faire sprouts to the blast of vnseasonable hopes and nature denying any at least lawfull issue to the rest the name and almost remembrance of this great Family hath ceased Of which hereafter Scotland had beene long peaceable yet had it often administred motives of discontent and jealousy IAMES the Fifth King of Scots Nephew to HENRY by his Sister having long liued a Bachelor HENRY treated with him concerning a marriage with his then only Childe the Lady MARY a Match which probably would have vnited these neighbour Kingdomes But God had reserved this Vnion for a more happy time The antient League betweene France and Scotland had alwaies made the Scots affected to the French and IAMES prefer the alliance with France before that of England where the Dowry was no lesse than the hopes of a Kingdome So he marrieth with MAGDALEN a Daughter of France who not long surviving hee againe matcheth there with MARY of Guise Widow to the Duke of Longueville HENRY had yet a desire to see his Nephew to which end he desired an enterview at Yorke or some other oportune place IAMES would not condiscend to this who could notwithstanding vndertake a long and dangerous voyage into France without invitation These were the first seeds of discord which after bladed to the Scots destruction There having been for two yeares neither certaine peace nor a iust War yet incursions from each side Forces are assigned to the Duke of Norfolke to represse the insolency of the Scots and secure the Marches The Scot vpon newes of our being in Armes sends to expostulate with the Duke of Norfolke concerning the motives of this war and withall dispatcheth the Lord GORDON with some small Forces to defend the Frontiers The Herauld is detained vntill our Army came to Berwick that hee might not give intelligence of our strength And in October the Duke entring Scotland continued there ransacking the Countrey without any opposition of the Enemy vntill the middle of November By which time King IAMES having levied a great Army resolved on a battaile the Nobility persuading the contrary especially vnwilling that hee should any way hazard his Person the losse of his Father in the like manner being yet fresh in memory and Scotland too sensible of the calamities that ensued it The King proving obstinate they detaine him by force desirous rather to hazard his displeasure than his life This tendernesse of him in the language of rage and indignation hee termes cowardise and treachery threatening to set on the Enemy assisted with his Family only The Lord MAXWELL seeking to allay him promised with ten thousand only to invade England and with far lesse then the English Forces to divert the war The King seemes to consent But offended with the rest of the Nobility he gives the Lord OLIVER SAINTCLARE a private Commission not to be opened vntill they were ready to give the onâ—et wherein hee makes him Generall of the Army Having in England discovered five hundred English horse led by Sir THOMAS WHARTON and Sir WILLIAM MVS GRAVE the Lord SAINTCLARE commanded his Commission publiquely to be read the recitall whereof so distasted the Lord MAXWELL and the whole Army that all things were in a confusion and they ready to disband The oportunity of an adioining hill gave vs a full prospect into their Army and invited vs to make vse of our advantages Wee charge them furiously the Scots amazedly fly many are slaine many taken more plunged in the neighbouring fens and taken by Scotish Freebooters sold to vs. Among the Captives were the Earles of Glencarne and Cassells the Lords SAINTCLARE MAXWELL Admirall of Scotland FLEMING SOMERWELL OLIPHANT and GRAY besides two hundred of the better sort and eighthundred common souldiers The consideration of this overthrow occasioned as hee conceived by the froward rashnesse of his owne Subiects and the death of an English Herauld slaine in Scotland so surcharged him with rage and griefe that hee fell sicke of a Fever and died in the three and thirtieth yeare of his age and two and thirtieth of his raigne leaving his Kingdome to the vusally vnhappy governement of a Woman a Childe scarce eight dayes old The chiefe of the captives being conveied to the Tower were two dayes after brought before the King's Counsaile where the Lord Chancellour reprehended their treachery who without due denunciation of war invaded and spoiled the territories of their Allies and committed many outrages which might excuse any severe courses which might in iustice be taken with them Yet his Maiesty out of his naturall Clemency was pleased to deale with them beyond their deserts by freeing them from the irkesomenesse of a strict imprisonment and disposing of them among the Nobles to beby them entertained vntill He should otherwise determine of them By this time King IAMES his death had possessed HENRY with new hopes of vniting Britaine vnder one Head England had a Prince and Scotland a Queene but both so young that many accidents might dissolve a contract before they came to sufficiency Yet this seeming a course intended by the Divine Providence to extirpate all causes of enmity and discord betweene these neighbouring Nations a marriage betweene these young Princes is proposed With what alacrity and applaufe the proposition was on both sides entertained wee may conceive who have had the happinesse to see that effected which they but intended Which being a matter of so sweet a consequence it is to be wondred at that the conspiracy of a few factious spirits should so easily hinder it The hope of it prevailed with the King for the liberty of the Captives conditionally that they should leave hostages for their returne if peace were not shortly concluded which as also the furtherance of this so wished coniunction they faithfully promised Anno Dom. 1543. Reg. 35. AFter their short Captivity the Scottish Lords having beene detained onely twelve dayes at London on New yeares day began their iourney towards Scotland and with them ARCHIBALD DOVGLAS Earle of Angus whom his Sonne in law King IAMES had a little before his death intended to recall Fifteene yeares had hee and his brother GEORGE lived exiles in England HENRY out of his Royall Bounty allowing to the Earle a pension of a thousand markes and to his brother of five hundred The sudaine returne of these captive Lords caused in most as sudaine a ioy Only the Cardinall of Saint ANDREWS who had by forgery made himselfe Regent and his faction could willingly have brooked their absence They came not as freed from a Captivity but as Embassadours for Peace by them ernestly persuaded which by the happy coniunction of these Princes might be concluded to perpetuitie But the Cardinall with his factious Clergy the Queene Dowager and as many as were affected to the Flower de Lys interposed themselves for the good of France Yet notwithstanding the Cardinals fraud being detected hee is not only deposed from his Regency and IAMES HAMILTON
