brother to the Duke of Norfolk Cromwell had been procurer of the Match with Ann. But the King loving Catharine is thought to have been perswaded by her to make away Cromwell whom she suspected to be a Remora to her advancement The actions of Kings are not to be sifted too nearly for which we are charitably to presume they have reasons and those inscrutable But let us see the process of this Divorce Six months this conjugal band lasted firm without scruple the King and Queen giving daily testimonies of their mutual love On the twentieth of June the Queen is willed to remove from London where the King stayed by reason of the Parliament to Richmond a place pretended in regard of the situation and air to be more for her health On the sixth of July Reasons are proposed by certain Lords purposely sent to the lower House of Parliament demonstrating the invalidity of the King's Marriage with the Lady Ann so that it was lawful for them both to marry where they pleased The same reasons are alledged in the Convocation-House and generally approved Whereupon the Queen also whether forced or willing consenting the Parliament pronounced the Marriage void What the allegations were is uncertain Some relate disability by reason of some defects to be objected to her which seems the more probable for that in her Letters wherein she submitted her self to the judgment and determination of the Parliament she affirmed that the King never knew her carnally Whether for this or for that Nature having not over-liberally endowed her with Beauty but a private woman she became and as such not enduring to return to her friends with dishonour she lived upon some Lands assigned her by the King who always used her respectively until the fifteenth of July Anno 1557 at what time she ended her discontented life and lieth buried at Westminster on the South side of the Quire in a Tomb not yet finished Scarce had the resolution of the Convocation-House and the Decree concerning it passed both Houses when this lusty Widower with as good success as before marrieth his fifth Wife Catharine Howard When their Nuptials were celebrated is not known but on the eighth of August in Royal habiliments she shewed her self as Queen The fautors of Reformation were much dismayed at the sudden unqueening of Ann fearing not without cause lest it proving occasion of enmity between Henry and the Princes of Germany he must of necessity rely on them who misliked our divorce from Rome But the King proceeding still in the course he had begun like a torrent bearing all before him not only caused three Anabaptists to be burned but also many sincere Professors of the Truth for not subscribing to the Six Articles Among whom three Divines were most eminent viz. Robert Barnes Doctor of Divinity Thomas Gerard and William Jerome Bachechelors who by Parliament unheard being condemned for Heresie were on the one and thirtieth committed to the torments of the merciless fire At the same time and place three other Doctors of Divinity viz. Powel Able and Fetherston were hanged for denying the King's Supremacy the sight whereof made a French-man cry out in these words Deus bone quomodo hic vivunt gentes suspenduntur Papistae comburuntur Antipapistae Good God how do the people make a shift to live here where both Papists are hanged and Antipapists burned In August the Prior of Dancaster and six other for defending the Institution of the life Monastical a crime now become as capital as the greatest being also condemned by Act of Parliament were hanged The same day with the Lord Cromwell the Lord Hungerford was also Beheaded As their causes were divers so died they alike differently Cromwell's conscience quietly welcomed death to the other suffering for that most unnatural crime of Sodomy death presented it self with that horror that the apprehension of it made him as impatient as if he had been seised with a frenzy ANNO DOM. 1541. REG. 33. THe late Yorkshire Rebellion was not so throughly quenched but it again began to shew it self but by the punishment of the chief Incendiaries it was quickly suppressed Fourteen of the Conspirators were put to death Leigh a Gentleman Thornton a Yeoman and Tattershall a Clothier at London Sir John Nevil and ten others at York Which Commotion whether raised in favour of Religion or being suspected that it had any abettors beyond the Seas is thought to have hastened the death of the long since condemned Countess of Sarisbury who on the seven and twentieth of May was Beheaded in the Tower The eight and twentieth of June the Lord Leonard Grey Deputy of Ireland did on the Tower Hill publickly undergo the like punishment He was Son to the Marquis of Dorset near allied to the King and a brave Martial man having often done his Countrey good service But for that he had suffered his Nephew Gerard Fitz-Gerard Brother to Thomas lately executed proclaimed enemy to the Estate to make an escape and in revenge of some conceived private injury had invaded the Lands of the King's friends he was arraigned and condemned ending his life with a resolution befitting a brave Souldier The same day Thomas Fines Lord Dacres of the South with some other Gentlemen for the death of one Busbrig slain by them in a fray was hanged at Tyburn Many in
dispositions had bred a mutual affection to awake him for that having Elected him they were purposely come an accustomed ceremony to Adore him and dissolve the Conclave Priulo having signified to him with testimonies of excessive joy the intent of these Cardinals was gently blamed by him and they dismissed with this answer That a matter of so great consequence carrying with it so great a burthen that it would deterr an 〈◊〉 man from the acceptation of it was not to be tumultuously but upon mature deliberation orderly to be transacted as for the season it was utterly unfit for asmuch as God was the God of Light and not of Darkness they should therefore do well to deferr it until the next day and if then their resolutions proved the same he would submit himself to their pleasures The Italian Cardinals conceiving these delays to proceed out of stupidity began to contemn him and changing their determinations a little after pitched upon Cardinal Montanus whom they created Pope by the name of Julius the Third ANNO DOM. 1550. REG. 4. THe Duke of Somerset having now for three months continued a prisoner and not convicted of any crime which might touch his life it being not thought fitting that so great a man lately Protector of the King's Person and Realm should for a small offence be condemned to perpetual imprisonment is under-hand dealt with to submit himself with acknowledgement that he had deserved this or whatsoever greater punishment the King should be pleased to inflict on him and withal to implore the favour of his Majesty's Royal Clemency To this he easily condescended and was on the sixth of February set a liberty but not restored to the dignity of Protector only contenting himself with the rank of a Privy Counsellor But it being conceived that revenge might draw the Duke to new practices by mediation of Friends he is reconciled to the Earl of Warwick and that this atonement might be the more firm and sincere the Duke's Daughter is on the third of June married to the Viscount Lisle the Earl of Warwick's Son the King gracing the Nuptials with his presence Thuanus I know not upon what grounds writeth That the Earl by a kind of counterfeit shew that he was desirous of the restitution of the Romish Religion had setled himself in the good opinion of the vulgar who had not yet learned to renew themselves by casting off the old skin but reverenced Superstition for its reputed Antiquity and that his dissimulation being discovered fearing lest he should be forsaken of them whom he had with false hopes deluded the consideration thereof and of the Duke 's mild and free disposition would endear his Adversary to them to prevent this danger he contrived this alliance with the Duke and procured his liberty In the mean of these passages on the nineteenth of January the Lord Russel Lord Privy Seal was created Earl of Bedford William Lord Saint-John Earl of Wiltshire and Sir William Paget Lord Paget The Earl of Bedford and the Lord Paget were within three days after with Sir William Peters and Sir John Mason dispatched into France for the Treaty of a Peace with the Deputies appointed by the French who were Montmorency Governour of Picardy Gasper Coligny Lord of Chastillon afterward Admiral of France Andrew Gillar Mortair and William Boucherelle The Lord Paget not long before had been sent to the Emperour 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 dissentions that our necessities required speedy succours or would force us to condescend to an inconvenient Peace with France But perceiving nothing was to be obtained of him we strook hands with the French upon 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 unto Edward four hundred thousand Crowns by equal portions at two payments That the English should restore to the Scots Lauder and Douglas and if the Queen 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 Queen 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 eighth of April Hostages were given By Us The Duke of Suffolk The Earl of Hertford Son to the Duke of Somerset The Earl of Arundel The Earl of Derby The Earl of Bath By the French John of Bourbon Duke of Anguien Glaud of Lorain Marquis of Mayenne Francis Son to the Constable Montmorency Lewis of Tremoville Francis of Vendosme Vidame of Chartres Claud d'Annebalt This Peace between us and France was on the third of March solemnly Proclaimed in London and on the five and twentieth of April Bouloigne being accordingly furrendred to the French our Hostages were returned On the thirtieth of July died the Lord Wriothsley Knight of the Garter late Lord Chancellour of England and Earl of Southampton He had about the beginning of this King's Reign delivered up the Seal the Custody whereof was committed to the Lord Rich. But having been about half a year past removed as was also the Earl of Arundel but for what cause is uncertain from the Council Table he at length whether out of Grief or some other cause fell sick and died He was Father to Henry the second Earl and Grandfather to Henry the third Earl of Southampton not long since deceased who having tasted of both fortunes did heretofore as generously behave himself in adversity as he did since moderately in prosperity whereto by the Clemency of our late Sovereign he was restored ANNO DOM. 1551. REG. 5. MEntion hath formerly been made concerning the Sweating Sickness a disease to which England hath given a name as well in regard of its original as of the known disposition of our Bodies to admit of this virulent contagion England had been formerly afflicted with it but never so mortally as this present year Shrewsbury was now the first place acquainted with this Pestilence there it began in April and thence diffusing it self over the most part of the Kingdom at length it vanished away in the North about the beginning of October The fury of it 〈◊〉 such as if it would never end but by its proper cruelty when it should not have left subjects whereon to feed The dead whom it swept away were numberless In London only eight hundred was scarce a seven-nights stint It made its first entry into this Island in the Reign of Henry the Seventh 〈◊〉 1486 and from hence it took its progress into other Nations The Infected flowed away and within the space of twenty four hours when this
would send him into his Countrey with the honorable Title and Authority of a Legate And now he feigned to himself a double hope of a Kingdom if not Secular at least Ecclesiastical by virtue of his authority Legatine and the dignity of Archbishop of Canterbury Queen Mary had her Education for some years under Margaret Countess of Salisbury the Mother of Pool who was then a Child and that by Queen Catharine's means who intended as it was thought to marry her Daughter the Lady Mary to one of the Countesses Sons thereby to strengthen her Daughters claim to the Crown if it should happen that Henry should decease without other lawful Issue the Countess being Daughter to George Duke of Clarence who was Brother to Edward the Fourth The Cardinal whether for this or some other reasons knowing himself to be in dear esteem with the Queen was confident if not of the Crown by Marriage yet at least of all advantages of her Favour Neither was he therein deceived for Mary having obtained the Crown earnestly sued unto him to restore himself to his Countrey and the Pope not ignorant how much he would advantage the Apostolick See at the Queens request dispatched him with most ample Authority But the Emperour having a Project on foot for his Son was somewhat jealous of the Cardinal and therefore began seriously to treat with Cardinal Dandino the Pope's Legate with him for the conclusion of a Peace between him and the French that so he might give a stop to Pool whose coming into England the Emperour's affairs being not yet setled might peradventure make all fly asunder Dandino to gratifie Charles by Franciseo Commendono sends Letters to Pool advising him not to set forth as yet forasmuch as this Legacy undertaken without the Emperour's consent was displeasing and the English Nation for the most part especially the Londoners did so hate the name of the Pope of Rome that his Legacy would be held in contempt among them A Legate therefore was not to be employed unto them until perswasions had brought them to a better temper Pool having received these Letters in his Cloister thought it fitting to expect his Holiness pleasure The Pope not brooking the increase of the Emperour's greatness by the addition of such Estates and fretting that Dandino had presumed to stay the Cardinal recalled Dandino and conferred on Pool alone the Legacy both into England for the one affair and to the Emperour and the French for the Treaty of a Peace He willingly undertaking it presently set forward from Trent certifying the Emperour and the French of his large Commission The Emperour perceiving that these devices would be no longer availeable sent Don Juan de Mendoza unto him with Letters wherein he plainly discovered his fear that the Cardinal's premature arrival in England might prove an obstacle to his proceedings there which were great and hopeful Wherefore it was his desire that he should either there attend his pleasure or if he would needs go further he might come to Liege and there expect the event of his designs The Cardinal upon receipt of these Letters returns to Dilling not far from Trent certifies his Holiness of the whole carriage of the Business and sends expostulatory Letters to the Emperour shewing therein what an indignity it was to Apostolick See that his Holiness Legat sent upon a Treaty of Peace and to reduce a Kingdom to the obedience of the Church should so disgracefully with contempt to his Holiness and that by the Emperour's command be detained in the midst 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 he perswades the Emperour not to hinder this Legation being it would so much hazard the estate of the Church but especially of the Kingdom of England At length with much ado and that not until the Emperour had intelligence that the Articles concerning his Son's Marriage were agreed on he obtained leave to come to Brussels but on this condition that he should there reside until the Emperour were assured that the Marriage between Philip and Mary were Solemnized So to Brussels he came where having saluted the Emperour who received him very courteously and that time might not pass unprofitably 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 terms of Peace The Emperour professing that he would not reject Peace upon any reasonable conditions the Cardinal goes into France to treat with Henry concerning the same thing Who made as fair shews as did the Emperour but their minds exulcerated with inveterate hate made all his pains fruitless 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 know him his endeavours should have been totally for his advancement to the Papacy A little after his return to Brussels came the Lords Paget and Hastings Ambassadors to the Emperour from their Majesties of England who signified their joint-longing to see the Cardinal and therefore desired he might be forthwith dismissed that by virtue of his Authority he might rectifie the Church of England wonderfully out of tune by reason of the Schism wherewith it had been afflicted So in September he had leave to go for England but was by contrary winds detained at Calais until November in which month he at length arrived at Dover His entertainment was most honourable the Kings and Nobles alike striving to manifest their joy And because being in the year 1539 by Parliament declared Enemy to the Estate and by the same Law condemned to die the Estates then assembled in Parliament repealed that Act and restored him to his Blood the Kings themselves coming to the House extraordinarily for the confirmation of the Act before his arrival at London A little after his coming both Houses were sent for to the Court where the Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellour having in the presence of the Kings and the assembly spoken something concerning the Cardinal's grateful arrival the Cardinal himself began a long Oration in English wherein He acknowledged how much he was bound to the Kings and the Estates of the Realm by whose favour those Laws for his Exile and Proscription were repealed and he once more made a Native of the Land He was bound by the Laws of Gratitude to endeavour the requital of this Benefit whereto an occasion happily offered it self The late Schism had separated them from the Union of the Church and made them exiles from Heaven by the Authority conferred on him by the Pope St. Peter's Successor Christ's Vicar he would bring them back into the Fold of the Church the sole means of attaining their celestial Heritage Wherefore he exhorted them ingenuously to acknowledge the Errours of these later years and to detect them with sincere alacrity
