hee saw into what straights our King was likely to driue the French being weake if he would pressehard vpon him and pierce farther into the Kingdome although hee were a profest enemie to the French yet was he iealous of our prosperous proceeding and therefore by all meanes perswaded HENRY to dismantle Therouenne and thence to proceed to the siege of Tournay Hee blamed him not without iust cause for his late setting forth Summer being first welâ—neere spent Winter was now at hand when it would not quit cost to maintaine such an Armie good desigues being not then to bee put in execution Hee told him that Therovenne was so farre from him that it could not bee kept without great difficultie therefore hee should doe well to dismantle it that it might not hereafter serue for a Bulwarke to the Eenemie That Tournay was a French Citie but like an Island with the Sea surrounded with Flanders and Hainault and farre divided from the rest of France True it was that it was well stored with inhabitants and not meanly fortified but that there was no other Garrison then of Citizens and these hee should finde effeminate and for provision that they had none Hee should therefore make speed and come on them vnawares and with a few dayes siege force them to yeild That the French King if hee intended to succour them must first march through all Henault and passe over two or three great Riuers amongst which were the Escaut and the Scarpe That the Souldiers should finde good booties there and the King himselfe the triumph of a most assured conquest That the addition of such a Citie would bee no meane increase of his Dominions and so much the lesse care to bee taken of it for as much as it would bee as easie for him to keepe it in obedience as it was for the French for the space of so many yeares to defend it being placed amidst so many Enemies that still had a greedie eye over it King HENRY by this time had so much of Warre that hee began to bee wearie of the toyle thereof and to cast his minde on the pleasures of the Court Wherefore although hee wanted not Counsailors for the best hee followed the Emperours advice as being the more easie The Flemmings who begged it of the King had leave to rase the walls of Therouenne to fill the ditches and to burne all the buildings except the Church and the Chanons houses which they in regard of the dissensions vsuall to bordering Nations very gladly performed Therouenne being thus taken and destroyed away they march with all speed to Tournay indevouring by their celeritie to prevent the fame of their comming But the Citizens suspecting some such enterprise had fortified themselves as well as the shortnesse of time would permit them and the Peasants thereabouts bring all their goods into the Citie as to a place of safeguard The Citie was of no great circuit yet at the beginning of the siege it contained fourescore thousand people By reason whereof victuals quickly began to faile them and they could no way hope for reliefe The French King was farre off they had no Garison the Citizens bad Souldiers two great Princes had begirt the Towne with fifâ—ie thousand men but they had an Enemy within called Famine more cruell and insupportable then both So having for some few dayes held out the siege the nine and twentieth of September their lives being granted them they yeild and to saue themselves from spoile pay a hundred thousand Crownes The King makes them sweare Fealty to him and appoints Sir EDWARD POYNINGS a Knight of the Garter their Governour Next hee gives order for store of warlike provision puts in a small Garison and builds a Cittadell for the confirmation of his conquest Neither amongst these politique affaires did he neglect those of the Church For the Bishop being proscribed hee conferres the Sea with all the revenues vpon THOMAS WOLSEY of whose first rising and immoderate power we shall have much occasion to speake hereafter All things being thus ordered because Winter came on apace hee beganne to bethinke himselfe of returning with his Armie into England This thought so farre pleased him that having beene absent scarce foure monethes hee tooke ship and about the end of October came home triumphing in the glory of a double conquest By the way hee was entertained with the newes of another victorie the Lord HOWARD Earle of Surrey having vnder his Fortune slaine the King of Scots The King of France being encumbred with many warres had coniured IAMES the Fourth King of Scots by the ancient Lawes of Amitie and the late League made betweene them that Hee would not forsake him intangled in so many difficulties If Hee regarded not his friends case yet Hee should at least looke to himselfe for whom it would not bee safe to suffer a bordering Nation alwayes at enmitie with Him by such additions to arise to that height of power The King of England busied with a foraine warre was now absent and with Him the flower of the English Chivalrie Hee should therefore forthwith take Armes and trie to recover Berwicke an especiall towne of the Scottish Dominions but for many yeares withheld by the English He would easily be victorious if He would but make vse of this occasion so happily offered It could not be but this warre would bee for His Honour and profitable to His Friend if not to Himselfe He should thereby also make knowne to His Enemies that the Scottish Armes were not to bee contemned whose former victories a long and to them hurtfull peace had obscured and buried in oblivion among the English As for the charges of it Hee need not bee troubled for that Hee would afford Him fiftie thousand Crownes towards the providing of Munition and Ordinance These reasons so preuailed with the yong King covetous of glory that notwithstanding he had lately made a League with our King whose Sister hee had married and her vehement dissuasions he proclaimed warre against HENRY which proved fatall to him bloudie to his and the cause of many ensuing calamities So having raised a great Armie hee breakes into our Marches and besiegeth Norham Castle belonging to the Bishop of Durham the which having held out sixe dayes was at last yeilded vnto him Thence hee removes his Campe to Berwicke wasting all the Countrey as hee marcht with fire and sword The newes whereof are brought vnto them to whom the governement of the Kingdome was committed in the absence of the King and a leuy being made through all the North parts of the Kingdome Alnewike is appointed the rendez-vous where all the troupes should meete at a set day that thence they might set forward against the Enemie vnder the conduct of the Lord THOMAS HOWARD Earle of Surrey Among the first to his Fathers great ioy comes the Earles Sonne THOMAS Lord Admirall leading a veterane troupe of fiue thousand men of tried valour and
the night in the morning hearing the Kings forces to approach most of them slipt away onely some thrâ—e hundred remained whereof eleuen were women and being apprehended supplied their places whom theybefore had freed They were all arraigned onely thirteene designed for death whereof nine suffered on diuers gibbets purposely erected in diuers parts of the Citie LINCOLNE SHERWIN and two brethren named BETS Chiefetaines in this sedition were carried to Cheapside where LINCOLNE was deseruedly hanged The Executioner readie to turne off another was preuented by the Kings gracious Pardon The minde of man beeing prone to pittie wee may imagine that others were well pleased at the newes but certainely the condemned had cause to reioice The Queenes of England the two Dowagers of of France and Scotland both of them the Kings Sisters and then at Court became incessant Petitioners to his Maiestie and that on their knees in the behalfe of these condemned persons and at length WOLSEY consenting by whome the King was wholly swayed their Petitions were graunted to them and to the poore men their liues This was the last scene of this tragicall tumult the like whereof this well gouerned Citie had not knowne in manie ages For the Lawes verie well prouided in that case do vnder a great penaltie forbid Assemblies especially of armed men if not warranted by publicke Authoritie In August and September the sweating sicknesse termed beyond Sea Sudor Anglicus or the English sweat began a disease vtterly vnknowne to former ages Of the common sort they were numberlesse that perished by it Of the Nobilitie the Lords CLINTON and GREY of Wilton The symptomes and cure you may finde in Polydore Virgill in Anno. 1. HENR 7. who as confidently as I beleeue truely maintaines That this disease was neuer till then knowne to bee much lesse to bee mortall As if