of Days for payment of Moneys and some other Particulars of the Frontiers And it was indeed but a wooing Ambassage with good respects to entertain the King in good affection but nothing was done or handled to the derogation of the King 's late Treaty with the Italians But during the time that the Cornish-men were in their march towards London the King of Scotland well advertised of all that passed and knowing himself sure of War from England whensoever those Stirs were appeased neglected not his opportunity But thinking the King had his hands full entred the Frontiers of England again with an Army and besieged the Castle of Norham in Person with part of his Forces sending the rest to forrage the Countrey But Fox Bishop of Duresm a wise man and one that could see through the Present to the Future doubting as much before had caused his Castle of Norham to be strongly fortified and furnished with all kind of Munition And had manned it likewise with a very great number of tall Soldiers more than for the proportion of the Castle reckoning rather upon a sharp Assault than a long Siege And for the Countrey likewise he had caused the people withdraw their Cattel and Goods into Fact Places that were not of easie approach and sent in post to the Earl of Surrey who was not far off in Yorkshire to come in diligence to the Succour So as the Scottish King both failed of doing good upon the Castle and his men had but a catching Harvest of their Spoils And when he understood that the Earl of Surrey was coming on with great Forces he returned back into Scotland The Earl finding the Castle freed and the Enemy retired pursued with all 〈◊〉 into Scotland hoping to have overtaken the Scottish King and to have given him Battel But not attaining him in time sate down before the Castle of Aton one of the strongest places then esteemed between Berwick and Edenburgh which in a small time he took And soon after the Scottish King retiring further into his Countrey and the weather being extraordinary foul and stormy the Earl returned into England So that the Expeditions on both parts were in effect but a Castle taken and a Castle distressed not answerable to the puissance of the Forces nor to the heat of the Quarrel nor to the greatness of the Expectation Amongst these Troubles both Civil and External came into England from Spain Peter Hialas some call him Elias surely he was the fore runner of the good Hap that we enjoy at this day For his Ambassage set the Truce between England and Scotland the Truce drew on the Peace the Peace the Marriage and the Marriage the Union of the Kingdoms a man of great Wisdom and as those times were not unlearned sent from Ferdinando and Isabella Kings of Spain unto the King to treat a Marriage between Catherine their second Daughter and Prince Arthur This Treaty was by him set in a very good way and almost brought to perfection But it so fell out by the way that upon some Conference which he had with the King touching this business the King who had a great dexterity in getting suddenly into the bosom of Ambassadors of forein Princes if he liked the men Insomuch as he would many times communicate with them of his own affairs yea and employ them in his service fell into speech and discourse incidently concerning the ending the Debates and differences with Scotland For the King naturally did not love the barren Wars with Scotland though he made his profit of the Noise of them And he wanted not in the Council of Scotland those that would advise their King to meet him at the half-way and to give over the War with England pretending to be good Patriots but indeed favouring the affairs of the King Only his heart was too great to begin with Scotland for the motion of Peace On the other side he had met with an Allie of Ferdinando of Arragon as fit for his turn as could be For after that King Ferdinando had upon assured confidence of the Marriage to succeed taken upon him the person of a Fraternal Allie to the King he would not let in a Spanish gravity to counsel the King in his own affairs And the King on his part not being wanting to himself but making use of every man's humours made his advantage of this in such things as he thought either not decent or not pleasant to proceed from himself putting them off as done by the Counsel of Ferdinando Wherefore he was content that Hialas as in a matter moved and advised from Hialas himself should go into Scotland to treat of a Concord between the two Kings Hialas took it upon him and coming to the Scottish King after he had with much Art brought King James to hearken to the more safe and quiet Counsels wrote unto the King that he hoped that Peace would with no great difficulty cement and close if he would send some wise and temperate Counsellor of his own that might treat of the Conditions Whereupon the King directed Bishop Fox who at that time was at his Castle of Norham to confer with Hialas and they both to treat with some Commissioners deputed from the Scottish King The Commissioners on both sides met But after much dispute upon the Articles and Conditions of Peace propounded upon either part they could not conclude a Peace The chief Impediments thereof was the demand of the King to have Perkin delivered into his hands as a reproach to all Kings and a person not protected by the Law of Nations The King of Scotland on the other side peremptorily denied so to do saying That he for his part was no competent Judge of Perkin's Title But that he had received him as a Suppliant protected him as a person fled for Refuge espoused him with his Kinswoman and aided him with his Arms upon the belief that he was a Prince And therefore that he could not now with his Honour so unrip and in a sort put a Lye upon all that he had said and done before as to deliver him up to his Enemies The Bishop likewise who had certain proud instructions from the King at the least in the Front though there were a pliant clause at the Foot that remitted all to the Bishop's discretion and required him by no means to break off in ill terms after that he had failed to obtain the delivery of Perkin did move a second point of his Instructions which was that the Scottish King would give the King an Enterview in Person at Newcastle But this being reported to the Scottish King his answer was That he meant to treat a Peace and not to go a begging for it The Bishop also according to another Article of his Instructions demanded Restitution of the Spoils taken by the Scottish or Damages for the same But the Scottish Commissioners answered That that was but as Water spilt upon the ground which could not be
THE HISTORY OF THE REIGNS OF HENRY the SEVENTH HENRY the EIGHTH EDWARD the SIXTH AND QUEEN MARY The First Written by the Right Honourable FRANCIS Lord VERULAM Viscount St. ALBAN The other Three by the Right Honourable AND Right Reverend Father in God FRANCIS GODWYN Lord Bishop of HEREFORD LONDON Printed by W. G. for R. Scot T. Basset J. Wright R. Chiswell and J. Edwyn M. D C. LXXVI To the most Illustrious and most Excellent PRINCE CHARLES Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall Earl of Chester c. It may Please Your Highness IN part of my acknowledgment to Your Highness I have endeavoured to do Honour to the Memory of the last King of England that was Ancestour to the King your Father and Your self and was that King to whom both Unions may in a sort refer That of the Roses being in him Consummate and that of the Kingdoms by him begun Besides his times deserve it For he was a Wise Man and an Excellent King and yet the times were rough and full of Mutations and rare Accidents And it is with Times as it is with Ways Some are more Vp-hill and Down-hill and some are more Flat and Plain and the One is better for the Liver and the Other for the Writer I have not flattered him but took him to life as well as I could sitting so far off and having no better light It is true Your Highness hath a Living Pattern Incomparable of the King Your Father But it is not amiss for You also to see one of these Ancient Pieces GOD preserve Your Highness Your Highness most humble and devoted Servant FRANCIS St. Alban AN INDEX ALPHABETICAL Directing to the most Observable Passages in the ensuing HISTORY A. AN Accident in it self trivial great in effect Pag. 108 Advice desired from the Parliament 33 35 56 Aemulation of the English to the French with the reasons of it 36 Affability of the King to the City of London 113 Affection of King Henry to the King of Spain 61 Affection of the King to his Children 136 Aid desired by the Duke of Britain 33 Aid sent to Britain 37 Aiders of Rebels punished 23 Alms-deeds of the King 131 Ambassadors to the Pope 24 into Scotland 25 Ambassadors from the French King 26 Ambassadors in danger in France 31 Ambassadors into France 54 Ambition exorbitant in Sir William Stanley 78 Answer of the Archduke to the King's Ambassadors 74 Appeach of Sir William Stanley 76 Arms of King Henry still victorious 133 Arrows of the 〈◊〉 the length of them 96 Articles between the King and the Archduke 91 Arthur Prince married to the Lady Katherine 116 Arthur Prince dies at Ludlow 117 Aton Castle in Scotland taken by the Earl of Surrey 98 Attainted persons in Parliament excepted against 8 Attaindor and corruption of Blood reacheth not to the Crown ibid. 15 Avarice of King Henry 134 Audley General of the Corhish Rebels 93 B. BAnishment of 〈◊〉 our of the Kingdom 74 Battel at Bosworth-field 1 at Stokefield 〈◊〉 at St. Albans in Britain 87 at Bannocksbourn in Scotland 〈◊〉 at Black-heath 〈◊〉 Behaviour of King Henry towards 〈◊〉 Children 117 Benevolence to the King for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benevolence who the first Author ibid Benevolence 〈◊〉 by Act of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benevolence revived by Act of 〈◊〉 ibid A Benevolence 〈◊〉 to the King 23 Birth of Henry the 〈◊〉 35 Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the King 〈◊〉 Blood not unrevenged 112 122 Britain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 37 Three causes of the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 ibid. Britain united 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Marriage 〈◊〉 Brakenbury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murder King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Broughton Sir 〈◊〉 joyned with the Rebels 11 A Bull procured from the Pope by the King for what causes 24 Bulloign besieged by King Henry 63 C. CArdinal Morton dieth 113 Capell Sir William fined 80 131 Cap of Maintenace from the Pope 101 Ceremony of Marriage new in these parts 48 Chancery power and description of that Court 38 Clifford Sir Robert flies to Perkin 70 revolts to the King 72 Clergy priviledges abridged 39 Christendom enlarged 61 Columbus Christopher and Bartholomeus invite the King to a discovery of the West Indies 107 Confiscation aimed at by the King 76 Conference between King Henry and the King of Castile by casualty landing at Weymouth 128 Conquest the Title unpleasing to the People declined by William the Conqu 3 and by the King 5 〈◊〉 for Perkin 70 Contraction of Prince Henry and the Lady Katherine 118 Conditional speech doth not qualifie words of Treason 77 Commissioners into Ireland 79 Commissioners about Trading 91 Coronation of King Henry 7 Coronation of the Queen 24 Counsel the benefit of good 25 Counsel of what sort the French King used 32 Counsel of mean men what and how different from that of Nobles ibid. Lord Cordes envy to England 48 Cottagers but housed Beggars 44 Counterfeits Lambert proclaimed in Ireland 15 Crowned at Dublin 19 taken at Battell 22 put into the King's Kitchin ibid. made the King's Faulconer ibid. Duke of York counterfeit See Perkin Wilford another counterfeit Earl of Warwick 111 Courage of the English when 37 Court what Pleas belong to every Court 38 Court of Star-chamber confirmed ibid. Creations 6 Crown confirmed to King Henry by Parliament 7 Cursing of the King's Enemies at Paul's Cross a custom of those times 72 122 D. DAm a Town in Flanders taken by a slight 59 Lord Daubeny 96 Devices at Prince Arthur's Marriage 117 Device of the King to divert Envy 64 Decay of Trade doth punish Merchants 90 Decay of People how it comes to pass 44 Declaration by Perkin to the Scottish King 85 Desires intemperate of Sir William Stanley 78 Dighton a murderer of King Edward's two Children 71 Dilemma a pleasant one of Bishop Morton 58 Diligence of the King to heap Treasures 120 Displacing of no Counsellors nor Servants in all King Henry's Reign save of one 138 Dissimulation of the French King 29 30 49 Dissimulation of King Henry in pretending War 56 A Doubt long kept open and diversly determined according to the diversity of the times 117 Dowry of Lady Katherine how much 116 Dowry of Lady Margaret into Scotland how much 119 Drapery maintained how 45 Dudley one of the King's Herse-leeches 119 Duke of York counterfeit See Perkin E. EArl of Suffolk flies into Flanders 121 returns 129 Earl of Northumberland slain by the People in collecting the Subsidy somewhat harshly 40 Earl of Warwick executed 111 Earl of Warwick counterfeit 13 110 Earl of Surrey enters Scotland 98 Edmund a third Son born to King Henry but died 109 Edward the Fifth murdered 85 Envy towards the King unquenchable the cause of it 111 Envy of the Lord Cordes to England 48 Enterview between the King and the King of Castile 128 Emblem 94 Empson one of the King's Horse-leeches 119 Errours of the French King in his business for the Kingdom of Naples 82 Errours of King Henry occasioning his many troubles 128 〈◊〉 service 92 Espials in
Lancashire whither there repaired to them Sir Thomas Broughton with some small company of English The King by that time knowing now the Storm would not divide but fall in one place had levied Forces in good number and in person taking with him his two designed Generals the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of Oxford was come on his way towards them as far as Coventry whence he sent forth a Troop of Light-horsmen for discovery and to intercept some straglers of the Enemies by whom he might the better understand the particulars of their Progress and purposes which was accordingly done though the King otherwise was not without Intelligence from Espials in the Camp The Rebels took their way towards York without spoiling the Countrey or any act of Hostility the better to put themselves into favour of the People and to personate their King who no doubt out of a Princely feeling was sparing and compassionate towards his Subjects But their Snow-ball did not gather as it went For the People came not in to them Neither did any rise or declare themselves in other parts of the Kingdom for them which was caused partly by the good tast that the King had given his People of his Government joyned with the reputation of his Felicity and partly for that it was an odious thing to the People of England to have a King brought in to them upon the shoulders of Irish and Dutch of which their Army was in substance compounded Neither was it a thing done with any great Judgement on the Party of the Rebels for them to take their way towards York Considering that howsoever those parts had formerly been a Nursery of their Friends yet it was there where the Lord Lovel had so lately disbanded and where the King's presence had a little before qualified discontents The Earl of Lincoln deceived of his hopes of the Countries concourse unto him in which case he would have temporized and seeing the business past Retract resolved to make on where the King was and to give him Battel and thereupon marched towards Newark thinking to have surprised the Town But the King was somewhat before this time come to Nottingham where he called a Council of War at which was consulted whether it were best to protract time or speedily to set upon the Rebels In which Council the King himself whose continual vigilancy did suck in sometimes causeless Suspitions which few else knew inclined to the accelerating a Battel But this was presently put out of doubt by the great Aids that came in to him in the instant of this Consultation partly upon Missives and partly Voluntaries from many parts of the Kingdom The principal persons that came then to the King's aid were the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Lord Strange of the Nobility and of Knights and Gentlemen to the number of at least Threescore and ten persons with their Companies making in the whole at the least Six Thousand fighting men besides the Forces that were with the King before Whereupon the King finding his Army so bravely re-enforced and a great alacrity in all his men to fight was confirmed in his former Resolution and marched speedily so as he put himself between the Enemies Camp and Newark being loth their Army should get the commodity of that Town The Earl nothing dismayed came forwards that day unto a little Village called Stoke and there camped that night upon the brow or hanging of a Hill The King the next day presented him Battel upon the Plain the fields there being open and champion The Earl couragiously came down and joyned Battel with him Concerning which Battel the Relations that are left unto us are so naked and negligent though it be an Action of so recent memory as they rather declared the Success of the day than the Manner of the Fight They say that the King divided his Army into three Battels whereof the Vaunt-guard only well strengthned with Wings came to fight That the Fight was fierce and obstinate and lasted three hours before the Victory inclined either way save that Judgement might be made by that the King's Vaunt-guard of it self maintained fight against the whole Power of the Enemies the other two Battels remaining out of action what the success was like to be in the end That Martin Swart with his Germans performed bravely and so did those few English that were on that side neither did the Irish fail in courage or fierceness but being almost naked men only armed with Darts and Skeins it was rather an Execution than a Fight upon them insomuch as the furious slaughter of them was a great discouragement and appalement to the rest That there dyed upon the place all the Chieftains that is the Earl of Lincoln the Earl of Kildare Francis Lord Lovel Martin Swart and Sir Thomas Broughton all making good the fight without any ground given Only of the Lord Lovel there went a report that he fled and swam over Trent on horseback but could not recover the further side by reason of the steepness of the Bank and so was drowned in the River But another report leaves him not there but that he lived long after in a Cave or Vault The number that was slain in the field was of the Enemies part Four thousand at the least and of the King's part one half of his Vaunt-guard besides many hurt but none of name There were taken Prisoners amongst others the Counterfeit Plantagenet now Lambert Simnel again and the crafty Priest his Tutor For Lambert the King would not take his Life both out of Magnanimity taking him but as an Image of Wax that others had tempered and molded and likewise out of Wisdom thinking that if he suffered death he would be forgotten too soon but being kept alive he would be a continual Spectacle and a kind of remedy against the like Inchantments of People in time to come For which cause he was taken into service in his Court to a base office in his Kitchin so that in a kind of Mattacina of humane fortune he turned a Broach that had worn a Crown Whereas Fortune commonly doth not bring in a Comedy or Farce after a Tragedy And afterwards he was preferred to be one of the King's Falconers As to the Priest he was committed Close-prisoner and heard of no more the King loving to seal up his own dangers After the Battel the King went to Lincoln where he caused Supplications and Thanksgivings to be made for his Deliverance and Victory And that his Devotions might go round in Circle he sent his Banner to be Offered to our Lady of Walsingham where before he made his Vows And thus delivered of this so strange an Engin and new Invention of Fortune he returned to his former confidence of mind thinking now that all his misfortunes had come at once But it fell out unto him according to the Speech of the common People in the beginning of his Reign that said It was a token he