seeing which way we turned the point of our Army being commanded by his King to have an especiall care of that Territory puts himselfe into Montrueil and left the Lord of Vervein his sonne in law a man of small experience to command in Bouloigne This oportunity invites HENRY to incampe before Boloigne a towne neere to Calais and many wayes commodious Hee causeth the Duke of now in danger to be surprised by the French Army to arise from before Montruâ—il and omitting his intended voyage to Paris frustrated by the Emperours peace with the French to enter into which HENRY was invited by the Cardinall BELLAY RAYMOND President of Rouen and AVBESPINE Secretary of Estate sent of purpose hee investeth Boloigne The Duke of Suffolke had first encamped vpon a hill on the East of Boloigne from whence hee after made his approches into the valley And the King encamping on the North shutvp the towne on all sides The first assault is given on the Suburbs or Base Towne which the French vnder the covert of a made smoke had forsaken They pretend it to have beene purposely fired as vnprofitable and the fire quenched by our industry Next the Tower of the Ordre called by vs the Old man defended by twenty Souldiers is yeilded and the Towne continually battered in foure places whereof the most forcible was the battery from the hill on the East side which beat downe the steeple of our Ladies Church rent the houses and scowred the streets of the Towne The breach made by the Canon being not sufficient they fall to mining which happily succeeding they blow vp a great part of the wall We give a furious assault and are repulsed with losse yet did this assault carry the Towne that brave Captaine PHILIP CORSE being slaine in it whose valour alone had hitherto preserved it VERVEIN vpon the losse of this man at his wits end sounds the intention of the King and yeilds him the Towne vpon composition That the Souldiers and Citizens might depart with their Baggage and that all the Artillery Munition and Victuals whereof there was great store should remaine to the King The inhabitants refuse this bad composition and the Mayor with the Townesmen offer to keepe the Towne which had they accordingly vndertaken Boloigne in all probabilitie had continued French For the Capitulation was no fooner concluded hostages not yet given but a horrible tempest of winde and raine overthrowes our Tents and the soile being fat and slippery wee should not have had any meanes to mount to an assault Moreover the Daulphin was on march with great forces for their succour whose approach would have forced HENRY to have changed his designe But VERVEIN professing that hee would keepe touch even with his Enemy continued constant in his promise for which he soone lost his head on a scaffold at Paris The foure and twentieth of September the City was delivered to the Duke of Suffolke and the French departed to the number of threescore and seven horse a thousand five hundred threescore and three able foot and a thousand nine hundred twentie and seven women and children many of the infirmer sort not able to depart staying behinde The next day the King entred triumphantly and caused our Ladies Church to be demolished and in place thereof a Fortification to be raised and having ordered his affaires to his minde making the Viscount Lisle Governour set saile for Dover where hee arrived on the first of October But the King 's hasty departure permitted not all things to be sufficiently setled Part of the Artillery Victuals and Munition by the Capitulation left in Boloigne were not removed from the Base Towne which was fortified only with some small trenches for the surprisall whereof the Daulphin in the night sends some troupes who before morning enter the place cut all in pieces they meet win the Artillery and Munition and thinke to have gotten an absolute victory but being intent to pillage some Ensignes issue from the higher Towne finde them in disorder set vpon them and rout them Many of the Enemies were slaine among whom was FOVQYESSOLLES another sonne in law of BIEZ the victory not being without bloud on our side Neither was our Fleete idle in the meane which scowring the seas brought three hundred Prises so fraught with Merchandise that the three spatious Churches of the Augustine the Gray and the Blacke Friers in London whose Monasteries had lately beene suppressed were stored withnothing but hogsheads of wine The Earle of Lenox lately dispatched out of France for the managing of the affaires of Scotland to the behoofe of the French found not entertainment there according to his expectation The Queene Mother and Cardinall as long as they had need of him deluded him with hopes of marrying the Queene Mother and by their secret calumnies rendred him suspected to the French At length finding his safety questionable he flies for refuge into England accompanied with ALEXANDER sonne and heire to the Earle of Glencarne WALTER GRAHAM brother to the Earle of Montrosse and Sir IOHN BORTHWICKE with others and were honourably received by HENRY who most happily repaired the Earles losses of revenues in France fallen by the death of ROBERT STVART of Aubigny and of his marriage in Scotland with that most successefull Match with that beautifull Lady MARGARET Neipce to the King and Daughter to the Earle of Angus and an annuall pension of seven hundred markes And once more he resolved to try his fortune in Scotland attended by Sir RICE MANSELL and Sir PETER NEWTAS WINTOR AVDLEY and BROOKES with others who with eight ships set saiâ—e from Bristoll and hanging over the coast of Scotland like a cloud vncertaine whereto disburthen it selfe deterred the Scots from enterprising any thing vpon England in the absence of the King The Church of late had daily felt some change or other And this yeare in Iune the Letany set forth in English was commanded to be vsed in all Churches Anno Dom. 1545. Reg. 37. OVr late Expeditions had without doubt beene vâ—â—y chargeable So that I should not wonder that the King began to want supplies if I did not consider the incredible summes raised of the spoiles of the late suppressed Religious Houses All which notwithstanding whether it were that God not pleased with this authorized sacriledge did not inlarge them with his blessing which onely saith SALOMON maketh rich or that a great part thereof was otherwise divided either among his Courtiers or for the maintenance of the â—iected religious persons the Treasury was certainly very bare To which former reasons wee may adde the six new erected Bishoprickes and the like number of Cathedrall Churches as also the stipendâ— conferred on both Vniversities for the publique Professors of the Hâ—â—rem Greeke tongues Divinity Law and Physicke to each whereof he allotted an annuity of forty pounds Howsoever it were certaine it is that levies being made in Germany for the King the souldiers disbanded for want of pay
of his Father and birth a Welchman comming to the Crowne as if they had recouered their liberty whereto they so long aspired they obeied him as their lawfull Prince So the English being freed of their former jealousies permitted them to partake of their Priuiledges since common to both Nations the good whereof equally â—edounded to both I could wish the like Vnion with Scotland That as wee all liue in one Island professing one Faith and speaking for the most part one Language vnder the gouernment of one and the same Prince so we may become one Nation all equally acknowledging our selues Britans and so recouer our true Countrey Britaine lost as it were so many hundreds of yeares by our divisions of it into England Scotland and Wales Anno Dom. 1535. Reg. 27. THe Coronation of the new Queene and other passages of entertainment had exhausted the Treasury The Pope and the Emperour were both enemies of HENRY watchfully attending all opportunities to do him mischiefe Neither in regard that so many sided with the Pope were all things safe at home The King was therefore forced to a course seemingly rash and full of dangerous consequences but very necessary for the time Hee resolves to demolish all the Monasteries throughout England Hee is content the Nobility should share with him in the spoile so inriching and strengthening himselfe by their necessary revolt from the Popish faction To this end they that were thought more especially in maintaining the Popes authority to withstand the Kings proceedings were condemned of high Treason and they that refused to acknowledge the King vnder CHRIST Supreme Head of the Church of England are hanged For this cause on the third of May were executed IOHN HOVGHTON Prior of the Charterhouse in London AVGVSTINE WEBSTER Prior of Bevaley and THOMAS LAWRENCE Prior of Exham and with them RICHARD REIGNALDS a Monke and Doctor of Divinity and IOHN HALES Vicar of Thistlehurst On the eighteenth of June EXMEW MIDDLEMORE and NVDIGATE