there were a concatenation of euills one euill seldome commeth alone A Pestilence succeeded this former mortalitie and so raged the whole Winter season in most parts of the Realme that the King for feare of infection attended by a few was faine euery day to remoue his Court from one place to another The eleuenth of Februarie was borne the Ladie MARY afterwards Queene of England Anno Dom. 1518. Reg. 10. THe Peace so long treated of betweene vs and the French was now in September at length concluded on these Conditions That the DAVLPHIN should marrie the Ladie MARIE the Kings only Châ—lde and not yet two yeares old That Tournay should bee restored to the French That the French should pay King HENRY foure hundred thousand Crownes viz. two hundred thousand for his charge in building the Cittadell for the Artillerie Powder and Munit on which hee should leaue there and other two hundred thousand crownes partly for the expence of that warre wherein the Citie was taken and partly in regard of other Pensions that were due vnto him For the paiment of which summes the French gaue eight hostages so saith BELLAY But our Writers speake of a farre different summe viz. Six hundred thousand crownes for the Citie and foure hundred thousand crownes for the Cittadell besides three and twenty thousand pounds Tournois which the City of Tournay ought the King and an annual Pension of a thousand Markes assigned to Cardinall WOLSEY for renouncing all claime and title to the Bishopricke of Tournay For the confirmation of these Articles the Earle of Worcester and the Bishop of Ely with some others were sent into France where both by the King and Princes of the Realme they were magnificently entertained Anno Dom. 1519. Reg. 11. THis yeare on the twelfth of Ianuarie in the three and sixtie yere of his age died the Emperor MAXIMILIAN hauing to preuent a disease to which hee thought himselfe inclining vnseasonably taken a Medicine of vncertaine opperation His death bred an equall desire in the mindes of two great Princes who became Competitours for the Empire FRANCIS King of France and CHARLES King of Spaine But CHARLES although King of Spaine yet being by birth borne at Gand and discent a German at the age of nineteene yeares was chosen Emperour of Germanie with the full consent and sufferages of all the Princes Electors This Election how euer other slight matters were pretended was vndoubtedly the cause of the ensuing dreadfull war betweene these Princes The French King taking this repulse impatiently meditates nothing but reuenge And that his designes might no way be crossed by vs he labors amain for the confirmation of the peace lately agreed vpon betweene HENRY and him Therefore by the Admirall BONIVET he deales with WOLSEY that at an enteruiew betweene the two Kings the League might be ratified To this end HENRY intends to come to Guisnes FRANCIS to Ardres and a conuenient place betweene both is made choice of for their enteruiew Anno Dom. 1520. Reg. 12. HEreupon the King setting forward towards France by easy iourneis comes to Canterbury intending there to keepe his Whitsontide The next day after being the twenty sixth of May the new created Emperor CHARLES the fifth in his return from Spaine arriues at Douer distant twelue miles from Canterbury The King gladly entertaines the newes and although it were midnight takes horse and within little more than an houre comes by torch light to Douer Castle where the Emperour lay who seaweary was then asleepe But being certified of the Kings arriuall hee suddenly apparelled himselfe and met the King at the top of the staires They embraced and saluted one another they long conferred together and the next morning beeing Whitsonday they rode together to Canterburie the Emperour alway keeping the right hand and the Earle of Derby bearing the Sword before them both Canterburie is a Citie more famous for antiquitie than for moderne beauty To let passe that it was aboue a thousand yeares since made an Archiepiscopall Sea our Chronicles do sufficiently testify that both in respect of priuate mens faire houses and the magnificent structure of it's Churches it antiently excelled the brauest cities of England But within these few yeares it hath lost so much of it's greatnesse and beautie that a man shall finde little of Canterburie beside the name Why it should so much in so short space decay many reasons may be alledged As the vicinity of London which swelling like the spleene suckes both bloud and moisture from all the other languishing Cities of the Kingdome Likewise the subuersion of Saint AVGVSTINES Monasterie the losse of Calais and the pulling downe of Archbishop BECKET his Shrine things which occasioned a great concourse of people and did by their losse and ouerthrow much impaire this Cities splendor One only Ornament therof suruiues which is the Cathedrall and Metropoliticall Church with such a Maiesty piercing the skies saith ERASMVS that it a far off fills the beholder with deuout amazement This Church being at first dedicated to our Sauiour CHRIST a few ages past degenerated into the nickname of S. THOMAS
speake all the truth were to spake far more Being yet but in his fifteenth yeare he spake Latine as readily and politely as I could What saith he is the subiect of your Bookes De Rerum Varietate I had dedicated them to his Maiesty CARD In the first Chapter I shew the long hidden and vainly sought after causes of Comets KING And what is the cause CARD The concourse and meeting of the lights of the erratique Stars KING But being the Planets are moved with severall motions how comes it to passe that the Comet doth not either presently dissolve and scatter or move with their motion CARD It moves indeed but with a far swifter motion then the Planets by reason of the diversity of the aspect as we see in Chrystall and the Sunne when a Rainebow rebound vpon a wall for a little change makes a great difference of the place KING But how can that be done without a subiect for the wall is the subiect to the Rainbow CARD As in the Galaxia or Milky way and in the reflection of lights when many candles lighted are set neere one another they do produce a certaine lucid and bright meane You may know the Lion by his paw as they say For his ingenuous nature and sweet conditions he was great in the expectation of all either good or learned men He began to favour learning before he could know it and knew it before he knew what vse to make of it O how true is that saying Jmmodicis brevis est etas rara senectus Immoderate growths short liv'd are aged seld He could give you only a taste of his Vertue not an example When occasion required a Maiestique gravity you should see him act an old man in his affability and mildnesse he shewed his age He plaied on the Lute accustomed himselfe to publique affaires was liberally disposed c. So much CARDAN His Corps was on the ninth of August with no very great pompe interred at Westminister neere to his Grandfather HENRY the Seventh And here had I with this King's death concluded this second Part had not the consideration of a memorable enterprise of this Kings occurred To SEBASTIAN CABOTA a Portugall for his admirable skill in Cosmography and the art of Navigation hee allowed an annuity of an hundred sixty six pounds EDWARD by this CABOTA'S persuasion on the twelfth of May set forth three ships vnder Sir HVGH WILLOVGHBEY for the discovery of vnknowne Regions in the North parts of the world The maine hope of this voiage was that way to open a shorter passage to those vast Countries of the East Catay and China Neere vpon the coast of Norway these Ships were so severed by tempest that they never met againe One of these great Ships terâ—ified with the greatnes of irresistable dangers quickly returned home Sir HVGH WILLOVGHBY arrived at last at a Countrey vnder the Latitude of seventy foure degrees not inhabited hitherto to vs vnknowne and was forced to winter there where he all his company were frozen to death The Ship was afterward found by some the like English Adventures and in his Deske a writing relating the adventures of each day his Will also by which it appeared that he lived vntill Ianuary RICHARD CHANCELLER with the third Ship making a more prosperous voyage after many dangers and incerâ—ainties arrived at last among the Russes and Muscovites To these parts some few yeares after he made a second voyage but in his returne suffered wracke on the Scottish coast where seeking to save the Muscovite Embassador he himselfe was drowned Howsoever he were vnfortunate he opened a rich veine of traffique to succeeding times wherby we have an exact