London to give God thanks for their conversion to the Catholick Church Wherein to set out their glorious pomp were ninety Crosses one hundred sixty Priests and Clarks each of them attired in his Cope and after them eight Bishops in their Pontificalibus followed by Bonner carrying the Popish Pix under a Canopy and attended by the Lord Mayor and Companies in their several Liveries Which solemn Procession being ended they all returned into the Church of St Paul where the King and Cardinal together with all the rest heard Mass and the next day the Parliament and Convocation were dissolved Nothing now rested but the sending of a solemn Embassery in the name of the King and Kingdom to the Court of Rome for testifying their submission to his Holiness and receiving his Apostolical benediction To which employment were designed Sir Anthony Brown who on the 2d of September had been created Viscoâ—nt Mountacute in regard of his descent from Sir John Nevil whom King Edward the 4th advanced unto the Title of Marquisse Mountacute as being the second son of Richard Nevil Earl of Sarisbury and Alâ—ce his wife daughter and heir of Thomas Mountacute the last and most renowned Earl of Sarisbury of that Name and Family With whom was joined in Commission an another Ambassador extraordinary Dr Thomas Thurlby Bishop of Ely together with Sir Edward Karâ— appointed to recide as Ordinary in the Papal Court. On the 18th day of February they began their journy but found so great an alteration when they came to Rome that Pope Juâ—â—â—us was not only dead but that Marcellus who succeeded him was deceased also so that the honour and felicity of this address from the King of England devolved on Cardinal Caraffa no great friend of Poles who took unto himself the name of Paul the 4th on the first day of whose Papacy it chanced that the three Ambassadors came first to Rome It was in the first Consistory also after his inauguration that the Ambassadors were brought before him Where prostrating themselves at the Pope's feet they in the name of the Kingdom acknowledged the faults committed relating them all in particular for so the Pope was pleas'd to have it confessing that they had been ungrateful for so many benefits received from the Church and humbly craving pardon for it The pardon was not only granted and the Ambassadors lovingly imbraced but as an overplus the Pope was pleas'd to honour their Majesties with the Title of Kings of Ireland Which Title he conferred upon them by the authority which the Popes pretend to have from God in erecting and subverting Kingdoms He knew right well that Ireland had been erected into a Kingdom by King Henry the 8th and that both Edward the 6th and the Queen now reigning had alwayes used the Title of Kings of Ireland in the style Imperial But he conceived himself not bound to take notice of it or to relinquish any privilege which had been exercised in that kind by his predecessors And thereupon he found out this temperament that is to say to dissemble his knowlege of that which had been done by Henry and of himself to erect the Island into a Kingdom that so the world might be induced to believe that the Queen rather used that Title as indulged by the Pope than as assumed by her Father And this he did according to a secret mystery of Government in the Church of Rome in giving that which they could not take from the possessor as on the other side some Kings to avoid contentions have received of them their own proper goods as gifts and others have dissembled the knowledge of the Gift and the pretence of the Giver These things being thus dispatched in publick the Pope had many private discourses with the Ambassadors in which he found fault that the Church goods were not wholly restored saying that by no means it was to be tolerated and that it was necessary to render all even to a farthing He added that the things which belong to God could never be applied to humane uses and that he who withholdeth the least part of them was in continual state of damnation that if he had power to grant them he would do it most readily for the fartherly affection which he bare unto them and for the experience which he had of their filial obedience but that his authority was not so large as to prophane things dedicated to Almighty God and therefore he would have the people of England be assured that these Church lands would be an Anathema or an accursed thing which by the just revenge of God would keep the Kingdom in perpetual infelicity And of this he charged the Ambassadors to write immediately not speaking it once or twice only but repeating it upon all occasions He also told them that the Peter-Pence ought to be paid assoon as might be and that according to the custome he would send a Collector for that purpose letting them know that himself had exercised that charge in England for three years together and that he was much edified by seeing the forwardness of the people in that contribution The discourse upon which particular he closed with this that they could not hope that St Peter would open to them the gates of Heaven as long as they usurped his goods on earth To all which talk the Ambassadors could not chuse but give a hearing and knew that they should get no more at their coming home At their departure out of England they left the Queen in an opinion of her being with child and doubted not but that they should congratulate her safe delivery when they came to render an account of their imployment but it proved the contrary The Queen about three months after her mariage began to find strong hopes not only that she had conceived but also that she was far gone with child Notice whereof was sent by Letters to Bonner from the Lords of the Council by which he was required to cause Te Deum to be sung in all the Churches of his Diocess with continual prayers to be made for the Queen 's safe delivery And for example to the rest these commands were executed first on the 28th of November Dr Chadsey one of the Prebends of Paul's preaching at the Cross in the presence of the Bishop of London and nine other Bishops the Lord Mayor and Aldermen attending in their scarlet Robes and many of the principal Citizens in their several Liveries Which opinion gathering greater strength with the Queen and belief with the people it was Enacted by the Lords and Commons then sitting in Parliament That if it should happen to the Queen otherwise than well in the time of her travel that then the King should have the politick Government Order and Administration of this Realm during the tender years of her Majestie 's issue together with the Rule Order Education and Government of the said issue Which charge as he was pleased to undergo at their humble
Appellation had been so entituled Which appeares more plainly by a particular of the Robes and Ornaments which were preparing for the day of this Solemnity as they are entred on Record in the book called The Catalogue of Honour published by Thomas Mills of Canterbury where it appeares also that they were prepared only but never used by reason of the Kings death which prevented the Sollemnities of it The ground of this Error I conceive first to be taken from John Stow who finding a creation of some Noble men and the making of many Knights to relate to the 18 day of October supposed it to have been done with reference to the Creation of a Prince of Wales whereas if I might take the liberty of putting in my own conjecture I should conceive rather that it was done with Reference to the Princes Christning as in like manner we find a creation of three Earles and five to inferiour Titles at the Christning of the Princesse Mary born to King James after his coming into England and Christened upon Sunday the fifth of May. 1604. And I conceive withall that Sir Edward Seimour Vicount Beauchamp the Queenes elder brother was then created Earle of Hartford to make him more capable of being one of the Godfathers or a Deputy-Godfather at the least to the Royall Infant the Court not being then in a condition by reason of the mournfull accident of the late Queenes death to show it selfe in any extraordinary splendour as the occasion had required at another time Among which persons so advanced to the Dignity and degree of Knighthood I find Mr. Thomas Seimour the Queenes youngest brother to be one of the number of whom we shall have frequent occasion to speak more fully and particularly in the course of this History No other alteration made in the face of the Court but that Sir William Pawlet was made Treasurer and Sir John Russell Comptroller of his Majesties Houshold on the said 18th day of October which I conceive to be the day of the Princes Christning both of them being principall Actors in the Afâ—aires and troubles of the following times But in the face of the Church there appeared some lines which looked directly towards a Reformation For besides the surrendring of divers Monasteries and the executing of some Abbots and other Religious Persons for their stiffenesse if I may not call it a perversenesse in opposing the Kings desires there are two things of speciall note which concurred this year as the Prognosticks or â—ore-runners of those great events which after followed in his Reign For it appeares by a Memoriall of the Famous Library of Sir Robert Cotton that Grafton now made known to Cromwell the finishing of the English Bible of which he had printed 1500. at his own proper charges amounting in the totall to 500. p. desiring stoppage of a surreptitions Edition in a lesse Letter which else would tend to his undoing the suit endeared by Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury at whose request Cromwell presents one of the Bibles to the King and procures the same to be allowed by his Authority to be read publiquely without comptrole in all his Dominions and for so doing he receives a letter of thanks from the said Arch-Bishop dated August the 13th of this present year Nor were the Bishops and Clergy wanting to advance the work by publishing a certain book in the English Tongue which they entituled The Institution of a Christian Man in which the Doctrine of the Sacraments the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Commandments were opened and expounded more perspicuously and lesse abhorrent from the truth then in former times By which clear light of Holy Scripture and the principall duties of Religion so laid opâ—n to them the people were the better able to discerne the errors and corruptionâ— of the Church of Rome From which by the piety of this Prince they were fully Freed And for a preamble thereunto the Rood of Boxley commonly called the Rood of Grace so Artificially contrived by reason of some secret wires in the body or concavities of it that it could move the eyes the lips c. to the great wonder and astonishment of the common people was openly discovered for a lewd imposture and broke in pieces at St. Pauls Cross on Sunday the 24. of February the Rood of Bermondsey Abby in South-work following the same fortune also within six dayes The next year brings an end to almost all the Monasteries and Religious houses in the Realme of England surrendered into the Kings hands by publâ—que instruments under the seales of all the severall and respective Convents and those surrenderies ratified and confirmed by Act of Parliament And this occasionally conduced to the future peace and quiet of this young Prince by removing out of the way some Great Pretenders who otherwise might have created to him no small disturbance For so it happened that Henry Earle of Devâ—nshire and Mary wife of Exceter descended from a daughter of King Edward the fâ—urth and Henry Pole Lord Mountacute descended from a daughter of George Duke of Clarence the second brother of that Edward under colour of preventing or revenging the Dissolution of so many famous Abbyes and religious houses associated themselves with Sir Edward Nâ—vill and Sir Nicholas Carew in a dangerous practise against the person of the King and the Peace of the Kingdom By whose endictment it appeares that it was their purpose and designe to destroy the King and advance Reginald Pole one of the younger brothers of the said Lord Mountacute of whom we shall hear more in the course of this History to the Regalâ— Throne Which how it could consist with the Pretensions of the Marquisse of Exceter or the Ambition of the Lord Mountacute the elder brother of this Reginald it is hard to say But having the Chronicle of John Speed to justifie me in the truth hereof in this particular I shall not take upon me to dispute the point The dangerous practise of which Persons did not so much retard the worke of Reformation as their execution did advance it to this year also appertaineth the suppressing of Pilgrimages the defacing of the costly and magnâ—ficent shrines of our Lady of Walsingham Ipswich Worcester c and more particularly of Thomas Becket once Arch-Bishop of Canterbury This last so rich in Jewells of most inestimable value that two great chests were filled with the spoyles thereoâ— so heavy and capacious as is affirmed by Bishop â—oodwin that each of them required no fewer then eight men to carry them out of the Church nothing inferiour unto Gold being charged within them More modestly in this then Sanders that malitious Sycophant who will have no lesse then twenty six waine load of silver Gold and precious stones to be seised into the Kings hands by the spoyle of that Monument Which proceedings so exasperated the Pope then being that without more delay by his Bull of January 1. he deprived the King
