the MOWBRAYES who had beene all Dukes of Norfolke enioyed this Honour by right of Inheritance But because in Bosworth field where hee was slaine hee tooke part with the Vsurper both he and his Posteritie were deprived of that Honour This THOMAS dying in the yeare 1524. his Sonne of the same name succeeded him who deceased in the yeare 1554. His Sonne HENRY a young Lord of great hopes his Father then living was beheaded towards the end of this Kings Raigne Hee left Issue THOMAS the last Duke of Norfolke who also lost his head the yeare 1572. and HENRY at nurse when his Father died a very learned and wise man whom King IAMES no good man repining thereat created Earle of Northampton THOMAS Duke of Norfolke had three Sonnes that survived him PHILIP THOMAS and WILLIAM PHILIP Earle of Surrey and by his Mother of Arundell condemned the yeare 1589. and after dying in prison left Issue THOMAS then a little one who by King IAMES his favour succeeded his Father in his Honors His Vncle THOMAS out of the same fountaine of Royall Goodnes was created Earle of Suffolke with addition of the dignity of Lord Chamberlaine Beside these this Family hath CHARLES Earle of Nottingham Lord Admirall of England Nephew by the Lord WILLIAM his father to THOMAS Duke of Norfolke that famous Triumpher ouer the Scots This is he who in emulation of his grandfathers glory in the yeare 1588. vnder the fortune of Queene ELIZABETH most happily ouerthrew that vainely called Inuincible Armada of Spaine THOMAS also Viscount Bindon is deriued from THOMAS Duke of Norfolke by his sonne the Lord THOMAS So this noble House latély afflicted now gloriously flourishing hath foure Earles and a Viscount all braue and famous men and of whom there will be occasion of much to be spoken hereafter I therefore thought it good in briefe to set downe their Genealogie lest I should trouble the Reader with too often repetition of their Race vpon each mention of the Name At the time of this Dukes creation others were also honored with new titles CHARLES BRANDON made Duke of Suffolke and CHARLES SOMERSET Earle of Worcester and EDWARD STANLEY Lord Mountegle Sir WILLIAM BRANDON Standard bearer to HENRY the seuenth in Bosworth field and there slaine by the hand of RICHARD the Third was father to this new Duke of Suffolke of whose education he then a little one King HENRY hauing obtained the Crowne was verie carefull and made him rather a companion than a seruant to the young Prince of whose household hee was The Prince so greatly fauored him partly for his fathers deserts chiefely for his owne that he being afterward King created him Viscount Lisle and intending at least many were so persuaded to giue him to wife the Ladie MARY his sister who afterward was married to the King of France thought it first good to honour him with the Duchie of Suffolke which this yeare at the feast of Candlemas was performed But how he was frustrated of his hopes and afterward beyond all hope enioyed her shall be declared hereafter SOMERSET the naturall sonne of HENRY of the House of Lancaster the last Duke of Somerset tooke his surname of his fathâ—rs Honour whereas he should haue beene called BEAVFORT or rather PLANTAGENET according to the antient name of our English Kings Heâ— being Couzen german to HENRY the Seuenth whose mother was MARGARET Sister to the Duke of Somerset and famous for his many vertues of which that King was a quicke and exact Iudge was by him made L. high Chamberlaine of England But hauing behaued himself very valiantly in this last expedition against the French wherein GVICCIARDIN vntruly reporteth him to haue been slaine HENRY the eighth added this new title which his posteritie still inioyes to his antient honors He was great grandfather by his son HENRY nephew WILLIAM to EDWARD the now Earle who being one of his Maiesties most honorable priuy Counsel Lo. Priuy Seale doth by his vertues much more ennoble his so noble Ancestors The French King hearing of the ouerthrow of the Scots perceiuing himselfe depriued of such a frieud confederat seeing his kingdom on fire about his ears and none to relie vpon but himselfe determined if so he might fairely and with credit to craue his League with vs. Pope IVLIVS 2. the Incendiarie of Christendoine was lately dead and the French king himselfe was now a widower He therefore intends to try whither by marrying the lady MARY the kings sister he might secure himselfe from war on our side and by so neere alliance gaine the assured friendship of so potent a Prince LEO 10. succeeding IVLIVS 2. did openly side with the French against the Spaniard He therefore earnestly soliciting a reconciliation a Peace was cluded profitable to the French acceptable to vs and on the 9 of October the nuptials were with great pompe solemnised The French king was well stricken in yeres his wife a tender virgin of some 16. or 18. yeares of age but wonderfull beautifull Besides the forementioned reasons the desire of children for he had no masle issue on His part on Her part the publique weale the authoritie of her brother so willing and which beares chiefest sway in a womans heart the supremacy of honor in the title of a Queen were motiues to match so Vneuen a Paire But many not without cause were persuaded that she had rather haue made choice of BRANDON for her husband so her power had been answerable to her wil than the greatest Monarch in the world neither was it long before she enioyed her desire For the king as it often happens to elderly men that apply theÌ„selues to yong womeÌ„ died the last of Febr. hauing scarce 3 months suruiued his wedding The queenâ— might then lawfully according to the articles of agreemeÌ„t return into England which she earnestly desiring the Duke of Suffolke was sent to conduct her who becomming a fresh suitor vnto her so far easily preuailed that before their departure from Paris they were there priuatly married The marriage was afterward by the kings consent celebrated at Greenwich the 13 day of May of the ensuing yeare And now we must speake something of VVOLSEY'S sudden and for these our times incredible rising who hauing as we haue related before beene inuested in the Bishopricke of Tournay was within the yeare preferred to two other Bishopricks That venerable Bishop of Lincolne WILLIAM SMITH was lately deceased who beside many other monuments of his piety hauing begun in Oxford a Colledge for students called Brasen nose Colledge was immaturely taken away before he could finish so good a work So the Sea being vacant it is conferred on WOLSEY now high in the Kings fauour Hee was of verie meane parentage a Butchers sonne and Jpswiâ—h a towne in Suffolke but of Norwich Diocesse where hee afterward laid the foundation of a stately Colledge was the place of his birth He was brought vp at Oxford in
Preiudiciall to the Estate Grievous and Burthensome to the Subiect FINIS ANNALES OF ENGLAND EDVVARD THE SIXT The Second Booke LONDON Printed by Adam Islip and William Stansby 1630. Vae tibi Jerra cuius Rex Puer est ANNALES OF ENGLAND The second Booke EDWARD the Sixt. Anno Dom. 1547. Reg. 1. ROyalty like a Pythagorean Soule transmigrates Although HENRY were dead the King was still alive and survived in the person of young EDWARD who began his Raigne the eight and twentieth of Ianuary then in the tenth yeare of his age and having beene on the last of the same moneth proclaimed King came the same day from Enfield where the Court had then beene to the Tower there according to the ancient custome of our Kings to abide vntill his Inauguration at Westminster The next day the Counsaile assembled for the managing of the Estate conferred on the Kings Vnckle EDWARD SEIMOVR Earle of Hertford the honour and power of Protector of the King's Person and Kingdome Who to season his new Dignitie with some memorable act on the sixt of February dubbed the King Knight the King presently imparting the same Honour to RICHARD HOBLETHORNE Lord Maior of London On the fifteenth of February King HENRY his Funerals were solemnized and his Body Royally interred in the middle of the Quire in the Church at Windsore Two daies after were some of the Nobilitie dignified with greater Honours some new created The Lord Protector Earle of Hertford was made Duke of Somerset WILLIAM PARR Earle of Essex Marquis of Northampton IOHN DVDLEY Viscount Lisle Earle of Warmicke and the Lord Chancellour WRIOTHSLEY Earle of Southampton Sir THOMAS SEIMOVR brother to the Protector and Lord Admirall Sir THOMAS RICH Sir WILLIAM WILLOVGHBY and Sir EDMOND SHEFFEILD were inrolled among the Barons Other two daies being fled after their Predecessours the King passed triumphantly from the Tower through London to Westminster where he was solemnely crowned anointed and inaugurated by CRANMER Archbishop of Canterbury At what time also with incredible indulgence pardon of all crimes whatsoever was publiquely proclaimed and granted to all persons throughout the Realme six only being exempted from the benefit thereof namely the Duke of Norfolke Cardinall POOLE the lately beheaded Marquis of Excester his eldest Sonne one THROCMORTON FORTESCVE and RICHARD PATE late Bishop of Worcester who least hee should be constrained to acknowledge the King Head of the Church had some yeares passed fled to Rome On the nineteenth of Iune in the Cathedrall Church of Saint PAVL in London were celebrated the Exequies of FRANCIS King of France He deceased the two and twentieth of the precedent March having beene after the death of our HENRY much disposed to melancholy whether for that hee failed in the hope of strengthening their late contracted amity with some stricter tie or that being some few yeares the younger hee was by his death admonished of the like approaching fate They were also of so conspiring a similitude of disposition and nature that you shall hardly finde the like betweene any two Princes of what ever different times This bred a mutuall affection in them and as it were forcibly nourished the secret fire thereof betweene them vnlesse peradventure when emulation or the respect of publique vtilitie swaied them the contrary way so that the death of the one could not but much grieve the surviver He therefore in the Cathedrall at Paris celebrated the Funerals of HENRY though excommunicated by the Pope He also left one only Sonne named HENRY inheritor of his Crowne whose Raigne lasted but to the beginning of Queene ELIZABETH And now the affaires of Scotland which have without doubt beene great and memorable crave a part in our History Wee have before made mention of our League with Scotland wherein it was determined concerning the marriage betweene the now King EDWARD and the Queene of Scots The times since then were full of continuall iarres Wee at length resolved not to dally with them but to vndertake the war with forces agreeable to the cause The Duke of Somerset by consent of the Privie Counsaile is sent into Scotland with ten thousand Foot and six thousand Horse beside pioners and artificers thirteene hundred and fifteene peeces of brasse Ordnance To the Lord CLINTON is assigned a Navy consisting of foure and twenty men of war one Galley and thirty Ships of burthen wherewith hee was to scowre the Seas and infest the maritime parts of Scotland On the third of September the Duke of Somerset made an hostile entrance vpon the Enemies Countrey and forthwith dispatched letters to the Earle of Arren Regent of Scotland much to this effect That he wished the Scots would consider that this war was waged among Christians that our ends were no other then a iust Peace whereto the endevours of all good men should tend An occasion not only of a League but of a perpetuall Peace was now happily offred if they would suffer the two differing and emulous Nations by vniting the Head to grow together This as it had beene formerly sought by vs so had it beene generally assented to by the Estates of Scotland Therefore he could not but wonder why they should rather treacherously recurre to Armes the events of war being vsually even to the Victor sufficiently vnfortunate then maintaine in violate their troth plighted to the good of both Nations They could not in reason expect that their Queene should perpetually live a Virgin life And if shee married where could shee bestow her selfe better then on a puissant Monarch inhabiting the same Island and parlying the same language They saw what inconveniences were the consequents of foraine matches whereof they should rather make triall by the examples of others then at their owne perill He demanded nothing but equity yet he so much abhorred the effusion of Christian bloud that if hee found the Scots not vtterly averse from an accord hee would endevour that some of the Conventions should be remitted he would also permit that the Queene should abide and be brought vp among them vntill her age made her marriageable at what time she should by consent of the Estates her selfe make choice of a Husband In the meane time there should be a Cessation of Armes neither should the Queene be transported out of her Realme nor entertaine treatise of marriage with the French or any other forainer This if they would faithfully promise he would forthwith peaceably depart out of Scotland and whatsoever damages the Countrey had suffred by this invasion he would according to the esteeme of indifferent Arbitrators make ample satisfaction The Scottish Army consisted of thirty thousand Foot some speake a greater number The chiefe Commanders whereof puffed vp with confidence of their strength although they had lately lost eight hundred in a tumultuary skirmish and misconceiving our offers to proceed out of feare reiect all Conditions of Accord and least vpon knowledge of the equitie of our demands the Counsaile should
who rallying themselves seemed desperately resolved to renue the fight But the proposall of a Pardon made them cast away iheir armes and peaceably to depart The number of the chiefe authors of this Commotion who were hanged was great But ROBERT KET a Tanner who in those times and by that trade had gathered a fortune of a brace of thousands was above all as in Fault so in Execution remarkable He had beene the Chieftaine in this Rebellion and was not in reason to be obscured among the common sort wherfore it being thought fit that he should surmount them in the glory of a more notorious punishment he was fairely hanged in chaines on the verv top of Norwich Castle While the Easterne parts of the Kingdome were thus possessed the Westerne parts were not lesse tormented with the same Furies Devonshire and Cornwall with some additions out of Somersetshire had on the same pretences armed fifteene thousand men who after they had licentiously ransacked the Countrey at length sate downe before the famous City of Excester Forty dayes they besieged it and were repulsed by the Inhabitants though vtterly destitute of warlike provision On the sixt of August IOHN Lord Russell after Earle of Bedford entring the City with forces and munition disassieged it pursued the Rebells slew some tooke others to the number of foure thousand whereof many were after executed but especially HVMFREY ARVNDELL Captaine of S. Michaels Mount in Cornwall a man of antient descent and sufficiently ample revenues so that I cannot sufficiently wonder what madnesse drave him to associate himselfe with this desperate and vnruly rabble With him were hanged ROBERT BOCHIN IO. TOMSON ROGER BARRET IO. VLCOCKE WILL. ASA IAMES NORTON IO. BARON and RICHARD BENET Priests and besides them IOHN and IAMES ROSOGAN IO. PAYNE THO. VNDERHILL and IO. SOLMAN all prime incendiaries and chiefe authors of this tumult The City of Excester in memory of this their delivery hath ever sithence with an anniversary solemnity kept the sixt of August holy As for the other Counties infested with the reliques of this rebellion the evill being tempestively supprest before it spred it selfe and the ringleaders punished they were quickely reduced to their former temper Neither were our affaires more peaceable abroad then at home For HENRY King of France taking advantage of our domestique sedition not reguarding the League concluded betweene vs and his Father invaded Boloignois where his successe was such that he was animated to greater attempts He sets forth a Fleet for the taking in of the Isles of Iersey and Guarnesey the sole portions remaining to the English of the Duchy of Normandy At these Isles the French are with great losse driven abord their ships At the landing they lost a thousand men and we very few About Bouloigne Mont Lambert Sellaque and Ambleteul were lost Sellaque was defended by two Ensignes But having beene battered by the Enemy while we vnwarily parley with MONTMORENCY was on the five and twentieth of August forced by them At Ambleteul were six Ensignes of Foote who for some dayes made good the place But finding themselves vnable long to hold out against so great forces vpon no other termes then grant of lives yeelded the Fort to the French The losse of these places so daunted the Garrison at Blanconet that having beene scarce saluted by the Enemies Cannon vpon condition of life and goods they quitted the place Neither was this the last important effect of our conceived terrour for the English at Mont-Lambert not so much as attending the comming of the Enemie fired their lodgings made their provision vnusefull and retreated to Guisnes The Fort at the Tower of Ordre fortified both by nature and art gave a period to this yeares successe standing resolutely vpon defence vntill the extremity of Winter forced the French to raise their siege The losse of these small pieces set the Protector in the wane of the vulgar opinion and afforded sufficient matter for Envy to worke on Among the Lords of the Privy Counsaile the most eminent was the Earle of Warwickâ— a man of a vast spirit which was the more inlarged by the contemplation of his great Acts performed both abroad and at home He had long looked asquint vpon Somersets greatnesse whom in a favorable esteeme of himselfe he deemed far beneath him and was withall persuaded that could he but remove the Duke due reguards would cast the Protectorship on him The consideration also of the Dukes nakednesse disarmed of that metalsome peice the Admirall En quo discordia Fratres Perduxit miseros made his hopes present themselves in the more lively shapes He seekes about for sufficient matter wherewith to charge the Duke who could not be long ignorant of these practises against him The Duke finding himselfe aimed at but not well discerning whether the Earle intended a legall or military processe against him on the sixt of October from Hampton-Court where the King then resided sent letters to the City of London requiring from thence an aid of a thousand men who should guard the King and him from the treacherous attempts of some ill-affected Subiects And in the meane time presseth in the adiacent Countrey where having raised a reasonable company he the same night carried away the King attended by some of the Nobility and some of the Counsaile from thence to Windsore a place because fortified more safe and convenient for resistance But the Earle had made a greater part of the Counsaile who accompanied him at London To them he makes a formall complaint against the Protector beseeching them by their assistance to secure him from the Protectors malice who sought to intrap him for his life These Lords send a contre-letter to the Londoners demanding aids of them for the delivery of the King out of the hands of his Enemy for so they were pleased to terme the Duke Then they send abroad Proclamations wherein they insert the chiefe heads of their accusation as that By sowing seeds of discord the Duke had troubled that setled and peaceable estate wherin King HENRY had left this Kingdome and had beene the chiefe cause that it had lately beene ingaged in Ciuill wars to the losse of many thousand lives That many Forts conquered by HENRY with hazard of his Person were by the Dukes either cowardise or treachery regained by the Enemy That he reguarded not the advice of the rest of the Lords of the Counsaile and had plainely neglected King HENRY'S instructions concerning the governement of the Kingdomes of England and Irland That his chiefe studies and wherein he was most seene were to rake vp wealth to maintaine a Faction among the Nobility and yet comply with both parties for his owne advantages to build stately Palaces far exceeding the proportion of a Subiect and that even in the very instan that the Estate did shrinke vnder the burthen both of intestine and foraine wars The Duke certified of their proceedings and seeing himselfe forsaken
their armes and peaceably to repaire to their homes These letters tooke vp the matter and set the Duke at liberty which notwithstanding lasted not long For the next morning as he was readie to take horse the Earle of Arundell intercepted him and with him apprehended the Earle of Huntingdon the Earle of Warwicke Northumberland's eldest sonne and two others younger Lord AMBROSE and Lord HENRY DVDLEY Sir ANDREW DVDLEY the Duke's brother Sir THOMAS PALMER Sir IOHN GATES his brother HENRY GATES and Doctour EDWIN SANDS who on the five and twentieth of Iuly were brought to London and presently committed to the Tower The Earle of Huntingdon was not long after set at liberty but his sonne was presently Sir IOHN GATES whom Northumberland accused to have beene the contriver of all this mischiefe and Sir THOMAS PALMER were after executed The Earle of Warwicke died in prison The Lords AMBROSE and HENRY DVDLEY were pardoned HENRY was afterward slaine with a shot at the siege of S. Quintin but AMBROSE finding fortune more propitious out-lived MARY and by Queene ELIZABETH created Earle of Warwicke long flourished in the happinesse of her favour Sir ANDREW DVDLEY after his condemnation was also pardoned Doctour SANDS being then ce-chancellour of the Vniversitie of Cambridge had by Northumberland's command in the Pulpit publiquely impugned Queene MARYES cause and defended that of Ladie IANE but with that wisdome and moderation although vpon the short warning of some few howers that hee abundantly satisfied the Duke and yet did not so deeply incurre the displeasure of the adverse part but that his friends prevailed with the Queene for his pardon So that after a yeares imprisonment he was set at libertie and presently fled over into Germany after the death of Queene MARY returning from his voluntary exile hee was consecrated Bishop of Worcester from which Sea he was translated to London and thence againe to the Archbishoprick of Yorke a man for his learning vertue wisdome and extract very famous but most especially happy in his Issue whereof many were admirable for their indowments both internall and externall and of whom wee have in our age seene three honoured with Knighthood On the six and twentieth of Iuly the Marquis of Northampton afterward condemned and pardoned Doctour RIDLEY Bishop of London who two yeares after was burned at Oxford and beside many others Lord ROBERT DVDLEY that great Earle of Leicester vnder Queene ELIZABETH were brought to the Tower On the seven and twentieth the Duke of Suffolke to whom the Queene with admirable clemency within foure dayes restored his libertie Sir IOHN CHEEKE King EDWARD'S Schoolemaster Sir ROGER CHOLMELEY chiefe Iustice of the King's Bench and Sir EDMOND MOVNTAGVE chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas were committed to the same place who were all on the third of September set at libertie On the thirtieth of Iuly the Ladie ELIZABETH accompanied by a great traine of Nobles Knights Gentlemen and Ladies to the number of five hundred some say a thousand set forward from the Strand through London and so to Wansted towards the Queene to congratulate her happy successe in vindicating her right to the Crowne Who on the third of August having dismissed her Army which had not yet exceeded the number of 13000. attended by all the Nobilitie made a triumphant entrance through London to the Tower where the Duke of Norfolke EDWARD COVRTNEY sonne to the Marquis of Excester beheaded in the yeare 1538. GARDINER late Bishop of Winchester and ANNE Duchesse of Somerset presented themselves on their knees and GARDINER in the name of them all spake a congratulatory Oration which ended the Queene courteously raised them and kissing each of them said These are all my owne prisoners and gave order for their present discharge EDWARD COVRTNEY she restored to his Fathers honours making him Marquis of Excester As for GARDINER shee not only reseated him in the Bishopricke of Winchester but also on the threâ— and twentieth of August made him Lord Chancellour of England notwithstanding that he had not only subscribed to the Divorce from CATHARINE the Queenes Mother but had published bookes wherein hee had defended King HENRY'S proceedings On the fift of August BONER and TONSTALL who had beene formerly deprived of their Bishoprickes the one of London the other of Duresme and shortly after DAY of Chichester and HEATH of Worcester were inlarged and restored to their Bishopricks the present Incumbents being without due processe of Law eiected On the tenth of August were celebrated the Exequies of King EDWARD DAY Bishop of Chichester preaching executing in English and administring the Sacrament according to the manner and forme received in the Raigne of EDWARD For as yet nothing had beene determined concerning any change in point of Religion So that when BOWRNE a Chanoin of Pauls afterward Bishop of Bath Wells preaching at the Crosse did inveigh against the Reformation in King EDWARD'S time and did in vpbrading manner argue the iniustice of those times which condemned BONER to perpetuall imprisonment for matter delivered by him in that place that time foure yeare who was now by a more iust clemency restored to his libertie and dignitie the people inured to the Protestant Religion and could abstaine from stoning him and one of them ayming a poniard at him missed him very narrowly the affections of the Assembly may by this be conceived that during the Raigne of Queene MARY the Authour of this bold attempt notwithstanding the diligence of ernest inquisitors could neuer be discovered The vproare increasing and divers pressing toward the Pulpit BOVRNE protected by two Protestant Preachers BRADFORD and ROGERS who were greatly reverenced by the people and afterward burned for their Religion was with great difficultie conveied to the Schoole at Pauls And now at length on the eighteenth of August the Duke of Norfolke sitting as high Steward of England were the Duke of Northumberland his sonne the Earle of Warwicke and the Marquis of Northampton arraigned at Westminster where the Duke of Northumberland pleading that he had done nothing but by authority of the Counsaile his plea being not admitted for sufficient he was condemned of high Treason The sentence being pronounced he craved the favour of such a death as was vsually executed on Noblemen and not the other He beseeched also that a favourable reguard might be had of his children in respect of their age Thirdly that hee might be permitted to confer with some learned Divine for the setling of his conscience And lastly that her Maiesty would be pleased to send vnto him foure of her Counsaile for the discovery of some things which might concerne the Estate The Marquis of Northampton pleaded to his inditement that after the beginning of these tumults hee had forborne the execution of any publique office and that all that while intent to hunting and other sports he did not partake in the conspiracie But it being manifest that he was party with the Duke of