all Charterhouse Monkes suffered for the same cause And foure dayes after IOHN FISHER Bishop of Rochester a man much reverenced by the People for his holy life and great learning was publiquely beheaded and his head set over London bridge Our Histories hardly afford a president of the execution of such a man But the Pope was the occasion of his death who to ease the burthen of his now a yeares imprisonment by the addition of a new title had on the one and twentieth of May created him Cardinall The newes whereof hastened him to a scaffold The sixth of Iuly Sir THOMAS MORE for the same stifnesse in opinion with Bishop FISHER suffered the like death This was that MORE so famous for his Eutopia and many other Workes both in English and Latin As for his conversation the most censorious fault him in nothing but his too too jesting I will not say scoffing wit to which he gaue more liberty then did beseeme the grauity of his person not tempering himselfe in the midst of his calamity no not at the very instant of death After his condemnation hee denied to giue any thing to the Barber that trimmed him affirming That head about which he had bestowed his paines was the Kings if he could prove it to be his that did â—eare it hee would well reward him To his Keeper demanding his vpper garment as his fee hee gaue his Hat Going vp the scaffold he desired him that went before him to lend him his hand to helpe him vp as for comming downe he tooke no care Laying his head vpon the blocke hee put aside his beard which was then very long saying The Executioner was to cut off his head not his beard The executions of so many men caused the Queene to be much maligned as if they had beene done by her procurement at least the Papist would haue it thought so knowing that it stood her vpon and that indeed â—hee endeavoured that the authority of the Pope of Rome should not againe take footing in England They desired nothing more than the downefall of this vertuous Lady which shortly after happening they triumphed in the overthrow of Innocence In the meane time they who vndertooke the subversion of the Monasteries invented an Engine to batter them more forcibly then the former course of torture and punishment They send abroad subtle headed fellowes who warranted by the Kings authority should throughout England search into the liues and manners of religious persons It would amaze one to consider what villanies were discouered among them by the meanes of CROMWELL and others Few were found so guiltlesse as to dare withstand their proceedings and the licentiousnesse of the rest divulged made them all so odious to the people that neuer any exploit so full of hazard and danger was more easily atchieued then was the subversion of our English Monasteries Anno Dom. 1536. Reg. 28. THis yeare began with the end of the late Queene CATHARINE whom extremity of griefe cast into a disease whereof on the eighth of January she deceased Queene ANNE now enioyed the King without a Rivall whose death not withstanding not improbably happened too soone for her For the King vpon May day at Greenwich beholding the Viscont Rochfort the Queenes brother HENRY NORRIS and others running a tilt arising suddenly and to the wonder of all men departing thence to London caused the Viscont Rochfort NORRIS the Queene her selfe and some others to be apprehended and committed The Queene being guarded to the Tower by the Duke of Norfolke AVDLEY Lord Keeper CROMWELL Secretary of Estate and KINGSTON Lieutenant of the Tower at the very entrance vpon her knees with dire imprecations disavowed the crime whatsoeuer it were wherewith shee was charged beseeching God so to regard her as the iustnesse of her cause required On the fifteenth of May in the hall of the Tower she was arraigned the Duke of Norfolke sitting high Steward to whom were adioined twenty six other Peeres and among them the Queenes Father by whom she was to be tried The Accusers hauing giuen in their evidence and the Witnesses produced she sitting in a chaire whether in regard of any infirmity or out of honour permitted to the Wife of their Soueraigne hauing an excellent quicke wit and being a ready speaker did so answer to all obiections that had the Peeres giuen in their verdict according to the expectation of the assembly shee had beene acquitted But they among whom the Duke of Suffolke the Kings brother in Law was chiefe one wholly applying himselfe to the Kings humor pronounce Her guilty Whereupon the Duke of Norfolke bound to proceed according to the verdict of the Peeres condemned Her to death either by being burned in the Greene in the Tower or beheaded as his Maiesty in his pleasure should thinke fit Her brother GEORGE Viscont Rochford was likewise the same day condemned and shortly after HENRY NORRIS WILLIAM BRIERTON and FRANCIS WESTON
Wherefore they so intrenched themselves and fortified their Campes with Artillery as if they expected a siege from each other Some moneths thus passed without any other exploits then inrodes and light skirmishes At length they mutually entertaine a motion of peace both of them considering that their Armies consisting of strangers the fruits of the victory would be to the Aliens only but the calamity and burthen of the defeat would light on the shoulders of the vanquished or which comes all to one passe of the subiects These motives drew together for a treaty on HENRY'S side the Constable the Marshall of S. Andrew the Cardinall of Loraine MORVILLIERS Bishop of Orleans and AVBESPINE Secretary of Estate for PHILIP the Duke of Alva the Prince of Orange RVYZ GOMES de Silva GRANVELL Bishop of Arras and others Much altercation was had about the restoring of Calais which the French were resolved to hold and PHILIP would have no peace vnlesse it were restored to MARY whom in point of honour he could not so forsake But this difference was ended by the death of MARY a little before whome on the one and twentieth of September died also the Emperour CHARLES the Fift which occasioned both the change of place and time for another Treaty And if the continuall connexion of other memorable affaires had not transported me I should ere this have mentioned the marriage celebrated at Paris with great pompe on the eight and twentieth of Aprill betweene the Daulphin FRANCIS and MARY Queene of Scots But the fruits thereof were not lasting For two yeares after died FRANCIS the Crowne by the death of his Father HENRY having beene first devolved to him and left his bed to a more auspicious husband HENRY the eldest Sonne to the Earle of Lenox Of these Parents was borne our late Soveraigne of ever sacred memory who was Nephew by his Mother to IAMES the Fift by MARGARET the eldest Daughter Nephew to that wise King HENRY the Seventh who the Issue of HENRY the Eight being extinct as the next vndoubted Heire most happily vnited the Crownes of England Scotland and Irland But now at length to draw neerer home this Autumne was very full of diseases Fevers especially quartane raigning extraordinarily in England wherby many chiefely aged persons and among them a great number of the Clergy perished Of the sole Episcopall ranke thirteene died either a little before the Queene or some few moneths after her Among the rest Cardinall POOLE scarce survived her a day who having beene for some weekes afflicted by this kinde of disease and brought to extreme weakenesse of body as if he had at the newes of the Queenes death received his deaths wound expired at three a clocke the next morning His corps inclosed in lead was buried in his Cathedrall at Canterbury with this briefe Elogy on his Tombe in steed of an Epitaph Depositum Cardinalis POLI. He was a man admirably learned modest milde of a most sweet disposition wise and of excellent dexterity in the managing of any affaires so that hee had beene incomparable if corrupted with the Religion of the Church of Rome he had not forced