Authoritie At length the subtle heads of the Lawiers found out a quirke wherby to salue all He must first by a praevious Protestation except against this Oath which was to be taken pro formd that it should not hereafter be any way preiudiciall to him Thus ascended CRANMER to the Archiepiscopall Sea where hee sate neere about twenty yeares vntill Queene MARY the Daughter of repudiated CATHARINE not only thrust this most innocent grave learned man out of his Bishopricke but with a barbarous cruelty condemned him to the fire as hereafter in its place we shall declare For the Treatise of a more strict League betweene the two Kings of England and France an interview is appointed betweene them To this end on the eleventh of October the King with a mightie traine passed to Calais The tenth day after going to Boloigne he was met halfe way by the French King his Sons and conducted to Boloigne where the two Kings divided the Abbey betweene them HENRY staied there foure dayes and then brought FRANCIS in whose company were the King of Navarre some Dukes and Cardinals a great number of Noblemen and of others at least twelve hundred to Calais At Saint Ioquebert the Duke of Richmond who was not at Boloigne with the King his Father received them After much solemne entertainment and the enterchangeable favours from each King to the Princes of each others company from HENRY to the King of Navarre or as the French write to MONT MORENCY and CHABOT the Admirall by the Order of the Garter From FRANCIS to the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke by that of Saint MICHAEL these great Monarchs parted Ielousie of the Emperours still increasing power had now vnited these Princes and their naturall dispositions wonderfull agreeable had made them alwayes prone to a mutuall love which by this interview tooke such deepe root that even in their owne opinions they rested assured of each other And indeed had they beene private persons their friendship in all likelihood had continued inviolable But Princes are not so much to be swayed by their owne Affections as the consideration of the publique Vtilitie The effect of this interview was an agreement to represse the Turke about that time wasting Hungary to which end they should assemble together by their ioint forces an Army of fourescore thousand men whereof there should be ten thousand horse with artillery requisite for the said Campe A specious pretext For they both knew that the Turke had already retreated But in private they treated of other matters They had both many causes of discontent FRANCIS not without cause was displeased with the Pope and HENRY thinking it best to strike while the iron was hot indevoured an vtter alienation betweene them HENRY complaines first of the wrong the Court of Rome did him touching the matter of his Divorce in the suite whereof full six yeares were now spent and yet at length after all their deceits mockeries they seeke to force him either to goe in persen to Rome or in a matter of so great importance to send Deputies who should in the Kings behalfe follow the suite An insolent proceeding and iniury without example which did concerne the French and all other Princes of Christendome For in like cases hapning among Soveraigne Princes especially touching the conscience so neere it was the vsuall custome of other Popes to send Iudges to the place it being reasonable that the Persons should speake personally and not by their Attorneyes and very vnrâ—asonable that a Soveraigne Prince leaving the rule and governement of his Estates should go and plead his cause at Rome Moreover hee did complaine of the intolerable exactions of the Church of Rome over the Clergy and people of England where by the yoke before too heavy was now become insupportable neither did he doubt but the same courses were taken in France Germany had begun the way of freedome to the rest of Christendome why should not other Princes follow their example To conclude hee did instantly require that they two should send their Embassadours iointly together to the Pope to summon him to appeare at the next generall Councell there to answere his extortions and by the authority and iudgement of the Councell to force him to a reinformation affirming that there was no Nation in Christendome which did not desire â—hat the inâ—olencies of the Romanists should be repressed â—o this the French answered that hee acknowledged these things to be true but it was not in his power to yeild to the Kings request yet for the bâ—oâ—herly love which hee did beare vnto him and the chariâ—able reguard of his owne Country he professed himselfe ready to vndergo all difficulties Hee wanted not sufficient iniuries whereof to complaine considering that he having so well deserved of the Apostolique Sea but more especially of this Pope yet he certainly found that CLEMENI all this notwithstanding was not well affected towards him CLEMENT had very lately suffered his reputation to be violated in his presence and by the Bishop of Verulo had secretly endevoured to alienate the Suisses his allies from him France groaned vnder the burthen of the new and vndutifull exactions of the Popes Officers by meanes whereof all the treasure was carried out of the Kingdome to the preiudice of his subiects the Clergy especially who grew poore the Churches were vnrepaired and the poore neither clothed nor fed and if he himselfe levied any great summe of money the tributes are longer comming in then vsually they were wont But he thought it best before they proceeded to that harsh course to vse some milder meanes whereto there was a faire occasion offred the Pope having by the Cardinall of Grandmont made him a promise of an interview at Nice or Avtgnon where if hee could not obtaine reason of him in the behalfe of both hee would indevour to prevaile by force where he could not by iust intreaties In the meane time he desired him to attend the issue of their parley But FRANCIS concealed the true cause of this intended interview for feare least our HENRY not approving it should seeke to dissuade him from it The French was implacable towards the Emperour against whom to strengthen himselfe hee meanes to win the Pope by the marriage of his younger Sonne HENRY Duke of Orleans who after raigned with CATHARINE de MEDICES Duchesse of Vrbin the Popes Niece The Pope could not at first believe this potent Prince intended him so much honour but perceiving the French to be reall he most eagerly farthered it appointing time and place for the consummation of it which was after done at Marseilles by CLEMENT himselfe in the presence of the French King Anno Dom. 1533. Reg. 25. THe King's loue brooked no delayes Wherefore on the fiue and twentieth of Ianuary privately and in the presence of very few he marrieth the Ladie ANNE BOLEN Shortly after by Act of Parliament the marriage of the King and the Lady CATHARINE was
stir vp the wits of others partly that the desires of Forainers might in some sort be satisfied who not without cause complaine that these times then which for a thousand yeares wee have had none more memorable in reguard of their divers and remarkable changes are not described by any otherwise then slightly and as if they they had not intended any such thing As for Polydore Virgill he hath written either nothing or very little concerning them and that little so false and misbeseeming the ingenuitie of an Historian that he seemeth to have aimed at no other end then by bitter invectives against Henry the Eighth and Cardinall Wolsey to demerit the favour of Queene Mary already more then befitted incensed against both for the Divorce of her Mother J have therefore written friendly Reader and so written that although many things I will not deny conducing to an Historian may be wanting in me yet am I confident that this my endeuour will finde acceptance with many Other Writers may here have as it were a store-house from whence they may if I be not deceived furnish themselves with some matter which may helpe to raise an everlasting monument Forainers also ignorant of the English tongue may have a taste of these times vnvntill some one arise who can and will compile a History of our Nation worthy the maiestie of the British name J have in this worke beene so observant of Jmpartiality Simplicity and Truth that I feare nothing so much as a Domestique anger for not being pious enough because I would not be over-pious Many contend that a good Prince should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This I thinke no man will affirme of an Historian though some seeme to opine it So that he shall come short of his duty either to God or his Countrey who in the delivery of an History will not be at the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who by affirming incertainties and knowne truthes shall not yeild much to his affections so they be ioined with the love of Religion and Countrey But how much do they inure Truth who from lies and falshood beg helpes to vnderprop her Avant We have no need of them And had we yet would it not much profit vs to rely on such weake advantages one pious lye detected proving more hurtfull then a thousand others although so artificially contrived that they avoid discovery can prove profitable For example whereof seeke no farther then the Papists whose fained miracles impostures and Legends patched vp of lyes have brought to passe that even in those things which are true they scarce gaine beliefe Wherfore I am well content that Truth which maugre her enemies will at length be every where victorious shall prevaile with me J have done to my power Politely eloquently politiquely I could not write Truly and fide Atticâ as they say I could If I have done amisse in ought it is not out of malice but errour which the gentle Reader will I hope pardon This â—ernestly intreate withall beseeching the All-good and All-mighty God that this my labour directed to no other end then to his glory and the good of his Church may attaine its due and by me desired successe Farewell Regem dedi iratus eis J. Cecill sculp ANNALES OF ENGLAND From the Yeare 1508. to the Yeare 1558. The first Booke AFter the death of HENRY the Seventh his only Sonne HENRY Prince of Wales vndertooke the government of this Kingdome He had then attained to the age of eighteene yeares and was richly adorned with endowments both of Bodie and Mind For of Stature he was tall of a beautifull Aspect and of Forme through all his age truly beseeming a King hee was wittie docile and naturally propense to Letters vntill pleasures to which the libertie of Soueraigntie easily prompteth did somewhat vnseasonably withdraw him from his Studies to these you may addâ— a great Spirit aspiring to the glorie both of Foâ—titude and Munificence This towardlinesse was so seconded by the happie care of his Tutors that if the end of his Raigne had beene answerable to the beginning HENRY the Eighth might deservedly haue beene ranked amongst the greatest of our Kings For if you consider his first twentie yeares you shall not easily find any one that either more happily managed affaires abroad or gouerned more wisely at home or that bare greater sway among