discovery of that Countrey and of the Manners of those Heathen Christians FINIS ANNALES OF ENGLAND QVEENE MARY The Third Booke LONDON Printed by Adam Islip and William Stansby 1630. Fortissimi quique interfecti sunt 〈◊〉 ANNALES OF ENGLAND The third Booke Queene MARY Anno Dom. 1553. Reg. 1. WHen the Lady MARY long since acquainted with Northumberland's secret practices was also certified of her Brother's decease not thinking it safe to abide neere London where her Enemies were in their full strength pretending a feare of the Plague by reason of the suspitious death of one of her houshold she sudainly departed from Saint Edmundsbury and came in one day to Framingham Castle in Suffolke distant from London fourescore miles and seated neere the Sea from whence if Fortune frowned on her shee might make an easie escape into France Here she tooke vpon her the Title of Queene and by letters to her Friends and the Nobles wished their speedy repaire vnto Her In the meane time Northumberland having for two dayes together consulted with his friends concerning the managing of this great businesse the King's death being not yet published sent command to the Lord Maior of London to repaire forthwith to Greenwich with six Aldermen and twelve other Citizens of chiefest account To them he declares the King's departure and the seating of Lady IANE in the Throne of Soveraignety shewing withall the King's Testament vnder Seale which did import no lesse then the setling the Succession on her and that Family He causeth them either by terrour or promises to sweare Allegiance to Lady IANE with command and that vnder a great penalty that they should not as yet divulge these secret passages What a furtherance it might be to his affaires if he could assure himselfe of this Citie hee was too wife to be ignorant of and as for suppressing the report of the King's death hee thought it might prove a meanes to facilitate the surprisall of the Lady MARY as yet probably secure for lacke of notice of her Brother's decease But vnderstanding that shee had made an escape into Suffolke Lady IANE was by almost all the Peeres of the Realme pompously conducted to the Tower and with great solemnity publiquely proclaimed Queene Shee was of age about sixteene of feature not admirable but handsome incredibly learned very quick-witted and wise both beyond her Sexe and above her Age wonderfully devoted to purity of Doctrine and so far from desire of this advancement that shee began not to act her part of Royalty without teares manifesting it to the world that she was sorced by her parents and friends ambition to this high but dangerous ascent At her going through the Citie toward the Tower the concourse of the People was great their acclamations few as if the strangenesse of some new spectacle had drawne them together rather then any intent of gratulation Which Queene MARYES for so we must henceforth call her friends hitherto distrustfull more of successe then the cause accepted of as an happy omen and were incouraged to assist her as occasion should invite them But the presence of Northumberland a man quicke watchfull and very politique was yet a remora to their proceedings Him they must send farther of or be content to siâ— still The
Aire I doe not thinke it was the Kings fault although wee might iustly suspect that the great treasure left him by his Father beeing almost spent and the French secretly offering peace vpon good termes the friendship betweene him and the Emperour which hee had so dearely purchased began at length to grow cold Certainely to speake nothing of the League which was afterwards concluded with France the Treasurie was now growne so bare that the King was driuen to inuent new wayes for the raising of money The care of this businesse as almost of all others was committed to Cardinall WOLSEY who casting vp the Exchequer accompts found many deeply indebted to the King and whither by the negligence or treacherie of the Officers neuer yet called to accompt Among others the Duke of Suffolke was found to be a great debtor who besides his own reuenues receiued yerely out of France his wiues ioincture amounting to 60000 crownes Yet notwithstanding he was fain to withdraw himselfe from Court that by liuing thriftily in the countrey he might haue wherewith to pay his debt The Cardinal next bethinks himselfe of publicke misdemeanors of what sort soeuer as periury rapes oppression of the poore riots and the like the offenders without respect of degree or persons hee either publiquely punished in bodie or set round fines on their heads By which means the Treasurie before empty was replenished and the Cardinall by the people much applauded for his Iustice These things hauing thus succeeded to his minde he vndertakes more in the same kinde He institutes a new Court where the Lords of the Priuie Counsell with other of the Nobility should sit as Iudges The aforesaid crimes which then greatly raigned in this Kingdome were punishable in this Court which as I coniecture from the stars painted in the roofe is called the Star-chamber He erected also the Court of Requests where the complaints of the Poore were to be heard and ordained many other things in the ciuile gouernment of the Kingdome that were acceptable to the people and are in vse at this day wherein hee alike manifested his wisedome and loue of his Countrey Certainly they that liued in that age would not sticke to say That this Kingdome neuer flourished more than when WOLSEY did to whose wisdome they attributed the wealth and safetie that they enioyed and the due administration of Iustice to all without exception Anno Dom. 1517. Reg. 9. THe Spring growing on the feare of a commotion in London increased with the yeare The originall and successe whereof I will lay open at large forasmuch as enormities of this nature by our wholesome Lawes seuerely restrained are so rare that I remember when I was a childe old men would reckon their age from this day by the name of Jll May day Long peace hauing with vs begate plentie the Mother and Nurse both of good and bad Arts allured the most excellent artificers of foreine Nations to partake of our happinesse by frequenting the Citie of London But the giddie multitude not conceiuing what good became of communicating their skill vnto vs tooke it verie hainously that Strangers should be permitted to enioy the priuiledges of the City and our home-bred Artificers did most especially complaine That their meanes were euery day curtalled forasmuch as no small part was necessarily to be defalked for the maintenance of these Strangers This was now growne the common discourse and had gon so far that one LINCOLNE a ringleader of this tumultuous rout did not stick to persuade some Preachers publiquely in the Pulpit to lay open these common grieuances before the Estates of the Realme Our Ladies Hospitall in London commonly called the Spittle is famous for the Easter Sermons one of which was to be preached by Doctor HENRY STANDISH afterward Bishop of S. Asaph a graue and learned man LINCOLNE had assaied him and had the deniall as in a matter the very mention whereof a good Patriot should abhorre But Doctor BELL a Diuine who was after STANDISH to preach in the same Place without feare or wit seconding their seditious attempts did publiquely in his Sermon read the Bill by them exhibited to him taking for his text that of the Prophet in the 115 Psalme The heauens euen the heauens are the Lords but he hath giuen the earth to the sonnes of men Thence most foolishly concluding that England was giuen to Englishmen only and that therfore it was not to be endured that Aliens should enioy any part therof Many things by him spoken to this purpose were accepted with great applause and approbation of the Vulgar who out of extreame hatred to Strangers breathed nothing but sedition And to adde more fuell to this fire it happened that many outrages were about that time committed by some of these Strangers This euill then thus spreading it selfe foreiners were euery where ill intreated and commonly knockt downe in the streets hauing not offered iniurie to any man The authors of these riots being by the L. Maior committed to prison a sudden rumor ran through the Citie That on May day next all Strangers should be massacred This without doubt proceeded from some of this vnruly crue and was intended as a watchword to all the faction but the Strangers made so good vse of it that they had all withdrawne themselues before that time and the Magistrates very carefully attended each occasion endeauouring to crush all tumultuous designes in the shell On May day Eue therefore