But now my Lords Ambassadors I am to propound unto you somewhat on the King's part The King your Master hath taught our King what to say and demand You say my Lord Prior that your King is resolved to recover his right to Naples wrongfully detained from him And that if he should not thus do he could not acquit his Honour nor answer it to his People Think my Lords that the King our Master saith the same thing over again to you touching Normandy Guien Anjou yea and the Kingdom of France it self I cannot express it better than in your own words If therefore the French King shall consent that the King our Master's Title to France at least Tribute for the same be handled in the Treaty the King is content to go on with the rest otherwise he refuseth to Treat THE Ambassadors being somewhat abashed with this demand answered in some heat That they doubted not but the King their Sovereign's Sword would be able to maintain his Scepter And they assured themselves he neither could nor would yield to any diminution of the Crown of France either in Territory or Regality But howsoever they were too great matters for them to speak of having no Commission It was replied that the King looked for no other answer from them but would forthwith send his own Ambassadors to the French King There was a question also asked at the table Whether the French King would agree to have the disposing of the Marriage of Britain with an exception and exclusion that he should not marry her himself To which the Ambassadors answered That it was so far out of their King's thoughts as they had received no Instruction touching the same Thus were the Ambassadors dismissed all save the Prior and were followed immediately by Thomas Earl of Ormond and Thomas Goldenston Prior of Christ-Church in Canterbury who were presently sent over into France In the mean space Lionel Bishop of Concordia was sent as Nuntio from Pope Alexander the sixth to both Kings to move a Peace between them For Pope Alexander finding himself pent and lockt up by a League and Association of the principal States of Italy that he could not make his way for the advancement of his own House which he immoderately thirsted after was desirous to trouble the waters in Italy that he might fish the better casting the Net not out of St. Peter's but out of Borgia's Bark And doubting lest the fear from England might stay the French King's voyage into Italy dispatched this Bishop to compose all matters between the two Kings if he could Who first repaired to the French King and finding him well inclined as he conceived took on his Journey towards England and found the English Ambassadors at Calice on their way towards the French King After some conference with them he was in honourable manner transported over into England where he had audience of the King But notwithstanding he had a good ominous name to have made a Peace nothing followed For in the mean time the purpose of the French King to marry the Duchess could be no longer dissembled Wherefore the English Ambassadors finding how things went took their leave and returned And the Prior also was warned from hence to depart out of England Who when he turned his back more like a Pedant than an Ambassador dispersed a bitter Libel in Latin Verse against the King unto which the King though he had nothing of a Pedant yet was content to cause an answer to be made in like Verse and that as speaking in his own person but in a stile of scorn and sport About this time also was born the King's second Son Henry who afterward relgned And soon after followed the solemnization of the Marriage between Charles and Ann Duchess of Britain with whom he received the Duchy of Britain as her Dowry the Daughter of Maximilian being a little before sent home Which when it came to the ears of Maximilian who would never believe it till it was done being ever the Principal in deceiving himself though in this the French King did very handsomly second it and tumbling it over and over in his thoughts that he should at one blow with such a double scorn be defeated both of the Marriage of his Daughter and his own upon both which he had fixed high imaginations he lost all patience and casting off the Respects fit to be continued between great Kings even when their blood is hottest and most risen fell to bitter Invectives against the person and actions of the French King And by how much he was the less able to do talking so much the more spake all the Injuries he could devise of Charles saying That he was the most Perfidious man upon the earth and that he had made a Marriage compounded between an Advoutry and a Rape which was done he said by the just judgment of God to the end that the Nullity thereof being so apparent to all the World the Race of so unworthy a person might not reign in France And forthwith he sent Ambassadors as well to the King of England as to the King of Spain to incite them to War and to treat a League offensive against France promising to concur with great Forces of his own Hereupon the King of England going nevertheless his own way called a Parliament it being the seventh year of his Reign and the first day of opening thereof sitting under his Cloth of Estate spake himself unto his Lords and Commons in this manner MY Lords and you the Commons When I purposed to make a War in Britain by my Lieutenant I made declaration thereof to you by my Chancellor But now that I mean to make a War upon France in Person I will declare it to you my Self That War was to defend another man's right but this is to recever our own and that ended by Accident but we hope this shall end in Victory The French King troubles the Christian World That which he hath is not his own and yet he seeketh more He hath invested himself of Britain he maintaineth the Rebels in Flanders and he threatneth Italy For Our Selves he hath proceeded from Dissimulation to Neglect and from Neglect to Contumely He hath assailed our Confederates he denieth our Tribute in a word he seeks War So did not his Father but sought Peace at our hands and so perhaps will be when good Counsel or Time shall make him see as much as his Father did Mean-while let us make his Ambition our Advantage and let us not stand upon a few Crowns of Tribute or Acknowledgement but by the favour of Almighty GOD try Our Right for the Crown of France it self remembring that there hath been a French King Prisoner in England and a King of England Crowned in France Our Confederates are not diminished Burgundy is in a mightier Hand than ever and never more provoked Britain cannot help us but it may hurt them New Acquests are more Burthen than Strength
nourish these bruits And it was not long ere these rumors of Novelty had begotten others of Scandal and Murmur against the King and his government taxing him for a great Taxer of his People and discountenancer of his Nobility The loss of Britain and the Peace with France were not forgotten But chiefly they fell upon the wrong that he did his Queen in that he did not reign in her Right Wherefore they said that God had now brought to light a Masculine-Branch of the House of York that would not be at his Courtesie howsoever he did depress his poor Lady And yet as it fareth in things which are currant with the Multitude and which they affect these Fames grew so general as the Authors were lost in the generality of Speakers They being like running Weeds that have no certain root or like Footings up and down impossible to be traced But after a while these ill Hamors drew to an head and setled secretly in some eminent Persons which were Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houshold the Lord Fitz-water Sir Simon Mountfort Sir Thomas Thwaites These entred into a secret Conspiracy to favour Duke Richard's Title Nevertheless none engaged their fortunes in this business openly but two Sir Robert Clifford and Master William Barley who sailed over into Flanders sent indeed from the Party of the Conspirators here to understand the truth of those things that passed there and not without some help of monies from hence Provisionally to be delivered if they found and were satisfied that there was truth in these pretences The person of Sir Robert Clifford being a Gentleman of Fame and Family was extremely welcome to the Lady Margaret Who after she had confeernce with him brought him to the sight of Perkin with whom he had often speech and discourse So that in the end won either by the Duchess to affect or by Perkin to believe he wrote back into England that he knew the Person of Richard Duke of York as well as he knew his own and that this Young-man was undoubtedly he By this means all things grew prepared to Revolt and Section here and the Conspiracy came to have a Correspondence between Planders and England The King on his part was not asleep but to Arm or levy Forces yet he thought would but shew fear and do this Idol too much worship Nevertheless the Ports he did shut up or at least kept a Watch on them that none should pass to or fro that was suspected But for the rest he chose to work by Counter-mine His purposes were two the one to lay open the Abuse the other to break the knot of the Conspirators To detect the Abuse there were but two ways the first to make it manifest to the world that the Duke of York was indeed murthered the other to prove that were he dead or alive yet Perkin was a Counterfeit For the first thus it stood There were but four persons that could speak upon knowledge to the murther of the Duke of York Sir James Tirrel the employed-man from King Richard John Dighton and Miles Forrest his Servants the two Butchers or Tormentors and the Priest of the Tower that buried them Of which four Miles Forrest and the Priest were dead and there remained alive only Sir James Tirrel and John Dighton These two the King caused to be committed to the Tower and examined touching the manner of the Death of the two Innocent Princes They agreed both in a Tale as the King gave out to this effect That King Richard having directed his Warrant for the putting of them to death to Brackenbury the Lieutenant of the Tower was by him refused Whereupon the King directed his Warrant to Sir James Tirrel to receive the Keys of the Tower from the Lieutenant for the space of a night for the King 's special service That Sir James Tirrel accordingly repaired to the Tower by night attended by his two Servants afore-named whom he had chosen for that purpose That himself stood at the stair-foot and sent these two Villains to execute the murther That they smothered them in their bed and that done called up their Master to see their naked dead bodies which they had laid forth That they were buried under the Stairs and some stones cast upon them That when the report was made to King Richard that his will was done he gave Sir James Tirrel great thanks but took exception to the place of their burial being too base for them that were King's children Where upon another night by the King's Warrant renewed their bodies were removed by the Priest of the Tower and buried by him in some place which by means of the Priest's death soon after could not be known Thus much was then delivered abroad to be the effect of those Examinations But the King nevertheless made no use of them in any of his Declarations whereby as it seems those Examinations left the business somewhat perplexed And as for Sir James Tirrel he was soon after beheaded in the Tower-yard for other matters of Treason But John-Dighton who it seemeth spake best for the King was forthwith set at liberty and was the principal means of divulging this Tradition Therefore this kind of proof being left so naked the King used the more diligence in the latter for the tracing of Perkin To this purpose he sent abroad into several parts and especially into Flanders divers secret and nimble Scouts and Spies some feigning themselves to flie over unto Perkin and to adhere unto him and some under other pretences to learn search and discover all the circumstances and particulars of Perkin's Parents Birth Person Travels up and down and in brief to have a Journal as it were of his life and doings He furnished these his employed-men liberally with Money to draw on and reward intelligences giving them also in charge to advertise continually what they found and nevertheless still to go on And ever as one Advertisement and Discovery called up another he employed other new Men where the Business did require it Others he employed in a more special nature and trust to be his Pioners in the main Counter-mine These were directed to insinuate themselves into the familiarity and confidence of the principal persons of the Party in Flanders and so to learn what Associates they had and Correspondents either here in England or abroad and how far every one engaged and what new ones they meant afterwards to try or board And as this for the Persons so for the Actions themselves to discover to the Bottom as they could the utmost of Perkin's and the Conspirators their Intentions Hopes and Practices These latter Best-be-trust-Spies had some of them further instructions to practise and draw off the best Friends and Servants of Perkin by making remonstrance to them how weakly his Enterprize and Hopes were built and with how prudent and potent a King they had to deal and to reconcile them to the King with
promise of Pardon and good Conditions of Reward And above the rest to assail sap and work into the constancy of Sir Robert Clifford and to win him if they could being the man that knew most of their secrets and who being won away would most appall and discourage the rest and in a manner break the Knot There is a strange Tradition That the King being lost in a Wood of Suspitions and not knowing whom to trust had both intelligence with the Confessors and Chaplains of divers great men and for the better Credit of his Espials abroad with the contrary side did use to have them cursed at St. Pauls by Name amongst the Bead-Roll of the King's Enemies according to the Custom of those Times These Espials plyed their Charge so roundly as the King had an Anatomy of Perkin alive and was likewise well informed of the particular correspondent Conspirators in England and and many other Mysteries were revealed and Sir Robert Clifford in especial won to be assured to the King and industrious and officious for his service The King therefore receiving a rich Return of his diligence and great satisfaction touching a number of Particulars first divulged and spred abroad the Imposture and jugling of Perkin's Person and Travels with the Circumstances thereof throughout the Realm Not by Proclamation because things were yet in Examination and so might receive the more or the less but by Court-fames which commonly print better than printed Proclamations Then thought he it also time to send an Ambassage unto Archduke Philip into Flanders for the abandoning and dismissing of Perkin Herein he employed Sir Edward Poynings and Sir William Warham Doctor of the Canon Law The Archduke was then young and governed by his Council before whom the Embassadors had audience and Doctor Warham spake in this manner MY Lords the King our Master is very sorry that England and your Countrey here of Flanders having been counted as Man and Wife for so long time now this Countrey of all others should be the Stage where a base Counterfeit should play the part of a King of England not only to his Graces disquiet and dishonour but to the scorn and reproach of all Sovereign Princes To counterfeit the dead Image of a King in his Coyn is an high Offence by all Laws But to counterfeit the living Image of a King in his Person exceedeth all Falsifications except it should be that of a Mahomet or an Antichrist that counterfeit Divine Honour The King hath too great an Opinion of this sage Council to think that any of you is caught with this Fable though way may be given by you to the passion of some the thing in it self is so improbable To set Testimonies aside of the Death of Duke Richard which the King hath upon Record plain and infallible 〈◊〉 because they may be thought to be in the King 's own Power let the thing testifie for it self Sense and Reason no Power can command Is it possible trow you that King Richard should damn his Soul and foul his Name with so 〈◊〉 a Murther and yet not mend his Case Or do you think that Men of Blood that were his Instruments did turn to Pity in the middest of their Execution Whereas in cruel and savage Beasts and Men also the first Draught of Blood doth yet make them more fierce and enraged Do you not know that the Bloody Executioners of Tyrants do go to such Errants with an Halter about their neck So that if they perform not they are sure to die for it And do you think that these men would hazard their own lives for sparing anothers Admit they should have saved him What should they have done with him Turn him into London-Streets that the Watch-men or any Passenger that should light upon him might carry him before a Justice and so all come to light Or should they have kept him by them secretly That surely would have required a great deal of Care Charge and continual Fears But my Lords I labour too much in a clear Business The King is so wise and hath so good Friends abroad as now he knoweth Duke Perkin from his Cradle And because he is a great Prince if you have any good Poet here he can help him with Notes to write his Life and to parallel him with Lambert Simnel now the King's Falconer And therefore to speak plainly to your Lordships it is the strangest thing in the World that the Lady Margaret excuse us if we name her whose Malice to the King is both causlless and endless should now when she is old at the time when other Women give over Child-bearing bring forth two such Monsters being not the Births of nine or ten Months but of many Years And whereas other natural Mothers bring forth Children weak and not able to help themselves she bringeth forth tall Striplings able soon after their coming into the World to bid Battel to mighty Kings My Lords we stay unwillingly upon this Part. We would to God that Lady would once tast the Joys which God Almighty doth serve up unto her in beholding her Niece to Reign in such Honour and with so much Royal Issue which she might be pleased to accompt as her own The Kings Request unto the Archduke and your Lordships might be That according to the example of King Charles who hath already discarded him you would banish this unworthy Fellow out of your Dominions But because the King may justly expect more from an ancient Confederate than from a new reconciled Enemy he maketh his Request unto you to deliver him up into his hands Pirates and Impostures of this sort being fit to be accounted the Common Enemies of Mankind and no ways to be protected by the Law of Nations After some time of deliberation the Ambassadors received this short Answer THat the Archduke for the love of King Henry would in no sort ayd or assist the pretended Duke but in all things conserve the Amity he had with the King But for the Duchess Dowager she was absolute in the Lands of her Dowry and that he could not let her to dispose of her own THE King upon the return of the Ambassadors was nothing satisfied with this Answer For well he knew that a Patrimonial Dowry carried no part of Sovereignty or Command of Forces Besides the Ambassadors told him plainly that they saw the Duchess had a great Party in the Archduke's Council and that howsoever it was carried in a course of connivence yet the Archduke under-hand gave ayd and furtherance to Perkin Wherefore partly out of Courage and partly out of Policy the King forthwith banished all Flemings as well their Persons as their Wares out of his Kingdom commanding his Subjects likewise and by name his Merchants-Adventurers which had a Resiance in Antwerp to return translating the Mart which commonly followed the English Cloth unto Calice and embarred also all further Trade for the future This the King did being sensible in point of