his Neighbour Princes This I thinke ought chiefly to be ascribed to the prouidence of his wise Father and his Grandmother then still aliue For they tooke care that he should haue wise and vertuous Ouer-seers in his youth by whose assistance hauing once passed the hazards thereof he happily auoided those rockes whereon so many daily suffer wracke But these either dying or being so broken with age that they could bee no longer imployed in affaires of State and He himselfe being now come to those yeares that commonly cast aside modestie Modestie I say the Guardian of that great Vertue then making vse of no Counsellour but his will he fell into those vices which notwithstanding the glorie of his former Raigne branded him deeply with the fowle staines of Luxurie and Crueltie But remitting those things to their proper places those Worthies appointed his Counsailours were William Warham Archbishop of Canterburie and Lord Chancelour of England Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester Thomas Ruthall Bishop of Durham Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey Lord Treasurer of England George Talbot Earle of Shrewsburie Lord Steward of the Kings Houshold Charles Somerset Lord Chamberlaine Knights Sir Thomas Louell Knights Sir Henrie Wyat Knights Sir Edward Poynings These men the solemnitie of the dead Kings Funerals being duly and magnificently performed erected him a Tombe all of brasse accounted one of the stateliest Monuments of Europe which one would hardly conceiue by the bill of accompts For it is reported that it cost but a thousand pound The Monument is to be seene at Westminster the vsuall place of our Kings Interments in that admirable Chappell dedicated to Saint Stephen by this King heretofore built from the ground a testimonie of his religious pietie I haue read that this Chappel was raised to that height for the summe of fourteene thousand pounds and no more and that he at the same time built a Ship of an vnusuall burthen called from him The great Henrie which by that time it was rigged cost little lesse then that stately Chappell But now O HENRY what is become of that Ship of thine that other worke besides the reward of Heauen will perpetually proclaime thy pious munificence Hence learne ô Kings that the true Trophies of Glorie are not to be placed in Armories and Arsenalls but and those more durable in pious Workes Seeke first seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and without doubt all other things shall be added vnto you But to goe on in my proposed course although HENRY the Eighth began his Raigne the two and twentieth of April
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
MAGDALEN Colledge and afterward became Master of the free Schoole thereto belonging Among other schollers the sonnes of the Marquis of Dorset were committed to his trust and for his care ouer them the Paâ—sonage of Limington in Somersetshire no verie meane one was bestowed on him As soone as he had set footing there he was very disgracefully entertained by Sir AMIAS POWLET who clap't him in the stockes a punishment not vsually inflicted vpon any but beggars and base people What the matter was that so exasperated him against WOLSEY a man not of least account I know not This I know that WOLSEY beeing afterward made Cardinall and Lord Chancellor of England so grieuously punished this iniurie that Sir AMIAS POWLET was faine to dance attendance at London some yeares and by all manner of obsequiousnesse to currie fauour with him There remaines to this day a sufficient testimonie her of in a building ouer the gate of the middle Temple in London built by the Knight at the time of his attendance there decked round about very sumptuously with the Cardinalls Armes hoping thereby somewhat to alay the wrath of the incensed Prelate But these things were long after this yere WOLSEY whether that hee could not brooke this disgrace or bearing a minde that look't beyond this poore Benefice left it and became domestique Chaplaine to Sir IOHN NAFANT Treasurer of Calais by whose meanes hee was taken notice of by FOX Bishop of Winchester a man that knew rightly how to iudge of good wits He finding this young man to be verie â—prightfull of learning sufficient and verie actiue in dispatch of affaires so highly commended him to king HENRY the Seuenth who relied much vpon FOXES faith and wisedome that hee thought it good forthwith to imploy him in affaires of great moment What need many words he so far pleased the King that in short time he became a great man and was first prefer'd to the Deanrie of Lincolne and then made the Kings Almoner But HENRY the Eighth a young Prince comming to the Crowne was wholly taken with his smooth tongue and pliable behauiour For when all the rest of his friends aduised Him to sit euerie day in person at the Counsell Table that so by experience and daily practise He might reape wisedome and to accustome Himselfe to the managing of affaires of Estate WOLSEY aduised Him to follow His pleasures saying That His youth would not be able to brooke their tedious Consultations euerie Age of man had its Seasons and Delights agreeable They did not do well that would force the King to act an Old Man before His time Youth being vtterly auerse from wrinckled Sâ—ueritie It would come to passe hereafter if God were so pleased that what was now troublesome to him would not be disagreeable to riper Yeares nay prooue perhaps a great pleasure Vntill that time came He should enioy the present and not by hearkening to others needlesse persuasions any way interrupt the course of that felicitie which the largenesse of His Dominions would easily affoord Him He should hawke and hunt and as much as Him list vse honest recreations If so bee Hee did at any time desire suddenly to become an Old Man by intermedling with Old Mens Cares He should not want those meaning himselfe that would in the euening in one or two wordes relate vnto Him the effect of a whole daies Consultation This speech hitting so pat with the Kings humour made WOLSEY so powerfull that whereas the King before fauored him as much as any other he onely was now in fauour with and next the King with whon e there was nothing to bee done but by him For he was the man that was made choice of who like another MERCVRY should passe betweene this our IOVE and the Senate of the lesser Gods offering their petitions to Him and to them returning his pleasure therein Wherefore he was euen at the first sworne of the Priuie Counsell and besides the late collation of Tournay vpon the death of SMITH he was also made Bishop of Lincolne In the gouernement of which Church he had not fully spent six moneths before he was translated from Lincolne to the Archbishopricke of Yorke then vacant by the death of Cardinall BAMBRIDGE at Rome Shortly after that I may at once shew all his honors WILLIAM WARHAM Archbishop of Caterâ—urie leauing the place he was by the King made Lord Chancellor of England and by the Pope Legate a latere Yet he stayed not there but as if the Archb shopricke of Yorke and the Chancellorship of England had not beene sufficient to maintaine the port of a Cardinall besides many other lâ—uings he procured of the King the Abbey of Saint Albanes and the Bishopricke of Bath and Wells And not content with these leauing Bath and Wells he addeth the Bishopricke of Durham to that of Yorke and then leauing Durhamâ—eazeth â—eazeth on Winchester at that time of greatest reuenue of any Bishopricke in England You now see WOLSEY in his height rich his Princes Fauourite and from the bottom raised to the top oâ— Fortunes wheele What became of him afterward you shall know hereafter Anno Dom. 1515. Reg. 7. THe League lately made with LEWIS the French King was confirmed by FRANCIS his Successor and published by Proclamation in London the ninth day of Aprill Anno Dom. 1516. Reg. 8. BVt the French King hauing taken into his protection the young King of Scots sent IOHN STVART Duke of Albanie in Scotland to be Gouernour both of the kings Person and kingdome The first thing this Duke vndertook was either to put to death or banish those whom he any way suspected to fauor the English Insomuch that the Queene Dowager who by this time was matried to ARCHIBALD DOVGLIS Earle of Aagus forced to saue herselfe by flight came into England to her Brother with whom she stayed at London a whole yeare the Earle her husband after a moneth or two without leaue returning into Scotland King HENRY being displeased at these French practises deales vnderhand with the Emperour MAXIMILIAN with whome the French then contended for the Dutchie of Milane and lends him a great summe of money whereby he might hire the Suisâ—es to aid him in the expelling the French out of Italie But the Emperour although he had leuied a sufficient Armie returned home without doing any thing He was indeed accompted a wise Prince but vnhappy in the managing of his affaires whether it were that Fortune waiwardly opposed him or that he was naturally slow in the execution of his wel plotted designes But shortly after hee intendes a second triall of his Fortune Wherefore by his Embassadour the Cardinall of Suisserland hee yet boroweâ— more mony of the King which was deliuered to certaine Merchants of Genua to bee by a set day payed to the Emperour in Italie But they whether corrupted by the French or not of sufficient abilitie to make returne deceiued him and so his second designes vanished also into
This THOMAS surnamed BECKET hauing obstinatly opposed HENRY the second was in this Church slain by certaine soldiers and being afterward canonized for a Saint his sepulchre mightily encreased the glory of the place For from those times euen almost to our dayes all sorts of people from all parts of Europe superstitiously frequented the Shrine of this vpstart Saint with rich oblations indeuoring to procure his fauor Hence the Monastery was so inriched that of it and the Church ERASMVS said That euery place was enlightened with the lustre of most pretious and huge stones and the Church throughout abounded with more than Royall Treasure But the Shrine especially that contained the reliques of this Saint was so embossed with jewels that gold was the meanest thing about it Hither accompanied with King HENRY came the Emperor CHARLES but whether out of deuotion or curiositie I cannot say But this is certaine that the Cardinall and the Clergie going in procession to the Church they went directly where a great deale of time was spent in Ceremonious worship and ablations at BECKETS Tome not onely by the Emperour but euen by Him who shortly after defaced the Monument and seised vpon that infinite Treasure heaped vp by the deuout follie of many preceding ages From the Church they went to the Archbishops Palace where the Queene Aunt to the Emperour awaited them and very ioyfully welcommed her Nephew Three dayes were spent in banketing pastimes and then the Emperour went to his Nauy at Sandwich the King and Queene to Douer from whence they passed to Calais that the intended interuiew of the two Kings might worke it's due effects The seuenth of Iune was the appointed day The place betweene Ardres and Guisnes