the next day being the feast of the Apostles Philip and Iacob the solemnitie thereof is vsually augmented by the liberty granted to the younger fort to sport themselues and to make merrie the Citisens in generall are by Proclamation commanded to keepe fast their doores and to restraine their Seruants from going abroad vntill nine of the clocke the next day But before this had beene throughly proclaimed an Alderman walking in the streets saw a troupe of young men consisting of Apprentices and such like gathered together and playing at cudgels He sharpely reprooued them for not obeying the Kings Edict withall threatening to punish them if they the sooner betooke not themselues euery one to his home Words not preuailing he laid hold on one or two intending to haue committed them But what reckoning they made of Authoritie their resistance in rescue of their Companions shewed and by outcries giuing an Alarme drew together all the rest of their Faction in that quarter of the Citie The fame of this hurly-burly encreased their numbers by sending mariners gentlemens seruants beggars Citisens but the greatest part were Apprentices Sedition like a torrent carried them headlong and animated them to all villanie They breake open the prisons set those at libertie that were imprisoned for their outrages on straungers flie about the Citie as in a whirle-wind rob all forreiners houses and not content with their goods seeke after them for their liues They found their nests but the birds were fled Hauing thus spent
Gentlemen of the Kings Priuy Chamber and MARKE SVETON a Musitian either as Partakers or accessory were to run the same fortune The King greatly favoured NORRIS and is reported to be much grieved that he was to dy with the rest Whereupon he offered pardon to him conditionally that he would confesse that whereof hee was accused But hee answered resolutely and as it became the progenitor of so many valiant Heroes That in his conscience he thought her guiltlesse of the obiected crime but whether she were or no he could not accuse her of any thing and that he had rather vndergo a thousand deaths then betray the Innocent Vpon relation whereof the King cryed out Hang him vp then Hang him vp then Which notwithstanding was not accordingly executed For on the thirteenth of May two dayes after his condemnation all of them viz. the Viscont Rochfort NORRIS BRIERTON and SVETON were beheaded at Tower hill NORRIS left a sonne called also HENRY whom Queene ELIZABETH in contemplation of his Fathers deserts created Baron of Ricot This Lord NORRIS was father to those great Captaines WILLIAM IOHN THOMAS and EDWARD in our dayes so famous throughout Christendome for their braue exploits in England France Irland and the Netherlands On the nineteenth of May the Queene was brought to the place of execution in the greene within the Tower some of the Nobility and Companies of the City being admitted rather to be witnesses than spectators of her death To whom the Queene hauing ascended the scaffold spake in this manner Friends and good Christian people J am here in your presence to suffer death whereto J acknowledge my selfe adiudged by the Lawes how iustly J will not say for I intend not an accusation of any one J beseech the Almighty to preserue his Maiâ—sty long to raigne ouer you a more gentle or milde Prince neuer swayed Scepter his bounty and clemency towards me I am sure hath beene especiall If any one intend an inquisitiue survey of my actions J intreat him to iudge favourably of me and not rashly to admit of any hard censorious conceit And so I bid the world farewell beseeching you to commend mee in your Prayers to God To thee O Lord do J commend my Soule Then kneeling downe shee incessantly repeated these words CHRIST haue mercy on my soule Lord IESVS receive my soule vntill the Executioner of Caâ—ais at one blow smote off her head with a sword Had any one three yeares before at what time the King so hot in the pursuit of his loue preferred the enioying of this Lady beyond his Friends his Estate his Health Safeguard and his onely Daughter prophetically foretold the vnhappy fate of this Princesse he should haue beene beleeued with CASSANDRA But much more incredible may all wise men thinke the vnheard of crime for which shee was condemned viz. That fearing least her Daughter the Lady ELIZATETH borne while CATHARINE survived should bee accompted illegitimate in hope of other especially masle Issue whereof shee despaired by the King now neere fifty yeares old shee had lasciviously vsed the company of certaine young Courtiers nay not therewith content had committed incest with her owne Brother A strange ingratitude in one raised from so low degree euen to the height of honour I will not derogate from the Authority of publique Records But an Act of Parliament against her shall not worke on my beliefe Surely it carried so little shew of probability with foraine Princes that they alwaies deemed it an act of inhumane cruelty Especially the Estates of Germany Confederates for the defence of the Reformed Religion who having often treated with FOX Bishop of Hereford and other Embassadours had decreed to make HENRY Head of their League and had designed an Embassy by IOHN STVRMIVS who should haue brought with him into England those excellent Divines PHILIP MELANCTHON and MARTIN BVCER with one GEORGE DRACO who should endeavour that and the Reformation of our Church But having heard of the lamentable and vnworthy as they iudged it end of the Queene loathing the King for his inconstancy and cruelty they cast off all farther thought of that matter I will not presume to discusse the truth of their opinion But freely to speake what I my selfe thinke There are two reasons which sway much with mee in the behalfe of the Queene That her Daughter the Lady ELIZABETH was seated in the Royall Throne where shee for so many yeares ruled so happily and triumphantly What shall we thinke but that the Divine Goodnesse was pleased to recompence the iust calamity of the Mother in the glorious prosperity of the Daughter And then consider but the Kings precipitated Nuptialls the very next day after the death of his former Wife yet scarce interred and with whose warme bloud his imbrued hands yet reaked consider this I say and you shall easily be persuaded with mee that the insatiable Prince glutted with the satiety of one and out of the desire of variety seeking to enioy another did more willingly giue eare to the treacherous calumnies of the malicious Popelings than either befitted an vpright Iudge or a louing husband For it seemeth wonderfull strange to mee that either the fault of the one or the pleasing conditions and faire language of the other Wife should so far possesse the King as that hee should procure his daughter ELIZABETH to be by Act of Parliament declared illegitimate the matrimony contracted with both the former Queenes CATHARINE and ANNE to be pronounced invalid and the Crowne to be perpetually established on the posterity of the third wife or if the King had no Issue by her that then it should bee lawfull for him by Will and Testament to transfer it on whome hee pleased Parliaments were not then so rigid but that they could flatter the Prince and condescend to his demands though vniust even in cases which most neerely concerned the publique Weale But servile Feare is oft times more ready then Loue which slowly moves by apprehension of Good as the other is quickely forced by the apprehension of Danger On the twentieth of May the King married IANE SEIMOVR Daughter of Sir IOHN SEIMOVR who on the nine and twentieth of May being Whitsonday clad in royall habiliments was openly shewed as Queene So that the Court of England was now like a Stage whereon are represented the vicissitudes of ever various Fortune For within one and the same moneth it saw Queene ANNE flourishing accused condemned executed and another assumed into her place both of bed and honour The first of May it seemeth shee was informed against the second imprisoned the fifteenth condemned the seventeenth deprived of her Brother and Friends who suffered in her cause and the nineteenth executed On the twentieth the King married IANE SEIMOVR who on the nine and twentieth was publiquely shewed as Queene The death of this innocent Lady God seemed to revenge in the immature end of the Duke of Richmond the Kings only but naturall