his nature to admit of those cruelties exercised vpon the Protestants The Queene died at S. Iames on the seventeenth of November some few houres before day She was a Lady very godly mercifull chaste and every way praise-worthy if you reguard not the errors of her Religion But her Religion being the cause of the effusion of so much innocent bloud that of the Prophet was necessarily to be fulfilled in her Bloud-thirsty men c. shall not finish halfe their dayes For she was cut off in the two and fortieth yeare of her age hauing raigned onely fiue yeares foure moneths and eleuen dayes wheras her Sister who succeeded her most happily in a more milde gouernement ruled nine timesas long and almost doubled her age Concerning the cause of Queen MARIE'S death there are divers conjectures To relate what I finde in approoved Authors it is reported that in the beginning of her sickenesse her friends supposing that she grieved at the absence of her husband whome she saw so ingaged in wars abroad that she could not hope for his speedy returne vsed consolatory meanes and indevored to remove from her that fixed sadnesse wherewith she seemed to be oppresled But she vtterly averse from all comfort and giving her selfe over to melancholy told them That she died but that of the true cause of her death they were ignorant which if they were desirous to know they should after her death dissect her heart and there they should finde Calais Intimating thereby that the losse of Calais had occasioned this fatall griefe which was thought to have beene increased by the death of the Emperor her Father-in-law But the truth is her liver being over-cooled by a Mole these things peradventure might hasten her end which could not otherwise be far from her and cast her by degrees into that kinde of Dropsy which Physitians terme Ascites This Dropsy being not discovered in time deceived her Physitians who beleeved that she had conceived by King PHILIP whereas she alas did breed nothing but her owne death So mature remedies being not applied and she not observing a fit diet she fell into a Fever which increasing by little and little at last ended in her death She lieth interred at Westminster in the midst of that Chappell which is on the North side of her Grandfather HENRY the Seventh his Monument where her sister Queene ELIZABETH was after buried with her and over both by the pious liberality of that most munificent Prince King IAMES hath since beene erected a most stately Monument well befitting the Majesty of such great Monarchs Queene ELIZABETH Anno 1558. HAving thus briefely run over the Reignes of these three Princes Queene ELIZABETH'S times in the next place offer themselves which deservedly requiring a more accurate stile I will here set a period to this worke not so much with intent to pretermit them as reserving them for a more exact labour In the meane time to give some satisfaction to the Reader I will make this short addition Some few houres after the decease of Queene MARY the Estates then assembled in Parliament on the seventeenth of November declared her Sister the Lady ELIZABETH Queene who was Daughter to HENRY the Eighth and ANNE BOLEN Having most gloriously reigned forty foure yeares foure moneths and seven dayes she ended her life and Reigne on the foure and twentieth of March Anno 1603 the Crown being by her death devolved to the renouned King of Scots IAMES the Sixt to whome it was so far from feeling it a burthen to have succeeded so good a Princesse that never was any Prince received with greater applause and gratulation of his People Many thinke their condition happy if they exchange a CALIGVLA for a CLAVDIVS or a NERO for a VITELLIVS or an OTHO But that any Mortall should please after ELIZABETH may
greatest note that accompanied him were richly rewarded and all being dismissed with many thankes safely returned home In their absence MARGARET Duchesse of Sauoy who was Daughter to the Emperour MAXIMILIAN and Gouernesse of the Netherlands vnder CHARLES the Infant of Spaine preuailed with our King for the like number of Archers shee hauing then wars with the Duke of Gueldres against whom she meant to imploy them These men in the space of fiue moneths did many braue exploits at Brimnost Aske and Venloo vnder the command of Sir EDWARD POâ—NINGS a braue Souldier and in great fauour with his Prince Of them fourteene hundred returned home much commended and well rewarded the fortune of warre had cut off one hundred Foure Captaines in regard of their valour were Knighted by the Infant CHARLES afterwardes Emperour viz. IOHN NORTON IOHN FOG IOHN SCOT and THOMAS LYND The King of Scots had then warre with the Portugall vnder pretext whereof one ANDREW BARTON a famous Pirat tooke all ships that coasted either England or Scotland affirming them alwayes to bee Portugals of what Nation soeuer they were or at least fraught with Portugall marchandise The King sent EDWARD HOWARD Lord Admirall of England and his brother the Lord THOMAS HOWARD eldest sonne to the Earle of Surrey with one IOHN HOPTON to take this Rouer When they had once found him out after a long and bloudie fight they tooke him aliue but mortally wounded with his two ships and all his companions that survived the fight and brought them to London Anno Dom. 1512. Reg. 4. AS yet our HENRY had no warre with any forraine Prince neither did the wiser sort wish that he should haue any But hee a young King in the heat of one and twentie yeares was transported with a vehement desire of warre which saith the Prouerbe is sweet to them that neuer tasted of it Although he had about a yeare or two before made a League with LEWIS the Twelfe of France yet hee was easily entreated by Pope IVLIVS â—o renounce this Confederacie This Pope more like to that CAESAR whose Name hee bare the PETER from whom he would faine deriue his Succession that like another NERO sitting still hee might from on high be a spectator while the whole world was on fire had written Letters to our King wherein hee entreated his assistance towards the suppression of the French who without feare of God or man these were the pretended causes had not only sacrilegiously laid hold on the reuenues of the Church had caused Cardinall WILLIAM to vsurpe the Papacie had vpheld ALFONSO of Ferara and the Bentivogli in rebellion against him but had also farther decreed to make Italy the Theater of his tyrannie Wherefore he coniured him by the Loue of our Saâ—ionr by the Pietie of his Ancestors whose aides were neuer wanting when the Church stood in need and by the fast tie of Filiall Obedience that hee would enter into the Holy League of the Estates of Italy who had made choice of him for their Generall Iealousie and Reuerence to the Sea of Rome so prevailed with Him that hee easily condiscended to the Popes request Yet that he might some way colour his action hee would needs interpose himselfe as Vmpier betweene the Pope and the French whom by his Embassadours hee entreates to lay aside armes withall not obscurely threatning that if he did not so he intended to vndertake the defence of the Pope against him the common disturber of the peace of Christendome The French set light by this Wherefore warre is proclaimed by a Herald the French King commanded to part with the Kingdome of France and the Duchies of Normandie and Aquitaine which hee without right vniustly vsurped Then entring into League with MAXIMILIAN the Emperour the Arragonois and the Pope they consult of assaulting the French with ioint forces The Arragonois invites vs into Spaine that thence we might invade France promising besides certaine troupes of Horse store of Artillery Waggons for carriage Munition and many other things necessary for such an Expedition Our King relying on his Father in law his promises levies a great Armie whereof he ships onepart for Spaine and employes the other by Sea EDWARD HOWARD Lord Admirall had charge of