towards London where he was Proclaimed King with all due Solemnities He made his Royal Entry into the Tower on the last of January Into which He was conducted by Sir John Gage as the Constable of it and there received by all the Lords of the Council who with great Duty and Affection did attend His comings and waiting on Him into the Chamber of Presence did very chearfully swear Allegiance to him The next day by the general consent of all the Council the Earl of Hartford the King's Uncle was chosen Governour of His Person and Protectour of His Kingdomes till He should come unto the Age of eighteen years and was Proclaimed for such in all parts of London Esteemed most fit for this high Office in regard that he was the King's Uncle by the Mothers side very near unto Him in Blood but yet of no capacity to succeed in the Crown by reason whereof his Natural Affâ—ction and Duty was less easie to be over-carried by Ambition Upon which Gâ—ound of civil Prudence it was both piously and prudently Ordained by Solon in the State of Athens That no man should be made the Guardian unto any Orphan to whom the Inheritance might fall by the Death of his Ward For the first Handselling of his Office he Knighted the young King on the sixth of February Who being now in a capacity of conferring that Order bestowed it first on Henry Hoble-Thorn Lord Mayor of London and presently after on Mr. William Portman one of the Justices of the Bench being both dubbed with the same Sword with which He had received the Order of Knighthood at the hands of His Vncle. These first Solemnities being thus passed over the next care was for the Interment of the Old King and the Coronation of the New In order to which last it was thought expedient to advance some Confidents and Principal Ministers of State to higher Dignities and Titles then before they had the better to oblige them to a care of the State the safety of the King's Person and the preservation of the Power of the Lord Protectour who chiefly moved in the Design Yet so far did self-Interest prevail above all other Obligations and tyes of State that some of these men thus advanced proved his greatest Enemies the rest forsaking him when he had most need to make use of their Friendship In the first place having resigned the Office of Lord High Chamberlain he caused himself to be created Lord Seimour and Duke of Somerset Which last Title â—ppâ—rtaining to the King's Progenitours of the House of Lancaster and since the expiring of the Beauforts conferred on none but Henry the Natural Son of the King decealed was afterwards charged upon him as an Argument of his aspiring to the Crown which past all doubt he never aimed at His own turn being thus unhappily served the Lord William Parr Brother of Queen Katherinâ— Parr the Relict of the King deceased who formerly in the thirty fifth of the said King's Reign had been created Earl of Essex with reference to Ann his Wife Daughter and Heir of Henry Bâ—urchier the last Earl of Essex of that House was now made Marquess of Northampton in reference to her Extraction from the Bohunes once the Earls thereof John Dudly Viscount L'isle and Knight of the Garter having resigned his Office of Lord Admiral to gâ—â—tifie the Lord Protectour who desired to confer that place of Power and Trust on his younger Brother was in Exchange created Lord High Chamberlain of England and Earl of Warwick Which Title he affected in regard of his Discent from the Beauchamps who for long time had worn that Honour from whom he also did derive the Title of Viscount L'isle as being the Son of Edmond Sutton alias Dudley and of Elizabeth his Wife Sister and Heir of John Gray Viscount L'isle discended by the Lord John Talbot Viscount L'isle from Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick and Dame Elizabeth hisâ— Wife the direct Heir of Waren Lord L'isle the last of the Male Issue of that Noble Family In the next place comes Sir Thomas Wriothsley a man of a very new Nobility as being Son of William Wriothsley and Grand-Child of John Wriothsley both of them in their Times advanced no higher then to the Office of an Herald the Father by the Title of York the Grand-father by that of Garter King at Arms. But this man being planted in a warmer Sun grew up so fast in the esteem of King Henry the Eight that he was first made Principal Secretary afterwards created Baron of Tichfield advanced not long after to the Office of Lord Chancellour And finally by the said King installed Knight of the Garter An. 1545. For an addition to which Honours he was now dignified with the Title of the Earl of South-hampton enjoyed to this day by his Posterity These men being thus advanced to the highest Titles Sir Thomas Seimour the new Lord Admiral is Honoured with the Stile of Lord Seimour of Sudeley and in the beginning of the next year made Knight of the Garter prepared by this accumulation of Honours for his following Marriage which he had now projected and soon after compassed With no less Ceremony though not upon such lofty Aims Sir Richard Rich another of the twelve which were appointed for Subsidiaries to the great Council of Estate by the King deceased was prefered unto the Dignity of Lord Rich of Leez in Essex the Grand-father of that Robert Lord Rich who by King James was dignified with the Title of Earl of Warwick Anno 1618. In the third place came Sir William Willoughby discended from a younger Branch of the House of Eresby created Lord Willoughby of Parham in the County of Sussex And in the Rear Sir Edmond Sheffield advanced unto the Title of Lord Sheffield of Butterwick in the County of Lincoln from whom the Earls of Moulgrave do derive themselves All which Creations were performed with the accustomed Solemnities on the seventeenth of February and all given out to be designed by King Henry before his death the better to take off the Envy from the Lord Protectour whom otherwise all understanding people must needs have thought to be too prodigal of those Honours of which the greatest Kings of England had been so sparing For when great Honours are conferred on persons of no great Estates it raiseth commonly a suspicion amongst the people That either some proportionable Revenue must be given them also to the impoverishing of the King or else some way left open for them to enrich themselves out of the purses of the Subject These Preparations being dispatched they next proceed unto the Coronation of the King performed with the accustomed Rites on the twentieth of the same Moneth by Arch-Bishop Cranmer The Form whereof we finde exemplified in a Book called The Catalogue of Honour published by Thomas Mills of Canterbury in the year 1610. In which there is nothing more observable then this following Passage The King saith he being brought
of ordinary attendance about his Person which was on the same Day when his Father was created Duke For whereas most men gave themselves no improbable hopes that betwixt the Spring time of his life the Growing season of the year and such Medicinal applications as were made unto him the disease would wear it self away by little and little yet they found the contrary It rather grew so fast upon him that when the Parliament was to begin on the first of March the Lords Spiritual and Temporal were Commanded to attend him at White-Hall instead of waiting on him from thence to Westminster in the usual manner Where being come they found a Sermon ready for them the Preacher being the Bishop of London which otherwise was to have been Preached in the Abby-Church and the Great Chamber of the Court accomodated for an House of Peers to begin the Session For the opening whereof the King then sitting under the Cloth of State and all the Lords according to their Ranks and Orders he declared by the Lord Chancellor Goodrick the causes of his calling them to the present Parliament and so dismist them for that time A Parliament which began and ended in the Month of March that the Commissions might the sooner be dispatched to their several Circuits for the speedier gathering up of such of the Plate Copes Vestments and other Furnitures of which the Church was to be spoyled in the time of his sickness Yet in the midst of these disorders there was some care taken for advancing both the honour and the interest of the English-Nation by furnishing Sebastian Cabol for some new discoveries Which Sebastian the Son of John Cabol a Venetian born attended on his first imployment under Henry the seventh Anno 1497. At what time they discovered the Barralaos and the Coasts of Caenada now called New-France even to the 67½ degree of Northern Latitude Bending his Course more toward the South and discovering a great part of the shoars of Florida he returned for England bringing with him three of the Natives of that Country to which the name of New-Found-Land hath been since appropriated But finding the KING unhappily Embroyled in a War with Scotland and no present Encouragements to be given for a further Voiage he betook himself into the service of the KING of SPAIN and after fourty years and more upon some distast abandoned SPAIN and offered his service to this KING By whom being made Grand Pilot of England in the year 1549. he animated the English-Merchants to the finding out of a passage by the North-East Seas to Cathay and China first enterprised under the Conduct of Sr. Hugh Willoughby who unfortunately Perished in the Action himself and all his Company being Frozen to Death all the particulars of his Voiage being since committed to Writing as was certified by the Adventures in the year next following It was upon the twentith of May in this present year that this Voiage was first undertaken three great Ships being well manned and fitted for the Expedition which afterwards was followed by Chancelour Burrought Jackman Jenkinson and other noble Adventurers in the times Succeding Who though they failed of their Attempt in finding out a shorter way to Cathay and China yet did they open a fair Passage to the Bay of S. Nicholas and thereby layd the first foundation of a Wealthy Trade betwixt us and the Muscovites But the KING'S Sickness still encreasing who was to live no longer then might well stand with the designs of the DVKE of Northumber-land some Marriages are resolved on for the Daughters of the DVKE of Suffolk in which the KING appeared as forward as if he had been one of the Principalls in the Plot against him And so the matter was Contrived that the Lady IANE the eldest Daughter to that DVKE should be Married to the Lord Guilford Dudly the fourth Son then living of Northumberland all the three Elder Sons having Wives before that Katherine the second Daughter of Suffolk should be Married to the Lord Henry Herbert the Eldest Son of the Earl of Pembrock whom Dudly had made privy to all his Counsels and the third Daughter named Mary being Crook-Backed and otherwise not very taking affianced to Martin Keys the KING'S Gentleman-Porter Which Marriages together with that of the Lady Katherine one of the Daughters of Duke Dudly to Henry Lord Hastings Eldest Son of the Earl of Huntington were celebrated in the end of May or the beginning of June for I finde our Writers differing in the time thereof with as much Splendour and solemnity as the KING' 's weak Estate and the sad Condition of the Court could be thought to bear These Marriages all solemnized at Dâ—rham House in the Strand of which Northumberland had then took possession in the name of the Rest upon a Confidence of being Master very shortly of the whole Estate The noise of these Marriages bred such Amazement in the Hearts of the common People apt enough in themselves to speak the worst of Northumberland's Actions That there was nothing left unsaid which might serve to shew their hatred against him or express their Pity toward the KING But the DVKE was so little troubled at it that on the contrary he resolved to Dissemble no longer but openly to play his Game according to the Plot and Project which he had been Hammering ever â—ince the Fall of the DVKE of Somerset whose Death he had Contrived on no other Ground but for laying the way more plain and open to these vast ambitions The KING was now grown weak in Body and his Spirits much decaied by a languishing Sickness which Rendred him more apprehensive of such fears and Dangers as were to be presented to him then otherwise he could have been in a time of strength In which Estate Duke Dudly so prevailed upon him that he conâ—ented at the last to a transposition of the Crown from his natural sisters to the Children of the Dutchess of Suffolk Confirming it by Letters Patents to the Heirs Males of the Body of the said Dutchess And for want of such Heirs Males to be Born in the lifetime of the KING the Crown immediately to descend on the Lady IANE the eldest Daughter of that House and the Heirs of her Body and so with several Remainders to the rest of that Family The carriage of which Business and the Rubs it met with in the way shall be reserved to the particular story of the Lady IANE when she is brought unwilling upon the Stage there on to Act the part of a Queen of England It sufficeth in this place to note that the KING had no sooner caused these Leters Patents to passe the Seal but his Weakeness more visibly encreased then it did before And as the KING'S Weakeness did encrease so did the Northumberland's Diligence about him for he was little absent from him and had alwaies some well-assured to Epy how the State of his Health changed every Hour And the more joyful he
Her Reign but of nine Days and no more Her Life not twice so many years as She Reigned days Such was the end of all the Projects of the two great Dukes for Her Advancement to the Crown and their own in Hers. To which as She was raised without any Blows so She might have been deposed without any Blows if the Ax had not been more cruel on the Scaffold then the Sword in the Field The Sword had never been unsheathed but when the Scaffold was once Erected and the Ax once sharpened there followed so many Executions after one another till the Death of that Queen that as Her Reign began in the Blood of those who took upon them the Puâ—suit of this Lady's Title so was it stained more fouly in the Blood of 〈◊〉 as were Maâ—tyred in all parts for Her Religion To the Relation of which 〈◊〉 Deaths and Martyrdoms and other the Calamities of that Tragical and unpâ—â—â—perous Reign we must next proceed The Parentage Birth and first Fortunes of the Princesse ELIZABETH The second Daughter of King Henry the Eighth before her coming to the CROWN With a true Narrative of the first Loves of King Henry the Eighth to Queen Anne Bollen The Reasons of his alienating of his first affections and the true causes of her woful and calamitous death ELIZABETH the youngest daughter of King Henry the 8th was born at Greenwich on the 7th of September being the Eve of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary 1533. begotten on the body of Queen Anne Bollen the eldest daughter of Thomas Bollen Earl of Wiltshire and of Elâ—zabeth his wife one of the daughters of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk and Earl Marshal of England The Family of the Bollens before this time neither great nor antient but highly raised in reputation by the marriage of the Lady Anne and the subsequent birth of Queen Elizabeth the first rise thereof comming out of the City in the person of Sir Geofrey Bollen Lord Mayor of London Anno 1457. which Geofrey being son of one Geofrey Bollen of Sulle in Norfolk was father of Sir William Bollen of Blickling in the said County who took to wife the Lady Margaret daughter and one of the heirs of Thomas Butler Earl of Ormond brother and heir of James Butler Earl of Wiltshire Of this marriage came Sir Thomas Bollen above mentioned imployed in several Embassies by King Henry the Eighth to whom he was Treasurer of the Houshold and by that name enrolled amongst the Knights of the Garter Anno 1523. advanced about two years after being the seventeenth of that King to the style and title of Viscount Rochfort and finally in reference to his mothers extraction created Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond 1529. But dying without issue male surviving the title of Ormond was restored to the next heir male of the Butlers in Ireland and that of Wiltshire given by King Edward the 6th to Sir William Paules being then great Master of the Houshold And as for that of Viscount Rochfort it lay dormant after his decease till the 6th of July Anno 1621. when conferred by King James on Henry Cary Lord Hunsâ—on the son of John and Grandchild of Henry Cary whom Queen Elizabeth in