her Sonne GERTRVDE Widow to the Marquis of Excester Sir ADRIAN FORTESCVE and Sir THOMAS DINGLEY DINGLEY and FORTESCVE were beheaded on the tenth of Iuly and the Countesse being then aged threescore and ten yeares suffered two yeares after In the same Parliament it was inacted That the King might erect new Episcopall Seas in oportune places of the Realme For the performance whereof and of some other things no lesse specious the late dissolution of those Abbeyes whereon the King seised was confirmed and all Religious Houses as yet vnsuppressed were granted to the King for ever Vpon notice whereof many either out of guilt of conscience or desirous to purchase the Kings favour surrendred their charge even before they were required And first of all the Abbot and Convent of Saint Albans the first Abbot of the Realme as Saint ALBAN was the first Martyr which Honour was conferred on this House by Pope ADRIAN the Fourth whose Father had long lived a Monasticall life therein forsake their rich Abbey seated neere the ruines of Verolamium once a great and antient City and leaue it to the mercy of the Courtiers Which dereliction afforded matter of example to many other few enioying that security of conscience that they durst lay claime to their owne Onely three were found whose innocence made them so regardlesse of threats promises or reward that they could never be induced to betray the goods of their Churches to the mercilesse impiety of sacrilegious Harpyes which three were Iâ—OHN BECH Abbot of Colchester in Essex HVGH FARINGDON Abbot of the Abbey of Reding built by HENRY the First for the place of his Sepulture and RICHARD WHITING Abbot of Glastonbury one of the stateliest and antientest Monasteries of Europe being first builded by IOSEPH of Arimathea who buried the body of our Saviour CHRIST and is himselfe there interred as is also beside some Saxon Kings that most renowned King ARTHVR whose glorious Acts had they beene vndertaken by a fit Historian would have ranked him among the antient Worthies without the helpe of a fabulous Romance Against these men therefore other courses not availing that one one was taken of administring the Oath of Supremacy which they refusing are as enemies to the Estate condemned of high Treason BECH was hanged at Colchester and FARINGDON with two Priests named RVG and OGNION at Reding WHITING a man very aged and by reason therof doting scarce perceiving that he had beene condemned returning from the place of Iudgement which was in the Bishops Palace at Wells distant from Glastonbury foure miles with conceit that hee was restored to his Abbey was suddenly rapt vp to the top of the Tor a hill that surveies the country round about and without leave of bidding his Convent farewell which hee earnestly begged was presently hanged the staine of ingratitude sticking fast to the authors of this speedy execution of whom the poore Abbot is reported to have better deserved With WHITING were two Monkes also executed named ROGER IAMES and IOHN THORNE their bodies all drawne and quartered and set vp in divers places of the Countrey The punishment of these few so terrified the rest that without more ado they permitted all to the Kings disposall The number of those that were supprest is not easily cast But the names of the chiefest and whose Abbots had voices among the Peeres in the higher House of Parliament are these S. PETERS in Westminster Saint MARIES in Yorke S. ALBANS  S. Edmundsbury Teuksbury S. BENETS of Hulme Reading Berdney Battaile Shrewsbury Winchcomb Crowland Hide by Winchester Abingdon Cirencester Euesham Waltham Glocester Walmesbury Ramsey Thorney Saint AVGVSTINES in Canterbury Saint IOHNS in Colchester Selbey Coventrey Peterborough Tavestocke The King that hee might some way supply the want of the suffrages of so many learned and wise men in the Parliament House as also that of so great a prey hee might consecrate if not the tenth to HERCVLES at least some Part to God according to his promise erected some new Bishoprickes wherof one was at Westminster a place so neere and contiguous to London that it might rather seeme a part of the Suburbs thereof than a distinct City But a City it is and so ennobled with many stately monuments that for beauty it contendeth with most in Christendome In it are the chiefe Seat of the Prince and Palaces of the Nobility the chiefe seats of Iustice in the Land the most magnificent Church wherein are interred most of our Kings and Nobles whose sumptuous Monuments render it vnparaleld even by the world Another was at Oxford in the Colledge founded by Cardinall WOLSEY The rest at Peterborough Bristoll stoll Chester and Glocester Westminster was by Queene MARY againe reduced to an Abbey and furnished with Monkes of Saint BENETS Order whome Queene ELIZABETH againe expelled and converted the revenues of the Bishopricke to the maintenance of Schollers and other pious vses As for the other Seas they remaine to this day From those antient Cathedrall Churches wherein Monkes were seated nothing was taken away onely Cannons were placed there in steed of Monkes as likewise in the Cathedrall Churches of the new erected Bishoprickes The Churches wherein antiently Cannons and Prebendaries were instituted are Jn England YOrke Wells London Lichfield Lincolne Hereford Sarisbury Chichester Excester  Jn Wales S. DAVIDS Bangor Landaf S. ASAPH The Cathedralls founded with Monkes were CAnterbury Worcester Winchester Rochester Ely Duresme Norwich Carlisle The new Seas where primarily were Abbeyes are OXford Chester Bristoll Peterborough Glocester  So there are six and twenty Bishoprickes within this Realme and in every Cathedrall Archdeacons Prebendaries and other Ministers as also a Deanâ— who governes the rest vnles it be in S. Davids where the Chanter and Landaf where the Archdeacon is Head of the Chapter These things thus ordered the King still jealous least it should be conceived that hee had forsaken the Religion of his Fathers began to thunder out against the maintainers of new Tenets and much against CRANMERS will by Parliament enacted the Law of the Six Articles the summe whereof was 1 That if any one should deny the True and Reall presence of the Body of CHRIST in the Sacrament or should maintaine That the substance of Bread and Wine remained after the words of Consecration pronounced by the Priest he should be burned as an Heretique 2 If any should deny the Sacrament to be sufficiently administred vnder one Species only 3 Or should hold it lawfull for Priests to be married but much more he that having entred into holy Orders should presume to take a Wife 4 Or that Chastity vowed vpon mature deliberation was not to be kept 5 Or that private Masses ought not be celebrated in the Church of England or els where 6 Or that Auricular Confession was not expedient hee should for his errours vndergo losse of life by hanging These Lawes like those of Draco written in bloud were the destruction
Earle of Arren substituted but also committed to custody whence afterwards making an escape hee was the authour of more garboiles In the meane time the marriage of the young Queene and other conditions proposed to the Estate of Scotland by Sir RALPH SADLER the Kings Embassadour are fully assented vnto and hostages promised for the performance of them But the adverse Faction became so prevalent that the hostages were not delivered at the day neither did the Captive Nobility render themselves in England Only GILBERT KENNEDA Earle of Cassels like another REGVLVS had rather commit himselfe to the mercy of his enemies then prostitute his Honour to the fowle taint of base infidelity His brethren had become pledges for his returne the importunity nay violence of his friends could not deterre him from redeeming them So to London he caâ—â—e where the bountifull King duly honouring him for his constancy in steed of receiving a ranson gave him one dismissing him and his brothers fraught with honour and rewards The Scots falling off from their late agreement the King commandeth stay to bee made of all their ships and confiscateth their goods sends letters full of threats and iust complaints to the Estates at Edinborough blaâ—â—ing them for arrogantly reâ—ecting his Alliance the want whereof must needs be preiudiciall to them neither had they onely reiected it but vnmindfull of former benefitâ— had sowen seeds of new warre and forced him to armes But letters proving in effectuall Scotland is by the frontier Garisons invaded in three severall places forty Scots making resistance are slaine five and fifty Villages burned five hundred and sixtie prisoners taken and a booty brought into England of three thousand five hundred head of cattell eight hundred horses and seven thousand sheepe beside great provision of houshold stuffe But this obstinacy of the Scots proceeded not onely from themselves France and Scotland