the Continent of America towards the North-west And it may be that some Relation of this nature coming afterwards to the knowledge of Columbus and by him suppressed desirous rather to make his Enterprize the Child of his Science and Fortune than the Follower of a former Discovery did give him better assurance that all was not Sea from the West of Europe and Africk unto Asia than either Seneca's Prophesie or Plato's Antiquities or the Nature of the Tides and Land-winds and the like which were the Conjectures that were given out whereupon he should have relyed Though I am not ignorant that it was likewise laid unto the casual and wind-beaten Discovery a little before of a Spanish Pilot who dyed in the house of Columbus But this Gabato bearing the King in hand that he would find out an Island endued with rich Commodities procured him to man and victual a Ship at Bristow for the discovery of that Island With whom ventured also three small Ships of London-Merchants fraught with some gross and sleight Wares fit for Commerce with barbarous people He sayled as he affirmed at his return and made a Card thereof very far Westwards with a Quarter of the North on the North-side of Tierra de Labrador until he came to the Latitude of sixty seven Degrees and an half finding the Seas still open It is certain also that the King's Fortune had a tender of that great Empire of the West-Indies Neither was it a Refusal on the King's part but a Delay by accident that put by so great an Acquest For Christopherus Columbus refused by the King of Portugal who would not embrace at once both East and West employed his Brother Bartholomaus Columbus unto King Henry to negotiate for his Discovery And it so fortuned that he was taken by Pirates at Sea by which accidental impediment he was long ere he came to the King So long that before he had obtained a Capitulation with the King for his Brother the Enterprize by him was atchieved and so the West-Indies by Providence were then reserved for the Crown of Castilia Yet this sharpened the King so that not only in this Voyage but again in the Sixteenth year of his Reign and likewise in the Eighteenth thereof he granted forth new Commissions for the Discovery and investing of unknown Lands In this Fourteenth year also by God's wonderful providence that boweth things unto his will and hangeth great Weights upon small Wires there fell out a trifling and untoward Accident that drew on great and happy effects During the Truce with Scotland there were certain Scottish young Gentleman that came into Norham Town and there made merry with some of the English of the Town And having little to do went sometimes forth and would stand looking upon the Castle Some of the Garrison of the Castle observing this their doing twice or thrice and having not their minds purged of the late ill blood of Hostility either suspected them or quarrelled them for Spies Whereupon they fell at ill Words and from Words to Blows so that many were wounded of either side and the Scottish-men being strangers in the Town had the worst In so much as some of them were slain and the rest made haste home The matter being complained on and often debated before the Wardens of the Marches of both sides and no good order taken the King of Scotland took it to himself and being much kindled sent a Herald to the King to make Protestation That if Reparation were not done according to the Conditions of the Truce his King did denounce War The King who had often tryed Fortune and was inclined to Peace made answer That what had been done was utterly against his will and without his Privity But if the Garrison-Souldiers had been in fault he would see them punished and the Truce in all points to be preserved But this answer seemed to the Scottish King but a delay to make the complaint breathe out with time and therefore it did rather exaspetare him than satisfie him Bishop Fox understanding from the King that the Scottish King was still discontent and impatient being troubled that the occasion of breaking of the Truce should grow from his men sent many humble and deprecatory Letters to the Scottish King to appease him Whereupon King James mollified by the Bishop's submiss and eloquent Letters wrote back unto him That though he were in part moved by his Letters yet he should not be fully satisfied except he spake with him as well about the compounding of the present differences as about other matters that might concern the good of both Kingdoms The Bishop advising first with the King took his Journey for Scotland The meeting was at Metross an Abbey of the Cestercians where the King then abode The King first roundly uttered unto the Bishop his offence conceived for the insolent Breach of Truce by his men of Norham Castle Whereunto Bishop Fox made such an humble and smooth answer as it was like Oyl into the wound whereby it began to heal And this was done in the presence of the King and his Council After the King spake with the Bishop apart and opened himself unto him saying That these temporary Truces and Peaces were soon made and soon broken But that he desired a straiter Amity with the King of England discovering his mind that if the King would give him in Marriage the Lady Margaret his eldest Daughter That indeed might be a Knot indissoluble That he knew well what Place and Authority the Bishop deservedly had with his Master Therefore if he would take the business to heart and deal in it effectually he doubted not but it would succeed well The Bishop answered soberly that he thought himself rather happy than worthy to be an instrument in such a matter but would do his best endeavour Wherefore the Bishop returning to the King and giving account what had passed and finding the King more than well disposed in it gave the King advice first to proceed to a Conclusion of Peace and then to go on with the Treaty of Marriage by degrees Hereupon a Peace was concluded which was published a little before Christmas in the Fourteenth year of the King's Reign to continue for both the Kings lives and the overliver of them and a year after In this Peace there was an Article contained that no English-man should enter into Scotland and no Scottish-man into England without Letters Commendatory from the Kings of either Nation This at the first sight might seem a means to continue a strangeness between the Nations but it was done to lock in the Borderers This year there was also born to the King a third Son who was christned by the name of Edmund and shortly after dyed And much about the same time came news of the death of Charles the French King For whom there were celebrated Solemn and Princely Obsequies It was not long but Perkin who was made of Quick-silver which is hard
he must needs be some way though perhaps unwillingly faulty The addition of some aspersions withal were thought not to be amiss which if not true should at least carry a shew of truth That the Emperour practised something in this kind the consequences make it more than probable Henry being a noble Prince and one that scorned money as much as any one breathing was glad of the Emperour 's coming yet was his Treasury very bare and so great a Guest could not be entertained without as great expences Charles upon notice of the King's pleasure attended by the Marquess of Dorset the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield the Lord De La-ware and others of the English Nobility comes from Graveling to Calais from whence he passed to Dover where he was received by the Cardinal who was accompanied with two Earls ten Bishops ten Abbots thirty six Knights a hundred Gentlemen thirty Priests all these apparelled in Velvet and at least seven hundred Servants Two days he staid at Dover before the King came At length he came and welcomed him with all Princely entertainment professing that no greater happiness could betide him on earth than the enjoying his Majesty's most desired company though but for so short a time From Dover taking Canterbury in the way they came to Greenwich where the Queen awaited the longed for presence of her Nephew From thence to London where they were received by the Citizens with the solemnities usual at the Coronation of our Kings At Whitsontide both Princes came to Pauls where they heard the Cardinal say Mass. Sports agreeable to the entertainment of such a Guest were not wanting But when mention was made of renewing the League Windsor was thought fittest for the Treaty it being not above twenty miles from London and a place altogether as it were composed for pleasure Windsor is situated in a large Plain upon the banks of the River Thames The Castle being the chiefest in England for strength comparable to that of Dover but far exceeding it in greatness and beauty is built on a hill This Castle contains besides the King's Court a goodly Church by Edward the Third dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and St. George adjoyning to which is the College where are the houses of the Dean Prebendaries and Vicars Choral where also live twelve Souldiers discharged of the Wars called Knights and having pensions who in their habits are bound daily to frequent the Church there to pray unto God for the Knights of the Illustrious Order of the Garter Of this Order the Castle is the Seat where according to the first Institution the Knights are to be installed on certain days are to Offer and to do some other duties Here upon Corpus Christi day these Princes having on the Robes of the Order in their stalls heard Mass and receiving the Sacrament bound themselves by Oath inviolably to observe the Conditions of this new League the chief Articles whereof were these That they should with joint and as great Forces as they could invade France That the Emperour should yearly pay to the King as much as was due to Him and his Sister from the French viz. 133000 Crowns That the Emperour should at convenient years take to Wife his Cousin-german the Lady Mary the King 's only Child who after reigned and at age of forty years was married to Philip the Emperour's Son That he by whose default it should happen that this match should not succeed should pay the other 500000 Crowns And for assurance of this the Emperour should put St. Omers and Aires into the King's hands One would have thought it had passed the reach of humane policy to have dissolved this band But shortly after broken it was and could never after be firmly knit again After eight days stay at Windsor these Princes went to Winchester and from thence to Southampton where was the Emperour's Fleet consisting of a hundred and eighty Ships Here on the first of July the Emperour took Ship and made for Spain In the mean time the Earl of Surrey having gathered a Fleet landed near Morleys in Bretaigne forced the Town and burned it And having wasted all the Countrey thereabout he went into Picardy to joyn with the Imperials Some Forts they took and razed They besieged Hesdin but without success For Winter coming on and our men dying apace of the Flux they were fain to set sail homeward I will conclude this year with an ignominious and fatal loss to Christendom the Isle of Rhodes being on Christmas-day taken by the Turks while Christian Princes disagreeing about matters of nothing ruine themselves and invite the Miscreant to propagate his long since too too formidable Empire God grant they may at length considering the common danger rouze up themselves and with joint-resistance repell this Enemy of Christ's Cross who although he be far enough from some is too near to the farthest ANNO DOM. 1523. REG. 15. C Hristiern the Second King of Denmark by the rebellion of his Subjects driven out of his Kingdom had resided some while with the Emperour whose Sister he had married The fifteenth of June accompanied with his Wife Niece to Queen Katherine he landed at Dover At London they abode some days with that due honour that kindred and Princes give to one another The fifth of July they returned toward Calais In the mean time a Parliament was held at London wherein the States being certified of the necessity of War and what a fair occasion was offered for the recovery of France but that the War was like to be defective in regard of the weakness of its sinews a great summ of money was easily granted The Kings of France exact money of their Subjects at their pleasure the Kings of England do not usually without a Parliament wherein the pretence of War with France was wont to be a great motive of the Subjects liberality And indeed France was at this time greatly distracted being oppressed with so many Enemies abroad and having to do with undermining Treachery at home insomuch that our advantages if wisely followed seemed to promise us whatsoever we could hope for Francis was on the one side pressed with the War of Milan on the other side by the Emperour At home Charles Duke of Bourbon revolted from him by Letters inciting our King to the recovery of his hereditary as he acknowledged Right in France whereto respectless of pain or peril he promised his faithful assistance Neither was this offer to be slighted for he had conceived an implacable hatred against his Prince and was able to make a great party in France His valour and experience were after manifested by the greatness of his exploits performed in a short space Francis being taken prisoner by him Rome sacked by his conduct the Pope besieged in the Castle of St. Angelo and fain at last to ransom himself and his Cardinals at a mighty rate These notable advantages were all let slip through
devotion He therefore resolved to endeavour the Advancement of Wolsey to the Chair from whom he promised to himself a success answerable to his desires Henry therefore sends away speedy Posts to Gardiner with with ample instructions in the behalf of Wolsey willing him to work the Cardinals some with promises others with gifts some with threats others with perswasions and to omit no means that might be any way available But this was to build Castles in the Air. The messenger had scarce set forth when report that had made Clement dead had again revived him ANNO DOM. 1527. REG. 19. THe sixth of May Rome was taken and sacked by the Imperials under the conduct of the Duke of Bourbon who was himself slain in the assault marching in the head of his Troops The Pope Cardinals Ambassadors of Princes and other Nobles hardly escaping into the Castle of St. Angelo were there for some days besieged At length despairing of succours and victuals failing the Pope for fear he should fall into the hands of the Lansquenets for the most part seasoned with Luther's Doctrine and therefore passionate enemies to the See of Rome agreeth with the Prince of Auranges after the death of the Duke of Bourbon chosen General by the Army yielding himself and the Cardinals to him who kept them close Prisoners in the Castle Rome was now subject to all kind of cruelty and insolencies usual to a conquered City intended for destruction Beside Slaughter Spoil Rapes Ruine the Pope and Cardinals were the sport and mockery of the licentious multitude Henry pretended much grief at this news but was inwardly glad that such an occasion was offered whereby he might oblige Clement in all likelihood as he had just cause offended with the Emperour for this so insolent and harsh proceeding Whereupon he dispatcheth Wolsey into France who should intimate to the King his perpetual Ally what a scandal it was to all Christendom that the Head of it should be oppressed with Captivity a thing which did more especially concern Francis his affairs The Cardinal set forth from London about the beginning of July accompanied with nine hundred Horse among which were many Nobles the Archbishop of Dublin the Bishop of London the Earl of Derby the Lords Sands Montegle and Harendon besides many Knights and Gentlemen Wolsey found the French King at Amiens where it is agreed that at the common charge of both Princes War shall be maintained in Italy to set the Pope at liberty and to restore him to the possessions of the Church Henry contributing for his part thirty thousand Pounds sterling a month Upon the return of the Cardinal Francis sent into England Montmorency Lord Steward and Mareschal of France for the confirmation of this League and to invest the King with the Order of St. Michael He arrived in England about the middle of October accompanied with John Bellay Bishop of Bayeux afterward Cardinal the Lord of Brion and among others Martin Bellay the Writer of the French History who in this manner describes the passages of this Embassage Montmorency arriving at Dover was honourably received by many Bishops and Gentlemen sent by the King who brought him to London where he was met by twelve hundred Horse who conducted him to his lodging in the Bishop of London's Palace Two days after he went by water to Greenwich four miles beneath London where the King oft resideth There he was very sumptuously entertained by the King and the Cardinal of York Having had Audience the Cardinal having often accompanied him at London and Greenwich brought him to a house which he had built a little before ten miles above London seated upon the banks of Thames called Hampton Court. The Cardinal gave it afterward to the King and it is this day one of the King 's chiefest houses The Ambassador with all his Attendants was there feasted by him four or five days together The Chambers had hangings of wonderful value and every place did glitter with innumerable vessels of Gold and Silver There were two hundred and fourscore Beds the furniture to most of them being Silk and all for the entertainment of Strangers only Returning to London we were on St. Martin's day invited by the King to Greenwich to a Banquet the most sumptuous that ever I beheld whether you consider the Dishes or the Masques and Plays wherein the Lady Mary the King's Daughter acted a part To conclude the King and Montmorency having taken the Sacrament together the King for himself Montmorency in the behalf of Francis swore the observation of the League The King bestowed great gifts on every one and dismissed Montmorency who left the Bishop of Bayeux Leiger for his King to endeavour the continuance of the amity begun between these Princes Shortly after were sent into France Sir Thomas Bolen Viscount Rochfort and Sir Anthony Brown Knight who together with John Clerre Bishop of Bath and Wells Leiger in France should take the French King's Oath not to violate the late League in any part and to present him with the Order of the Garter We had now made France ours Nothing remained but to let the Emperour know the effects of the late Confederacy To this end Sir Francis Pointz and 〈◊〉 King at Arms are dispatched away to the Emperour to demand the molety of the booty gotten in the Battel of Pavy and the Duke of Orleans one of the French King's Sons left Hostage for his Father to be delivered to Henry who had born a share in the charges of that War and therefore expected to partake in the gains To command him to draw his Army out of Italy and not to disturb the peace of Christendom by molesting Christ's Vicar This if he refused to do neither was there expectation of any thing else they should forthwith defie him They execute their Commission and perceiving nothing to be obtained Clarencieux and a certain French Herald being admitted to the Emperour's presence do in the names of both King 's proclaim War against him Charles accepts it chearfully But the Ambassadors of France Venice and Florence craving leave to depart are committed to safe custody until it be known what is become of his Ambassadors with these Estates The report hereof flies into England and withal that Sir Francis Pointz and Clarencieux were committed with the rest Whereupon the Emperour's Ambassador is detained until the truth be known as it shortly was by the safe return of them both But Sir Francis Pointz about the beginning of the next Summer died suddenly in the Court being infected with the Sweating Sickness The same happening to divers other Courtiers and the infection spreading it self over London the Term was adjourned and the King fain to keep a running Court But these were the accidents of the ensuing year ANNO DOM. 1528. REG. 20. POpe Clement was of himself naturally slow but his own ends made him beyond the infirmity of his nature protract time in this cause concerning the