the first year of her Reign made Lord Cary of Hunsdon he being the son and heir of Sir William Cary one of the Esquires of the body to King Henry the 8th by the Lady Mary Bâ—llen his wife the youngest daughter and one of the Coheirs of the said Thomas Bollen Viscount Rochfort and Earl of Wiltshire Such being the estate of that Family which became afterwards so fortunate in the production of this Princess to the Realm of England we must in the next place enquire more particularly into the life and story of Queen Anne her Mother Who in her tender years attending on Mary the French Queen to the Court of France was by her Father after the return of the said Queen placed in the retinue of the Dutchess of Alanzone the beloved sister of King Francis where she not only learnt the language but made her self an exact Mistriss both of the Gaities and Garb of the great French Ladies She carried such a stock of natural graces as render'd her superlatively the most admired beauty in the Court of France and returned thence with all those advantages which the civilities of France could add to an English beauty For so it hapned that her Father being sent with Sir Anthony Brown Anno 1527. to take the oath of the French King to a solemn league not long before concluded betwixt the Crowns resolved to bring back his daughter with him to see what fortunes God would send her in the Court of England Where being Treasurer of the houshold it was no hard matter for him to prefer her to Queen Katherines service on whom she waited in the nature of a Maid of Honour which gave the King the opportunity of taking more than ordinary notice of her parts and person Nor was it long before the excellency of her beauty adorned with such a gracefulness of behaviour appeared before his eyes with so many charms that not able to resist the assaults of Love he gave himself over to be governed by those affections which he found himself unable to Master But he found no such easie task of it as he had done before in bringing Mrs Elizabeth Blunt and others to be the subjects of his lusts all his temptations being repelled by this vertuous Lady like arrows shot in vain at a rock of Adamants She was not to be told of the Kings loose love to several Ladies and knew that nothing could be gained by yielding unto such desires but contempt and infamy though for a while disguised and palliated by the plausible name and Courtly Title of a Princes Mistriss The humble and modest opposition of the Lady Gray to the inordinate affections of King Edward the 4th advanced her to his bed as a lawful wife which otherwise she had been possessed of by no better title than that of Jane Shore and his other Concubines By whose example Mistriss Bollâ—n is resolved to steer her courses and not to yield him any further favours than what the honour of a Lady and the modesty of a virgin might inoffensively permit to so great a King But so it chanced that before her coming back from the Court of France the King began to be touched in conscience about his marriage with the Queen upon occasion of some doubts which had been cast in the way both by the Ministers of the Emperour and the French King as touching the legitimation of his daughter Mary Which doubts being started at a time when he stood on no good terms with the Emperour and was upon the point of breaking with him was secretly fomented by such of the Court as had advanced the party of Francis and sought alwaies to alienate him from the friendship of Charles Amongst which none more forward than Cardinal Wolsie who
to speak a truth never Prince had never wife more loyal in all duty or in all true affection than you have ever found in Anne Bollen With which name and place I could willingly have contented my self if God and your Graces pleasure had so been pleased Neither did I at any time forget my self in my exaltation or received Queenship but that I â—â—oked alwaies for such an alteration as now I find the ground of my preferment being on no surer foundation than your Graces fancy the least alteration whereof I knew was fit and sufficient to draw that fancy to some other subject You have chosen me from a low estate to be your Queen and companion far beyond my desert or desire If then you find me worthy of such honour Good your Grace let not any light fancy or bad counsel of my enemies withdraw your Princely favour from me neither let that stain that unworthy stain of a disloyal heart towards your Good Grace ever cast so foul a blot on your most dutiful wife and the infant Princesse your daughter Try me good King but let me have a lawful trial and let not my swâ—rn enemies sit as my accusers and judges Yea let me receive an open tryal for my tâ—uths shall fear no open shames then shall you see either my innocence cleared your suspicion and conscience satisfied the ignominy and slander of the world stopped or my guilt openly declared So that whatsoever God or you may determine of 〈◊〉 your Grace may be freed from an open censure and my offence being so lawfulâ—y proved your Grace is at liberty both before God and man not only to execute worthy punishment on me as an unfaithful wife but to follow your affection already setled on that party for whose sake I am now as I am whose name I could somewhile since have pointed to your Grace being not ignorant of my suspicion therein But if you have already determined of me and that not only my death but an infamous slander might bring you the enjoying of a desired happinesse then I desire of Goâ— that he wiâ—l pardon your great sin herein and likewise my enemies the instruments thereof and that he will not call you to a strict account for your unprincely and cruel usage of me at his general judgement seat where both you and my self must shortly appear and in whose judgement I doubt not whatsoever the world may think of me my innocency shall be openly known and sufficiently cleared My last and only request shall be that my self may bear the burthen of your Graces displeasure and that it may not touch the innocent souls of those poor Gentlemen who as I understand are in streight imprisonment for my sake If ever I have found favour in your sight if ever the name of Anne Bollen hath been pleasing in your ears let me obtain this last request and I will so leave to trouble your Grace any further with my earnest prayers to the Trinity to have you in his good keeping and to direct you in all your actions Your most loyal and faithful Wife Anne Bollen From my dolefull prison in the Tower May the 6th 1536. I had not dwelt so long upon the story of this Queen but that there is so much which depends upon it in reference to the Honour Birth and Title of the Princess Elizabeth whose Reign of 44 years accompanied with so many signal blessings both at home and abroad is used by some for a strong Argument of her mothers innocence For further proof whereof they behold the Kings precipitate and hasty mariage casting himself into the bed of a third before the sword was dried from the blood of his second wife But of these miseries and calamitâ—es which befel her mother the Princess was too young as not being fully three years old to take any notice And when she came unto the years of understanding she had been much sweetned and repaired by her fathers goodness By whose last will she was assured of her turn in the succession to the Crown if her brother and sister died without lawful issue allowed the same yearly maintenance and allotted the same portion in mariage with the Princess Mary But nothing more declares his good affection to her than the great care he took of her education committed to the government and tuition of Roger Ascam a right learned man she attained unto the knowledge of the Greek and Latine and by the help of other School-masters of the Modern Languages Insomuch that she very well understood the Greek and was able readily to express her self in the Latine tongue as appears by an Oration which she made at her entertainment in Cambridge and the smart answer which she gave ex tempore to a Polish Ambassador of which we may hear more in their proper place And as for the Italian and the French she spake them with as much facility and elegance as if they had been natural to her And if some times she made use of Interpreters when she conversed with the Ambassadors of forein Princes it rather was to keep her State than that she could not entertain discourse with them in their proper languages Her person may be best known by her pictures and the perfections of her mind by her following government Suffice it in this place to know that she seemed to be made up of Modesty and Majesty in an equal mixture and was so moderate in the course and caâ—iage of her desires that King Edward who took much delight in her conversation used commonly to call her his Sister Temperance Yet notwithstanding all these personal Graces I do not find that she was sought in mariage in the time of King Henry the blots of infamy which had been laid upon her Mother serving as a bar to her preferment amongst forein Princes In the beginning of King Edward's she was aimed at by Sr Thomas Seymour a brother of the Lord Protector Sommersets for the advancing of his lofty and ambitious projects And in the latter end thereof propounded to the eldest son of the King of Denmark But it was propounded only and not persued whether neglected by that King for the former reason or intermitted by her own aversness from mariage we are yet to seek But in the first year of Queen Mary she was desired by Edward Courtney Earl of Devonshire the eldest son of Henry Marquiss of Exeter descended from a daughter of King Edward the 4th which proved so much to the displeasure of the Queen that it became dangerous to both of them as was shewed before For notice of the Queens displeasure having been took by some of great place about her they were both dâ—awn into suspicion of being privy at the least unto Wiat's rebellion raised on the noise of the Queens mariage with the Prince of Spain both of them clapt in prison upon that account and so detained for a long time though both acquitted publickly by Wiat at the time
no Sermon was preached at St. Paul's Cross or any publick place in London till the Easter following At what time the Sermons which were to be preached in the Spittle according to the antient custom were performed by Doctor Bill the Almoner to the Queen and afterwards the first Dean of Westminster of the Queens foundation Doctor Richard Cox formerly Dean of Westminster preferred in short time after to the See of Ely and Mr. Robert Horn of whom mention hath been made before at the troubles of Franckfort advanced not long after to the See of Winchester The Rehearsal Sermon accustomably preached at St. Pauls Crosse on the Sunday following was undertook by Doctor Thomas Sampson then newly returned from beyond the Seas and after most unhappily made Dean of Christ-church But so it chanced that when he was to go into the Pulpit the dore was locked and the key thereof not to be found so that a Smith was sent for to break open the dore and that being done the like necessity was found of cleansing and making sweet the place which by a long disuse had contracted so much filth and nastiness as rendred it unfit for another Preacher By the other Proclamation which was published on the 30th of December â—t was enjoyned That no man of what quality or degree soever should presume to alter any thing in the state of Religion or innovate in any of the rites and ceremonies thereunto belonging but that all such rites and ceremonies should be observed in all Parish Churches of the Kingdom as were then used and retained in her Majesties Chapel until some further order should be taken in it Onely it was permitted and withall required that the Letany the Lords Prayer the Creed and the Ten Commandments should be said in the English tongue and that the Epistle and the Gospel at the time of the High Mass should be read in English which was accordingly done in all the Churches of London on the next Sunday after being New-years day and by degrees in all the other Churches of the Kingdom also Further than this she thought it not convenient to proceed at the present but that she had commanded the Priest or Bishop for some say it was the one and some the other who officiated at the Altar in the Chapel-Royal not to make any Elevation of the Sacrament the better to prevent that adoration which was given unto it and which she could not suffer to be done in her sight without a most apparent wrong to her judgment and conscience Which being made known in other places and all other Churches being commanded to conform themselves to the example of the Chapel the elevation was forborn also in most other places to the great discontent and trouble of the Popish party And though there was no further progress toward a Reformation by any publick Act or Edict yet secretly a Reformation in the form of Worship and consequently in point of Doctrine was both intended and projected For making none acquainted with her secret purposes but the Lord Marquis of Northampton Francis Earl of Bedford Sir John Gray of Pergo one of the late Duke of Suffolk's brothers and Sir William Cecil she committed the reviewing of the former Litutgy to the care of Doctor Parker Doctor Gryndal Doctor Cox Doctor Pilkington Doctor Bill Doctor May and Mr. Whitehead together with Sir Thomas Smith Doctor of the Laws a very learned moderate and judicious Gentleman But what they did and what preferments they attained to on the doing of it we shall see anon wheu we shall find the Book reviewed confirmed by Act of Parliament and executed in all parts of the Kingdom as that Act required But first some publick Acts of State and great Solemnities of Court are to be performed The Funeral of the Queen deceased solemnised on the 13th of December at the Abbey of Westminster and the Sermon preached by Doctor White then Bishop of Winchester seemed onely as a preamble to the like Solemnity performed at the said place about ten days after in the Obsequies of Charls the 5th which mighty Emperor having first left the world by resigning his Kingdoms and retiring himself into a Monastery as before was said did after leave his life also in September last and now upon the 24th of this present December a solemn Obsequie was kept for him in the wonted form a rich Hearse being set up for him in the Church of Westminster magnificently covered with a Pall of gold his own Embassador serving as the principal Mourner and all the great Lords and Officers about the Court attending on the same in their rancks and orders And yet both these though stately and majestical in their several kinds came infinitely short of those Pomps and Triumphs which were prepared and reserved for the Coronation As a Preparation whereunto she passed from Westminster to the Tower on the 12th of January attended by the Lord Mayor the Aldermen and other Citizens in their Barges with the Banners and Escutcheons of their several Companies loud Musick sounding all the way and the next day she restored some unto their old and advanced others to new honors according to her own fancy and their deservings The Marquis of Northampton who had lain under an Attaindure ever since the first beginning of the Reign of Queen Mary she restored in blood with all his Titles and Estates The Lord Edward Seimer eldest son to the late Duke of Somerset was by her reconfirmed in the Titles of Viscount Beaâ—châ—mp and Earl of Hertford which had been formerly entayled upon him by Act of Parliament The Lord Thomas Howard second son of Thomas the late Duke of Norfolk and brother to Henry Earl of Surrey beheaded in the last days of King Henry the Eighth she advanced to the Title of Viscount Howard of Bindâ—n She also preferred Sir Oliver St. Johns who derived himself from the Lady Maâ—garet daughter of John Duke of Somerset from whom the Queen her self descended to the dignity of Lord St. John of Bletso and Sir Henry Carte son of Sir William Carie Knight and of Mary Bollen his wife the onely sister of Queen Anne Bollen she promoted to the honor and degree of Lord Carie of Hansdon The ordinary acts of grace and favour being thus dispatched she prepares the next morning for a triumphant passage through London to her Palace at Westminster But first before she takes her Chariot she is said to have lifted up her eyes to heaven and to have used some words to this or the like effect O Lord Almigâ—â—y and everâ—iving 〈◊〉 I give thee most hearty thanks that thou hast been so mercifu unto me as to spare me to see this joyful day And I acknowledge that thou hast dealt as wonderfully and aâ— mercifully with me as thou didst with thy true and faithful servant Daniel thy Prophet whom thou deliveredst out of the den from the cruelty of the raging greedy Lyons even so was I overwhelmed and only by