the Sea forces who fought with the French Fleet in the Bay of Bretatgne In which fight there was no memorable thing done besides the combate of the two great ships the one having seven hundred English in it vnder the command of Sir THOMAS KNEVET the other nine hundred French vnder PRIMAVGET a Briton These ships being both fast grapled after a long fight fell both on fire and were vtterly consumed not a man being saved of whom it might bee learned whether this fire happened by chance or were purposely kindled by a forced despaire Our other Army vnder the command of the Lord THOMAS GRAY Marquis of Dorset amongst ten thousand tall English souldiers had fiue hundred Germanes vnder one GVINT a Flemming This Armie landed in Biscay where they spent some moneths in expectation of due performances from the Arragonois who feeding them with promises only tempered the heat of our men who were very eager vpon the march for France It hapned that GASTON of Foix Competitor for the Kingdome with IOHN King of Navarre died about the same time The Navarroâ—s had promised FERDâ—NAND some aides toward this warre But now fearing no Competitor hee whether out of inconstancie or that he thought his affaires so required secretly by his Agents makes a League with the French Vpon this FERDINAND turnes his Armes vpon the Navarrois and straines all his strings to draw our men to the same attempt but the Marquis of Dorset pleaded his Commission beyond which hee could not with safetie proceed The Navarrois was vtterly vnprouided and the Nobilitie so divided into the factions of the Egremonts and the Beaumonts that he could doe nothing It was bruited that two mighty Kings came against him with no lesse forces what should hee doe to hope from France were vaine the French were too farre off and deeply engaged in other warres At the approach of the Spantard hee quits his Kingdome and with his Wife and Children flying over the Pyrenean mountaines makes Beaâ—ne his receptacle FERDINAND having thus gotten a new Kingdome casts off all farther thought of â—rance onely intending the confirmation of his conquest to which end hee intreates of HENRY the helpe of our forces raised for France and prevailes but to no purpose For the English having their bodies inflamed with the intolerable heate of a strange climate and the drinking of strong wines dropâ— downe every where insomuch that we lost about a thousand some say of eighteene hundred men in an instant Wherefore impatient of farther delay they force their Commanders to set saile homeward The King was mightily enraged at their returne insomuch that hee once thought to haue punished them for their obstinacie but the multitude of Delinquents proved a
haughtie in regard of their former navall victories obtained vnder the command of this young Lord. After him came the Lords DACRES CLIFFORD SCROPE LATIMER CONIERS LVMLEY and OGLE besides Sir NICHOLAS APPLEYARD Master of the Ordinance Sir W. PERCIE Sir WILLIAM SIDNEY Sir WILLIAM BVLMER Sir IOHN STANLEY Sir WILLIAM MOLINEVX Sir THOMAS STRANGWAYES Sir RICHARD TEMPEST and many other Knights These sitting in Counsell thought it best to send an Herald to the King to expostulate with him concerning these out-rages committed to complaine that He had without all right or reason spoyled the Countrey of a Prince not onely Allied vnto Him but also His Confederate and therefore to certifie Him that they were readie by battaile to revenge the breach of League if so bee Hee durst awaite their comming but a few dayes in a ground that might be fitting for the meeting of both Armies The King makes answere by writing wherein Heeretorts the violation of the League calling God to witnesse that King HENRY had first by his many iniuries showne evident signes of an alienated mind For the English Hee pretended robbed all along the Marches of Scotland without restitution or punishment ANDREW BARTON a stout and honest man had beene vniustly slaine by the Kings command and one HERON who had murdered ROBERT CAR a Scottish Nobleman vaunted himselfe openly in England the King taking no notice of so hainous a fact Of these things Hee had often complained by his Embassadours but without effect There was therefore no other way for Him but to betake Himselfe to Armes for the common defence of Himselfe and his Kingdome against the Kings iniustice As for the meeting hee signified that he accepted of it and appointed both Time and Place for the battaile Neither partie failed the prefixed day The Scot seekes to animate his men by taking away all hope of safeguard by flight commanding them I know not how wisely but the event shâ—wed how vnhappily for thme to forsake their horses forasmuch as they were to trust to their hands not to their horses heeles and by his owne example shewing what hee would haue done hee alights and prepares himselfe to fight on foote The rest doing the like the whole Army encountred Vs on foote to whom after a long and bloudy fight the fortune of the victorie inclined The Scots had two and twentie Peeces of great Ordinance which stood them in no steed For our men climing vp a hill where the Enemy sate hovering over Vs the shot passed over our heads Our chiefe strength were our Archers who so incessantly played vpon foure wings of Scots for the King divided his Army into fiue Battalions that were but lightly armed that they forced them to flie and leave their fellowes who yet stood stoutly to it But the maine Battaile where the King was consisting of choice men and better armed against our sâ—ot was not so easily defeated For the Scots although they being inclosed as it were in a toyle were forced to fight in a ring made most desperate resistance and that without doubt so much the rather because they not onely heard their King incouraging them but saw him also manfully fighting in the foremost rankes vntill having received would vpon wound heâ—el down dead The say there fell with him the Archbishop of Saint ANDREWES his naturall Sonne two other Bishops two Abbots twelve Earles seventeene Barons and of common Souldiers eight thousand The number of the Captives is thought to haue beene as many They lost all their Ordinance and almost all their Ensignes insomuch that the victorie was to bee esteemed a very great one but that it was somewhat bloudie to Vs in the losse of fifteene hundred This field was fought the ninth of September neere Flodon hill vpon a rising banke called Piperdi not farre from Bramston I am not ignorant that the Scotish Writers constantly affirme the King was not slaine in the field but having saved himselfe by flight was afterwards killed by his owne people and that the body which was brought into England was not the Kings but of one ALEXANDER ELFINSTON a young Gentleman resembling the King both in visage and stature whom the King that hee might delude those that pursued him and might as with his owne Presence animate them that fought else-where had caused with all tokens of Royaltie to be armed and apparelled like himselfe But to let passe the great number of Nobilitie whose carcases found about him sufficiently testifie that they guarded their true King and consequently that the counterfaite fought else-where it is manifest that his body was knowne by many of the Captives who certainly affirmed that it could bee no other then the Kings although by the multitude of wounds it were much defaced For his necke was opened to the midst with a wide wound his left hand almost cut off in two places did scarce hang to his arme and the Archers had shot him in many places of his body Thus was IAMES the Fourth King of Scots taken away in the flower of his youth who truly in regard of his Princely Vertues deserved a longer life For hee had a quicke wit and a maiesticall countenance he was of a great spirit courteous milde liberall and so mercifull that it was observed hee was often forced against his will to punish offenders