which after death must necessarily undergo eternal and inevitable torments if being admonished of so horrible an Incest We should not endeavour an amendment And for your parts you cannot but foresee how great dangers by reason of this doubt do threaten you and your Posterity Being therefore desirous as the case indeed required to be resolved in this point We first conferred with Our Friends and then with the most learned in the Laws both Divine and Humane who indeed were so far from satisfying Us that they left Us more perplexed ' We therefore had recourse to the Holy Apostolick See to the Decree whereof we think it fitting that Our Self and all others should be obedient To this and no other end We call immortal God to witness have We procured this Venerable Legate As for the Queen Our most beloved Consort whatsoever women may tattle or ill willers mutter in private We do willingly and ingenuously profess that in nobleness of Mind she far transcends the greatness of her Birth So that if We were now at liberty and free for a second choice We take God to witness among all the plenty of the worlds Beauties we would not make choice of any other if lawfully we might than of this Our now Queen one in regard of her mildness wisdom humility sanctity of mind and conversation We are verily perswaded not to be paralleled But when We consider that We are bestowed on the world to other ends than the pursuit of Our own pleasures We have thought it meet rather to undergo the hazard of an uncertain judgment than to commit impiety against God the liberal Giver of all blessings and ingratitude against Our Countrey the weal and safety whereof each one should prefer before his private life or fortunes Thus much have you heard from Our own mouth And we hope that you will hereafter give no heed either to seditious detractions or idle rumours of the people This Oration took according to the divers dispositions of the hearers some lamenting the Kings but many more the Queens case every one doubting and fearful of the event Some few weary of the present estate desired a change even to worse rather than a continuance of the present And by these the course the King had taken not approved by the vulgar as pious and imposed on him by his own and the publick necessity was according to the nature of hopeful flattery most highly applauded ANNO DOM. 1529. REG. 21. AT length about the beginning of April the King residing at Bridewel at the Black Friers in London began the Suit concerning the King's Divorce There was that to be seen the like whereof the Histories of no other Nation afford A most puissant Monarch actually Sovereign and bearing rule in his Realm being cited by the voice of an Apparitor made his appearance personally before the Judges The Ceremonies in a matter so unusual and indeed otherwise of great moment require an accurate and large relation beyond the intended shortness of this History A Chair of State whereto was an ascent of some steps was placed above for the King and by the side of it another but a little lower for the Queen Before the King at the fourth step sate the Legates but so as the one seemed to sit at his right hand the other at the left Next to the Legates stood the Apparitors and other Officers of the Court and among them Gardiner after Bishop of Winchester appointed Register in this business Before the Judges within the limits of the Court sate the Archbishop of Canterbury with all the other Bishops of the Realm At the farther end of each side were the Advocates and Proctors retained for each party For the King Sampson after Bishop of Chichester Bell after Bishop of Worcester Tregonel and Peters Father to the now Lord Peters all Doctors of Law For the Queen Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Standish Bishop of St. Assaph with Ridley Doctor whether of Divinity or Law I know not but one who had the esteem of a very Learned man All things being thus formally ordered the Apparitor willed by the Register to cite the King cryed Henry King of England come into the Court who answered Here I am The Queen being likewise cited Catharine Queen of England come into the Court made no answer but rising from her seat went directly to the King to whom on her knees purposely raising her voice that every one might hear her she is reported to have spoken to this effect Sir I humbly beseech your Majesty so to deal with me at this present that I may neither have cause to complain of Injustice nor that you have debarred me the favour of your wonted Clemency I am here a Woman and a Stranger destitute of Friends and Counsel so that plead for my self I cannot and whom I may else employ I know not My kindred and Friends are far off neither can I safely rely on any here in a matter of so great consequence They that are here retained for me are no other than whom you have been pleased to appoint and are your own Subjects who if they would deal uprightly which few will believe they dare do yet can they not here withstand your determinate will and pleasure But what have wretched I committed that after twenty years spent in peaceable Wedlock and having born you so many Children you should now at length think of putting me away I was I confess the Widow of your Brother if at least she may be accounted a Widow whom her Husband never knew For I take Almighty God to witness and I am perswaded you cannot be ignorant of it that I came to your bed an unspotted Virgin from which time how I have behaved my self I am content to appeal even to them whosoever they are that do wish me least good Certainly whatsoever their Verdict may be you have always found me a most faithful Servant I may better say than Wife having never to my knowledge withstood your pleasure so much as in shew I always loved those whom I thought you favoured without questioning their deserts I so carefully farthered and procured your pleasures that I rather fear I have offended God in too much endeavouring your content than that I have any way failed in the least performance of my duty By this my observance unto you if so be you ever thought it worthy of regard by our common Issue by the memory of my Father whom you sometimes held dear I do humbly beg that you would be pleased to defer the farther hearing of this cause until having sent into Spain I may thence be advised by my Friends in this case what course to take If then in Justice it shall be thought meet to rend me from you a part of whom I have so long been the apprehension whereof doth more terrifie me than death I will even in this continue my long observed course of obedience But as often as I bethink me of
himself wholly from the obedience of Rome for as much as it was a matter of great danger He would therefore advise him once more by Ambassadors to Rome to signifie that he was not utterly averse from a reconciliation which if he did he made no doubt but all things would succeed to his mind Henry was certain of enjoying his Love and let the Pope decree what he list was resolved to keep her He had been formerly abused by the Court of Rome and was loath to make farther trial of their dilatory proceedings Yet had Bellay prevailed so far with him that he would be content once more to submit himself to the Church of Rome if he could be assured of the Pope's intention to do him equity The Bishop conceiving some hopes of a peace although it were in the Winter time goes himself to Rome gives the Pope an account of his actions and certifies him that the matter was not yet desperate Whereupon a day is appointed by which a Post returning from the King was to give notice of an intended Embassy But the Consistory gave so short a time to have an answer that the Post came short two days at his return The term expired they proceed hastily to the confirmation of their Censures notwithstanding the Bishop's instance to obtain six days more for as much as contrary winds or some other chance might hinder the Messenger and six days would be no great matter considering the King had wavered six whole years before he fell The more moderate thought the Bishop demanded but reason but the preposterous haste of the greater sort prevailed Two days were scarce past after the prefixed time but the Post arriving with ample authority and instructions from England did greatly amaze those hasty Cardinals who afterwards would fain but could not find any means to mend what they had so rashly marred For the matter to please the Emperour was so hudled up as that which could not ritely be finished in three Consistories was done in one So the King and the whole Realm was interdicted the Bull whereof the Messengers not daring to come nearer was brought to Dunkirk The report hereof coming to the King he lays all the blame on the Lady Catharine Whereupon the Duke of Suffolk was sent to lessen her Houshold They who might be any way suspected to have been employed by her in this business are turned away the rest are commanded to take their Oaths to serve her as Princess of Wales not as Queen of England They that refuse are cashiered and they that are content to swear are by her cast off so that for a time she had few or no Attendants In the mean time on the three and twentieth of June died Mary Queen of France the King's Sister and was buried in the Abbey of St. Edmundsbury ANNO DOM. 1534. REG. 26. ABout this time was discovered the grand Imposture of Elizabeth Barton which brought her to a deserved end She had formerly been sick of a strange disease which not only afflicted her inwardly but as often as her fitt took her so wonderfully distorted her mouth and other parts of her body that most were of opinion it could not proceed from any natural cause But Custom growing to a second Nature the continuance of the disease had taught her to distort her body after her recovery in the same manner as when she was sick Hoping to make a profit of this her counterfeit Convulsion she imparted the secret to the Curate of the Parish by whose device after long deliberation between them it was agreed that she should often feign her self to be in an Ecstasie and whereas she was wont when the fitt seised her to lie still without motion as if she had been dead she should now sometimes utter some godly sentences inveigh against the wickedness of the times but especially against Hereticks and broachers of new Opinions and should relate strange Visions revealed by God to her in the time of her Ecstasie By these jugling tricks not only among the Vulgar who termed her the Holy Maid of Kent but among the wiser sort such as were Archbishop Warham Bishop Fisher and others her sanctity was held in admiration The Imposture taking so generally her boldness increased She prefixeth a day whereon she shall be restored to perfect health and the means of her recovery must be procured forsooth by a Pilgrimage to some certain Image of our Lady The day came and she being brought to the place by the like cozenage deceived a great number of people whom the expectation of the Miracle had drawn thither and at last as if she had just then shaken off her disease she appears whole and straight unto them all saying That by especial command from God she must become a Nun and that one Dr. Bocking a Monk of Canterbury there present was ordained to be her Confessor which office he willingly undertook under pretext whereof this Nun living at Canterbury Bocking often resorted to her not without suspition of dishonesty The intended Divorce from Catharine and Marriage with Ann Bolen had much appalled most part of the Clergy for then a necessity was imposed on the King of a divorce from the Papal See in which the Church and all Ecclesiastical persons were likely to suffer The apprehension whereof wrought so with Bocking that making others conscious of the intent he perswaded Elizabeth Barton by denuntiation of God's revealed judgments to deterr the King from his purposed change She according as she was instructed proclaims it abroad That the King adventuring to marry another Catharine surviving should if in the mean time he died not some infamous death within one month after be deprived of his Kingdom The King hears of it and causeth the Impostrix to be apprehended who upon examination discovered the rest of the Conspirators who were all committed to prison until the next Parliament should determine of them Elizabeth Barton Bocking Masters the afore mentioned Curate of the Parish Deering and Risby Monks with Gold a Priest are by the Parliament adjudged to die The Bishop of Rochester and Adeson his Chaplain one Abel a Priest Laurence the Archdeacon of Canterbury his Register and Thomas Gold Gentleman for having heard many things whereby they might guess at the intents of the Conspirators and not acquainting the Magistrate with them are as accessory condemned in a Praemunire confiseation of their goods and perpetual imprisonment Elizabeth Barton and her Companions having each of them after a Sermon at Pauls Cross publickly confessed the Imposture are on the twentieth of April hanged and their Heads set over the Gates of the City By the same Parliament the authority of the Convocation to make Canonical Constitutions unless the King give his Royal assent is abrogated It is also enacted That the Collocation of all Bishopricks the Sees being vacant should henceforth be at the King's dispose and that no man should be chosen by the Chapter or
beginning of her Sickness her friends supposing that she grieved at the absence of her Husband whom she saw so engaged in Wars abroad that she could not hope for his speedy return used consolatory means and endeavoured to remove from her that fixed sadness wherewith she seemed to be oppressed But she utterly averse from all comfort and giving her self over to melancholy told them That she died but that of the true cause of her Death they were ignorant which if they were desirous to know they should after her death dissect her Heart and there they should find Calais Intimating thereby that the loss of Calais had occasioned this fatal grief which was thought to have been increased by the Death of the Emperour her Father-in-Law But the truth is her Liver being over-cooled by a Mole these things peradventure might hasten her end which could not otherwise be far from her and cast her by degrees into that kind of Dropsie which Physicians term Ascites This Dropsie being not discovered in time deceived her Physicians who believed that she had conceived by King Philip whereas she alas did breed nothing but her own Death So mature remedies being not applied and she not observing a fit Diet she fell into a Fever which increasing by little and little at last ended in her Death She lieth interred at Westminster in the midst of that Chappel which is on the North side of her Grandfather Henry the Seventh his Monument where her Sister Queen Elizabeth was after Buried with her and over both by the pious Liberality of that most Munificent Prince King James hath since been erected a most stately Monument well befitting the Majesty of such great Monarchs QVEEN ELIZABETH ANNO DOM. 1558. HAving thus briefly run over the Reigns of these three Princes Queen Elizabeth's times in the next place offer themselves which deservedly requiring a more accurate Style I will here set a period to this Work not so much with intent to pretermit them as reserving them for a more exact labour In the mean time to give some satisfaction to the Reader I will make this short Addition Some few hours after the decease of Queen Mary the Estates then assembled in Parliament on the seventeenth of November declared her Sister the Lady Elizabeth Queen who was Daughter to Henry the Eighth and Ann Bolen Having most gloriously reigned forty four years four months and seven days she ended her Life and Reign on the four and twentieth of March Anno 1603 the Crown being by her death devolved to the renowned King of Scots James the Sixth to whom it was so far from feeling it a burthen to have succeeded so good a Princess that never was any Prince received with greater Applause and Gratulation of his People Many think their condition happy if they exchange a Caligula for a Claudius or a Nero for a Vitellius or an Otho But that any Mortal should please after Elizabeth may seem a Miracle and is a great argument both of rare Virtue in the succeeding King and of a right Judgment in the Subject For this great Lady was so far beyond Example that even the best Princes come short of her and they who most inveigh against that Sex contend that Woman is incapable of those Virtues in her most eminent Wisdom Clemency variety of Languages and Magnanimity equal to that of Men to which I add fervent Zeal of Piety and true Religion But in these things peradventure some one or other may equal her What I shall beyond all this speak of her and let me speak it without offence to my most Excellent Sovereign James the Pattern of Princes the Mirrour of our Age the Delight of Britain no Age hath hitherto parallel'd nor if my Augury fail not none ever shall That a Woman and if that be not enough a Virgin destitute of the help of Parents Brothers Husband being surrounded with Enemies the Pope thundring the Spaniard threatning the French scarce dissembling his secret hate as many of the neighbouring Princes as were devoted to Rome clashing about her should contain this Warlike Nation not only in Obedience but in Peace also and beyond all this Popery being profligated in the true Divine Worship Hence it comes to pass that England which is among the rest of it self a Miracle hath not these many years heard the noise of War and that our Church which she found much distracted transcends all others of the Christian World For you shall at this day scarce find any Church which either defiled with Popish Superstitions or despoiled of those Revenues which should maintain Professors of the Truth hath not laid open a way to all kind of Errours gross Ignorance in Learning especially Divine and at length to Ethnick Barbarousness But to what end do I insist on these or the like they being sufficiently known even to the Barbarians themselves and Fame having trumpetted them throughout the World Which things when and how they were done how bountifully she aided and relieved her Allies how bravely she resisted brake vanquished her Enemies I have a desire in a continued History to declare and will God willing declare if I can attain to the true intelligence of the passages of those times have leisure for the compiling it and that no other more able than my self which I wish may happen in the mean time engage themselves therein LAUS DEO * * The Original of this Proclamation remaineth with Sir Robert 〈◊〉 a worthy Preserver and Treasurer of rare Antiquities from whose Manuscripts I have had much light for the furnishing of this Work His Privy-Council The Funerals of K. Henry the Seventh St. Stephen's Chappel The Coronation of Henry the Eighth His Marriage The death of Lady Margaret Countess of Richmond Empson and Dudley An Expedition into Africk Into Gueldres Barton a Pirat taken War with France A fruitless Voyage into Spain The Spaniard seiseth on Navarr The Lord Admiral drowned Terovenne besieged The Battel of Spurs Terovenne yielded Maximilian the Emperor serveth under King Henry The Siege of Tournay Tournay yielded Wolsey Bishop of Tournay The King of Scots slaim Flodden-Field The descent and Honours of the Howards Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Charles Somerset Earl of Worcester Peace with France The Lady Mary the King's Sister married to Lewis the Twelfth King of France Cardinal Wolfey A breach with France The Star-Chamber and The Court of Requests instituted by Wolsey Ill May-day The Sweating-Sickness Peace with France The death of the Emperour Maximilian The Emperour Charles the Fifth in England Canterbury Interview betwixt the Kings of England and France Henry visits Emperour at Graveling The Duke of Buckingham accused of Treason King Henry writeth against Luther Luther's departure from the Church of Rome The Kings of England by the Pope stiled Defender of the Faith The death of Leo the Tenth Cardinal Wolsey and others sins Ambassadors to the Emperour and French King The Emperour Charles the second time in England Windsor The