Senior Fellow sufficiently known to be of Popish inclinations though for the saving of his place he had conformed as others did to the present time No sooner was he in this power but he retrives some old superstitious hymns which formerly had been sung on several Festivals in the times of Popery prohibiting the use of such as had been introduced by Gervase the late Warden there This gave incouragement and opportunity to the Popish party to insult over the rest especially over all those of the younger sort who had not been trained up in their Popish principles so that it seemed a penal matter to be thought a Protestant Notice whereof being given to Archbishop Parker the Ordinary Visitour of that College in the Right of his See he summoneth Hall on the 20th of May to appear before him and caused the Citation to be fastned to the Gate of the College But his authority in that case was so little regarded that the seal of the Citation was torn off by some of that party Hereupon followed a solemn visitation of the College by the said Archbishop The result whereof was briefly this that all were generally examined Man confirmed Warden Hall justly expelled his party publickly admonished the young scholars relieved the Papists curbed and suppressed and Protestants countenanced and incouraged in the whole University But this was only the Essay of those greater commotions which were to have insued upon it though withall it proved a prognostick of their ill success which constantly attended the designs of the Romish faction For presently on the neck of this a far more dangerous conspiracy declared it self in some chief Leaders of that party The present sitting of the Council the practices of some forein Ministers and the Queens countenancing the French Hugoâ—ots then being in Arms against their King might serve both as encouragements and exasperations to put that party upon dangerous and destructive projects And it is possible enough that somewhat might be aimed at by them in favour of the Title of the Queen of Scots or of some other of the Race of King Henry the 7th by Margaret his eldest daughter married to James the 4th of Scotland which may the rather be supposed because I find the Lady Margaret Countess of Lenox daughter of the said Queen Margaret by her second husband and mother of Henry Lord Dâ—rnley who was after married to Queen Mary of Scotland to have been confined unto her House with the Earl her husband upon suspition of some practice against the Queen Certain it is that many strange whispers were abroad and no small hopes conceived by those of the Popish faction for suppressing the Protestants in all parts of the Kingdom and setting up their own Religion as in former times a matter neither to be entertained without strong temptations nor compassed without stronger forces than they could raise amongst themselves but by intelligence supply from some forein Princes On which account amongst some others which were found to be of the Plot Arthur Pole granchild of Margaret Countess of Salisbury by Geofry her third son the younger brother unto Reâ—gnald Pole the late Cardinal Legat was apprehended and arraigned together with his brother Geofry Fortescue who had married his sister divers others The substance of their Chaâ—ge as it is generally in all Treasons was a design of levying war against the Queen and otherwise entertaining many dangerous counsels against the peace and safety of her Dominions with a particular intention of advancing the Queen of Scots to the Crown of England and Polâ— himself unto the Title of Duke of Clarence All which they confessed upon the Indictment and did all receive the sentence of death but were all afterwards pardoned by the Queens great clemency out of that great respect which she carried to their Royal extraction And yet it may be possible that there was something in it of State-craft as well as clemency which might induce the Queen to spare them from the stroke of the Ax which was to keep them for a ballance to the House of Suffolk of whom she now began to conceive some jealousies The Lady Katharine Gray one of the younger daughters of Henry Duke of Suffolk and sister to the late Queen Jane had been marryed to the Lord Henry Herbert son and heir to the Earl of Pembrock at such time as the said Queen Jane was married to the Lord Guilford Dudley at Durham-House But the old Earl seasonably apprehending how unsafe it was to marry into that Family which had given so much trouble to the Queen took the advantage of the time and found some means to procure a sentence of Divorce almost upon the very insâ—ant of the Consummation And knowing how well Queen Maâ—yâ—â—ood â—â—ood affected to the Earl of Shrewsbury he presently clapt up a marriage for his son with another Katherine one of the daughters of that Earl who dying about the begining of the Reign of this Queen he married him as â—peedily to Mary Sâ—dâ—ey the daughter of Sir Henry Sidney and of Mary his wife one of the daughters of John Dudley the late Duke of Northumberland in which last marriage he as much endeavoured to ingratiate himself with Sir Robert Dâ—dleâ— who at that time began to grow Lord Paramount in all Court-favours as by the first Match to insinuate into old Duke Dudley who did then predominate In the mean time the Lady Katherine Gray languisheth long under the disgrace of this rejection none daring to make any particular addresses to her for fear of being involved in the like calamities as had befallen her father and the rest of that Family But at the last the young Earl of Hertford contracts himself privately unto her and having consummated the marriage with her gets leave to travail into France But long he had not left the Kingdom when the Lady was found to be with child being imprisoned in the Tower she makes known her marriage till then kept secret by agreement the Earl is thereupon called home and standing honestly to the Marriage for which he could produce no sufficient witnesse is committed prisoner also The Queen exceeding jealous of all Competitors refers the cognisance of the cause to the Archbishop of Canterbury and some other Delegates by whom a certain time is set for the bringing in of Witnesses to prove the Marriage and on default thereof a sentence of unlawful copulation is pronounced against them during which troubles and disquiets the Lady is delivered of the Lord Edward Seâ—mer her eldest son in the Tower of London and conceived after of another by some sâ—oln meetings which she had with the Earl her husband their Keepers on both sides being corrupted to give way unto it Which practice so incensed the Queen that hurried on with jealousie and transported with passion she caused a fine of five thousand pounds to be set upon him in the Star-chamber and kept him close prisoner for the space of nine years at the
end whereof he was restored to liberty by the death of the Lady who died a prisoner in the Tower And though the Lady Francis Dutchess of Suffolk might hope to have preserved her self from the like Court-thunder-claps by her obscure marriage with Adrian Stokes who had bin Gentleman of the Horse to the Duke her husband yet neither could that save her from abiding a great part of the tempest which fell so heavily upon her and all that family that William the nephew of this Earl by Edward Viscount Beauchamp his eldest son was prudently advised by some of his friends to procure a confirmation of his grand-fathers honors from the hand of King James which without much difficulty was obtained and granted by his Majesties Letters Patents bearing date the 14th of May in the 6th year of his Reign But such was the fortune of this House that as this Earl being newly restored unto the Title of Hertford by the great goodness of the Queen incurred her high displeasure and was thereupon committed prisoner for his marriage with the Lady Katherine Gray the onely heir then living of Mary the youngest daughter of King Henry the 7th so William above mentioned being confirmed in the expectancy of his grand-fathers honors by the like goodness of King James was committed prisoner by that King for marrying with the Lady Arabella daughter and heir of Charls Earl of Lennox descended from the eldest daughter of the said King Henry Such were the principal occurrences of this present year relating to the joynt concernments of Church and State In reference to the Church alone nothing appears more memorable than the publishing of an elegant and acute Discourse entituled The Apology of the Church of England first wait in Latin by the right reverend Bishop Jewel translated presently into English French Italian Dutch and at last also into Greek highly approved of by all pious and judicious men stomached by none excepting our own English fugitives and yet not undertook by any of them but by Harding only who had his hands full enough before in beating out an answer to the Bishopâ— challenge By him we are informed if we may believe him that two Tractats or Discourses had been writ against it the one by an Italian in the Tongue of that Country the other in Latine by a Spanish Bishop of the Realm of Naples both finished and both stopped as they went to the Press out of a due regard â—orsooth to the Church of England whose honour had been deeply touched by being thought to have approved such a lying unreasonable slanderous and ungodly Pamphlet which were it true the Church was more beholden to the modesty of those Spaniards and Italians than to our own natural English But whether it were true or not or rather how untrue it is in all particulars the exchange of writings on both sides doth most plainly manifest In general it was objected That the Apology was published in the name of the Church of England before any mean part of the Church were privy to it as if the Author either were ashamed of it or afraid to stand to it that the Inscription of it neither was directed to Pope nor Emperor nor to any Prince not to the Church nor to the General Council then in being as it should have been that there was no mans name seâ— to it that it was printed without the privilege of the Prince contrary to the Law in that behalf that it was allowed neither by Parliament nor Proâ—lamation nor agreed upon by the Clergy in a publick and lawful Synod and therefore that the Book was to be accounted a famous Libel and a scandalâ—us Writing To which it was answered in like Generals by that learned Prelate That the profession of the Doctrine contained in it was offered unto the whole Church of God and so unto the Pope and the Council too if they were any part or member of the Church that if names be so necessary he had the names of the whole Clergy of England to confirm that Doctrine and Harding's too amongst the rest in the time of King Edward that for not having the Princes privilege it might easily be disproved by the Printer that it was not conceived in such a dark corner as was objected being afterwards imprinted at Paris in Latine and having since been translated into the French Italian Dutch and Spanish Toungs that being sent afterwards into France Flanders Germany Spain Poland Hungary Denmark Sweden Scotland Italy Naples and Rome it self it was tendred to the judgment of the whole Church of God that it was read and seriously considered of in the convent of Trent and great threats made that it should be answered and the matter taken in hand by two notable learned Bishops the one a Spaniard and the other an Italian though in fine neither of them did any thing in it and finally that certain of the English Papists had been nibling at it but such as cared neither what they writ nor was cared by others And so much may suffice in general for this excellent Piece to the publishing whereof that learned Prelate was most encouraged by Peter Martyr as appears by Martyr's Letter of the 24th of August with whom he had spent the greatest part of his time when he lived in Exile And happy had it been for the Church of England if he had never done worse offices to it than by dealing with that reverend Bishop to so good a purpose But Martyr onely lived to see the Book which he so much longed for dying at Zurick on the 12th day of November following and laid into his grave by the Magistrates and People of that Town with a solemn Funeral Nothing remains for the concluding of this year but to declare how the three vacant Bishopricks were disposed of if those may say to be disposed of which were still kept vacant Glocester was onely filled this year by the preferment of Mr. Râ—chaâ—d Cheny Archdeacon of Hereford and one of the Prebendaries of the Collâ—giat Church of St. Peter in Westminster who received hâ—s Episcopal consecration on the 19th of April Together with the See of Glocester he held that of Bristol in commendam as did also Bullingham his Successor that is to say the Jurisdiction with the Profits and Fees thereof to be exercised and enjoyed by them but the temporal Revenue of it to continue in the hands of some hungry Courtiers who gnawed it to the very bone in which condition it remained under the two Bishops till the year 1589. when the Queen was pleased to bestow the remainders of it together with the title of Bishop on Doctor Richard Flesher Dean of Peterborough whom afterwards she preferred to the See of London And as for Oxon it was kept vacant from the death of King the first Bishop of it who died on the 4th of December 1557. till the 14th of October 1567. at which time it was conferred on Dr. Hugh Curwyn Archbishop of Dublin