hee saw into what straights our King was likely to driue the French being weake if he would pressehard vpon him and pierce farther into the Kingdome although hee were a profest enemie to the French yet was he iealous of our prosperous proceeding and therefore by all meanes perswaded HENRY to dismantle Therouenne and thence to proceed to the siege of Tournay Hee blamed him not without iust cause for his late setting forth Summer being first welâ—neere spent Winter was now at hand when it would not quit cost to maintaine such an Armie good desigues being not then to bee put in execution Hee told him that Therovenne was so farre from him that it could not bee kept without great difficultie therefore hee should doe well to dismantle it that it might not hereafter serue for a Bulwarke to the Eenemie That Tournay was a French Citie but like an Island with the Sea surrounded with Flanders and Hainault and farre divided from the rest of France True it was that it was well stored with inhabitants and not meanly fortified but that there was no other Garrison then of Citizens and these hee should finde effeminate and for provision that they had none Hee should therefore make speed and come on them vnawares and with a few dayes siege force them to yeild That the French King if hee intended to succour them must first march through all Henault and passe over two or three great Riuers amongst which were the Escaut and the Scarpe That the Souldiers should finde good booties there and the King himselfe the triumph of a most assured conquest That the addition of such a Citie would bee no meane increase of his Dominions and so much the lesse care to bee taken of it for as much as it would bee as easie for him to keepe it in obedience as it was for the French for the space of so many yeares to defend it being placed amidst so many Enemies that still had a greedie eye over it King HENRY by this time had so much of Warre that hee began to bee wearie of the toyle thereof and to cast his minde on the pleasures of the Court Wherefore although hee wanted not Counsailors for the best hee followed the Emperours advice as being the more easie The Flemmings who begged it of the King had leave to rase the walls of Therouenne to fill the ditches and to burne all the buildings except the Church and the Chanons houses which they in regard of the dissensions vsuall to bordering Nations very gladly performed Therouenne being thus taken and destroyed away they march with all speed to Tournay indevouring by their celeritie to prevent the fame of their comming But the Citizens suspecting some such enterprise had fortified themselves as well as the shortnesse of time would permit them and the Peasants thereabouts bring all their goods into the Citie as to a place of safeguard The Citie was of no great circuit yet at the beginning of the siege it contained fourescore thousand people By reason whereof victuals quickly began to faile them and they could no way hope for reliefe The French King was farre off they had no Garison the Citizens bad Souldiers two great Princes had begirt the Towne with fifâ—ie thousand men but they had an Enemy within called Famine more cruell and insupportable then both So having for some few dayes held out the siege the nine and twentieth of September their lives being granted them they yeild and to saue themselves from spoile pay a hundred thousand Crownes The King makes them sweare Fealty to him and appoints Sir EDWARD POYNINGS a Knight of the Garter their Governour Next hee gives order for store of warlike provision puts in a small Garison and builds a Cittadell for the confirmation of his conquest Neither amongst these politique affaires did he neglect those of the Church For the Bishop being proscribed hee conferres the Sea with all the revenues vpon THOMAS WOLSEY of whose first rising and immoderate power we shall have much occasion to speake hereafter All things being thus ordered because Winter came on apace hee beganne to bethinke himselfe of returning with his Armie into England This thought so farre pleased him that having beene absent scarce foure monethes hee tooke ship and about the end of October came home triumphing in the glory of a double conquest By the way hee was entertained with the newes of another victorie the Lord HOWARD Earle of Surrey having vnder his Fortune slaine the King of Scots The King of France being encumbred with many warres had coniured IAMES the Fourth King of Scots by the ancient Lawes of Amitie and the late League made betweene them that Hee would not forsake him intangled in so many difficulties If Hee regarded not his friends case yet Hee should at least looke to himselfe for whom it would not bee safe to suffer a bordering Nation alwayes at enmitie with Him by such additions to arise to that height of power The King of England busied with a foraine warre was now absent and with Him the flower of the English Chivalrie Hee should therefore forthwith take Armes and trie to recover Berwicke an especiall towne of the Scottish Dominions but for many yeares withheld by the English He would easily be victorious if He would but make vse of this occasion so happily offered It could not be but this warre would bee for His Honour and profitable to His Friend if not to Himselfe He should thereby also make knowne to His Enemies that the Scottish Armes were not to bee contemned whose former victories a long and to them hurtfull peace had obscured and buried in oblivion among the English As for the charges of it Hee need not bee troubled for that Hee would afford Him fiftie thousand Crownes towards the providing of Munition and Ordinance These reasons so preuailed with the yong King covetous of glory that notwithstanding he had lately made a League with our King whose Sister hee had married and her vehement dissuasions he proclaimed warre against HENRY which proved fatall to him bloudie to his and the cause of many ensuing calamities So having raised a great Armie hee breakes into our Marches and besiegeth Norham Castle belonging to the Bishop of Durham the which having held out sixe dayes was at last yeilded vnto him Thence hee removes his Campe to Berwicke wasting all the Countrey as hee marcht with fire and sword The newes whereof are brought vnto them to whom the governement of the Kingdome was committed in the absence of the King and a leuy being made through all the North parts of the Kingdome Alnewike is appointed the rendez-vous where all the troupes should meete at a set day that thence they might set forward against the Enemie vnder the conduct of the Lord THOMAS HOWARD Earle of Surrey Among the first to his Fathers great ioy comes the Earles Sonne THOMAS Lord Admirall leading a veterane troupe of fiue thousand men of tried valour and
Garter by whom Hee did congratulate his late victorious successe admonishing him to a close pursuit of his fortunes That if his Jmperiall Maiesty intended with greater forces to oppresse the already Vanquished in regard of the strict â—y of friendship betweene them his necessary endeauors should in no sort be wanting What answer the Emperor gaue I know not It is very likely he paid the King in his owne coine and dissembled with the Dissembler but hauing courteously entertained our Embassadours as courteously dismissed them But the King wants money and must now dissemble with his subiects He pretended war with France and with this key hopes to open his Subiects coffers The expectation of supplies by a Parliament would prove tedious some shorter course must be taken Money is therfore demanded by Proclamation that no lesle then according to the sixth part of euery mans Moveables Divers great personages appointed Commissioners vse all faire meanes to draw the people to contribute But although they sate in Commission in divers parts of the Kingdome at one and the same time they were so far from preuailing that as if the people had vniuersally conspired it was every where denied and the Commissioners very ill entreated not without further danger of sedition and tumult Hereupon the King calls a Parliament to be held at London wherein he professeth himselfe to be vtterly ignorant of these intollerable courses by such burthenous taxations The King disclaiming it euery one seekes to free himselfe The Cardinall was at last faine to take all vpon himselfe protesting That as a faithfull Seruant he had no further end in it than the profit of his Lord the King and that hee had aduised not onely with his Maiesties Councell which they all acknowledged but also with the Learned in the Lawes both Diuine and Humane whose opinion it was that the King might lawfully take the same course that PHARAOH did who by the ministery of IOSEPH sequestred a certaine portion of euery mans priuate estate for the publique good But the dislike of the people occasioned by this though fruitlesse proiect was greater than could be removed by this excuse And yet this proiect was not altogether fruitlesse the Kings apparant want affording a sufficient pretext of deferring the war with France vntill another yeare Neither was it the Kings intent to make vse of his advantages ouer the French who now lay open to all his blows HENRY hauing put away his wife the Emperour must needs be netled and then the amity of France would stand him in some steed Indeed CATHARINE was a noble and a vertuous Lady but shee had liued so long as to make her Husband weary of her He affected the daughter of Sir THOMAS BOLEN Treasurer of his Houshold Her he intends to marry and to be diuorced from the other For he did in his soule abhor this incestuous Match and it stood not with the publique weale that He should live single especially the lawfulnesse of his Daughters birth being so questionable Hee married not againe for his pleasure but to settle the Kingdome on his lawfull Issue The Learned as many as Hee had conferred with did generally pronounce the first marriage void yet would Hee haue it lawfully decided that with a safe conscience He might make choice of a second Thus far had WOLSEY willingly led him hoping to haue drawne him to a Match in France But Hee was of age to choose for himselfe and had already els where setled his affections And the more to manifest his love on the eighteenth of Iune he created his future Father in law Sir THOMAS BOLEN Viscont Rochfort At the same time were created HENRY FITZ-ROY the Kings naturall fonne by ELIZABETH BLOVNT Daughter to Sir IOHN BLOVNT Knight Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Richmond and Somerset HENRY COVRTNEY Earle of Devonshire the Kings Couzen german Marquis of Excester HENRY BRANDON eldest sonne to the Duke of Suffolke by the Kings Sister the Dowager of France Earle of Lincolne THOMAS MANNERS Lord Roos Earle of Rutland Sir HENRY CLIFFORD Earle of Cumberland and ROBERT RATCLIF Lord Fitzwalter Viscont Fitzwalter Cardinall WOLSEY this yeare laid the foundation of two Colledges one at Ipswich the place of his birth another at Oxford dedicated to our Sauiour CHRIST by the name of Christ-Church This later though not halfe finished yet a magnificent and royall Worke a most fruitfull Mother of Learned Children doth furnish the Church and Common-wealth with multitudes of able men and amongst others acknowledgeth me such as I am for her Foster-childe The other as if the Founder had also been the foundation fell with the Cardinall and being for the most part pulled downe is long since converted to private vses The Cardinalls private estate although it were wonderfull great being not sufficient to endow these Colledges with revenues answerable to their foundation the Pope consenting he demolished fourty Monasteries of meaner note and conferred the lands belonging to them on these his new Colledges It hath been the observation of some That this businesse like that proverbiall gold of Tholouse was fatall to those that any way had a hand in it We will hereafter shew what became of the Pope and the Cardinall But of five whom he made vse of in the alienation of the guifts of so many religious men it afterward happened that two of them challenging the field of each other one was slaine and the other hanged for it a third throwing himselfe headlong into a Well perished wilfully a fourth before that a wealthy man sunke to that low ebbe that he after begged his bread and Doctor ALLEN the fift a man of especiall note being Archbishop of Dublin was murthered in Jreland I could wish that by these and the like examples men would learne to take heed how they lay hands on things consecrated to God If the Divine Iustice so severely punished those that converted the abused yet not regarding the abuse but following the sway of their ambitious desires goods of the Church to vndoubtedly better vses what can we expect of those that take all occasions to rob and spoile the Church hauing no other end but onely the inriching of themselues LVTHER had notice of HENRY his intended Divorce and that from CHRISTIERNE the expelled King of Denmarke who eagerly solicited him to write friendly vnto the King putting LVTHER in hope that HENRY being a courteous Prince might by milde persuasions be induced to embrace the reformation which LVTHER had begun And indeed LVTHER foreseeing the necessary consequences of this Divorce was easily entreated and did write vnto the King in this submissiue manner He doubted not but he had much offended his Majesty by his late reply but he did it rather enforced by others then of his owne accord Hee did now write presuming vpon the Kings much bruited humanity especially being informed That the King himselfe was not Author of the Booke against him which thing
names of both Legates he began a speech in English wherein hee professed a great deale of observance and dutie to her and that they came to no other end but to advise her for her good The Queene answered them much after this manner As for your good will I thanke you as for your advise I will give you the hearing But the matter I beleeve about which you come is of so great importance that it will require a great deale of deliberation and the helpe of a braine surpassing that of feminine weaknesse You see my employments shewing them a skaine of white thred hanging about her necke in these I spend my time among my Maides which indeed are none of the greatest Counsailers yet I have none other in England and Spaine where they are on whom I dare relie God wot is farre enough hence yet I am content to heare what you have to say and will give you an answere when we can conveniently So taking the Cardinall by the hand she brought them into a withdrawing roome where having attentively heard out their message shee made this reply That now after twenty yeares the lawfulnesse of my marriage should be questioned I cannot sufficiently wonder especially when I consider who were the Authours of it Many of them are yet alive both in England and Spaine and what kind of men the rest were who are now dead the world knowes Henry and Ferdinand our Parents the most sage Princes of their time and their Counsaile such without doubt who for their wisdome were approved of as fit servants for so iudicious Masters besides the Pope whose Dispensation J have to shew and which was procured by my Father at no small rate But what thing is there so sincere and firme which enuy will not seeke to blast Of these my miseries I can accuse none but you my Lord of Yorke Because I could not away with your monstrous pride excessive riot whoredome and intolerable oppression therefore do I now suffer And yet not only for this for some part of your hatred I am beholding to my Nephew the Emperour whom for that he did not satisfie your insatiable ambition by advancing you to the Papacy you have ever since maligned You threatned to be revenged on him and his Friends and you have performed your promise for you have beene the onely incendiarie and plotter of all the mischiefe and wars against him these late yeares And J am his Aunt whom how you have persecuted by raising this new doubt God only knowes to whose iudgement only I commend my cause This Shee spake in French as it seemed very much moved and would not endure to heare WOLSEY speake in defence of himselfe but courteously dismissed CAMPEGIVS It was now Iune and the Harvest drawing on the Legates thought it high time to make an end of this suite A day therefore being prefixed many of the Nobility and a multitude of the Commonaltie repaired to the Court verily expecting that iudgement should have beene given for the King HENRY having I know not how conceived some hope of the Legates good intents caused a seat to bee placed for himselfe behind the hangings vnder the covert wherof he might vnseene heare whatsoever was spoken or passed in Court The Cardinals being seated the King's Advocates earnestly requiring that sentence might be given on their side CAMPEGIVS made this Oration well beseeming the constancy of a man not vnworthy of the place he supplied J have heard and diligently examined whatsoever hath beene alledged in the King's behalfe And indeed the arguments are such that I might and ought pronounce for the King if two reasons did not controll and curbe my desires of doing his Matestie right The Queene you see withdrawes her selfe from the iudgement of this Court having before vs excepted against the partialitie of the place where she saith nothing can be determined without the consent of the Plaintife Moreover his Holinesse who is the fountaine and life of our authoritâ—e hath by a messenger given vs to vnderstand that hee hath reserved this cause for his owne hearing so that if wee would never so faine proceed any farther peradventure wee cannot J am sure wee may not Wherefore which only remaineth I doe heere dissolve the Court Other then this as the case stands I cannot do and I beseech them whom this Cause concernes to take in good part what I have done Which if they will not although it may trouble me yet not so much as to reguard the threats of any one I am a feeble old man and see death so neere me that in a matter of so great consequence neither hope nor feare nor any other respect but that of the Supreme Iudge before whom I finde my selfe ready to appeare shall sway me How the King was pleased at this you may easily conceive It is reported that the Duke of Suffolke knowing the King to be present and conscious of his infirmitie in a great rage leaping out of his chaire bountifully bestowed a volley of curses vpon the Legates saying It was never well with England since it had any thing to doe with Cardinalls To whom WOLSEY returned a few wordes saying That it was not in his power to proceed without Authoritie from the Pope and that no man ought to accuse them for not doing that whereto their power did not extend But the Kings implacable anger admitted of no excuse WOLSEY himselfe must become a sacrifice to appease it As for CAMPEGIVS hee tasted neverthelesse of the King's bountie and had leave to depart But at Calais his carriages were searched by the King's command The pretence was that WOLSEY intending an escape had by CAMPEGIVS convaied his treasures for Rome But the Bull was the Treasure so much sought after The King could not beleive it was burned and if it were found it was enough to countenance his second marriage But found it was not no nor scarce so much money in all the Cardinals carriages as had beene given him by the King WOLSEY his rising and his fall were alike sodaine neither of them by degrees but as the Lion gets his prey by leapes Shortly after the departure of his Colleague vpon the eighteene of October the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke in his Maiesties name commanded him to surrender the Great Seale But he pleaded That the King had by Patent made him Lord Chancellour during terme of life and by consequence committed the custodie of the great Seale to him Neverthelesse hee would resigne his place if his Maiestie so commanded But hee thought it not fit having received the Seale from the King to deliver it to any other but vpon especiall Command The Lords returning to Windsore where the Court then was the next day brought the King's Letters whose Mandate the Cardinall forthwith obeied In this Dignitie the six and twentieth of October Sir THOMAS MORE succeeded whose admirably generall learning is so well knowne to the world that I
Gentlemen of the Kings Priuy Chamber and MARKE SVETON a Musitian either as Partakers or accessory were to run the same fortune The King greatly favoured NORRIS and is reported to be much grieved that he was to dy with the rest Whereupon he offered pardon to him conditionally that he would confesse that whereof hee was accused But hee answered resolutely and as it became the progenitor of so many valiant Heroes That in his conscience he thought her guiltlesse of the obiected crime but whether she were or no he could not accuse her of any thing and that he had rather vndergo a thousand deaths then betray the Innocent Vpon relation whereof the King cryed out Hang him vp then Hang him vp then Which notwithstanding was not accordingly executed For on the thirteenth of May two dayes after his condemnation all of them viz. the Viscont Rochfort NORRIS BRIERTON and SVETON were beheaded at Tower hill NORRIS left a sonne called also HENRY whom Queene ELIZABETH in contemplation of his Fathers deserts created Baron of Ricot This Lord NORRIS was father to those great Captaines WILLIAM IOHN THOMAS and EDWARD in our dayes so famous throughout Christendome for their braue exploits in England France Irland and the Netherlands On the nineteenth of May the Queene was brought to the place of execution in the greene within the Tower some of the Nobility and Companies of the City being admitted rather to be witnesses than spectators of her death To whom the Queene hauing ascended the scaffold spake in this manner Friends and good Christian people J am here in your presence to suffer death whereto J acknowledge my selfe adiudged by the Lawes how iustly J will not say for I intend not an accusation of any one J beseech the Almighty to preserue his Maiâ—sty long to raigne ouer you a more gentle or milde Prince neuer swayed Scepter his bounty and clemency towards me I am sure hath beene especiall If any one intend an inquisitiue survey of my actions J intreat him to iudge favourably of me and not rashly to admit of any hard censorious conceit And so I bid the world farewell beseeching you to commend mee in your Prayers to God To thee O Lord do J commend my Soule Then kneeling downe shee incessantly repeated these words CHRIST haue mercy on my soule Lord IESVS receive my soule vntill the Executioner of Caâ—ais at one blow smote off her head with a sword Had any one three yeares before at what time the King so hot in the pursuit of his loue preferred the enioying of this Lady beyond his Friends his Estate his Health Safeguard and his onely Daughter prophetically foretold the vnhappy fate of this Princesse he should haue beene beleeued with CASSANDRA But much more incredible may all wise men thinke the vnheard of crime for which shee was condemned viz. That fearing least her Daughter the Lady ELIZATETH borne while CATHARINE survived should bee accompted illegitimate in hope of other especially masle Issue whereof shee despaired by the King now neere fifty yeares old shee had lasciviously vsed the company of certaine young Courtiers nay not therewith content had committed incest with her owne Brother A strange ingratitude in one raised from so low degree euen to the height of honour I will not derogate from the Authority of publique Records But an Act of Parliament against her shall not worke on my beliefe Surely it carried so little shew of probability with foraine Princes that they alwaies deemed it an act of inhumane cruelty Especially the Estates of Germany Confederates for the defence of the Reformed Religion who having often treated with FOX Bishop of Hereford and other Embassadours had decreed to make HENRY Head of their League and had designed an Embassy by IOHN STVRMIVS who should haue brought with him into England those excellent Divines PHILIP MELANCTHON and MARTIN BVCER with one GEORGE DRACO who should endeavour that and the Reformation of our Church But having heard of the lamentable and vnworthy as they iudged it end of the Queene loathing the King for his inconstancy and cruelty they cast off all farther thought of that matter I will not presume to discusse the truth of their opinion But freely to speake what I my selfe thinke There are two reasons which sway much with mee in the behalfe of the Queene That her Daughter the Lady ELIZABETH was seated in the Royall Throne where shee for so many yeares ruled so happily and triumphantly What shall we thinke but that the Divine Goodnesse was pleased to recompence the iust calamity of the Mother in the glorious prosperity of the Daughter And then consider but the Kings precipitated Nuptialls the very next day after the death of his former Wife yet scarce interred and with whose warme bloud his imbrued hands yet reaked consider this I say and you shall easily be persuaded with mee that the insatiable Prince glutted with the satiety of one and out of the desire of variety seeking to enioy another did more willingly giue eare to the treacherous calumnies of the malicious Popelings than either befitted an vpright Iudge or a louing husband For it seemeth wonderfull strange to mee that either the fault of the one or the pleasing conditions and faire language of the other Wife should so far possesse the King as that hee should procure his daughter ELIZABETH to be by Act of Parliament declared illegitimate the matrimony contracted with both the former Queenes CATHARINE and ANNE to be pronounced invalid and the Crowne to be perpetually established on the posterity of the third wife or if the King had no Issue by her that then it should bee lawfull for him by Will and Testament to transfer it on whome hee pleased Parliaments were not then so rigid but that they could flatter the Prince and condescend to his demands though vniust even in cases which most neerely concerned the publique Weale But servile Feare is oft times more ready then Loue which slowly moves by apprehension of Good as the other is quickely forced by the apprehension of Danger On the twentieth of May the King married IANE SEIMOVR Daughter of Sir IOHN SEIMOVR who on the nine and twentieth of May being Whitsonday clad in royall habiliments was openly shewed as Queene So that the Court of England was now like a Stage whereon are represented the vicissitudes of ever various Fortune For within one and the same moneth it saw Queene ANNE flourishing accused condemned executed and another assumed into her place both of bed and honour The first of May it seemeth shee was informed against the second imprisoned the fifteenth condemned the seventeenth deprived of her Brother and Friends who suffered in her cause and the nineteenth executed On the twentieth the King married IANE SEIMOVR who on the nine and twentieth was publiquely shewed as Queene The death of this innocent Lady God seemed to revenge in the immature end of the Duke of Richmond the Kings only but naturall