were ever combined against England so that to invade one was to draw on a war with both Wee had beene often victorious in France wherof many portions anciently belonged to Vs if we should make any claime to all or part of our Inheritance Scotland would serve either to distract our forces or to transfer the seat of the war neâ—rer home The vniting of England and Scotland would by securing vs at home facilitate our enterprises vpon France These were motives sufficient for FRANCIS notwithstanding the long inviolate amity betweene him and HENRY secretly to crosse our designes in Scotland Whereof HENRY could not long be sensible and not revenge Wherefore hee proclaimes open hostility with France as he had already with Scotlaâ—â— and reconciles himselfe with the Emperour before thought irreconciliable in reguard of his Aunts disgrace who professed that all causes of difference betweene them were buried with her yet is it certaine that vnto the Pope he accused HENRY to have dispatched her by poison But now they are become Confederates and an aide of ten thousand English sent to ioyne with Imperialls Landrecy a towne lately taken from the Emperour by the French is the first exercise of our Armes The Emperour also comming in Person it is invested with forty thousand men is furiously battered and the souldiers brought to the distresse of halfe a provant loafe of bread a day and to drinke water FRANCIS being certified of their wants assembles his forces drawesneere the Emperour feeding him with hope of a Battaile entertaining him with skirmishes relieves the besieged and without any more adoe vnder the covert of the night retreats Let vs now conclude the yeare at home And to begin with the Church In February the people by Proclamation is licenced to eate White Meates in Lent but vnder a great penalty enioyned to abstaine from Flesh The third of Iune MOROGH O BRIEN a Nobleman of Irland descended from the Kings of Limrick submitted himselfe to the King and was shortly after made Earle of Twomond which honour his posteritie at this day enioyeth having given ample proofe of their loyalty to succeeding Princes The twelf of Iuly the King married his sixt Wife the Lady CATHARINE PARR Widow to the Lord LATIMER and sister of WILLIAM PARR lately created Earle of Essex in the right of his Wife sole Daughter and heire to the late Earle HENRY BOVRCHIER At what time another of the same name Vnckle to the Queene and the Earle was created Lord Parr and Chamberlaine to the Queene The eight and twentieth of Iuly for the profession of their Faith were ANTHONY PARSONS ROBERT TESTWOOD and HENRY FILMER burned at London MARBECK was also condemned but afterward pardoned Anno Dom. 1544. Reg. 36. THe Lord THOMAS AVDLEY Chancellour of England deceasing the last of Aprill the Lord WRIOTHSLEY chiefe Secretary of Estate is designed his successor And the Earle of Hertford made Lieutenant of the North is sent thither with an Army to represse the incursions of the Scots The Viscount Lisle Admirall of England with a Navy of two hundred saile entred the Forth of Scotland landed ten thousand men forced the rich towne of Leith and then marched toward Edenburg the Metropolis of the Kingdome The Regent was there with the Cardinall at whose dispose hee now wholy was and many other Nobles guarded with six thousand horse and a great number of foote who vpon sight of an invading Army betooke themselves to flight and left the City voide of defendants The Provost craving parley offred to yeild the city vpon condition of departure with Bag and Baggage and saving the towne from fire But the breach of League and insolencies of the inhabitants of Leith and Edenburg had inspired vs with revenge so that no Conditions were to be admitted but what the Victor should impose This drives the Provost to a desperate resolution of defence The English give a furious assault enter at the Canygate put the inhabitants to the sword pillage and fire it The like calamitie felt the Country round about fire and sword cruelly feeding vpon Villages Castles and Noblemens houses Leith had hitherto beene reprived from the like misery but at our returne to the Navy it is made its owne funerall pile and the Peere of the haven vtterly consumed New imployments call home our Admirall HENRY resolves once more to transport his Armes into France there to ioyne with the Earles of Reux and Bares Imperiall Commanders It was agreed betweene the Emperour and the King that the one should invade Champaigne the other Picardy and having vnited their forces which should amount to fourescore thousand foote and eighteene thousand horse to march directly to Paris thereby either to force the French to fight with disadvantage or to suffer the ruine of his Countrey HENRY lands at Calais and finds Picardy vnfurnished of men FRANCIS having withdrawne his forces towards Champaigne to oppose them against the Emperour Hee therefore sends the Duke of Norfolke with the Earles of Reux and Bures to beseege Montrueil The Marshall of Biez
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
admonished the Protector to have a heedy reguard to this action Some peradventure might be content to let a Brother shed teares to shed his bloud when they might prevent it scarce any it was much to be feared least his Brothers death would be his ruine and the losse of such Friends a hazard to the King Others highly extolled his impartial proceeding whom fraternal affection could not divert from righting his Countrey for if Consanguinity or Alliance to the King should be a sufficient cause to exempt them from punishment who should plot and contrive the change of governement in the Estate vpon what ticklâ—sh termes should we all stand whiles nothing could be câ—rtaine and sure in the publique governement Others maintained the necessity of cutting off the Admirall and that it stood the Protector vpon so to do if he either reguarded his owne or the Kings safeguard For at what other marke did the Admirall aime but that having seised on the Kings Person removed his Brother from the Protectorship and married the Lady ELIZABETH he might by poison or some other meanes make away the young King already deprived of his Friends and as in the right of his Wife invest himselfe in the Regall Throne wherto the Lady MARY although the elder Sister as incestuously begotten could make no claime And thus much was in a Sermon delivered before the King by HVGH LATIMER who having ten yeares since resigned his Bishopricke had also hitherto abstained from preaching vntill after the death of King HENRY this Light was againe restored that by his rayes he might illustrate Gods Church But how true his coniectures were concerning the Lord SEIMOVR I will not vndertake to determine Whether faulty in his ambition or overborne by his envious adversaries thus ended the Admirall his life who was indeed a valiant Commander and not vnfit for a Consultation in whose ruine the Protector was likewise involved Not long after this great mans fall the People throughout almost the whole Realme brake out into a Rebellion wherto the frequent vsurpations and avarice of the Gentry who in many places enclosed the common and waste grounds for their owne pleasure and private profit had incited them The Lords of the Counsaile vpon notice of the Peoples discontents and the probability of an Insurrection vnles speedy course were taken to appease them dispatched some into Kent the Fountaine of this generall Vprore who should vpon due examination of the causes of the Peoples grievances admonish those that were in that kinde faulty by throwing open the Inclosures to restore to the People what had beene vniustly taken from them otherwise they should be Authority Royall be forced therunto and by their punishments serve to deterre others from the like insolencies and oppressions The most part obey and a most gratefull spectacle to the People cause their new made Inclosures to be againe laid open Wherwith Report acquainting the neighbouring Shires the vnruly multitude inraged that like restitution had not as yet beene made to them not expecting the necessary direction of the Magistrate but as if each one were authorized in his owne cause both to iudge of and revenge received iniuries taking armes levell the Dikes assert the inclosed Lands and give hope that there their fury would be at a stand But as the Sea having once transgressed the iust limits of it's shore by little and little eats it's way to an Inundation and is not but with excessive toile to be forced within it's vsuall bounds So these having once transcended the prescripts of the Lawes let themselves loose