by the Divines of King Edward's time that neither any satisfaction had been given to their Arguments nor that any right judgement could be made in the points disputed where the adverse party late as Judges in their own concernments Many checks had been given by Weston to the â—ix Divines but especially to the Arch-Deacon of Winchester and there was much disorder otherwise in the disputation though certain great Lords were present at it which hindered it from producing any good effect So that being weary at the last of their own confusions it was thought fit to put an end to the dispute Which Weston did accordingly in these following words It is not saith he the Queens pleasure that we should spend any longer time in these debates and ye are well enough already For you saith he have the Word and we have the Sword So powerful is the truth that may times it will find some means to vent it self when we least intend it and sometimes also when we most labour to suppress it The Parliament and Convocation had thus concluded on the point and little question would be made but that such Bishops as disliked the alterations in the time of King Edward will be sufficiently active in advancing the results of both But Bonner will not stay so long he is resolved to go along with the Parliament if not before it For after the ending of the Even song on St. Katherine's day before the consultations of the Parliament had been confirmed by the Royal assent he caused the Quire of St. Paul's to go about the steeple singing with lights after the old custome And on St Andrew's day next following he began the Procession in Latine himself with many Parsons and Curates and the whole Quire together with the Lord Mayor and divers of the Aldermen the Prebends of the Church attired in their old gray Amises as they used to call them in which manner they continued it for three dayes after In setting up the Mass with all the Pomps and Rites thereof at the time appointed it is not to be thought that he could be backward who shewed himself so forward in the rest of his actings And therefore it can be no news to hear that on the 14th of January he restored the solemn Sundays Procession about the Church with the Mayor and Aldermen in their Clokes the Preacher taking his benediction in the midst of the Church according to the ancient custome or that he should send out his Mandates to all Parsons and Curates within his Diocess for taking the names of all such as would not come the Lent following to Auricular confession and receive at Easter or finally that he should issue out the like commands to all Priests and Curates which lived within the compass of his jurisdiction for the abolishing of such Paintings and Sentences of holy Scripture as had been pensiled on the Church walls in King Edward's dayes He knew full well that as the actions of the Mother Church would easily become exemplary to the rest of the City so the proceedings of that City and the parts about it would in time give the law to the rest of the Kingdom and that there was no speedier way to advance a general conformity over all the Kingdom than to take beginning at the head from whence both sence and motion is derived to the rest of the body Which makes it seem the greater wonder that he should be so backward in advancing Images if at the least his actings in that kind have not been misplaced as not to go about it till the year next following unless it were that he began to be so wise as to stay until the Queen's affairs were better setled But no sooner was her marriage past when we find him at it For having by that time prepared a fair and large Image of our Saviour which they called the Rood he caused it to be laid along upon the pavement of St Paul's Quire and all the doors of the Church to be kept close shut whilst he together with the Prebends sung and said divers prayers by it Which done they anointed it with oyl in divers places and after the anointing of it crept unto it and kissed it and after weighed it up and set it in its accustomed place the whole quire in the mean time singing Te Deum and the bels publishing their joy at the end of the Pageant After which a command is given to Dr Story who was then Chancellor of his Diocess and afterwards a most active instrument in all his butcheries to visit every Parish Church in London and Middlesex to see their Rood loâ—ts repaired and the Images of the Crucifix with Mary and John to be placed on them But it is time that we return to the former Parliament during the sitting whereof the Queen had been desired to mary and three husbands had been nominated of several qualities that she might please her self in the choice of one That is to say Edward Lord Courtney whom she had lately restored to the Title of Earl of Devon Reginald Pole a Cardinal of the Church of Rome descended from George Duke of Clarence and Philip the eldest son of Charles the Emperour It is affirmed that she had carried some good affections to the Earl of Devonshire ever since she first saw him in the Tower as being of a lovely personage and Royal extraction the Grandson of a Daughter of King Edward the 4th But he being sounded afar off had declined the matter Concerning which there goes a story that the young Earl peâ—itioning her for leave to travel she advised him to mary and stay at home assuring him that no Lady in the land how high soever would refuse to accept him for an husband By which words though she pointed out her self unto him as plainly as might either stand with the Modesty or Majesty of a Maiden Queen Yet the young Gentleman not daring to look so high as a Crown or being better affected to the person of the Princess Elizabeth desired the Queen to give him leave to mary her sister Which gave the Queen so much displeasure that she looked with an evil eye upon them both for ever after upon the Earl for not accepting that love which she seemed to offer and on her sister as her Rival in the Earls affections It was supposed also that she might have some inclinations to Cardinal Pole as having been brought up with him in the house of his Mother the late Countess of Salisbury But against him it was objected that he began to grow in years and was so given unto his book that he seemed fitter for a Coul than to wear a Crown that he had few dependances at home and fewer alliances abroad and that the Queen's affairs did require a man both stout and active well back'd with friends and able at all points to carry on the great concernments of the Kingdom And then what fitter husband â—ould be found out for
men that the danger might have proved far greater the disease incurable For so it hapned that the Carews conceiving that the deferring of the execution of the plot thus laid might prove destructive to that cause or otherwise fatally thrust on by their own ill destiny began to leavy men in Cornwal which could not be so closely carried but that their purpose was discovered and the chief of them forced to flye the Kingdom The news whereof gave such an allarum to the confederates that they shewed themselves in several places before the people were prepared and made ready for them Insomuch that the Duke of Suffolk together with the Lord Thomas Gray and the Lord Leonard Gray having made Proclamation in divers places on the 25th of that month against the Queens intended mariage with the Prince of Spain and finding that the people came not in so fast unto them as they did expect were forced to dismiss their slender company and shift for themselves upon the first news that the Earl of Huntington was coming toward them with 300 horse An action very unfortunate to himself and to all his family For first The Queen finding that she was to expect no peace or quiet as long as the Lady Jane was suffered to remain alive caused her and the Lord Guilford Dudley to be openly executed on the 12th of February then next following His daughter Katherineâ—ormerly â—ormerly maried to Henry Lord Herbert eldest son to the Earl of Pembrook but the mariage by reason of her tender years not coming unto a Consummation by carnal knowlege was by him repudiated and cast off and a mariage presently made betwixt him and another Katherine a daughter of George Earl of Shrewsbury His brothers John and Thomas committed prisoners to the Tower of which two Thomas suffered death about two months after And for himself being compelled to hide his head in the house of one Underwood whom he had preferred unto the keeping of one of his Parks he was by him most basely and treacherously betrayed to the said Earl of Huntington on the 11th of February Arrained on the 17th of the same month and beheaded on the 23d Nor fared it better with the rest though they of Kent conducted by Sir Thomas Wiat the chief contriver of the plot were suddenly grown considerable for their number and quickly formidable for their power The newes of whose rising being swiftly posted to the Court the Duke of Norfolk was appointed to go against him attended with few more than the Queen 's ordinary Guards and followed by 500 Londoners newly raised and sent by water to Graves End under the charge of Captain Alexander Bret. With which few forces he intended to assault the Rebels who had put themselves into Rochester Castle and fortified the bridge with some pieces of Canon But being ready to fall on Bret with his Londoners fell off to Wiat and so necessitated the old Duke to return to London in great haste accompanied by the Earl of Arundel and Sir Henry Gerningham with some few of their horse leaving their foot eight pieces of Canon and all their ammunition belonging to them in the power of the enemy This brings the Queen to the Guild Hall in London on the first of February where she finds the Lord Mayor the Aldermen and many of the chief Citizens in their several Liveries To whom she signified That she never did intend to marry but on such conditions as in the judgement of her Council should be found honourable to the Realm and profitable ble to her subjects that therefore they should give no credit to those many calumnies which Wiat and his accomplices who according to the guise of Rebels had purposely dispersed to defame both her and her government but rather that they should contribute their best assistance for the suppressing of those who contrary to their duty were in arms against her And though she had as good as she brought that is to say fair promises for her gracious words yet understanding that many in the City held intelligence with the Kentish Rebels she appointed the Lord William Howard whom afterwards she created Lord Howard of Effingham to be Lieutenant of the City and Pembrook General of the field The event shewed that she followed that Counsel which proved best for her preservation For had she trusted to the City she had been betrayed Incouraged with his success and confident of a strong party amongst the Londâ—ners on the 3d. day of February he entreth Southwark where he and his were finely feasted by the people But when he hoped to have found the way open to the rest of the City he found the draw-Bridge to be cut down the bridge-Gate to be shut and the Ordinance of the Tower to be bent against him by the appointment and direction of the Lord Lieutenant Two dayes he trifled out in Southwark to no purpose at all more than the sacking of Winchester House and the defacing of the Bishops Library there unless it were to leave a document to posterity that God infatuates the Counsels of those wretched men who traiterously take up arms against their Princes And having liberally bestowed these two dayes upon the Queen the better to enable her to provide for her safety he wheels about on Sunday the 6th of the same month to Kingston bridge And though the bridge was broken down before his coming and that the opposite shore was guarded by 200. men yet did he use such diligence that he removed away those forces repaired the bridge past over both his men and Canon and might in probability have surprised both the Court and City in the dead of the night if the same spirit of infatuation had not rested on him For having marched beyond Brainford in the way towards London without giving or taking the allarum it hapned that one of his great piecs was dismounted by the breach of its wheels In the mending and mounting whereof he obstinately wasted so much time notwithstanding all the perswasions which his friends could make unto him that many of his men slipped from him and some gave notice to the Court not only of his near approach but also what his purpose was and what had hindred him from putting it in execution On this Advertisment the Earl of Pembrook arms and draws out his men to attend the motion of the Rebels who about 10 of the clock came to Chearing Cross and without falling on the Court which was then in a very great amazement turn up the Sâ—rand to Temple Bar and so toward Ludgate the Earl of Pembrook following and cutting him off in the arreir upon every turn Coming to London when it was too late for his intendments he found the Gates fast shut against him and the Lord William Howard in as great a readiness to oppose him there as when he was before in Southwark So that being hemmed in on both sides without hope of relief he yields himself to Sir Morris Berkley is
