so weighty a business he made a visit to Mr. Cromwell and giving him an account of the affair he was very importunate with him to accompany him Cromwell knew very well the many Intreagues of the Roman Court and the unreasonable expences they must be at among those Spiritual Cormorants however having some knowledge of the Italian Tongue and being not yet well setled in Religion he was at length prevailed with to adventure with him When they arrived at Rome Cromwell finding it very difficult to get his Pardons dispatcht and being unwilling to spend much time or money he at length perceived that nothing was to be done without making a Present of some Rarity to the Pope and hearing that he was much delighted with delicate new found Dishes he prepared several fine Dishes of Jelly of divers colours according to the English fashion which were not as yet known at Rome Cromwell observing his time when the Pope was newly returned to his Pallace from Hunting he with his English Companions approached him with their Presents which they introduced with singing in English the three Mans Song as it is called The Pope wondring at the Song and understanding they were Englishmen and came not empty handed ordered them to be called in Cromwell making low obeysance presented his jolly junkets being such as he said none but Kings and Princes in England use to Eat desiring his Holiness to accept of them from him and his Companions who were poor Suitors at his Court and had presented them as Novelties proper only for his Table Pope Julius observing the strangeness of the Dishes bid a Cardinal taste them which he liked so well and the Pope after him that inquiring what their business was and then requiring them to give him an account how these Jellies were made he without delay Sealed both the Great and Lesser Pardons and fully dispatcht them All this while Cromwell had no great sense of Religion but was wild youthful and without regard to any thing that was serious as he often declared to Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury being very diligent with Jeffery Chambers in publishing the Pardons of Boston in all the Churches as he travelled and serving sometime under the Duke of Burbon at the Siege of Rome Thus he continued for some years till at length by learning the New Testament of Erasmus by Heart in his going to and from Rome he began to come to a better understanding About this time Cardinal Woolsey began to grow very great in England ruling all under or rather over the King so that Persons of the briskest Wits and noted Abilities addrest themselves to him for imployments Among whom Thomas Cromwell was by him prefer'd to be his Chancellor and at the same time Sir Thomas More and Stephen Gardiner were likewise taken into the Cardinals Family being all three almost of one Age one standing in Learning not much unequal in Wit and their advancements arising from the same foundation though afterward their Studies Dispositions and Fortune were greatly different The Cardinal designing to erect a famous Colledge in Oxford called then Frideswide now Christ Church obtained leave from the Pope to suppress several small Monasteries and Priories in divers parts of the Realm and to convert the Revenues thereof to his own use He committed the charge of this business to Cromwell who used such industry and expedition therein as was displeasing to some Great Persons both of the Nobility and Clergy But afterward the Cardinal who had risen suddenly began to fall as fast first from his Chancellorship which was bestowed on Sir Thomas More and then falling into a Praemunire his Family was dissolved Cromwel being thereby out of Office endeavoured to be retained in the Kings Service and Sir Christopher Hales Master of the Rolls though an earnest Papist yet had so great a kindness for him that he recommended him to the King as a Man most fit to be imployed by him but Cromwel had been so misrepresented by the Popish Clergy for his forwardness in defacing their Monasteries and Altars that the King abhorr'd the very name of him but the Lord Russel Earl of Bedford being present whose Life Cromwel had saved at Bononia in Italy where he was secretly imploy'd in the King's Affairs and was in great danger to be taken had he not been secured by Cromwel's Policy who not forgetting his Benefactor gave him an account of the whole matter and since His Majesty had now to do with the Pope his great Enemy he was of Opinion there was not a fitter Instrument for the King's purpose than he and told him wherein The King hereupon was willing to speak with him of which Cromwel having Private notice he got in readiness the Oath which the English Bishops took to the Pope at their Consecration and being called in after paying his Duty to the King answered to all Points demanded of him whereby he made it plainly appear that his Royal Authority was diminisht within his own Kingdom by the Pope and his Clergy who having sworn Allegiance to the King were afterward dispensed with for the same and sworn anew to the Pope so that he was but half King and they but half Subjects in his own Realm