to all kinde of licentiousnesse over-run and spoile the Countrey murther those that favour not their proceedings and at length by the conflux of the baser sort and malcontents so increase their numbers that it was not to make head against them with small Forces And although this plague raged more in Norfolke-Shire then any where els yet had it so spred it's contagion over the most part of the Kingdome that it was scarce any where sincere and free from infection For the Counties of Kent Oxford Surrey Buckingham Essex Cambridge Yorke Lincolne but especially Devon and Somerset were imbroiled in these tumults In Norfolke only had twenty thousand assembled who now confident of their strength did no more talke of Inclosures but stretched their complaints to a higher straine as that The free-borne Commonalty was oppressed by a small number of Gentry who glut themselves with pleasure whiles the poore Commons wasted with daily labour do like pack-horses live in extreme slavery But howsoever the calamities incident to this present life may with a constant patience be endured the Soule is to be redeemed even with a thousand deaths Holy Rites established by antiquity are abolished new ones are autorized and a new forme of Religion obtruded To other evills death gives an end but if they suffer their soules to be contaminated and polluted by this kinde of impiety what thing is there that can equall them in miseries to whom the end of these present ones is but the beginning of some more horrid namely of the paines infernall which no death can ever terminate Why then should they not go to the Court and appoint the King yet in his minority new Counsailours removing those who now ruling as they list confound things sacred and prophane reguarding nothing els but the enriching of themselves with the publique Treasure that they may riot it amid the publique calamities This was the common complaint and resolution especially of the Devonshire Rebells who having among them made choice of their Chieftaines did indevour to vnite themselves with the rest of their fellow Rebells But to keepe them from ioyning Forces are dispatched some into Norfolke some into Devonshire For Norfolke are designed onely fifteene hundred vnder the conduct of the Marquis of Northampton who for a time bravely defended that spacious but weake City Norwich against the insolent Clownes But his small troupes being much diminished by the losse of the Lord Sheffeild and some others he was at last faine to quit the City to the Enemy who after spoile barbarously set it on fire and consumed a great part of the edifices This ill successe drave the Lords of the Counsaile to a more serious apprehension of the danger who therupon sent the Earle of Warwicke wi h more competent Forces who as he was an excellent Commander not only forced the Rebells to relinquish the City but also pressed them so hard in their retreat that he compelled them to fight They seeing a necessity of battaile imposed placed all their Captives for the most part Gentlemen manacled and chained togeather in front that they alone might beare the fury of the onset and dull both the swords and courages of the Royallists But their loyalty was not so ill recompenced as to suffer for it scarce any of them falling by the sword The Rebells were neverthelesse overthrowne and all either taken or slaine except a very few
they not taken armes for the preservation of the ancient glory of the English name and to vindicate our common liberties against the insolencies of the cruell Spaniard You whose degenerous spirits can brooke the indignities of servitude continue in God's name with your brave Generall who without doubt will deserve the service of such Worthies As for mee who had rather vndergo many the most torturing deaths then betray my liberty to the Spaniard I here happy and prosperous may it prove inroll my selfe vnder VVyat's Colours and am confident that some of you out of affection to your Countrey will follow my example Hee had scarce spoken thus much when they all crying out a WYAT a WYAT turned their Canon against their fellowes who followed in the Rere Which vnexpected revolt so terrified the Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Arundell and Sir HENRY IERNEâ—AM Captaine of the Guard who followed the Duke in this expedition that they instantly betooke themselves to flight The remaindes of that small Army prepared themselves according to the example of their Commanders when WYAT with some horse intercepted their flight seased on eight brasse peeces withall the Dukes munition then vsed he some persuasions to pervert their loyalty professing withall that if any one would be an instrument of his owne miserie by assisting the Queene hee should have free licence to depart desiring all such that they would certifie all men but especially her Maiestie that WYAT calling God and men to witnesse did protest that hee tooke not Armes any way to preiudice her but to maintaine the liberties of his Countrâ—y inviolate against foraine machinations The five hundred Londoners many of the Guard and the greatest part of the headlesse Army forth-with ioyne with WYAT who now vpon confidence of his forces resolves to make speedily for London Whiles WYAT thus acts his part in Kent the Duke of Suffolke who with his brothers Lord IOHN and Lord LEONARD GRAY departed from London on the five and twentieth of Ianuary did every where incite the people to take armes against the Spaniard But finding that this alarme tooke not and knowing he had waded too far to hope for a second pardon hee determined to indevour an escape by flight But the Earle of Huntingdon sent by the Queen with three hundred Horse to take him made him alter his resolution The Duke's company consisted not of above fifty with which small number in a Countrey that no way favoured his proceedings to oppose the Earle were desperate madâ—esse Therefore distributing his money amongst them faines a flight adviseth his brothers and the rest to disperse themselves and having thus freed himselfe from the danger of obsequious eyes committed himselfe to the trust of one VNDERWOOD whom hee had formerly made his Ranger at Astley But benefits oblige not ignoble mindes which either mercenary or timid treacherously faile in their reposed trust Such did this man prove who having promised for a while to shelter his Lord vntill hee should bethinke himfelfe of some other expedient course either out of feare or hope of reward betraied him to the Earle of Huntingdon by whom guarded with three hundred Horse hee was brought to London and on the eleventh of February committed to the Tower In the meane time the Queene iealous of the Londoners especially since BRET'S revolt on the first of February attended by most of the Nobilitie came to Guild hall where the Commons of the City were assembled in their Liveries to whom she spake after this manner Although Wee doubt not of your loyaltie and so need not give an accompt of Our actions yet having intelligence that many seduced by this Arch-traitours gay pretexts do secretly favour his designes Wee have to giue satisfaction to all condiscended to this dayes meeting with the Infant of Spaine is that forsooth that must colour all his villanies But his actions discover his deeper practices For having now somewhat encreased his members his madnesse hath so transported him beyond the distaste of Our Match that hee now resolves on the custodie of Our Person and absolute power of removing retaining punishing of Our Counsaile whom hee list Jn this great affaire of Our Marriage Wee have done nothing but by the advise of Our Peeres Wee have lived the greatest part of Our age single Neither do Wee now so long for a Husband but that if the Estates of Our Realme iudge it convenieut Wee will continue Our Virgin estate For that J should seeke to indanger England and to confound all things by an vnfortunate Match the love of Our native soile the long knowledge of Our peaceable disposition Our indevours for your good will persuade you to the contrarie Persist therefore in your loyall resolutions and assist vs in executing Our due revenge on these Monsters of men who conspire to take away the Head which was ordained to guide them and to suffer with them Neither are Our demands other then We may in reason expect from you who so maturely so vnanimously admitted of Our Gouernment as deeming Vs the vndoubted Successour to Our Royall Father and Brother Having thus confirmed the mindes of the Citizens shee armes five hundred men the greater part strangers to the choisest whereof she commits the defence of London-bridge and