in the Latin tougue 12. That all such holy-dayes and fasting-dayes be observed and kept as were observed and kept in the latter time of King Henry the 8. h. 13. That the laudable and honest Ceremonies which were wont to be used frequented and observed in the Church be hereafter frequented used and observed and that children be Christned by the Priest and confirmed by the Bishop as heretoâ—â—â—e hath been accustoâ—ed and used 14. Touching such persons as were heretofore promoted to any Orders after the new sort and 〈◊〉 of Oâ—ders considering they were not Ordered in very deed the Bishop of the Diocesse finding otherwise sufficient ability in these men may supply that thing which wanted in them before then according to his discretion admit them to minister 15. That by the Bishop of the Diocesse an uniform doctrine be set forth by Homâ—lies or otherwise for the good instruction and teaching of all people And that the said Bishop and other persons aforesaid do compel the parishioners to come to their several Churches and there devoutly to hear divine Service as of reason they ought 16. That they examine all Schoolmasters and Teachers of children and finding them suspect in any wise to remove them and place Catholick men in their rooms with a special commandment to instruct their children so as they may be able to answer the Priest at the Masse and so help the Priest at Masse as hath been accustomed 17. That the said Bishops and all other the persons aforesaid have such regard respect and consideration of and for the setting forth of the premises with all kind of vertue godly living and good example with repressing also or keeping under of vicâ— and unthriftinesse as they and every of them may be seen to favour the restitution of 〈◊〉 Religion and also to make and honest account and reckoning of their office and câ—re to the honour of God Our good contentation and profit of this Our Realm and the Dominions of the same The generality of the people not being well pleased before with the Queen's proceedings were startled more than ever at the noise of these Articles none more exasperated than those whose either hands or hearts had been joyned with Wiat. But not being able to prevail by open army a new device is found out to befool the people and bring them to a misconceit of the present government A young maid called Elizabeth Crofts about the age of eighteen years was tutored to counterfeit certain speeches in the wall of a house not far from Aldersgate where she was heard of many but seen of none and that her voice might be conceived to have somewhat in it more than ordinary a strange whistle was devised for her out of which her words proceeded in such a tone as seemed to have nothing mortal in it And thereupon it was affirmed by some of the people great multitudes whereof resorted dayly to the place that it was an Angel or at least a voice from Heaven by others that it could be nothing but the Holy Ghost but generally she pass'd by the name of the Spirit in the wall For the interpreting of whose words there wanted not some of the confederates who mingled themselves by turns amongst the rest of the people and taking on them to expound what the Spirit said delivered many dangerous and seditious words against the Queen her mariage with the Prince of Spain the Mass Confession and the like The practice was first set on foot on the 14th of March which was within ten days after the publishing of the Articles and for a while it went on fortunately enough according to the purpose of the chief contrivers But the abuse being searched into and the plot discovered the wench was ordered to stand upon a scaffold neer St Paul's Cross on the 15th of July there to abide during the time of the Sermon and that being done to make a publick declaration of that lewd imposture Let not the Papists be from henceforth charged with Elizabeth Barton whom they called the Holy made of Kent since now the Zuinglian Gospellers for I cannot but consider this as a plot of theirs have raised up their Elizabeth Crofts whom they called the Spirit in the wall to draw aside the people from their due Allegiance Wiat's Rebellion being quenched and the Realm in a condition capable of holding a Parliament the Queen Convenes her Lords and Commons on the 2d of April in which Session the Queens mariage with the Prince of Spain being offered unto consideration was finally concluded and agreed unto upon these conditions that is to say That Philip should not advance any to any publick office or dignity in England but such as were Natives of the Realm and the Queens subjects That he should admit of a set number of English in his houshold whom he should use respectively and not suffer them to be injured by foreiners That he should not transport the Queen out of England but at her intreaty nor any of the issue begotten by her who should have their education in this Realm and should not be suffered but upon necessity and good reasons to go out of the same not then neither but with the consent of the English That the Queen deceasing without children Philip should not make any claim to the Kingdom but should leave it freely to him to whom of right it should belong That he should not change any thing in the Lawes either publick or private nor the immunities and customes of the Realm but should be bound by oath to confirm and keep them That he should not transport any Jewels nor any part of the Wardrobe nor alienate any of the revenues of the Crown That he should preserve our Shipping Ordnance and Muâ—ition and keep the Castles Forts and Block Houses in good repair and well maned Lastly That this Match should not any way derogate from the League lately concluded between the Queen and the King of France but that the peace between the English and the French should remain firm and inviolate For the clearer carrying on this great business and to encourage them for the performance of such further services as her occasions might require the Queen was pleased to increase the number of her Barons In pursuance whereof she advanced the Lord William Howard Cosen German to Thomas Duke of Norfolk to the Title of Lord Howard of Essingham on the 11th of March and elected him into the Order of the Garter within few months after whose son called Charls being Lord Admiral of England and of no small renown for his success at the Isle of Gades was by Queen Elizabeth created Earl of Nottingham Anno 1589. Next to him followed Sir John Williams created Lord Williams of Tame on the 5th of April who dying without Issue Male left his Estate though not his Honors betwixt two daughters the eldest of whom called Margaret was married to Sir Henry Norris whom Queen Elizabeth created Lord Norris of
before the end of this year but not consecrated till the 15th of August in the beginning of the next Some alterations hapned also amongst the Peers of the Realm in the creation of one and the destruction of another A Rebellion had been raised in the Norâ—h upon the first suppression of Religious Houses Anno 1536. in which Sir â— homas Percy second soâ— to Henry the fifth Earl of Northumberland of that name and family was thought to be a principal stickler and for the same was publickly arraigned condemned and executed By Eleanar his wife one of the daughters and heirs of Sir Gâ—iscard Harâ—â—oâ—tle he was the father of Thoâ—as and Henry who hitherto had suffered under his Attaindure But now it pleased Queen Mary to reflect on their Fathers sufferings and the cause thereof which moved her not onely to restore them to their blood and honors but also to so much of the Lands of the Percies as were remaining in the Crown In pursuance whereof she advanced Thomas the elder brother on the last of April to the Style Title and Degree of Earl of Noâ—thumberland the remainder to his brother Henry in case the said Thomas should depart this life without Issue male By vertue of which Entail the said Henry afterwards succeeded him in his Lands and Honors notwithstanding that he was attainted condemned and executed for high Treason in the time of Queen Elizabeth Anno 1572. Not many weeks before the restitution of which noble Family that of the Lord Sturton was in no small danger of a final destruction a Family first advanced to the state of a Baron in the person of Sir John Sturton created Lord Sturton in the 26th of King Henry the 6th and now upon the point of expiring in the person of Charls Lord Sturton condemned and executed with four of his servants on the 6th of March for the murder of one Argal and his son with whom he had been long at variance It was his first hope that the murther might not be discovered and for that cause had buried the dead bodies fifteen foot under ground his second that by reason of his zeal to the Popish Religion it might be no hard matter to procure a pardon But the Murder was too foul to be capable of any such favour so that he was not onely adjudged to die but condemned to be hanged It is reported of Marcus Antonius that having vanquished Artanasdes King of Armenia he led him bound in chains to Rome but for his greater honor and to distinguish him from the rest of the prisoners in chains of gold And such an honour was vouchsafed to this noble Murderer in not being hanged as his servants and accomplices were in a halter of hemp but in one of silk And with this fact the Family might have expired if the Queen having satisfied Justice by his execution had not consulted with her mercy for the restoring of his next Heir both in blood and honor An. Reg. Mar. 5º An. Dom. 1557 1558. WE must begin this year with the success of those forces which were sent under the command of the Earl of Pembrock to the aid of Philip who having made up an Army of 35 thousand Foot and 12 thousand Horse besides the Forces out of England sate down before St. Quintin the chief Town of Piccardy called by the Romans Augusta Veromandnorum and took this new name from St. Quintin the supposed tutelaty Saint and Patron of it a Town of principal importance to his future aims as being one of the Keys of France on that side of the Kingdom and opening a fair way even to Paris it self For the raising of which Siege the French King sends a puissant Army under the command of the Duke of Montmorancy then Lord High Constable of France accompanied with the Flower of the French Nobility On the 10th day of August the Battels joyâ— in which the French were vanquished and their Army routed the Constable himself the Prince of Mantua the Dukes of Montpensier and Longâ—aville with fix others of the prime Nobility and many others of less note being taken prisoners The Duke of 〈◊〉 the Viscount Turin four persons of honorable ranck most of the Foor Captains and of the common Soldiers to the number of 2500 slain upon the place The news whereof struck such a terrour in King Henry the 2d that he was upon the point of for saking Paru and retiring into Langâ—edock or some other remote part of his Dominions In the suddenness of which surprise he dispatcht his Curriers for recalling the Duke of Guise out of Iâ—aly whom he had sent thither at the Popes inâ—â—igation with a right puissant Army for the Conquest of Naples But Philip knowing better how to enjoy than to use his victory continued his Siege before St. Quintin which he stormed on the 18th of that month the Lord Henry Dudley one of the younger sons of the Duke of Northuâ—bâ—r land who lost his life in the Assault together with Sir Edward Windsor being the first that scaled the walls and advanced their victorious Colours on the top thereof After which gallant piece of service the English finding some neglect at the hands of Philip humbly desire to be dismist into their Country which for fear of some fuâ—â—her inconvenience was indulged unto them By which dismission of the English as Thuanâ—s and others have observed King Philip was not able with all his Spaniards to perform any action of importance in the rest of the War But the English shall pay dearly for this Victory which the Spaniard bought with no greater loss than the lives of 50 of his men The English at that time were possessed of the Town of Calais with many other pieces and â—orts about as Guisuesse Fanim Ardres c. together with the whole Territory called the County Oye the Town by Caesar called Portus Iccius situate on the mouth or entrance of the English Chanel opposite to Dover one of the five principal Havens in those parts of England from which distant not above twenty five miles a Town much aimed at for that reason by King Edward this 3d. who after a Siege of somewhat more than eleven months became Master of it Anno 1347. by whom first made a Colonie of the English Nation and after one of the Staple Towns for the sale of Wool Kept with great care by his Successors who as long as they had it in their possession were said to caâ—ry the Keys of France at their girdle esteemed by Philip de Cominâ—â— for the goodliest Captainship in the world and therefore trusted unto none but persons of most eminent ranck both for courage and honour A Town which for more than 200 years had been such an eye-sore to the French and such a thorn in their sides that Monsieur de Cordes a Nobleman who lived in the Reign of King Lewis the 11th was wont to say that he could be content to lie seven years in hell
Queens Progenitours but that we may the better understand the State of that Family which was to Act so great a part on the Stage of England Know then that Queen Jane Seimour was Daughter of S. John Seimour of Wolf-Hall in the County of Wilts Descended from that William de S. Mauro contractedly afterwards called Seimour who by the Aide of Gilbert Lord Mareshall Earle of Pembrooke recovered Wendy aud Penhow now parts of Monmouth shire from the hands of the Welsh Anno. 1240. being the two and twentieth yeare of King Henry the thirds Reign which William as he descended lineally from the 〈…〉 d' Sancto Mauro whose name we find in the Roll of Battle Abbey amongst those Noble Families which came in with the Conquerour so was he one of the Progenitours of that S. Roger S. Maur or Seimour Knight who marryed one of the daughters and Heires of John Beauchamp of Hach a right Noble Baron who brought his Pedigree from Sybill one of the five daughters and Heires of William Mareshall the famous and most puissant Earle of Pembrooke married to William de Herrares Earle of Herrars and Darby as also from Hugh d' Vivon and William Mallet men in times past most Renowned for Estate and Chivalry which goodly Patrimony was afterwards very much augmented by the mariage of one of this Noble Family with the Daughter and Heire of the Esturmies Lords of Wolf-Hall not far from Marleborough in the County of Wilts who bare for Armes Argent 3. Dâ—mie Lions Gules And from the time of King Henry the second were by right of inheritance the Bayliffes and Guardians of the Forrest of Sarernaâ—k lying hard by which is of great note for plenty of Good Game and for a kind of Ferne there that yieldeth a most pleasant savour In remembrance whereof their Hunters Horne of a mighty bigness and tipt with silver is kept by the Earles of Hartford unto this day as a Monument of their Descent from such Noble Ancestors Out of which house came Sir John Seimour of Wolfe-Hall the Father of this Excellent Queen as also of three sons Edward Henry and Thomas of which we shall speak somewhat severally in the way of Preamble the first and last being Principal Actors on the Publique Theatre of King Edwards Reigne And first Sir Edward Seymour the Eldest son received the Order of Knighthood at the hands of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and brother in law to King Henry the Eighth In the fifteenth yeare of whose Reign he Commanded a Right puissant Army in a War with France where he took the Town of Mont Dedier and other pieces of Importance On this foundation he began the rise of his following Fortunes exceedingly improved by the Mariage of the King with his only sister from whom on Tuesday in Whitson week Anno 1536. he received the Title of Viscount Beauchamp with reference to his Descent from the Lord John Beauchamp above mentioned and on the eighteenth of October in the yeare next following he was created Earle of Hartford A man obierved by Sir John Haywood in his History of K. Edward the sixth to be of little esteem for Wisdom Personage or Courage in Armes but found withall not onely to be very faithfull but exceeding fortunate as long as he served under the more Powerfull Plannet of King Henry the eighth About five yeares before the end of whose Reign He being then Warden of the Marches against Scotland the invasion of K. James the fifth was by his direction encountred and broken at Solâ—me Mosse where divers of the Scottish Nobility were taken Prisoners In the next yeare after