Lancashire whither there repaired to them Sir Thomas Broughton with some small company of English The King by that time knowing now the Storm would not divide but fall in one place had levied Forces in good number and in person taking with him his two designed Generals the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of Oxford was come on his way towards them as far as Coventry whence he sent forth a Troop of Light-horsmen for discovery and to intercept some straglers of the Enemies by whom he might the better understand the particulars of their Progress and purposes which was accordingly done though the King otherwise was not without Intelligence from Espials in the Camp The Rebels took their way towards York without spoiling the Countrey or any act of Hostility the better to put themselves into favour of the People and to personate their King who no doubt out of a Princely feeling was sparing and compassionate towards his Subjects But their Snow-ball did not gather as it went For the People came not in to them Neither did any rise or declare themselves in other parts of the Kingdom for them which was caused partly by the good tast that the King had given his People of his Government joyned with the reputation of his Felicity and partly for that it was an odious thing to the People of England to have a King brought in to them upon the shoulders of Irish and Dutch of which their Army was in substance compounded Neither was it a thing done with any great Judgement on the Party of the Rebels for them to take their way towards York Considering that howsoever those parts had formerly been a Nursery of their Friends yet it was there where the Lord Lovel had so lately disbanded and where the King's presence had a little before qualified discontents The Earl of Lincoln deceived of his hopes of the Countries concourse unto him in which case he would have temporized and seeing the business past Retract resolved to make on where the King was and to give him Battel and thereupon marched towards Newark thinking to have surprised the Town But the King was somewhat before this time come to Nottingham where he called a Council of War at which was consulted whether it were best to protract time or speedily to set upon the Rebels In which Council the King himself whose continual vigilancy did suck in sometimes causeless Suspitions which few else knew inclined to the accelerating a Battel But this was presently put out of doubt by the great Aids that came in to him in the instant of this Consultation partly upon Missives and partly Voluntaries from many parts of the Kingdom The principal persons that came then to the King's aid were the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Lord Strange of the Nobility and of Knights and Gentlemen to the number of at least Threescore and ten persons with their Companies making in the whole at the least Six Thousand fighting men besides the Forces that were with the King before Whereupon the King finding his Army so bravely re-enforced and a great alacrity in all his men to fight was confirmed in his former Resolution and marched speedily so as he put himself between the Enemies Camp and Newark being loth their Army should get the commodity of that Town The Earl nothing dismayed came forwards that day unto a little Village called Stoke and there camped that night upon the brow or hanging of a Hill The King the next day presented him Battel upon the Plain the fields there being open and champion The Earl couragiously came down and joyned Battel with him Concerning which Battel the Relations that are left unto us are so naked and negligent though it be an Action of so recent memory as they rather declared the Success of the day than the Manner of the Fight They say that the King divided his Army into three Battels whereof the Vaunt-guard only well strengthned with Wings came to fight That the Fight was fierce and obstinate and lasted three hours before the Victory inclined either way save that Judgement might be made by that the King's Vaunt-guard of it self maintained fight against the whole Power of the Enemies the other two Battels remaining out of action what the success was like to be in the end That Martin Swart with his Germans performed bravely and so did those few English that were on that side neither did the Irish fail in courage or fierceness but being almost naked men only armed with Darts and Skeins it was rather an Execution than a Fight upon them insomuch as the furious slaughter of them was a great discouragement and appalement to the rest That there dyed upon the place all the Chieftains that is the Earl of Lincoln the Earl of Kildare Francis Lord Lovel Martin Swart and Sir Thomas Broughton all making good the fight without any ground given Only of the Lord Lovel there went a report that he fled and swam over Trent on horseback but could not recover the further side by reason of the steepness of the Bank and so was drowned in the River But another report leaves him not there but that he lived long after in a Cave or Vault The number that was slain in the field was of the Enemies part Four thousand at the least and of the King's part one half of his Vaunt-guard besides many hurt but none of name There were taken Prisoners amongst others the Counterfeit Plantagenet now Lambert Simnel again and the crafty Priest his Tutor For Lambert the King would not take his Life both out of Magnanimity taking him but as an Image of Wax that others had tempered and molded and likewise out of Wisdom thinking that if he suffered death he would be forgotten too soon but being kept alive he would be a continual Spectacle and a kind of remedy against the like Inchantments of People in time to come For which cause he was taken into service in his Court to a base office in his Kitchin so that in a kind of Mattacina of humane fortune he turned a Broach that had worn a Crown Whereas Fortune commonly doth not bring in a Comedy or Farce after a Tragedy And afterwards he was preferred to be one of the King's Falconers As to the Priest he was committed Close-prisoner and heard of no more the King loving to seal up his own dangers After the Battel the King went to Lincoln where he caused Supplications and Thanksgivings to be made for his Deliverance and Victory And that his Devotions might go round in Circle he sent his Banner to be Offered to our Lady of Walsingham where before he made his Vows And thus delivered of this so strange an Engin and new Invention of Fortune he returned to his former confidence of mind thinking now that all his misfortunes had come at once But it fell out unto him according to the Speech of the common People in the beginning of his Reign that said It was a token he
my self to expect the Tyrant's death and then to put my self into my Sisters hands who was next Heir to the Crown But in this season it happened one Henry Tidder Son to Edmond Tidder Earl of Richmond to come from France and enter into the Realm and by subtil and foul means to obtain the Crown of the same which to me rightfully appertained So that it was but a change from Tyrant to Tyrant This Henry my extreme and mortal Enemy so soon as he had knowledge of my being alive imagined and wrought all the subtil ways and means he could to procure my final Destruction For my mortal Enemy hath not only falsly surmised me to be a feigned Person giving me Nick-names so abusing the World but also to deferr and put me from entry into England hath offered large summs of Money to corrupt the Princes and their Ministers with whom I have been retained and made importune Labours to certain Servants about my Person to murther or Poyson me and others to forsake and leave my righteous Quarrel and to depart from my Service as Sir Robert Clifford and others So that every man of Reason may well perceive that Henry calling himself King of England needed not to have bestowed such great summs of Treasure nor so to have busied himself with importune and incessant Labour and Industry to compass my Death and Ruine if I had been such a feigned Person But the truth of my Cause being so manifest moved the most Christian King Charles and the Lady Duchess Dowager of Burgundy my most dear Aunt not only to acknowledge the truth thereof but lovingly to assist me But it seemeth that God above for the good of this whole Island and the knitting of these two Kingdoms of England and Scotland in a strait Concord and Amity by so great an Obligation had reserved the placing of me in the Imperial Throne of England for the Arms and Succours of your Grace Neither is it the first time that a King of Scotland hath supported them that were bereft and spoiled of the Kingdom of England as of late in fresh memory it was done in the Person of Henry the Sixth Wherefore for that your Grace hath given clear signs that you are in no Noble quality inferiour to your Royal Ancestors I so distressed a Prince was hereby moved to come and put my self into your Royal Hands desiring your Assistance to recover my Kingdom of England promising faithfully to bear my self towards your Grace no otherwise than if I were your own Natural Brother and will upon the Recovery of mine Inheritance gratefully do you all the Pleasure that is in my utmost Power AFter Perkin had told his Tale King James answered bravely and wisely That whatsoever he were he should not repent him of putting himself into his hand And from that time forth though there wanted not some about him that would have perswaded him that all was but an Illusion yet notwithstanding either taken by Perkin's amiable and alluring behaviour or inclining to the recommendation of the great Princes abroad or willing to take an occasion of a War against King Henry he entertained him in all things as became the person of Richard Duke of York embraced his Quarrel and the more to put it out of doubt that he took him to be a great Prince and not a Representation only he gave consent that this Duke should take to Wife the Lady Catherine Gordon Daughter to Earl Huntley being a near Kinswoman to the King himself and a young Virgin of excellent beauty and virtue Not long after the King of Scots in person with Perkin in his company entred with a great Army though it consisted chiefly of Borderers being raised somewhat suddenly into Northumberland And Perkin for a Perfume before him as he went caused to be published a Proclamation of this tenour following in the name of Richard Duke of York true Inheritor of the Crown of England IT hath pleased God who putteth down the Mighty from their Seat and exalteth the Humble and suffereth not the hopes of the Just to perish in the end to give Us means at the length to shew Our Selves armed unto Our Lieges and People of England But far be it from Us to intend their hurt and damage or to make War upon them otherwise than to deliver Our Self and them from Tyranny and Oppression For Our mortal Enemy Henry Tidder a false 〈◊〉 of the Crown of England which tolls by Natural and Lineal Right appertaineth knowing in his own Heart Our undoubted Right We being the very Richard Duke of York younger Son and now surviving Heir-male of the Noble and Victorious Edward the Fourth late King of England hath not only deprived Us of Our Kingdom but likewise by all foul and wicked means sought to betray Us and bereave Us of Our Life Yet if his Tyranny only extended it self to Our Person although Our Royal Blood teacheth Us to be sensible of Injuries it should be less to Our Grief But this Tidder who boasteth himself to have overthrown a Tyrant hath ever since his first entrance into his Usurped Reign put little in practice but Tyranny and the feats thereof For King Richard Our unnatural Uncle although desire of Rule did blind him yet in his other actions like a true Plantagenet was Noble and loved the Honour of the Realm and the Contentment and Comfort of his Nobles and People But this Our Mortal Enemy agreeable to the meanness of his Birth hath trod under foot the Honour of this Nation selling Our hest Confederates for Money and making Merchandize of the Blood Estates and Fortunes of Our Peers and Subjects by feigned wars and dishonourable Peace only to enrich his Coffers Nor unlike hath been his hateful Mis-government and evil Deportments at home First he hath to fortifie his false Quarrel caused divers Nobles of this Our Realm whom he held Suspect and stood in dread of to be cruelly murthred as Our Cousin Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain Sir Simon Mountfort Sir Robert Ratcliff William Dawbeney Humphrey Stafford and many others besides such as have dearly bought their Lives with intolerable Ransoms Some of which Nobles are now in the Sanctuary Also he hath long kept and yet keepeth in Prison Our right entirely beloved Cousin Edward Son and Heir to Our Uncle Duke of Clarence and others with-bolding from them their rightful Inheritance to the intent they should never be of might and power to aid and assist Us at Our need after the duty of their Liegeances He also married by compulsion certain of Our Sisters and also the Sister of Our said Cousin the Earl of Warwick and divers other Ladies of the Royal Blood unto certain of his Kinsmen and Friends of simple and low Degree and putting apart all well-disposed Nobles he hath none in favour and trust about his Person but Bishop Fox Smith Bray Lovel Oliver King David Owen Risley Turbervile Tiler Cholmley Empson James Hobart John Cut Garth
from under the Walls to joyn with them and be of their Party telling them that the King would make them another London if they would be the first Town that should acknowledge him But they had not the wit to send to them in any orderly fashion Agents or chosen Men to tempt them and to treat with them The Citizens on their part shewed themselves stout and loyal Subjects Neither was there so much as any Tumult or Division amongst them but all prepared themselves for a valiant Defence and making good the Town For well they saw that the Rebels were of no such Number or Power that they needed to fear them as yet and well they hoped that before their Numbers increased the King's Succours would come-in And howsoever they thought it the extremest of Evils to put themselves at the mercy of those hungry and disorderly People Wherefore setting all things in good order within the Town they nevertheless let down with Cords from several parts of the Walls privily several Messengers that if one came to mischance another might pass-on which should advertise the King of the State of the Town and implore his ayd Perkin also doubted that Succours would come ere long and therefore resolved to use his utmost Force to assault the Town And for that purpose having mounted Scaling-Ladders in divers places upon the Walls made at the same instant an Attempt to force one of the Gates But having no Artillery nor Engins and finding that he could do no good by ramming with Logs of Timber nor by the use of Iron Bars and Iron Crows and such other means at hand he had no way left him but to set one of the Gates on fire which he did But the Citizens well perceiving the Danger before the Gate could be fully consumed blocked up the Gate and some space about it on the inside with Fagots and other Fuel which they likewise set on fire and so repulsed fire with fire And in the mean time raised up Rampiers of earth and cast up deep Trenches to serve instead of Wall and Gate And for the Escalada's they had so bad success as the Rebels were driven from the Walls with the loss of two hundred men The King when he heard of Perkin's Siege of Exceter made sport with it and said to them that were about him that The King of Rake-hells was landed in the West and that he hoped now to have the honour to see him which he could never yet do And it appeared plainly to those that were about the King that he was indeed much joyed with the News of Perkin's being on English ground where he could have no retreat by Land thinking now that he should be cured of those privy Stitches which he had long had about his Heart and had sometimes broken his Sleeps in the midst of all his felicity And to set all mens hearts on fire he did by all possible means let it appear that those who should now do him service to make an end of these troubles should be no less accepted of him than he that came upon the Eleventh Hour and had the whole Wages of the Day Therefore now like the end of a Play a great number came upon the Stage at once He sent the Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Brook and Sir Rice ap Thomas with expedite Forces to speed to Exceter to the Rescue of the Town and to spread the Fame of his own following in Person with a Royal Army The Earl of Devonshire and his Son with the Caroes and the Fulfords and other principal Persons of Devonshire uncalled from the Court but hearing that the King's heart was so much bent upon this Service made haste with Troops that they had raised to be the first that should succour the City of Exceter and prevent the King's Succours The Duke of Buckingham likewise with many brave Gentlemen put themselves in Arms not staying either the King 's or the Lord Chamberlain's coming on but making a Body of Forces of themselves the more to indear their merit signifying to the King their readiness and desiring to know his pleasure So that according to the Proverb In the coming down every Saint did help Perkin hearing this Thunder of Arms and Preparations against him from so many Parts raised his Siege and marched to Taunton beginning already to squint one eye upon the Crown and another upon the Sanctuary Though the Cornish-men were become like Metal often fired and quenched churlish and that would sooner break than bow swearing and vowing not to leave him till the uttermost drop of their blood were spilt He was at his rising from Exceter between six and seven thousand strong many having come unto him after he was set before Exceter upon fame of so great an Enterprize and to partake of the Spoil though upon the raising of his Siege some did slip away When he was come near Taunton he dissembled all fear and seemed all the day to use diligence in preparing all things ready to fight But about midnight he fled with threescore Horse to Bewley in the New-Forest where he and divers of his Company registred themselves Sanctuary-men leaving his Cornish-men to the Four Winds But yet thereby easing them of their Vow and using his wonted Compassion Not to be by when his Subjects blood should be spilt The King as soon as he heard of Perkin's Flight sent presently five hundred Horse to pursue and apprehend him before he should get either to the Sea or to that same little Island called a Sanctuary But they came too late for the latter of these Therefore all they could do was to beset the Sanctuary and to maintain a strong Watch about it till the King's pleasure were further known As for the rest of the Rebels they being destituted of their head without stroke stricken submitted themselves unto the King's Mercy And the King who commonly drew Blood as Physicians do rather to save life than to spill it and was never Cruel when he was Secure now he saw the danger was past pardoned them all in the end except some few desperate persons which he reserved to be Executed the better to set off his Mercy towards the rest There were also sent with all speed some Horse to St. Michael's-Mount in Cornwal where the Lady Catherine Gordon was left by her Husband whom in all fortunes she entirely loved adding the virtues of a Wife to the virtues of her Sex The King sent in the greater diligence not knowing whether she might be with Child whereby the business would not have ended in Perkin's person When she was brought to the King it was commonly said that the King received her not only with Compassion but with Affection Pity giving more Impression to her excellent Beauty Wherefore comforting her to serve as well his Eye as his Fame he sent her to his Queen to remain with her giving her very honourable Allowance for the suport of her Estate which she enjoyed both