There the two Kings mounted on Spanish Gennets attended by such a multitude of Nobilitie as the occasions of a hundred yeres before had not at once brought together the like incountred each other both in the floure of their age the goodliest Princes of the world and most expert in all kinde of combates both on horse and foot It were needlesse to set forth the magnificence of these Princes when the brauerie of their attendants was such that the place was thence named The golden campe Hauing embraced each other on horseback they alight and betake themselues to a Pauilion there purposely pitched HENRY attended on by the Cardinall of Yorke and the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke FRANCIS by the Admirall BONIVET the Chancellour du PRAT and some other Counsellors Hauing had familiar conference concerning some priuate matters they gaue order for erecting a Theater and enclosing a ground for a Tilt-yard that so they might solace themselues whiles their Counsell treated of grauer matters the conclusion whereof they might at leisure euery day know by relation Fourteene dayes these Princes gaue each other the meeting with great concourse of most famous soldiers HENRY then entertained the French King at Guisnes in a house made of timber framed partly in England partly in Holland and thence brought thither wherein there were foure Mansions The out side was couered with cloth so painted that it would haue deceiued the beholders for squared stone the in side was hung with most rich Arras so that it euery way seemed a most artificiall and stately Building The forme of it was much like that of the Exchange at Calais It being afterward taken asunder was transported into England and so stood the King in little or nothing saith BELLAY Whereas wee know and that by Records that there were sent ouer out of England for this Worke three hundred Masons six hundred Carpenters two hundred Painters Glasiers and other Artificers in all eleuen hundred which for the space of two moneths laboured continually on this fabricke The day ensuing the French King prepares a banquet the banqueting house was a Canopy euery way extended sixtie foot which without was couered with cloath of Tissue within with blew velvet pouldred with golden floures de Lys. At each corner was a Pauilion of the same workes the cords were of blew silke twisted with gold of Cyprus which was of great esteeme But a most impetuous and tempestuous winde broke asunder the cords and laid all this brauerie in the dirt Patience par force The French King suddenly makes another banquetting house in that place where there is now a Fort that takes it's name from this banquet The preparations were extraordinary and the magnificence outstripped the reach of humane iudgement There wanted neither houses woods nor fields for disport for many men brought them entire on their backes But pleasures must haue their intermission and Kings if not by their Greatnesse are by their Affaires seuered HENRY therefore returnes to Calais and FRANCIS to Boloigne The tenth of the ensuing moneth the King gallantly attended visited the Emperour at Graueling The Emperour in requitall accompanied him backe to Calais Shewes and banquets are Princes vsuall entertainments To this end the King so commanding a round building is made in the forme of an Amphiteatre eight hundred foot in compasse The sides were of plankes in the middle was a pillar made of eight great masts tied together This pillar supported the weight not onely of the roofe of the whole fabricke whither as into a lower Heauen the Moone and Stars had descended but Organs also and places for the receipt of all sorts of musicke in aboundance These places were adorned with tapestrie statues and curious pictures insomuch that the most fault finding could not complaine of any want in that kinde All things were now prepared for the entertainment of such a guest and the banquet readie to be serued in when the same mischance that befel the French Canopy made our English Heauen and Earth meet together God as displeased with the mad prodigality of these two Kings sent a tempest the violence whereof scattered this counterfeit heauen blew out aboue a thousand wax tapers defaced the glorious thrones prepared for these Princes frustrated the expectation of the people and forced the King to the necessitie of another place But to lec passe the tilting maskes and gorgeous feasts during the six dayes the Emperor stayed at Calais In these seueral enterviewes betweene all these Princes there was no one serious thing done but this that a firme Peace a perpetuall League faithfull Friendship seemed to be concluded on all sides For who would haue thought that it had been possible for discord it selfe to haue disolued this knot where CHARLES FRANCIS attributed so much to HENRY that they made him Vmpier of all controuersies that should arise betweene thē But that there is seldom any heed to be giuen to the Agreements of Princes where they are tied by no other bands as of Religion Affinity or manifest Vtility than that weake one of their plighted Troth those foule dissentions and bloudy wars which afterwards rent all Christendome and opened a way for that cōmon enemy of our Faith may be a sufficient example
forasmuch as the Commissioners demanded it after an impudent and shamelesse manner they in most places incurred the dislike and indignation of the people especially in Germany where they saw this facultie of redeeming soules from Purgatory was either solde for little or nothing or played away in their Tauernes But what speake I of the Commissioners That which made the Germans most impatient was that the heedlesse Pope had giuen to his sister MAGDALEN the profit of the exactions of Indulgences in many parts of Germany and that so openly that euery one must needs know it For all Germany spake it that this money was not gathered for the Pope or the Treasurie of the Church whereby peraduenture some part of it might be employed to good vses but was exacted to satisfie the greedinesse of a woman At that time liued MARTIN LVTHER a Doctor of Diuinity and an Augustine Monke one who vnder a religious Habit did not consecrate himselfe to idlenesse but to God It is reported how truly I know not that recreating himselfe in the fields his companion with whom he then discoursed was suddenly stricken dead with thunder He therupon falling into due consideration of the vncertaintie of death and of iudgment left the study of the Ciuill Law to which he then applied himselfe and renouncing the world betooke himselfe to a Cloister where for his deportment he was beyond exception for learning especially diuine he was scarce matchable Vpon this horrible abuse of the authority of the Keyes being inflamed with a pious zeale he could not containe himselfe but boldly and bitterly inueighed against this grosse impiety Neither staied he there but storme the Pope neuer so much proceeds to other enormities in the Church of Rome some whereof that Church hath since reformed the rest religious Princes by LVTHER awakened out of their dead sleepe of superstition notwithstanding the practises of Rome haue God be thanked exploded New opinions especially in matters of Religion are of themselues alwayes odious HENRY being offended with LVTHERS new as the world then deemed them Tenets thought it would proue to his honor by writing against LVTHER to manifest his learning and pietie to the world Herupon vnder his name a book was set forth better beseeming some antient and deep Diuine than a youthfull Prince whom although he earnestly endeauoured it yet his affaires would not permit to bury himselfe among his books which many thought to haue beene compiled by Sir THO. MOORE some by the Bishop of Rochester and others not without cause suspected to be the worke of some other great Scholler Whosoeuerwrit it LVTHER repli ed in such sort that although his holy zeale were approved by many yet those many could haue wished him more temperate and respectiue of the Maiesty of Kings This Booke was so acceptable to the Pope that according to the example of ALEXANDER the Sixt who entituled the King of Spaine Catholique and of that Pope whosoeuer he were that gaue the French King the title of Most Christian he decreed to grace King HENRY and his Successors with that honorable one of Defender of the Faith Which severall titles are by these Princes retained to this day But LEO long surviued not his gift about the end of the yeare dying as is suspected by poison In the meane time the exulcerated mindes of the Emperour and the French King according to the nature of ambitious hatred that for it 's owne ends makes all causes iust burst out into open wars for the composing whereof each of them had formerly agreed to refer themselues if any differences should arise to the arbitrement of HENRY He therefore sends to each of them Embassadours the Cardinall of Yorke the Earle of Worcester and others who should if it were possible reconcile these inraged Princes All they could do proued but an endeavor for when they thought they had compassed their desires sudden newes came That the Admirall BONIVET had by force taken Fuentaraby a Towne of the Emperours in Biscay The Emperour would not then ratify the Agreement vnlesse this towne were redeliuered which the French denying to do all fell to pieces againe and the War was renewed After their deuoir in this cause our Embassadours went directly to Bruges to the Emperour of whom for a fortnight which was the time of their stay there they had royall entertainment But he held the Cardinall in so great esteeme that it was apparant hee was not ignorant how powerfull the Cardinall was with his Prince And here perhaps it would not be amisse in reguard of those times to let the Reader know the pompe and state of this Cardinall how many Gentlemen attended him apparrelled with velvet and adorned with gold chaines then how many were cloathed in skarlet coats the skirts whereof were guarded with veluet the full bredth of a hand But let him guesse HERCVLES stature by the length of his foot Such was the brauerie of his attendants that in CHRISTIERNE King of Denmarke and other Princes then residing at Bruges it bred amazement It was also reported that he was by Gentlemen of the best ranke serued on the knee a kinde of state which Germany had yet neuer knowne He spent a huge masse of money in that Embassage and that as it is thought not against his will For he by all meanes sought the Emperors fauour hoping that LEO although much younger either cut off by treachery or his owne intemperance might leaue the world before him And then were it no hard matter for him being vnderpropped by the Emperour and our King to be aduanced to the Papacy Wherefore at the first bruit of his death hee posted away PACEY the Deane of Pauls into Italy with Mandates to certaine Cardinalls whom he thought respected him that they should do their best in his behalfe But before hee could reach Rome he was certainely informed that ADRIAN sometimes Tutor to the Emperour and then Viceroy of Spaine was already elected by the name of ADRIAN the Sixt. Anno Dom. 1522. Reg. 12. WOLSEY neuerthelesse was as full of ambitious hope as euer For ADRIAN was a decrepit weake old man and therefore not likely as indeed he did not to survive him In the mean time he might make an ascent by which his ambition might clime He therefore seeks to aduance the Emperors designes more than ever to that end he persuadeth HENRY to denounce war against the French for that he denied to surrender Fuentaraby had broken the Couenants made between them in not standing to the arbitrement of HENRY as both CHARLES FRANCIS had compromised at what time it was likewise decreed that HENRY should declare himself an enemy to the obstinate refuser The French discerning the storme before it came arrests all English ships commits the Merchants to prison and seizeth their goods to His own vse stops all Pensions due either to HENRY for Tournay or to his Sister the Dowager of France for her Ioincture The French