accompanied with Sir John Dudly Viscount Lisle Created afterwards Earle of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland by king Edward the sixth with a handfull of men he fired Lieth and Edinborough and returned by a leisurely March 44. miles thorough the body of Scotlanâ— And in the year following he invaded the Scottish Borders wasted Tive dale and the Marches defacing all those Parts with spoyle and ruine As fortunate in his undertakings against the French as against the Scoâ—s for being appointed by the King to view the Fortifications upon the Marches of Callice he did not onely perform that service to the Kings contentment but with the hardy approach of 7000. English men raised an Army of 21000. French Encamped over the River before Bolloine won their Ordinance Carriage Treasure aâ—d Tents with the loss only of one man winning in his return from thence the Caâ—tle of Ouling commonly called the Red Pile within shot and rescue of the Town of Ardes And finally in the yeare ensuing being the last of that Kings Reign he began the Fortresses of New Haven Blackness and Bullingberg in which he plyed his worke so well that before his departure from those places he had made them tenable Such were hâ—s Actings in the time of King Henry the Eighth against whose Powerfull Genius there was no withstanding In all whose time he never rose to any haughtiness in himselfe or contempt of others but still remained curteous and affable towards all choosing a course least subject to envy between stâ—ffe stubbornness and servile flattery without aspiring any further then to hold a second place in the Kings good Grace But being left unto himself and either overwhelmed by the Greatness of that Authority which was cast upon him in the Minority of King Edward or undermined by the practises of his cunning and malicious Enemies he suddenly became according to the usuall Disports of Fortune a calamitous ruine as being in himselfe of an easie nature apt to be wrought upon by more subtle heads and wholly Governed by his last wife of which more hereafter In the mean time we are to know that having married one of the daughters and Co-heires of William Hilol of Woodlands in the County of Dorset he had by her amongst other children a son called Edward from whom descends Sir Edward Seimâ—ure of Berrie Pomerie in the County of Devon Knight and Barron After whose death he married Ann the daughter of Sir Edward Stanhop by whom he had a soâ— called Edward also on whom he was prevailed with to entaile both his Lands and Honours the children of the former bed being pretermitted Concerning which there goes a stoâ—y that the Earle having been formerly â—mployed in France did there acquaint himselfe with a Learned man supposed to have great skill in Magick of whom he obtained by great rewards and importunities to let him see by the help of some Magicall perspective in what Estate all his Relations stood at home In which impertinent curiosity he was so â—arr satisfied as to behold a Gentleman of his acquaintance in a more familiar posture with his wife then was agreeable to the Honour of either Party To which Diabollicall Illusion he is said to have given so much credit that he did not only estrange himselfe from her society at his coming home but furnished his next wife with an excellent opportunity
symitry which showed it selfe in all her features and what she carried on that side by that advantage was over-ballanced on the other by a pleasing sprightfulnesse which gained as much upon the hearts of all beholders It was conceived by those Great Critticks in the schooles of Beauty that love which seemed to threaten in the eyes of Queen Jane did only seem to sport it selfe in the eyes of Queen Ann that there was more Majesty in the Gaâ—b of Queen Jane Seimour and more lovelinesse in that of Queen Ann Bollen yet so that the Majesty of the one did excell in Lovelyness and that the Lovelinesse of the other did exceed In majesty Sir John Russell afterwards Earle of Bedford who had beheld both Queens in their greatest Glories did use to say that the richer Queen Jane was in clothes the fairer she appeared but that the other the richer she was apparrelled the worse she looked which showes that Queen Ann only trusted to the Beauties of Nature and that Queen Jane did sometimes help her selfe by externall Ornaments In a word she had in her all the Graces of Queen Ann but Governed if my conjecture doth not faile me with an evener and more constant temper or if you will she may be said to be equally made up of the two last Queens as having in her all the Attractions of Queen Ann but Regulated by the reservednesse of Queen Katharine also It is not to be thought that so many rare perâ—ections should be long concealed from the eye of the King or that love should not worke in him it's accustomed effects of desire and hope In the prosecution whereof he lay so open to discovery that the Queen couâ—d not chuse but take notice of it and intimated her suspitioâ—s to him as appeares by a letter of hers in the Scrinia Sacra Iâ— which she signifies unto him that by hastning her intended death he would be left at liberty both before God and man to follow his affection already setled on the Party for whose sake she was reduced unto that condition and whose name she could some while since have pointed to his Grace not being ignorant of her suspicions And it appeared by the event that she was not much mistaken in the Mark she aimed at For scarce had her lementable death which happened on the nineteenth of May prepared the way for the Legitimating of this new affection but on the morrow after the King was secretly married to Mistress Seimour and openly showed her as his Queen in the Whitsontide following A Marriage which made some alteration in the face of the Court in the advancing of her kindred and discountenancing the Dependants of the former Queen but otherwise produced no change in Affaires of State The King proceeded as before in suppressing Monasteries extinguishing the Popes Authority and â—ltering divers things in the face of the Câ—uâ—ch which tended to that Reformation which after followed For on the eighth of June began the Parliament in which here past an Act for tâ—e finall extinguishing of the Power of the Popes of Rome Cap. 10. And the next day a Convocation of the Bishops and Clergy managed by Sir Thomas Cromwell advanced about that time unto the Title of Lord Cromwell of Wimbledon and made his Majesties Viccar Generall of all Ecclesiast â—all Matâ—ers in the Realme of England By whose Authority a book was published after Mature debate and Deliberation under the name of Articles Devised by the Kings Highness in which mentioned â—ut three Sacraments that is to â—ay Baptisme Penâ—ance and the Lords Supper Besides which book there were some Acts agreed upon in the Convocation for diminishing the superflâ—ous number of Holy dayes especially of such as happened in the time of Harvest Sâ—gnified afterwards to the people in certain Injunctions published in the Kings name by the new Viccar Generall as the first fruits of his Authority In which it was ordained amongst other things that the Curates in every Parish Church should teach the People to say the Lords Prayer the Creed the Ave-Mary and the Ten Commandments in the English Tongue But that which seemed to make most for the Advantage of the new Queen and her Posterity if it please God to give her any was the unexpected death of the Duke of Richmond the Kings naturall Son begotten on the body of the Lady Talboiâ— So dearly cherished by his Father having then no lawful Issuâ—-male that in the sixth yeare of his Age An. 1525. he created him Earl of Nottingham and not long after Duke of Richmond and Sommerset preferred him to the Honourable office of Earle Marshall elected him into the Order of the Garter made him Lord Admirall of the Royall Navy in an expedition against France and finally Affianced him to Mary the daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norâ—olk the most â—owerfull Subject in the Kingdom Now were these all the favours intended to him The Crown it selfe being designed him by the King in default of Lawfull Issue to be procreated and begotten of his Royall Body For in the Act of the Succession which past in the Parliament of this year the Crown being first setled upon the Issue of this Queen with the remainder to the Kings issue lawfully begotten on any following wife whatsoever there past this clause in favour of the Duke of Richmond as it was then generally conceived that is to say That for lack of lawfull heires of the Kings body to be procreated or begotten as is afore limitted by this Act it should and might be lawfull for him to confer the same on any such Person or Persons in Possession and Remainder as should please his Highnesse and according to such Estate and after such manner â—orme fashion order and condition as should be expressed declared named and lâ—mitted in his said Letters Patents or by his last Will the Crown to be enjoyed by such person or persons so to be nominated and appointed in as large and ample manner as if such Person or Persons had been his Highnesse Lawfull Heires to the Imperiall Crown of this Realm And though it might please God as it after did to give the King some Lawfull Issue by this Queen yet took he so much care for this naturall son as to enable himselfe by another Clause in the said Act to advance any person or persons of his most Royall Blood by Letters Patents under the Great Seale to any Title Stile or Name of any Estate Dignity or Honour whatsoever it be and to give to them or any of them any Castles Honours Mannours Lands Tenements Liberties Franchiefes or other Hereditaments in â—ee simple or Fee â—tail or for terme of their lives or the life of any of them But all these expectations and Provisions were to no effect the Duke departing this life at the age of 17 yeares or thereabouts within few dayes after the ending of this Session that is to say on the 22th day of July Anno 1536. to the
had been given before between the time of the Duke's Acknowledgment and the Sentence passed on him by the Lords and so disposed that none of the Factions might have any ground for a Complaint One of each side being taken out for these Advancements For on the nineteenth day of January William Lord St. John a most affectionate Servant to the Earl of Warwick was preferred unto the Title of Earl of Wiltshire the Lord Russell who had made himself the Head of those which were engaged on neither side was made Earl of Bedford and Sir William Paget Comptroller of his Majestie 's Houshold who had persisted faithfull to the Lord Protectour advanced to the Dignity of a Baron and not long after to the Chancellour-ship of the Dutchy of Lancaster Furnished with Offices and Honours it is to be presumed that they would finde some way to provide themselves of sufficient Means to maintain their Dignities The Lord Wentworth being a younger Branch of the Wentworths of Yorkshire had brought some Estate with him to the Court though not enough to keep him up in Equipage with so great a Title The want whereof was supplied in part by the Office of Lord Chamberlain now conferred upon him but more by the goodly Manours of Stebunâ—th commonly called Stepney and Hackney bestowed upon him by the King in consideration of the Good and Faithfull Services before performed For so it happened that the Dâ—an and Chapter of St. Paul's lying at the Mercy of the Times as before was said conveyed over to the King the said two Manours on the twelfth day after Christmâ—ss now last past with all the Members and Appertenances thereunto belonging Of which the last named was valued at the yearly rent of 41. pounds 9. â— 4 d. The other at 140. pounds 8 â— 11. â— ob And being thus vested in the King they were by Letters Patents bearing Date the sixteenth of April then next following transferred upon the said Lord VVâ—ntworth By means whereof he was possessed of a goodly Territory extending on the Thames from St. Katharine's near the Tower of London to the Borders of Essex near Black-wall from thence along the River Leâ— to Stratford le Bow and fetching a great compass on that side of the City contains in all no fewer then six and twenty Town-ships Streets and Hamlets besides such Rows of Building as have since been added in these later Times The like provision was made by the new Lord Pâ—get a Londoner by Birth but by good Fortune mixed with Merit preferred by degrees to be one of the Principal Secretaries to the late King Henry by whom he was employed in many Embassies and Negotiations Being thus raised and able to set up for himself he had his share in the division of the Lands of Chantery Free-Chapels c. and got into his hands the Episcopal House belonging to the Bishop of Exeter by him enlarged and beautified and called Paget-House sold afterwards to Robert Earl of Leicester from whom it came to the late Earls of Essex and from them took the name of Essex-House by which it is now best known But being a great House is noâ— able to keep it self he played his Game so well that he got into his possession the Manour of Beau-desart of which he was created Baron and many other fair Estates in the County of Stafford belonging partly to the Bishop and partly to the Dean and Chaâ—ter of Lichfield neither of which was able to contend with so great a Courtier who held the See and had the Ear of the Protectour and the King 's to boot What other Course he toâ—k to improve his Fortunes we shall see hereafter when we come to the last part of the Tragedy of the Duke of Sommerset For Sommerset having gained his Liberty and thereby being put into a Capacity of making use of his Friends found Means to be admitted to the King's Presence by whom he was not onely welcomed with all the kind Expressions of a Gracious Prince and made to sit down at his own Table but the same day the eighth of April he was again sworn one of the Lords of the Privy Council This was enough to make Earl Dudly look about him and to pretend a Reconciliation with him for the present whom he meant first to make secure and afterwards strike the last blow at him when he least look'd for it And that the knot of Amity might be tyed the faster and last the longer a True-Loves-Knot it must be thought or else nothing worth a Marriage was nâ—gotiated between John Lord Viscount L'isle the Earl's Eldest Son and the Lady Ann Seimour one of the Daughters of the Duke which Marriage was joyfully solemnized on the third of June at the King's Mannour-House of Shâ—â—e the King himself gracing the Nuptials with his Presence And now who could imagine but that upon the giving of such Hostages unto one another a most inviolable League of Friendship had been made between them and that all Animosities and Displeasures being quite forgotten they would more powerfully Co-operate to the publick Good But leaving them and their Adâ—erents to the dark Contrivances of the Court we must leave England for a time and see how our Affairs succeeded on the other side of the Sea Where in the middle of the former Dissensions the French had put us to the Worst in the way of Arms and after got the Better in a Treaty of Peace They had the last year taken in all the Out-works which seemed the strongest Ramparâ—s of the Town of Bulloign but had not strength enough to venture on the Town it self provided plentifully of all necessaries to endure a Siege and bravely Garisoned by men of too much Courage and Resolution to give it up upon a Summons Besides they came to understand that the English were then Practicing with Charles the Emperour to associate with them in the War according to some former Capitulations made between those Crowns And if they found such Dâ—ffiâ—ulties in maintaining the War against either of them when they fought singly by themselves there was no hope of any good Success against them should they unite and poure their Forces into France Most true it is that after such time as the French had bid Defiance to the King and that the King by reason of the Troubles and Embroilments at home was not in a Condition to attend the Affairs of France Sir William Paget was sent Ambassadour to Charles the Fifth to desire Succour of Him and to lay before Him the Infancy and several Necessities of the young King being then in the twelfth year of His Age. This desire when the Emperour had refused to hearken to they besought Him that he would at the least be pleased to take into His Hands the keeping of the Town of Bulloign and that for no longer time then untill King EDVVARD could make an End of the Troubles of His Subjects at home and compose the Discords of the Court which