the French vnder colour of reconciling him with the Emperour but his chiefe errant was to combine them both against HENRY Whereof hee having intelligence did by his Agent earnestly solicite FRANCIS That in reguard of their mutuall amity hee would cause POOLE to bee apprehended as guilty of high Treason and sent to him where hee should vndergo the punishment due therefore But because Religion and the Law of Nations had beene violated in betraying any especially the Popes Embassadour the French could not yeeld to the Kings request but to shew that hee would administer no cause of offence hee refused to admit of his Embassy and commanded him speedily to depart out of his Dominions HERCVLES stature might be guessed at by the proportion of his foot and by this one mans endeavours HENRY was taught what if need were hee was to expect of his Clergy So that hee was easily induced as any of them offended to send him to his grave for that a dead Lion biteth not And this course beeing taken with his professed enemies the feare of the like punishment would secure him of the rest On the twelfth of October the Queene having long suffered the throwes of a most difficult travaile and such a one wherein either the Mother or the Infant must necessarily perish out of her wombe was ripped Prince EDWARD who after succeeded his Father in the Crowne The Queene onely surviving two daies died on the fourteenth of October and on the twelfth of November was with great pompe buried at Windsore in the middle of the Quire on whose Tombe is inscribed this Epitaph Phoenix IANA iacet nato Phoenice dolendum Secula Phoenices nulla tulisse duas Here a Phoenix heth whose death To another Phoenix gaue breath It is to be lamented much The World at once ne'r knew two such On the eighteenth of October the Infant was created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewall and Earle of Chester and with him his Vnkle EDWARD SEIMOVR brother to the deceased Queene Lord Beauchampe and Earle of Hereford which Honours onely and not those afterwards conferred on him hee left to his posterity WILLIAM FITZ-WILLIAMS Lord Admirall was made Earle of Southampton Then also WILLIAM POWLET and IOHN RVSSELL began their races in the lists of Honour POWLET being made Treasurer and RVSSELL Comptroller of the Kings Houshold and both sworne of the Privy Counsaile Neither was here their non vltra the one being afterward raised to Lord Treasurer of England and Marquis of Winchester the other to Earle of Bedford wherein hee dying in the yeare 1554 his Sonne FRANCIS that pious old man and liberall releiuer of the Poore succeeded him who at the very instant of his death lost his Sonne FRANCIS slaine by a Scot Anno 1587. Which FRANCIS was Father to EDWARD Earle of Bedford and brother to WILLIAM by King IAMES created Lord RVSSELL POWLET living to be a very decrepit old man had to his Successour his Nephew by his Sonne WILLIAM named also WILLIAM the sole Marquis of England And to end this yeare with death as it began THOMAS HOWARD youngest sonne to the Duke of Norfolke having beene fifteene moneths imprisoned for affiancing himselfe without the Kings consent to MARGARET Daughter to ARCHIBALD DOVGLAS Earle of Angus and Lady MARGARET the Kings Sister on the first day of November to the vnspeakeable good of this Island deceased in the Tower For this MARGARET beeing after married to MATHEW Earle of Lenox had by him HENRY the Father of King IAMES of sacred memory the most happy Vnitor of divided Britaine Anno Dom. 1538. Reg. 30. IT is at length after many ages resolved That through the superstitious abuse of Images God was robbed of his due honour The King much prone to Reformation specially if any thing might be gotten by it thought it fit to remove this stumbling blocke and the rather for that hee conceived his Treasury would be thereby supplied There were some Images of more especiall fame and Shrines of reputed Saints Whereunto Pilgrimages were made from the farthest parts of the Kingdome nay even from foraine Countries also the Oblations whereto were so many and so rich that they not onely suffised for the maintenance of Priests and Monkes but also to the heaping vp of incredible wealth The Shrine of THOMAS BECKET Archbishop of Canterbury was covered with plates of gold and laden with guifts of inestimable value The blinde zeale of those and former times had decked it with gemmes chaines of gold of great weight and pearles of that large size which in our Language finde no proper terme This Tombe was razed and his bones found entire in steed of whose head the Monkes vsually obtruded the skull of some other peradventure better deserving then did their supposed Martyr The spoile of this Monument wherein nothing was meaner then gold filled two chests so full that each of them required eight strong men for the portage Among the rest was a stone of especiall lustre called the Royall of France offered by LEWIS the Seventh King of France in the yeare 1179 together with a great massy cup of gold at what time hee also bestowed an annuity on the Monkes of that Church of an hundred tunnes of wine This stone was after ward highly prised by the King who did continually weare it on his thumbe ERASMVS speakes much of the magnificence of this Monument as also of the Image of our Lady of Walsingham both which hee had seene and admired This Image was also stripped of whatsoeuer worthy thing it had the like being also done in other the like places and the statues and bones of the dead digged vp and burned that they might bee no further cause of superstition Among the rest of these condemned Images there was a Crucifex in South-Wales called of the Inhabitants Darvell Gatharen concerning which there was a kinde of prophecy That it should one day fire a whole Forest It chanced that at this time one Doctor FOREST a Frier Observant who had formerly taken the Oath of Supremacy was vpon his relapse apprehended and condemned of Treason and Heresy For this Fryer a new Gallowes was erected whereon hee was hanged by the arme pits and vnderneath him a fire made of this Image wherewith hee was burned and so by his death made good the Prophecy Great was the Treasure which the King raised of the spoiles of Churches and Religious Houses But whether the guilt of sacriledge adhering like a consuming canker made this ill gotten treasure vnprofitable or that he found he had need of greater supplies to withstand the dangers that threatened him from abroad not content with what hee had already corraded hee casts his eyes on the wealth of the Abbeyes that had escaped the violence of the former tempest and not expecting as hee deemed it a needlesse Act of Parliament seizeth on the rest of the Abbeyes and Religious Houses of the Realme And first hee begins with that
for the Londoners being prepossessed were so far from supplying him that they at the same time afforded his Adversary five hundred and the greatest part of the Nobility had by ioining with the Earle made their cause one at last forsooke himselfe also and craving of the adverse party that they would abstaine from violence toward him and proceed only according to the vsuall courses of Legall tryall delivered the King to their Tuition and remitted himselfe to their disposall by whom on the fourteenth of October he was committed to the Tower together with Sir MICHAEL STANHOP Sir THOMAS SMITH Sir IOHN THIN and some others On the tenth of November died PAVL the Third having sate Pope neere about fifteene yeares The Conclave of Cardinalls consulting about the election of a new Pope began to have reguard of Cardinall POOLE in whome the greatnesse of his Extract his Vertuous Life Gravity and admirable Learning were very considerable motives The Conclave was at that time divided some were Imperialists some French and a third Part wherof the Cardinall FARNESE was principall stood Neuter These lator at length ioining with the Imperialists cast their vnanimous Votes vpon POOLE Who vpon notice of his Election blamed them for their rashnesse advising them againe and againe that they should not in their Consultations be mis-led by perturbation of minde or do any thing for friendship or favour but totally to direct their cogitations to the honor of God and the profit of his Church POOLE himselfe having thus put off the matter the French Cardinalls began to alledge That in reguard of the difficulties of wayes and distance of places many of the Colledge were yet absent and that there was no reason why they should with such precipitation proceed to a partiall Election before the Conclave were full The Cardinall CARAFFA who some yeares after was Pope by the name of PAVL the Fourth a waiward old man whose cold spirits were set on fire by Envy and Ambition sought to make vse of POOLE'S modesty to his owne advantage hoping himselfe as eminent and in as faire a way as any of the Colledge POOLE excepted might be advanced to the Chaire And to lessen the favour of the Conclave towards POOLE he betooke himselfe to calumnies accusing POOLE of suspicion of Heresy and Incontinency that In Germany and his Legacy at Trent he had too much favoured the Lutheraus had often entertained IMMANVEL TREMELLIVS had inrolled ANTONIO FLAMINIO suspested of Lutheranisme in his Family and promoted him to many Ecclesiasticall Dignities and in his Legacy at Viterbo vsed not that severity against that sort of men that was requisite Neither could that composed gravity so free him from the taint of loosenesse but that many were of opinion he had cloistered a Virgin of his owne begetting That he wondred what the Conclave meant with so impetuous a current to proceed to the election of this one man and he a forainer as if Italy it selfe were so barren of deserving men that we must be faine to send for this man out of Britaine almost the farthest part of the knowne World to invest him in the Papacy wherof what would be the effect but that the Emperour at whose devotion this man wholly was might once againe make himselfe Master of Rome now by indulgence as before by force To these allegations POOLE'S reply was such that he not only cleered himselfe but also quickened the almost extinguished desires of the Conclave to elect him The major part wherof assembling at his chamber by night wished LVDOVICO PRIVLO the Cardinalls bosome friend betweene whome the correspondence of their dispositions had bred a mutuall affection to awake him for that having elected him they were purposely come an accustomed ceremony to Adore him and dissolve the Conclave PRIVLO having signified to him with testimonies of excessive ioy the intent of these Cardinalls was greatly 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 deterre an ingenuous man from the acceptation of it was not to be tumultuously but vpon mature deliberation orderly to be transacted as for the season it was vtterly vnfit for asmuch as God was the God of Light and not of Darkenesse they should therfore do well to defer it vntill the next day and if then their resolutions proved the same he would submit himselfe to their pleasures The Italian Cardinalls conceiving these delayes to proceed out of stupidity began to contemne him and changing their determinations a little after pitched vpon Cardinall MONTANVS whome they created Pope by the name of IVLIVS the Third Anno Dom. 1550 Reg. 4. THe Duke of Somerset having now for three moneths 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 Realme should for a small offence be condemned to perpetuall imprisonment is vnder-hand dealt with to submit himselfe with acknowledgement that hee had deserved this or whatsoever greater punishment the King should be pleased to inflict on him and withall to implore the favour of his Maiesties Royall Clemency To this he easily condiscended and was on the sixt of February set at liberty but not restored to the dignity of Protector onely contenting himselfe with the ranke of a Privy Counsailor But it being conceived that revenge might draw the Duke to new practises by mediation of Friends hee is reconciled to the Earle of Warwicke and that this attonement might be the more firme and sincere the Dukes Daughter is on the third of June married to the Viscont Lisle the Earle of Warwicks Sonne the King gracing the Nuptialls with his presence THVANVS I know not vpon what grounds writeth That the Earle by a kinde of counterfeit shew that he was desirous of the restitution of the Romish Religion had setled himselfe 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 it's reputed Antiquity and that his dissimulation being discovered fearing least he should be forsaken of them whom he had with false hopes deluded the consideration thereof and of the Dukes milde and free disposition would indeere his Adversary to them to prevent this danger he contrived this alliance with the Duke and procured his liberty In the meane of these passages on the nineteenth of January the Lord Russell Lord Privy Seale was created Earle of Bedford WILLIAM Lord Saint-John Earle of Wiltshire and Sir WILLIAM PAGET Lord Paget The Earle of Bedford and the Lord Paget were within three dayes after with Sir WILLIAM PETERS and Sir IOHN MASON dispatched into France for the Treatie of a Peace with the Deputies appointed by the French who were MONTMORECY Gouernour of Picardy GASPER COLIGNY Lord of Chastillon afterward Admirall of France ANDREW GILLAR MORTAIR and WILLIAM BOVCHERELLE
The Lord Paget not long before had beene sent to the Emperor to signifie how we were distressed on the one side by the Scots and on the other by the French and miserably rent at home by intestine dissensions that our necessities required speedy succours or would force vs to condescend to an inconvenient Peace with France But perceiving nothing was to bee obtained of him wee stroke hands with the French vpon these conditions That Boloigne and all the Forts in Boloignois should be surrendred to the French together with the Artillery and other military provision That in lieu thereof the King of France should pay vnto EDVVARD foure hundred thousand crownes by equall portions at two payments That the English should restore to the Scots Lauder and Douglas and if the Queene of Scots should desire it should rase their Fortifications in Haymon and at Roxburgh The Emperour was on both sides comprehended in the League and the Queene of Scots by the French The two Kings presented each other with their military Orders and as one writeth it was on both parts agreed on that EDWARD should marry one of the Daughters of France For the ratification of the Articles on the eight of Aprill Hostages were given By Vs The Duke of Suffolke The Earle of Hertford Sonne to the Duke of Somerset The Earle of Arundell The Earle of Derby The Earle of Bath By the French IOHN of Bourbon Duke of Anguien CLAVD of Loraine Marquis of Mayenne FRANCIS Sonne to the Constable MONTMORENCY LEWIS of Tremoville FRANCIS of Vendosme Vidame of Chartres CLAVD d' Annebalt This Peace betweene vs and France was on the third of March solemnely proclaimed in London and on the five and twentieth of Aprill Bouloigne being accordingly surrendred to the French our Hostages were returned On the thirtieth of Iuly died the Lord WRIOTHSLEY Knight of the Garter late Lord Chancellour of England and Earle of Southampton He had about the beginning of this Kings Raigne delivered vp the Seale the Custody wherof was committed to the Lord Rich. But having beene about halfe a yeare past removed as was also the Earle of Arundell but for what cause is vncertaine from the Counsaile Table he at length whether out of griefe or some other cause fell sicke and died He was father to HENRY the second Earle and Grandfather to HENRY the third Earle of Southampton not long since deceased who having tasted of both fortunes did hertofore as generously behave himselfe in adversity as he did since moderately in prosperity whereto by the Clemency of our late Soveraigne he was restored Anno Dom. 1551. Reg. 5. MEntion hath formerly beene made concerning the Sweating Sickenesse a disease to which England hath given a name as well in reguard of it's originall as of the knowne disposition of our bodies to admit of this virulent contagion England had beene formerly afflicted with it but never so mortally as this present yeare Shrewsbury was now the first place acquainted with this Pestilence there it began in Aprill and thence diffusing it selfe over the most part of the Kingdome at length it vanished away in the North about the beginning of October The fury of it was such as if it would never end but by it's proper cruelty when it should not have left subiects wheron to feed The dead whome it swept away were numberlesse In London only eight hundred was scarce a seven nights stint It made it's first entry into this Island in the Reigne of HENRY the Seventh Anno 1486. and from hence it tooke it's progresse to other Nations The Infected flowed away and within the space of twenty foure houres when this malignant disease was most mercifull in it's execution peradventure within twelve did sweat out their soules Women children and old men it for the most part overpassed and wreaked it selfe on the robustious youth and well compact middle age who if in the beginning of their sickenes did but slumber perished instantly If it seized on any that were full gorged the recovery was in a manner desperate Nay and of others whatsoever they were scarce one of a hundred escaped vntill time had found out a remedy the manner wherof was thus If any be taken in the day time hee must without shifting of his apparell betake himselfe to bed If by night and in bed let him not stir thence vntill twenty foure howers be run In the meane let the coverture be such that it provoke not sweat but that it may gently distill of it selfe if it be possible for him so long to forbeare let him not eat nor drinke more then may moderately serve to extinguish thirst But above all let him so patiently endure heat that hee vncover not any part of his body no not so much as a hand or a foot The strangenesse of this disease I do not so much admire for that PLINY in his twenty sixt Booke the first Chapter witnesseth and daily experience teacheth vs that every age produceth new and Epidemicall diseases But that which surpasseth the search of humane reason is this that this Pestilence afflicted the English in what part of the world soever without touching the Natives but in England alone This dire contagion promiscuously impoverisht the Land of people of all sorts among those of especiall note were HENRY Duke of Suffolke and his Brother who were the Sonnes of CHARLES BRANDON and the Kings Couzins germane young Noblemen of great and lively hopes by the death of HENRY the Duchy was for some few howers devolved to the younger Brother who had the vnhappy honour but to be seized of the Title and dy The Lord Gray Marquis of Dorset having married FRANCIS the eldest Daughter of CHARLES BRANDON in the right of his Wife made claime to the Duchy and was on the eleventh of October invested in it At what time also IOHN DVDLEY Earle of Warwicke was created Duke of Northumberland WILLIAM POWLET Earle of Wiltshire Marquis of Winchester and Sir WILLIAM HERBERT Lord Cardif Master of the Horse Earle of Pembroke The masculine Line of DVDLEY and GRAY hath beene long since extinct Of the Family of the POWLETS we have spoken already the Lord HERBERT Brother in law to Queene CATHARINE PARR derived himselfe from WILLIAM HERBERT in the time of EDWARD the Fourth Earle of Pembroke and was succeeded in the Earledome by his Sonne HENRY Father to WILLIAM the moderne Earle whose mature wisedome and gravity even in his greener yeares long since ranked him in the sage Senate of the Privy Counsaile to two successive Kings and to PHILIP by King IAMES created Earle of Montgomery Then also were knighted Sir IOHN CHEEKE the King's Schoolemaster Sir HENRY DVDLEY Sir HENRY NEVILL and whome I cannot mention but with due honor Sir WILLIAM CECILL CECILL I say who then Secretary of Estate was afterward by all Europe held in admiration for his wisedome whome Queene ELIZABETH made Lord Treasurer of England and Baron of Burleigh and was whilest he
lived a second prop of this Estate who on the fourth of August 1598. piously ended his long but for the publique weales sake ever restlesse life leaving two Sonnes THOMAS by King IAMES created Earle of Excester and ROBERT out of the same Fountaine of Royall Goodnesse Earle of Sarisbury and Lord Treasurer of England And now the ill cemented affections of the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland dissolved into open enmity In the prosecution wherof Somerset otherwise of a most milde disposition but Patience abused oft runneth into the extreme of Fury provoked by continuall iniuries resolved as some write to murther Northumberland To this end but vnder colour of a visite privily armed and well attended by Seconds who awaited him in an vtter chamber he comes to his Adversary at that time by reason of some indisposition of body keeping his Chamber hath accesse vnto him naked as hee was in his bed but is so courteously entertained and with such smooth language that the Duke of Somerset good man repenting himselfe of his bloudy resolutions would not execute what he purposely came for At his departure one of his conspirators is reported to have asked him Whether he had done the feat and vpon his denial to have added Then you are vndone This his intent being by his owne Party bewraied a second accusation is ingrossed against him The matter is referred to the Counsaile Table and he on the sixteenth of October againe committed to the Tower together with the Duchesse his Wife the Lord Gray of Wilton Sir RALPH VANE Sir THOMAS PALMER Sir MILES PARTRIDGE Sir MICHAEL STANHOP Sir THOMAS ARVNDELL and many other of his Friends On the first of December the Marquis of Winchester being for that day high Steward he is arraigned for Treason against the Estate which hee had not onely ill but treacherously managed and for conspiracy against the Duke of Northumberland Of Treason he cleered himselfe and his Peeres acquitted him For the Conspiracy he was by his owne confession condemned and that by vertue of a Law enacted 3. HENR 7. which made the very intent nay imagination of killing a Privy Counsailor punishable by death But howsoever the Law enacted as some conceive vpon somewhat differing intents and meaning were extended to the highest of it's rigour yet can I not but wonder how a man so great in the reguards of his Reigning Nephew of his Honors of the popular Favour should be so destitute of Learned Advice as not to exempt himselfe from a felonious death by his Clergy But such were the times such his misfortunes in the minority of his Prince from whose revengefull hand how could the adverse Faction presume themselves secure in the future Neither could they choose but be somewhat terrified with that ecchoing testimony of the peoples ioy who seeing that fatall Virge the Axe vsually marshalling Traitors to the Barre laied aside vpon his freedome from the guilt of Treason from Westminster Hall certified that part of the City by their loud festivall acclamations of the gladsome tidings of their Favorite's conceived Absolution And these peradventure might be causes that his execution was deferred Hitherto had the Estate patiently indured the obstinate opposition of some Bishops in point of Reformation who for their non-conformity are at length deprived and others substituted in their Bishopricks Of some of them we have occasionally already spoken whose censures notwithstanding fall in with this yeare GARDINER Bishop of Winchester was deprived the fourteenth of February DAY of Chichester and HEATH of Worcester on the tenth of October TONSTALL of Duresme on the twentieth of December committed to the Tower and BONER of London on the first of October 1549. had beene already exautorated All of them for feare of practising against the Estate were deteined in Prison And on the last of October FRANCIS INGLEFIELD WALGRAVE and ROCHESTER Servants to the Lady MARY as also FRANCIS MALLET Doctor of Divinity her Chaplaine were committed I cannot speake any thing certaine of the causes of any of their imprisonments excepting Doctor MALLET'S only At the Emperours request he was permitted to celebrate Masse but with this limitation In the presence of the Lady MARY not otherwise for adventuring to celebrate in her absence it was thought fit he should be punished for his presumptuous transgression With the Lady her selfe all meanes had beene vsed to conforme her to the Times the King himselfe had taken much paines with her by often suasory Letters the Counsaile had done the like and personally to satisfie her with reason divers learned men had beene imploied But their labours were vaine for hatred to our Religion for her Mothers for her owne sake and some politique respects for by the Decrees of our Religion she was made illegitimate and consequently cut off from the Succession to the Crowne if her brother should dy issulesse confirmed her in that Superstition which she had sucked from her Mother On the fourteenth of Aprill one GEORGE PARIS a Gormane was at London burned for Arrianisme On the five and twentieth of May Croydon and seven or eight other Villages in Surrey were terribly shaken with an Earthquake Toward the beginning of November MARY Dowager of Scotland arriving at Portsmouth sent to the King and craved leave to passe through England into Scotland Which being granted and she invited to London entred the City on the second of November where her entertainment was generall and Royall On the sixt of November she departed for Scotland and had the charges of her whole Retinue borne vntill she arrived there in safety About the same time also the Earle of Arundell and the Lord Paget were but for what causes is vncertaine committed to the Tower In the ensuing Aprill the Garter was taken from the Lord Paget and conferred on the Earle of Warwick the Duke of Northumberlands eldest Sonne As for the Earle oâ— Arundell he was on the third of December in the next yeare set at liberty On the one and twentieth of December was the Lord Rich removed from the Chancellorship and THOMAS GOODRICH Bishop of Ely made Lord Chancellor Anno Dom. 1552. Reg. 6. THe Duke of Somerset had now continued two moneths in prison since his condemnation At length the violence of his enemies notwithstanding the Kings desire to save his Vnkle vnder whose tuitioâ— he had passed his childehood drew him to the Scaffold Being on the twenty foure of Ianuary brought to the place of execution he in this manner bespake the Assembly Being by the Law condemned I here willingly submit my selfe by exemplary punishment to satisfie it's Rigour That God hath beene pleased to grant me so long a preparative to my end I humbly thanke his eternall Goodnesse But in that he hath beene farther pleased to inspire me with the knowledge of his Truth and to make me an instrument for the propagation of the same J can never sufficiently magnify his Mercies Jn this do J
France the second Daughter of HENRY the Seventh who her two Brothers then alive had beene 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 Suffolke and this was another stop to his Ambition For the removall whereof he intends this course He imparts his designes to the Duke of Suffolke and desires that a Match may be concluded betweene the Lord GVILFORD DVDLEY his fourth Sonne and Lady IANE GREY the Duke of Suffolke's eldest Daughter And because if onely right of inheritance should be pretended the Duchesse of Suffolke were in reason to be preferred before her Daughter he vndertakes to persuade the King not only to disherit his Sisters by Will and Testament but also by the same to declare the Lady IANE his next and immediate Successor Suffolke biting at this bait they complot by drawing the chiefest of the Nobility to contract Affinity either with the one or tother to procure the generall assent of them all So on the same day that Lady IANE vnder anvnhappy Planet was married to Lord GVILFORD the Duke of Suffolk's two youngest Daughters are married CATHARINE to Lord HENRY eldest sonne to the Earle of Pembrooke and crouch backed MARY to MARTIN KEYES Groome Porter Northumberlands eldest Daughter also named CATHARINE was married to the Lord HASTINGS eldest sonne to the Earle of Huntington These marriages were in Iune solemnized at London the King at that time extremely languishing Hauing thus brought these things to a desired passe nothing now remained but to act his part with the weake 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 maintaine the now established Religion How the Lady MARY stood affected was well knowne Of the Lady ELIZABETH there might be peraduenture better hopes But their causes were so strongly connexed that either both must be excluded or the Lady MARY be admitted That it was the part of a religious and good Prince to set apart all respects of Bloud where God's Glory and the Subiects weale might be indangered They that should do otherwise were after this life which is short to exspect revenge at God's dreadfull Tribunall where they are to vndergo the tryall either of eternall life or eternall death That the Duke of Suffolke had three Daughters neerest to him in degrees of Bloud they were such as their Vertues and Birth did commend and from whome the violation of Religion or the danger of a forraine yoke by any match was not to be feared for asnuch as their education had beene Religious they had as it were with their milke suckt in the spirituall 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 Crowne but with this caution That they should maintaine the now established Religion And although Lady IANE the eldest of the three were married to his Sonne he would be content that they should be bound by oath to performe whatsoever his Maiesty should decree for he had not so much reguard to his owne as the generall good These reasons so prevailed with the young King that he made his Will and therin as much as in him lay excluded both his Sisters from the Succession to the Crowne and all others whosoever beside the Duke of Suffolke's Daughters This Will was read in presence of the Counsaile and the chiefe Iudges of the Realme and by each of them confirmed with a strict command that no man should publish the contents of it least it might prove an occasion of sedition and civill 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 lawfull Succession should vpon any pretences be violated But the King vrging him and making Religion a motive which was otherwise likely to suffer after a long deceptation he was at length drawne to assent But these delaies of his were so little reguarded by Queene MARY that vnder her scarce any man was sooner marked out for destruction Some few daies after these passages on the fixt of Iuly in the sixteenth yeare of his age King EDWARD at Greenwich surrendred his soule to God having vnder his Tutors reigned six yeares five moneths and nineteene daies and even in that tender age given great proofe of his vertue a Prince of great devotion constancy of minde love of the Truth and incredibly studious vertues which with Royall Greatnesse seldome concur Some three howers before his death not thinking any one had beene present to over-heare him he thus commended himselfe to God O Lord God free me Ibeseech 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 he done To thee O Lord do J commend my Spirit Thou knowest O Lord how happy J 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 blesse thy People and save thine Jnheritance O Lord God save thy people of England defend this Kingdome frome Popery and preserve thy true Religion in it that Iand my People may blesse thy most Holy Name for thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST Then opening his eyes which he had hitherto closed and seeing Doctor OWEN the Physition from whose report we have this Prayer sitting by Are you there quoth he J had not thought you had been so neere who answered I heard you speake but could not collect your words Jndeed replied the King J was making my prayer to God A little after he suddenly cried out I faint Lord have mercy vpon me and receive my Soule which words he had scarce spoken ere hee departed Much might be spoken in praise of this Prince but reguardfull of my intended brevity I will only give you a taste of him out of CARDAN who about a yeare before travailing through England toward Scotland was admitted to his presence The conference betweene 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 Childe he spake many Languages his native English Latine French and as I heare was also skilled in the Greeke Italian Spanish and peradventure some others He wanted neither the rudiments of Logicke the principles of Philosophy nor Musicke He was full of Humanity the relish of Morality of Gravity befitting Royalty of hopes great as himselfe A Childe of so great wit and such expectation could not be borne without a kinde of miracle in nature I write not this Rhetorically with the excesse of an Hyperbole for to