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
the way to wipe out the remembrance of an old offence by committing a new Hee found some other pretence to send one FRANCIS CAMPANA into England but his chiefe errand was to will CAMPEGIVS to burne the Bull whereby the King's marriage had before beene pronounced void and to returne to Rome with speed But the newes of the Popes sicknesse at the same time made him deferre the execution of his Mandate For if CLEMENT should die the Cardinall might with safetie gratifie the King who had conferred on him the Bishopricke of Sarisbury and to whom the Cardinall had promised successe answerable to his desires And if hee should permit the King to be thus illuded he feared he might be accompted not onely ingratefull but also treacherous But hee shortly vnderstood the Pope was well whose Mandate he must obey and the Bull as if for Hereâ—ie must be condemned to the fire In the meane time the King who was deeply in loue with ANNE BOLEN according to the nature of Lovers counting each minute by the houre quickly resented this change and never rested vntill hee knew the whole carriage of the matter Then first fell his wrath like thunder on WOLSEY whose wit had hitherto made all his proiects feasible And hee could not beleeve but that it was in his power to effect this also Here I cannot choose but cry out with Comoedian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IOVE and yee Gods how hard a thing It is to serve a raging King Full twenty yeares had WOLSEY served the King behaving himselfe so that hee grew powerfull and wealthy beyond a private fortune and to the rest of the King's Titles had procured the addition of that rich one of a good Prince For as often as I consider how laudably HENRY had hitherto ruled and behold the calamities of ensuing times I cannot but accord with them who ascribe the sway which he did beare over all the Princes of Christendome to the excellency of WOLSEY his counsailes But WOLSEY being taken away to whom shall we impute those effects of Lust Tyrannie and Avarice two Wives killed two put away so many and among them many of the greater sort put to death for their Religion only extremitie only differing in the manner vsed by Hanging against Papists by Fire against Heretiques these were the termes of those dayes the Church or rather the Common-wealth horribly spoiled and robbed of her Patrimony Certainly had WOLSEY sate at the Sterne the King had never like a Ship destitute of a Pilot beene carried to and fro with such contrary and vncertaine motions But inordinate greatnesse is alwayes a burthen to it selfe the waight whereof is augmented by the vsuall attendance of publique enny and hatred the misbegotten Elfes of long and powerfull happinesse WOLSEY the King once offended began presently to totter and at his first frowne as at the roaring of a Lion before any harder course was taken with him was so deiected that although he after seemed a little to lift vp his head yet was hee never able to stand on his feet Nay the King being once alienated from him would never after admit him to his presence Behold power of base Detraction yet I will not exclude the the greatnesse of the Cardinals wealth already devoured in conceit which wipes away the remembrance of the faithfull service of so many yeares and the consideration of so great glory purchased to the King by WOLSEY'S labours I am not ignorant what things were obiected against him But they carry so little shew of probability that I should much suspect his iudgement that would give any credit to them Vntill it was knowne that the King inraged at the slow proceedings in the cause of his Divorce did day and night breath out against him threats and revenge no man ever preferred Bill against him which considering the vsuall severe courses held by our Parliaments must needs acquit him of Abuse of Power As for the causes of the King's anger wee will derive them rather from his owne discontents then WOLSEY'S faultinesse The King by this time knew the treachery of the dissembling Pope Hee had neere five yeares wandered in the Labyrinth of the Court of Rome and could find no clue to lead him out He therefore determined to make a way where he could not find one and like ALEXANDER by force to vndoe that Gordian knot which by wit and labour hee could not To WOLSEY therefore hee communicated his intent of marrying another whether the Pope were willing or no wishing him withall to finde out some course or other whereby CAMPEGIVS his Colleague notwithstanding the late Mandates to the contrary might be drawne to give sentence on his side Many things might be pretended to excuse the deed but chiefly the feare of the King 's high displeasure which peradventure hee should feele too vnlesse hee assented to the King 's iust request WOLSEY his answer to this I cannot relate But this is certaine that WOLSEY whether for that he did not approve of the King 's intended course seeming as the times were then full of rashnesse and insolence or that he would not vndertake the attempting of his Colleague or that as SLEIDAN writes the King had notice that the Cardinall had advised the Pope not to approve of the Divorce from CATHARINE forasmuch as the King was then resolved to marry another infected with Lutheranisme WOLSEY I say was so sharply taken vp and threatned by the King that even then you might reade in his face and gestures the symptomes of his waining fortune For the Cardinall at that time returning from the Court by water the Bishop of Carlile being with him in the same Barge complained of the heate which was then extraordinary to whom WOLSEY replied My Lord if you had beene but now in my place you would have found it hot indeed And as soone as hee came home he put off his clothes and went sicke to bed Before hee had reposed himselfe an houre and halfe the Viscount Rochfort came to him and in the King's Name willed that hee and his Colleague should instantly repaire to the Queene and exhort her not to contend any longer with the King for that it would be more for her good and the honour of them both to submit herselfe to the King's pleasure then to vndergo the disgrace of a publique iudgement For it was now brought to that push that longer deferred it could not be The Cardinall advertised of the King's pleasure did arise and with his Colleague went to the Queene who having notice of their comming went forth and met them After mutuall salutations the Cardinals desired shee would vouchsafe a few words in private but the Queene refused to entertaine any conference with them but where she might have witnesses of what passed WOLSEY then began to speake in Latine but the Queene interrupted him willing that although she vnderstood Latin yet hee should speake in English So in the
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
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
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
ships and Merchants in England find the like entertainment the Hostages giuen by the French for the foresaid sums are committed to close prison and the French Embassadour confined to his house Levies are made throughout England great preparatioÌ„s for another expedition into France To which the King being wholly bent Embassadors suddenly arrive from the Emâ—erour whose request was That He would joine his forces with the Imperialls and that if it so pleased Him CHARLES would within few dayes be in England that so they might personally confer aduise what course they were best to run Many reasons mooued the Emperour by the way to touch at England His Grandfather FERDINAND being dead his presence was necessarily required in Spaine whither he must passe by England He feared lest this breach betwixt vs France might easily be made vp he being so far distant He had an Aetna in his brest which burned with extreame hatred toward the French and was confident that his presence would raise our sparkle to a flame They might personally treat conclude more safely securely than by Agents Posts of whom in matters of moment no wise man would make vse vnles forced by necessity But the chiefe cause as I coniecture of this his second coÌ„ming into England was that he was weary of WOLSEY with whom he saw it was impossible long to continue friend For the Cardinall by his importunity one while for the Papacy another while for the Archbishopricke of Toledo did much molest him who had determined to afford him nothing but good words He disdained not in his letters to a Butchers son to vse that honorable compellation of Couzen whether present or absent he afforded him all kind of honor whatsoeuer But when the Cardinall craued any ernest of his loue some excuse or other was found out to put him by yet so as still to entertaine him with hopes But WOLSEY was subtill and of a great spirit And these deuises were now growne so stale that they must needs be perceiued CHARLES therfore neglecting his wonted course by WOLSEY studies how to be assured of the King without him For this no fitter means could be thought of then this interview The King was naturally courteous loued the Emperour exceedingly and reposed great confidence in him CHARLES therefore hoped that by the familiarity of some few weekes hee might make the King his owne But HENRY he thought would not long continue so vnlesse he could some way lessen his fauor toward the Cardinall This he hoped might be effected by admonishing the King that he was now past the yeares of a childe and needed no Tutor that it was not fit he should suffer himselfe to be swaied by a Priest one in all reason better skilled in the mysteries of the Altar than of State against which in this respect besides the abuse of his power he must needs be some way though perhaps vnwillingly faulty The addition of some aspersions withalâ— were thought not to be amisse which if not true should at least carrie a shew of truth That the Emperour practised something in this kinde the consequences make it more than probable HENRY being a noble Prince and one that scorned money as much as any one breathing was very glad of the Emperors comming yet was his Treasury very bare and so great a Guest could not be entertained without as great expences CHARLES vpon notice of the Kings pleasure attended by the Marquis