These vertues endeared him to his people in his life time and made them so much lament the losse of him being dead that as all Historians report they seemed to have lost onely him in the whole succession of their Kings which sufficiently argues the improbabilitie of the subiects pretended Parricide But he had not fallen into this misery if he would haue hearkened to the advice of those who perswaded him to have returned home before the fight contented with what hee had alreadie performed in the expedition that he should not vpon so weake forces hazard the estate oâ— his Kingdome hee had wonne glory enough and abundantly fulfilled his friends request But the French Agent and some of the Kings Mignons corrupted by the French vrging to the contrarie this haughtie Prince even otherwise very desirous to give proofe of his valour was easily perswaded to awaite our great Forces already marching His body if at least that were his not ELFINSTON'S being enclosed in Lead and brought into England was by our Kings I will not say cruell but certainly inhumane command cast in some by corner or other without due Funerall Rites saying that it was a due punishment for one who had periurously broken his League whereas if wee examine the premisses we shall find he wanted not probable pretexts for what hee vndertooke Anno Dom. 1514. Reg. 6. THe next yeare having begunne his course THOMAS HOWARD Earle of Surrey hee who had beene victorious over the Scots was created Duke of Norfolke the title and dignitie of his Ancestors IOHN his Father deriving his pedigree from THOMAS de Brotherton Sonne to King EDWARD the First the SEGRAVES and
MAGDALEN Colledge and afterward became Master of the free Schoole thereto belonging Among other schollers the sonnes of the Marquis of Dorset were committed to his trust and for his care ouer them the Paâ—sonage of Limington in Somersetshire no verie meane one was bestowed on him As soone as he had set footing there he was very disgracefully entertained by Sir AMIAS POWLET who clap't him in the stockes a punishment not vsually inflicted vpon any but beggars and base people What the matter was that so exasperated him against WOLSEY a man not of least account I know not This I know that WOLSEY beeing afterward made Cardinall and Lord Chancellor of England so grieuously punished this iniurie that Sir AMIAS POWLET was faine to dance attendance at London some yeares and by all manner of obsequiousnesse to currie fauour with him There remaines to this day a sufficient testimonie her of in a building ouer the gate of the middle Temple in London built by the Knight at the time of his attendance there decked round about very sumptuously with the Cardinalls Armes hoping thereby somewhat to alay the wrath of the incensed Prelate But these things were long after this yere WOLSEY whether that hee could not brooke this disgrace or bearing a minde that look't beyond this poore Benefice left it and became domestique Chaplaine to Sir IOHN NAFANT Treasurer of Calais by whose meanes hee was taken notice of by FOX Bishop of Winchester a man that knew rightly how to iudge of good wits He finding this young man to be verie â—prightfull of learning sufficient and verie actiue in dispatch of affaires so highly commended him to king HENRY the Seuenth who relied much vpon FOXES faith and wisedome that hee thought it good forthwith to imploy him in affaires of great moment What need many words he so far pleased the King that in short time he became a great man and was first prefer'd to the Deanrie of Lincolne and then made the Kings Almoner But HENRY the Eighth a young Prince comming to the Crowne was wholly taken with his smooth tongue and pliable behauiour For when all the rest of his friends aduised Him to sit euerie day in person at the Counsell Table that so by experience and daily practise He might reape wisedome and to accustome Himselfe to the managing of affaires of Estate WOLSEY aduised Him to follow His pleasures saying That His youth would not be able to brooke their tedious Consultations euerie Age of man had its Seasons and Delights agreeable They did not do well that would force the King to act an Old Man before His time Youth being vtterly auerse from wrinckled Sâ—ueritie It would come to passe hereafter if God were so pleased that what was now troublesome to him would not be disagreeable to riper Yeares nay prooue perhaps a great pleasure Vntill that time came He should enioy the present and not by hearkening to others needlesse persuasions any way interrupt the course of that felicitie which the largenesse of His Dominions would easily affoord Him He should hawke and hunt and as much as Him list vse honest recreations If so bee Hee did at any time desire suddenly to become an Old Man by intermedling with Old Mens Cares He should not want those meaning himselfe that would in the euening in one or two wordes relate vnto Him the effect of a whole daies Consultation This speech hitting so pat with the Kings humour made WOLSEY so powerfull that whereas the King before fauored him as much as any other he onely was now in fauour with and next the King with whon e there was nothing to bee done but by him For he was the man that was made choice of who like another MERCVRY should passe betweene this our IOVE and the Senate of the lesser Gods offering their petitions to Him and to them returning his pleasure therein Wherefore he was euen at the first sworne of the Priuie Counsell and besides the late collation of Tournay vpon the death of SMITH he was also made Bishop of Lincolne In the gouernement of which Church he had not fully spent six moneths before he was translated from Lincolne to the Archbishopricke of Yorke then vacant by the death of Cardinall BAMBRIDGE at Rome Shortly after that I may at once shew all his honors WILLIAM WARHAM Archbishop of Caterâ—urie leauing the place he was by the King made Lord Chancellor of England and by the Pope Legate a latere Yet he stayed not there but as if the Archb shopricke of Yorke and the Chancellorship of England had not beene sufficient to maintaine the port of a Cardinall besides many other lâ—uings he procured of the King the Abbey of Saint Albanes and the Bishopricke of Bath and Wells And not content with these leauing Bath and Wells he addeth the Bishopricke of Durham to that of Yorke and then leauing Durhamâ—eazeth â—eazeth on Winchester at that time of greatest reuenue of any Bishopricke in England You now see WOLSEY in his height rich his Princes Fauourite and from the bottom raised to the top oâ— Fortunes wheele What became of him afterward you shall know hereafter Anno Dom. 1515. Reg. 7. THe League lately made with LEWIS the French King was confirmed by FRANCIS his Successor and published by Proclamation in London the ninth day of Aprill Anno Dom. 1516. Reg. 8. BVt the French King hauing taken into his protection the young King of Scots sent IOHN STVART Duke of Albanie in Scotland to be Gouernour both of the kings Person and kingdome The first thing this Duke vndertook was either to put to death or banish those whom he any way suspected to fauor the English Insomuch that the Queene Dowager who by this time was matried to ARCHIBALD DOVGLIS Earle of Aagus forced to saue herselfe by flight came into England to her Brother with whom she stayed at London a whole yeare the Earle her husband after a moneth or two without leaue returning into Scotland King HENRY being displeased at these French practises deales vnderhand with the Emperour MAXIMILIAN with whome the French then contended for the Dutchie of Milane and lends him a great summe of money whereby he might hire the Suisâ—es to aid him in the expelling the French out of Italie But the Emperour although he had leuied a sufficient Armie returned home without doing any thing He was indeed accompted a wise Prince but vnhappy in the managing of his affaires whether it were that Fortune waiwardly opposed him or that he was naturally slow in the execution of his wel plotted designes But shortly after hee intendes a second triall of his Fortune Wherefore by his Embassadour the Cardinall of Suisserland hee yet boroweâ— more mony of the King which was deliuered to certaine Merchants of Genua to bee by a set day payed to the Emperour in Italie But they whether corrupted by the French or not of sufficient abilitie to make returne deceiued him and so his second designes vanished also into