for almost twenty years together had governed his affairs with such power and prudence The Emperor had disgusted the ambitious Prelate not only by crossing him in his sute for the Popedome but by denying him the Archbishoprick of Toledo of which he had once given him no small hopes And now the Cardinal is resolved to cry quits for both thinking himself as much affronted in the sailer of his expectations as if he had been disgracefully deprived of some present possession No way more open to his ends than by working on that scruple of Conscience which had been raised unto his hand to the advance whereof the reservedness of the Queens behaviour and the inequality of her years which render'd her the less agreeable to his conversation gave no small advantage In which conjuncture it was no hard matter to perswade him unto any way which might give satisfaction to his conscience or content to his fancy especially iâ— it came accompanied with such a change as promised him the hopes of a son and heir or at the least of a more lawful and unquestioned issue And then what fitter wife could be found out for him than Madam Rheene one of the daughters of King Lewis the 12th and sister to the wife of the King then Reigning By which alliance he might be able to justifie his separation from the bed of Katherine not only against Charls her Nephew but against all Kings and Emperors in the Christian world taking the Pope into the reckoning A proposition so agreeable to the Kings own thoughts who began to grow weary of his Queen that he resolved to buy the amity of Francis at any rate to which end he not only made a league with him against the Emperour when the condition of the French was almost desperate but remitted unto Francis a very vast debt to the value of 500000 Crowns partly accruing unto him by some former contracts and parâ—ly for the payment of forfeiture incurred by Charles with which the French had charged himself by the capitulations And so far matters went on smoothly to the Cardinals wish and possibly might have succeeded in all particulars had not the plot miscaried by the return of Viscount Rochfort and the planting of Anne Bollen in the Court The admirable attractions of which young Lady had drawn the King so fast unto her that in short time he gave her an absolute soverainty over all his thoughts But so long he concealed his affections from her that a great league and entercourse was contracted betwixt her and the young Lord Percy the eldest son of Henry Lord Percy the 5th Earl of Northumberland of that Name and Family who being brought up in the Cardinals service had many opportunities of confirming an acquaintance with her when either his own pleasure or his Lords affairs occasioned his waiting at the Court But these compliances on both sides neither were nor probably could be so closely caried as not to come unto the knowledge of the jealous King impatient of a Rival in his new affections and yet resolved to carry the business in such a manner as to give no distaste to her whom he so much loved The Cardinal is therefore dealt with to remove that obstacle to which he readily condescended not looking further at the present into the design but that the King intended to appropriate the young Lady to his private pleasures as he had done many others in the times foregoing A messenger is thereupon dispatched to the Earl of Northumberland who at his coming to the Court is informed by the Cardinal how unadvisedly the Lord Percy had entred himself into the affections of Mrs Bollen one of the daughters of Viscount Rochfort not only without his fathers privity but against the express will of the King who was resolved to dispose otherwise of her And this he urged upon the strength of an old prerogative both then and after exercised by the Kings of England in not permitting any of the Nobility to contract mariages and make alliances with one another but by their consents The old Earl startled at the newes and fearing nothing more than the Kings displeasure calls for his son and presenâ—ly schools him in this manner Son quoth he even as thou art and ever haste been a proud disdainful and very unthtifty Master so haste thou now declared thy self Wherefore what joy what pleasure what comfort or what solace can I conceive in thee that thus without discretion hast abused thy self having neither regard to me thy natural father nor to thy natural Soverain Lord the King to whom all honest and loyal subjects bear faithful obedience nor yet to the prosperity of thy own estate but hast so unadvisedly ensâ—ared thy self to her for whom thou hast purchased the Kings high displeasure intolerable for any subject to sustain And but that the King doth consider the lightness of thy head and wilful quality of thy person his displeasure and indignation were sufficient to cast me and all my posterity into utter ruine and destruction But he being my singular good Lord and favourable Prince and my Lord Cardinal my very good friend hath and doth clearly excuse me in thy lewdness and doth rather lament thy folly than malign thee and hath advised an order to be taken for thee to whom both I and you are more bound than we conceive of I pray to God that this may be sufficient admonition to thee to use thy self more wisely hereafter For assure thy self if thou dost not amend thy prodigality thou wilt be the last Earl of our house For thy natural inclination thou art masterful and prodigal to consume all that thy progenitors have with so great travail gathered and kept together with honour But having the Kings Majesty my singular good Lord I trust I assure thee so to order my succession that thou shalt consume thereof but a little For I do not intend I tell thee truly to make thee heir for thanks be to God I have more boys that I trust will use themselves much better and prove more like to be wise and honest men of whom I will chuse the most likely to succeed me So said the much offended father and yet not thinking he had done enough for his own security a marriage is presently concluded for him to the Kings good liking with the Lady Mary one of the daughters of George Lord 〈◊〉 Earl of Shrewsbury Mrs Anne Bollen in the mean time is removed by her father from the Court to her no small trouble who knowing nothing of the Kings had willingly admitted the Lord Percy into her affections And understanding by him what had past betwixt him and his father she conceived such a mortal grudge against the Cardinal whom she looked on as the only cause of this separation that she contributed her best assistance to his final ruine It was about the time when the Kings cause was to be agitated in the Leganâ—ine Court that he caused her to be sent
person which was the Marquis of Winchester Lord Treasurer of England the other twelve being two Earls six Lords and four Knights the sacred part thereof performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury assisted by the Bishops of London and Rochester the funeral Sermon being pâ—eached by the Bishop of London which tended much unto the praise and commendation of that famous Emperor By which solemnity as she did no small honor to the dead so she gave great contentment to the living also the people being generally much delighted with such glorious pomps and the Church of England thereby held in estimation with all forein Princes Nothing else memorable in this year but the comming out of certain books and the death of Caâ—vin Dorman an English fugitive first publisheth a book for proof of certain of the Articles denyed in Bishop Jewel's challenge encountred first by Alexander Nowel Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul who first appeared in print against those of Lovain and is replyed upon by Dorman in a book entituled A Discovery of Mr. Nowel's untruths not published till the year next following But of more consequence to this Church was the death of Calvin by whose authority so much disorder and confusion was to be brought upon it in the times succeeding a name much reverenced not onely by those of his own party and perswasions but by many grave and moderate men who did not look at first into the dangers which ensued upon it His platform at Geneva made the onely pattern by which all reformed Churches were to frame their Government his Writings made the onely rule by which all Students in Divinity were to square their Judgments What Peter Lombart was esteemed to be in the Schools of Rome the same was Calvin reckoned in all those Churches which were reformed according to the Zuinglian doctrine in the point of the Sacrament But Hic Magister non tenetur as the saying was he was not so esteemed in England nor was there any reason why it should be so for though some zealous brethren of the Presbyteterian or Puritan faction appeared exceeding ambitious to wear his Livery and thought no name so honorable as that of Calvinist yet the sounder members of the Church the Royal and Prelatical Divines as the others called them conceived otherwise of him And the right learned Adrian Sararia though by birth a Dutch-man yet being once preferred in the Church of England he stomached nothing more than to be called Calvinian Anno Reg. Eliz. 7. A. D. 1564 1565. WE shall begin this year with the concernments of the Kirk of Scotland where Queen Eâ—izabeth kept a Stock still going the Returns whereof redounded more to her own security than to the profit and advantage of the Church of England The Queen of Scots was young poffessed of that Kingdom and next Heir to this first married to the Daulphin of France and sued to after his decease in behalf of Charls the younger son of the Emperor Maximilian as also of the Prince of Conde and the Duke of Bavaria But Queen Elizabeth had found so much trouble and danger from her first alliance with the French that she was against all Marriages which might breed the like or any way advance the power of that Competitor But on the contrary she commended to her the Earl of Leicester whom she pretended to have raised to those eminent honors to make him in some fort capable of a Queens affection Which proposition proved agreeable to neither party the Queen of Scots disdaining that unequal offer and Leicester dealing underhand with Randolph the English Resident to keep her still in that averseness He had foolishly given himself some hopes of marrying with Elizabeth his own dread Mistress interpreting all her favours to him to proceed from affection and was not willing that any Proposition for that purpose with the Queen of Scots should be entertained During these various thoughts on both sides the English began to be divided in opinion concerning the next heir to the Crown Imperial of this Realm One Hales had writ a discourse in favour of the House of Suffolk but more particularly in defence of the late marriage between the Earl of Hertford and the Lady Katherine for which he was apprehended and committed prisoner The Romish party were at the same time sub-divided some standing for the Queen of Scots as the next heir apparent though an alien born others for Henry Lord Darnlie eldest son to the Earl of Lenox born in the Realm and lineally descended from the eldest daughter of King Henry the 7th from whom the Queen of Scots also did derive her claim The Queen of Scots also at the same time grown jealous of the practices of the Lord James her bastard-brother whom she had not long before made Earl of Murrey and being over-powered by those of the Congregation was at some loss within her self for finding a fit person upon whose integrity she might depend in point of counsel and on whose power she might rely in point of safety After a long deliberation nothing seemed more conducible to her ends and purposes than the recalling of Matthew Earl of Lenox to his native Country from whence he had been forced by the Hamiltonians in the time of King Henry Being of great power in the West of Scotland from the Kings whereof he was extracted Henry conceived that some good use might be made of him for advancing the so much desired marriage between his onely son Prince Edward and the Infant-Queen The more to gain him to his side he bestowes upon him in marriage the Lady Margaret Dowglas daughter of Queen Margaret his eldest sister by Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus her second husband of which marriage were born Henry Lord Darnly of whom more anone and Charls the second son whom King James created Earl of Lenox father of Arabella before remembred And that they might support themselves in the nobler equipage he bestowes upon him also the Mannor of Setrington with other good Lands adjoyning in the County of Yoâ—k passing since by the name of Lenox his Lands in the style of the people In England he remained above twenty years but keptâ— himself constant in all changes to the Church of Rome which made him the more estimable both with his own Queen and the English Papists Being returned into his Country he found that Queen so gracious to him and such a handsome correspondence with the chief Nobility that he sends for his two sons to come thither to him but leaves his wife behind in the Court of England lest otherwise Queen Elizabeth might take some umbrage or displeasure at it if they should all remove at once It was about the middle of February that the Lord Darnly came to the Court of Scotland Who being not full twenty years old of lovely person sweet behaviour and a most ingenuous disposition exceedingly prevailed in short time on the Queens affection She had now met with such a