according to the Law which inflicted a pecuniary Mulct they that were touch'd saith Polydor Virgil cryed out that this proceeded out of Covetousness rather than Severity But the wiser sort conceived the King's intent to be partly to curb the fierce mind of the People bred up in faction partly that by these Fines he might not only weaken the rich but also increase his own strength and fortifie himself against civil Attempts whereof he had lately seen some sparkles flie abroad if so be any smothered coal should happen to break out into a flame What-ever the matter was many there were who by accusing others sought the King's favour and enlarged their own Estates amongst whom two were chief the one was called Richard Empson the other Edmund Dudley both Lawyers and both for having served the King's turn lately made Barons of the Exchequer It is said that Empson was born at Torcester in Northampton-shire his Father was a Sievier Dudley though he were well descended yet being not befriended by Fortune long strugled with Adversity But after they had some Months taken pains in these matters both of them arise to that greatness that there were few of the Nobility that would not crouch to them and be ambitious of their favour Therefore it is not so much to be wondred at if they grew exceeding wealthy But this Wealth drew with it an Envy greater than it self which nevertheless did them little hurt during the life of Henry the Seventh but afterwards cast them both down as low as Envy could have wisht The King upon his death-bed commanded in his Will and Testament that restitution should be made to all who had been wronged by the Exchequer Whereupon infinite numbers flocking to the Court and demanding restitution there could not a fitter means be thought of to stop their mouthes than by committing of Empson and Dudley the occasioners thereof to the People as Sacrifices to appease their fury They were therefore arraigned and condemned of high Treason And these things were done presently upon Henry the Eighth his coming to the Crown So their goods being seized upon they for a whole year endured the miseries that usually accompany a Prison and yet were the Commons as eager against them as ever Whence it should first arise I know not but such a report there was that the Queen had begged the poor mens Pardons The Nobility disdaining that such mean fellows had been heretofore so prevalent with their Prince and the Commons being easily incited against them by some as eager enemies to them as themselves cried out that they were cheated of their just revenge and wearying the King with continual petitions for their death he was in a manner forced to satisfie them Whereupon on the seventeenth day of August they were both publickly beheaded Such was the end of Empson and Dudley who abounding with Wealth and flourishing under their Prince's favour while they set light by all things else became a Sacrifice to the giddy multitude And it may serve to teach us to use our power moderately and to take heed how we give offence to that Beast with many heads I mean the People which being angred and having once got the reins rageth like a tumultuous Sea Dudley left behind him a Son named John who as if he had been heir to his Father's fortune being created Duke of Northumberland concluded his powerful life with the like unhappy end leaving much Issue behind him even to our time but yet whereof the heirs male have long since failed ANNO DOM. 1511. REG. 3. THis year on New-years-day the Queen was delivered of a Son Heir-apparant to this Crown but he out-lived not the three and twentieth of the ensuing February to the great grief of the King and Kingdom About the same time there came Ambassadors from Ferdinand King of Arragon who craved of the King his Son-in-Law fifteen hundred auxiliary Archers He was then in hostility with the Moors inhabiting Africk The King very willingly granted their request and having levied the full number embarqued them for Spain in four Ships of the Navy Royal under the command of Thomas Lord Darcy They were scarce arrived there when news was brought that a Peace being made Ferdinando stood in no farther need of their aid Yet every one was liberally paid the General and those of greatest note that accompanied him were richly rewarded and all being dismissed with many thanks safely returned home In their absence Margaret Duchess of Savoy who was Daughter to the Emperor Maximilian and Governess of the Netherlands under Charles the Infant of Spain prevailed with our King for the like number of Archers she having then Wars with the Duke of Gueldres against whom she meant to employ them These men in the space of five Months did many brave exploits at Brimnost Aske and Venloo under the command of Sir Edward Poynings a brave Souldier and in great favour with his Prince Of them fourteen hundred returned home much commended and well rewarded the fortune of War had cut off one hundred Four Captains in regard of their valour were Knighted by the Infant Charles afterwards Emperor viz. John Norton John Fog John Scot and Thomas Lynd. The King of Scots had then War with the Portugal under pretext whereof one Andrew Barton a famous Pirat took all Ships that coasted either England or Scotland affirming them always to be Portugals of what Nation soever they were or at least fraught with Portugal Merchandise The King sent Edward Howard Lord Admiral of England and his Brother the Lord Thomas Howard eldest Son to the Earl of Surrey with one John Hopton to take this Rover. When they had once found him out after a long and bloody fight they took him alive 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 Henry had no War with any forein Prince neither did the wiser sort wish that he should have any But he a young King in the heat of one and twenty years was transported with a vehement desire of War which saith the Proverb is sweet to them that never tasted of it Although he had about a year or two before made a League with Lewis the Twelfth of France yet he was easily intreated by Pope Julius to renounce this Confederacy This Pope more like to that Caesar whose Name he bare than Peter from whom he would fain derive his Succession that like another Nero sitting still he might from on high be a Spectator while the whole World was on fire had written Letters to our King wherein he intreated his assistance towards the suppression of the French Who without fear of God or man these were the pretended Causes had not only sacrilegiously laid hold on the Revenues of the Church had caused Cardinal William to usurp the Papacy had upheld Alphonso of Ferara and the Bentivogli in Rebellion against him
had fortified themselves as well as the shortness of time would permit them and the Peasants thereabouts bring all their goods into the City as to a place of safeguard The City was of no great circuit yet at the beginning of the Siege it contained fourscore thousand People by reason whereof Victuals began quickly to fail them and they could no way hope for relief The French King was far off they had no Garrison the Citizens bad Soldiers two great Princes had begirt the Town with fifty thousand men but they had an Enemy within called Famine more cruel and insupportable than both So having for some few days held out the Siege the nine and Twentieth of September their lives being granted them they yield and to save themselves from spoil pay a hundred thousand Crowns The King makes them swear Fealty to him and appoints Sir Edward Poynings a Knight of the Garter their Governour Next he gives order for store of Warlike provision puts in a small Garrison and builds a Cittadel for the confirmation of his Conquest Neither amongst these Politick affairs did he neglect those of the Church For the Bishop being proscribed he conferrs the See with all the revenues upon Thomas Wolsey of whose first rising and immoderate Power we shall have much occasion to speak hereafter All things being thus ordered because Winter came on apace he began to bethink himself of returning with his Army into England This thought so far pleased him that having been absent scarce four Months he took Ship and about the end of October came home triumphing in the Glory of a double Conquest By the way he was entertained with the news of another Victory the Lord Howard Earl of Surrey having under his Fortune slain the King of Scots The King of France being encumbred with many Wars had conjured James the Fourth King of Scots By the ancient Laws of Amity and the late League made between them that He would not forsake him entangled in so many difficulties If He regarded not his Friend's case yet he should at least look to Himself sor whom it would not be safe to suffer a bordering Nation always at enmity with Him by such additions to arise to that height of power The King of England busied with a forein War was now absent and with Him the flower of the English Chivalry He should therefore forthwith take Arms and try to recover Berwick an especial Town of the Scottish Dominions but for many years with-held by the English He would easily be victorious if He would but make use of this occasion so happily offered It could not be but this War would be for His Honour and profitable to His Friend if not to Himself He should thereby also make known to His Enemies that the Scottish Arms were not to be contemned whose former Victories a long and to them hurtful Peace had obscured and buried in oblivion among the English As for the charges of it He need not be troubled for that he would afford Him fifty thousand Crowns towards the providing of Munition and Ordnance These Reasons so prevailed with the young King covetous of glory that notwithstanding he had lately made a League with our King whose Sister he had married and her vehement dissuasions he proclaimed War against Henry which proved fatal to him bloody to his and the cause of many ensuing calamities So having raised a great Army he breaks into our Marches and besiegeth Norham-Castle belonging to the Bishop of Durham the which having held out six days was at last yielded unto him Thence he removes his Camp to Berwick wasting all the Countrey as he marcht with Fire and Sword The news whereof are brought unto them to whom the government of the Kingdom was committed in the absence of the King and a levy being made through all the North parts of the Kingdom Alnewike is appointed the rendezvous where all the Troops should meet at a set day that thence they might set forward against the Enemy under the conduct of the Lord Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey Among the first to his Father's great joy comes the Earl's Son Thomas Lord Admiral leading a veteran Troop of five thousand men of tryed valour and haughty in regard of their former Naval Victories obtained under the command of this young Lord. After him came the Lords Dacres Clifford Scrope Latimer Canyers Lumley and Ogle besides Sir Nicholas Appleyard Master of the Ordnance Sir W. Percie Sir William Sidney Sir William Bulmer Sir John Stanley Sir William Molineux Sir Thomas Strangwayes Sir Richard Tempest and many other Knights These sitting in Council thought it best to send an Herald to the King to expostulate with him concerning the outrages committed to complain that He had without all right or reason spoiled the Countrey of a Prince not only Ailied unto him but also his Confederate and therefore to certifie him that they were ready by Battel to revenge the breach of League if so be he durst await their coming but a few days in a ground that might be fitting for the meeting of both Armies The King makes answer by writing wherein He retorts the violation of the League calling God to witness that King Henry had first by his many injuries shown evident signs of an alienated mind For the English he pretended robbed all along the Marches of Scotland without restitution or punishment Andrew Barton a stout and bonest man had been unjusty slain by the King's command and one Heron who had murthered Robert Car a Scottish Noble-man vaunted himself openly in England the King taking no notice of so heinous a fact Of these things he had often complained by his Ambassadors but without effect There was therefore no other way for him but to betake himself to Arms for the common defence of himself and his Kingdom against the King's injustice As for the meeting he signified that he accepted of it and appointed both time and place for the Battel Neither party failed the prefixed day The Scot seeks to animate his men by taking away all hope of safeguard by flight commanding them I know not how wisely but the event shewed how unhappily for them to forsake their Horses forasmuch as they were to trust to their Hands not to their Horses heels and by his own example shewing what he would have done he alights and prepares himself to fight on foot The rest doing the like the whole Army encountred us on foot to whom after a long and bloody fight the fortune of the Victory inclined The Scots had two and twenty pieces of great Ordnance which stood them in no stead For our men climbing up a Hill where the Enemy sate hovering over us the shot passed over our heads Our chief strength were our Archers who so incessantly played upon four Wings of Scots for the King divided his Army into five Battalions that were but lightly armed that they forced them to flie and leave their fellows who
Lady Mary his Sister who afterward was married to the King of France thought it first good to honour him with the Duchy of Suffolk which this year at the feast of Candlemas was performed But how he was frustrated of his hopes and afterward beyond all hope enjoyed her shall be declared hereafter Somerset the natural Son of Henry of the House of Lancaster the last Duke of Somerset took his surname of his Father's Honour whereas he should have been called Beaufort or rather Plantagenet according to the ancient name of our English Kings He being Cousin-german to Henry the Seventh whose Mother was Margaret Sister to the Duke of Somerset and famous for his many Virtues of which that King was a quick and exact Judge and was by him made Lord High Chamberlain of England But having behaved himself very valiantly in this last Expedition against the French wherein Guicciardin untruly reporteth him to have been slain Henry the Eighth added this new Title which his Posterity still enjoyes to his ancient Honours He was great Grandfather by his Son Henry and Nephew William to Edward the now Earl who being one of His Majesties most Honorable Privy Council and Lord Privy Seal doth by his virtues much more ennoble his so noble Ancestors The French King hearing of the overthrow of the Scots perceiving himself deprived of such a Friend and Confederate seeing his Kingdom on fire about his ears and none to rely upon but himself determined if so he might fairly and with credit to renew his League with us Pope Julius the Second the Incendiary of Christendom was lately dead and the French King himself was now a Widower He therefore intends to try whether by marrying the Lady Mary the King's Sister he might secure himself from War on our side and by so near alliance gain the assured Friendship of so potent a Prince Leo the Tenth succeeding Julius the Second did openly side with the French against the Spaniard He therefore earnestly soliciting a reconciliation a Peace was concluded profitable to the French acceptable to us and on the ninth of October the Nuptials were with great pomp solemnized The French King was well stricken in years his Wife a tender Virgin of some sixteen or eighteen years of age but wonderful beautiful Besides the forementioned reasons the desire of Children for he had no Male Issue on his part on her part the good of the publick weal the authority of her Brother so willing and which bears chiefest sway in a Womans heart the supremacy of Honour in the title of a Queen were motives to match so uneven a Pair But many not without cause were persuaded that she had rather have made choice of Brandon for her Husband so her power had been answerable to her will than the greatest Monarch in the World neither was it long before she enjoyed her desire For the King as it often happens to elderly Men that apply themselves to young Women dyed the last of February having scarce three Months survived his Wedding The Queen might then lawfully according to the Articles of agreement return into England which she earnestly desiring the Duke of Suffolk was sent to conduct her who becoming a fresh Suitor unto her so far easily prevailed that before their departure from Paris they were there privately married The Marriage was afterward by the King's consent celebrated at Greenwich the thirteenth day of May of the ensuing year And now we must speak something of Wolsey's sudden and for these our times incredible rising who having as we have related before been invested in the Bishoprick of Tournay was within the year preferred to two other Bishopricks That venerable Bishop of Lincoln William Smith was lately deceased who beside many other Monuments of his Piety having begun in Oxford a College for Students called Brazen-nose-College was immaturely taken away before he could finish so good a work So the See being vacant it is conferred on Wolsey now high in the King's favour He was of very mean parentage a Butcher's Son and Ipswich a Town in Suffolk but of Norwich Diocess where he afterward laid the foundation of a stately College was the place of his Birth He was brought up at Oxford in Magdalen-College and afterward became Master of the Free-School thereto belonging Among other Scholars the Sons of the Marquess of Dorset were committed to his trust and for his care over them the Parsonage of Limington in Somersetshire no very mean one was bestowed on him As soon as he had set footing there he was very disgracefully entertained by Sir Amias Powlet who clapt him in the Stocks a punishment not usually inflicted upon any but Beggars and base people What the matter was that so exasperated him against Wolsey a man not of least account I know not This I know that Wolsey being afterward made Cardinal and Lord Chancellor of England so grievously punished this injury that Sir Amias Powlet was fain to dance attendance at London some years and by all manner of obsequiousness to curry favour with him There remains to this day a sufficient testimony hereof in a Building over the Gate of the Middle Temple in London built by the Knight at the time of his attendance there and decked round about very sumptuously with the Cardinal's Arms hoping thereby somewhat to allay the wrath of the incensed Prelate But these things were long after this year Wolsey whether that he could not brook this disgrace or beating a mind that lookt beyond this poor Benefice left it and became domestick Chaplain to Sir John Nafant Treasurer of Calais by whose means he was taken notice of by Fox Bishop of Winchester a man that knew rightly how to judge of good wits He finding this young man to be very sprightful of Learning sufficient and very active in dispatch of Affairs so highly commended him to King Henry the Seventh who relied much upon Fox's faith and wisdom that he thought it good forthwith to employ him in Affairs of great moment What need many words he so far pleased the King that in short time he became a great man and was first preferr'd to the Deanry of Lincoln and then made the King's Almoner But Henry the Eighth a young Prince coming to the Crown was wholly taken with his smooth tongue and pliable behaviour For when all the rest of his friends advised him to sit every day in person at the Council-Table that so by experience and daily practice he might reap Wisdom and to accustom himself to the managing of Affairs of Estate Wolsey advised him to follow his Pleasures saying That his Youth would not be able to brook their tedious Consultations every Age of man had its Seasons and Delights agreeable They did not do well that would force the King to act an Old man before his time Youth being utterly averse from wrinckled Severity It would come to pass hereafter if God were so pleased that what was now troublesom