of Dorset the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield the Lord De La-ware others of the English Nobility comes from Graueling to Calais from whence he passed to Douer where he was receiued by the Cardinall who was accompanied with two Earles ten Bishops ten Abbots thirty six Knights 100 Gentlemen thirty Priests all these apparelled in velvet and at least seuen hundred seruants Two daies he staied at Douer before the King came At length he came and welcommed him with all Princely entertainment professing that no greater happinesse could betide him on earth then the inioying his Maiesties most desired company though but for so short a time From Douer taking Canâ—erbury in the way they came to Greenwich where the Queene awaited the longed for presence of her Nephew FroÌ„ thence to London where they werereceiued by the Citisens with the solemnities vsuall at the Coronation of our Kings At Whitsontide both Princes came to Pauls where they heard the Cardinall say Masse Sports agreeable to the entertainement of such a Guest were not wanting But when mention was made of renewing the League Windsore was thought fittest for the Treaty it being not aboue twenty miles from London and a place altogether as it were composed for pleasure Windsore is situated in a large Plaine vpon the bankes of the riuer Thames The Castle being the chiefest in England for strength comparable to that of Douer but far exceeding it in greatnesse and beauty is built on a hill This Castle containes besides the Kings Court a goodly Church by EDWARD the Third dedicated to the blessed Virgin and Saint George adioining to which is the Colledge where are the houses of the Deane Prebendaries and Vicars Chorall where also liue twelue Souldiers discharged of the wars called Knights and hauing pensions who in their habits are bound daily to frequent the Church there to pray vnto God for the Knights of the Illustrious Order of the Garter Of this Order the Castle is the Seat where according to the first Institution the Knights are to be installed on certaine dayes are to offer and to do some other duties Here vpon Corpus Christi day these Princes hauing on the robes of the Order in their stalls heard Masse and receiuing the Sacrament bound themselues by oath inuiolably to obserue the Conditions of this new League the chiefe Articles whereof were these That they should with joint and as great forces as they could inuade France That the Emperor should yearely pay to the King as much as was due to Him and his Sister from the French viz. 133000 crownes That the Emperor should at conuenient yeares take to Wife his Cousin german the Lady MARY the Kings onely Childe who after raigned and at age of fortie yeares was married to PHILIP the Emperors son That he by whose default it should happen that this match should not succeed should pay the other fiue hundred thousand crownes and for assurance of this the Emperour should put Saint Omers and Aires into the Kings hands One would haue thought it had passed the reach of human policy to haue dissolued this band But shortly after broken it was and could neuer after be firmely knit againe After eight dayes stay at Windsore these Princes went to Winchester and from thence to Southampton where was the Emperors Fleet consisting of a hundred and eighty ships Here on the first of Iuly the Emperor tooke ship and made for Spaine In the meane time the Earle of Surrey hauing gathered a Fleet landed neere Morleys
in Bretaigne forced the towne and burned it And hauing wasted all the Country therabout he went into Picardy to ioine with the Imperialls Some Forts they tooke and razed They besieged Hesdin but without successe For Winter comming on and our men dying apace of the Flux they were faine to setsaile homeward I will conclude this yeare with an ignominious and fatall losse to Christendome the Isle of Rhodes being on Christmas day taken by the Turkes while Christian Princes disagreeing about matters of nothing ruine themselues and invite the Miscreant to propagate his long since too too formidable Empire God grant they may at length considering the common danger rowse vp themselues and with joint resistance repell this Enemy of CHRISTS Crosse who although he be far enough from some is too neere to the farthest Anno Dom. 1523. Reg. 15. CHRISTIERNE the Second King of Denmarke by the rebellion of his subiects driuen out of his Kingdom had resided some while with the Emperor whose Sister he had married The fifteenth of Iune acompanied with his wife niepce to Queene KATHERINE he landed at Douer At London they abode some days with that due honor that kinred and Princes giue to one another The fift of Iuly they returned toward Calais In the meane time a Parliament was held at London wherein the States being certified of the necessity of war and what a faire occasion was offered for the recouery of France but that the war was like to be defectiue in regard of the weakenes of it's sinews a great sum of money was easily granted The Kings of France exact money of their subiects at their pleasure the Kings of England do not vsually without a Parliament wherein the pretence of war with France was wont to be a great motive of the subiects liberality And indeed France was at this time greatly distracted being oppressed with so many enemies abroad and having to do with vndermining treachery at home insomuch that our aduantages if wisely followed seemed to promise vs whatsoeuer we could hope for FRANCIS was on the one side pressed with the war of Milan on the other side by the Emperor at home CHARLES Duke of Bourbon reuolted from him by letters inciting our King to the recouery of his hereditary as he acknowledged Right in France whereto respectlesse of paine or perill he promised his faithfull assistance Neither was this offer to be slighted for he had conceiued an implacable hatred against his Prince and was able to make a great party in France His valor and experience were after manifested by the greatnes of his exploits performed in a short space FRANCIS being taken prisoner by him Rome sacked by his conduct the Pope besieged in the Castle of Saint Angelo and faine at last to ransome himselfe and his Cardinalls at a mightie rate These notable aduantages were all let slip through the neuer satisfied ambition and malice of one man but so that it made way for that great alteration which afterward hapned in the estate of the Church Blessed be that Almighty Power that conuerts the wicked designes of men to the good of his Church and his owne glory The Parliament being dissolued the Duke of Suffolke is sent into France with thirteene thousand men viz. six hundred Launces two hundred Archers on horsebacke three thousand Archers on foot fiue thousand Halberdiers seuenteene hundred drawne out of the Garrison of Calais and two thousand six hundred Pioners The English and Imperialls joining invaded the French Dominions tooke Roye Mondidier Bohain Bray Chasteaubeau and marching within twenty two leagues of Paris put the City in a terrible affright vntill the Lord of Brion sent by the King with the comfortable newes of the comming of the Duke of Vendosme with foure hundred Launces makes them take heart againe After these exploits our Forces toward the end of December were recalled In the meane time on the fourteenth of September died Pope ADRIAN the Sixth in whole place IVLIVS MEDICES was after two moneths elected Here WOLSEY againe failed in his hopes who expected by the helpe of the Emperor and the King to haue succeeded ADRIAN But the Emperor neuer intended this dignity for him for he did his best for IVLIVS Neither indeed had hee beenâ— willing could hee haue aduanced him to the Chaire For the Cardinalls were in so short a time weary of ADRIAN who was a stranger and little acquainted with the Court of Rome And the Colledge repined to see any other sit in Saint Peters Chaire then an Italian or at least one bred vp in Jtaly Neuerthelesse WOLSEY was so incensedagainst the Emperour by whose default he was verily persuaded it happened that he missed of the Papacy that now bidding hope farewell he was possessed with a desire to be reuenged on the Emperour for this conceiued iniury Hee therefore on a sudden turnes French and to hinder the Emperours proceedings procured our Forces to be called home pretending the ill season of the yeare with promise that the next Spring they should be returned againe Anno Dom. 1524. Reg 16. BVt CHARLES hauing not giuen any iust cause of breach WOLSEY dared not publiquely to professe his affection toward the French with whom notwithstanding by the intercourse of one IOHN IOACHIM a Genouese he maintaines intelligence and without the priuity of HENRY laies the platforme of a new League The war was very hot betweene the Emperour and the French FRANCIS had already taken Milan and with a mighty army sate downe before Pavia vowing not to rise from thence vntill he had taken it The Duke of Bourbon and the Imperialls were in number little inferior stood in want of nothing but money indeed all in all wherwith the Pope the Venetians our HENRY were to furnish him CLEMENT although he had obtained the Papacy chiefely by CHARLES his meanes detained the money which his predecessor ADRIAN had promised saying It beseemed not his Holinesse to intermeddle with the wars of Princes The Venetians at first answered coldly at length plainely denied for they stood in awe of the French and were jealous of the Emperours ambition And the malicious Cardinall had so played his part with HENRY that the Imperialls disappointed of the monethly summes due from him were exceedingly distressed Now WOLSEY to make a separation betweene these two Princes told the King that he certainly found that the Emperour did but delude him that hee had indeed promised to marry the Kings Daughter but a rumour was raised by the Spaniards That this match would be little either for his profit or his honor forasmuch as vpon the point the Lady MARY was but a Bastard begotten it is true in wedlocke yet incestuously the match being by the Ecclesiasticall Constitutions made vnlawfull for he could not lawfully marry Queene CATHARINE who had beene before married to his brother Prince ARTHVR That both the old and new Testaments were expresse against such coniunctions and that therefore it lay