which was derogatory to his Crown and absolutely contrary to the Common Law of England and that his Majesty might therefore justly make himself rich with their forfeited Estates if he pleased to take the present occasion The King was very Attentive to his Discourse especially the last part of it and demanded whether he would justifie what he said He affirmed he would producing the Oath they had taken to the Pope which the King having read he took his Ring off his Finger and first admitting him into his Service by the Advice of his Council sent him therewith to the Convocation then sitting Cromwel coming boldly with the King's Signet into the Convocation House and placing himself among the Bishops Warham being Archbishop of Canterbury declared to them the Authority of the King and the Obedience due from Subjects especially from Bishops and Clergymen to the Laws of the Land which are necessarily provided for the Benefit and quiet of the Commonwealth which Laws notwithstanding they had all highly transgressed to the great Derogation of the King 's Royal Dignity and thereby brought themselves into a Praemunire not only in consenting to the Power Legantine of the late Cardinal Woolsey but also by Swearing to the Pope contrary to their Allegiance to their Soveraign Lord the King whereby they had forfeited all their Spiritual and Temporal Estates real or personal The Bishops were amazed at first to hear this bold Charge and began to deny it but Cromwell shewing them the very Copy of their Oath taken to the Pope at their Consecration made the matter so plain that they began to shrink and desired time to advise about it but however before they could get clear of this Praemunire the two Provinces of Canterbury and York
The Unfortunate Court-Favourites OF ENGLAND Exemplified In some Remarks upon the Lives Actions and Fatal Fall of divers Great Men who have been Favourites to several English Kings and Queens Namely I. Peirce Gaveston Earl of Cornwall II. Hugh Spencer Earl of Winchester â—II Hugh Spencer the Son E. of Glorester â—V Roger Mortimer Earl of March V. Henry Stafford Duke of Buckingham VI. Thomas Woolsey Cardinal of York VII Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex VIII Robert Devereux Earl of Essex IX George Villiers Duke of Buckingham X. Thomas Wentworth Earl of Stafford By R. B. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey 〈◊〉 Cheapside 1695. The Kings and Queens of England to whom the following Unfortunate Great Men were Favourites I. PEirce Gaveston Earl of Cornwal Favourite to King Edward II. II III. Hugh Spencer the Father and Hugh Spencer the Son both Favourites to King Edward II. IV. Roger Mortimer Earl of March Favourite to Queen Isabel Widow to King Edward II. and Mother to King Edward III. V. Henry Stafford Duke of Buckingham Favourite to King Richard III. VI. Thomas Woolsey Cardinal of York Favourite to King Henry VIII VII Thomas Cromwel Earl of Essex Favourite to King Henry VIII VIII Robert Devereux Earl of Essex Favourite to Queen Elizabeth IX George Villiers Duke of Buckingham Favourite to King Charles I. and King James I X. Thomas Wentworth Earl of Stafford Favourite to King Charles I. To the Reader NOthing is more obvious than that Ambition Envy and Emulation are the usual Attendants on the Courts of Princes and that the effects of them have been often very fatal to many Great Men who had the fortune to have a larger share in their Masters affections than others It is likewise as notorious That there are certain Crises of Government wherein Princes have been obliged to Sacrifice their darling Ministers either to their own safety or to the importunity of their People Lastly it is as evident That some Court-Favourites have justly merited the unhappy Fate they met with for their many Rapines Insolencies and Enormities as that others have been ruined meerly from the Caprichio or inconstant Temper of the Prince whom they served Of all these in my opinion the ensuing Favourites are pregnant Instances But I shall leave the Reader to particularise them according to his own Judgment and will only add That they are not all to be condemned as Criminal meerly because they all happened to be unfortunate R. B. Remarks on the Life Actions and Fatal Fall of Peirce Gavestone Earl of Cornwall and Favourite to King Edward the Second THAT Unhappy Prince Edward the 2d was certainly the most Unfortunate in his Favourites of any King of England either before or fince his Reign The first and Fatal Favourite he had was in his Youth before he came to the Crown whose name was Peirce Gaveston born in Gascoigne a Province of France and for the good Service performed by his Father in the Wars in that Kingdom his Son was taken into such Favour at Court that by K. Edward the First 's own appointment he was Educated and made a Companion to the young Prince And indeed his outward Accomplishments seemed to render him worthy of such great Honour being a Person of a sharp Wir an excellent Shape and of a valiant Temper of which he gave notable proof in a Battel against the Scots and for which they afterward bore him a mortal Hatred But