of Ill May-day Long Peace having with us begate Plenty the Mother and Nurse both of good and bad Arts allured the most excellent Artificers of forein Nations to partake of our happiness by frequenting the City of London But the giddy multitude not conceiving what good became of communicating their skill unto us took it very heinously that Strangers should be permitted to enjoy the Priviledges of the City and our home-bred Artificers did most especially complain That their means were every day curtalled for as much as no small part was necessarily to be defalked for the maintenance of these Strangers This was now grown the common discourse and had gon so far that one Lincoln a ringleader of this tumultuous rout did not stick to persuade some Preachers publickly in the Pulpit to lay open these common grievances before the Estates of the Realm Our Ladies Hospital in London commonly called the Spittle is famous for the Easter-Sermons one of which was to be preached by Dr. Henry Standish afterward Bishop of St. Asaph a grave and learned man Lincoln had assayed him and had the denial as in a matter the very mention whereof a good Patriot should abhor But Dr. Bell a Divine who was after Standish to preach in the same Place without fear or wit seconding their seditious attempts did publickly in his Sermon read the Bill by them exhibited to him taking for his Text that of the Prophet in the hundred and fifteenth Psalm The heavens even the heavens are the Lords but he hath given the earth to the sons of men Thence most foolishly concluding that England was given to English-men only and that therefore it was not to be endured that Aliens should enjoy any part thereof Many things by him spoken to this purpose were accepted with great applause and approbation of the Vulgar who out of extreme hatred to Strangers breathed nothing but sedition And to add more fuel to this fire it happened that many outrages were about that time committed by some of these Strangers This evil then thus spreading it self Foreiners were every where ill intreated and commonly knockt down in the streets having not offered injury to any man The authors of these riots being by the Lord Mayor committed to prison a sudden rumor ran through the City That on May-day next all Strangers should be massacred This without doubt proceeded from some of this unruly crew and was intended as a watch-word to all the Faction but the Strangers made so good use of it that they had all withdrawn themselves before that time and the Magistrates very carefully attended each occasion endeavouring to crush all Tumultuous Designs in the shell On May-day-Eve therefore the next day being the Feast of the Apostles Philip and Jacob the solemnity thereof is usually augmented by the liberty granted to the younger sort to sport themselves and to make merry the Citizens in general are by Proclamation commanded to keep fast their doors and to restrain their Servants from going abroad until nine of the Clock the next day But before this had been throughly proclaimed an Alderman walking in the streets saw a troop of young men consisting of Apprentices and such like gathered together and playing at cudgels He sharply reproved them for not obeying the King's Edict withal threatning to punish them if they the sooner betook not themselves every one to his home Words not prevailing he laid hold on one or two intending to have committed them But what reckoning they made of Authority their resistance in rescue of their Companions shewed and by outcries giving an Alarm drew together all the rest of their Faction in that quarter of the City The fame of this hurliburly increased their numbers by sending Mariners Gentlemens Servants Beggars and Citizens but the greatest part were Apprentices Sedition like a torrent carried them headlong and animated them to all villany They break open the Prisons set those at liberty that were imprisoned for their outrages on Strangers flie about the City as in a whirlwind rob all Foreiners houses and not content with their goods seek after them for their lives They found their nests but the birds were fled Having thus spent the night in the morning hearing the King's forces to approach most of them slipt away only some three hundred remained whereof eleven were Women and being apprehended supplied their places whom they before had freed They were all arraigned only thirteen designed for death whereof nine suffered on divers Gibbets purposely erected in divers parts of the City Lincoln Sherwin and two Brethren named Bets Chieftains in this sedition were carried to Cheapside where Lincoln was deservedly hanged The Executioner ready to turn off another was prevented by the King 's gracious Pardon The mind of man being prone to pity we may imagine that others were well pleased at the news but certainly the condemned had cause to rejoyce The Queens of England the two Dowagers of France and Scotland both of them the King's Sisters and then at Court became incessant Petitioners to his Majesty and on their knees in the behalf of these condemned persons and at length Wolsey consenting by whom the King was wholly swayed their Petitions were granted to them and to the poor men their lives This was the last Scene of this Tragical Tumult the like whereof this well-governed City had not known in many Ages For the Laws very well provided in that case do under a great penalty forbid Assemblies especially of armed men if not warranted by publick Authority In August and September the Sweating-sickness termed beyond Sea Sudor Anglicus or the English sweat began a disease utterly unknown to former Ages Of the common sort they were numberless that perished by it of the Nobility the Lords Clinton and Grey of Wilton The symptoms and cure you may find in Polydor Virgil in Anno 1. Henr. 7. who as confidently as I believe truly maintains That this disease was never till then known to be much less to be mortal As if there were a concatenation of evils one evil seldom cometh alone A Pestilence succeeded this former mortality and so raged the whole Winter season in most parts of the Realm that the King for fear of infection attended by a few was fain every day to remove his Court from one place to another The eleventh of February was born the Lady Mary afterwards Queen of England ANNO DOM. 1518. REG. 10. THe Peace so long treated of between us and the French was now in September at length concluded on these Conditions That the Daulphin should marry the Lady Mary the King 's only Child and not yet two years old That Tournay should be restored to the French That the French should pay King Henry four hundred thousand Crowns viz. two hundred thousand for his charge in building the Cittadel for the Artillery Powder and Munition which he should leave there and other two hundred thousand Crowns partly for the expence of that
great concourse of most famous Souldiers Henry then entertained the French King at Guisnes in a House made of Timber framed partly in England partly in Holland and thence brought thither wherein there were four Mansions The out-side was covered with Cloth so painted that it would have deceived the beholders for squared Stone the in-side was hung with most rich Arras so that it every way seemed a most artificial and stately Building The form of it was much like that of the Exchange at Calais It being afterward taken asunder was transported into England and so stood the King in little or nothing saith Bellay Whereas we know and that by Records that there were sent over out of England for this Work three hundred Masons six hundred Carpenters two hundred Painters Glasiers and other Artificers in all eleven hundred which for the space of two months laboured continually on this Fabrick The day ensuing the French King prepares a Banquet the Banqueting-house was a Canopy every way extended sixty foot which without was covered with Cloth of Tissue within with blew Velvet pouldred with golden Flowers-de-Lys At each corner was a Pavilion of the same works the cords were of blew Silk twisted with Gold of Cyprus which was of great esteem But a most impetuous and tempestuous wind broke asunder the cords and laid all this bravery in the dirt Patience par force The French King suddenly makes another Banqueting-house in that place where there is now a Fort that takes its name from this Banquet The preparations were extraordinary and the magnificence outstripped the reach of humane judgment There wanted neither houses woods nor fields for disport for many men brought them entire on their backs But pleasures must have their intermission and Kings if not by their Greatness are by their Affairs severed Henry therefore returns to Calais and Francis to Boloign The tenth of the ensuing month the King gallantly attended visited the Emperour at Graveling The Emperour in requital accompanied him back to Calais Shews and Banquets are Princes usual Entertainments To this end the King so commanding a round building is made in the form of an Amphitheatre eight hundred foot in compass The sides were of planks in the middle was a Pillar made of eight great Masts tied together This Pillar supported the weight not only of the roof of the whole Fabrick whither as into a lower Heaven the Moon and Stars had descended but Organs also and places for the receipt of all sorts of Musick in abundance These places were adorned with Tapestry Statues and curious Pictures insomuch that the most fault-finding could not complain of any want in that kind All things were now prepared for the entertainment of such a guest and the Banquet ready to be served in when the same mischance that befel the French Canopy made our English Heaven and Earth meet together God as displeased with the mad prodigality of these two Kings sent a tempest the violence whereof scattered this counterfeit Heaven blew out above a thousand Wax-tapers defaced the glorious Thrones prepared for these Princes frustrated the expectation of the people and forced the King to the necessity of another place But to let pass the Tilting Masques and gorgeous Feasts during the six days the Emperour staid at Calais In these several Enterviews between all these Princes there was no one serious thing done but this that a firm Peace a perpetual League and faithful Friendship seemed to be concluded on all sides For who would have thought that it had been possible for discord it self to have dissolved this knot where Charles and Francis attributed so much to Henry that they made him Umpire of all controversies that should arise between them But that there is seldom any heed to be given to the Agreements of Princes where they are tied by no other bands as of Religion Affinity or manifest Utility than that weak one of their plighted Troth those foul dissentions and bloody wars which afterwards rent all Christendom and opened a way for that common enemy of our Faith may be a sufficient example The Emperour after all these passages of courtesie and humanity departs toward Graveling mounted on a brave Horse covered with a foot-cloth of cloth of gold richly beset with stones which the King had given him He would often speak of his Aunts happiness that was matcht to so magnificent a Prince The King staid some few days after at Calais from whence passing to Dover he with all his train arrived safe at London I cannot but envy their happiness who in so little time saw three the mightiest Monarchs in Christendom who for their exploits and the great alterations happening under each of them will without doubt be famous through all succeeding Ages ANNO DOM. 1521. REG. 13. E Dward Stafford Duke of Buckingham was about this time arraigned of high Treason He was descended of a Family which whether it was more antient or noble is questionable He derived himself by a direct line from Robert de Stafford to whom William the Conquerour gave large revenues which his posterity greatly enlarged by matching with the Heirs female of many noble Families By the Lady Ann Daughter to Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester who was Brother to Edward the Third he participated of the Blood Royal. The first honourable Title of the Family was of Lord Stafford the next of Earl of Stafford as was Edmund that married the Daughter to Thomas of Woodstock Humphrey Son to Edmund was created Duke of Buckingham by Henry the Sixth who left that Honor to his Son Humphrey who was Grandfather to this Edward by his Son Henry the third Duke How Henry assisted the Usurper Richard the Third in oppressing Edward the Fifth how he after conspired with the Earl of Richmond afterwards Henry the Seventh against the Usurper but was cut off by the Tyrant before he could bring any thing to pass the Histories of those times declare Edward his Son restored to Blood and Dignities by Henry the Seventh for his Descent Wealth and Honors inferiour to none but the King not content with this was by N. Hopkins a Charterhouse-Monk induced to believe that Heaven had decreed to cut off King Henry after whose death he should reign and the Crown be for ever established on his posterity This the Monk affirmed God the Governour of all things had revealed unto him He further advised him by liberality and courtesie to win the minds of the people for the time was at hand wherein this should certainly come to pass if it were not through his own default The Duke no sot but blinded by ambition gave such credit to the Monk 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 air secretly vilified the King and gave profusely to all Nay he could not forbear but
not knowing what course to run And this is thought to be the cause of his so extraordinary liberality toward the French The King being then in progress and hunting at Waltham it happened that Stephen Gardiner Principal Secretary of Estate after Bishop of Winton and Fox the King's Almoner after Bishop of Hereford were billeted in the house of a Gentleman named Cressey who had sent his two Sons to be brought up at Cambridge under the tutelage of Thomas Cranmer Doctor in Divinity a man both very learned and virtuous The Plague then spreading it self in Cambridge Cranmer with his two Pupils betook himself to Mr. Cressey their Father his house Where Gardiner and Fox among other table-talk discoursing of the King's Suit concerning his Divorce which had so many years depended in the Court of Rome undecided Cranmer said that he wondred the King required not the opinions of the most famous learned men that were any where to be found of whom the world had many far more learned than the Pope and and followed not their judgments What Cranmer had as it were let fall by chance they report to the King who suddenly apprehending it said that this fellow whosoever he was had hit the nail on the head and withal demanding his name caused Cranmer to be sent for whom he commended for his but too late advice which course if he had taken but five years before he should now have had an hundred thousand Pounds in his Purse which he had unprofitably in this Suit cast away on the Court of Rome he commands Cranmer to write a Tract concerning this Question wherein having drawn together what Reasons he could for the confirmation of his advice he should conclude with his own opinion Cranmer did it very readily and is thereupon with Sir Thomas Bolen lately created Earl of Wiltshire Carne Stokesley and Benet Doctors of Law with others sent on an Embassie to Rome Cranmer's Book is to be presented to his Holiness and they are commanded to challenge the Court of Rome to a Disputation wherein the Contents of that Book should be maintained the Argument whereof was That by the authority of holy Scripture ancient Fathers and Councils it was utterly unlawful for any man to marry his Brother's Widow and that no such marriage could be licensed or authorized by the Pope's Dispensation This being done the King's intent was they should procure the opinions of all the Universities throughout Europe by whom if he found his former Marriage condemned then without farther expecting the approbation of the See of Rome he was resolved to run the hazard of a second To this the amity of the French seeming very conducible the King had by his former liberality sought to oblige him The Ambassadors came to Rome had audience were promised a publick Disputation whereof they were held so long in expectation that perceiving their stay there to be to little purpose they all returned into England except Cranmer who with the same instructions that he had formerly been sent to the Pope was to go to the Emperour whose Court was then in Germany There this good and learned man hitherto no friend to Luther while he defends his own Book and the King's Divorce against the most learned either of Protestants or Papists is thought to have been seasoned with the leaven of that Doctrine for which after he had been twenty years Archbishop of Canterbury he was most cruelly burned While Cranmer thus laboured abroad the King at home deals with Langey the French Ambassador by whose means with the forcible Rhetorick saith one of some English Angels he obtained of the Universities of Paris with the rest throughout France Pavia Padua Bononia and others this Conclusion That the Pope who hath no power over the Positive Law of God could not by his Dispensation ratifie a Marriage contracted between a Brother and a Brother's Widow it being forbidden by the express words of Scripture The eighth 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 Earl of Wiltshire Robert Ratcliff Viscount Fitz-Walter of the noble Family of the Fitz-Walters Earl of Sussex in which honour his Son Thomas his Nephews Thomas first then Henry Brother to Thomas and now Robert the Son of Henry have succeeded him And George Lord Hastings was made Earl of Huntingdon who left it to his Son Francis Father of Henry who deceased without issue and George Grandfather to Henry the now Earl by Francis who died before his Father ANNO DOM. 1530. REG. 22. VV Illiam Tyndal having translated the New Testament into English and procured it to be printed at Antwerp had secretly dispersed many copies thereof thoughout England Whereat the Bishops and Clergy especially those that were most addicted to the Doctrine of Rome stormed exceedingly saying that this Translation was full of errours and that in the Prefaces and elsewhere it contained many things contrary to the Truth The King being angry with the Pope had long since determined to free himself from his usurped power And therefore admonished the murmuring Clergy to correct this Book not to suppress it for it was a most profitable work 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 Christendom Whereupon he giveth order to the Bishops and some other learned men to set forth a new Translation which his Subjects might read with safety and profit The hope of prevailing with the Pope by the French King's means had drawn Henry to send on a second Embassage to the Pope the Earl of Wiltshire Doctor Stokesley Elect of London and Edward Lee Wolsey his Successor in York They found the Pope at Bononia with the Emperour but had no other answer to their demands than that his Holiness when he came to Rome would endeavour to do the King justice Till then he could do nothing Fair means not prevailing the King runs another course By publick Proclamation throughout the Kingdom he forbids all commerce between his Subjects and the Bishop of Rome commanding that no man should receive any thing from or send any thing especially money unto him either by exchange or any other means calling him Tyrant the Harpy of the World the common Incendiary and deeming him utterly unworthy of that glorious title which he had vaingloriously usurped Christ's Vicar This in September But the wealth of the Clergy being very great and considering how they had in the Reigns of his Predecessors strongly sided with the Pope the King was somewhat jealous of them To curb them he condemns the whole Clergy throughout the Kingdom in a Praemunire for that without licence from his Majesty they had been 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