the Rebels camp 21 Espousals of James King of Scotland and Lady Margaret 118 Exchanges unlawful prohibited 40 Exceter besieged by Perkin 102 the Loyalty of the Town 103 the Town rewarded with the King 's own Sword 105 Execution of Humphrey Stafford 12 John a Chamber and his fellow-Rebels at York 41 Sir James Tyrril murderer of King Edward's two Sons 71 of divers others 75 Sir William Stanley 77 Rebels 79 Perkin's company 81 Audley and Cornish Rebels 96 another counterfeit Earl of Warw. 110 Perkin Warbeck 111 the Mayor of Cork and his Son ibid. Earl of Warwick ibid. F. FAme ill affected 97 Fame entertained by divers the reasons of it 70 Fame neglected by Empson and Dudley 119 Fear not safe to the King 79 Fines 43 Without Fines Statute to sell Land 58 Flammock a Lawyer a Rebel 92 Flemings banished 75 Flight of King Henry out of Britain into France wherefore 34 Forfeitures and Confiscations furnish the King's wants 9 17 Forfeitures aimed at 45 76 Forfeitures upon Penal Laws taken by the King which was the blot of his times 80 Fortune various 16 22 Forwardness inconsiderate 96 Fox made Privy Counsellor 10 made Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal ib. his providence 98 Free-fishing of the Dutch 129 Title to France renewed by the King in Parliament 56 Frion joyns with Perkin 68 First-fruits 10 In forma Pauperis a Law enacted for it 84 G. GAbato Sebastian makes a Voyage for Discovery 107 Gordon Lady Katherine wife to Perkin 87 Granado vindicated from the Moors 60 Guard Yoomen first instituted 7 Gifts of the French King to King Henry's Counsellors and Souldiers 64 Gratitude of the Pope's Lègate to King Henry 42 H. HAllowed Sword from the Pope 101 Hatred of the People to the King with the main reason of it 12 Hearty Acclamations of the People to the King 〈◊〉 King Henry his Description 133 c. his Piety 1 60 he hath three Titles to the Kingdom 2 Hereticks provided against a rare thing in those times 115 Hern a Counsellor to Perkin 101 Hialas otherwise Elias to England how 98 Holy War 114 Hopes of gain by War 64 Hostages redeemed by the King 10 Houses of Husbandry to be maintained to prevent the decay of People 45 Histories defects in them what 46 I. IAmes the Third King of Scotland his distress and death 42 Idols vex God and King Henry 105 John Egremond Leader of the Rebels 41 Inclosures their manifest inconveniencies and how remedied 44 Ingratitude of Women punished 85 Innovation desired 12 Incense of the People what 118 Instructions of Lady Margaret to 〈◊〉 66 Intercursus Magnus 91 Intercursus Malus ibid. 129 Invectives of Maximilian against the French King 〈◊〉 Invectives against the King and Council 79 Improvidence of King Henry to prevent his troubles 12 14 Improvidence of the French 82 Jointure of Lady Katherine how much 117 Jointure of Lady Margaret in Scotland how much 119 Joseph a Rebel 92 Ireland favoureth York Title 15 Ireland receiveth Simon the Priest of Oxford with his counterfeit ibid. Irish adhere to Perkin 68 Jubile at Rome 114 Juno i. e. the Lady Margaret so called by the King's friends 65 K. KAtherine Gordon Perkin's Wife royally entertained by K. Hen. 104 Kent loyal to the King 81 94 The King the publick Steward 36 Kings their miseries 50 King of Rakehels Perkin so called by King Henry 103 The King's Skreen who 92 King of France Protector of King Henry in his trouble 133 Kingdom of France restored to its integrity 25 King of France buys his Peace of King Henry 64 King of Scots enters England 87 again 98 Knights of the Bath 95 Knights of Rhodes 〈◊〉 King Henry Protector of the Order 115 L. LAncaster Title condemned by Parliament 3 Lancaster House in possession of the Crown for three Descents together 〈◊〉 Lambert Simnel See Counterfeit 13 Laws enacted in Parliament 38 Divers Laws enacted 123 Law charitable enacted 84 A good Law enacted ibid. A Law of a strange 〈◊〉 83 A Law against carrying away of Women by violence the reasons of it 39 Law of Poynings 79 Laws Penal put in execution 80 A Legate from the Pope 42 preferred to be Bishop in England by King Henry ibid. his gratitude to King Henry ibid. Lenity of the King abused 101 Letters from the King out of France to the Mayor of London 64 A Libel 55 Libels the causes of them 79 Libels the females of Sedition ibid. Libels the Authors executed ibid. A Loan from the City to the King repaid 46 London entred by King Henry in a close Chariot wherefore 5 London in a tumult because of the Rebels 95 London purchase Confirmation of their Liberties 124 M. MAlecontents their effects 40 Margaret of Burgundy the fountain of all the mischief to K. Henry 18 she entertains the Rebels 41 69 she a Juno to the King 65 she instructs Perkin 66 Lady Margaret desired in Marriage by the Scottish King 108 Manufacture forein how to be kept out 36 123 Marriage of King Henry with Lady Elizabeth 10 of the French King with the Duchess of Britain 55 of Prince Arthur 116 Mart translated to Calice the reasons of it 74 Maintenance prohibited by Law 38 Merchants of England received at Antwerp with procession and great joy 91 A memorable Memorandum of the King 121 Military power of the Kingdom advanced how 44 Mills of Empson and Dudley what and the gains they brought in 124 Mitigations 120 Money bastard employments thereof repressed 36 Money left at the King's death how much 132 Morton made Privy Counsellor 10 made Archbishop of Canterbury ib. his Speech to the Parliament 32 Morton's Fork 58 Morton author of the Union of the two Roses 114 Moors expelled Granado 61 Murmuring 14 Murmurs of the People against the King 70 Murther and Manslaughter a Law concerning it in amendment of the common Law 39 Murther of King Edward the Fifth 85 Murther of a Commissioner for the Subsidy 93 N. NAvigation of the Kingdom how advanced 45 Neighbour over-potent dangerous 34 Bad News the effect thereof in Souldiers 63 Nobility neglected in Council the ill effects of it 32 Nobility few of them put to death in King Henry's time 134 North the King's journey thither for what reasons 11 O. OAth of Allegiance taken 9 Oath enforced upon Maximilian by his Subjects 46 Oath kept ibid. Obedience neglected what follows 42 First Occasion of a happy Union 109 Obsequies for the French King performed in England ibid. Obsequies to Tyrants what 1 An Ominous answer of the King 119 An Ominous Prognostick 129 Opinions divers what was to be done with Perkin 105 Orator from the Pope met at London-Bridge by the Mayor 101 Order of the Garter sent to Alphonso 64 Ostentation of Religion by the King of Spain 60 Over-merit prejudicial to Sir William Stanley 73 Outlawries how punished 120 Oxford Earl fined for breach of the Law 121 P. PAcificator King Henry between the French King and Duke of Britain 32 Pardon
refrain the Business for that he knew the pretended Plantagenet to be but an Idol But contrariwise he was more glad it should be the false Plantagenet than the true because the false being sure to fall away of himself and the true to be made sure of by the King it might open and pave a fair and prepared way to his own Title With this Resolution he sayled secretly into Flanders where was a little before arrived the Lord Lovel leaving a correspondence here in England with Sir Thomas Broughton a man of great Power and Dependencies in Lancashire For before this time when the pretended Plantagenet was first received in Ireland secret Messengers had been also sent to the Lady Margaret advertising her what was passed in Ireland imploring Succours in an Enterprize as they said so pious and just and that God had so miraculously prospered the beginning thereof and making offer that all things should be guided by her will and direction as the Sovereign Patroness and Protectress of the Enterprize Margaret was second Sister to King Edward the Fourth and had been second Wife to Charles sirnamed the Hardy Duke of Burgundy by whom having no Children of her own she did with singular care and tenderness intend the Education of Philip and Margaret Grand-children to her former Husband which won her great Love and Authority among the Dutch This Princess having the Spirit of a Man and Malice of a Woman abounding in Treasure by the greatness of her Dower and her provident Government and being childless and without any nearer Care made it her Design and Enterprize to see the Majesty Royal of England once again re-placed in her House and had set up King Henry as a Mark at whose Overthrow all her Actions should aim and shoot in-so-much as all the Counsels of his succeeding Troubles came chiefly out of that Quiver And she bare such a mortal Hatred to the House of Lancaster and personally to the King as she was no ways mollified by the Conjunction of the Houses in her Neeces Marriage but rather hated her Neece as the means of the King's ascent to the Crown and assurance therein Wherefore with great violence of affection she embraced this Overture And upon Counsel taken with the Earl of Lincoln and the Lord Lovel and some other of the Party it was resolved with all speed the two Lords assisted with a Regiment of two thousand Almains being choice and veterane Bands under the Command of Martin Swart a valiant and experimented Captain should pass over into Ireland to the new King Hoping that when the Action should have the face of a received and setled Regality with such a second Person as the Earl of Lincoln and the Conjunction and Reputation of Forein Succors the Fame of it would embolden and prepare all the Party of the Confederates and Male-contents within the Realm of England to give them Assistance when they should come over there And for the Person of the Counterfeit it was agreed that if all things succeeded well he should be put down and the true Plantagenet received Wherein nevertheless the Earl of Lincoln had his particular hopes After they were come into Ireland and that the Party took courage by seeing themselves together in a Body they grew very confident of success conceiving and discoursing amongst themselves that they went in upon far better Cards to overthrow King Henry than King Henry had to overthrow King Richard And that if there were not a Sword drawn against them in Ireland it was a sign the Swords in England would be soon sheathed or beaten down And first for a Bravery upon this accession of Power they Crowned their new King in the in the Cathedral Church of Dublin who formerly had been but Proclaimed only and then sate in Council what should further be done At which Council though it were propounded by some that it were the best way to Establish themselves first in Ireland and to make that the Seat of the War and to draw King Henry thither in Person by whose absence they thought there would be great Alterations and Commotions in England yet because the Kingdom there was poor and they should not be able to keep their Army together nor pay their German Soldiers and for that also the sway of the Irish-men and generally of the Men-of-War which as in such cases of popular Tumults is usual did in effect govern their Leaders was eager and in affection to make their Fortunes upon England It was concluded with all possible speed to transport their Forces into England The King in the mean time who at the first when he heard what was done in Ireland though it troubled him yet thought he should be well enough able to scatter the Irish as a Flight of Birds and rattle away this Swarm of Bees with their King when he heard afterwards that the Earl of Lincoln was embarqued in the Action and that the Lady Margaret was declared for it he apprehended the danger in a true Degree as it was and saw plainly that his Kingdom must again be put to the Stake and that he must fight for it And first he did conceive before he understood of the Earl of Lincoln's sayling into Ireland out of Flanders that he should be assailed both upon the East-parts of the Kingdom of England by some impression from Flanders and upon the Northwest out of Ireland And therefore having ordered Musters to be made in both Parts and having provisionally designed two Generals Jasper Earl of Bedford and John Earl of Oxford meaning himself also to go in person where the Affairs should most require it and nevertheless not expecting any actual Invasion at that time the Winter being far on he took his journey himself towards Suffolk and Norfolk for the confirming of those parts And being come to St. Edmonds-bury he understood that Thomas Marquess Dorset who had been one of the Pledges in France was hastning towards him to purge himself of some Accusations which had been made against him But the King though he kept an Ear for him yet was the time so doubtful that he sent the Earl of Oxford to meet him and forthwith to carry him to the Tower with a fair Message nevertheless that he should bear that disgrace with patience for that the King meant not his hurt but only to preserve him from doing hurt either to the King's service or to himself and that the King should always be able when he had cleared himself to make him reparation From St. Edmonds-bury he went to Norwich where he kept his Christmas And from thence he went in a manner of Pilgrimage to Walsingham where he visited our Ladies Church famous for Miracles and made his Prayers and Vows for help and deliverance And from thence he returned by Cambridge to London Not long after the Rebels with their King under the Leading of the Earl of Lincoln the Earl of Kildare the Lord Lovel and Colonel Swart landed at Fouldrey in
gotten up again and that the King's People were better able to bear the loss than their Master to 〈◊〉 it But in the end as persons capable of Reason on both sides they made a kind of Recess than a Breach of Treaty and concluded upon a Truce for some Months following But the King of Scotland though he would not formally retract his judgement of Perkin wherein he had engaged himself so far yet in his private opinion upon often speech with the English-men and divers other advertisements began to suspect him for a Counterfeit Wherefore in a Noble fashion he called him unto him and recounted the benefits and favours that he had done him in making him his Allie and in provoking a Mighty and Opulent King by an Offensive War in his Quarrel for the space of two years together Nay more that he had refused an Honourable Peace whereof he had a fair Offer if he would have delivered him and that to keep his promise with him he had deeply offended both his Nobles and People whom he might not hold in any long discontent And therefore required him to think of his own Fortunes and to choose out some fitter place for his Exile Telling him withal that he could not say but the English had forsaken him before the Scottish for that upon two several Tryals none had declared themselves on his side But nevertheless he would make good what he said to him at his first receiving which was That he should not repent him for putting himself into his hands For that he would not cast him off but help him with Shipping and means to transport him where he should desire Perkin not descending at all from his Stage-like Greatness answered the King in few words That he saw his time was not yet come But whatsoever his Fortunes were he should both think and speak Honour of the King Taking his leave he would not think on Flanders doubting it was but hollow ground for him since the Treaty of the Arch-Duke concluded the year before but took his Lady and such followers as would not leave him and sailed over into Ireland This Twelfth year of the King a little before this time Pope Alexander who loved best those Princes that were furthest off and with whom he had least to do taking very thankfully the King 's late entrance into League for the defence of Italy did remunerate him with an Hallowed Sword and Cap-of-Maintenance sent by his Nuncio Pope Innocent had done the like but it was not received in that Glory For the King appointed the Mayor and his Brethren to meet the Pope's Orator at London-Bridge and all the Streets between the Bridge-foot and the Palace of St. Pauls where the King then lay were garnished with the Citizens standing in their Liveries And the morrow after being All-hallows day the King attended with many of his Prelates Nobles and principal Courtiers went in Procession to St. Pauls and the Cap and Sword were born before him And after the Procession the King himself remaining seated in the Choir the Lord Archbishop upon the greece of the Choir made a long Oration setting forth the greatness and Eminency of that Honour which the Pope in these Ornaments and Ensigns of Benediction had done the King and how rarely and upon what high deserts they used to be bestowed And then recited the Kings principal Acts and Merits which had made him appear worthy in the eyes of his Holiness of this great Honour All this while the Rebellion of Cornwal whereof we have spoken seemed to have no relation to Perkin save that perhaps Perkin's Proclamation had stricken upon the right Vein in promising to lay down Exactions and Payments and so had made them now and then have a kind thought on Perkin But now these Bubbles by much stirring began to meet as they use to do upon the top of Water The King's lenity by that time the Cornish Rebels who were taken and pardoned and as it was said many of them sold by them that had taken them for twelve pence and two shillings a piece were come down into their Countrey had rather imboldened them than reclaimed them Insomuch as they stuck not to say to their Neighbours and Countrey-men that The King did well to pardon them for that he knew he shouldl eave few Subjects in England if he hanged all that were of their mind And began whetting and inciting one another to renew the Commotion Some of the subtilest of them hearing of Perkin's being in Ireland found means to send to him to let him know that if he would come over to them they would serve him When Perkin heard this News he began to take heart again and advised upon it with his Council which were principally three Herne a Mercer that had fled for Debt Skelton a Taylor and Astley a Scrivener for Secretary Frion was gone These told him that he was mightily overseen both when he went into Kent and when he went into Scotland The one being a place so near London and under the King's Nose and the other a Nation so distasted with the People of England that if they had loved him never so well yet they could never have taken his part in that Company But if he had been so happy as to have been in Cornwal at the first when the People began to take Arms there he had been crowned at Westminster before this time For these Kings as he had now experience would sell poor Princes for shooes But he must rely wholly upon People and therefore advised him to sail over with all possible speed into Cornwal Which accordingly he did having in his Company four small Barques with some six score or seven score fighting men He arrived in September at Whitsand-Bay and forthwith came to Bodmin the Black-smith's Town Where there assembled unto him to the number of three thousand men of the rude People There he set forth a new Proclamation stroaking the People with fair Promises and humouring them with Invectives against the King and his Government And as it fareth with Smoak that never loseth it self till it be at the highest he did now before his end raise his Stile intituling himself no more Richard Duke of York but Richard the Fourth King of England His Council advised him by all means to make himself Master of some good walled Town as well to make his Men find the sweetness of rich Spoils and to allure to him all loose and lost People by like hopes of Booty as to be a sure Retrait to his Forces in case they should have any ill Day or unlucky Chance in the Field Wherefore they took heart to them and went on and besieged the City of Exceter the principal Town for Strength and Wealth in those Parts When they were come before Exceter they forbare to use any Force at the first but made continual Shouts and Out-cries to terrifie the Inhabitants They did likewise in divers places call and talk to them