all these worthy Qualities were utterly defac'd and clouded by his vicious Incliâ—ations so that as to his Christian and Moral Vertues which are only really commendable in Men Authors are very silent in mentioning them though all give large accounts of his Faults and Immoraâ—ities And King Edward was so sensible that his Son the Prince had been debauched by the corrupt Conversation of Gavestone that some time before his Death he was banished the Kingdom And upon his Death-bed commanding the Prince his Son to repair to him with all speed to Carlisle in Cumberland where he was with a great Army ready to invade Scotland He gave him many worthy Admonitions and much good Advice particularly That he should be merciful just and kind faithful in word and deed an incourager of those that were good and ready to relieve those that were in distress That he should be loving to his two Brothers Thomas and Edmund but especially to honour and respect his Mother Queen Margaret That upon pain of his Malediction and Curse he should not presume without common consent to recall Peirce Gavestone from Exile who for abusing his tender Years with wicked practices by common Decree of the Nobility was banished He also added a strange Injunction for a dying man namely That after his Death the Prince should not presume to take the Crown of England till he had honourably revenged the Injuries his Father had received from the Scots and finisht the present Expedition against them and that he should carry his Father's Bones about with him in a Coffin till he had marched through all Scotland and subdued all his Enemies assuring him that while they were with him he should be always victorious Lastly Whereas by the continual Attempts of Bruce King of Scotland he was prevented from performing his Vow of going in Person for the recovery of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the Infidels that he should send his Heart thither accompanied with 140 Knights and their Retinue for whose support he had provided Thirty two thousand pounds of Silver That after his Heart was conveyed thither he hoped in God all things would prosper with them Adjuring the Prince upon pain of Eternal Damnation that he should not expend the Money upon any other use After these Admonitions and having taken an Oath of this vain Young Prince to perform his Will he gave up the Ghost After his Father's Death the Son soon made it appear how little regard he had to perform his dying Requests and to shew what his future Behaviour was like to be he in the first place revenged himself upon Walter Langton Bishop of Chester Lord Treasurer of England and Principal Executor of his Father's Last Will whom he imprisoned in Wallingford Castle seizing upon all his Estate no man daring to intercede on his behalf because of the extream hatred which the King shewed against him the Bishop's Crime being only in using a modest freedom in K. Edward's days in gravely reproving 〈…〉 for his 〈◊〉 meanours and not suffering him to have what 〈…〉 he required to waste prodigally upon his 〈…〉 Gavestone against whom he likewise made such great and just Complaints as occasioned the imprisonment of the Prince the banishment of his leud Favourite Soon after the young King married Isabel Daughter to Philip the Fair of France the March being concluded before his Father's death and was now performed with extraordinary Magnificence at Bullen At which Solemnity there were five Kings namely Philip the French King the
commonly subject to when they fall into adversity as having neither good Consciences nor manly Courage to support their drooping Spirits From hence he was carried to the Earl of Shrewsbury's to Sheffeild where he continued till the King sent Sir William Kingston Captain of the Guard and Constable of the Tower to bring him to London the sight of whom so daunted him that he redoubled his lamentations and would receive no comfort and much doubting he should lose his Head he took so strong a Purge or poysonous Potion for fear of being brought to open punishment for his many enormities as in a few days put an end to his Life at Leicester Abbey in his Journey toward London Being near his end he called Sir William Kingston to him and said 'Pray present my Duty to his Majesty who is a Noble and Gallant Prince and of a resolved Mind for he will venture the loss of his Kingdom rather than be contradicted in his desires I do assure you I have sometimes kneeled three hours together to dissande him from his resolutions but could never prevail therefore you had need take care what you put into his Head for you can never get it out again And now Mr. Kingston had I but served God as diligently as I have served the King he would never have forsaken me in my Gray Hairs but this is the just reward that I receive for all my pains and labour who neglected the Service of God and studied only to please and humour my Prince He then proceeded to vilifie the Protestants whom he named Hellish Lutherans and that the King should take care to suppress and extirpate them as being the occasion of Rebellions and Insurrections in Bohemia and England