he vnderstood was captiously cavilled at by some Sophisters And hauing occasion to speake of the Cardinall of Yorke he called him the Caterpillar of England He vnderstood the King did now loath that wicked sort of men and in his minde to fauour the Truth Wherefore he craueth pardon of his Majesty beseeching him to remember that wee being mortall should not make our enmities immortall If the King would be pleased to impose it hee would openly acknowledge his fault and blazon his Royall Vertues in another Booke Then hee wished him to stop his eares against those slanderous tongues that branded him with Heresy for this was the summe of his Doctrine That wee must bee saued through Faith in Christ who did beare the punishment of our sinnes in every part and throughout his whole body who dying for vs and rising againe raigneth with the Father for euer That he taught this to be the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and that out of this position hee shewed what Charity was how we ought to behave our selues one towards another that we are to obey Magistrates to spend our whole life in the profession of the Gospell If this Doctrine containe any Jmpiety or Errour why do not his Aduersaries demonstrate it Why do they condemne him without either lawfull hearing or confutation In that he inveigheth against the Pope and his Adherents hee doth it not without good reason forasmuch as for their profits sake they teach things contrary to what Christ and the Apostles did that so they may domineere ouer the Flocke maintaine themselues in Gluttony Idlenes That this was the marke at which their thoughts and deeds aimed and that it was so notorious that they themselues could not deny it That if they would reform themselues by chāging their idle and filthy course of life maintained by the losse and wrong of others the differences might easily be composed That his Tenets were approued by many Princes and Estates of Germany who did reverently acknowledge this great blessing of God amongst whom he wonderfully desired he might ranke his Maiesly That the Emperour and some others opposed his proceedings he did not at all wonder for the Prophet DAVID had many ages since foretold That Kings and Nations should conspire against the Lord and against his Christ and cast away his yoke from them That when he did consider this and the like places of Scripture he did rather wonder that any Prince did fauor the doctrine of the Gospell And to conclude he craued a fauorable answer The King made a sharpe reply to LVTHERS letter accusing him of base inconstancy He stands in defence of his Booke which hee said was in great esteeme with many Religious and Learned men That he reuiled the Cardinall a Reuerend Father was to be regarded as from him from whose impiety neither God nor man could be free That both Himselfe and the whole Realme had found the profitable and wholsome effects of the Cardinalls endeavours who should reape this fruit of LVTHERS railing that whereas he loued him very well before hee would now favour him more than ever That among other of the Cardinalls good deeds this was one that he tooke especiall care that none of LVTHERS leprosy contagion and heresy should cleaue to or take roote in this Kingdome Then he vpbraided him with his incestuous marriage with a Nunne a crime as hainous and abhominable as any At this answer which the King caused to be printed LVTHER grieued much blaming his friends that had occasioned it saying That he writ in that humble manner only to please his Friends and that he now plainely saw how much he was mistaken That he committed the like errour in writing friendly at the request of others to Cardinall CAIETAN GEORGE Duke of Saxony and ERASMVS the fruits whereof were that he made them the more violent That the shewed himselfe a foole in hoping to find Piety and Zeale in Princes Courts in seeking Christ in the Kingdome of Satan in searching for IOHN BAPTIST among the Cloathed in Purple But being he could not prevaile by faire meanes he would take another course The late mention of ERASMVS puts me in minde of a Booke written by him either this or the yeare passed at the entreaty of the King and the Cardinall as he himselfe in an Epistle confesseth entituled De Libero Arbitrio Whereto LVTHER made a quicke reply writing a booke De Servo Arbitrio Anno Dom. 1526. Reg. 18. MAny reasons might move the Emperour to seeke the continuation of a Peace with England The French although they concealed it their King beeing not yet at liberty intend to revenge their late ouerthrow The Turke prepares for Hungary the King whereof LEWIS had married ANNE the Emperors Sister Almost all Italy by the Popes meanes combined against CHARLES whose power is now becom formidable And Germany it self the Boors hauing lately bin vp in arms being scarce pacified do yet every where threaten new tumults In this case the enmity of HENRY must necessarily much impeach his proceedings But many things againe vrge him on the other side his Aunts disgrace for of this he long since had an inkling The late League concluded vnder hand with the French But that which swaied aboue all was the dislike of his promised match with the Kings Daughter That the Queene his Aunt might be reconciled to her Husband there might yet be some hope The League with France especially the French Kings case being now so desperate might be as easily broken as it was made But this Match did no way sort to his minde which he had either for loue or for some other private respects setled els where ISABELLA Sister to IOHN King of Portugall was a brave beautifull Lady and had a Dowry of nine hundred thousand Duckets MARY was neither marriageable nor beautifull yet her by agreement must he marry without any other Dowry then those foure hundred thousand crownes which he had borrowed of HENRY The wars had drawne his Treasury dry and his Subjects in Spaine being required to relieve their Prince doe plainly perhaps not without subornation of some principall persons deny it vnlesse hee marry ISABELLA one in a manner of the same Linage of the same Language and Nation and of yeares sufficient to make a mother By way of seruice Custome growing to a Law they are to giue their King at his marriage foure hundred thousand Duckets if hee will in this be pleased to satisfie their request they promise to double the vsuall summe For these reasons when HENRY sent Embassadours to treate againe whether sincerely or no I cannot say concerning the renewing of the League the marriage of the Ladie MARY and of warre in France to bee maintained at the common charge of both CHARLES answered but coldly and at last even in the very nuptiall solemnities sends to excuse his marriage to the King whereunto the vndeniable desires of his subiects had in a manner forced him
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
passed both Houses when this lusty Widower with as good successe as before marrieth his fifth Wife CATHARINE HOWARD When their nuptialls were celebrated is not knowne but on the eighth of August in Royall habiliments shee shewed her selfe as Queene The fautors of Reformation were much dismaied at the sudden vnqueening of ANNE fearing not without cause least it proving occasion of enmity betweene HENRY and the Princes of Germany he must of necessity rely on them who misliked our divorce from Rome But the King proceeding still in the course he had begun like a torrent bearing all before him not onely caused three Anabaptists to be burned but also many sincere Professors of the Truth for not subscribing to the Six Articles Among whome three Divines were most eminent viz. ROBERT BARNES Doctor of Divinity THOMAS GERARD and WILLIAM IEROM Bachelors who by Parliament vnheard being condemned for Heresie were on the one and thirtieth committed to the â—orments of the mercilesse fire At the same time and place three other Doctors of Divinity viz. POWELL ABIE and FETHRSTON were hanged for denying the Kings Supremacy the sight whereof made a French man cry out in these words Deus bone quomodo hic vivunt gentes Suspenduntur Papistae comburuntur Antipapistae Good God how do the People make a shift to live here where both Papists are hanged and Antipapists burned In August the Prior of Dancaster and six other for defending the Institution of the life Monasticall a crime now become as capitall as the greatest being also condemned by Act of Parliament were hanged The same day with the Lord CROMWELL the Lord HVNGERFORD was also beheaded As their causes were divers so died they alike differently CROMWELLS conscience quietly welcommed Death to the other suffering for that most vnnaturall crime of Sodomy Death presented it selfe with that horror that the apprehension of it made him as impatient as if hee had been seized with a frenzy Anno Dom. 1541. Reg 33. THe late Yorke-Shire Rebellion was not so throughly quenched but it againe began to shew it selfe but by the punishment of the chiefe Incendiaries it was quickely suppressed Fourteene of the Conspirators were put to death LEIGH a Gentlenan THORNTON a Yeoman and TATTERSHALL a Cloatheir at London Sir IOHN NEVILL and ten others at Yorke Which Commotion whether raised in favour of Religion or being suspected that it had any abettors beyond the Seas is thought to have hastened the death of the long sithence condemned Countesse of Sarisbury who on the seven and twentieth of May was beheaded in the Tower The eight and twentieth of Iune the Lord LEONARD GREY Deputy of Irland did on the Tower hill publiquely vndergo the like punishment Hee was Sonne to the Marquis of Dorset neere allied to the King and a brave martiall man having often done his Countrey good service But for that he had suffered his Nephew GERARD FITZ-GERARD brother to THOMAS lately executed proclaimed enemy to the Estate to make an escape and in revenge of some conceived private iniury had invaded the lands of the Kings friends hee was arraigned and condemned ending his life with a resolution befitting a brave Souldier The same day THOMAS FINES Lord Dacres of the South with some other Gentlemen for the death of one BVSBRIG slaine by them in a fray was hanged at Tiburne Many in reguard of his youth and Noble Disposition much lamented his losse and the Kings inexorable rigour Anno Dom. 1542. Reg. 34. BY this time HENRY began to finde the conveniency of his change having married one as fruitfull in evill as his former wives were in good who could not containe her selfe within the sacred limits of a Royall marriage bed but must be supplied with more vigorous and active bodies then was that of the now growing aged and vnweildy King Alas what is this momentary pleasure that for it wee dare hazard a treble life of Fame of Body of Soule Heaven may be mercifull but Fame will censure and the inraged Lyon is implacable such did this Queene finde him who procured not only her to be condemned by Act of Parliament begun the sixteenth of Ianuary and with her the Lady IANE Wife to the Viscount ROCHFORT behold the thrift of the Divine Iustice which made her an Instrument of the punishment of her owne and others wickednesse who by her calumnies had betraied her owne Husband and his Sister the late beheaded Queene ANNE but two others also long since executed FRANCIS DERHAM and THOMAS CVLPEPPER in their double condemnation scarce sufficiently punished DERHAM had beene too familiar with her in her virgin time and having after attained to some publique offices in Irland was by her now Queene sent for and entertained as a houshold servant in which time whether hee revived his former familiarity is not manifest But CVLPEPPER was so plainly convict of many secret meetings with the Queene by the meanes of the Lady ROCHFORT that the adultery was questionles For which the Queene and the Viscontesse ROCHFORT were both beheaded within the Tower on the twelfth of February DIRHAM had beene hanged and CVLPEPPER beheaded at Tiburne the tenth of the preceding December Hitherto our Kings had stiled themselves Lords of Irland a Title with that