scarce gain belief Wherefore I am well content that Truth which maugre her enemies will at length be every where victorions shall prevail with me I have done to my power Politely eloquently politickly I could not write Truly and fide Atticâ as they say I could If I have done amiss in ought it is not out of malice but errour which the gentle Reader will I hope pardon This I earnestly intreat withal beseeching the All-good and All-mighty God that this my labour directed to no other end than to his glory and the good of his Church may attain its due and by me desired success Farewel ANNALS OF ENGLAND From the Year 1508 to the Year 1558. BOOK I. King HENRY the Eighth ANNO DOM. 1509. REG. 1. AFter the death of Henry the Seventh his only Son Henry Prince of Wales undertook the Government of this Kingdom He had then attained to the Age of Eighteen years and was richly adorned with Endowments both of Body and Mind For of Stature he was tall of a beautiful Aspect and of Form through all his age truly beseeming a King He was witty docil and naturally propense to Letters until Pleasures to which the Liberty of Sovereignty easily prompteth did somewhat unseasonably withdraw him from his Studies to these you may add a Great Spirit aspiring to the glory both of Fortitude and Munificence This towardliness was so seconded by the happy care of his Tutors that if the end of his Reign had been answerable to the beginning Henry the Eighth might deservedly have been ranked amongst the greatest of our Kings For if you consider his first Twenty years you shall not easily find any one that either more happily managed Affairs abroad or Governed more wisely at home of that bare greater sway among his Neighbour Princes This I think ought chiefly to be ascribed to the providence of his wise Father and his Grand-mother then still alive For they took care that he should have wise and virtuous Over-seers in his youth by whose assistance having once passed the hazards thereof he happily avoided those Rocks whereon so many daily suffer wrack But these either dying or being so broken with age that they could be no longer employed in affairs of State and he himself being now come to those years that commonly cast aside Modesty Modeslty I say the Guardian of that great Virtue then making use of no Counsellor but his Will he fell into those Vices which notwithstanding the glory of his former Reign branded him deeply with the foul stains of Luxury and Cruelty But remitting those things to their proper places those Worthies appointed his Counsellors were William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellour of England Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester Thomas Ruthal Bishop of Durham Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey Lord Treasurer of England George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Lord Steward of the King's Houshold Charles Somerset Lord Chamberlain Knights Sir Thomas Lovel Sir Henry Wyat Sir Edward Poynings These men the Solemnity of the dead King's Funeral being duly and magnificently performed erected him a Tomb all of Brass accounted one of the stateliest Monuments of Europe which one would hardly conceive by the Bill of Accompts For it is reported that it cost but a Thousand Pounds The Monument is to be seen at Westminster the usual place of our Kings Interrments in that admirable Chappel dedicated to St. Stephen by this King heretofore built from the ground a testimony of his religious Piety I have read that this Chappel was raised to that height for the summ of Fourteen thousand Pounds and no more and that he at the same time built a Ship of an unusual burthen called from him The great Henry which by that time it was rigged cost little less than that stately Chappel But now O Henry what is become of that Ship of thine that other Work besides the reward of Heaven will perpetually proclaim thy pious Munificence Hence learn O Kings that the true Trophies of Glory are not to be placed in Armories and Arsenals but and those more durable in Pious Works Seek first seek the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and without doubt all other things shall be added unto you But to go on in my proposed course although Henry the Eighth began his Reign the two and twentieth of April 1509 his Coronation was deferred to the four and twentieth of June In the mean time his Council thought it would prove a profitable policy for the King to marry Katherine the Widow of Prince Arthur his deceased Brother and Daughter to Ferdinando King of Castile for otherwise that huge mass of Money assigned for her Jointure must yearly be transported out of the Kingdom Neither was there at first any other doubt made of this Match than whether it were approved by the Ecclesiastical Constitutions for as much as the Scripture said some forbad any man to marry his Brother's Wife But this rub was easily removed by the omnipotence of the Pope's Bull in so much that presently upon the Dispensation of Pope Julius on the third of June under a malignant Constellation the Nuptials of these Princes were solemnized and they both Crowned the four and twentieth of June next following being St. John Baptist's day At these Solemnities there wanted neither pomp nor acclamations of the Estates of the Realm But to shew that of Solomon to be true The end of Mirth is Heaviness five days had not yet run their course since the Coronation when Margaret Countess of Richmond the King's Grand-mother made an exchange of this life with death She was a very godly and virtuous Lady and one who for her benefits to the Estate deserved with all honour to be commended to the perpetual memory of Posterity But her ever-living Works will so far set forth her praise that the pains of any Writer will prove altogether needless Yet notwithstanding omitting other things it will savour somewhat of Ingratitude if I should not recount what she hath conferred upon our Universities She founded two Colledges at Cambridge one dedicated to our Saviour CHRIST and the other to St. John the Evangelist and endowed them both with such large Revenues that at this time besides Officers and Servants there are about two hundred Students maintained in them She also left Lands to both Universities out of the Rents whereof two Doctors publick Professors of Divinity to this day do receive their Annual Stipends She lies interred near her Son in a fair Tomb of Touch-stone whereon lies her Image of gilded Brass ANNO DOM. 1510. REG. 2. H Enry the Seventh Father to this our Eighth some few years before his death had caused an inquisition to be made throughout the Kingdom of the breach of the Penal Statutes saying That Laws were to no purpose unless the fear of Punishment did force men to observe them But the Inquisition proceeding so rigorously that even the least faults were punished
had fortified themselves as well as the shortness of time would permit them and the Peasants thereabouts bring all their goods into the City as to a place of safeguard The City was of no great circuit yet at the beginning of the Siege it contained fourscore thousand People by reason whereof Victuals began quickly to fail them and they could no way hope for relief The French King was far off they had no Garrison the Citizens bad Soldiers two great Princes had begirt the Town with fifty thousand men but they had an Enemy within called Famine more cruel and insupportable than both So having for some few days held out the Siege the nine and Twentieth of September their lives being granted them they yield and to save themselves from spoil pay a hundred thousand Crowns The King makes them swear Fealty to him and appoints Sir Edward Poynings a Knight of the Garter their Governour Next he gives order for store of Warlike provision puts in a small Garrison and builds a Cittadel for the confirmation of his Conquest Neither amongst these Politick affairs did he neglect those of the Church For the Bishop being proscribed he conferrs the See with all the revenues upon Thomas Wolsey of whose first rising and immoderate Power we shall have much occasion to speak hereafter All things being thus ordered because Winter came on apace he began to bethink himself of returning with his Army into England This thought so far pleased him that having been absent scarce four Months he took Ship and about the end of October came home triumphing in the Glory of a double Conquest By the way he was entertained with the news of another Victory the Lord Howard Earl of Surrey having under his Fortune slain the King of Scots The King of France being encumbred with many Wars had conjured James the Fourth King of Scots By the ancient Laws of Amity and the late League made between them that He would not forsake him entangled in so many difficulties If He regarded not his Friend's case yet he should at least look to Himself sor whom it would not be safe to suffer a bordering Nation always at enmity with Him by such additions to arise to that height of power The King of England busied with a forein War was now absent and with Him the flower of the English Chivalry He should therefore forthwith take Arms and try to recover Berwick an especial Town of the Scottish Dominions but for many years with-held by the English He would easily be victorious if He would but make use of this occasion so happily offered It could not be but this War would be for His Honour and profitable to His Friend if not to Himself He should thereby also make known to His Enemies that the Scottish Arms were not to be contemned whose former Victories a long and to them hurtful Peace had obscured and buried in oblivion among the English As for the charges of it He need not be troubled for that he would afford Him fifty thousand Crowns towards the providing of Munition and Ordnance These Reasons so prevailed with the young King covetous of glory that notwithstanding he had lately made a League with our King whose Sister he had married and her vehement dissuasions he proclaimed War against Henry which proved fatal to him bloody to his and the cause of many ensuing calamities So having raised a great Army he breaks into our Marches and besiegeth Norham-Castle belonging to the Bishop of Durham the which having held out six days was at last yielded unto him Thence he removes his Camp to Berwick wasting all the Countrey as he marcht with Fire and Sword The news whereof are brought unto them to whom the government of the Kingdom was committed in the absence of the King and a levy being made through all the North parts of the Kingdom Alnewike is appointed the rendezvous where all the Troops should meet at a set day that thence they might set forward against the Enemy under the conduct of the Lord Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey Among the first to his Father's great joy comes the Earl's Son Thomas Lord Admiral leading a veteran Troop of five thousand men of tryed valour and haughty in regard of their former Naval Victories obtained under the command of this young Lord. After him came the Lords Dacres Clifford Scrope Latimer Canyers Lumley and Ogle besides Sir Nicholas Appleyard Master of the Ordnance Sir W. Percie Sir William Sidney Sir William Bulmer Sir John Stanley Sir William Molineux Sir Thomas Strangwayes Sir Richard Tempest and many other Knights These sitting in Council thought it best to send an Herald to the King to expostulate with him concerning the outrages committed to complain that He had without all right or reason spoiled the Countrey of a Prince not only Ailied unto him but also his Confederate and therefore to certifie him that they were ready by Battel to revenge the breach of League if so be he durst await their coming but a few days in a ground that might be fitting for the meeting of both Armies The King makes answer by writing wherein He retorts the violation of the League calling God to witness that King Henry had first by his many injuries shown evident signs of an alienated mind For the English he pretended robbed all along the Marches of Scotland without restitution or punishment Andrew Barton a stout and bonest man had been unjusty slain by the King's command and one Heron who had murthered Robert Car a Scottish Noble-man vaunted himself openly in England the King taking no notice of so heinous a fact Of these things he had often complained by his Ambassadors but without effect There was therefore no other way for him but to betake himself to Arms for the common defence of himself and his Kingdom against the King's injustice As for the meeting he signified that he accepted of it and appointed both time and place for the Battel Neither party failed the prefixed day The Scot seeks to animate his men by taking away all hope of safeguard by flight commanding them I know not how wisely but the event shewed how unhappily for them to forsake their Horses forasmuch as they were to trust to their Hands not to their Horses heels and by his own example shewing what he would have done he alights and prepares himself to fight on foot The rest doing the like the whole Army encountred us on foot to whom after a long and bloody fight the fortune of the Victory inclined The Scots had two and twenty pieces of great Ordnance which stood them in no stead For our men climbing up a Hill where the Enemy sate hovering over us the shot passed over our heads Our chief strength were our Archers who so incessantly played upon four Wings of Scots for the King divided his Army into five Battalions that were but lightly armed that they forced them to flie and leave their fellows who
of Ill May-day Long Peace having with us begate Plenty the Mother and Nurse both of good and bad Arts allured the most excellent Artificers of forein Nations to partake of our happiness by frequenting the City of London But the giddy multitude not conceiving what good became of communicating their skill unto us took it very heinously that Strangers should be permitted to enjoy the Priviledges of the City and our home-bred Artificers did most especially complain That their means were every day curtalled for as much as no small part was necessarily to be defalked for the maintenance of these Strangers This was now grown the common discourse and had gon so far that one Lincoln a ringleader of this tumultuous rout did not stick to persuade some Preachers publickly in the Pulpit to lay open these common grievances before the Estates of the Realm Our Ladies Hospital in London commonly called the Spittle is famous for the Easter-Sermons one of which was to be preached by Dr. Henry Standish afterward Bishop of St. Asaph a grave and learned man Lincoln had assayed him and had the denial as in a matter the very mention whereof a good Patriot should abhor But Dr. Bell a Divine who was after Standish to preach in the same Place without fear or wit seconding their seditious attempts did publickly in his Sermon read the Bill by them exhibited to him taking for his Text that of the Prophet in the hundred and fifteenth Psalm The heavens even the heavens are the Lords but he hath given the earth to the sons of men Thence most foolishly concluding that England was given to English-men only and that therefore it was not to be endured that Aliens should enjoy any part thereof Many things by him spoken to this purpose were accepted with great applause and approbation of the Vulgar who out of extreme hatred to Strangers breathed nothing but sedition And to add more fuel to this fire it happened that many outrages were about that time committed by some of these Strangers This evil then thus spreading it self Foreiners were every where ill intreated and commonly knockt down in the streets having not offered injury to any man The authors of these riots being by the Lord Mayor committed to prison a sudden rumor ran through the City That on May-day next all Strangers should be massacred This without doubt proceeded from some of this unruly crew and was intended as a watch-word to all the Faction but the Strangers made so good use of it that they had all withdrawn themselves before that time and the Magistrates very carefully attended each occasion endeavouring to crush all Tumultuous Designs in the shell On May-day-Eve therefore the next day being the Feast of the Apostles Philip and Jacob the solemnity thereof is usually augmented by the liberty granted to the younger sort to sport themselves and to make merry the Citizens in general are by Proclamation commanded to keep fast their doors and to restrain their Servants from going abroad until nine of the Clock the next day But before this had been throughly proclaimed an Alderman walking in the streets saw a troop of young men consisting of Apprentices and such like gathered together and playing at cudgels He sharply reproved them for not obeying the King's Edict withal threatning to punish them if they the sooner betook not themselves every one to his home Words not prevailing he laid hold on one or two intending to have committed them But what reckoning they made of Authority their resistance in rescue of their Companions shewed and by outcries giving an Alarm drew together all the rest of their Faction in that quarter of the City The fame of this hurliburly increased their numbers by sending Mariners Gentlemens Servants Beggars and Citizens but the greatest part were Apprentices Sedition like a torrent carried them headlong and animated them to all villany They break open the Prisons set those at liberty that were imprisoned for their outrages on Strangers flie about the City as in a whirlwind rob all Foreiners houses and not content with their goods seek after them for their lives They found their nests but the birds were fled Having thus spent the night in the morning hearing the King's forces to approach most of them slipt away only some three hundred remained whereof eleven were Women and being apprehended supplied their places whom they before had freed They were all arraigned only thirteen designed for death whereof nine suffered on divers Gibbets purposely erected in divers parts of the City Lincoln Sherwin and two Brethren named Bets Chieftains in this sedition were carried to Cheapside where Lincoln was deservedly hanged The Executioner ready to turn off another was prevented by the King 's gracious Pardon The mind of man being prone to pity we may imagine that others were well pleased at the news but certainly the condemned had cause to rejoyce The Queens of England the two Dowagers of France and Scotland both of them the King's Sisters and then at Court became incessant Petitioners to his Majesty and on their knees in the behalf of these condemned persons and at length Wolsey consenting by whom the King was wholly swayed their Petitions were granted to them and to the poor men their lives This was the last Scene of this Tragical Tumult the like whereof this well-governed City had not known in many Ages For the Laws very well provided in that case do under a great penalty forbid Assemblies especially of armed men if not warranted by publick Authority In August and September the Sweating-sickness termed beyond Sea Sudor Anglicus or the English sweat began a disease utterly unknown to former Ages Of the common sort they were numberless that perished by it of the Nobility the Lords Clinton and Grey of Wilton The symptoms and cure you may find in Polydor Virgil in Anno 1. Henr. 7. who as confidently as I believe truly maintains That this disease was never till then known to be much less to be mortal As if there were a concatenation of evils one evil seldom cometh alone A Pestilence succeeded this former mortality and so raged the whole Winter season in most parts of the Realm that the King for fear of infection attended by a few was fain every day to remove his Court from one place to another The eleventh of February was born the Lady Mary afterwards Queen of England ANNO DOM. 1518. REG. 10. THe Peace so long treated of between us and the French was now in September at length concluded on these Conditions That the Daulphin should marry the Lady Mary the King 's only Child and not yet two years old That Tournay should be restored to the French That the French should pay King Henry four hundred thousand Crowns viz. two hundred thousand for his charge in building the Cittadel for the Artillery Powder and Munition which he should leave there and other two hundred thousand Crowns partly for the expence of that