in King Richard II's time and other places and that these Seditions and Heresies would ruin Holy Church and bring destruction upon the Realm About eight a Clock at Night he gave up the Ghost as himself had predicted the day before A Person in whose Arm he died affirmed that his Body when dead was as black as pitch and so heavy that six men could hardly carry it and stank so horribly that they were forced to bury him that very night before it was day At which time so great a Tempest of Wind and such a lothsome stench arose that all the Torches were blown out and the Corps being hastily thrown into the Grave was there left without Tomb Monument or Remembrance Of which the Poet thus writes And though from his own Store Woolsey might have A Palace or a College for his Grave Yet here he lies interr'd as if that all Of him to be remembred were his Fall Nothing but Earth to Earth no pompous weight Upon him but a Pebble or a Quait One Historian thus concludes his Story Thus Lived and thus Died this great Cardinal who was Proud and Ambiâ—ious VVanton and Letcherous Rich and Covetous a Liar and a Flatterer a Tyrant and Merciless forgetful of his beginning disdainful in his Prosperity dispirited and base in adversity and wretched in his end VVhose Death made the King joyful the Nobles jocund and the People glad This happened in 1530. Thus died this mighty Prelate who though guilty of so many horrid crimes yet to the last hour pretended much zeal for the Church breathing forth Death and murder against the Protestants and charging them with those Rebellions and Disturbances which the Clergy only were the cause of by their violent Counsels and their bloody cruel illegal and arbitrary decrees and practices Insomuch that Sir Richard Baker in his Chronicle of England writing the Character of King Henry VIII says thus But it will be injurious to charge all the Blood spilt in his Reign to his account They were the bloody Bishops that made those bloody Laws and the bloody Clergy that put them in execution the King oft-times scarce knowing what was done and when he heard of some of them he extreamly condemned their barbarous cruelty Remarks upon the Life Actions and Fatal Fall of Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex Favourite to King Henry the Eighth 〈◊〉 the Life of this Great Person we may remark That those Noble Virtues which sometimes adâ—… Men to Honour and Dignity are not always priâ—…es intailed and appropriated to high Birth and â—…rable Descent But that those that proceed from mean and abject Families are oftentimes indued with such singular VVisdom Dexterity and Industry that they rise to high preferment and authority VVe may likewise observe That though his Predecessor VVoolsey could not bear the great Fortune to which he arrived with any moderation but by his Pride and Insolence became distastful to all men yet our great Cromwell on the contrary carried an even Sail in all conditions being neither elated with Prosperity nor deprest when fallen from it Lastly We may hence conclude with the Wise man that all things happen alike to all in this life Woolsey the greatest slave to Vice and Cromwell a Person of the most sublime Virtue being both Favourites to the same King both falling into disgrace with him and both expiring by a fatal Fall Thomas Cromwell was the Son of a Blacksmith at Putney in Surrey to whom may be applied what Juvenal said of Demosthenes the famous Orator who had the same Original Whom his poor Father blear-ey'd with the Soot Of Sparks which from the burning Iron did shoot From Coals Tongs Anvil and such Blacksmiths Tools And dirty Forge sent to the Grammar Schools His Father educated him according to his mean ability and though his low condition was at first a great hindrance to his promotion yet such was his pregnancy of wit his solid judgment his ready elocution his indefatigable diligence his couragious Heart and his active Hand that so many excellencies could not lye long concealed insomuch that though he were without Friends or Money yet nothing being too difficult for his Wit and Industry to compass nor for his Capacity and Memory to retain he soon got into Imployment For having passed over his Youth with the common diversions of that state when he grew toward man he had a great inclination to travel abroad and learn experience in the World and gain those Languages which might be serviceable to him in the future course of his Life Whereupon going over to Antwerp he was there retained by the English Merchants for their Secretary It happened about this time that the People of Boston in Lincolnshire thought fit to send to Rome to renew the Great and Little Pardon which formerly belonged to a Church in their Town by which they found much advantage from those who came to have the benefit of the remission of their Sins by them which were no small number of superstitious Zealots And being very sensible that all things at Rome were to be purchased only by Money they sent one Jeffery Chambers with a round sum upon this notable errand who in his Journey coming to Antwerp and much doubting his ability for managing