two thousand Horse Removing thence toward Saint Edmonsbury hee found that many of his souldiers had forsaken their Colours and was wonderfully iealous least of the remainder many would doe the like Wherefore returning to Cambridge hee plied the Lords of the Counsaile with continuall demands of supplies to fill his companies growne thinne by the departure of so many fugitives The Lords that favoured MARIES cause laying hold on this occasion obsequiously tendring their services for the furtherance of the Dukes designes decree speedie aides for him but pretend that it were dangerous to imploy any other in these levies then such of whose loyalty they might rest assured least the like treacherie might be committed as had beene already by Sir EDWARD HASTINGS and profer themselues for the execution of this affaire So by the Duke of Suffolke his permission they all let loose as it were out of prison disperse themselves over the Citie The chiefest of them that were resolved for the Queene were the Marquis of Winchester Lord Treasurer the Earle of Pembroke the Earle of Arundell whom after a yeares imprisonment with the Lord PAGET the Duke of Northumberland had lately set at liberty and Sir THOMAS CHEYNEY Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports By the industry of these as many of the Lords of the Counsaile as were within call excepting the Duke of Suffolke and as many other of the Nobilitie as were knowne to be at least not enemies to Queene MARYES cause had a meeting at Bainards Castle vnder pretence of conference with the French Embassadour LAVALL about I know not what important businesse But indeed to consult of a meane how to reduce Ladie IANE to her first originall of a private fortune There HENRY Earle of Arundell bitterly inveighing against the Duke of Northumberland after he had ripped vp the acts of former times and burthened him with all that had beene done vniustly cruelly or amisse in the Raigne of King EDWARD hee at last comes to that treacherous act of the disherison of the Children of HENRY the Eighth professing that hee wondred how he had so inthralled such personages intimating those Nobles present as to make them instruments of his wickednesse For by their consent and suffrages it came to passe that the Duke of Suffolkes Daughter the same Northumberland's Daughter in Law did now personate a Queene the grosse and power of Soveraignetie remaining indeed with Northumberland that hee might freely wreake his tyranny on their lives and fortunes Religion is indeed the thing pretended But suppose wee haue no reguard to these Apostolicall Rules Evill must not be done that good may come thereof and wee must obey even evill Princes not for feare but for conscience sake yet how doth it appeare that MARY intends any alteration in Religion Certainly having beene lately petitioned vnto in this point by the Suffolke men She gave them and that was true a very hopefull answer And what a mad blindnesse it is for the avoidance of an vncertaine danger to precipitate our selves into most certaine destruction I would we had not erred in this kind But errours past cannot be recalled some may peradventure be amended wherein speedy execution oftimes happily supplieth former defects Recollect your selves then and so make vse of your authority that MARY the vndoubtedly lawfull Heire may be publiquely proclaimed After hee had spoken to this purpose the Earle of Pembroke readily and generously professed that hee subscribed to the Earle of Arundel's motion and grasping his sword signified his resolution to maintaine the right of MARY against all opposers The rest take after them and decree the same So commanding the repaire of the Lord Maior and the rest of the Aldermen they in Cheapside proclaime Ladie MARY Queene with addition also of the title of Supreme Head of the Church And to adde more maiesty to their act by some devout solemnitie they go in Procession to Pauls singing that admirable hymne of those holy Fathers Saint AMBROSE and Saint AVGVSTINE commonly knowne by its first words Te Deum Then they dispatcht away some companies to seize on the Tower and command the Duke of Suffolke to render himselfe The Duke as easily deiected at the newes as he had formerly beene elevated by vaine hope entring his Daughters chamber forbad the farther vse of Royall ceremonies wishing her to be content with her returne to a private fortune Whereto shee answered with a setled countenance Sir I better brooke this message then my forced advancement to Royalty out of obedience to you and my mother I have grieuously sinned and offred violence to my selfe now I do willingly and as obeying the motions of my soule relinquish the Crowne and indevour to salve those faults committed by others if at least so great an errour may be salved by a willing relinquishment and ingenuous acknowledgement Having spoken thus much shee retired into a withdrawing roome more troubled at the danger she had incurred then the defeasance of so great hopes The Duke himselfe presently repaired to the rest of the Counsaile and subscribed to their Decree This Proclamation was on the nineteenth of Iuly published and entertained with such acclamations that no part of it could be heard after the first mention of Queene MARYES name The Earle of Arundell and the Lord PAGET having thus ordered this waightie affaire accompanied with thirty horse rid post that night vnto the Queene to certifie her of the gladsome tidings of her subiects loyall intentions In the meane time the Lords of the Counsaile certifie Northumberland of these passages commanmanding him withall to subscribe to the Decree and dismisse his Army But hee out of the presage of his owne fortune had before the receipt of their letters proclaimed her Queene at Cambridge where in a counterfait ioy he threw vp his Cap with the sincerer multitude Then hee cashiered the rest of his wavering companies and almost all the Lords who had hitherto followed him with a legall revolt passing over to the Queene and making Northumberland the sole author and cause of these disloyall distractions were vpon their submission pardoned Ladie IANE having as on a Stage for ten dayes only personated a Queene was committed to safe custodie and the Ladies who had hitherto attended her were commanded each to their homes The Duke of Northumberland was by the Queenes command apprehended by the Earle of Arundell and committed to the Tower The manner of his taking is reported to have beene thus After so many checkes vncertaine what course to take resolved to flie but not knowing whether the Pensioners who with their Captaine Sir IOHN GATES had followed him in this expedition while he was pulling on his boots seized on him saying that it was sit they shouâ—d excuse themselves from the imputation of treason by his testimony The Duke withstanding them and the matter being likely to grow to blowes at the very instant came those letters from the Counsaile which commanded them all â—o lay aside
among the Nobility that nothing could be done therein Only it was decreed that the First-Fruits and Tenths granted to the King by the Clergy Anno 1534 should be remitted which Decree vpon consideration of the Treasuries poverty and of the many Pensions granted by HENRY to the eiected Religious Persons was quickly revoked About the same time an absurd I might say ridiculous accident happened by the Queens owne credulity and the flattery of fawning Courtiers By reason of a disease which Physitians terme a Mole her belly began to swell and some other reasons giving her cause to coniecture that she was with childe shee not entertaining the advice of any Physitians but of Mid wives and old women beleeving what she desired should be affirmed that she felt the stirring of the Embryo in her wombe To those that are affected with this malady that fleshy and informe substance which is termed Mola doth seeme sometimes to move but that slowly and with the generall motion of the whole belly By this and other symptomes Physitians would quickly have discovered her disease which vnlesse very maturely prevented is commonly incurable so that in processe of time her Liver being over-cooled she fell into a Dropsy which as FVCHSIVS and other Physitians write doth vsually happen But these flattering hopes betraied her to the laughter of the world and to her grave For on the seven and twentieth of November the Lords of the Counsaile sent some Mandates to the Bishop of London to disperse certaine formes of Praiers wherein after thankes given to God for his Mercies to this Kingdome by giving hopes of an Heire to the Crowne and infusing life into the Embryo they should pray for the preservation of the Queene and the Infant and her happy delivery and cause Te Deum to be sung every where Then by Parliament many things were enacted concerning the education of the Babe and much clutter was otherwise kept about preparatious for the Childes swadling clouts cradle and other things requisite at the Delivery vntill in Iune in the ensuing yeare it was manifested that all was little better then a dreame This yeare were many Barons created On the eleventh of March WILLIAM HOWARD was created Lord Howard of Effingam he was Father to CHARLES Lord Admirall and late Earle of Notingham on the fift of Aprill IOHN WILLIAMS Lord Williams of Tame on the seventh of Aprill EDWARD NORTH Baron of Chartlege on the eighth of Aprill IOHN BRVGES Lord Chandois on the fourteenth of May GERARD FITZ-GERARD of whome before Earle of Kildare and on the second of September ANTHONY BROWNE Viscount Mountague And in September deceased THOMAS Duke of Norfolke Anno Dom. 1555. Reg. MARIAE 2. 3. PHILIPPI 1. 2. ON the eighteenth of Ianuary the Lord Chancellor comming to the Tower with six other Lords of the Counsaile set many brave prisoners at liberty viz. the Archbishop of Yorke Sir IOHN ROGERS Sir IAMES CROFT Sir NICHOLAS THROCKMORTON Sir NICHOLAS ARNOLD Sir GEORGE HARPER Sir WILLIAM SENTLOW Sir GAWIN CAREW Sir ANDREW DVDLEY the Duke of Northumberland's Brother WILLIAM GIBS CVTBERT VAVGHAN HARINGTON TREMAINE and others The Archbishop having married a Wife was deprived and NICHOLAS HEATH sometimes Bishop of Worcester but deprived by King EDWARD and HOOPER being eiected and condemned to the fire lately restored by Queene MARY was substituted in his place ROGERS and CROFT were afterward Privy Counsailers to Queene ELIZABETH vnder whome they many yeares flourished in great authority THROCKMORTON a subtle man was thought to have beene the plotter of WIAT'S Rebellion his head was therefore especially aimed at But being indited and ten whole howers spent in sifting him he by such witty answers voided the accusation of his Adversary that the Iurors found him not guilty for which they were afterward soundly fined About the beginning of Aprill the Marquis of of Excester and a little after the Lady ELIZABETH were set at liberty Concerning Lady ELIZABETH it was long consulted what course to take with her wherein the resolutions of the Papists were bloudily bent to make her away when any colourable occasion should present it selfe The Bishop of Winchester vpon any speech concerning the punishment of Heretiques is repoâ—ted to have said We strip off the leaves or lop off the branches but vnles we strike at the Root that hope of Heretiques meaning Lady ELIZABETH we do nothing But after long search into her actions no sufficient matter of accusation being found although there wanted not those who sought to persuade the Queene that her liberty would indanger the Queene yet PHILIP aspiring to the opinion of clemency by his intercession toward the end of Aprill she had her liberty but so that she was bound to admit of into her Family Sir THOMAS POPE a Privy Counsailer GAGE and some others who should alwaies keepe watch over her actions This small sparkle of clemency was obscured by a gâ—eater flame of cruelty a multitude of godly men suâ—fering this yeare for their conscience only On the fourth of February IOHN ROGERS the Protomartyr of those times was burned at London He was TINDALL'S companion after whose death fearing persecution hee would not returne into his Countrey but went with his Wife to Wirtenberg where having attained to the Germane Tongue hee vndertooke the Cure of a certaine Church there which he faithfully discharged vntill vnder King EDWARD he was recalled from exile by RIDLEY Bishop of London made a Prebend of Pauls and Lecturer there Queene MARY having attained the Crowne the Papists endeavored to affright him and so to have once more forced him to a voluntary exile commanding him not so much as to peepe into the streets and in this manner lived he a yeare vntill at last refusing to fly he was imprisoned and condemned to the fire which cruell death notwithstanding that he was to leave a wife and ten children he did most constantly vndergo The like end on the ninth of February made IOHN HOOPER Bishop first of Glocester and then of Worcester too holding both Seas in Commendam who tooke much paines about BONER'S deprivation which thing now hastened him to a stake For as soone as Queene MARY was inthroned he was sent for to London committed to the Tower and condemned for an Heretique HENRY reigning he spent part of his life in Germany where hee tooke to wife a Burguignon and among other devout learned men had intimate familiarity with HENRY BVLLINGER by whome for his learning godly and sweet conversation he was held in dâ—ere esteeme After his condemnation hee was sent to Glocester there to suffer where hee was thought most to have sinned in sowing seeds of error He himselfe not a little rejoicing that he should by the testimony of his bloud confirme that Doctrine before their eyes into whose eares hee had so often inculcated it The same course was taken with FERRAR Bishop of S. Davids who was brought downe froÌ„ London to his owne Dioces there
above navell high through the dikes to the wall which wee little feared could be done without resistance finding the place void of defendants they easily make themselves masters of the Castle and had as easily taken the Towne if Sir ANTHONY AGER Marshall of the Towne had not with some few others made head against them and forced them to retreat to the Castle in which conflict that valiant Knight was slaine The Lord WENTWORTH Governour of the Towne seeing little hopes of keeping the Towne craved parley which was granted and at length yeilded the Towne vpon these Conditions That the common souldiers and inhabitants should depart without transporting or carrying away any thing with them and that the Lord WENTWORTH with fifty others such as the Duke of Guise should appoint should remaine captives to be put to ranson So was Calais lost which had continued English above two hundred yeares neither was the siege long the Enemy sitting downe before iâ— on Newyeares day and having it yeilded vp on Twelfe day Seven dayes after the Duke marcheth toward Guisnes which Towne he tooke without any difficultie but the Castle which the Lord GRAY commanded not so easily But that and Hames Castle were at length taken also and dismantled so that of all the Kingdome of France the greatest part whereof was for a long time held by our Kings and whereof HENRY the Sixt had beene crowned King at Paris Anno 1431. nor in the Duchies of Normandie and Aquitaine the ancient inheritance of the Kings of England our Kings possesse nothing but the Isles of Iersey and Guarnesey which have proved loyall to vs ever since the Conquest While the French proceeded thus in Picardie the Queene certified thereof with great diligence prepares her Fleet to transport succours for Calais but contrary windes kept them backe so long vntill Calais was irrecoverably lost You shall not easily read of any action wherein God hath by more manifest signes declared how displeasing those wars are to him which vndertaken for ambition or profit do dissolve the publique peace PHILIP to begin with him against whom HENRY and the Pope did most vniustly conspire inlarged himselfe with a double victorie each whereof were great and memorable The Cardinall CARAFFA and the Duke of Paliane who for their owne ends had persuaded the doting Pope to throw the ball of discord betweene these Princes were after for this very thing beheaded by PIVS the Fourth who immediately succeeded PAVL PAVL himselfe in the meane time the French being overthrowne at Saint Quintin was exposed to the mercy of the Spaniard whom he had irritated the French being forced to withdraw his Army out of Italy The rash violation of the League by MARY was punished with the losse of Calais and through griefe thereof according to common beliefe of life also What happened to the French who by the Pope's instigation first brake the five yeares Truce wee have already declared And least it might be conceived that his losses at and of Saint QVINTIN were repaired by the taking of Calais another overthrow given him within few moneths after will take away much from the content of that victory In Iune the Marshall De Termes who succeeded STROSSY lately slaine Governour of Calais breaketh into Arthois and Flanders with an Army consisting of neere about eleven thousand men leaving Graveling and Burburg at his backe attempts Berghes takes it sackes it and so opens a way to Dunkirk which hee also takes and spoiles and the Countrey all about for they feared not the French there and the Townes which the Spaniard held thoroughout that Tract were ill furnished lying open to their mercy they ransacke it most miserably and march as far as Newport PHILIP was affrighted with this Tempest fearing especially least the Duke of Guise then in Armes should joine with TERMES but having intelligence that the Duke spent his time about Arlon and Vireton hee resolves to intercept the French in their returne In this enterprise hee employes Count EGMOND his Lieuetenant generall in the Netherlands who having speedily out of the neighbour Garrisons of Betune Saint Omer Aires Burburg and others assembled an Army of fifteene thousand puts himselfe betweene Dunkirk and Calais TERMES had hitherto expected the Duke of Guise but vpon notice that the Countrey was vp in Armes he somewhat too late bethought himselfe of a retreate Hee was now every way inclosed and passage not to be gained but by dint of sword The French therefore valiantly charge their Enemies and overthrow some Squadrons of Horse indeed dispaire animated them to do wonders and the Flemings were set on fire by the desire of revenging late injuries The Spanish Troupes renew the fight which was with equall order long maintained on both sides in the heate whereof ten English Men of War fortunately sailing by for De TERMES had for his security betaken him to the shore hoping that way with much lesse hazard to have gained passage vpon discovery of the French Colours let fly their Ordnance furiously among the French making such a slaughter that they began to give ground were at last routed and overthrowne The French in this battaile lost five thousand Their chiefe Commanders were almost all taken the Marshall himselfe was hurt and taken with D'ANNEBALT the Son of CLAVD the late Admirall the Earle of Chaune SENARPONT VILLEBON Governour of Picardy MORVILLIERS and many others Two hundred escaped to our Ships whome they might have drowned but giving them Quarter they were brought Captives into England This battaile was fought on the thirteenth of Iuly The Queene desirous by some action or other to wipe out the staine of the ignominious losse of Calais about the same time set forth a fleet of one hundred and forty Saile whereof thirty were Flemings the maine of the expedition being from Brest in Bretaigne But the Lord Clinton Lord high Admirall of England finding no good to be done there set saile for Conquet where he landed tooke the Towne sacked it and set it on fire together with the Abbey and the adiacent villages and returned to his ships But the Flemings somewhat more greedy after prey disorderly piercing farther into the Countrey and reguardlesse of martiall discipline which commands obedience to their Generall being incountred by the Lord of Kerâ—imon came fewer home by five hundred PHILIP about the same time lodging neere Amiens with a great Army HENRY with a far greater attended each motion of his They incampe at last HENRY on the North of the river Somme PHILIP on the South of the river Anthy so neere to one another that it might be thought impossible for two such spirited Princes commanding so great Armies to depart without a battell But divers considerations had tempered their heat PHILIP being the weaker of the two saw no reason why to ingage himselfe HENRY had an Army which had twice felt the other victorious and was therefore loath on them to adventure his already shaken estate
birth of Queene Elizabeth Mary Queen of France dieth No Canons to be constituted without the Kings assent The King to collate Bishopricks The Archbishop of Canterbury hath Papall authority vnder the King Fisher and More imprisoned Persecution Pope Clement dâ—â—th First fruits granted to the King Wales vnited to England The King begins to subvâ—rt religious houses Certaine Priors Monks executed The Bishop Rochester beheaded Made Cardinall vnseasonably Sir Thomas Moore beheaded Religious Housâ—s visited The death of Queene Catharine Queene Anne the Viscont Rochford and others committed The Queene condemned with her Brother and Norris Her execution Lady Elizabeth disinherited The King marrieth Iane Seimour Death of the Duke of Somerset the Kings naturall Sonne Bourchier Earle of Bathe Cromwells Honor Dignity The beginning of Reformation The subuersion of religious houses of lesse note Commotion in Lincolneshire Insurrection in Yorkeshire Scarborough Castle besieged Rebellion in Irland Cardinall Poole Rebels executed Cardinall Poole writes against the King The birth of Prince Edward Seimour Earle of Hertford Fitz-William Earle of Southampton Powlet and Russell rise The abuse of Images restrained Beckets shrine demolish d. * Vniones The Image of our Lady of Walsingham Frier Forest makes good a Prophecy Saint Augustines as Canterbury Battaile Abbey and others suppressed The Bible translated The Marquis of Excester and others beheaded Lambert convented burned Margaret Countesse of Salisbury condemned The subversion of Religious Houses Some Abbots executed Glastonbury A catalogue of the Abbots who had voices among the Peeres New Bishoprickes erected The Law of the Six Articles Latimer and Schaxton resigne their Bishoprickes The arrivall of certaine Princes of Germany in England for the treatise of a Match betweene the King Lady Anne of Cleve The King marrieth the Lady of Cleve Cromwell created Earle of Essex and within three months after beheaded Lady Anne of Cleve repudiated The King marrieth Catharine Howard Protestants and Papists alike persecuted The Prior of Dancaster fox others hanged The Lord Hungerford hanged Beginnings of a Commotion in Yorke-shire Lord Leonard Grey beheaded The Lord Dacres hanged Queene Catharine beheaded Irland made a Kingdoms The Viscont Lisle deceased of a surfeit of ioy Sir Iohn Dudley made Viscont Lisle War with Scotland The Scots overthrowne The death of Iames the Fift King of Scotland Hopes of a match betweâ—ne ` Prince Edward and the Queene of Scots The Scottish captives set at liberty The Earle of Angus returneth into Scotland The league and match concluded The Scottish shipping detained War with Scotland War with France A League with the Emperour Landrecy besieged but in vaine The people licensed to eat White Meates in Lent The Kings sixt marriage Will am Parr Earle of Essex Another of the same name made Lord Parr The Lord Chancellour dieth An expedition into Scotland * Alias Bonlamberg The Earle of Hertford Protector King Henry's Funerals The Coronation The death of Francis King of France Musselburgh Feild Reformation in the Church The Scots French besiege Hadinton The Queene of Scots transported into France Humes Castle and Fasteastle gained by the Enemy Gardiner Bishop of Winchester committed to the Tower anddeprived Boner Bishop of London committed also Discord betweene the Duke of Somerset and his Brother the Lord Admirall The Lord Admirall beheaded An Insurrection in Norfolke and in Devonshire Some Forts lost in Boloignois * Corruptly Bonlamberg Enmity betweene the Protector the Earle of Warwick The Protector committed The death of Paul the Third Pope Cardinall Poole elected Pope The Duke of Somerset set at liberty Peace with the Scots and French The Sweating Sickenesse The death of the Duke of Suffolke A creation of Dukes and Earles The descent of the Earles of Pembroke Enmity betweene the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland revived Certaine Bishops deprived Some of the Seruants of the Lady Mary committed An Arrian burned An Earthquake The Queene of Scots in England The Earle of Arundell the Lord Paget committed The Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellor The Duke of Somerset beheaded A Monster The King sickeneth His Will wherin he disinheriteth his Sisters He dieth His Prayer Cardanus Lib. de Genituris Sir Hugh Willoughby frozen to death Commerce with the Muscovite Lady Mary flies into Suffolke Lady Iane proclaimed Queene Northumberland forced to be Generall * L. quiâ—â—e provinci◠§ Divus ff de Rit Nupt. L. â— C. d. Jncest Nupt. Gloâ— ibid. â— â—um inâ—er c. ex tâ—nore Extr. qui sil sint legit Northumberland forsaken by his souldiers The Lords resolue for Queene Mary And to supprâ—sse Lady Iane. Northumberland proclaimes Mary Queene at Cambridge Northumberlaud and some other Lords taken Queene Mary comes to London Gardiner made Lord Chancellour Deprived Bishops restored King Edward's Funerall The Duke of Northumberland the Earle of Warwicke the Marquis of Northampton condemned The Duke of Northumberland beheaded Bishops imprisoned Peter Martyâ— The Archbishop Cranmer Lady Iane Lord Guilford Lord Ambrose Dudley condemned The Coronation A Disputation in the Convocation house Popery restored The Queene inclines to marry The Articles of the Queenes marriage with Philip of Spaine * Which as I conceive would have fallen in the yeare 1588. Sir Thomas Wyats rebellion Sir Iohn Cheeke is taken and diâ—th Bret with 500. Londoners revolts to Wyat. The Duke of Suffolke persuades the people to Armes in vaine The Queens oration to the Londoners Wiat is taken The Lady Iane beheaded The Duke of Suffolke beheaded Wiat executed and Lord Thomas Grey A Disputation at Oxford Cranmer Ridley and Latimer condemned Additions to the former Nuptiall Compacts Philip arriveth in England and is marrâ—ed to the Queene Cardinall Poole comes into EnglaÌ„d Cardinall Pooles Oration to the Farliament The Realme freed from Interdiction The Queene thought to be with childe Lords created Lady Elizabeth and Marquis of Excester set at liberty Iohn Rogers burned and Bishop Hooper Bishop Farrar many others and Bishop Ridley and Latimer The death of Pope Iulius the Third Paul the Fourth succeedeth Gardiner suâ—th to be Cardinall Gardiner dieth Charles the Emperour resignes his Crownâ—s The Archbishop of Yorke Lord Chancellour A Comet A counterfâ—it Edward Archbishop Cranmer burned This yeare eighty foure burned The exhumation of Bucer and Phagius Cardinall Poole consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury An Embassage to Muscovia The Lord Stourton hanged Thomas Stafford indevouring an insurrection is taken and beheaded War against France proclaimed P Ole's 〈◊〉 Legantine abrogated and restored The French overthrowne at S. Quâ—ntin S. Quintin taken A 〈◊〉 Rainbow Calais besiâ—ged by the French Calais yeilded The battaile of Graueling The French overthrowne Conquet taken and burned by the English The Daulphin married to the Queene of Scots The death of Cardinall Poole The Queene dieth