own Brother A strange ingratitude in one raised from so low degree even to the height of honour I will not derogate from the Authority of publick Records But an Act of Parliament against her shall not work on my belief Surely it carried so little shew of probability with forein Princes that they always deemed it an act of inhuman cruelty Especially the Estates of Germany Confederates for the defence of the Reformed Religion who having often treated with Fox Bishop of Hereford and other Ambassadors had decreed to make Henry Head of their League and had designed an Embassy by John Sturmius who should have brought with him into England those excellent Divines Philip Melancthon and Martin Bucer with one George Draco who should endeavour that and the Reformation of our Church But having heard of the lamentable and unworthy as they judged it end of the Queen loathing the King for his inconstancy and cruelty they cast off all farther thought of that matter I will not presume to discuss the truth of their opinion But freely to speak what I my self think There are two reasons which sway much with me in the behalf of the Queen That her Daughter the Lady Elizabeth was seated in the Royal Throne where she for so many years ruled so happily and triumphantly What shall we think but that the Divine Goodness was pleased to recompence the unjust calamity of the Mother in the glorious prosperity of the Daughter And then consider but the King 's precipitated Nuptials the very next day after the death of his former Wife yet scarce intorred and with whose warm blood his embrued hands yet reaked Consider this I say and you shall easily be perswaded with me that the insatiable Prince glutted with the satiety of one and out of the desire of variety seeking to enjoy another did more willingly give ear to the treacherous calumnies of the malicious Popelings than either befitted an upright Judge or a loving Husband For it seemeth wonderful strange to me that either the fault of the one or the pleasing conditions and fair language of the other Wife should so far possess the King as that he should procure his Daughter Elizabeth to be by Act of Parliament declared illegitimate the Matrimony contracted with both the former Queens Catharine and Ann to be pronounced invalid and the Crown to be perpetually established on the posterity of the third Wife or if the King had no Issue by her that then it should be lawful for him by Will and Testament to transfer it on whom he pleased Parliaments were not then so rigid but that they could flatter the Prince and condescend to his demands though unjust even in cases which most nearly concerned the publick Weal But servile Fear is oft times more ready than Love which slowly moves by apprehension of Good as the other is quickly forced by the apprehension of Danger On the twentieth of May the King married Jane Seymour Daughter of Sir John Seymour who on the nine and twentieth of May being Whitsonday clad in Royal habiliments was openly shewed as Queen So that the Court of England was now like a Stage whereon are represented the vicissitudes of ever various Fortune For within one and the same Month it saw Queen Ann flourishing accused condemned executed and another assumed into her place both of bed and honour The first of May it seemeth she was informed against the second imprisoned the fifteenth condemned and the seventeenth deprived of her Brother and Friends who suffered in her cause and the nineteenth executed On the twentieth the King married Jane Seymour who on the nine and twentieth was publickly shewed as Queen The death of this innocent Lady God seemed to revenge in the immature end of the Duke of Richmond the King 's only but natural Son a Prince of excellent form and endowments who deceased the two and twentieth of July for whom the King a long time after mourned In the mean time on the nineteenth of July John Bourchier Lord Fitz-waren was created Earl of Bath whose successours in that Honour were his Son John who begat John deceased before his Father whose Son William is now Earl of Bath At what time also Thomas Cromwell a poor Smith's Son but of a dexterous wit whose first rising was in the Family of Cardinal Wolsey in whose service by him faithfully performed he grew famous was made Lord Cromwell many dignities being also conferred on him to the increase of his estate and honour For first he was Master of the Rolls and principal Secretary of Estate then Sir Thomas Bolen Earl of Wiltshire resigning he was made Lord Privy Seal and after that dignified with the unheard of Title of The King's Vicar general in affairs Ecclesiastical For the authority of the Pope being abrogated many businesses daily happened which could not be dispatched without the King's consent who not able to undergo the burthen alone conferred this authority granted him by Act of Parliament on Cromwell not for that he thought a Lay-man fitter for this dignity than a Clergy-man but because he had determined under colour and pretence thereof to put in execution some designs wherein the Clergy in all probability would have moved very slowly and against the hair He was therefore President in the Synod this year Certainly a deformed spectacle to see an unlearned Lay-man President over an assembly of sacred Prelates and such as for their Learning England had in no preceding Ages known the like For indeed Henry is for that much to be commended who would not easily advance any one to place of Government in the Church but whom his Learning should make worthy By the authority of this Synod a Book was set forth wherein many points of Doctrine being proposed to be by the Curates expounded to their Parishioners mention was made of only three Sacraments Baptism the Eucharist and Penance some Holy-days also were abrogated and other things pertaining to Religion and Ecclesiastical discipline somewhat changed wherewith many were offended who preferred prescript Errours before the Truth The same time the Parliament assembled the fourth of January permitted all Monasteries the Revenues whereof exceeded not two hundred Pounds a year to the King's disposal who causing them to be suppressed to the number of three hundred seventy and six entred upon their Lands amounting to thirty two thousand Pounds a year and selling their goods even at very low rates most men accounting it sacrilegious to set to sale the goods of the Church raised above an hundred thousand Pounds These things of themselves were distastful to the vulgar sort Each one did as it were claim a share in the goods of the Church For many who being neither Monks nor relied to Religious persons did receive no profit of Ecclesiastical goods did notwithstanding conceive that it might hereafter come to pass that either their Children Friends or Kindred might obtain the places yet supplied by others
our advantages We charge them furiously the Scots amazedly fly many are slain many taken more plunged in the neighbouring Fens and taken by Scottish Freebooters sold to us Among the Captives were the Earls of Glencarn and Cassels the Lords Saintclare Maxwell Admiral of Scotland Fleming Somerwell Oliphant and 〈◊〉 besides two hundred of the better sort and eight hundred common Souldiers The consideration of this overthrow occasioned as he 〈◊〉 by the froward rashness of his own Subjects and the death of an English Herald slain in Scotland so surcharged him with rage and grief that he fell sick of a Fever and died in the three and thirtieth year of his age and two and thirtieth of his reign leaving his Kingdom to the usually unhappy government of a Woman a Child scarce eight daysold The chief of the Captives being conveyed to the Tower were two days after brought before the King's Council where the Lord Chancellour reprehended their treachery who without due denuntiation of War invaded and spoiled the Territories of their Allies and committed many outrages which might excuse any severe courses which might in justice be taken with them Yet his Majesty out of his natural Clemenoy was pleased to deal with them beyond their deserts by freeing them from the irksomness of a strict imprisonment and disposing of them among the Nobles to be by them entertained until he should otherwise determine of them By this time King James his death had possessed Henry with new hopes of uniting Britain under one Head England had a Prince and Scotland a Queen but both so young that many accidents might dissolve a contract before they came to sufficiency Yet this seeming a course intended by the Divine Providence to extirpate all causes of enmity and discord between these neighbouring Nations a Marriage between these young Princes is proposed With what alacrity and applause the proposition was on both sides entertained we may conceive who have had the happiness to see that effected which they but intended Which being a matter of so sweet a consequence it is to be wondered at that the conspiracy of a few factious spirits should so easily hinder it The hope of it prevailed with the King for the liberty of the Captives conditionally that they should leave Hostages for their return if Peace were not shortly concluded which as also the furtherance of this so wished conjunction they faithfully promised ANNO DOM. 1543. REG. 35. AFter their short Captivity the Scottish Lords having been detained only twelve days at London on New-years-day began their journey towards Scotland and with them Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus whom his Son-in-Law King James had a little before his death intended to recall Fifteen years had he and his Brother George lived Exiles in England Henry out of his Royal Bounty allowing to the Earl a Pension of a thousand Marks and to his Brother of five hundred The sudden return of these captive Lords caused in most as sudden a joy Only the Cardinal of St. Andrews who had by forgery made himself Regent and his Faction could willingly have brooked their absence They came not as freed from a Captivity but as Ambassadors for Peace by them earnestly perswaded which by the happy conjunction of these Princes might be concluded to perpetuity But the Cardinal with his factious Clergy the Queen Dowager and as many as were affected to the Flower 〈◊〉 interposed themselves for the good of France Yet notwithstanding the Cardinal's fraud being detected he is not only deposed from his Regency and James Hamilton Earl of Arren substituted but also committed to custody whence afterwards making an escape he was the author of more garboils In the mean time the Marriage of the young Queen and other conditions proposed to the Estate of Scotland by Sir Ralph Sadler the King's Ambassador are fully assented unto and Hostages promised for the performance of them But the adverse Faction became so prevalent that the Hostages were not delivered at the day neither did the Captive Nobility render themselves in England Only Gilbert Kenneda Earl of Cassels like another Regulus had rather commit himself to the mercy of his enemies than prostitute his Honour to the foul taint of base infidelity His Brethren had become Pledges for his return the importunity nay violence of his friends could not deter him from redeeming them So to London he came where the bountiful King duly honouring him for his constancy instead of receiving a Ransom gave him one dismissing him and his Brothers fraught with honour and rewards The Scots falling off from their late Agreement the King commandeth stay to be made of all their Ships and confiscateth their goods sends Letters full of threats and just complaints to the Estates at Edenborough Blaming them for arrogantly rejecting his Alliance the want whereof must needs be prejudicial to them neither had they only rejected it but unmindful of former benefits had sown seeds of new War and forced him to Arms. But Letters proving ineffectual Scotland is by the frontier Garrisons invaded in three several places forty Scots making resistance are slain five and fifty Villages burned five hundred and sixty prisoners taken and a booty brought into England of three thousand five hundred head of cattel eight hundred Horses and seven thousand Sheep beside great provision of housholdstuff But this obstinacy of the Scots proceeded not only from themselves France and Scotland were ever combined against England so that to invade one was to draw on a War with both We had been often victorious in France whereof many portions aneiently belonged to Us if we should make any claim to all or part of our Inheritance Scotland would serve either to distract our Forces or to transfer the seat of War nearer home The uniting of England and Scotland would by securing us at home facilitate our Enterprizes upon France These were motives sufficient for Francis notwithstanding the long inviolate amity between him and Henry secretly to cross our designs in Scotland Whereof Henry could not long be sensible and not revenge Wherefore he proclaims open hostility with France as he had already with Scotland and reconciles himself with the Emperour before thought irreconciliable in regard of his Aunts disgrace who professed that all causes of difference between them were buried with her yet is it certain that unto the Pope he accused Henry to have dispatched her by poison But now they are become Confederates and an aid of ten thousand English sent to joyn with the Imperials Landrecy a Town lately taken from the Emperour by the French is the first exercise of our Arms. The Emperour also coming in Person it is invested with forty thousand men is furiously battered and the Souldiers brought to the distress of half a provant loaf of Bread a day and to drink Water Francis being certified of their wants assembles his Forces draws near the Emperour feeding him with hope
dispositions had bred a mutual affection to awake him for that having Elected him they were purposely come an accustomed ceremony to Adore him and dissolve the Conclave Priulo having signified to him with testimonies of excessive joy the intent of these Cardinals was gently blamed by him and they dismissed with this answer That a matter of so great consequence carrying with it so great a burthen that it would deterr an 〈◊〉 man from the acceptation of it was not to be tumultuously but upon mature deliberation orderly to be transacted as for the season it was utterly unfit for asmuch as God was the God of Light and not of Darkness they should therefore do well to deferr it until the next day and if then their resolutions proved the same he would submit himself to their pleasures The Italian Cardinals conceiving these delays to proceed out of stupidity began to contemn him and changing their determinations a little after pitched upon Cardinal Montanus whom they created Pope by the name of Julius the Third ANNO DOM. 1550. REG. 4. THe Duke of Somerset having now for three months continued a prisoner and not convicted of any crime which might touch his life it being not thought fitting that so great a man lately Protector of the King's Person and Realm should for a small offence be condemned to perpetual imprisonment is under-hand dealt with to submit himself with acknowledgement that he had deserved this or whatsoever greater punishment the King should be pleased to inflict on him and withal to implore the favour of his Majesty's Royal Clemency To this he easily condescended and was on the sixth of February set a liberty but not restored to the dignity of Protector only contenting himself with the rank of a Privy Counsellor But it being conceived that revenge might draw the Duke to new practices by mediation of Friends he is reconciled to the Earl of Warwick and that this atonement might be the more firm and sincere the Duke's Daughter is on the third of June married to the Viscount Lisle the Earl of Warwick's Son the King gracing the Nuptials with his presence Thuanus I know not upon what grounds writeth That the Earl by a kind of counterfeit shew that he was desirous of the restitution of the Romish Religion had setled himself in the good opinion of the vulgar who had not yet learned to renew themselves by casting off the old skin but reverenced Superstition for its reputed Antiquity and that his dissimulation being discovered fearing lest he should be forsaken of them whom he had with false hopes deluded the consideration thereof and of the Duke 's mild and free disposition would endear his Adversary to them to prevent this danger he contrived this alliance with the Duke and procured his liberty In the mean of these passages on the nineteenth of January the Lord Russel Lord Privy Seal was created Earl of Bedford William Lord Saint-John Earl of Wiltshire and Sir William Paget Lord Paget The Earl of Bedford and the Lord Paget were within three days after with Sir William Peters and Sir John Mason dispatched into France for the Treaty of a Peace with the