rebellious Nation not deemed so sacred and dreadfull as to force obedience The Estates therefore of Jrland assembled in Parliament enacted him King of Irland according to which Decree he was on the three and twentieth of Ianuary publiquely proclaimed About the same time ARTHVR Viscont Lisle naturall Sonne of EDWARD the Fourth out of a surfeit of sudden ioy deceased Two of his Servants had beene executed the preceding yeare for having conspired to betray Calais to the French and the Viscont as being conscious committed to the Tower But vpon manifestation of his innocence the King sent vnto him Sir THOMAS WRIOTHSLEY Principall Secretary of Estate by whom he signified the great content he received in the Visconts approved fidelity the effects whereof hee should finde in his present liberty and that degree of favour that a faithfull and beloved Vnkle deserved The Viscont receiving such vnexpected newes imbelished with rich promises and Royall tokens the King having sent him a Diamond of great value of assured favour being not sufficiently capable of so great ioy free from all symptomes of any other disease the ensuing night expired After whose decease Sir IOHN DVDLEY was created Viscont LISLE claiming that honour as hereditary in the right of his mother Lady ELIZABETH Sister and Heire to the Lord EDWARD GREY Viscont LISLE Wife to the late deceased Lord ARTHVR but formerly married to EDMVND DVDLEY one of the Barons of the Exchequer beheaded the first yeare of this Kings raigne Which I the rather remember for that this man afterwards memorable for his power and dignities might have provod more happy in his Issue then his greatnesse had not his owne ambition betraied some of these
The Parliament had alreadie granted him great Subsidiâ—â— so that thence hee could expect no more Yet moneyes must be had HENRY therefore resolves on an honesâ— kind of rapine The Intreaties of Princes little differ from Commands vnlesse perhaps in this that they worke more subtilly and render them pliable with whom Commands would not have prevailed Which manifestly appeared in the execution of this proiect He had twenty yeares since commanded money by Proclamation a course so far from taking as wâ—â— desired that it had like to have beene the cause of much mischiefe but now by some fit Commissioners informing his subiects of his necessities and desiring the richer sort one by one to contribute towards his support hee quickly replenished the Exchequer The Commissioners begin first with the Citizens of London among whom two were more straight laced then the rest viz. RICHARD READ and WILLIAM ROCH but their parsimony shall cost them deare For READ being an old man and vtterly vnexpert of Martiall Discipline is commanded to serve in person in the wars of Scotland is taken by the Scots and forced to ranson himselfe at a high rate ROCH as having vsed some vncivill language before those of his Maiesties Counsaile who sate Commissioners was for some moneths punished with straight imprisonment and at length not improbably bought his libertie In the meane time Boloigne was a great eyesore to the French They try to regaine it by stratagems and surprisals but in vaine They betake themselves to force with the like successe The Marshall of Biez Governour of Boloignois comes with a great Army to the Port a Towne two miles from Boloigne and begins to build a Fort on this side the river vpon the point of the Tower of Ordre but is by the Earle of Hertford forced away and leaves his Castle in the Aire His intent was by this Fort to have kept the garrison of Boloigne within their wals to have commanded the haven so to cut off all succours by sea and from Calais by land Which being done FRANCIS resolved in Person to besiege Guisnes and there to fortifie thereby to famish Boloigne and to keepe Calais and the land of Oye in subiection But these designes proving fruitlesse he prepares his navall forces giving forth that he intended to invade England hoping that this alarme would have made vs have a care of the maine and neglect those pieces abroad so that Boloigne for lack of aide should easily be reduced The noise of an invasion made HENRY arme who having gathered together a sufficient Fleet awaited the Enemie at Portsmouth intent to all occasions Neither did the French onely intend an alarme landing in three severall places in England but were every where with losse driven aboard their ships Two dayes after they fall downe to the Channell that divideth the Isle of Wight from the rest of Britaine they seeme to threaten Portsmouth where the King then was and seeke to draw our Fleet to fight The French beside a sufficient Fleet of other ships had twenty five Gallies no way probably vsefull in these â—empestuous and rough seas not brooking this flat kinde of shipping but by their bulke and number to terrifie vs yet at this time an vnusuall calmnesse of the sea without winde or current put them in hope of effecting wonders by their Galleyes But our Fleet was not to be drawne to fight much lesse to bee forced without apparent danger to the Enemy who must slâ—p downe a narrow Channell where but few ships could go in front and the like number opposed might easily defend it where they could not enter but with the tide and winde and the first ships repulsed in their falling backe would have disordered the rest of the Fleet where of necessitie they must fight vnder the favour of our Forts and Cannon which would easily have hindred their approach The Enemy being put off heere consult of fortifying the Isle of Wight where at Saint Helens point they land two thousand men resolve forsooth to make that the seate of the warre and there to build three Forts but the valour of the inhabitants made them change their designe and forced them againe to their ships Thus every where affronted to their losse without any memorable act they set saile for Normandie The French Fleet consisted of a hundred and three saile of all sorts ours of only sixtie so that it was no way sae for vs to incounter them Some light proffers were made on both sides wherein we alwayes came of with the better As for the Mary Rose a ship which with her losse buried Sir GEORGE CAROW the Captaine and seven hundred men the French do well to make vse of casualties to their owne glory But it was not the valour of the French or fury of their Cannons that sunke her but the supine negligence of the Marinets being wracked in the very haven in the presence of the King Boloigne was not idle the while Vpon hope of a Fort to be built by the Marshall of Biez FRANCIS had made great preparations for an enterprize vpon Guisnes but was diverted by the death of the Duke of Orleans his younger Sonne and the lost hopes of his intended Fort neere Boloigne and having for a while encamped at Mont-Lambert retired at last toward Amiens The neernesse of the Kings Campe at Mont-Lambert did daily invite both Nations to make triall of their valour the English sometimes sometimes the French having the better One day among the rest the English hotly charging the French the Duke of Aumale comes to relieve them who being strooken with a Lance vnder his right eye it breakes in pieces and leaves the tronchion halse a foot within his head It was a token of an excellent spirit in this young Nobleman that for so rough a charge hee lost not his stirrups and endured the torture whereto they put him in drawing out the three square head with such an invincible constancy as if they had picked a thorne from out his finger and beyond all expectation of the Chirurgians recovered The victory remained to the English Who could not long bragge of it afterward seeking to cut off a Convoy of the Enemies defeated by the Ringrave with the losse of sixteene Captaines and seven or eight hundred men The Earle of Surrey who led them saved himselfe by flight And were it not discourtesie in vs not to requite the late visit of the French The Lord Admirall therefore landed six thousand men at Treport in Normandie burned the Towne and Abbey with thirtie Ships and a Barke in in the Haven and returned with the losse of only fourteene men Neither were our imployments lesse or fewer in Scotland then among the French Scotland had so many enemies at home that it needed not any abroad But their homebred dissentions had caused war from vs and the way to set them at peace was to invade them In the beginning of March Sir RALPH EVERS by the death of his
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
Wherefore they so intrenched themselves and fortified their Campes with Artillery as if they expected a siege from each other Some moneths thus passed without any other exploits then inrodes and light skirmishes At length they mutually entertaine a motion of peace both of them considering that their Armies consisting of strangers the fruits of the victory would be to the Aliens only but the calamity and burthen of the defeat would light on the shoulders of the vanquished or which comes all to one passe of the subiects These motives drew together for a treaty on HENRY'S side the Constable the Marshall of S. Andrew the Cardinall of Loraine MORVILLIERS Bishop of Orleans and AVBESPINE Secretary of Estate for PHILIP the Duke of Alva the Prince of Orange RVYZ GOMES de Silva GRANVELL Bishop of Arras and others Much altercation was had about the restoring of Calais which the French were resolved to hold and PHILIP would have no peace vnlesse it were restored to MARY whom in point of honour he could not so forsake But this difference was ended by the death of MARY a little before whome on the one and twentieth of September died also the Emperour CHARLES the Fift which occasioned both the change of place and time for another Treaty And if the continuall connexion of other memorable affaires had not transported me I should ere this have mentioned the marriage celebrated at Paris with great pompe on the eight and twentieth of Aprill betweene the Daulphin FRANCIS and MARY Queene of Scots But the fruits thereof were not lasting For two yeares after died FRANCIS the Crowne by the death of his Father HENRY having beene first devolved to him and left his bed to a more auspicious husband HENRY the eldest Sonne to the Earle of Lenox Of these Parents was borne our late Soveraigne of ever sacred memory who was Nephew by his Mother to IAMES the Fift by MARGARET the eldest Daughter Nephew to that wise King HENRY the Seventh who the Issue of HENRY the Eight being extinct as the next vndoubted Heire most happily vnited the Crownes of England Scotland and Irland But now at length to draw neerer home this Autumne was very full of diseases Fevers especially quartane raigning extraordinarily in England wherby many chiefely aged persons and among them a great number of the Clergy perished Of the sole Episcopall ranke thirteene died either a little before the Queene or some few moneths after her Among the rest Cardinall POOLE scarce survived her a day who having beene for some weekes afflicted by this kinde of disease and brought to extreme weakenesse of body as if he had at the newes of the Queenes death received his deaths wound expired at three a clocke the next morning His corps inclosed