greatest note that accompanied him were richly rewarded and all being dismissed with many thankes safely returned home In their absence MARGARET Duchesse of Sauoy who was Daughter to the Emperour MAXIMILIAN and Gouernesse of the Netherlands vnder CHARLES the Infant of Spaine preuailed with our King for the like number of Archers shee hauing then wars with the Duke of Gueldres against whom she meant to imploy them These men in the space of fiue moneths did many braue exploits at Brimnost Aske and Venloo vnder the command of Sir EDWARD POâ—NINGS a braue Souldier and in great fauour with his Prince Of them fourteene hundred returned home much commended and well rewarded the fortune of warre had cut off one hundred Foure Captaines in regard of their valour were Knighted by the Infant CHARLES afterwardes Emperour viz. IOHN NORTON IOHN FOG IOHN SCOT and THOMAS LYND The King of Scots had then warre with the Portugall vnder pretext whereof one ANDREW BARTON a famous Pirat tooke all ships that coasted either England or Scotland affirming them alwayes to bee Portugals of what Nation soeuer they were or at least fraught with Portugall marchandise The King sent EDWARD HOWARD Lord Admirall of England and his brother the Lord THOMAS HOWARD eldest sonne to the Earle of Surrey with one IOHN HOPTON to take this Rouer When they had once found him out after a long and bloudie fight they tooke him aliue but mortally wounded with his two ships and all his companions that survived the fight and brought them to London Anno Dom. 1512. Reg. 4. AS yet our HENRY had no warre with any forraine Prince neither did the wiser sort wish that he should haue any But hee a young King in the heat of one and twentie yeares was transported with a vehement desire of warre which saith the Prouerbe is sweet to them that neuer tasted of it Although he had about a yeare or two before made a League with LEWIS the Twelfe of France yet hee was easily entreated by Pope IVLIVS â—o renounce this Confederacie This Pope more like to that CAESAR whose Name hee bare the PETER from whom he would faine deriue his Succession that like another NERO sitting still hee might from on high be a spectator while the whole world was on fire had written Letters to our King wherein hee entreated his assistance towards the suppression of the French who without feare of God or man these were the pretended causes had not only sacrilegiously laid hold on the reuenues of the Church had caused Cardinall WILLIAM to vsurpe the Papacie had vpheld ALFONSO of Ferara and the Bentivogli in rebellion against him but had also farther decreed to make Italy the Theater of his tyrannie Wherefore he coniured him by the Loue of our Saâ—ionr by the Pietie of his Ancestors whose aides were neuer wanting when the Church stood in need and by the fast tie of Filiall Obedience that hee would enter into the Holy League of the Estates of Italy who had made choice of him for their Generall Iealousie and Reuerence to the Sea of Rome so prevailed with Him that hee easily condiscended to the Popes request Yet that he might some way colour his action hee would needs interpose himselfe as Vmpier betweene the Pope and the French whom by his Embassadours hee entreates to lay aside armes withall not obscurely threatning that if he did not so he intended to vndertake the defence of the Pope against him the common disturber of the peace of Christendome The French set light by this Wherefore warre is proclaimed by a Herald the French King commanded to part with the Kingdome of France and the Duchies of Normandie and Aquitaine which hee without right vniustly vsurped Then entring into League with MAXIMILIAN the Emperour the Arragonois and the Pope they consult of assaulting the French with ioint forces The Arragonois invites vs into Spaine that thence we might invade France promising besides certaine troupes of Horse store of Artillery Waggons for carriage Munition and many other things necessary for such an Expedition Our King relying on his Father in law his promises levies a great Armie whereof he ships onepart for Spaine and employes the other by Sea EDWARD HOWARD Lord Admirall had charge of the Sea forces who fought with the French Fleet in the Bay of Bretatgne In which fight there was no memorable thing done besides the combate of the two great ships the one having seven hundred English in it vnder the command of Sir THOMAS KNEVET the other nine hundred French vnder PRIMAVGET a Briton These ships being both fast grapled after a long fight fell both on fire and were vtterly consumed not a man being saved of whom it might bee learned whether this fire happened by chance or were purposely kindled by a forced despaire Our other Army vnder the command of the Lord THOMAS GRAY Marquis of Dorset amongst ten thousand tall English souldiers had fiue hundred Germanes vnder one GVINT a Flemming This Armie landed in Biscay where they spent some moneths in expectation of due performances from the Arragonois who feeding them with promises only tempered the heat of our men who were very eager vpon the march for France It hapned that GASTON of Foix Competitor for the Kingdome with IOHN King of Navarre died about the same time The Navarroâ—s had promised FERDâ—NAND some aides toward this warre But now fearing no Competitor hee whether out of inconstancie or that he thought his affaires so required secretly by his Agents makes a League with the French Vpon this FERDINAND turnes his Armes vpon the Navarrois and straines all his strings to draw our men to the same attempt but the Marquis of Dorset pleaded his Commission beyond which hee could not with safetie proceed The Navarrois was vtterly vnprouided and the Nobilitie so divided into the factions of the Egremonts and the Beaumonts that he could doe nothing It was bruited that two mighty Kings came against him with no lesse forces what should hee doe to hope from France were vaine the French were too farre off and deeply engaged in other warres At the approach of the Spantard hee quits his Kingdome and with his Wife and Children flying over the Pyrenean mountaines makes Beaâ—ne his receptacle FERDINAND having thus gotten a new Kingdome casts off all farther thought of â—rance onely intending the confirmation of his conquest to which end hee intreates of HENRY the helpe of our forces raised for France and prevailes but to no purpose For the English having their bodies inflamed with the intolerable heate of a strange climate and the drinking of strong wines dropâ— downe every where insomuch that we lost about a thousand some say of eighteene hundred men in an instant Wherefore impatient of farther delay they force their Commanders to set saile homeward The King was mightily enraged at their returne insomuch that hee once thought to haue punished them for their obstinacie but the multitude of Delinquents proved a
pardon to all They did set forth in May and returned a little before Christinasse Anno Dom. 1513. Reg. 5. ABout the beginning of this yeare the King assembled the high Court of Parliament wherein war against France was determined a mightie masse of mony granted by the Commons Wherevpon in the very beginning of the spring a Fleet is set forth consisting of two and fortie men oâ— warre besides victuallers and lesser vessels The Lord Admirall who had the charge of this Fleet too too eagerly hunting after honour by his rashnesse frustrated the designes of so goodly preparations Hee attempts to land in the hauen neere adioyning to Brest where striving in person to set foot first in the Enemies countrey hee with a speare borne over board and drowned was the only man of all that Fleet that came short home He therein performed rather the part of a private Souldier then of a Commander For his death brought backe this headlesle Fleet into England Where the King makes the Lord THOMAS HOWARD Admirall in the place of his deceased younger brother exhosting him by imploying his service for his Countries honour to reuenge his brothers inglorious death This new Admirall with great speed brings his Nauy out of harbour and scouring vp and downe the Seas strooke such a terrour into the French that not so much as a fisher boate durst peepe abroad At last he lands in Witsand Bay ransacks all the Countrey thereabout and without resistance returnes safe to his ships In the meanâ— time the King having raised a mightie Army arriues at Calaâ—s the last of lune with a Fleet of foure hundred saile The one and twentieth of Iuly he marcheth with all his forces into the French Territorie and having sent some Ensignes before to besiege Terouenne a Citie in Picardie hee takes his way thither intending in person to sit downe before it with all the strength of his Armie By the way hee meets the French neere Dernom They at first seeme resolved to fight but whether they distrusted their owne strength and so purposely declined an vnequall combate or as by our side it is reported that our Ordinance being conveniently placed disordred them and that so they beto oke themselues to flight as if it had beene all one for vs to see them and conquer them away they went and could not any where afterward bee descried by vs. So without any let our Army came before Terouenne This Citie had according to the relation of our Writers foure thousand defendants whereof sixe hundred were horse The place being so well fortified it had beenâ— no hard matter to haue defended it against a mighty Army if so be they had beene accordingly provided of other necessaries but they were wanting Wherefore they certified their King to what an exigent they were brought But hee had his hands full else where For the Opaniard had made an inroade into Aquitaine and Navarre and the Suisses having lately overthrowne TREMOVILLE at Novarre had now coopt him vp in Dijon in Burgoigne insomuch that his forces being by these occasions distracted heâ— himselfe had not vnder his Colours aboue twenty thousand Foot the moity whereof were Lansquenets vnder the command of the Duke of Gueldres and two thousand fiue hundred Launces With these he comes to Amiens that the hope of succours hee being so neere might encourage the defendants For it much concerned him that the siege should be drawne out at length In our Army were forty thousand Foot and fiue thousand Horse so that there was no likelihood of doing any good against vs. Neither indeed did the French intend especially at that time to hazard the fortune of a battaile the losse whereof in the iudgement of the more expert would haue beene accompanied with no losse then the losse of the Kingdome which would easily haue followed our victorie The French King therefore sitting still at Amiens least he might seeme to neglect such a Citie the danger whereof did thorowly grieue him sends some troupes toward Therouenne with instructions to put into the Citie eighty horsemen compleatly armed but without horses the besiâ—ged desiring no other aide if possibly it could bee offected as it easily was by reason of the negligence of our centinels For indeed the desuetude of a long peace had made our men altogether vnapt for warre But the indiscretion of the French farre surpassed our negligence For whereas with the same hazard they might haue victualled the besieged and furnished them with other necessaries which they wanted desiring but too late to amend this errour they would needs effect it the same way as before But our men had by this time raised a new Fortification to hinder their entrance and had withall placed in ambush store of horse with fifteene thousand foot to cut them off in their retreat The French came neere the walls but finding all entrance debarred returned without suspition of any intended mischiefe They had not gone farre when some as if they had beene out of their Enemies reach impatient of the heate cast off their Helmets some fell a drinking most leaue their horses of service and for their ease mount on little nags Our men charge them vnawares and without any resistance made put them to route The French in this encounter lost three hundred horse there were taken prisoners LEWIS de LONGVEVILLE Marquis of Rotelin BADI CLERMONT d' ANIOV BVSSY d' AMBOISE BAYARD la FAYET and PALISSE who escapt out of prison with many others It was then the opinion of most men that this victory if wee had but made due vse of it laid an easie way for vs to the conquest of France For the French were so affrighted with the newes of this overthrow that they thought of nothing but flying and the King himselfe with teares in his eyes bewailing his hard fortune cast about for some place of refuge and determined to post into base Bretaigne But wee looking no farther then Therouenne brought our prisoners into the Campe and without farther prosecution left the Enemies to their feares The French call this the Battaile of Spurres because they trusted more to their heeles then their swords The Therouennois after this overthrow despairing of succour come to a parley and by the advice of their King yeild vp the Citie the three and twentieth of August vpon Condition That the Souldiers might depart with Bagge and Baggage Colours flying and Drums beating and the Citizens permittted to carrie away their goods A few dayes before the Citie was yeilded MAXIMILIAN the Emperour came to our Campe and which deserves to be recorded to the eternall honour of our Nation taking for pay a hundred Crownes a day besides what was disbursed among his Souldiers disdained not to serve vnder our Colours wearing the Crosse of England and a party coloured Rose the vsuall Cognizance of our English warfare But hee rather came to bee a Spectator then a Partaker in the danger Wherefore when
Aire I doe not thinke it was the Kings fault although wee might iustly suspect that the great treasure left him by his Father beeing almost spent and the French secretly offering peace vpon good termes the friendship betweene him and the Emperour which hee had so dearely purchased began at length to grow cold Certainely to speake nothing of the League which was afterwards concluded with France the Treasurie was now growne so bare that the King was driuen to inuent new wayes for the raising of money The care of this businesse as almost of all others was committed to Cardinall WOLSEY who casting vp the Exchequer accompts found many deeply indebted to the King and whither by the negligence or treacherie of the Officers neuer yet called to accompt Among others the Duke of Suffolke was found to be a great debtor who besides his own reuenues receiued yerely out of France his wiues ioincture amounting to 60000 crownes Yet notwithstanding he was fain to withdraw himselfe from Court that by liuing thriftily in the countrey he might haue wherewith to pay his debt The Cardinal next bethinks himselfe of publicke misdemeanors of what sort soeuer as periury rapes oppression of the poore riots and the like the offenders without respect of degree or persons hee either publiquely punished in bodie or set round fines on their heads By which means the Treasurie before empty was replenished and the Cardinall by the people much applauded for his Iustice These things hauing thus succeeded to his minde he vndertakes more in the same kinde He institutes a new Court where the Lords of the Priuie Counsell with other of the Nobility should sit as Iudges The aforesaid crimes which then greatly raigned in this Kingdome were punishable in this Court which as I coniecture from the stars painted in the roofe is called the Star-chamber He erected also the Court of Requests where the complaints of the Poore were to be heard and ordained many other things in the ciuile gouernment of the Kingdome that were acceptable to the people and are in vse at this day wherein hee alike manifested his wisedome and loue of his Countrey Certainly they that liued in that age would not sticke to say That this Kingdome neuer flourished more than when WOLSEY did to whose wisdome they attributed the wealth and safetie that they enioyed and the due administration of Iustice to all without exception Anno Dom. 1517. Reg. 9. THe Spring growing on the feare of a commotion in London increased with the yeare The originall and successe whereof I will lay open at large forasmuch as enormities of this nature by our wholesome Lawes seuerely restrained are so rare that I remember when I was a childe old men would reckon their age from this day by the name of Jll May day Long peace hauing with vs begate plentie the Mother and Nurse both of good and bad Arts allured the most excellent artificers of foreine Nations to partake of our happinesse by frequenting the Citie of London But the giddie multitude not conceiuing what good became of communicating their skill vnto vs tooke it verie hainously that Strangers should be permitted to enioy the priuiledges of the City and our home-bred Artificers did most especially complaine That their meanes were euery day curtalled forasmuch as no small part was necessarily to be defalked for the maintenance of these Strangers This was now growne the common discourse and had gon so far that one LINCOLNE a ringleader of this tumultuous rout did not stick to persuade some Preachers publiquely in the Pulpit to lay open these common grieuances before the Estates of the Realme Our Ladies Hospitall in London commonly called the Spittle is famous for the Easter Sermons one of which was to be preached by Doctor HENRY STANDISH afterward Bishop of S. Asaph a graue and learned man LINCOLNE had assaied him and had the deniall as in a matter the very mention whereof a good Patriot should abhorre But Doctor BELL a Diuine who was after STANDISH to preach in the same Place without feare or wit seconding their seditious attempts did publiquely in his Sermon read the Bill by them exhibited to him taking for his text that of the Prophet in the 115 Psalme The heauens euen the heauens are the Lords but he hath giuen the earth to the sonnes of men Thence most foolishly concluding that England was giuen to Englishmen only and that therfore it was not to be endured that Aliens should enioy any part therof Many things by him spoken to this purpose were accepted with great applause and approbation of the Vulgar who out of extreame hatred to Strangers breathed nothing but sedition And to adde more fuell to this fire it happened that many outrages were about that time committed by some of these Strangers This euill then thus spreading it selfe foreiners were euery where ill intreated and commonly knockt downe in the streets hauing not offered iniurie to any man The authors of these riots being by the L. Maior committed to prison a sudden rumor ran through the Citie That on May day next all Strangers should be massacred This without doubt proceeded from some of this vnruly crue and was intended as a watchword to all the faction but the Strangers made so good vse of it that they had all withdrawne themselues before that time and the Magistrates very carefully attended each occasion endeauouring to crush all tumultuous designes in the shell On May day Eue therefore the next day being the feast of the Apostles Philip and Iacob the solemnitie thereof is vsually augmented by the liberty granted to the younger fort to sport themselues and to make merrie the Citisens in generall are by Proclamation commanded to keepe fast their doores and to restraine their Seruants from going abroad vntill nine of the clocke the next day But before this had beene throughly proclaimed an Alderman walking in the streets saw a troupe of young men consisting of Apprentices and such like gathered together and playing at cudgels He sharpely reprooued them for not obeying the Kings Edict withall threatening to punish them if they the sooner betooke not themselues euery one to his home Words not preuailing he laid hold on one or two intending to haue committed them But what reckoning they made of Authoritie their resistance in rescue of their Companions shewed and by outcries giuing an Alarme drew together all the rest of their Faction in that quarter of the Citie The fame of this hurly-burly encreased their numbers by sending mariners gentlemens seruants beggars Citisens but the greatest part were Apprentices Sedition like a torrent carried them headlong and animated them to all villanie They breake open the prisons set those at libertie that were imprisoned for their outrages on straungers flie about the Citie as in a whirle-wind rob all forreiners houses and not content with their goods seeke after them for their liues They found their nests but the birds were fled Hauing thus spent
The Emperor after all these passages of courtesy humanity departs toward Graueling mouÌ„ted on a braue horse couered with a foot cloth of cloth of gold richly beset with stones which the King had giuen him He would often speak of his Aunts happinesse that was matcht to so magnificent a Prince The King staied some few days after at Calais from whence passing to Douer he with all his traine arriued safe at London I cannot but enuy their happines who in so little time saw 3 the mightiest Monarchs in Christendom who for their exploits the great alterations happening vnder each of theÌ„ will without doubt be famous through all succeeding Ages Anno Dom. 1521. Reg. 13. EDWARD STAFFORD Duke of Buckingham was about this time arraigned of high Treason He was discended of a Family which whether it was more antient or noble is questionable He deriued himself by a direct line froÌ„ ROBERT de Stafford to whom WILLIAM the Conquerour gaue large revenues which his posterity greatly inlarged by matching with the heires female of many noble Families By the Lady ANNE daughter to THOMAS of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester who was Brother to EDWARD the Third hee participated of the Bloud Royall The first honourable title of the Family was of Lord Stafford the next of Earle of Stafford as was EDMVND that married the daughter to THOMAS of Woodstocke HVMFREY son to EDMVND was created Duke of Buckingham by HENRY the Sixt who left that Honor to his son HVMFREY who was grandfather to this EDWARD by his son HENRY the third Duke How HENRY assisted the Vsurper RICHARD the Third in oppressing EDWARD the Fifth how he after conspired with the Earle of Richmond afterwards HENRY the Seuenth against the Vsurper but was cut off by the Tyrant before he could bring any thing to passe the histories of those times declare EDWARD his son restored to Bloud Dignities by HENRY 7. for his discent wealth and Honors inferior to none but the King not content with this was by N. HOPKINS a Charterhouse Monke induced to beleeue that Heauen had decreed to cut off K. HENRY after whose death he should raigne and the Crowne be for euer established on his posterity This the Monke affirmed God the Gouernour of all things had reuealed vnto him He further aduised him by liberality aud curtesy to win the minds of the people for the time was at hand wherein this should certainly come to passe if it were not through his owne default The Duke no sot but blinded by ambition gaue such credit to the Monke who was either mad or else flattered him in hope of reward that although the time prefixed for these miracles were past yet was he still in hope fed the Impostor with gifts who fed him with aire secretly vilified the King and gaue profusely to all Nay he could not forbeare but at longth he must brag of the Iuglers promises as hee did to a gentleman named CHARLES KNEVET to whom he boldly vnmasked himselfe and gaue a reason of his actions Vpon KNEVETS accusation he was arraigned condemned the thirteenth of May and on the seuenteenth publiquely beheaded His death was lamented by many the rather for that he was no way faulty but in his vanity and pride which ouerthrew him Being a childe I haue heard antient men say that by his brauery of apparell and sumptuous feasts he exasperated the King with whom in these things he seemed to contend But he could by no meanes beare with the intolerable pride of the Cardinall whose hatred not improbably prooued fatall vnto him rather than did the Kings displeasure for many times Princes are with lesse danger offended than their Mignons There goes a tale That the Duke once holding the basen to the King the Cardinall when the King had done presently dipped his hands in the same water the Duke disdaining to debase himselfe to the seruice of a Priest shed the water in his shoos The Cardinall therewith incensed threatned him That he would fit vpon his skirts The Duke to shew that hee slighted his threats withall that the King might take notice of the Cardinalls malice came the next day to Court richly as he vsually was apparelled but without skirts to his dublet The King many others demanding what he meant by that strange fashion he answered readily That it was done by way of preuention for the Cardinall should not now sit vpon his skirts Hee thought he had put a jest vpon the Cardinal to whose informations as proceeding from enuy and spleen he hoped the King would hereafter giue the lesse credit But he missed his marke for most men were of opinion that the Cardinalls malice crushed him rather than did the weight of his owne offences It was the saying of CHARLES the Emperor vpon the report of his death That the Butchers Dog had killed the fairest Hart of England Howsoeuer it came to passe the king who had hitherto ruled without bloudshed induced by the former reasons so the Records run permitted his hands to be stained with the bloud of this poore Prince many lamenting that the indiscreet credulity of one man hauing not attempted ought against the Estate should be the ouerthrow of so noble a Family If I might lawfully pry so far into Gods iudgements which are indeed inscrutable I would be bold to impute the punishment of the Sonne to the Fathers treachery who conspired with the Vsurper against his lawfull Prince EDW. 5. who by his assistance was depriued of his life and kingdome But forasmuch as that being touched in conscience hee manifestly repented this fact for seeking to oppresse the Tyrant whom he himselfe had raised he perished miserably the Diume Iustice I thinke so far regarded his repentance that his posterity are neuerthelesse Peeres of the Realme by the title of L. Stafford The first point of wisdome is not to run into error the next quickly to ameÌ„d it The King hauing written a booke against MARTIN LVTHER sent it as a Present to Pope LEO the Tenth This LEO not yet thirty eight yeares old was by the combination of the Iunior Cardinallâ— elected Pope In which dignity hee behaued himselfe according to his yeares profusely spending the treasures of the Church in hawking and hunting and other pleasures not deemed ouer honest Need began at length to pince him and money must be had Wherupon he resolues to make vse of his Keyes against the most subtill lockes and strongest bars euer yet held preualent Indulgences of all sorts without distinction of time or place must now publiquely be sâ—t to sale Saint Peters Church this was the pretence was out of repaire towards which a certaine summe of money giuen would purchase pardon of sinnes not onely for the Liuing but for the Dead also whose soules should thereby bee redeemed from the paines of Purgatorie But whatsoeuer was pretended euery one palpably saw that these Pardons were granted to get money for his owne reliefe And