the night in the morning hearing the Kings forces to approach most of them slipt away onely some thrâ—e hundred remained whereof eleuen were women and being apprehended supplied their places whom theybefore had freed They were all arraigned onely thirteene designed for death whereof nine suffered on diuers gibbets purposely erected in diuers parts of the Citie LINCOLNE SHERWIN and two brethren named BETS Chiefetaines in this sedition were carried to Cheapside where LINCOLNE was deseruedly hanged The Executioner readie to turne off another was preuented by the Kings gracious Pardon The minde of man beeing prone to pittie wee may imagine that others were well pleased at the newes but certainely the condemned had cause to reioice The Queenes of England the two Dowagers of of France and Scotland both of them the Kings Sisters and then at Court became incessant Petitioners to his Maiestie and that on their knees in the behalfe of these condemned persons and at length WOLSEY consenting by whome the King was wholly swayed their Petitions were graunted to them and to the poore men their liues This was the last scene of this tragicall tumult the like whereof this well gouerned Citie had not knowne in manie ages For the Lawes verie well prouided in that case do vnder a great penaltie forbid Assemblies especially of armed men if not warranted by publicke Authoritie In August and September the sweating sicknesse termed beyond Sea Sudor Anglicus or the English sweat began a disease vtterly vnknowne to former ages Of the common sort they were numberlesse that perished by it Of the Nobilitie the Lords CLINTON and GREY of Wilton The symptomes and cure you may finde in Polydore Virgill in Anno. 1. HENR 7. who as confidently as I beleeue truely maintaines That this disease was neuer till then knowne to bee much lesse to bee mortall As if there were a concatenation of euills one euill seldome commeth alone A Pestilence succeeded this former mortalitie and so raged the whole Winter season in most parts of the Realme that the King for feare of infection attended by a few was faine euery day to remoue his Court from one place to another The eleuenth of Februarie was borne the Ladie MARY afterwards Queene of England Anno Dom. 1518. Reg. 10. THe Peace so long treated of betweene vs and the French was now in September at length concluded on these Conditions That the DAVLPHIN should marrie the Ladie MARIE the Kings only Châ—lde and not yet two yeares old That Tournay should bee restored to the French That the French should pay King HENRY foure hundred thousand Crownes viz. two hundred thousand for his charge in building the Cittadell for the Artillerie Powder and Munit on which hee should leaue there and other two hundred thousand crownes partly for the expence of that warre wherein the Citie was taken and partly in regard of other Pensions that were due vnto him For the paiment of which summes the French gaue eight hostages so saith BELLAY But our Writers speake of a farre different summe viz. Six hundred thousand crownes for the Citie and foure hundred thousand crownes for the Cittadell besides three and twenty thousand pounds Tournois which the City of Tournay ought the King and an annual Pension of a thousand Markes assigned to Cardinall WOLSEY for renouncing all claime and title to the Bishopricke of Tournay For the confirmation of these Articles the Earle of Worcester and the Bishop of Ely with some others were sent into France where both by the King and Princes of the Realme they were magnificently entertained Anno Dom. 1519. Reg. 11. THis yeare on the twelfth of Ianuarie in the three and sixtie yere of his age died the Emperor MAXIMILIAN hauing to preuent a disease to which hee thought himselfe inclining vnseasonably taken a Medicine of vncertaine opperation His death bred an equall desire in the mindes of two great Princes who became Competitours for the Empire FRANCIS King of France and CHARLES King of Spaine But CHARLES although King of Spaine yet being by birth borne at Gand and discent a German at the age of nineteene yeares was chosen Emperour of Germanie with the full consent and sufferages of all the Princes Electors This Election how euer other slight matters were pretended was vndoubtedly the cause of the ensuing dreadfull war betweene these Princes The French King taking this repulse impatiently meditates nothing but reuenge And that his designes might no way be crossed by vs he labors amain for the confirmation of the peace lately agreed vpon betweene HENRY and him Therefore by the Admirall BONIVET he deales with WOLSEY that at an enteruiew betweene the two Kings the League might be ratified To this end HENRY intends to come to Guisnes FRANCIS to Ardres and a conuenient place betweene both is made choice of for their enteruiew Anno Dom. 1520. Reg. 12. HEreupon the King setting forward towards France by easy iourneis comes to Canterbury intending there to keepe his Whitsontide The next day after being the twenty sixth of May the new created Emperor CHARLES the fifth in his return from Spaine arriues at Douer distant twelue miles from Canterbury The King gladly entertaines the newes and although it were midnight takes horse and within little more than an houre comes by torch light to Douer Castle where the Emperour lay who seaweary was then asleepe But being certified of the Kings arriuall hee suddenly apparelled himselfe and met the King at the top of the staires They embraced and saluted one another they long conferred together and the next morning beeing Whitsonday they rode together to Canterburie the Emperour alway keeping the right hand and the Earle of Derby bearing the Sword before them both Canterburie is a Citie more famous for antiquitie than for moderne beauty To let passe that it was aboue a thousand yeares since made an Archiepiscopall Sea our Chronicles do sufficiently testify that both in respect of priuate mens faire houses and the magnificent structure of it's Churches it antiently excelled the brauest cities of England But within these few yeares it hath lost so much of it's greatnesse and beautie that a man shall finde little of Canterburie beside the name Why it should so much in so short space decay many reasons may be alledged As the vicinity of London which swelling like the spleene suckes both bloud and moisture from all the other languishing Cities of the Kingdome Likewise the subuersion of Saint AVGVSTINES Monasterie the losse of Calais and the pulling downe of Archbishop BECKET his Shrine things which occasioned a great concourse of people and did by their losse and ouerthrow much impaire this Cities splendor One only Ornament therof suruiues which is the Cathedrall and Metropoliticall Church with such a Maiesty piercing the skies saith ERASMVS that it a far off fills the beholder with deuout amazement This Church being at first dedicated to our Sauiour CHRIST a few ages past degenerated into the nickname of S. THOMAS