Deputies appointed by the French who were Montmorency Governour of Picardy Gasper Coligny Lord of Chastillon afterward Admiral of France Andrew Gillar Mortair and William Boucherelle The Lord Paget not long before had been sent to the Emperour to signifie how we were distressed on the one side by the Scots and on the other by the French and miserably rent at home by intestine dissentions that our necessities required speedy succours or would force us to condescend to an inconvenient Peace with France But perceiving nothing was to be obtained of him we strook hands with the French upon these conditions That Boloigne and all the Forts in Boloignois should be surrendred to the French together with the Artillery and other military provision That in lieu thereof the King of France should pay unto Edward four hundred thousand Crowns by equal portions at two payments That the English should restore to the Scots Lauder and Douglas and if the Queen of Scots should desire it should rase their Fortifications in Haymon and at Roxburgh The Emperour was on both sides comprehended in the League and the Queen of Scots by the French The two Kings presented each other with their Military Orders and as one writeth it was on both parts agreed on that Edward should marry one of the Daughters of France For the ratification of the Articles on the eighth of April Hostages were given By Us The Duke of Suffolk The Earl of Hertford Son to the Duke of Somerset The Earl of Arundel The Earl of Derby The Earl of Bath By the French John of Bourbon Duke of Anguien Glaud of Lorain Marquis of Mayenne Francis Son to the Constable Montmorency Lewis of Tremoville Francis of Vendosme Vidame of Chartres Claud d'Annebalt This Peace between us and France was on the third of March solemnly Proclaimed in London and on the five and twentieth of April Bouloigne being accordingly furrendred to the French our Hostages were returned On the thirtieth of July died the Lord Wriothsley Knight of the Garter late Lord Chancellour of England and Earl of Southampton He had about the beginning of this King's Reign delivered up the Seal the Custody whereof was committed to the Lord Rich. But having been about half a year past removed as was also the Earl of Arundel but for what cause is uncertain from the Council Table he at length whether out of Grief or some other cause fell sick and died He was Father to Henry the second Earl and Grandfather to Henry the third Earl of Southampton not long since deceased who having tasted of both fortunes did heretofore as generously behave himself in adversity as he did since moderately in prosperity whereto by the Clemency of our late Sovereign he was restored ANNO DOM. 1551. REG. 5. MEntion hath formerly been made concerning the Sweating Sickness a disease to which England hath given a name as well in regard of its original as of the known disposition of our Bodies to admit of this virulent contagion England had been formerly afflicted with it but never so mortally as this present year Shrewsbury was now the first place acquainted with this Pestilence there it began in April and thence diffusing it self over the most part of the Kingdom at length it vanished away in the North about the beginning of October The fury of it 〈◊〉 such as if it would never end but by its proper cruelty when it should not have left subjects whereon to feed The dead whom it swept away were numberless In London only eight hundred was scarce a seven-nights stint It made its first entry into this Island in the Reign of Henry the Seventh 〈◊〉 1486 and from hence it took its progress into other Nations The Infected flowed away and within the space of twenty four hours when this
would send him into his Countrey with the honorable Title and Authority of a Legate And now he feigned to himself a double hope of a Kingdom if not Secular at least Ecclesiastical by virtue of his authority Legatine and the dignity of Archbishop of Canterbury Queen Mary had her Education for some years under Margaret Countess of Salisbury the Mother of Pool who was then a Child and that by Queen Catharine's means who intended as it was thought to marry her Daughter the Lady Mary to one of the Countesses Sons thereby to strengthen her Daughters claim to the Crown if it should happen that Henry should decease without other lawful Issue the Countess being Daughter to George Duke of Clarence who was Brother to Edward the Fourth The Cardinal whether for this or some other reasons knowing himself to be in dear esteem with the Queen was confident if not of the Crown by Marriage yet at least of all advantages of her Favour Neither was he therein deceived for Mary having obtained the Crown earnestly sued unto him to restore himself to his Countrey and the Pope not ignorant how much he would advantage the Apostolick See at the Queens request dispatched him with most ample Authority But the Emperour having a Project on foot for his Son was somewhat jealous of the Cardinal and therefore began seriously to treat with Cardinal Dandino the Pope's Legate with him for the conclusion of a Peace between him and the French that so he might give a stop to Pool whose coming into England the Emperour's affairs being not yet setled might peradventure make all fly asunder Dandino to gratifie Charles by Franciseo Commendono sends Letters to Pool advising him not to set forth as yet forasmuch as this Legacy undertaken without the Emperour's consent was displeasing and the English Nation for the most part especially the Londoners did so hate the name of the Pope of Rome that his Legacy would be held in contempt among them A Legate therefore was not to be employed unto them until perswasions had brought them to a better temper Pool having received these Letters in his Cloister thought it fitting to expect his Holiness pleasure The Pope not brooking the increase of the Emperour's greatness by the addition of such Estates and fretting that Dandino had presumed to stay the Cardinal recalled Dandino and conferred on Pool alone the Legacy both into England for the one affair and to the Emperour and the French for the Treaty of a Peace He willingly undertaking it presently set forward from Trent certifying the Emperour and the French of his large Commission The Emperour perceiving that these devices would be no longer availeable sent Don Juan de Mendoza unto him with Letters wherein he plainly discovered his fear that the Cardinal's premature arrival in England might prove an obstacle to his proceedings there which were great and hopeful Wherefore it was his desire that he should either there attend his pleasure or if he would needs go further he might come to Liege and there expect the event of his designs The Cardinal upon receipt of these Letters returns to Dilling not far from Trent certifies his Holiness of the whole carriage of the Business and sends expostulatory Letters to the Emperour shewing therein what an indignity it was to Apostolick See that his Holiness Legat sent upon a Treaty of Peace and to reduce a Kingdom to the obedience of the Church should so disgracefully with contempt to his Holiness and that by the Emperour's command be detained in the midst of Germany in the sight of the Enemies of the Church That great Divine Domingo Soto Ordinary Preacher to the Emperour was then at Dilling By him he perswades the Emperour not to hinder this Legation being it would so much hazard the estate of the Church but especially of the Kingdom of England At length with much ado and that not until the Emperour had intelligence that the Articles concerning his Son's Marriage were agreed on he obtained leave to come to Brussels but on this condition that he should there reside until the Emperour were assured that the Marriage between Philip and Mary were Solemnized So to Brussels he came where having saluted the Emperour who received him very courteously and that time might not pass unprofitably with him he begins to put in execution one part of his Legation which was to draw the Emperor and the King of France to some indifferent terms of Peace The Emperour professing that he would not reject Peace upon any reasonable conditions the Cardinal goes into France to treat with Henry concerning the same thing Who made as fair shews as did the Emperour but their minds exulcerated with inveterate hate made all his pains fruitless Henry at his departure embracing him signified the sorrow he had conceived that he had not sooner occasion to be acquainted with his worth For had he truly know him his endeavours should have been totally for his advancement to the Papacy A little after his return to Brussels came the Lords Paget and Hastings Ambassadors to the Emperour from their Majesties of England who signified their joint-longing to see the Cardinal and therefore desired he might be forthwith dismissed that by virtue of his Authority he might rectifie the Church of England wonderfully out of tune by reason of the Schism wherewith it had been afflicted So in September he had leave to go for England but was by contrary winds detained at Calais until November in which month he at length arrived at Dover His entertainment was most honourable the Kings and Nobles alike striving to manifest their joy And because being in the year 1539 by Parliament declared Enemy to the Estate and by the same Law condemned to die the Estates then assembled in Parliament repealed that Act and restored him to his Blood the Kings themselves coming to the House extraordinarily for the confirmation of the Act before his arrival at London A little after his coming both Houses were sent for to the Court where the Bishop of Winchester Lord Chancellour having in the presence of the Kings and the assembly spoken something concerning the Cardinal's grateful arrival the Cardinal himself began a long Oration in English wherein He acknowledged how much he was bound to the Kings and the Estates of the Realm by whose favour those Laws for his Exile and Proscription were repealed and he once more made a Native of the Land He was bound by the Laws of Gratitude to endeavour the requital of this Benefit whereto an occasion happily offered it self The late Schism had separated them from the Union of the Church and made them exiles from Heaven by the Authority conferred on him by the Pope St. Peter's Successor Christ's Vicar he would bring them back into the Fold of the Church the sole means of attaining their celestial Heritage Wherefore he exhorted them ingenuously to acknowledge the Errours of these later years and to detect them with sincere alacrity
Conditions of thè League concluded with the Emperour Rhodes taken by the Turk Christiern King of Denmark The Duke of Bourbon revolts The death of Adrian the Sixth Clement the Seventh succeedeth and Wolsey suffereth the repulse Wolsey persuades the King to a Divorce Richard Pacey Dean of Pauls falleth mad The Battel of Pavy Money demanded and commanded by Proclamation The King falls in love with Ann Bolen A creation of Lords Wolsey 10 build two Colleges demolisheth forty Monasteries Sacriledge punished Luther writes to the King The King's Answer A breach with the Emperour The King endeavours to relieve the French King A League concluded with the French King The French King set at liberty The King of Hungary slain by the Turks Wolsey seeks to be Pope Sede nondum vacante Rome sacked Montmorency Ambassador from France War proclaimed against the Emperour The inconstancy of the Pope Cardinal Campegius 〈◊〉 sens into England The King's Speech concerning his Divorce The Suit of the King's Divorce The Queens speech to the King before the Legates The Queen diparteth Reasons for the Divorce Reasons against the Divorce The Pope's inconstancy Wolsey falls The Iegates repair to the Queen Their conference with her Her answer Cardinal Campegius his Oraition Wolsey discharged of the Great Seal Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellour The Cardinal accused of 〈◊〉 Wolsey's Speech to the Judges Christ-Church in Oxford Wolfey-falls sick Wolsey is confined to York The Cardinal is apprehended His last words He dicth And is buried His greatness His buildings The Peace of Cambray The first occasion of Cranmer's rising Creation of Earls The Bible translated into English An Embassy to the Pope All comnierce with the See of Rome forbidden The Clergy fined The King declared supreme Head of the Church The death of William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury Cranmer though much against his will succeedeth him Sir Thomas More resigns the place of Lord Chancellour An interview between the Kings of England and France Catharina de Medices married to the Duke of Orleans The King marrieth Ann Bolen The birth of Queen Elizabeth Mary Queen of France dieth The Imposture of Elizabeth Barton discovired No Canons to be constituted without the King's assent The King to collate Bishopricks The Archbishop of Canterbury bath Papal authority under the King Fisher and More imprisoned Persecution Pope Clement dieth First-fruits granted to the King Wales united to England The King begins to subvert Religious Houses Certain Priors and Monks executed The Bishop of Rochester beheaded Made Cardinal unseasonably Sir Thomas More beheaded Religious Houses visited The death of Queen Catharine Queen Ann the Visconnt Rochford and others committed The Queen condemned with her Brother and Norris Her Execution Lady Elizabeth difintarited The King marrieth Jane Seymour Death of the Duke of Somerset the King 's natural Son Bourchier Earl of Bath Cromwell's Honour and Dignity The beginning of Reformation The subversion of Religious Houses of less note Commotion in Lincolnshire Insurrection in Yorkshire Scarborough-Castle befieged Rebellion in Ireland Cardinal Pool Rebels executed Cardinal Pool writes against the King The birth of Prince Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford Fitz-William Earl of Southampton Powlet and Russel rise The abuse of Images restrained Becket's Shrine demolished * Uniones The Image of our Lady of Walsingham Frier Forest makes good a 〈◊〉 Saint Augustine's at Canterbury Battel-Abbey and others suppressed The Bible translated The Marquess of Exceter and others beheaded Lambert convented and burned Margaret 〈◊〉 of Salisbury condemned The subversion of Religious Houses Some Abbots executed Glastonbury A catalogue of the Abbots who bad voices among the Peers New Bishopricks erected The Law of the Six Articles Latimer and Schaxton resign their Bishopricks The arrival of certain Princes of Germany in England for the treatise of a Match between the King and Lady Ann of Cleve The King marrieth the Lady Ann of Cleve Cromwell created Earl of Essex and within three months after beheaded Lady Ann of Cleve 〈◊〉 The King marrieth Catharine Howard Protestants and Papists alike persecuted The Prior of Dancaster and six others hanged The Lord Hungerford executed Beginnings of a commotion in Yorkshire Lord Leonard Grey beheaded The Lord Dacres hanged Queen Catharine beheaded Ireland made a Kingdom The Viscount Lisle deceased of a surfert of Joy Sir John Dudley made Viscount Lisle War with Scotland The Scots overthrowes The death of James the Fifth King of Scotland Hopes of a Match between Prince Edword and the Queen of Scots The Scottish Captives set liberty The Earl of Angus return-eth into Scotland The League and Match concluded The Scottish shipping detained War with Scotland War with France A League with Emperour Landrecy besieged but in vain The people licensed to eat White Meats in Lent The King 's sixth Marriage William Parr Earl of Essex Another of the same name made Lord Parr The Lord Chancellour dieth An Expedition into Scotland * Alias Bonlamberg The Earl of Hertford Protector Hing Henry's Funerals The Coronation The death of Francis King of France MusselburghField Reformation in the Church The Scots and French besiege Hadinton The Queen of Scots transported into France Humes Castle and Fastcastle gained by the Enemy Gardiner Bishop of Winchester committed to the Tower Gardiner deprived of his Bishoprick Boner Bishop of London committed also Discord 〈◊〉 the Duke of Somerset and his Brother the Lord Admiral The Lord Admiral beheaded An Insurrection in Norfolk and in Devonshire Some Forts lost in Boloignois * Corruptly Bonlamberg Enmity between the Protector and the Earl of Warwick The Protector committed The death of Paul the Third Pope Cordinal Pool elected Pope The Duke of Somerset set at liberty Peace with the Scots and French The Sweating Sickness The death of the Duke of Suffolk A creation of Dukes and Earls The descent of the Earls of Pembroke 〈◊〉 between the 〈◊〉 Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland revived Certain Bishops deprived Some of the Servants of the Lady Mary committed An Arrian burned An Earthquake The Queen of Scots in England The Earl of Arundel and the Lord Paget committed The Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellor The Duke of Somerset beheaded A Monster The King Sicknoth His Will wherein he disinheriteth his Sisters He dieth His Prayer Cardanus Lib. de Genituris Sir Hugh Willoughby frozen 10 death Commerce with the Muscovite Lady Mary flies into Suffolk Lady Jane proclaimed Queen Northumberland forced to be General * L. qui in provinciâ sect Divus ff de Ris Nupt. L. 4. C. de Incest Nupt. Gloss. ibid. C. cum inter c. ex tenore Extr. qui fil sins legit Northumberland forsaken by his Souldiers The Lords resolve for Queen Mary And to suppress Lady Jane Northumberland proclaims Mary Queen at Cambridge Northumberland and some other Lords taken Queen Mary comes to London Gardiner made Lord Chancellour Diprived Bishops restored King Edward's Funeral The Duke of Northumberland the Earl of Warwick and the Marquis of Northampton condemned The Duke of Northumberland Bheaded Bishops imprisoned Peter Martyr The Archbishop Cranmer Lady Jane Lord Guilford and Lord Ambrose Dudley condemned The Coronation A Disputation in the Convocation-House Popery restored The Queen inclines to marry The Articles of the Queens Marriage with Philip of Spain * Which as I conceive would have 〈◊〉 in the year 1588. Sir Thomas Wyat's Rebellion Sir John Cheeke is taken and dieth Bret with five hundred Londoners revolts to Wiat. The Duke of Suffolk perswades the People to Arms in vain The Queens Oration to the Londoners Wyat is taken The Lady Jane Beheaded The Duke of Suffolk Beheaded Wyat Executed And Lord Thomas Gray A Disputation at Oxford Cranmer Ridley and Latimer Condemned Additions to the former Nuptial Compacts Philip arrivith in England And is married to the Queen Cardinal Pool comes into England Cardinal Pool's Oration to the Parliament The Realm freed from 〈◊〉 The Queen thought to be with Child Lords created Lady Elizabeth and the Marquess of Exceter set at liberty John Rogers Burned and Bishop Hooper Bishop Ferrar many others and Bishop Ridley and Latimer The death of Pope Julius the Third Paul the Fourth succeedeth Gardiner sueth to be Cardinal Gardiner 〈◊〉 Charles the Emperour resigns his Crowns The Archbishop of York Lord Chancellour A Comet A 〈◊〉 Edward Archbishop Cranmer Burned This year eighty four Burned The exhumation of Bucer and Phagius Cardinal Pool consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury An Embassage to Muscovia The Lord Stourton hanged Thomas Stafford endeavouring an Insurrection is taken and Beheaded War against France proclaimed Pool's authority 〈◊〉 abrogated and restored The French overthrown at St. Quintin St. Quintin taken A nocturual Rainbow Calais besieged by the French Calais yielded The Battel of Graveling The French overthrown Conquet taken and burned by the English The Daulphin married to the Queen of Scot. The death of Cardinal Pool The Queen diesh