not in the Pope to dispence with them It is certaine that the Emperors Embassadors had thus discoursed with WOLSEY vpon this very point and WOLSEY made his vse of it accordingly Hee knew the King doated not on his Queene and buzzed these things in his eares in hope he would bethinke himselfe of a new wife This taking as he desired and the King lamenting that for lacke of Issue he should leaue the Kingdome to a Childe to a Woman to One whom in reguard the lawfulnesse of her birth was questionable hee could not with safety make his Heire the Cardinall proposed vnto him for wife MARGARET Duchesse of Alançon a beautifull Lady and Sister to the King of France He knew that vpon his Diuorce from CATHARINE and Marriage with the other HENRY must of necessity fall foule with the Emperour and without hope of reconciliation strongly adhero to the French That this diuorce was for these reasons set on foot by WOLSEY the Imperiall Historians do all accord neither for ought I euer read do Ours deny But howsoeuer it came to passe this is certaine That HENRY in stead of furnishing the Emperour with the money he had promised demanded all that he had already lent Anno Dom. 1525. Reg. 17. RICHARD PACEY Deane of S. Pauls had been not long before sent to Venice as an Agent concerning our affaires in Italy He was a very learned man and worthy had God been so pleased of a better Destiny He knew not the change of the Kings minde But perceiuing the monethly pay due from the King according to promise came not of whole Honor which now lay at stake he was very tender he was much discontented To salue all he assaied to take vp so much money of certaine Merchants with whom it seemes he in part preuailed But the sum was so small that it stood the Imperialls in as small steed yet so great that it exceeded the ability of his priuate estate to make satisfaction Vpon notice of the Kings alienation from the Emperor he fell irrecouerably distracted In the meane time the Duke of Bourbon and the Imperialls were in so great distresse and want of all things that vnlesse they could by some stratagem or other draw the French to commit all to the fortune of a battaile the Army must needs disband They disquiet and trie the French especially in the night preceding Saint Mathias day which was the day of the Emperor CHARLES his natiuity with many false alarmes They make two squadrons of horse and foure of foot The first consisting of six thousand Lansquenets Spaniards and Italians vnder the command of the Marquis of Guasto The second of Spanish foot vnder the Marquis of Pescara The third fourth of Lansquenets vnder the Viceroy LAVNOY and the Duke of Bourbon They came to a wall called the Park-wall vnder the covert of the night cast downe aboue sixty paces enter within it the first squadron taking the way to Mirabell the rest marching toward the Kings Army The King thought the Imperials went to Mirabell as making choice of the plaine open fields to fight in He was vnwilliug to leave the besieged at liberty yet the Plaines were aduantageous for his Horse He therfore commands his Artillery to be discharged which somewhat endamaged them and though vnwilling drawes his Forces out of their trenches then which the Imperials desired nothing more opposed the whole strength of his Army against thē But passing before the Cannon hinders their execution They that tooke the way to Mirabell now turne head and both Armies engage themselues in a cruell fight wherein the King more following Shadowes then Substances and the idle rumors of the vulgar then the meanes of a most certaine and glorious victory is ouerthrowne and taken prisoner loosing beside the floure of the French Nobilitie almost all either taken or slaine at one blow the Duchie of Milan the possession whereof had made him Lord of the greatest part of Lombardy Pope CLEMENT who had left the Emperour for the French which hee afterward repented often aduertised the King that the Imperialls were in great distresse and want that they continually mutinied for lacke of pay that he had taken so sufficient order with the King of England and the rest of the Confederates that they should continue bare enough of money If therefore he would but hold his hand and forbeare to fight necessity enforcing the Imperialls to disband he should be victorious without bloudshed But he was not capable of so good advice His Forces were great yet short of his account his Captaines treacherously abusing him in not furnishing those numbers of foot for which they receiued pay and it were equally a dishonour to him either to seeme to avoid the Enemy or to ly still so long at a siege to no purpose The Diume Power hauing decreed to chastise him permitted him through impatience to run headlong into these errours which so deepely plunged him in those calamities that without Gods especiall favour had proved fatall to him and his France When I consider this and many other the like chances happening as well in the course of a private mans life as in publique affaires I cannot but wonder at the sottish valour of this age wherein rather than endure the touch of the least though fal◠aspersion wee will run the hazard both of life and fortunes How many braue men do wee daily see wonderfull ingenious in this kinde of folly who standing vpon I know not what Points of Honor vpon the least offence challenge the field and wilfully seeke out their owne destruction What in Gods name is become of the patience of that lingering FABIVS who quietly bearing the bitter taunts and mockes of his Souldiers of the People and the Senate yet brought home an easy though late victory We are certainely too blame with the Dog we catch at the shadow and loose the substance Of our Saviour we shall learne that it is the highest point of fortitude In patience to possesse our soules And according to ARISTOTLE True valour is regardles of ill language Mordear opprobrijs falsis matemque colores Fassus honor iuvat mendax infamia terret Quem nisi mendosum mendacem It is HORACE Backe-bitten must I needs turne pale for it False honors please and lying slanders fright Whom but the vnworthy and vainglorious wight In the tent of the captiue King the letters of the Pope and our King concerning their late league with the French being found the Duke of Bourbon now knew the cause why supplies of money came in so slowly And PRAT Lieger here for the Emperor vpon notice of it without leaue withdrew himselfe from Court and on the ninth of Aprill secretly departed the land In the meane time HENRY little suspecting that these secret compacts were knowne to the Emperor about the end of March sent Embassadors to him CVTBERT TONSTAL Bishop of London Sir RICHARD WINGfield Knight of the
shall not need to speake any thing of it WOLSEY being removed from the Chancellorship is presently after accused of Treason and that which hath beene seldome seene in the Parliament that so without hearing hee might be condemned by Act. But hee perceiving the drift of his Adversaries procured one of his attendants THOMAS CROMWELL hee who afterward became so potent to bee elected a Burgesse of the Lower House The Cardinall being daily informed by him what things were laid to his charge did by letter instruct him what to answer CROMWELL although no Scholler was very wise and eloquent Which good parts hee so faithfully imployed in the defence of his Lord that the House acquitted him and himselfe became famous opening withall by these meanes a way to those Honours to which the current of a few yeares aduanced him Even they who hated WOLSEY honoured CROMWELL whose wisdome industrie but above all fidelitie in defending his deiected Lord was admirable Now the Cardinall because he would not be found a Traitor is falne into a Praemunire Wherevpon he is thrust as it were naked forth his owne house his great wealth is seised on by the King's Officers and hee faine to borrow furniture for his house and money for his necessary expences Iudges are sent into the house whereto he was confined to take his answer to the obiected crime which was that without leave from the King hee had dared so many yeares to exercise his power Legatine To which calumny for can any man beleive it to be other Hee made this answer J am now sixty yeares old and have spent my dayes in his Maiesties service neither shunning paines nor indeavouring any thing more then next my Creatour to please Him And is this that hainous offence for which J am at this age deprived of my estate and forced as it were to beg my bread from doore to doore Jexpected some accusation of a higher straine as treason or the like not for that J know my selfe conscious of any such matter but that his Maiesties wisdome is such as to know it little beseemes the constancy magnanimity of a King for a slight fault to condemne and that without hearing an ancient servant for so many yeares next his Person greatest in his favour and to inflict a punishment on him more horrid then death What man is he who is so base minded that hee had not rather a thousand times perish then see a thousand men so many my Family numbreth of whose faithfull service hee hath bad long triall for the most part to perish before his eyes But finding nothing else obiected J conceive great hope that J shall as easily breake this machination of combined envy as was that late one against me in the Parliament concerning Treason It is well knowne to his Maiesty of whose iustice J am confident that I would not presume to execute my power Legatine before he had beene pleased to ratifie it by his Royall Assent given vnder his Seale which notwithstanding I cannot now produce that and all my goods as you well know being taken from me Neither indeed if I could would J produce it For to what end should I contend with the King Go therefore and tell his Maiesty that I acknowledge all that J have but alasse what speake J of what I have Who indeed have nothing left me or whatsoever I had to be derived from his Royall Bounty and do thinke it good reason that he should revoke his gifts if he thinke me vnworthy of them Why then do I not remit my cause to his Maiesties arbitrement at his pleasure to be either condemned or absolved To him then if you will have me acknowledge my fault behold I will make short worke for you I confesse it The King knowes my innocencie so that neither my owne confession nor the calumnies of my adversaries can deceiue him I am therefore content to confesse my selfe guilty His Maiesty from the fountaine of his naturall Clemency doth often derive the stremes of his mercy to the delinquent And I know though I should not desire it Hee will reguard my innocence Vpon his confession the penalty of the Law was forthwith inflicted only he was not as the Law requires committed to perpetuall imprisonment The furniture of his house of infinite value incredible store of plate great treasure had bin already seised to the King's vse There remained nothing but the Lands wherewith he intended to indow his Colledge the greatest part whereof were his owne purchase the rest were the demesnes of the demolished Monasteries These Lands amounted to above foure thousand pounds per annum and were all confiscated But God would not suffer so brave a work to perish The King afterward bestowed on the Colledge in Oxford called Christ Church revenues for the maintenance of a Deane eight Prebendaries a hundred Students twelue Chaplaines and Singing men and foure and twenty Almes men for which this Colledge acknowledgeth HENRY the Eighth for its Founder But the King arrogated to himselfe what was truly to be ascribed to the Gardinall Who was now in the case of the poore Mouse whom the Cat intends to devoure The King had marked him out for destruction yet permitted him to live but so as that he could never escape and yet never despaire of escaping Scarce any day throughout those few moneths passed wherein hee indured not something or other that would have animated a senselesse thing with anger neither was the Cardinall composed of patience yet did he never despaire His sorrowes were alwayes tempred with some mixture of ioy For he was often visited from the King but that very secretly and commonly by night often certified of the King's affection towards him in token whereof the Visitants did sometimes from the King present him with a Iewell or some such thing willing him to be of good comfort for that shortly they would assure him he should be raised to his former degree of favoâ—r and power Adversity at length prevailing hee fell into a disease from the extremiâ—ie whereof few expected his recouery And the King demanding of one of his Physicians whose patient the Cardinall was what disease WOLSEY had the Doctor replied What disease soever he hath if You desire his death You may be secure for I promise You he will not live to seâ— the end of three dayes more The King striking the table with his hand cried out I had rather loose twenty thousand pounds then he should die Make hast therefore you and as many other Physicians as are about the Court and by all meanes indeavour his recovery The Physician then certifying him that he was sicke more in minde then body the King dispatched away a Gentleman with a Ring which WOLSEY had formerly given to him willing him withall to tell the Cardinall that the King's anger was now past who was sorry that he had so long given eare to detraction and that he should shortly finde that the
of his Father and birth a Welchman comming to the Crowne as if they had recouered their liberty whereto they so long aspired they obeied him as their lawfull Prince So the English being freed of their former jealousies permitted them to partake of their Priuiledges since common to both Nations the good whereof equally â—edounded to both I could wish the like Vnion with Scotland That as wee all liue in one Island professing one Faith and speaking for the most part one Language vnder the gouernment of one and the same Prince so we may become one Nation all equally acknowledging our selues Britans and so recouer our true Countrey Britaine lost as it were so many hundreds of yeares by our divisions of it into England Scotland and Wales Anno Dom. 1535. Reg. 27. THe Coronation of the new Queene and other passages of entertainment had exhausted the Treasury The Pope and the Emperour were both enemies of HENRY watchfully attending all opportunities to do him mischiefe Neither in regard that so many sided with the Pope were all things safe at home The King was therefore forced to a course seemingly rash and full of dangerous consequences but very necessary for the time Hee resolves to demolish all the Monasteries throughout England Hee is content the Nobility should share with him in the spoile so inriching and strengthening himselfe by their necessary revolt from the Popish faction To this end they that were thought more especially in maintaining the Popes authority to withstand the Kings proceedings were condemned of high Treason and they that refused to acknowledge the King vnder CHRIST Supreme Head of the Church of England are hanged For this cause on the third of May were executed IOHN HOVGHTON Prior of the Charterhouse in London AVGVSTINE WEBSTER Prior of Bevaley and THOMAS LAWRENCE Prior of Exham and with them RICHARD REIGNALDS a Monke and Doctor of Divinity and IOHN HALES Vicar of Thistlehurst On the eighteenth of June EXMEW MIDDLEMORE and NVDIGATE all Charterhouse Monkes suffered for the same cause And foure dayes after IOHN FISHER Bishop of Rochester a man much reverenced by the People for his holy life and great learning was publiquely beheaded and his head set over London bridge Our Histories hardly afford a president of the execution of such a man But the Pope was the occasion of his death who to ease the burthen of his now a yeares imprisonment by the addition of a new title had on the one and twentieth of May created him Cardinall The newes whereof hastened him to a scaffold The sixth of Iuly Sir THOMAS MORE for the same stifnesse in opinion with Bishop FISHER suffered the like death This was that MORE so famous for his Eutopia and many other Workes both in English and Latin As for his conversation the most censorious fault him in nothing but his too too jesting I will not say scoffing wit to which he gaue more liberty then did beseeme the grauity of his person not tempering himselfe in the midst of his calamity no not at the very instant of death After his condemnation hee denied to giue any thing to the Barber that trimmed him affirming That head about which he had bestowed his paines was the Kings if he could prove it to be his that did â—eare it hee would well reward him To his Keeper demanding his vpper garment as his fee hee gaue his Hat Going vp the scaffold he desired him that went before him to lend him his hand to helpe him vp as for comming downe he tooke no care Laying his head vpon the blocke hee put aside his beard which was then very long saying The Executioner was to cut off his head not his beard The executions of so many men caused the Queene to be much maligned as if they had beene done by her procurement at least the Papist would haue it thought so knowing that it stood her vpon and that indeed â—hee endeavoured that the authority of the Pope of Rome should not againe take footing in England They desired nothing more than the downefall of this vertuous Lady which shortly after happening they triumphed in the overthrow of Innocence In the meane time they who vndertooke the subversion of the Monasteries invented an Engine to batter them more forcibly then the former course of torture and punishment They send abroad subtle headed fellowes who warranted by the Kings authority should throughout England search into the liues and manners of religious persons It would amaze one to consider what villanies were discouered among them by the meanes of CROMWELL and others Few were found so guiltlesse as to dare withstand their proceedings and the licentiousnesse of the rest divulged made them all so odious to the people that neuer any exploit so full of hazard and danger was more easily atchieued then was the subversion of our English Monasteries Anno Dom. 1536. Reg. 28. THis yeare began with the end of the late Queene CATHARINE whom extremity of griefe cast into a disease whereof on the eighth of January she deceased Queene ANNE now enioyed the King without a Rivall whose death not withstanding not improbably happened too soone for her For the King vpon May day at Greenwich beholding the Viscont Rochfort the Queenes brother HENRY NORRIS and others running a tilt arising suddenly and to the wonder of all men departing thence to London caused the Viscont Rochfort NORRIS the Queene her selfe and some others to be apprehended and committed The Queene being guarded to the Tower by the Duke of Norfolke AVDLEY Lord Keeper CROMWELL Secretary of Estate and KINGSTON Lieutenant of the Tower at the very entrance vpon her knees with dire imprecations disavowed the crime whatsoeuer it were wherewith shee was charged beseeching God so to regard her as the iustnesse of her cause required On the fifteenth of May in the hall of the Tower she was arraigned the Duke of Norfolke sitting high Steward to whom were adioined twenty six other Peeres and among them the Queenes Father by whom she was to be tried The Accusers hauing giuen in their evidence and the Witnesses produced she sitting in a chaire whether in regard of any infirmity or out of honour permitted to the Wife of their Soueraigne hauing an excellent quicke wit and being a ready speaker did so answer to all obiections that had the Peeres giuen in their verdict according to the expectation of the assembly shee had beene acquitted But they among whom the Duke of Suffolke the Kings brother in Law was chiefe one wholly applying himselfe to the Kings humor pronounce Her guilty Whereupon the Duke of Norfolke bound to proceed according to the verdict of the Peeres condemned Her to death either by being burned in the Greene in the Tower or beheaded as his Maiesty in his pleasure should thinke fit Her brother GEORGE Viscont Rochford was likewise the same day condemned and shortly after HENRY NORRIS WILLIAM BRIERTON and FRANCIS WESTON
Sonne a Prince of excellent forme and endowments whâ— deceased the two and twentieth of Iuly for whom the King a long time after mourned In the meane time on the nineteenth of Iuly IOHN BOVRCHIER Lord Fitz-waren was created Earle of Bathe whose successours in that Honour were his Sonne IOHN who begat IOHN deceased before his Father whose Sonne WILLIAM is now Earle of Bathe At what time also THOMAS CROMWELL a poore Smiths Sonne but of a dexterous wit whose first rising was in the Family of Cardinall WOLSEY in whose service by him faithfully performed he grew famous was made Lord CROMWELL many dignities being also conferred on him to the increase of his estate and honour For first he was Master of the Rolls and principall Secretary of Estate then Sir THOMAS BOLEN Earle of Wiltshire resigning he was made Lord Privy Seale and after that dignified with the vnheard of Title of The Kings Vicar generall in affaires Ecclesiasticall For the authority of the Pope being abrogated many businesses dayly happened which could not bee disparched without the Kings consent who not able to vndergo the burthen alone conferred this authority granted him by Act of Parliament on CROMWELL not for that he thought a Lay man fitter for this dignity than a Clergy man but because hee had determined vnder colour and pretence thereof to put in execution some designes wherein the Clergy in all probability would haue moved very slowly and against the haire Hee was therefore President in the Synod this yeare Certainly a deformed spectacle to see an vnlearned Lay man President over an assembly of sacred Prelates and such as for their learning England had in no preceding ages knowne the like For indeed HENRY is for that much to be commended who would not easily advance any one to place of government in the Church but whome his learning should make worthy By the authority of this Synod a booke was set forth wherein many points of Doctrine being proposed to be by the Curates expounded to their Parishioners mention was made of onely theee Sacraments Baptisme the Eucharist and Penance some holy dayes also were abrogated and other things pertaining to Religion and Ecclesiasticall discipline somewhat changed wherewith many were offended who preferred prescript Errors before the Truth The same time the Parliament assembled the fourth of Ianuary permitted all Monasteries the revenues whereof exceeded not two hundred pounds a yeare to the Kings disposall who causing them to be suppressed to the number of three hundred seventy and six entred vpon their lands amounting to thirty two thousand pounds a yeare and selling their goods even at very low rates most men accompting it sacrilegious to set to sale the goods of the Church raised aboue an hundred thousand pounds These things of themselves were distastfull to the vulgar sort Each one did as it were claime a share in the goods of the Church for many who being neither Monkes nor relied to Religious persons did receive no profit of Ecclesiastieall goods did notwithstanding conceiue that it might herafter come to passe that either their children friends or kinred might obtaine the places yet supplied by others whereas of these goods once confiscated they could not hope that any commodity should redound vnto them But the commiseration of so many people to the number of at least ten thousand who were without any warning giuen thrust out of dores and committed to the mercy of the world was a more forcible cause of generall distaste Which notwithstanding of it selfe sufficient was augmented by the malice of ill disposed and seditious persons who in their assemblies exaggerated these proceedings as the beginnings of greater evills that this was but a triall of their patience as yet the shrubs and vnderwoods were but touched but without speedy remedy the end would bee with the fall of the lofty oakes While these generall discontents thus vented themselves in private CROMWELL in September sent forth certaine Injunctions to the Clergy by vertue whereof each â—urate was to expound to his parishioners the Apostles Creed the Lords Prayer the Aue Maria and the Ten Commandements and earnestly to endeauour that they might learne them in the English Tongue This drave these Male contents into such extremes that the midwifry of any occasion served to produce the prodigious issues of their madnesse For in Lincolneshire the Commons being assembled about the beginning of October concerning Subsidies to be paid to the King as if the spirit of fury had generally animated them they suddenly to the number of twenty thousand tooke armes forcing certaine Lords and Gentlemen to be their leaders and to sweare to such Articles as they should propound such as refused were either imprisoned or put to death as was a certaine Priest Chancellor to the Bishop of Lincoln The King being certified of this Commotion sent against the Rebels with great Forces the Duke of Suffolke and the Earles of Shrewsbury and Kenâ— either to appease or suppresse them The rumonr of an Army marching against them so quailed their courages that they sent to excuse themselves vnto the King pretending That their endeavours tended to no other than the safety of his Maiesly and good of the Realme That â—ee hauing followed the advice of bad Counsellors had lately beyond the example of any of his Ancestors changed many things in the estate of Commonwealth and Church That having dispossessed the religious Inhabitants he had demolished many Monasteries where the poore had daily reliefe and God was wont to be deuoutly worshipped by godly men That the Feasts of Saints instituted many yeares since were profaned by his command That new Tenets which the Catholique Church did abhor were every where preached and obtruded to the people That now in each aged person was to be seene the Embleme of Jgnorance who having one foot in the grave were faine to betake them to their ABC Bookes that they might learne new kinde of Prayers never before vsed by any Christians That many vniust and pernicious Lawes had lately beene enacted and great Subsidies exacted both of the Clergy and Laity even in the time of Peace which were not wont to be demanded but for the maintenance of Wars That the Commons in generall did distaste these things and the rather for that they conceived them to be but trialls of their patience and the beginnings of more insupportable euills Wherefore they humbly beseeched his Maiesty whom they could not safely petition vnarmed that the Authours of these pernicious counsailes might sit no longer at the sterne but that others who should faithfully endeavour the amendment of the aforesaid evills might supply their places and that it might not be any way preiudiciall to them that they had taken Armes which even with the losse of their deerest bloud they were ready to imploy for his Maiesties safety and the defence of the Realme The King had a Spirit befitting his greatnesse and perceiving them to shrinke could not
faire sprouts to the blast of vnseasonable hopes and nature denying any at least lawfull issue to the rest the name and almost remembrance of this great Family hath ceased Of which hereafter Scotland had beene long peaceable yet had it often administred motives of discontent and jealousy IAMES the Fifth King of Scots Nephew to HENRY by his Sister having long liued a Bachelor HENRY treated with him concerning a marriage with his then only Childe the Lady MARY a Match which probably would have vnited these neighbour Kingdomes But God had reserved this Vnion for a more happy time The antient League betweene France and Scotland had alwaies made the Scots affected to the French and IAMES prefer the alliance with France before that of England where the Dowry was no lesse than the hopes of a Kingdome So he marrieth with MAGDALEN a Daughter of France who not long surviving hee againe matcheth there with MARY of Guise Widow to the Duke of Longueville HENRY had yet a desire to see his Nephew to which end he desired an enterview at Yorke or some other oportune place IAMES would not condiscend to this who could notwithstanding vndertake a long and dangerous voyage into France without invitation These were the first seeds of discord which after bladed to the Scots destruction There having been for two yeares neither certaine peace nor a iust War yet incursions from each side Forces are assigned to the Duke of Norfolke to represse the insolency of the Scots and secure the Marches The Scot vpon newes of our being in Armes sends to expostulate with the Duke of Norfolke concerning the motives of this war and withall dispatcheth the Lord GORDON with some small Forces to defend the Frontiers The Herauld is detained vntill our Army came to Berwick that hee might not give intelligence of our strength And in October the Duke entring Scotland continued there ransacking the Countrey without any opposition of the Enemy vntill the middle of November By which time King IAMES having levied a great Army resolved on a battaile the Nobility persuading the contrary especially vnwilling that hee should any way hazard his Person the losse of his Father in the like manner being yet fresh in memory and Scotland too sensible of the calamities that ensued it The King proving obstinate they detaine him by force desirous rather to hazard his displeasure than his life This tendernesse of him in the language of rage and indignation hee termes cowardise and treachery threatening to set on the Enemy assisted with his Family only The Lord MAXWELL seeking to allay him promised with ten thousand only to invade England and with far lesse then the English Forces to divert the war The King seemes to consent But offended with the rest of the Nobility he gives the Lord OLIVER SAINTCLARE a private Commission not to be opened vntill they were ready to give the onâ—et wherein hee makes him Generall of the Army Having in England discovered five hundred English horse led by Sir THOMAS WHARTON and Sir WILLIAM MVS GRAVE the Lord SAINTCLARE commanded his Commission publiquely to be read the recitall whereof so distasted the Lord MAXWELL and the whole Army that all things were in a confusion and they ready to disband The oportunity of an adioining hill gave vs a full prospect into their Army and invited vs to make vse of our advantages Wee charge them furiously the Scots amazedly fly many are slaine many taken more plunged in the neighbouring fens and taken by Scotish Freebooters sold to vs. Among the Captives were the Earles of Glencarne and Cassells the Lords SAINTCLARE MAXWELL Admirall of Scotland FLEMING SOMERWELL OLIPHANT and GRAY besides two hundred of the better sort and eighthundred common souldiers The consideration of this overthrow occasioned as hee conceived by the froward rashnesse of his owne Subiects and the death of an English Herauld slaine in Scotland so surcharged him with rage and griefe that hee fell sicke of a Fever and died in the three and thirtieth yeare of his age and two and thirtieth of his raigne leaving his Kingdome to the vusally vnhappy governement of a Woman a Childe scarce eight dayes old The chiefe of the captives being conveied to the Tower were two dayes after brought before the King's Counsaile where the Lord Chancellour reprehended their treachery who without due denunciation of war invaded and spoiled the territories of their Allies and committed many outrages which might excuse any severe courses which might in iustice be taken with them Yet his Maiesty out of his naturall Clemency was pleased to deale with them beyond their deserts by freeing them from the irkesomenesse of a strict imprisonment and disposing of them among the Nobles to beby them entertained vntill He should otherwise determine of them By this time King IAMES his death had possessed HENRY with new hopes of vniting Britaine vnder one Head England had a Prince and Scotland a Queene but both so young that many accidents might dissolve a contract before they came to sufficiency Yet this seeming a course intended by the Divine Providence to extirpate all causes of enmity and discord betweene these neighbouring Nations a marriage betweene these young Princes is proposed With what alacrity and applaufe the proposition was on both sides entertained wee may conceive who have had the happinesse to see that effected which they but intended Which being a matter of so sweet a consequence it is to be wondred at that the conspiracy of a few factious spirits should so easily hinder it The hope of it prevailed with the King for the liberty of the Captives conditionally that they should leave hostages for their returne if peace were not shortly concluded which as also the furtherance of this so wished coniunction they faithfully promised Anno Dom. 1543. Reg. 35. AFter their short Captivity the Scottish Lords having beene detained onely twelve dayes at London on New yeares day began their iourney towards Scotland and with them ARCHIBALD DOVGLAS Earle of Angus whom his Sonne in law King IAMES had a little before his death intended to recall Fifteene yeares had hee and his brother GEORGE lived exiles in England HENRY out of his Royall Bounty allowing to the Earle a pension of a thousand markes and to his brother of five hundred The sudaine returne of these captive Lords caused in most as sudaine a ioy Only the Cardinall of Saint ANDREWS who had by forgery made himselfe Regent and his faction could willingly have brooked their absence They came not as freed from a Captivity but as Embassadours for Peace by them ernestly persuaded which by the happy coniunction of these Princes might be concluded to perpetuitie But the Cardinall with his factious Clergy the Queene Dowager and as many as were affected to the Flower de Lys interposed themselves for the good of France Yet notwithstanding the Cardinals fraud being detected hee is not only deposed from his Regency and IAMES HAMILTON