disposes of the rest throughout the Citie Two dayes after to London comes WYAT with an Army of three or foure thousand full of hope that having present admittance into the Citie successe should crowne his actions and that without either perill or paines But things answered not his expectation For comming to the Bridge hee found it cut downe the Gates shut and made good against him by armed troupes who disdainfully bid the Traytour avaunt Neverthelesse hee continued two dayes in Southwerke hoping that time and industry of secret practicers might worke some alteration But his hopes being here also frustrated hee turnes his march for Kingston there to gaine passage over the Thames But the woodden Bridge there was also brokeu and the opposite banke defended by two hundred men whom the sight of two Peeces of Ordnance readie to be planted against them so terrified that they left their station and gave WYAT libertie to finde out meanes to waft his Army Having surmounted this difficulty he once more resolves for that Queene of Cities and reposing all the successe of this adventure in celerity without suffering his soldiers to repose themselues makes with a round march for London where he hoped to arrive before day and to surprise the secure Queene But God is the Protector of Princes who more especially are his Images and Lieutenants so that the practises of Rebels and Traitors against their lawfull Soveraignes seldome prove successefull WIAT had not improbably beene master of his desires had not God by an vnexpected accident retarded him or rather so blinded him that by vnnecessary delaies he overslipped his opportunity He was now within six miles of London when the carriages of one of his
brasse pieces being broken the piece became for the present vnserviceable because immovable In remounting this piece some howers were lost notwithstanding their persuasions who advised him not to neglect more reall advantages as indeed he did for by this meanes he came short of the time prefixed by those Citizens who were fautors of his cause The consideration wherof made many despaire of successe and relinquish him so that his army was quickely contracted to a smaller grosse Among the rest Sir GEORGE HARPER partaker of all WIATS stratagems that he might wipe away the staines of Rebellion and his dissembled revolt by a loyall treachery posted away to the Queene and revealed the whole series of WIATS proiects The Queene amazed at the apprehension of this imminent danger gives Commission to the Earle of Pembroke for the speedy raising of some Forces and makes him Generall of the field WIAT hearing that the Earle of Pembroke was in armes betooke himselfe to a flower march least he should be forced against these fresh souldiers to oppose his panting weary ones So by noone he approched the suburbs and planting his ordnance vpon a hill beyond Saint James left there the greatest part of his small Army to guard them He himselfe with five Ensignes made toward Ludgate and CVTBERT VAVGHAN with two other Ensignes toward Westminster leaving S. Iames on the left hand wherin I beleeve his chiefe end was that by terrifying that part of the City and consequently distracting the Queenes forces WIAT might gaine passage with lesse difficulty At Charing-Crosse Sir IOHN GAGE Lord Chamberlaine with part of the Guard and some other souldiers made head against WIAT But at length either the Queene for feaâ—e of VAVGHAN so commanding or not able to withstand the shocke wiâ—h more then an orderly march he made toward the Court and filled it with terror and amazement The Earle of Pembroke followed WIAT still cutting him off behinde by which kinde of fight WIAT not turning head lost many of his souldiers The rest of the Rebells couragiously marching vp Fleetstreet with ioyfull acclamations cried out Queene MARY Queene MARY God save Queene MARY who hath granted vs our petitions and pardon At length they came to Ludgate and desired entrance But by their fained acclamations they gained nothing but reprochfull language Wherupon they intend to returne the same way but are circumvented by the Earle of Pembrokes Horse Then CLARENTIEVX persuaded him to yeeld and not beyond all his former madnesse to surcharge himselfe with the bloud of so many valiant men WIAT'S souldiers seemed desperatly bent to make their way but his courage was quailed So he yeelded to Sir MAVRICE BARKLEY who mounting him behinde him carried him presently to the Court Their Captaine taken the souldiers make no resistance some few of them escape by flight but the greater part fill the prisons of the City These were the accidents of the sixt of February Having thus supprest the Faction the punishment of the Conspirators is next in execution The first that was reflected on as for whose sake this Rebellion had been set on foot was Lady IANE who having beene condemned on the thirteenth of November had her execution hitherto deferred not without hope of pardon But to take away all farther cause of sedition her death is now absolutely determined Wherupon FECKNAM Deane of Pauls afterward Abbot of Westminster was sent vnto her to admonish her to prepare for death and withall to persuade her to entertaine the Romish Religion This sad message so little moved her that she professed her selfe bound in this to acknowledge Gods infinite goodnesse as for discussing matters of controversie in Religion her time was so short that she could not dispence with the least losse of it that little that was allotted her she knew she might better spend in her devotions to Heaven FECNAM conceiving this answer to proceed from a desire of longer date of life prevailes with the Queene for three daies more and returning to Lady IANE certifies her what hee had done beseeching her to hearken vnto him and to reforme her opinion in point of Religion To whome she answered with a smiling countenance Alas Sir it was not my desire that her Maiesty should be troubled with the report of my words For thinke not that I am touched with any desire of prolonging my dayes No I am so far from it that ever since your departure life hath afflicted me with its tediousâ—esse and as for death being wholly intent to the attaining of life eternall J vtterly despise it and her Maiesties pleasure being such I willingly vndergo it FECKNAM againe reiterated his persuasions that she would imbrace the Religion of the Church of Rome to whom her replies were such that whosoever shall read the conference betweene them for it was after published cannot without amasement wonder how so tender an age especially the Sex considered should be capable of such constancy learning wisedome wit Her Husband Lord GVILFORD being first to suffer desired leave to see her converse with her and take his last farewell whereto shee would by no meanes consent desiring him to omit this foment of griefe rather then comfort in death for they should shortly behold each other more really vnited in a better place and more happy estate Yet she vnappalled saw him conducted to Tower-hill and with the same setled spirit beheld his headlesse trunke when it was returned to be interred in the Chappell of the Tower The death of this innocent Lady it was conceived would not be without almost a generall distaste But to decline it as much as might be it was thought good that she should not be publiquely beheaded wherefore there was a scaffold erected within the Tower wheron about an houre or two after her husband on the twelfe of February shee submitted her necke to the axe When she was conducted from the place of her imprisonment to the place of her suffering the Lieutenant of the Tower desired her to vouchsafe him something or other which might serve as a monument to him wherby to remember her wherupon she demanded writing tables and therin writ three short sentences in Greeke Latine in which languages she was admirably skilled and English wherin she signified her innocence and although she confessed she had committed an errour which deserved death yet ignorance might among men without preiudice to the Lawes sufficiently excuse it At last saluting the people as she went with a countenance setled and void of feare and commending her selfe to their prayers she came to the place of execution leading FECNAM by the hand whome she kindely embraced saying God I beseech him abundantly reward you for your kindenesse toward me although I must needs say it was more vnwelcome to me then my instant death is terrible Then having to the Assembly in very modest language discoursed of her action she said J am condemned not for having aspired to the Crowne but because J refused it not