own Brother A strange ingratitude in one raised from so low degree even to the height of honour I will not derogate from the Authority of publick Records But an Act of Parliament against her shall not work on my belief Surely it carried so little shew of probability with forein Princes that they always deemed it an act of inhuman 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 Ambassadors had decreed to make Henry Head of their League and had designed an Embassy by John Sturmius who should have brought with him into England those excellent Divines Philip Melancthon and Martin Bucer with one George Draco who should endeavour that and the Reformation of our Church But having heard of the lamentable and unworthy as they judged it end of the Queen loathing the King for his inconstancy and cruelty they cast off all farther thought of that matter I will not presume to discuss the truth of their opinion But freely to speak what I my self think There are two reasons which sway much with me in the behalf of the Queen That her Daughter the Lady Elizabeth was seated in the Royal Throne where she for so many years ruled so happily and triumphantly What shall we think but that the Divine Goodness was pleased to recompence the unjust calamity of the Mother in the glorious prosperity of the Daughter And then consider but the King 's precipitated Nuptials the very next day after the death of his former Wife yet scarce intorred and with whose warm blood his embrued hands yet reaked Consider this I say and you shall easily be perswaded with me that the insatiable Prince glutted with the satiety of one and out of the desire of variety seeking to enjoy another did more willingly give ear to the treacherous calumnies of the malicious Popelings than either befitted an upright Judge or a loving Husband For it seemeth wonderful strange to me that either the fault of the one or the pleasing conditions and fair language of the other Wife should so far possess the King as that he should procure his Daughter Elizabeth to be by Act of Parliament declared illegitimate the Matrimony contracted with both the former Queens Catharine and Ann to be pronounced invalid and the Crown to be perpetually established on the posterity of the third Wife or if the King had no Issue by her that then it should be lawful for him by Will and Testament to transfer it on whom he pleased Parliaments were not then so rigid but that they could flatter the Prince and condescend to his demands though unjust even in cases which most nearly concerned the publick Weal But servile Fear is oft times more ready than Love which slowly moves by apprehension of Good as the other is quickly forced by the apprehension of Danger On the twentieth of May the King married Jane Seymour Daughter of Sir John Seymour who on the nine and twentieth of May being Whitsonday clad in Royal habiliments was openly shewed as Queen 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 Month it saw Queen Ann flourishing accused condemned executed and another assumed into her place both of bed and honour The first of May it seemeth she was informed against the second imprisoned the fifteenth condemned and the seventeenth deprived of her Brother and Friends who suffered in her cause and the nineteenth executed On the twentieth the King married Jane Seymour who on the nine and twentieth was publickly shewed as Queen The death of this innocent Lady God seemed to revenge in the immature end of the Duke of Richmond the King 's only but natural Son a Prince of excellent form and endowments who deceased the two and twentieth of July for whom the King a long time after mourned In the mean time on the nineteenth of July John Bourchier Lord Fitz-waren was created Earl of Bath whose successours in that Honour were his Son John who begat John deceased before his Father whose Son William is now Earl of Bath At what time also Thomas Cromwell a poor Smith's Son but of a dexterous wit whose first rising was in the Family of Cardinal 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 principal Secretary of Estate then Sir Thomas Bolen Earl of Wiltshire resigning he was made Lord Privy Seal and after that dignified with the unheard of Title of The King's Vicar general in affairs Ecclesiastical For the authority of the Pope being abrogated many businesses daily happened which could not be dispatched without the King's consent who not able to undergo 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 he had determined under colour and pretence thereof to put in execution some designs wherein the Clergy in all probability would have moved very slowly and against the hair He was therefore President in the Synod this year Certainly a deformed spectacle to see an unlearned Lay-man President over an assembly of sacred Prelates and such as for their Learning England had in no preceding Ages known 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 whom his Learning should make worthy By the authority of this Synod a Book was set forth wherein many points of Doctrine being proposed to be by the Curates expounded to their Parishioners mention was made of only three Sacraments Baptism the Eucharist and Penance some Holy-days also were abrogated and other things pertaining to Religion and Ecclesiastical discipline somewhat changed wherewith many were offended who preferred prescript Errours before the Truth The same time the Parliament assembled the fourth of January permitted all Monasteries the Revenues whereof exceeded not two hundred Pounds a year to the King's disposal who causing them to be suppressed to the number of three hundred seventy and six entred upon their Lands amounting to thirty two thousand Pounds a year and selling their goods even at very low rates most men accounting it sacrilegious to set to sale the goods of the Church raised above an hundred thousand Pounds These things of themselves were distastful to the vulgar sort Each one did as it were claim a share in the goods of the Church For many who being neither Monks nor relied to Religious persons did receive no profit of Ecclesiastical goods did notwithstanding conceive that it might hereafter come to pass that either their Children Friends or Kindred might obtain the places yet supplied by others
partakers in this Tumult finding it confirmed by the King with promise moreover that he would have a care that these things whereof they complained should be redressed they laying aside their Arms peaceably repaired each one to his home They in the heat of this their fury had for six weeks straitly besieged Scarborough-Castle then kept by Sir Ralph Evers of the noble Family of Evers who without any other Garrison than of his Houshold-servants and Tenants and so slenderly victualled that for twenty days together they sustained themselves with Bread and Water manfully defended it against their furious attempts and kept it until the Commotion was appeased For which brave service the King made him Leader of the Forces appointed for the defence of the Marches towards Scotland which he with great credit performed until he was in the year of our Lord 1545 unfortunately slain Neither was the Estate of Ireland more peaceable than of England Girald Fitg-Girald Earl of Kildare having been twelve years Lord Deputy of Ireland was for some slight matters removed called into England and condemned to death which punishment he through the malice of Wolsey had undergone had not friendship shewed its effects in the Lieutenant of the Tower to whose custody the Earl was committed He having received a Mandate for the execution of the Earl durst hazard the displeasure of the potent Cardinal to save his friend Wherefore he repairs to the King at midnight desirous to know his Majesty's pleasure concerning the Earl who not only disapproved the Mandate but also pardoning the Earl received him into his favour and a few years after restored him to his former dignity of Lord Deputy But these garboils happening in England he is for as slight suspitions as before revoked and commanded to attend at the Council-Table where by his answers he appeared not altogether so innocent but that he was again committed to the Tower Before his departure out of Ireland the King had commanded him to substitute some one in his place for whose faith and diligence he would undertake He had a Son named Thomas little above twenty years old a haughty and stout young Lord very ingenious and exceedingly affecting his Father To this Son as to another Phaeton he commits the guidance of his Chariot Sed quae non viribus istis Munera conveniunt nec tam puerilibus annis which indeed proved fatal to them both and to almost the whole Family For no sooner was the Earl imprisoned but report raised as is conjectured by his enemies beheaded him threatning the like to his Off-spring and Brethren whose destruction the King had most certainly resolved The author of this report was uncertain and the young Lord as rashly credulous who taking Arms solicited the aid of his friends against the King's injustice He had then five Uncles Brethren to his Father three of which at first disswaded him from these violent proceedings But passion had excluded reason and they at length associate themselves with their Nephew with whom they were involved in the same ruine Many others flocking unto him he had suddenly raised a great Army wherewith marching up and down the Countrey he robbed and killed them who refused to obey him And among the rest he permitted the Archbishop of Dublin to be murthered in his sight The poor Earl already afflicted with a Palsie was so stricken to the heart with the news of this Tumult that he but a few days survived the knowledge of his unhappiness The King levying great Forces quickly curbed the unruly Youth and after some months forced him to yield His Uncles were either taken or willingly submitted themselves All of them were sent to London and there brought to their answer There goes a Story that those three Uncles who endeavoured to restrain their headstrong Nephew did half presume on the King's clemency until in the passage demanding of the Master the name of the Ship wherein they sailed and understanding it was called The Cow bethinking themselves of a certain Prophecy That five Sons of an Earl should in the belly of a Cow be carried into England never to return they forthwith despaired of pardon The event approved the skill of the Wizard For some enemies to this noble Family incensing the King by suggesting that he should never expect to settle Ireland as long as any of the race of the Fitz-Giralds remained easily prevailed with the King for their Execution In regard whereof I cannot blame Girald the Brother of Thomas who trusting not to the weak plea of his innocence then sick of the Measles as he was sought by making an escape to set himself out of the reach of malice Being therefore packed up in a bundle of clothes he was privately conveyed to one of his Friends with whom he lurked until he found an opportunity of escaping into France where he was for a time favourably received by the King But long he could not be there secure the Agents of Henry pressing hard That by the League all Fugitives were to be delivered wherefore he went thence into the Netherlands where finding himself in no less danger than before he fled into Italy to Reignald Pool who maintained and used him very nobly and at length procured him to be restored to his Countrey and the Honors of his Ancestors The mention of Pool falls fit with our time he being this year on the two and twentieth of December by Pope Paul the Fourth chosen into the Colledge of Cardinals He was near of blood to the King who first bestowed Learning on him and afterward finding his modesty and excellent disposition conferred on him the Deanry of Exceter But travelling afterwards to forein Universities he was in Italy quickly bewitched with the Sorceries of the Circe of Rome insomuch that he became a deadly enemy to his Fosterer his Prince his Kinsman For when he would neither allow of the Divorce from the Lady Catharine nor the abrogating of the Authority of the Pope and openly condemned other the King's proceedings in Ecclesiastical affairs refusing also to obey the King who commanded him home Henry disposed of his Deanry and withdrew the large stipend which he had yearly allowed him The Pope therefore intending to make use of this man as an Engin of battery against the King and being induced by the commendations of Cardinal Contaren bestowed on him a Cardinal's Hat and was thereby assured of him who had of late been suspected to have been seasoned with the Leaven of purer Doctrine But of that hereafter ANNO DOM. 1537. REG. 29. THe accidents of this year were Tragical and England the Scene of blood and deaths of many famous Personages On the third of February was Thomas Fitz-Girald beheaded for Treason his five Uncles hanged drawn and quartered and their members fixed over the Gates of London The same month Nicholas Musgrave and Thomas Gilby for that stirring a new Rebellion they had besieged Carlile were executed The tenth of March
was John Paslew Batchelor of Divinity and Abbot of Whalley put to death at Lancaster and with him one Eastgate a Monk of the same place and three days after them another Monk called Haydock was hanged at Whalley The Abbots of Sauley and Woburn with two Monks make the like end at Woburn And a little after one Doctor Macarell another Abbot the Vicar of Louth two other Priests and seven Lay-men All these for as much as I can any way collect were condemned for having been especial furtherers of the late Rebellions But the Chiestains and nobler sort were reserved until June at what time the Lords Darcy and Hussey were beheaded the one at Lincoln the other at London Sir Robert Constable Sir Thomas Percy Sir Francis Bigot Sir Stephen Hamilton and Sir John Bulmer were likewise put to death Margaret Lady to Sir John Bulmer was burned at London William Thurst Abbot of Fountaines Adam Sudbury Abbot of Gervaux the Abbot of Rivers Wold Prior of Birlington George Lumley Nicholas Tempest Esquires and Robert Aske with many others as having been partakers in the late Insurrection did likewise partake in punishment for the same And for a Commotion in Somersetshire in April were threescore condemned whereof only fourteen suffered But lest any one may wonder at these severe and unheard of courses taken against the Clergy I think it not amiss to relate what Sleidan writes of Cardinal Pool who set forth one or two Books which as yet lurking at Rome about this time were spred abroad in Germany and came at length to the King's hands Wherein directing his stile to the King he sharply reprehendeth him for taking upon him the title of Head of the Church which only belonged to the Pope who is Christ's Vicar on earth c. Then he proceeds to the matter of his Divorce alledging That he neither out of terrour of conscience nor fear of God as he pretended but out of lust and blind love had forsaken the Lady Catharine his Wife whom his Brother Prince Arthur a weak young man and but fourteen years old had left a Virgin That it was not lawful for him to marry Ann Bolen whose Sister he had before used as his Concubine And that he himself had confessed to the Emperour and others That he found the Lady Catharine a Maid He also eagerly reproveth him for seeking the Opinions of the Universities concerning his former Marriage and triumphing in his own wickedness when some of them had pronounced it Incestuous and that he might be ashamed to prefer the Daughter of a Whore before one that was legitimate and a most Virtuous Princess Then speaking of the death of the Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More he detests his cruelty He then rips up what tyranny he had exercised over his Subjects of all degrees in what miseries he had plunged this flourishing Realm what dangers he incurred from the Emperour in regard of the injury offered to his Aunt and the overthrow of Religion and that he could not expect any aid either from his own or forein Nations who had deserved so ill of the Christian Commonwealth After this he whets on the Emperour to revenge the dishonour of his Family affirming that Turcism meaning the Protestant Religion had found entertainment in England and Germany And after many bitter reproofs he invites Henry to repentance perswading him That for these evils there was no other remedy but to return to the bosom of the Church in the defence whereof a most glorious example he had made use not only of his Sword but his Pen also Neither did the Cardinal only by Book but by other personal endeavours manifest his spleen against the King being sent Ambassador from the Pope to the French under colour of reconciling him with the Emperour but his chief errant was to combine them both against Henry Whereof he having intelligence did by his Agent earnestly solicit Francis That in regard of their mutual amity he would cause Pool to be apprehended as guilty of high Treason and sent to him where he should undergo the punishment due therefore But because Religion and the Law of Nations had been violated in betraying any especially the Pope's Ambassador the French could not yield to the King's request But to shew that he would administer no cause of offence he refused to admit of his Embassy and commanded him speedily to depart out of his Dominions Hercules stature might be guessed at by the proportion of his and by this one man's endeavours Henry was taught what if need were he was to expect of his Clergy So that he was easily induced as any of them offended to send him to his grave for that a dead Lion biteth not And this course being taken with his professed enemies the fear of the like punishment would secure him of the rest On the twelfth of October the Queen having long suffered the throws of a most difficult travel and such a one wherein either the Mother or the Infant must necessarily perish out of her womb was ripped Prince Edward who after succeeded his Father in the Crown The Queen only surviving two days died on the fourteenth of October and on the twelfth of November was with great pomp buried at Windsor in the middle of the Quire on whose Tomb is inscribed this Epitaph Phoenix Jana jacet nato Phoenice dolendum Saecula Phaenices nulla tulisse duas Here a Phenix lieth whose death To another Phenix gave 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 Cornwal and Earl of Chester and with him his Uncle Edward Seymour Brother to the deceased Queen Lord Beauchamp and Earl of Hertford which Honours only and not those afterwards conferred on him he left to his posterity William Fitz-Williams Lord Admiral was made Earl of Southampton Then also William Powlet and John Russel began their races in the lists of Honour Powlet being made Treasurer and Russel Comptroller of the King's Houshold and both sworn of the Privy Council Neither was here their non ultra the one being afterward raised to Lord Treasurer of England and Marquess of Winchester the other to Earl of Bedford wherein he dying in the year 1554 his Son Francis that pious old man and liberal reliever of the Poor succeeded him who at the very instant of his death lost his Son Francis slain by a Scot Anno 1587. Which Francis was Father to Edward Earl of Bedford and Brother to William by King James created Lord Russel Powlet living to be a very decrepit old man had to his Successor his Nephew by his Son William named also William the sole Marquess of England And to end this year with death as it began Thomas Howard youngest Son to the Duke of Norfolk having been fifteen months imprisoned for affiancing himself without the King's consent to Margaret Daughter to Archibald Douglas