in lead was buried in his Cathedrall at Canterbury with this briefe Elogy on his Tombe in steed of an Epitaph Depositum Cardinalis POLI. He was a man admirably learned modest milde of a most sweet disposition wise and of excellent dexterity in the managing of any affaires so that hee had beene incomparable if corrupted with the Religion of the Church of Rome he had not forced his nature to admit of those cruelties exercised vpon the Protestants The Queene died at S. Iames on the seventeenth of November some few houres before day She was a Lady very godly mercifull chaste and every way praise-worthy if you reguard not the errors of her Religion But her Religion being the cause of the effusion of so much innocent bloud that of the Prophet was necessarily to be fulfilled in her Bloud-thirsty men c. shall not finish halfe their dayes For she was cut off in the two and fortieth yeare of her age hauing raigned onely fiue yeares foure moneths and eleuen dayes wheras her Sister who succeeded her most happily in a more milde gouernement ruled nine timesas long and almost doubled her age Concerning the cause of Queen MARIE'S death there are divers conjectures To relate what I finde in approoved Authors it is reported that in the beginning of her sickenesse her friends supposing that she grieved at the absence of her husband whome she saw so ingaged in wars abroad that she could not hope for his speedy returne vsed consolatory meanes and indevored to remove from her that fixed sadnesse wherewith she seemed to be oppresled But she vtterly averse from all comfort and giving her selfe over to melancholy told them That she died but that of the true cause of her death they were ignorant which if they were desirous to know they should after her death dissect her heart and there they should finde Calais Intimating thereby that the losse of Calais had occasioned this fatall griefe which was thought to have beene increased by the death of the Emperor her Father-in-law But the truth is her liver being over-cooled by a Mole these things peradventure might hasten her end which could not otherwise be far from her and cast her by degrees into that kinde of Dropsy which Physitians terme Ascites This Dropsy being not discovered in time deceived her Physitians who beleeved that she had conceived by King PHILIP whereas she alas did breed nothing but her owne death So mature remedies being not applied and she not observing a fit diet she fell into a Fever which increasing by little and little at last ended in her death She lieth interred at Westminster in the midst of that Chappell which is on the North side of her Grandfather HENRY the Seventh his Monument where her sister Queene ELIZABETH was after buried with her and over both by the pious liberality of that most munificent Prince King IAMES hath since beene erected a most stately Monument well befitting the Majesty of such great Monarchs Queene ELIZABETH Anno 1558. HAving thus briefely run over the Reignes of these three Princes Queene ELIZABETH'S times in the next place offer themselves which deservedly requiring a more accurate stile I will here set a period to this worke not so much with intent to pretermit them as reserving them for a more exact labour In the meane time to give some satisfaction to the Reader I will make this short addition Some few houres after the decease of Queene MARY the Estates then assembled in Parliament on the seventeenth of November declared her Sister the Lady ELIZABETH Queene who was Daughter to HENRY the Eighth and ANNE BOLEN Having most gloriously reigned forty foure yeares foure moneths and seven dayes she ended her life and Reigne on the foure and twentieth of March Anno 1603 the Crown being by her death devolved to the renouned King of Scots IAMES the Sixt to whome it was so far from feeling it a burthen to have succeeded so good a Princesse that never was any Prince received with greater applause and gratulation of his People Many thinke their condition happy if they exchange a CALIGVLA for a CLAVDIVS or a NERO for a VITELLIVS or an OTHO But that any Mortall should please after ELIZABETH may
especially against Heretiques and broachers of new Opinions and should relate strange visions revealed by God to her in the time of her ecstasie By these jugling trickes not only among the Vulgar who termed the holy Maid of Kent but among the wiser sort such as were Archbishop WARHAM Bishop FISHER and others her sanctity was held in admiration The Imposture taking so generally her boldnesse increased Shee prefixeth a day whereon she shall be restored to perfect health and the meanes of her recouery must be procured forsooth by a pilgrimage to some certaine Image of our Lady The day came and shee beeing brought to the place by the like cousenage deceiued a great number of people whom the expectation of the miracle had drawne thither and at last as if she had iust then shaken off her disease shee appeares whole and straight vnto them all saying That by especiall command from God shee must become a Nunne and that one Doctor BOCKING a Monke of Canterbury there present was ordained to bee her Confessor which office hee willingly vndertooke vnder pretext whereof this Nunne liuing at Canterbury BOCKING often resorted to her not without suspition of dishonesty The intended Divorce from CATHARINE and marriage with ANNE BOLEN had much appalled most part of the Clergy for then a necessity was imposed on the King of a divorce from the Papall Sea in which the Church and all Ecclesiasticall persons were likely to suffer The apprehension whereof wrought so with BOCKING that making others conscious of the intent hee persuaded ELIZABETH BARTON by denuntiation of Gods revealed judgements to deterre the King from his purposed change Shee according as shee was instructed proclaimes it abroad That the King aduenturing to marry another CATHARINE surviving should if in the meane time hee died not some infamous death within one moneth after be depriued of his Kingdome The King heares of it and causeth the Impostrix to be apprehended who vpon examination discouered the rest of the conspirators who were all committed to prison vntill the next Parliament should determine of them ELIZ. BARTON BOCKING MASTERS the afore mentioned Curate of the Parish DEERING and RISBEY Monkes with GOLD a Priest are by the Parliament adiudged to dy The Bishop of Rochester and ADESON his Chaplaine one ABEL a Priest LAVRENCE the Archdeacon of Canterbury his Register and THOMAS GOLD Gentleman for hauing heard many things whereby they might guesse at the intents of the Conspirators and not acquainting the Magistrate with them are as accessory condemned in a Praemunire confiscation of their goods and perpetuall imprisâ—nment ELIZABETH BARTON and her Companions hauing each of them after a Sermon at Pauls Crosse publiquely confessed the Imposture are on the twentieth of Aprill hanged and their heads set ouer the gates of the City By the same Parliament the authority of the Convocation to make Canonicall Constitutions vnlesse the King giue this Rovall assent is abrogated It is also inacted That the Collocation of all Bishoprickes the Seas being vacant should henceforth be at the Kings dispose and that no man should be chosen by the Chapter or consecrated by the Archbishop but he on whom the King by his Congé D'eslire or other his Letters had conferred that Dignity And wheras many complained that now all commerce with Rome was forbidden all meanes were taken away of mitigating the rigour of the Ecclesiasticall Lawes of Dispensation Papall authority is granted to the Archbishop of Canterbury the King reserving to himselfe the power of dispensing in causes of greater moment And that all Appeales formerly wont to be made from the Archbishop to the Pope should now bee from the Archbishop to the King who by Delegates should determine all such suites and controversies Furthermore the Kings marriage with the Lady CATHARINE is againe pronounced incestuous the Succession to the Crowne established on the Kings Issue begotten on Queene ANNE And all aboue the age of sixteen yeares throughout the Kingdome are to be bound by oath to the obseruance of this Law whosoeuer refused to take this oath should suffer losse of all their goods and perpetuall imprisonment Throughout all the Realme there were found but two who durst refractoâ—ily oppose this Law viz FISHER Bishop of Rochester and Sir THOMAS MOORE the late Lord Chancellor men who were indeed very learned but most obstinate stickers in the behalfe of the Church of Rome who being not to be drawne by any persuasions â—o be conformable to the Law were committed to prison from whence after a yeares durance they were not freed but by the losse of their liues But the King fearing that it might be thought That hee tooke these courses rather out of a contempt of Religion than in regard of the tyrannie of the Court of Rome to free himselfe from all suspition either of favouring LVTHER or any authors of new Opinions began to persecute that sort of men whom the Vulgar called Heretiques and condemned to the cruelty of that mercilesle Element Fire not only certaine Dutch Anabaptists but many Professors of the Truth and amongst others that learned and godly young man IOHN â—RITH who with one HEWET and others on the two and twentieth of July constantly endured the torments of their martyrdome The fiue and twentieth of September died CLEMENT the Seuenth Pope in whose place succeeded ALEXADER FARNESE by the name of PAVLVS the Third who to begin his time with some memorable Act hauing called a Consistory pronounced HENRY to be fallen from the Title and Dignity of a King and to be deposed re-iterating withall the thunder of Excommunication with which bug-beare his predecessor CLEMENT had sought to affright him But this peradventure happened in the insuing yeare after the death of FISHER and MORE A Parliament is againe called in November wherein according to the Decree of the late Synod the King was declared Supreme Head of the Church of England and the punishment all crimes which formerly pertained to the Ecclesiasticall Courts is made proper to him So the Kingdome is vindicated from the vsurpation of the Pope who before shared in it and the King now first began to raigne entirely Also all Annates or first Fruits formerly paid to the Pope are granted to the King And Wales the seat of the remainder of the true antient Britans hitherto differing from vs compounded of Normans and Saxons as well in the forme of their gouernment as in Language is by the authority of this Parliament to the great good of both but especially that Nation vnited and incorporated to England EDWARD the First was the first who subdued this Countrey yet could hee not prevaile over their mindes whome the desire of recouering their lost liberty animated to many rebellions By reason whereof and our suspitions being for two hundred yeares oppressed either with the miseries of seruitude or war they neuer tasted the sweet fruits of a true and solid peace But HENRY the Seuenth by bloud in reguard
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
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