Earle of Arren substituted but also committed to custody whence afterwards making an escape hee was the authour of more garboiles In the meane time the marriage of the young Queene and other conditions proposed to the Estate of Scotland by Sir RALPH SADLER the Kings Embassadour are fully assented vnto and hostages promised for the performance of them But the adverse Faction became so prevalent that the hostages were not delivered at the day neither did the Captive Nobility render themselves in England Only GILBERT KENNEDA Earle of Cassels like another REGVLVS had rather commit himselfe to the mercy of his enemies then prostitute his Honour to the fowle taint of base infidelity His brethren had become pledges for his returne the importunity nay violence of his friends could not deterre him from redeeming them So to London he caâ—â—e where the bountifull King duly honouring him for his constancy in steed of receiving a ranson gave him one dismissing him and his brothers fraught with honour and rewards The Scots falling off from their late agreement the King commandeth stay to bee made of all their ships and confiscateth their goods sends letters full of threats and iust complaints to the Estates at Edinborough blaâ—â—ing them for arrogantly reâ—ecting his Alliance the want whereof must needs be preiudiciall to them neither had they onely reiected it but vnmindfull of former benefitâ— had sowen seeds of new warre and forced him to armes But letters proving in effectuall Scotland is by the frontier Garisons invaded in three severall places forty Scots making resistance are slaine five and fifty Villages burned five hundred and sixtie prisoners taken and a booty brought into England of three thousand five hundred head of cattell eight hundred horses and seven thousand sheepe beside great provision of houshold stuffe But this obstinacy of the Scots proceeded not onely from themselves France and Scotland were ever combined against England so that to invade one was to draw on a war with both Wee had beene often victorious in France wherof many portions anciently belonged to Vs if we should make any claime to all or part of our Inheritance Scotland would serve either to distract our forces or to transfer the seat of the war neâ—rer home The vniting of England and Scotland would by securing vs at home facilitate our enterprises vpon France These were motives sufficient for FRANCIS notwithstanding the long inviolate amity betweene him and HENRY secretly to crosse our designes in Scotland Whereof HENRY could not long be sensible and not revenge Wherefore hee proclaimes open hostility with France as he had already with Scotlaâ—â— and reconciles himselfe with the Emperour before thought irreconciliable in reguard of his Aunts disgrace who professed that all causes of difference betweene them were buried with her yet is it certaine that vnto the Pope he accused HENRY to have dispatched her by poison But now they are become Confederates and an aide of ten thousand English sent to ioyne with Imperialls Landrecy a towne lately taken from the Emperour by the French is the first exercise of our Armes The Emperour also comming in Person it is invested with forty thousand men is furiously battered and the souldiers brought to the distresse of halfe a provant loafe of bread a day and to drinke water FRANCIS being certified of their wants assembles his forces drawesneere the Emperour feeding him with hope of a Battaile entertaining him with skirmishes relieves the besieged and without any more adoe vnder the covert of the night retreats Let vs now conclude the yeare at home And to begin with the Church In February the people by Proclamation is licenced to eate White Meates in Lent but vnder a great penalty enioyned to abstaine from Flesh The third of Iune MOROGH O BRIEN a Nobleman of Irland descended from the Kings of Limrick submitted himselfe to the King and was shortly after made Earle of Twomond which honour his posteritie at this day enioyeth having given ample proofe of their loyalty to succeeding Princes The twelf of Iuly the King married his sixt Wife the Lady CATHARINE PARR Widow to the Lord LATIMER and sister of WILLIAM PARR lately created Earle of Essex in the right of his Wife sole Daughter and heire to the late Earle HENRY BOVRCHIER At what time another of the same name Vnckle to the Queene and the Earle was created Lord Parr and Chamberlaine to the Queene The eight and twentieth of Iuly for the profession of their Faith were ANTHONY PARSONS ROBERT TESTWOOD and HENRY FILMER burned at London MARBECK was also condemned but afterward pardoned Anno Dom. 1544. Reg. 36. THe Lord THOMAS AVDLEY Chancellour of England deceasing the last of Aprill the Lord WRIOTHSLEY chiefe Secretary of Estate is designed his successor And the Earle of Hertford made Lieutenant of the North is sent thither with an Army to represse the incursions of the Scots The Viscount Lisle Admirall of England with a Navy of two hundred saile entred the Forth of Scotland landed ten thousand men forced the rich towne of Leith and then marched toward Edenburg the Metropolis of the Kingdome The Regent was there with the Cardinall at whose dispose hee now wholy was and many other Nobles guarded with six thousand horse and a great number of foote who vpon sight of an invading Army betooke themselves to flight and left the City voide of defendants The Provost craving parley offred to yeild the city vpon condition of departure with Bag and Baggage and saving the towne from fire But the breach of League and insolencies of the inhabitants of Leith and Edenburg had inspired vs with revenge so that no Conditions were to be admitted but what the Victor should impose This drives the Provost to a desperate resolution of defence The English give a furious assault enter at the Canygate put the inhabitants to the sword pillage and fire it The like calamitie felt the Country round about fire and sword cruelly feeding vpon Villages Castles and Noblemens houses Leith had hitherto beene reprived from the like misery but at our returne to the Navy it is made its owne funerall pile and the Peere of the haven vtterly consumed New imployments call home our Admirall HENRY resolves once more to transport his Armes into France there to ioyne with the Earles of Reux and Bares Imperiall Commanders It was agreed betweene the Emperour and the King that the one should invade Champaigne the other Picardy and having vnited their forces which should amount to fourescore thousand foote and eighteene thousand horse to march directly to Paris thereby either to force the French to fight with disadvantage or to suffer the ruine of his Countrey HENRY lands at Calais and finds Picardy vnfurnished of men FRANCIS having withdrawne his forces towards Champaigne to oppose them against the Emperour Hee therefore sends the Duke of Norfolke with the Earles of Reux and Bures to beseege Montrueil The Marshall of Biez
encline to resolutions of peace they conceale our letters And not only so but vpon assurance of victory spred a rumor that nothing would content the insolent English but the delivery of the Queene which if they could not otherwise they would by force obtaine and proceed to the absolute conquest of the Kingdome This report inraged the Souldiers whom no motives could disuade from present ingaging themselves in battaile The wiser sort were not ignorant of the necessities that long since began to presse vs who were brought to that passe that by reason of the difficulties of passages we could not make a safe retreat nor force the Enemie to fight in reguard of the strength of the place where he was incamped But the vaine hope of victorie had possessed the mindes of the greater part and excluded reason Necessitie forced vs to a resolution brave and expedient which was to seeke the Enemy in his lodging and endevour to draw him to combat But the hot-spurre Scots issuing from out their fastnesses seemed willing to prevent vs. So both Armies entertaine a mutuall resolution A little before the ioyning of the Armies an accident happened which did not a little make way to our victory The Enemy marching along neere the sea shore a piece of Ordnance discharged from out Gally tooke away five and twentie of their men whereof the eldest sonne of the Lord GRIMES was one Foure thousand Archers terrified with so vnexpected a slaughter made astand could never after be brought on The two armies approching each other the Duke of Somerset commanded the Lord GRAY with the Cavallery to charge the Scots and finde them imployment vntill the Infantery had seized on an adioyning hill and if he◠could without much hazard to disorder the Enemy But they were gallantly received by a strong Squadron of Pikes whereon some of the formost having too far ingaged themselues were cast away the rest retreated affirming that it was as casie to force a wall as through the Scottish rankes The Duke makes a second triall by the light Horse seconding them with the Ordnance and the Archers The Enemy either not able to stand so violent a charge or as some relate to draw vs from the favour of our Canon begins to giue ground which we perceiving give a shout crying out withall They fly they fly which so amazed them that some began to fly indeed and at length the whole Army was routed The Scots complaine that we tyrannized over the Captives especially the Priests and Friers whereof many served in this Feild because by their instigation chiefly our Conditions were so arrogantly reiected Of the Enemies were slaine thirteene thousand and among them beside the Earle of Lohemor and the Lord FLEMING the chiefe of the Scottish Gentry with their Tenants who thought it a disgrace to survive their Lords In the chase were taken fifteene hundred among whome were the Earle HVNTLEY Chancellour of Scotland the Lords HESTER HOBBEY and HAMILTON beside many other persons of Quality This lamentable overthrow was given the tenth of September The English become Victors beyond their expectation ransacked the Countrey five miles about fortified in the Forth the forsaken Islands Keth and Haymon tooke Brocth Castle by their terrour forced the Garrisons of Humes and Fastcastle to yeeld and having built a Fort at Lauder and repaired the ruines of Roxburgh by their departure recreated the deiected mindes of the distressed Scots Our affaires thus succeeding abroad the Church at home had her changes Many of the Counsaile but especially the Protector much endeavoured Reformation in point of Religion The rest who were addicted to the Doctrine of Rome could for private respects temporize fearing indeed restitution of Church goods wherein each of them shared vnles an irreconcileable breach were made with that Sea So that whiles some eagerly oppose Popery and others coldly defend it not onely what had beene enacted by HENRY the Eighth concerning the abrogation of the Popes authority is confirmed but many other things are added whereby our Church was so purged from the dregs of Superstition that for Purity of Doctrine and Institution of select Ecclesiasticall Rites it excelled the most Reformed Churches of Germany All Images are pulled downe Priests are permitted to marry the Liturgy set forth in the English Tongue the Eucharist administred vnder both kindes Auricular-Confession forbidden no man prohibited the reading of the Scriptures no Masses to be said for the Soules of the departed and many other things ordained so far differing from the Institution of our Forefathers that it administred matter to the common people who are won◠to judge not according to Reason but Custome of breaking out into Rebellion And it is somewhat remarkable that the same day wherin the Images wherof the Churches were dispossessed were publiquely burned at London we obtained that memorable victory over the Scots at Musselburgh This yeare at Archbishop CRANMER his invitation came into England PETER MARTYR a Florentine MARTIN BVCER of Selestadt and PAVLVS PHAGIVS borne in the Palatinate who being very courteously received by the King and Nobles having reposed themselves some while at Canterbury were sent MARTYR to Oxford BVCER and PHAGIVS to Cambridge there publiquely to read Divinity but PHAGIVS having scarce saluted the Vniversity deceased of a Quartane Ague the twelfe of November in the five and fortieth yeare of his age Neither did BVCER long survive him who died at Cambridge the last of February 1551 being then threescore yeares old MARTYR shortly after his comming to Oxford maintained publiquely in the Schooles and that with solid arguments against TRESHAM and CHEDSEY Opponents that the Popish Transubstantiation was but a meere fiction which Disputation he after published and inlarged Anno Dom. 1548. Reg. 2. THe English having this yeare fortified and put a strong Garrison into Hadinton a Towne seated in the most fertile soile of all Scotland did from thence and Lauder make often inrodes vpon the bordering Countrey burning and spoiling whatsoever might be vsefull to the Enemy from whome they expected a siege In the meane time had the French sent six thousand ten thousand say we men into Scotland wherof three thousand were Lansquenets led by the Reingrave The Lord of Essé a man of tried valor famous in the siege of Landrecy and other expeditions was chief of the Army These advēturers lāding at Dunbar march speedily for Hadinton ioining with the Scottish Forces consisting of eight thousand men straightly besiege it At the Abbey neere the Towne they call a Counsaile treat of transporting the Queene into France and marrying her to the Daulphin They whome the respect of private ends had not corrupted and withdrawne from the care of the publique weale obiected That they should so draw on them a perpetuall war from England and betray themselves to the slavery of the French That the propositions made by the English were reasonable who offered a ten yeares Truce and sought not to intrap the Scot
admonished the Protector to have a heedy reguard to this action Some peradventure might be content to let a Brother shed teares to shed his bloud when they might prevent it scarce any it was much to be feared least his Brothers death would be his ruine and the losse of such Friends a hazard to the King Others highly extolled his impartial proceeding whom fraternal affection could not divert from righting his Countrey for if Consanguinity or Alliance to the King should be a sufficient cause to exempt them from punishment who should plot and contrive the change of governement in the Estate vpon what ticklâ—sh termes should we all stand whiles nothing could be câ—rtaine and sure in the publique governement Others maintained the necessity of cutting off the Admirall and that it stood the Protector vpon so to do if he either reguarded his owne or the Kings safeguard For at what other marke did the Admirall aime but that having seised on the Kings Person removed his Brother from the Protectorship and married the Lady ELIZABETH he might by poison or some other meanes make away the young King already deprived of his Friends and as in the right of his Wife invest himselfe in the Regall Throne wherto the Lady MARY although the elder Sister as incestuously begotten could make no claime And thus much was in a Sermon delivered before the King by HVGH LATIMER who having ten yeares since resigned his Bishopricke had also hitherto abstained from preaching vntill after the death of King HENRY this Light was againe restored that by his rayes he might illustrate Gods Church But how true his coniectures were concerning the Lord SEIMOVR I will not vndertake to determine Whether faulty in his ambition or overborne by his envious adversaries thus ended the Admirall his life who was indeed a valiant Commander and not vnfit for a Consultation in whose ruine the Protector was likewise involved Not long after this great mans fall the People throughout almost the whole Realme brake out into a Rebellion wherto the frequent vsurpations and avarice of the Gentry who in many places enclosed the common and waste grounds for their owne pleasure and private profit had incited them The Lords of the Counsaile vpon notice of the Peoples discontents and the probability of an Insurrection vnles speedy course were taken to appease them dispatched some into Kent the Fountaine of this generall Vprore who should vpon due examination of the causes of the Peoples grievances admonish those that were in that kinde faulty by throwing open the Inclosures to restore to the People what had beene vniustly taken from them otherwise they should be Authority Royall be forced therunto and by their punishments serve to deterre others from the like insolencies and oppressions The most part obey and a most gratefull spectacle to the People cause their new made Inclosures to be againe laid open Wherwith Report acquainting the neighbouring Shires the vnruly multitude inraged that like restitution had not as yet beene made to them not expecting the necessary direction of the Magistrate but as if each one were authorized in his owne cause both to iudge of and revenge received iniuries taking armes levell the Dikes assert the inclosed Lands and give hope that there their fury would be at a stand But as the Sea having once transgressed the iust limits of it's shore by little and little eats it's way to an Inundation and is not but with excessive toile to be forced within it's vsuall bounds So these having once transcended the prescripts of the Lawes let themselves loose to all kinde of licentiousnesse over-run and spoile the Countrey murther those that favour not their proceedings and at length by the conflux of the baser sort and malcontents so increase their numbers that it was not to make head against them with small Forces And although this plague raged more in Norfolke-Shire then any where els yet had it so spred it's contagion over the most part of the Kingdome that it was scarce any where sincere and free from infection For the Counties of Kent Oxford Surrey Buckingham Essex Cambridge Yorke Lincolne but especially Devon and Somerset were imbroiled in these tumults In Norfolke only had twenty thousand assembled who now confident of their strength did no more talke of Inclosures but stretched their complaints to a higher straine as that The free-borne Commonalty was oppressed by a small number of Gentry who glut themselves with pleasure whiles the poore Commons wasted with daily labour do like pack-horses live in extreme slavery But howsoever the calamities incident to this present life may with a constant patience be endured the Soule is to be redeemed even with a thousand deaths Holy Rites established by antiquity are abolished new ones are autorized and a new forme of Religion obtruded To other evills death gives an end but if they suffer their soules to be contaminated and polluted by this kinde of impiety what thing is there that can equall them in miseries to whom the end of these present ones is but the beginning of some more horrid namely of the paines infernall which no death can ever terminate Why then should they not go to the Court and appoint the King yet in his minority new Counsailours removing those who now ruling as they list confound things sacred and prophane reguarding nothing els but the enriching of themselves with the publique Treasure that they may riot it amid the publique calamities This was the common complaint and resolution especially of the Devonshire Rebells who having among them made choice of their Chieftaines did indevour to vnite themselves with the rest of their fellow Rebells But to keepe them from ioyning Forces are dispatched some into Norfolke some into Devonshire For Norfolke are designed onely fifteene hundred vnder the conduct of the Marquis of Northampton who for a time bravely defended that spacious but weake City Norwich against the insolent Clownes But his small troupes being much diminished by the losse of the Lord Sheffeild and some others he was at last faine to quit the City to the Enemy who after spoile barbarously set it on fire and consumed a great part of the edifices This ill successe drave the Lords of the Counsaile to a more serious apprehension of the danger who therupon sent the Earle of Warwicke wi h more competent Forces who as he was an excellent Commander not only forced the Rebells to relinquish the City but also pressed them so hard in their retreat that he compelled them to fight They seeing a necessity of battaile imposed placed all their Captives for the most part Gentlemen manacled and chained togeather in front that they alone might beare the fury of the onset and dull both the swords and courages of the Royallists But their loyalty was not so ill recompenced as to suffer for it scarce any of them falling by the sword The Rebells were neverthelesse overthrowne and all either taken or slaine except a very few
Northumberland sentence passed on him like wise The Earle of Warwicke finding that the Iudges in so great a cause admitted not excuse of age with great resolution heard his condemnation pronounced craving only this favour that whereas the goods of those who are condemned for treason are totally confiscated yet her Maiesty would be pleased that out of them his debts might be discharged After this they were all againe returned to the Tower The next day Sir ANDREW DVDLEY Sir IOHN GATES who was thought in Northumberland's favour to have proiected the adoption of Lady IANE Sir HENRY GATES and Sir THOMAS PALMER were likewise condemned On the two and twentieth of the same moneth the Duke with the rest having two daies before received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper were conducted to the place of execution where Northumberland saith that excellent Historiographer THVANVS by the persuasion of NICHOLAS HEATH afterward Bishop of Yorke making his owne funerall Oration to the people acknowledged himselfe guilty and craving pardon for his vnseasonable ambition admonished the Assembly That they should embrace the Religion of their forefathers reiecting that of later date which had occasioned all the miseries of the forepassed thirty yeares and for prevention for the future if they desired to present their soules vnspotted to God and were truly affected to their Countrey they should expell those trumpets of sedition the Preachers of the Reformed Religion As for himselfe whatsoever he might pretend his conscience was fraught with the Religion of his Fathers and for testimony hereof he appealed to his great friend the Bishop of Winchester but being blinded with ambition hee had beene contented to make wracks of his conscience by temporizing for which hee professed himselfe sincerely repentant and acknowledged the desert of his death Having spoken thus much he craved the charitable devotions of the Assembly commending his soule to God prepared his body for the stroake of the axe This recantation did variously affect the mindes of the multitude who wondred that he should at last apostatize from that Religion which he had for sixteene yeares professed and in favour whereof chiefly he persuaded King EDWARD to endeavour the exclusion of his Sisters from their lawfull Succession Some write that being desirous of life hee did it craftily out of hope of impunity but that hope being frustrated to have repented it afterwards He was suspected neither were the presumptions small to have administred a poisonous potion to King EDWARD but in his Inditement there was no mention of it and that the rather for that the Iudges had authority only to inflict punishment on him for his conspiracy against the Queene At the same time and place were also executed Sir IOHN GATES and Sir THOMAS PALMER Many Bishops also who were thought to have beene too too opinionate in point of Religion were sent for to London and there imprisoned viz. HOOPER of Glocester FARRAR of Saint Davies who were both crowned with martyrdome and COVERDALE of Excester who at the request of CHRISTIERNE the third King of Denmarke was pardoned But the Clergy of what ranke soever who would not forsake their wives or were invested in Livings wherof any one had been for defence of Popery deprived or that would not by oath promise the defence of the Romish Religion were generally forced to relinquish their Benefices PETER MARTYR was then Professor at Oxford who presently vpon the death of King EDWARD was confined to his house But after some time his friends so far prevailed that he might come to London where he betooke himselfe to his Patrone the Archbishop of Canterbury But hee could not prove a Sanctuary to him The Archbishop himselfe began now to totter The Queene beside that shee was wholy swayed by GARDINER who extremely hated him had resolved to wreake her selfe on him for the Divorce of her Mother Manet altámente repostum Iudicium latum spretaeque iniuria Matris It is reported that King HENRY having determined to punish his Daughter the Lady MARY with imprisonment for her contumacy was by the sole intercession of CRANMER diverted from his resolutions And when she was by her Brother King EDWARD to be disinherited the Archbishop made a long suasory Oration to the contrary neither could he be induced to subscribe to the Decree vntill the Iudges of the Realme generally affirming that it might lawfully be done the dying King with much importunitie prevailed with him In ingratefull persons the conceit I will not say the feeling of one iniurie makes deeper impression then can the remembrance of a thousand reall benefits It was now bruited that with his fortune CRANMER had also changed his Religion insomuch that to gratifie the Queene hee had promised to celebrate the Exequies of the deceased King after the Romish manner To cleere himselfe of this imputation hee by writing declares himselfe ready to maintaine the Articles of Religion set forth by his meanes vnder King EDWARD his Raigne to be consonant to the Word of God and the Doctrine of the Apostles in which resolution he being confirmed by PETER MARTYR required him for his Second in this religious Duell But words are not regarded where violence is intended His death was absolutely determined but how it might be fairely contrived was not yet resolved First therefore they deale with him as a Traitor And having for some while continued prisoner in the Tower to alienate the minds of the people who held him in high esteeme he is on the thirteenth of November together with the Lords AMBROSE and GVILFORD DVDLEY and Lady IANE condemned for treason But the machinators of this mischiefe against CRANMER were so ashamed of their shadowlesse indevour that they themselves became intercessors for his pardon and yet afterwards most irreligiously procured him to be burned for pretended heresie Before hee was committed to custodie his friends persuaded him after the example of some other of his religious Brethren who had long since escaped into Germany by flight to withdraw himselfe from assured destruction to whom hee answered Were I accused of theft parricide or some other crime although I were innocent I might peradventure be induced to shift for my selfe But being questioned for my allegiance not to men but to God the truth of whose holy Word is to be asserted against the errours of Popery I have at this time with a constancie befitting a Christian Prelate resolved rather to leave my life then the Kingdome But we will now leave CRANMER in Prison whose farther troubles and martyrdome wee will in their due places relate Concerning PETER MARTYR it was long controverted at the Counsaile Table whether having so much preiudiced the Catholique Religion it were â—it hee should be proceeded against as an heretique But it was at length determined that because hee came into England vpon publique assurance hee should have libertie to depart with his Family So having letters of passe signed by the Queene hee was transported with his