the Judges and chief Lawyers of the Realm at his left hand sate the Temporal Lords and behind them the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Lambert being brought to the Bar Day Bishop of Chichester by the King's appointment made an Oration wherein he declared the cause of this meeting saying That Lambert having been accused of Heresie before his Ordinary had made his Appeal unto the King as if expecting from his Majesty more favour for Heresie than from the Bishop So that he now found it to be true whereof he had been oft informed That the credulous People were verily perswaded that his Majesty 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 been troublesom to his Predecessors but to Him intolerable and therefore had He shaken it off That Religion might no longer patronize Idleness He had expelled Monks who were no other than Drones in the Bee-hive He had taken away the idolatrous worship of Images had permitted to his Subjects the reading and knowledge of God's Word hitherto prohibited by the Church of Rome lest their wiles and cozenages should be discovered And had made reformation in some other things peradventure of less moment which no man could deny would much redound to the good both of Church and Commonwealth But as for other things He had determined there should be no change in the Church during his Reign Which his Resolution He now intended publickly to manifest His Majesty's desire was That the Delinquent renouncing his Errours should suffer himself to be received into the bosom of the Church To which end partly and partly to shew that He thirsted not after any one's blood out of his elemency He had procured the presence of those Grave and Learned men meaning the Bishops who by Authority and force of Arguments should if it were possible bring back this strayed Sheep into the Fold of the Church But if he perversly oppugned the Truth and all perswasions notwithstanding became immoveable He would by this man's exemplary punishment make known 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 he thought of the presence of Christ's Body in the Sacrament Whose answer being little to the King 's liking reasons and arguments were produced as if a Disputation in the Schools and not a Justiciary Session had been appointed Five whole hours this Disputation lasted the King being as it were Prior Opponent Archbishop Cranmer also and nine other Bishops forcibly pressing upon poor Lambert But neither this course nor the battery of threats and terrours prevailing against his constancy the King commanded the Lord Cromwell to pass sentence of condemnation upon him by virtue whereof within a day or two after he was burned Neither this dreadful Sentence nor his torturing death did any way appale him which he so little regarded that going to his death he merrily took his Breakfast with some Gentlemen into whose company he chanced as if he had been going to some sportful Game rather than 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 Counsel with the Marquess of Exceter and the Lord Mountague And on the eight and twentieth of April a Parliament began wherein Margaret Countess of Salisbury Mother to Cardinal Pool 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 Cardinal her Son Gertrude Widow to the Marquess of Exceter Sir Adrian Fortescue and Sir Thomas Dingley Dingley and Fortescue were beheaded on the tenth of July and the Countess being then aged threescore and ten years suffered two years after In the same Parliament it was Enacted That the King might erect new Episcopal Sees in opportune places of the Realm For the performance whereof and of some other things no less specious the late dissolution of those Abbeys whereon the King seised was confirmed and all Religious Houses as yet unsuppressed were granted to the King for ever Upon notice whereof many either out of guilt of conscience or desirous to purchase the King's favour surrendred their charge even before they were required And first of all the Abbot and Convent of St. Albans the first Abbot of the Realm as St. Alban was the first Martyr which Honour was conferred on this House by Pope Adrian the Fourth whose Father had long lived a Monastical life therein forsake their rich Abbey seated near the ruins of Verolamium once a great and antient City and leave it to the mercy of the Courtiers Which dereliction afforded matter of example to many other few enjoying that security of conscience that they durst lay claim to their own Only three were found whose innocence made them so regardless of threats promises or reward that they could never be induced to betray the goods of their Churches to the merciless impiety of sacrilegious Harpies Which three were John Bech Abbot of Colchester in Essex Hugh Faringdon Abbot of the Abbey of Reding built by Henry the First for the place of his Sepulture and Richard Whiting Abbot of Glastonbury one of the stateliest and antientest Monasteries of Europe being first builded by Joseph of Arimathea who buried the Body of our Saviour Christ and is himself there interred as is also beside some Saxon Kings that most renowned King Arthur whose glorious Acts had they been undertaken by a fit Historian would have ranked him among the antient Worthies without the help of a fabulous Romance Against these men therefore other courses not availing that one was taken of administring the Oath of Supremacy which they refusing are as enemies to the Estate condemned of high Treason Bech was hanged at Colchester and Faringdon with two Priests named Rug and Ognion at Reding Whiting a man very aged and by reason thereof doating scarce perceiving that he had been condemned returning from the place of Judgment which was in the Bishop's Palace at Wells distant from Glastonbury four miles with conceit that he was restored to his Abbey was suddenly rapt up to the top of the Tor a Hill that surveys the Countrey round about and without leave of bidding his Convent farewel which he earnestly begged was presently hanged the stain of ingratitude sticking fast to the authors of this speedy execution of whom the poor Abbot is reported to have better deserved With Whiting were two Monks also executed named Roger James and John Thorn their Bodies all drawn and quartered and set up in divers places of the Countrey The punishment of these few so terrified the rest that without more ado they permitted all to the King's disposal The number of those that were supprest is not easily cast But the names of
October 1549 had been already exautorated All of them for fear of practising against the Estate were deteined in Prison And on the last of October Francis Inglefield Walgrave and Rechester Servants to the Lady Mary as also Francis Mallet Doctor of Divinity her Chaplain were committed I cannot speak any thing certain of the causes of any of their Imprisonments excepting Doctor Mallet's only At the Emperour's request he was permitted to celebrate Mass 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 self all means had been used to conform her to the Times the King himself had taken much pains with her by often suasory Letters the Council had done the like and personally to satisfie her with Reason divers Learned men had been employed But their labours were vain for hatred to our Religion for her Mothers for her own sake and some politick respects for by the Decrees of our Religion she was made Illegitimate and consequently cut off from the Succession to the Crown if he Brother should die Issueless confirmed her in that Superstition which she had sucked from her Mother On the fourteenth of April one George Paris a German was at London burned for Arrianism 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 pass through England into Scotland Which being granted and she invited to London entred the City on the second of November where her Entertainment was general and Royal. On the sixth of November she departed for Scotland and had the Charges of her whole Retinue born until she arrived there in safety About the same time also the Earl of Arundel and the Lord Paget were but for what causes is uncertain committed to the Tower In the ensuing April the Garter was taken from the Lord Paget and conferred on the Earl of Warwick the Duke of Northumberland's eldest Son As for the Earl of Arundel he was on the third of December in the next year 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 Months in Prison since his Condemnation At length the violence of his Enemies notwithstanding the King's desire to save his Uncle under whose Tuition he had passed his Childhood drew him to the Scaffold Being on the twenty fourth of January brought to the place of Execution he in this manner bespake the Assembly Being by the Law condemned I here willingly submit my self by exemplary punishment to satisfie its Rigour That God hath been pleased to grant me so long a Preparative to my End I humbly thank his Eternal Goodness But in that he hath been farther pleased to inspire me with the Knowledge of his Truth and to make me an Instrument for the propagation of the same I can never sufficiently magnifie his Mercies In this do I rejoice in this only do I triumph beseeching him that his Church in this Realm being now reformed according to the Institution of the antient Primitive the Members thereof may conform their lives to the purity of its received Doctrine More he would have said but a strange tumult and sudden consternation of the Assembly mterrupted him The People possessed with a Panick terror as it were with an unanimous consent cryed out Fly quickly fly insomuch that of that infinite multitude which the expectation of the Duke's death had drawn together as many as well could seeking to shift for themselves many are troden to death and others in the throng as unfortunately 〈◊〉 the rest amazedly expect their own destruction when their own fears were the greatest danger The cause of their fears no man could certainly speak one said he heard a terrible crack of Thunder another the noise of a Troop of Horse and some over credulous according to the sway of their Affections joyfully affirmed that Messengers were come with a Pardon for the Duke But certain Halberdiers appointed to guard the Duke to the Scaffold but coming tardy and crying to their Fellows Away away were more probably the occasion of this Tumult The true meaning of this amphibological word which commandeth haste to and from being mistaken and withall a company of Armed men bending themselves as was supposed against the multitude filled all with terrour and confusion The affrighted People being at length with much ado pacified the Duke intreating them for a while to contain themselves that he might with a more setled mind depart out of this World by Prayer commended his Soul to God and then suffered with admirable constancy neither by voice gesture nor 〈◊〉 shewing himself any way dejected or moved at the apprehension of Death unless peradventure you might take this for a token of fear that when he covered his Eyes with his Handkerchief his Cheeks had a little more tincture of red than usual That his Death was generally lamented is manifest Many there were who kept Handkerchiefs dipped in his Blood as so many sacred Relicks Among the rest a spriteful Dame two years after when the Duke of Northumberland was led Captive through the City for his opposition against Queen Mary ran to him in the streets and shaking out her bloody Handkerchief before him Behold said she the Blood of that worthy man that good Uncle of that excellent King which shed by thy treacherous machination now at this instant begins to revenge it self upon thee And Sir Ralph Vane who on the twenty sixth of February was with Sir Miles Partridge hanged at the same place where the Duke had suffered at what time also Sir Michael Stanhop and Sir Thomas 〈◊〉 were there beheaded going to his Execution said that His Blood would make Northumberland's Pillow uneasie to him These four Knights being to be Executed did each of them take God to witness that they never practised any thing against the King nor any of his Council To return to the Duke such was his End As for his Life he was a pious just man very zealous in point of Reformation very solicitous of the King's safety every way good and careful of the Weal publick only a little tainted with the Epidemick of those times who thought it Religion to reform the Church as well in its exuberancy of Means as of superstitious Ceremonies whereof not a few of our Cathedrals to this day complain Many Prodigies ensued his death whereby many did presage the Calamities of succeeding times In August six Dolphins a Fish seldom seen in our Seas were taken in the Thames three near Quinborough and three a little above Greenwich where
lest it might prove an occasion of Sedition and Civil Tumults The Archbishop Cranmer did for a while refuse to subscribe to it not deeming it any way agreeable to equity that the right of lawful Succession should upon any pretences be violated But the King urging him and making Religion a motive which was otherwise likely to suffer after a long disceptation he was at length drawn to assent But these delays of his were so little regarded by Queen Mary that under her scarce any man was sooner marked out for destruction Some few days after these passages on the sixth of July in the sixteenth year of his age King Edward at Greenwich surrendred his Soul to God having under his Tutors reigned six years five months and nineteen days and even in that tender age given great proof of his Virtue a Prince of great Devotion Constancy of Mind Love of the Truth and incredibly Studious Virtues which with Royal Greatness seldom concur Some three hours before his Death not thinking any one had been present to over-hear him he thus commended himself to God O Lord God free me I beseech thee out of this miserable and calamitous life and receive me among the number of thine Elect if so be it be thy pleasure although not mine but thy Will be done To thee O Lord do I commend my Spirit Thou knowest O Lord how happy I shall be may I live with thee in Heaven yet would I might live and be well for thine Elects sake that I might faithfully serve thee O Lord God bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy People of England defend this Kingdom from Popery and preserve thy true Religion in it that I and my People may bless thy most Holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christ. Then opening his Eyes which he had hitherto closed and seeing Doctor Owen the Physician from whose report we have this Prayer sitting by Are you there quoth he I had not thought you had been so near who answered I heard you speak but could not collect your words Indeed replied the King I was making my Prayer to God A little after he suddenly cryed out I faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my Soul which words he had scarce spoken ere he departed Much might be spoken in praise of this Prince but regardful of my intended brevity I will only give you a tast of him out of Cardan who about a year before travelling through England toward Scotland was admitted to his presence The conference between them he thus describeth Aderant illi speaking of the King Gratiae Linguas enim multas callebat Puer c. He was stored with Graces for being yet a Child he spake many Languages his native English Latin French and as I hear was also skilled in the Greek Italian Spanish and peradventure some others He wanted neither the rudiments of Logick the principles of Philosophy nor Musick He was full of Humanity the relish of Morality of Gravity befitting Royalty of hopes great as himself A Child of so great Wit and such Expectation could not be born without a kind of Miracle in Nature I write not this Rhetorically with the excess of an Hyperbole for to speak all the truth were to speak far more Being yet but in his fifteenth year he spake Latin as readily and politely as I could What faith he is the subject of your Books De Rerum Varietate I had dedicated them to his Majesty Card. In the first Chapter I shew the long hidden and vainly sought after causes of Comets King And what is the cause Card. The concourse and meeting of the lights of the erratick Stars King But being the Planets are moved with several motions how comes it to pass that the Comet doth not either presently dissolve and scatter or move with their motion Card. It moves indeed but with a far swifter motion than the Planets by reason of the diversity of the aspect as we see in Crystal and the Sun when a Rainbow rebound upon a Wall for a little change makes a great difference of the place King But how can that be done without a subject for the Wall is the subject to the Rainbow Card. As in the Galaxia or Milky-way and in the reflection of lights when many Candles lighted are set near one another they do produce a certain lucid and bright mean You may know the Lion by his paw as they say For his ingenuous nature and sweet conditions he was great in the expectation of all either good or learned men He began to favour Learning before he could know it and knew it before he knew what use to make of it O how true is that saying Immodicis brevis est aetas rara senectus Immoderate growths short liv'd are aged seld He could give you only a tast of his Virtue not an example When occasion required a Majestick gravity you should see him act an old man in his affability and mildness he shewed his age He plaid on the Lute accustomed himself to publick affairs was liberally disposed c. So much Cardan His Corps was on the ninth of August with no very great pomp interred at Westminster near to his Grandfather Henry the Seventh And here had I with this King's death concluded this Second Part had not the consideration of a memorable Enterprize of this King 's occurred To Sebastian Cabota a Portugueze for his admirable skill in Cosmography and the Art of Navigation he allowed an Annuity of an hundred sixty six Pounds Edward by this Cabota's perswasion on the twelfth of May set forth three Ships under Sir Hugh Willoughby for the discovery of unknown Regions in the North parts of the World The main hope of this Voyage was that way to open a shorter passage to those vast Countries of the East Cathay and China Near upon the Coast of Norway these Ships were so severed by Tempest that they never met again One of these great Ships terrified with the greatness of irresistable dangers quickly returned home Sir Hugh Willoughby arrived at last at a Countrey under the Latitude of seventy four degrees not inhabited hitherto to us unknown and was forced to winter there where he and all his Company were frozen to death The Ship was afterward found by some the like English Adventurers and in his Desk a writing relating the Adventures of each day his Will also by which it appeared that he lived until January Richard Chanceller with the third Ship making a more prosperous Voyage after many dangers and incertainties arrived at last among the Russes and Muscovites To these parts some few years after he made a second Voyage but in his return suffered wreck on the Scottish Coast where seeking to save the Muscovite Ambassador he himself was drowned Howsoever he were unfortunate he opened a rich Vein of Traffick to succeeding times whereby we have an exact discovery of that Countrey and of the
the Church And to add more majesty to their act by some devout Solemnity they go in Procession to Pauls singing that admirable Hymn of those holy Fathers St. Ambrose and St. Augustine commonly known by its first words Te Deum Then they dispatcht away some Companies to seize on the Tower and command the Duke of Suffolk to render himself The Duke as easily dejected at the news as he had formerly been elevated by vain hope entring his Daughters Chamber forbad the farther use of Royal Ceremonies wishing her to be content with her return to a Private fortune Whereto she answered with a setled countenance Sir I better brook this message than my forced advancement to Royalty out of obedience to you and my Mother I have grievously sinned and offered violence to my self Now I do willingly and as obeying the motions of my Soul relinquish the Crown and endeavour 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 she retired into a withdrawing-room more troubled at the Danger she had incurred than the defeasance of so great hopes The Duke himself presently repaired to the rest of the Council and subscribed to their Decree This Proclamation was on the nineteenth of July published and entertained with such Acclamations that no part of it could be heard after the first mention of Queen Maries Name The Earl of Arundell and the Lord Paget having thus ordered this weighty Affair accompanied with thirty Horse rid post that night unto the Queen to certifie her of the gladsom tidings of her Subjects loyal intentions In the mean time the Lords of the Council certifie Northumberland of these Passages commanding him withal to subscribe to the Decree and dismiss his Army But he out of the Presage of his own Fortune had before the receipt of their Letters proclaimed her Queen at Cambridge where in a counterfeit joy he threw up his Cap with the sincerer multitude Then he cashiered the rest of his wavering Companies and almost all the Lords who had hitherto followed him with a Legal Revolt passing over to the Queen and making Northumberland the sole author and cause of these disloyal Distractions were upon their Submission pardoned Lady Jane having as on a Stage for ten days only personated a Queen was committed to safe custody and the Ladies who had hitherto attended her were commanded each to their homes The Duke of Northumberland was by the Queens command apprehended by the Earl of Arundell and committed to the Tower The manner of his taking is reported to have been thus After so many checks uncertain what course to take resolved to flie but not knowing whether the Pensioners who with their Captain Sir John Gates had followed him in this Expedition while he was pulling on his Boots seised on him saying that It was fit they should excuse themselves from the imputation of Treason by his testimony The Duke withstanding them and the matter being likely to grow to blows at the very instant came those Letters from the Council which commanded them all to lay aside their Arms and peaceably to repair to their homes These Letters took up the matter and set the Duke at liberty which notwithstanding lasted not long For the next morning as he was ready to take Horse the Earl of Arundell intercepted him and with him apprehended the Earl of Huntingdon the Earl of Warwick Northumberland's eldest Son and two others younger Lord Ambrose and Lord Henry Dudley Sir Andrew Dudley the Duke's Brother Sir Thomas Palmer Sir John Gates his Brother Henry Gates and Doctor Edwin Sands who on the five and twentieth of July were brought to London and presently committed to the Tower The Earl of Huntingdon was not long after set at liberty but his Son was presently Sir John Gates whom Northumberland accused to have been the contriver of all this mischief and Sir Thomas Palmer were after Executed The Earl of Warwick died in Prison The Lords Ambrose and Henry Dudley were Pardoned Henry was afterward slain with a shot at the Siege of St. Quintin but Ambrose finding Fortune more propitious out-lived Mary and by Queen Elizabeth created Earl of Warwick long flourished in the happiness of her Favour Sir Andrew Dudley after his Condemnation was also Pardoned Doctor Sands being then Vicechancellour of the University of Cambridge had by Northumberland's command in the Pulpit publickly impugned Queen Maries Cause and defended that of Lady Jane but with that Wisdom and Moderation although upon the short warning of some few hours that he abundantly satisfied the Duke and yet did not so deeply incur the displeasure of the adverse part but that his Friends prevailed with the Queen for his Pardon So that after a years Imprisonment he was set at liberty and presently fled over into Germany After the death of Queen Mary returning from his voluntary Exile he was Consecrated Bishop of Worcester from which See he was translated to London and thence again to the Archbishoprick of York A man for his Learning Virtue Wisdom and Extract very famous but most especially happy in his Issue whereof many were admirable for their Endowments both internal and external and of whom we have in our Age seen three honoured with Knighthood On the six and twentieth of July the Marquis of Northampton afterward Condemned and Pardoned Doctor Ridley Bishop of London who two years after was Burned at Oxford and beside many others Lord Robert Dudley that great Earl of Leicester under Queen Elizabeth were brought to the Tower On the seven and twentieth the Duke of Suffolk to whom the Queen with admirable Clemency within four days restored his liberty Sir John Cheeke King Edward's Schoolmaster Sir Roger Cholmley Chief Justice of the King's Bench and Sir Edmond Mountague Chief Justice of the Common Pleas were committed to the same place who were all on the third of September set at liberty On the thirtieth of July the Lady Elizabeth accompanied by a great train 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 Queen to congratulate her happy Success in vindicating her Right to the Crown Who on the third of August having dismissed her Army which had not yet exceeded the number of thirteen thousand attended by all the Nobility made a triumphant entrance through London to the Tower where the Duke of Norfolk Edward Courtney Son to the Marquis of Exceter Beheaded in the year 1538 Gardiner late Bishop of Winchester and Anne Duchess of Somerset presented themselves on their Knees and Gardiner in the name of them all spake a congratulatory Oration which ended the Queen courteously raised them and kissing each of them said These are all my own Prisoners and gave order for their present discharge Edward Courtney she restored to his Father's honours making
conceiving this answer to proceed from a desire of longer date of Life prevails with the Queen for three days more and returning to Lady Jane certifies her what he had done beseeching her to hearken unto him and to reform her Opinion in point of Religion To whom she answered with a smiling countenance Alas Sir it was not my desire that her Majesty should be troubled with the report of my words For think not that I am touched with any desire of prolonging my days No I am so far from it that ever since your departure Life hath afflicted me with its tediousness and as for Death being wholly intent to the attaining of Life Eternal I utterly despise it and her Majesties pleasure being such I willingly undergo it Fecknam again reiterated his perswasions that she would embrace the Religion of the Church of Rome To whom her replies were such that whosoever shall read the Conference between them for it was after published cannot without amazement wonder how so tender an age especially the Sex considered should be capable of such Constancy Learning Wisdom Wit Her Husband Lord Guilford being first to suffer desired leave to see her converse with her and take his last farewel Whereto she would by no means consent desiring him To omit this foment of Grief rather than Comfort in Death for they should shortly behold each other more really united in a better place and more happy estate Yet she unappalled saw him conducted to Tower-hill and with the same setled spirit beheld his headless Trunk when it was returned to be interred in the Chappel of the Tower The Death of this innocent Lady it was conceived would not be without almost a general distaste But to decline it as much as might be it was thought good that she should not be publickly Beheaded wherefore there was a Scaffold erected within the Tower whereon about an hour or two after her Husband on the twelfth of February she submitted her neck to the Ax. When she was conducted from the place of her imprisonment to the place of her suffering the Lieutenant of the Tower desired her to vouchsafe him something or other which might serve as a Monument to him whereby to remember her whereupon she demanded Writing-Tables and therein wrote three short Sentences in Greek Latin in which Languages she was admirably skilled and English wherein she signified her Innocence and although she confessed she had committed an Errour which deserved Death yet Ignorance might among men without prejudice to the Laws sufficiently excuse it At last saluting the People as she went with a countenance setled and void of fear and commending her self to their Prayers she came to the place of Execution leading 〈◊〉 by the Hand whom she kindly embraced saying God I beseech him abundantly reward you for your Kindness toward me although I must needs say it was more unwelcome to me than my instant Death is terrible Then having to the Assembly in very modest language discoursed of her Action she said I am condemned not for having aspired to the Crown but because I refused it not 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 Weal publick for he hath abundantly plunged himself in Ill whosoever even perforce hath become the Instrument of another's Ambition Having spoken thus much and implored God's mercy by the help of her Gentlewoman she first disrobed her self of her Gown then her Attire and vailing her Eyes with her Handkerchief laid her Head on the Block and exhorted the lingring Executioner to the performance of his office which he at length did his action drawing tears from the Eyes of the Spectators yea even of those who from the very beginning were affected to Queen Maries Cause This was the end of Jane a Lady renowned for the greatness of her Birth but far more for her Virtues and excellency of Wit who swayed by the Ambition of her Father-in-Law and imperious Mother took on her that Fatal Title of a Queen and being presently hurried from a Kingdom to a Scaffold suffered for the faults of others having overcome all the frowns of adverse Fortune by Constancy and Innocence Much more just was that Execution which within three days after ensued Twenty Gibbets as well for terrour 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 Rebels were hanged on them On the eighteenth of the same month Alexander Bret who drew those five hundred Londoners into a Revolt from the Duke of Norfolk was with a multitude of others whereof many were of the Gentry sent into Kent there to undergo exemplary punishment On the twentieth of February four hundred of the same Crew with Halters about their Necks were presented before the Queen all humble suppliants on their Knees whom the Queen pardoned and commanded their present liberty On the three and twentieth of February Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk Father to Lady Jane having been Condemned on the seventeenth of the same month was publickly Beheaded A man whose facility to by-practices had occasioned all the Troubles wherewith this Reign had hitherto been distracted whose 〈◊〉 Ingratitude the Queen having once Pardoned him beyond expectation diverted the current of the Queens clemency toward his Daughter and brought him to a deserved end The next turn was Wyat's and that on the eleventh of April Who upon a kind 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 young Courtney as that having been refused by Queen Mary he aspired to marry the Lady Elizabeth to depose the Queen and so to reign as it were in the right of his Wife This Accusation had procured their Commitment the Lady Elizabeth's on the eighteenth of March Courtney's on the twelfth of February But Wyat finding himself deluded and being toucht with the horridness of so treacherous an Accusation going to the place of his Execution desired the favour of a few words with the Marquess of Exceter which which was granted him Of the Marquess he on his knees craved pardon for that irreparable Injury which he had done him not out of Malice but desire of Life The Sheriffs of the City with many others were then present and after testified the certainty of this acknowledgement But the Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellour who out of fear of change of Religion if Queen Mary dying Elizabeth should come to the Crown was content to lay hold on any occasion to cut her off affirmed in the Star-Chamber and thereto cited the testimony of the Lord Chandois that Wyat a little before his Death exhorted the Marquess to acknowledge his Crime and to submit himself to the Queens mercy But what apparance of truth can there be in this it being certain that Wyat having
might not be invested in the Archbishoprick which he himself for the former reasons hoped to attain But while Gardiner was wholly intent to this project Death had a project on him and cut him off by the extremity of a Dropsie which swelling from his Feet and Legs up to his Belly dispatched him on the twelfth of November who was with great Solemnity interred in his Cathedral at Winchester The Emperour Charles the Fifth having determined to resign the Empire and his Kingdom on the five and twentieth of October at Brussels where all the Estates of his Realms were assembled transferred all his Kingdoms and Dominions on his Son Philip whom he had formerly made King of Naples and Sicily and betook himself to the rest of a private life ANNO DOM. 1556. REG. MARIAE 3 4 PHILIPPI 2 3. TO begin the year with its first day on the first of January Nicholas Heath Archbishop of York was made Lord Chancellour In March a Comet in the twentieth degree of Libra was seen from the fifth to the seventeenth of the same month On the thirteenth of March a counterfeit Edward whose true name was William Fetherstone was Executed for a Traytor He being a Miller's Son in stature and lineaments of Body not much unlike the deceased King Edward and his Age also agreeable had been the last year publickly whipped through London for affirming himself to be the King But not sufficiently terrified by the smart of this punishment he again betakes him to the same Imposture privately affirms himself to be King Edward and causes Letters to be cast abroad that King Edward was alive for which he was at length deservedly Hanged And now we are at length come to the narration of the memorable Martyrdom of the Archbishop Cranmer Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester being dead Cardinal Pool as yet the Pope's Legate appointed James Brooke Bishop of Glocester for Cranmer's Tryal forasmuch as they judged it unlawful to punish an Archbishop but by leave from his Holiness John Story and Thomas Martin Doctors of Law Commissioners for the Queen accompanied the Bishop to Oxford that the Authority Royal might countenance the Delegates proceeding In St. Maries Church they had high Seats purposely erected for them Brooke sitting under the place where the consecrated Host did usually hang in a Pix beside him sate Martin and Story but a little lower and Cranmer habited like a Doctor of Divinity not like a Bishop was brought before them Being told that there were those who represented not only her Majesties person but also of the most holy Father the Pope he with due reverence saluted Story and Martin but would not so much as vouchsafe to cast his Eyes toward Brooke and that not as he afterward confessed out of contempt of the man whom he formerly loved but that he might not seem to acknowledge the Pope's Authority he having by Oath to King Henry obliged himself to the contrary especially in England where he could make no pretence of right Then each of them exhorted him to change his Opinion and return to the Union of the Church But he not regarding their admonition they cite him to appear within fourscore days before his Holiness which with her Majesties consent he promised he would But the Pope not expecting his coming within twenty days after by Letters to the King and Queen commanded him to be Condemned and committed to the Secular power After the intercourse of a few days new Authority is by the Pope granted to Boner Bishop of London and Thirlby Bishop of Ely for Cranmer's degradation from Orders both Presbyterial and Archiepiscopal and he then to be delivered over to the secular Magistrate to suffer for Heresie which was accordingly performed on the fourteenth of February Those Saint-like men Cranmer Ridley and Latimer as long as they lived did by Letters exhort each other to a generous Constancy for the maintenance of the truth of the Christian Faith But the other two Champions having made their way to Heaven and left him alone not plied with such firm Exhortations out of desire of longer Life his Constancy began at length to be shaken and that by the subtilty and daily perswasions of a Spanish Frier So being seduced with hope of pardon he retracts what-ever he had before written in defence of his Religion which Retractation was after printed and published But that little availed him For whether that Pool would not be longer excluded from the possession of the Archbishoprick or that which seems more probable the Queens inveterate hate and desire of revenge for her Mothers Divorce which could not be otherwise satiated than with the Blood of this grave man were the cause He being now confident of Life is presently rapt to the place of Execution and there cruelly Burned where Ridley and Latimer had five months before been crowned with Martyrdom On the day appointed for his Execution a Sermon by the appointment of the Cardinal was Preached by Dr. Cole Thither was Cranmer brought and placed conveniently near the Pulpit where Cole exhorted him to a constancy in that Faith which he was now content to acknowledge and that even unto Death which was now by the appointment of the Magistrate to be inflicted on him this very day God's wrath for the Death of Fisher and More could not otherwise be appeased but by his Blood But before his Death would he by a publick Confession testifie his sincere Conversion to the Union of the Church he should do an act most acceptable to God and men If with this unexpected news Cranmer were amazed I do not at all wonder But he recollecting himself stood up and without any sign of fear made a quick Oration to the Assembly wherein having premised many things concerning morality and amendment of life he repeats the principal points of his Doctrine briefly explains his Faith affirmeth That under the authority Papal the Kingdom of Antichrist was contained and established and lastly demonstrates how much he had offended God by the abnegation of the Truth He professeth therefore that he had resolved that his right Hand wherewith he had so horribly sinned by Subscribing to the Doctrine proposed by the enemies of Truth should first feel the smart of punishment when he would have proceeded to speak more the multitude of Romanists whose expectation he had so finely deluded with clamours and scoffs interrupted him and hurried him away presently to the place of Execution There was then to be seen a sad Spectacle and such as would I will not say have extorted pity from his very Enemies but have expressed tears from a Flint The chief Prelate of the Realm lately flourishing by reason of his power and favour of Princes a man of most holy conversation for his age aspect feature learning gravity and rare gifts of mind deservedly most Reverend clad out of intent to expose him to mockery in an obsolete garment for so had the Papists