they not taken armes for the preservation of the ancient glory of the English name and to vindicate our common liberties against the insolencies of the cruell Spaniard You whose degenerous spirits can brooke the indignities of servitude continue in God's name with your brave Generall who without doubt will deserve the service of such Worthies As for mee who had rather vndergo many the most torturing deaths then betray my liberty to the Spaniard I here happy and prosperous may it prove inroll my selfe vnder VVyat's Colours and am confident that some of you out of affection to your Countrey will follow my example Hee had scarce spoken thus much when they all crying out a WYAT a WYAT turned their Canon against their fellowes who followed in the Rere Which vnexpected revolt so terrified the Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Arundell and Sir HENRY IERNEâ—AM Captaine of the Guard who followed the Duke in this expedition that they instantly betooke themselves to flight The remaindes of that small Army prepared themselves according to the example of their Commanders when WYAT with some horse intercepted their flight seased on eight brasse peeces withall the Dukes munition then vsed he some persuasions to pervert their loyalty professing withall that if any one would be an instrument of his owne miserie by assisting the Queene hee should have free licence to depart desiring all such that they would certifie all men but especially her Maiestie that WYAT calling God and men to witnesse did protest that hee tooke not Armes any way to preiudice her but to maintaine the liberties of his Countrâ—y inviolate against foraine machinations The five hundred Londoners many of the Guard and the greatest part of the headlesse Army forth-with ioyne with WYAT who now vpon confidence of his forces resolves to make speedily for London Whiles WYAT thus acts his part in Kent the Duke of Suffolke who with his brothers Lord IOHN and Lord LEONARD GRAY departed from London on the five and twentieth of Ianuary did every where incite the people to take armes against the Spaniard But finding that this alarme tooke not and knowing he had waded too far to hope for a second pardon hee determined to indevour an escape by flight But the Earle of Huntingdon sent by the Queen with three hundred Horse to take him made him alter his resolution The Duke's company consisted not of above fifty with which small number in a Countrey that no way favoured his proceedings to oppose the Earle were desperate madâ—esse Therefore distributing his money amongst them faines a flight adviseth his brothers and the rest to disperse themselves and having thus freed himselfe from the danger of obsequious eyes committed himselfe to the trust of one VNDERWOOD whom hee had formerly made his Ranger at Astley But benefits oblige not ignoble mindes which either mercenary or timid treacherously faile in their reposed trust Such did this man prove who having promised for a while to shelter his Lord vntill hee should bethinke himfelfe of some other expedient course either out of feare or hope of reward betraied him to the Earle of Huntingdon by whom guarded with three hundred Horse hee was brought to London and on the eleventh of February committed to the Tower In the meane time the Queene iealous of the Londoners especially since BRET'S revolt on the first of February attended by most of the Nobilitie came to Guild hall where the Commons of the City were assembled in their Liveries to whom she spake after this manner Although Wee doubt not of your loyaltie and so need not give an accompt of Our actions yet having intelligence that many seduced by this Arch-traitours gay pretexts do secretly favour his designes Wee have to giue satisfaction to all condiscended to this dayes meeting with the Infant of Spaine is that forsooth that must colour all his villanies But his actions discover his deeper practices For having now somewhat encreased his members his madnesse hath so transported him beyond the distaste of Our Match that hee now resolves on the custodie of Our Person and absolute power of removing retaining punishing of Our Counsaile whom hee list Jn this great affaire of Our Marriage Wee have done nothing but by the advise of Our Peeres Wee have lived the greatest part of Our age single Neither do Wee now so long for a Husband but that if the Estates of Our Realme iudge it convenieut Wee will continue Our Virgin estate For that J should seeke to indanger England and to confound all things by an vnfortunate Match the love of Our native soile the long knowledge of Our peaceable disposition Our indevours for your good will persuade you to the contrarie Persist therefore in your loyall resolutions and assist vs in executing Our due revenge on these Monsters of men who conspire to take away the Head which was ordained to guide them and to suffer with them Neither are Our demands other then We may in reason expect from you who so maturely so vnanimously admitted of Our Gouernment as deeming Vs the vndoubted Successour to Our Royall Father and Brother Having thus confirmed the mindes of the Citizens shee armes five hundred men the greater part strangers to the choisest whereof she commits the defence of London-bridge and disposes of the rest throughout the Citie Two dayes after to London comes WYAT with an Army of three or foure thousand full of hope that having present admittance into the Citie successe should crowne his actions and that without either perill or paines But things answered not his expectation For comming to the Bridge hee found it cut downe the Gates shut and made good against him by armed troupes who disdainfully bid the Traytour avaunt Neverthelesse hee continued two dayes in Southwerke hoping that time and industry of secret practicers might worke some alteration But his hopes being here also frustrated hee turnes his march for Kingston there to gaine passage over the Thames But the woodden Bridge there was also brokeu and the opposite banke defended by two hundred men whom the sight of two Peeces of Ordnance readie to be planted against them so terrified that they left their station and gave WYAT libertie to finde out meanes to waft his Army Having surmounted this difficulty he once more resolves for that Queene of Cities and reposing all the successe of this adventure in celerity without suffering his soldiers to repose themselues makes with a round march for London where he hoped to arrive before day and to surprise the secure Queene But God is the Protector of Princes who more especially are his Images and Lieutenants so that the practises of Rebels and Traitors against their lawfull Soveraignes seldome prove successefull WIAT had not improbably beene master of his desires had not God by an vnexpected accident retarded him or rather so blinded him that by vnnecessary delaies he overslipped his opportunity He was now within six miles of London when the carriages of one of his
armes in the behalfe of her Husband Pope PAVL was much displeased And being hee could not be revenged on her who indeed was the sole cause of our breach with France he determined to powre out his wra hon POOLE whom he ever hated but now he thought he had more cause to manifest it because POOLE knowing that this war was set on foot by the Pope had by letters and Embassadours sought to appease him and that though with most humble reverence yet roundly and according to his conscience Having abrogated POOLE'S Legation he repeales him to Rome and for supply of his place hee creates one FRANCIS PETOW a Franciscan Frier Cardinall and Legate and a little after designed him Bishop of Sarisbury The Queene having intelligence of these proceedings tooke especiall care that POOLE might have no notice of them prohibiting not only this new Cardinall to enter the Realme but all others whom shee suspected to bring any Mandates to that purpose with exact diligence causing his letters to be intercepted by her Orators at Rome certified his Holinesse what a hazard the Catholique Religion not yet fully established would incurre if he should indevour the disgrace of so great a man whose authority had beene much available for the conversion of the Nation But while there is this intercourse betweene the Pope and the Queene concerning this matter POOLE hauing some way or other had an inkling of it abstained from having the silv r Crosse the Ensigne of his Legation borne before him neither would he afterward exercise his authoritie Legantine vntill by the intercession of ORMANETO the Popes Datary in England hee was restored to his dignitie By this time the warre was very hot on both sides PHILIP besieging Saint Quint in in Picardie with thirtie five thousand Foot and twelve thousand Horse which number was after increased by a thousand Horse foure thousand Foot and two thousand Pioners out of England vnder the Command of the Earle of Pembrooke For the managing of this war PHILIP set saile out of England on the seventh of Iuly On the tenth of August the French indevouring to put succors into the Towne are overthrown The Spaniard chargeth the Constable MONTMORENCY in his retreat routs the French kils 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 taken prisoner with his son as also the Dukes of Montpensier Longueville LVDOVICO GONZAGA brother to the Duke of Mantua the Marshal of Saint Andrew the Ringraue ROCHE-DV-MAINE the Count Rochfoucault the Baron of Curton with many other men of marke The chiefe of them that were slaine were IOHN of Burbon Duke of Anguien the Viscount of Turen N. TIFRCELLIN son to ROCHE-DV-MAINE the Lords oâ— handenier Pontdormy and many others and in a manner all the foot Captaines PHILIP lost only fifty men The eight day after this victorie an assault is given and the Towne carried by force wherin were taken the Admirall COLIGNY with his brother D'ANDELOT who shortly after made an escape IARNAC S. REMY HVMES and many other persons of quality the son of the Lord of Fayette SALEVERT OGIER VICâ—YES LABARRE ESTANG and GOVRDES were slaine Of the English in this assault few of note were lost beside Lord HENRY DVDLEY yongest son to the Duke of Northumberland and Sir EDWARD WINDSORE who were the first that advanced Ensigne on the walls This yeare is alike memorable for the extreme dearth and contemptible cheapnesâ—e of corne A little before harvest wheat was sold at foure markes the quarter within the current of a moneth it fell to the low rate of live shillings Wherin I rather admire the insuing cheapnesse then the dearth having my selfe in the yeare 1597. paied double the former deare price But that which I shall now relate I should deeme far more memorable had I not in later times my selfe seene the like On the night which insued the seventh day of September almost two houres after Sun-set the Moone having risen an houre before a Rainbow was seene in the West That I may relate the like accident though of differing time the like apparition was seene by me on the foure and twentieth of November 1â—04 when the Sun having two houres before declined to its lowest travailing towards Colebrooke the forme of a white cloud shaped into a fragment of a Circle and iust opposite to the Moone then newly risen appeared which did every way resemble a true Rainbow but that it was not diversified with colors and in steed of the Sunne had the Moone its opposite Anno Dom. 1558. Reg. vltimo HENRY some way to repaire his losses at Saint Quintin resolves an enterprise vpon Calais which SENARPONT Governour of Bouloigne persuaded him was not so fortified according to report but that it might easily be taken The Marshall STROSSY having vnder the favour of a disguise viewed the place confirmed SENARPONT'S assurance of taking it PHILIP whether having intelligence of HENRY'S designes or else presaging so much had often admonished the Queene to have an especiall reguard to that Towne voluntarie offering his assistance for the securitie of it But wee over-wisely ielous least PHILIP had a practice on it it lying commodiously for his adioyning Netherlands neglected both his advice and proffer But the reality of his advice was manifested by the event The Duke of Guise having by the King beene declared Lieutenant Generall in all his Dominions leuying a great Armie flies sudainly to the siege of Calais before which he sate downe on Newyeares day and intrenched at Sandgate Then dividing his Army into two parts he at the same time assaults Newnambridge and the Risbanke two Forts wherein the chiefe strength of that Towne consisted the taking whereof would have cut of all possibilitie of relieving the besieged either by land or sea The garrisons of each place terrified with so vnexpected a danger hee at his first arrivall gaines Newnambridge and the next day the Risbanke The French then batter the wall betweene the watergate and the prison not so much out of hope to gaine entrance that way as to divert vs from garding that part of the Towne where they really intended to give an assault Having for a while battered that part and we little suspecting an enterprise vpon the Castle they sudainly with fifteene peeces make a battery vpon the Castle and continue it with such fury that the thunder of the Canon was all that day heard at Antwerp which is distant from thence more then one hundred English miles Having by that time night drew on made a sufficient breach and yet in reguard of the deepe dikes filled with water wherin consisted the maine hopes of the defendants not able to come to an assault the Enemy with great toile and labour by a cut from thence to the sea draw the dikes so low that by that time the tide was gone out they march not
1509. his Coronation was deferred to the foure and twentieth of Iune In the meane time his Counsaile thought it would proue a profitable policie for the King to marrie CATHARINE the Widdow of Prince ARTHVR his deceased Brother and Daughter to FERDINAND King of Castile for otherwise that huge masse of monie assigned for her jointure must yearely bee transported out of the Kingdome Neither was there at first any other doubt made of this match then whether it were approued by the Ecclesiasticall Constitutions for as much as the Scripture said some forbad any man to marrie his brothers wife But this rub was easily remoued by the omnipotence of the Popes Bull insomuch that presently vpon the Dispensation of Pope Iulius on the third of Iune vnder a malignant Constellation the Nuptials of these Princes were solemnized and they both crowned the foure and twentieth of Iune next following being Saint Iohn Baptists day At these Solemnities there wanted neither pompe nor acclamations of the Estates of the Realme But to shew that of Salomon to be true The end of mirth is heauinesse fiue had not yet runne their course since the Coronation when MARGARET Countesse of Richmond the Kings Grandmother made an exchange of this life with death She was a very godly and vertuous Ladie and one who for her benefits to the Estate deserved with all honour to be commended to the perpetuall memorie of Posteritie but her euerliuing workes will so farre set forth her praise that the paines of any Writer will proue altogether needlesse Yet notwithstanding omitting other things it will savour somewhat of ingratitude if I should not recount what she hath conferred vpon our Vniuersities Shee founded two Colledges at Cambridge one dedicated to our Saviour CHRIST the other to Saint IOHN the Euangelist and endowed them both with such large Revenues that at this time besides Officers and Seruants there are about two hundred Students maintained in them shee also left Lands to both Vniuersities out of the rents whereof two Doctors publike Professors of Divinitie to this day doe receiue their annuall stipends Shee lies interred neere her Sonne in a faire Tombe of Touchstone whereon lies her Image of guilded brasse Anno Dom. 1510. Reg. 2. HENRY the Seventh Father to this our Eighth some few yeares before his death had caused an inquisition to bee made throughout the Kingdome of the breach of the penall Statutes saying that Lawes were to no purpose vnlesse the feare of punishment did force men to obserue them But the Inquisitors proceeding so rigorously that euen the least faults were punished according to the Law which inflicted a pecuniarie Mulct they that were touch't saith Polydore Virgil cried out that this proceeded out of Covetousnesse rather then Severitiâ— But the wiser sort conceiued the Kings intent to be partly to curbe the fierce mind of the people bred vp in faction partly that by these Fines hee might not only weaken the rich but also increase his owne strength and fortifie himselfe against ciuill Attempts whereof hee had lately seene some sparkles flie abroad if so bee any smothered coale should happen to breake out into a flame What euer the matter was many there were who by accusing others sought the Kings favour and inlarged their owne estates amongst whom two were chiefe the one was called RICHARD EMPSON the other EDMVND DVDLEY both Lawiers and both for having served the Kings turne lately made Barons of the Exchequer It is said that EMPSON was borne at Torcester in Northampton Shire his Father was a Siuier DVDLEY though he were well descended yet being not befriended by fortune long strugled with adversitie But after they had some moneths taken paines in these matters both of them arise to that greatnesse that there were few of the Nobilitie that would not crouch to them and be ambitious of their fauour Therefore it is not so much to be wondred at if they grew exceeding wealthy but this wealth drew with it an envy greater then it selfe which neuerthelesse did them little hurt during the life of HENRY the Seventh but afterwards cast them both downe as low as enuie could haue wisht The King vpon his death-bed commanded in his Will and Testament that restitution should bee made to all who had beene wronged by the Exchequer Whereupon infinite numbers flocking to the Court and demanding restitution there could not a fitter meanes be thought of to stop their mouthes then by committing of EMPSON and DVDLEY 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 vpon HENRY the Eighth his comming to the Crowne So their goods being seized vpon they for a whole yeare endured the miseries that vsually accompany a prison and yet were the Commons as eager against them as euer Whence it should first arise I know not but such a report there was that the Queene had begged the poore mens pardons The Nobilitie disdaining that such meane fellowes had beene heretofore so prevalent with their Prince and the Commons being easily incited against them by some as eager enemies to them as themselues cried out that they were cheated oftheir iust reuenge and wearied the King with continuall petitions for their death he was in a manner forced to satisfie them Whereupon on the seâ—enteenth day of August they were both publiquely beheaded Such was the end of EMPSON and DVDLEY who abounding with wealth and flourishing vnder their Princes fauour while they set light by all things else became a sacrifice to the gâ—ddie multitude And it may serue to teach vs to vse our power moderately and to take heed how wee giue offence to that Beast with many heads I meane the People which being angred and hauing once got the raines rageth like a tumultuous Sea DVDLEY left behind him a sonne named IOHN who as if he had beene heire to his fathers fortune being created Duke of Northumberland concluded his powerfull life with the like vnhappie end leauing much Issue behind him euen to our time but yet whereof the heires masle haue long since failed Anno Dom. 1511. Reg. 3. THis yeare on New yeares day the Queene was deliuered of a Sonne Heire apparant to this Crowne but hee out-liued not the three and twentieth of the ensuing Februarie to the great griefe of the King and Kingdome About the same time there came Embassadours from FERDINAND King of Arragon who craved of the King his Sonne in Law fifteene hundred auxiliary Archers Hee was then in hostilitie with the Moores inhabiting Afrique The King very willingly granted their request and having leuied the full number embarqued them for Spaine in foure ships of the Nauy Royall vnder the command of THOMAS Lord Darâ—ie They were scarce arriued there when newes was brought that a Peace being made FERDINAND stood in no farther need of their aide Yet euery one was liberally paid the Generall and those of
seeing which way we turned the point of our Army being commanded by his King to have an especiall care of that Territory puts himselfe into Montrueil and left the Lord of Vervein his sonne in law a man of small experience to command in Bouloigne This oportunity invites HENRY to incampe before Boloigne a towne neere to Calais and many wayes commodious Hee causeth the Duke of now in danger to be surprised by the French Army to arise from before Montruâ—il and omitting his intended voyage to Paris frustrated by the Emperours peace with the French to enter into which HENRY was invited by the Cardinall BELLAY RAYMOND President of Rouen and AVBESPINE Secretary of Estate sent of purpose hee investeth Boloigne The Duke of Suffolke had first encamped vpon a hill on the East of Boloigne from whence hee after made his approches into the valley And the King encamping on the North shutvp the towne on all sides The first assault is given on the Suburbs or Base Towne which the French vnder the covert of a made smoke had forsaken They pretend it to have beene purposely fired as vnprofitable and the fire quenched by our industry Next the Tower of the Ordre called by vs the Old man defended by twenty Souldiers is yeilded and the Towne continually battered in foure places whereof the most forcible was the battery from the hill on the East side which beat downe the steeple of our Ladies Church rent the houses and scowred the streets of the Towne The breach made by the Canon being not sufficient they fall to mining which happily succeeding they blow vp a great part of the wall We give a furious assault and are repulsed with losse yet did this assault carry the Towne that brave Captaine PHILIP CORSE being slaine in it whose valour alone had hitherto preserved it VERVEIN vpon the losse of this man at his wits end sounds the intention of the King and yeilds him the Towne vpon composition That the Souldiers and Citizens might depart with their Baggage and that all the Artillery Munition and Victuals whereof there was great store should remaine to the King The inhabitants refuse this bad composition and the Mayor with the Townesmen offer to keepe the Towne which had they accordingly vndertaken Boloigne in all probabilitie had continued French For the Capitulation was no fooner concluded hostages not yet given but a horrible tempest of winde and raine overthrowes our Tents and the soile being fat and slippery wee should not have had any meanes to mount to an assault Moreover the Daulphin was on march with great forces for their succour whose approach would have forced HENRY to have changed his designe But VERVEIN professing that hee would keepe touch even with his Enemy continued constant in his promise for which he soone lost his head on a scaffold at Paris The foure and twentieth of September the City was delivered to the Duke of Suffolke and the French departed to the number of threescore and seven horse a thousand five hundred threescore and three able foot and a thousand nine hundred twentie and seven women and children many of the infirmer sort not able to depart staying behinde The next day the King entred triumphantly and caused our Ladies Church to be demolished and in place thereof a Fortification to be raised and having ordered his affaires to his minde making the Viscount Lisle Governour set saile for Dover where hee arrived on the first of October But the King 's hasty departure permitted not all things to be sufficiently setled Part of the Artillery Victuals and Munition by the Capitulation left in Boloigne were not removed from the Base Towne which was fortified only with some small trenches for the surprisall whereof the Daulphin in the night sends some troupes who before morning enter the place cut all in pieces they meet win the Artillery and Munition and thinke to have gotten an absolute victory but being intent to pillage some Ensignes issue from the higher Towne finde them in disorder set vpon them and rout them Many of the Enemies were slaine among whom was FOVQYESSOLLES another sonne in law of BIEZ the victory not being without bloud on our side Neither was our Fleete idle in the meane which scowring the seas brought three hundred Prises so fraught with Merchandise that the three spatious Churches of the Augustine the Gray and the Blacke Friers in London whose Monasteries had lately beene suppressed were stored withnothing but hogsheads of wine The Earle of Lenox lately dispatched out of France for the managing of the affaires of Scotland to the behoofe of the French found not entertainment there according to his expectation The Queene Mother and Cardinall as long as they had need of him deluded him with hopes of marrying the Queene Mother and by their secret calumnies rendred him suspected to the French At length finding his safety questionable he flies for refuge into England accompanied with ALEXANDER sonne and heire to the Earle of Glencarne WALTER GRAHAM brother to the Earle of Montrosse and Sir IOHN BORTHWICKE with others and were honourably received by HENRY who most happily repaired the Earles losses of revenues in France fallen by the death of ROBERT STVART of Aubigny and of his marriage in Scotland with that most successefull Match with that beautifull Lady MARGARET Neipce to the King and Daughter to the Earle of Angus and an annuall pension of seven hundred markes And once more he resolved to try his fortune in Scotland attended by Sir RICE MANSELL and Sir PETER NEWTAS WINTOR AVDLEY and BROOKES with others who with eight ships set saiâ—e from Bristoll and hanging over the coast of Scotland like a cloud vncertaine whereto disburthen it selfe deterred the Scots from enterprising any thing vpon England in the absence of the King The Church of late had daily felt some change or other And this yeare in Iune the Letany set forth in English was commanded to be vsed in all Churches Anno Dom. 1545. Reg. 37. OVr late Expeditions had without doubt beene vâ—â—y chargeable So that I should not wonder that the King began to want supplies if I did not consider the incredible summes raised of the spoiles of the late suppressed Religious Houses All which notwithstanding whether it were that God not pleased with this authorized sacriledge did not inlarge them with his blessing which onely saith SALOMON maketh rich or that a great part thereof was otherwise divided either among his Courtiers or for the maintenance of the â—iected religious persons the Treasury was certainly very bare To which former reasons wee may adde the six new erected Bishoprickes and the like number of Cathedrall Churches as also the stipendâ— conferred on both Vniversities for the publique Professors of the Hâ—â—rem Greeke tongues Divinity Law and Physicke to each whereof he allotted an annuity of forty pounds Howsoever it were certaine it is that levies being made in Germany for the King the souldiers disbanded for want of pay