purposely arraied him and bitterly taunted at to be dragged to death and that death by the horrid tortures of Fire Being now fastned to the Stake as soon as ever the flame began to ascend lifting up his left Hand to Heaven he thrust forth his right hand into the flame and there with admirable constancy continued it until it was consumed only once drawing it in and with it stroaking his Beard At length the raging flame spreading it self lifting up his Eyes toward Heaven he cried out Lord receive my Spirit and his Body abiding as immoveable as the Stake whereto he was fastened he patiently endured the Fires violence until he at last expired His Body being consumed to ashes his Heart was found entire and untoucht Had any of the Romanists found the like in any one of their Faction it should have been recorded for a Miracle and that Miracle sufficed to have Sainted him Give me leave though it be contrary to the method of History to insert a few Verses written by Ralph Skinner concerning this great man's Martyrdom Succubuit sanctus Praesul Cranmerus iniquâ Pontificum rabie fraude doloque perit Quòd Verbi invicto dejecer at Ense Papatum Quòd docuit purâ quaerere mente Deum Quódque Antichristi subverterat impia regna Regna piis Anglis heu tolerata diù Hinc pius clemens crudeli addicitur igni Dantur innocui membra cremenda viri Huc ubi jam ventum est Dextram projecit in ignem Projectamque tenens talia dicta dedit Primùm peccasti primùm sentire dolorem Debes ah Christo dextra inimica meo Immotamque tenet dum deflagraverat omnis In cineres totam dum cecidisse videt Caetera cùm pereant flammâ mirabile dictu Cor manet illaesum post ubi flamma perit Ecce invicta fides cor inviotabile servat Nec mediis flammis corda perire sinit Which Verses may be thus rendred in English Through Papists rage and fraud good Cranmer dy'd Because he put their Doctrine to the Sword The two-edg'd Sword of Scripture and discri'd Christ's Foe instructing England with the Word For this meek man he had a Martyr's hire His Soul was burnt with Zeal his Corps with Fire But when he came unto the stake he thrust His right Hand in the flames Thou first he said Because thou first did'st sin here suffer must Thou first thy Lord and Master hast betrai'd There held he it his Eyes did see it fall Soon afterward he sent those Eyes withal But lo a wonder Heaven's sacred Oracle Had sure decreed that so admir'd a creature Should not be put to death sans Miracle His Body burnt his Heart in perfect feature Was found unsing'd See see the Faith he cherisht Once in that Heart preserv'd it still unperisht Beside Cranmer the cruelty of those times did the same year devour many Professors of the same Religion Of both Sexes no fewer than eighty four were this year martyred by Fire Neither did their cruelty exercise it self on the living only The Bones of Martin Bucer and Paul Phagius long since dead were digged up formally accused of Heresie and no man undertaking their Cause as who durst condemned and publickly Burned in the Market-place at Cambridge And Peter Martyr's Wife who died at Oxford was disinterred and with barbarous and inhumane cruelty buried in a Dunghil To Bucer and Phagius Queen Elizabeth did afterward with great solemnity restore their memory and honour And as for Peter Martyr's Wife she caused her Bones to be translated from that unclean place to be reinterred in the Church and commixed with the Relicks of Frideswid by Papists reputed a Saint that the like occasion of mockage might not again be offered On the same day whereon Cranmer thus ended his life Cardinal Pool was ordered Priest at Greenwich and the next day Naboth being dead took possession of his Vineyard being consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury Three days after being the Feast of the Annunciation accompanied by many Nobles Pool with great solemnity received the Pall at Bow-Church About the same time a notable Conspiracy was detected some having projected to rob the Exchequer at that time full of Spanish coin to the value of fifty thousand Pounds The names of the Conspirators were Udal Throckmorton Pecham Daniel Stanton and besides others that fled for it White who discovered his fellows The rest were all taken and suffered as Traitors Sir Anthony Kingston as partaker in their intentions was also apprehended but died before he could reach London In July new Tumults begun to be set on foot in Norfolk were maturely suppressed Cleber and three Brothers called Lincolne the authors of it suffering for their seditious attempt On the one and twentieth of November John Fecknam Dean of Pauls was installed Abbot at Westminster which Henry the Eighth had erected to an Archiepiscopal See There being at that time no Monks in England fourteen were found who were content with Fecknam to take the Religious habit of Benedictines ANNO DOM. 1557. REG. MARIAE 4 5 PHILIPPI 3 4. NOw after four or five years we found the effect of our Northern Navigation set on foot by Cabota About the beginning of this year arrived in England Osep Napea Ambassador from Basiliwitz Emperour of Russia for the Treaty of a perpetual League between our Kings and his Prince On the Scottish Coast he had suffered wrack and beside Merchandize of infinite value he lostthose Presents which were from the Emperour destinated to their Majesties But the loss of Richard Chanceller was beyond all these inestimable who being a most expert Pilot first discovered the passage into those Northern Regions and now more solicitous of the Ambassador's safeguard than of his own this man most worthy of immortal Memory was swallowed up in the Seas insatiate gulf I think the Entertainment of any Ambassador with us was never more Royal. On the five and twentieth of May Philip having about seven days before returned out of Flanders he was admitted into the presence of the Kings declared the purport of his Embassy and continued in London until the third of May and having then got a convenient season laden with Gifts he set sail for his Countrey On the sixth of March Charles Lord Stourton for having in his house cruelly murthered one Hargill and his Son with whom he had long been at variance was by a wholesom example to posterity Hanged at Sarisbury with four other of his Servants who were not only conscious but actors in the cruelty After he had beaten them down with Clubs and cut their Throats he buried their Carcases fifteen foot deep in the ground hoping by such sure work to stop the voice of Blood crying for revenge or if peradventure it were discovered the regard of his zealous persistance in the Religion of Rome would he hoped procure the Queens pardon But Murther is a sin that God hath by many memorable Examples manifested
that it shall not remain undetected And the Queen although blindly misled in matter of Religion was so exact a fautrix of Justice that she was utterly averse from all mention of pardon So this Nobleman had the punishment due to his offence only in this preferred before other Murtherers and Parricides that he was not strangled with an Halter of Hemp but of Silk The seven and twentieth of April Thomas Stafford landing in the Northern parts of the Realm having raked together a small company of Exiles and some Foreiners surprized Scarborough Castle then as in time of Peace utterly destitute of provision for resistance Having thus seized on a place of defence he makes Proclamation that Queen Mary having her self no right to the Crown had betraied it to the Spaniard exhorting the people with him to take Arms for the recovery of their lost Liberty But by the diligence of Nicholas Wotton Dean of Canterbury then Ambassador for their Majesties with the French all his designs were revealed to the Council before his arrival in England So by the industry of the Earl of Westmerland he was within six days taken brought to London and on the eight and twentieth of May Beheaded Strechley Proctor and Bradford the next day following him but in a more due punishment being drawn hanged and quartered whom they had followed in their treacherous attempts The Emperour Charles having bequeathed the inheritance of his hate to France with his Crown Mary could not long distinguish her Cause from her Husbands Wherefore on the seventh of June the Queen set forth a Proclamation to this effect that Whereas the King of France had many ways injured her by supporting the Duke of Northumberland and Wyat in their Rebellions against her and that his Realm had been a receptacle for Dudley and Ashton who with the privity of his Ambassador had in his house contrived their treacherous designs and after their escape into France had been relieved by Pensions from the King as also for having lately aided Stafford with Shipping Men Money and Munition thereby if it were possible to dispossess her of the Crown She gave her Subjects to understand that they should not entertain Traffick with that Nation whose Prince she accounted her Enemy and against whom upon farther grievances she determined to denounce War Although these things were true yet had she abstained from denunciation of War had not the five years Truce between Philip and Henry by the Pope's instigation been lately broken by the French and so War arising between them she would not make her self and her Husband two For the Pope having long since maligned the Emperour knowing that he after the resignation of his Estates to his Son Philip had withdrawn himself into Spain by the Cardinal of Lorain still solicited the French King to arms against the Spaniard promising to invest him in the Kingdom of Naples Henry upon these fair hopes undertakes it and Mary resolves to assist her Husband That Mary took arms in the behalf of her Husband Pope Paul was much displeased And being he could not be revenged on her who indeed was the sole cause of our breach with France he determined to pour out his wrath on Pool whom he ever hated but now he thought he had more cause to manifest it because Pool knowing that this War was set on foot by the Pope had by Letters and Ambassadors sought to appease him and that though with most humble reverence yet roundly and according to his Conscience Having abrogated Pool's Legation he repeals him to Rome and for supply of his place he creates one Francis Petow a Franciscan Frier Cardinal and Legate and a little after designed him Bishop of Sarisbury The Queen having intelligence of these proceedings took especial care that Pool might have no notice of them prohibiting not only this new Cardinal to enter the Realm but all others whom she suspected to bring any Mandates to that purpose and with exact diligence causing his Letters to be intercepted by her Orators at Rome certified his Holiness what a hazard the Catholick Religion not yet fully established would incur if he should endeavour the disgrace of so great a man whose authority had been much availeable for the conversion of the Nation But while there is this intercourse between the Pope and the Queen concerning this matter Pool having some way or other had an inkling of it abstained from having the silver Cross the Ensign of his Legation born before him neither would he afterward exercise his authority Legantine until by the intercession of Ormaneto the Pope's Datary in England he was restored to his dignity By this time the War was very hot on both sides Philip besieging St. Quintin in Picardie with thirty five thousand Foot and twelve thousand Horse which number was after increased by a thousand Horse four thousand Foot and two thousand Pioners out of England under the Command of the Earl of Pembroke For the managing of this War Philip set sail out of England on the seventh of July On the tenth of August the French endeavouring to put Succours into the Town are overthrown The Spaniard chargeth the Constable Montmorency in his retreat routs the French and kills two thousand five hundred A Victory not so great in the execution as in the death and captivity of many brave men The Constable was wounded and taken Prisoner with his Son as also the Dukes of Montpensier and Longueville Ludovico Gonzaga Brother to the Duke of Mantua the Marshal of St. Andrew the Rhinegrave Roche-du-Maine the Count Rochfoucault the Baron of Curton with many other men of mark The chief of them that were slain were John of Bourbon Duke of Anguien the Viscount of Turen N. Tiorcellin Son to Roche-du-Maine the Lords of Chandenier Pontdormy and many others and in a manner all the Foot-Captains Philip lost only fifty men The eighth day after this Victory an assault is given and the Town carried by force wherein were taken the Admiral Coligny with his Brother d'Andelot who shortly after made an escape Jarnac St. Remy Humes and many other persons of quality the Son of the Lord of Fayette Salevert Ogier Vicques La Barre Estang and Gourdes were slain Of the English in this assault few of note were lost beside Lord Henry Dudley youngest Son to the Duke of Northumberland and Sir Edward Windsore who were the first that advanced Ensign on the Walls This year is alike memorable for the extreme dearth and contemptible cheapness of Corn. A little before Harvest Wheat was sold at four Marks the Quarter within the current of a month it fell to the low rate of five Shillings Wherein I rather admire the ensuing cheapness than the dearth having my self in the year 1597 paid double the former dear price But that which I shall now relate I should deem far more memorable had I not in later times my self seen the like On the night which ensued
Conditions of thè League concluded with the Emperour Rhodes taken by the Turk Christiern King of Denmark The Duke of Bourbon revolts The death of Adrian the Sixth Clement the Seventh succeedeth and Wolsey suffereth the repulse Wolsey persuades the King to a Divorce Richard Pacey Dean of Pauls falleth mad The Battel of Pavy Money demanded and commanded by Proclamation The King falls in love with Ann Bolen A creation of Lords Wolsey 10 build two Colleges demolisheth forty Monasteries Sacriledge punished Luther writes to the King The King's Answer A breach with the Emperour The King endeavours to relieve the French King A League concluded with the French King The French King set at liberty The King of Hungary slain by the Turks Wolsey seeks to be Pope Sede nondum vacante Rome sacked Montmorency Ambassador from France War proclaimed against the Emperour The inconstancy of the Pope Cardinal Campegius 〈◊〉 sens into England The King's Speech concerning his Divorce The Suit of the King's Divorce The Queens speech to the King before the Legates The Queen diparteth Reasons for the Divorce Reasons against the Divorce The Pope's inconstancy Wolsey falls The Iegates repair to the Queen Their conference with her Her answer Cardinal Campegius his Oraition Wolsey discharged of the Great Seal Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellour The Cardinal accused of 〈◊〉 Wolsey's Speech to the Judges Christ-Church in Oxford Wolfey-falls sick Wolsey is confined to York The Cardinal is apprehended His last words He dicth And is buried His greatness His buildings The Peace of Cambray The first occasion of Cranmer's rising Creation of Earls The Bible translated into English An Embassy to the Pope All comnierce with the See of Rome forbidden The Clergy fined The King declared supreme Head of the Church The death of William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury Cranmer though much against his will succeedeth him Sir Thomas More resigns the place of Lord Chancellour An interview between the Kings of England and France Catharina de Medices married to the Duke of Orleans The King marrieth Ann Bolen The birth of Queen Elizabeth Mary Queen of France dieth The Imposture of Elizabeth Barton discovired No Canons to be constituted without the King's assent The King to collate Bishopricks The Archbishop of Canterbury bath Papal authority under the King Fisher and More imprisoned Persecution Pope Clement dieth First-fruits granted to the King Wales united to England The King begins to subvert Religious Houses Certain Priors and Monks executed The Bishop of Rochester beheaded Made Cardinal unseasonably Sir Thomas More beheaded Religious Houses visited The death of Queen Catharine Queen Ann the Visconnt Rochford and others committed The Queen condemned with her Brother and Norris Her Execution Lady Elizabeth difintarited The King marrieth Jane Seymour Death of the Duke of Somerset the King 's natural Son Bourchier Earl of Bath Cromwell's Honour and Dignity The beginning of Reformation The subversion of Religious Houses of less note Commotion in Lincolnshire Insurrection in Yorkshire Scarborough-Castle befieged Rebellion in Ireland Cardinal Pool Rebels executed Cardinal Pool writes against the King The birth of Prince Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford Fitz-William Earl of Southampton Powlet and Russel rise The abuse of Images restrained Becket's Shrine demolished * Uniones The Image of our Lady of Walsingham Frier Forest makes good a 〈◊〉 Saint Augustine's at Canterbury Battel-Abbey and others suppressed The Bible translated The Marquess of Exceter and others beheaded Lambert convented and burned Margaret 〈◊〉 of Salisbury condemned The subversion of Religious Houses Some Abbots executed Glastonbury A catalogue of the Abbots who bad voices among the Peers New Bishopricks erected The Law of the Six Articles Latimer and Schaxton resign their Bishopricks The arrival of certain Princes of Germany in England for the treatise of a Match between the King and Lady Ann of Cleve The King marrieth the Lady Ann of Cleve Cromwell created Earl of Essex and within three months after beheaded Lady Ann of Cleve 〈◊〉 The King marrieth Catharine Howard Protestants and Papists alike persecuted The Prior of Dancaster and six others hanged The Lord Hungerford executed Beginnings of a commotion in Yorkshire Lord Leonard Grey beheaded The Lord Dacres hanged Queen Catharine beheaded Ireland made a Kingdom The Viscount Lisle deceased of a surfert of Joy Sir John Dudley made Viscount Lisle War with Scotland The Scots overthrowes The death of James the Fifth King of Scotland Hopes of a Match between Prince Edword and the Queen of Scots The Scottish Captives set liberty The Earl of Angus return-eth into Scotland The League and Match concluded The Scottish shipping detained War with Scotland War with France A League with Emperour Landrecy besieged but in vain The people licensed to eat White Meats in Lent The King 's sixth Marriage William Parr Earl of Essex Another of the same name made Lord Parr The Lord Chancellour dieth An Expedition into Scotland * Alias Bonlamberg The Earl of Hertford Protector Hing Henry's Funerals The Coronation The death of Francis King of France MusselburghField Reformation in the Church The Scots and French besiege Hadinton The Queen of Scots transported into France Humes Castle and Fastcastle gained by the Enemy Gardiner Bishop of Winchester committed to the Tower Gardiner deprived of his Bishoprick Boner Bishop of London committed also Discord 〈◊〉 the Duke of Somerset and his Brother the Lord Admiral The Lord Admiral beheaded An Insurrection in Norfolk and in Devonshire Some Forts lost in Boloignois * Corruptly Bonlamberg Enmity between the Protector and the Earl of Warwick The Protector committed The death of Paul the Third Pope Cordinal Pool elected Pope The Duke of Somerset set at liberty Peace with the Scots and French The Sweating Sickness The death of the Duke of Suffolk A creation of Dukes and Earls The descent of the Earls of Pembroke 〈◊〉 between the 〈◊〉 Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland revived Certain Bishops deprived Some of the Servants of the Lady Mary committed An Arrian burned An Earthquake The Queen of Scots in England The Earl of Arundel and the Lord Paget committed The Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellor The Duke of Somerset beheaded A Monster The King Sicknoth His Will wherein he disinheriteth his Sisters He dieth His Prayer Cardanus Lib. de Genituris Sir Hugh Willoughby frozen 10 death Commerce with the Muscovite Lady Mary flies into Suffolk Lady Jane proclaimed Queen Northumberland forced to be General * L. qui in provinciâ sect Divus ff de Ris Nupt. L. 4. C. de Incest Nupt. Gloss. ibid. C. cum inter c. ex tenore Extr. qui fil sins legit Northumberland forsaken by his Souldiers The Lords resolve for Queen Mary And to suppress Lady Jane Northumberland proclaims Mary Queen at Cambridge Northumberland and some other Lords taken Queen Mary comes to London Gardiner made Lord Chancellour Diprived Bishops restored King Edward's Funeral The Duke of Northumberland the Earl of Warwick and the Marquis of Northampton condemned The Duke of Northumberland Bheaded Bishops imprisoned Peter Martyr The Archbishop Cranmer Lady Jane Lord Guilford and Lord Ambrose Dudley condemned The Coronation A Disputation in the Convocation-House Popery restored The Queen inclines to marry The Articles of the Queens Marriage with Philip of Spain * Which as I conceive would have 〈◊〉 in the year 1588. Sir Thomas Wyat's Rebellion Sir John Cheeke is taken and dieth Bret with five hundred Londoners revolts to Wiat. The Duke of Suffolk perswades the People to Arms in vain The Queens Oration to the Londoners Wyat is taken The Lady Jane Beheaded The Duke of Suffolk Beheaded Wyat Executed And Lord Thomas Gray A Disputation at Oxford Cranmer Ridley and Latimer Condemned Additions to the former Nuptial Compacts Philip arrivith in England And is married to the Queen Cardinal Pool comes into England Cardinal Pool's Oration to the Parliament The Realm freed from 〈◊〉 The Queen thought to be with Child Lords created Lady Elizabeth and the Marquess of Exceter set at liberty John Rogers Burned and Bishop Hooper Bishop Ferrar many others and Bishop Ridley and Latimer The death of Pope Julius the Third Paul the Fourth succeedeth Gardiner sueth to be Cardinal Gardiner 〈◊〉 Charles the Emperour resigns his Crowns The Archbishop of York Lord Chancellour A Comet A 〈◊〉 Edward Archbishop Cranmer Burned This year eighty four Burned The exhumation of Bucer and Phagius Cardinal Pool consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury An Embassage to Muscovia The Lord Stourton hanged Thomas Stafford endeavouring an Insurrection is taken and Beheaded War against France proclaimed Pool's authority 〈◊〉 abrogated and restored The French overthrown at St. Quintin St. Quintin taken A nocturual Rainbow Calais besieged by the French Calais yielded The Battel of Graveling The French overthrown Conquet taken and burned by the English The Daulphin married to the Queen of Scot. The death of Cardinal Pool The Queen diesh