This THOMAS surnamed BECKET hauing obstinatly opposed HENRY the second was in this Church slain by certaine soldiers and being afterward canonized for a Saint his sepulchre mightily encreased the glory of the place For from those times euen almost to our dayes all sorts of people from all parts of Europe superstitiously frequented the Shrine of this vpstart Saint with rich oblations indeuoring to procure his fauor Hence the Monastery was so inriched that of it and the Church ERASMVS said That euery place was enlightened with the lustre of most pretious and huge stones and the Church throughout abounded with more than Royall Treasure But the Shrine especially that contained the reliques of this Saint was so embossed with jewels that gold was the meanest thing about it Hither accompanied with King HENRY came the Emperor CHARLES but whether out of deuotion or curiositie I cannot say But this is certaine that the Cardinall and the Clergie going in procession to the Church they went directly where a great deale of time was spent in Ceremonious worship and ablations at BECKETS Tome not onely by the Emperour but euen by Him who shortly after defaced the Monument and seised vpon that infinite Treasure heaped vp by the deuout follie of many preceding ages From the Church they went to the Archbishops Palace where the Queene Aunt to the Emperour awaited them and very ioyfully welcommed her Nephew Three dayes were spent in banketing pastimes and then the Emperour went to his Nauy at Sandwich the King and Queene to Douer from whence they passed to Calais that the intended interuiew of the two Kings might worke it's due effects The seuenth of Iune was the appointed day The place betweene Ardres and Guisnes There the two Kings mounted on Spanish Gennets attended by such a multitude of Nobilitie as the occasions of a hundred yeres before had not at once brought together the like incountred each other both in the floure of their age the goodliest Princes of the world and most expert in all kinde of combates both on horse and foot It were needlesse to set forth the magnificence of these Princes when the brauerie of their attendants was such that the place was thence named The golden campe Hauing embraced each other on horseback they alight and betake themselues to a Pauilion there purposely pitched HENRY attended on by the Cardinall of Yorke and the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolke FRANCIS by the Admirall BONIVET the Chancellour du PRAT and some other Counsellors Hauing had familiar conference concerning some priuate matters they gaue order for erecting a Theater and enclosing a ground for a Tilt-yard that so they might solace themselues whiles their Counsell treated of grauer matters the conclusion whereof they might at leisure euery day know by relation Fourteene dayes these Princes gaue each other the meeting with great concourse of most famous soldiers HENRY then entertained the French King at Guisnes in a house made of timber framed partly in England partly in Holland and thence brought thither wherein there were foure Mansions The out side was couered with cloth so painted that it would haue deceiued the beholders for squared stone the in side was hung with most rich Arras so that it euery way seemed a most artificiall and stately Building The forme of it was much like that of the Exchange at Calais It being afterward taken asunder was transported into England and so stood the King in little or nothing saith BELLAY Whereas wee know and that by Records that there were sent ouer out of England for this Worke three hundred Masons six hundred Carpenters two hundred Painters Glasiers and other Artificers in all eleuen hundred which for the space of two moneths laboured continually on this fabricke The day ensuing the French King prepares a banquet the banqueting house was a Canopy euery way extended sixtie foot which without was couered with cloath of Tissue within with blew velvet pouldred with golden floures de Lys. At each corner was a Pauilion of the same workes the cords were of blew silke twisted with gold of Cyprus which was of great esteeme But a most impetuous and tempestuous winde broke asunder the cords and laid all this brauerie in the dirt Patience par force The French King suddenly makes another banquetting house in that place where there is now a Fort that takes it's name from this banquet The preparations were extraordinary and the magnificence outstripped the reach of humane iudgement There wanted neither houses woods nor fields for disport for many men brought them entire on their backes But pleasures must haue their intermission and Kings if not by their Greatnesse are by their Affaires seuered HENRY therefore returnes to Calais and FRANCIS to Boloigne The tenth of the ensuing moneth the King gallantly attended visited the Emperour at Graueling The Emperour in requitall accompanied him backe to Calais Shewes and banquets are Princes vsuall entertainments To this end the King so commanding a round building is made in the forme of an Amphiteatre eight hundred foot in compasse The sides were of plankes in the middle was a pillar made of eight great masts tied together This pillar supported the weight not onely of the roofe of the whole fabricke whither as into a lower Heauen the Moone and Stars had descended but Organs also and places for the receipt of all sorts of musicke in aboundance These places were adorned with tapestrie statues and curious pictures insomuch that the most fault finding could not complaine of any want in that kinde All things were now prepared for the entertainment of such a guest and the banquet readie to be serued in when the same mischance that befel the French Canopy made our English Heauen and Earth meet together God as displeased with the mad prodigality of these two Kings sent a tempest the violence whereof scattered this counterfeit heauen blew out aboue a thousand wax tapers defaced the glorious thrones prepared for these Princes frustrated the expectation of the people and forced the King to the necessitie of another place But to lec passe the tilting maskes and gorgeous feasts during the six dayes the Emperor stayed at Calais In these seueral enterviewes betweene all these Princes there was no one serious thing done but this that a firme Peace a perpetuall League faithfull Friendship seemed to be concluded on all sides For who would haue thought that it had been possible for discord it selfe to haue disolued this knot where CHARLES FRANCIS attributed so much to HENRY that they made him Vmpier of all controuersies that should arise betweene thē But that there is seldom any heed to be giuen to the Agreements of Princes where they are tied by no other bands as of Religion Affinity or manifest Vtility than that weake one of their plighted Troth those foule dissentions and bloudy wars which afterwards rent all Christendome and opened a way for that cōmon enemy of our Faith may be a sufficient example
ships and Merchants in England find the like entertainment the Hostages giuen by the French for the foresaid sums are committed to close prison and the French Embassadour confined to his house Levies are made throughout England great preparatioÌ„s for another expedition into France To which the King being wholly bent Embassadors suddenly arrive from the Emâ—erour whose request was That He would joine his forces with the Imperialls and that if it so pleased Him CHARLES would within few dayes be in England that so they might personally confer aduise what course they were best to run Many reasons mooued the Emperour by the way to touch at England His Grandfather FERDINAND being dead his presence was necessarily required in Spaine whither he must passe by England He feared lest this breach betwixt vs France might easily be made vp he being so far distant He had an Aetna in his brest which burned with extreame hatred toward the French and was confident that his presence would raise our sparkle to a flame They might personally treat conclude more safely securely than by Agents Posts of whom in matters of moment no wise man would make vse vnles forced by necessity But the chiefe cause as I coniecture of this his second coÌ„ming into England was that he was weary of WOLSEY with whom he saw it was impossible long to continue friend For the Cardinall by his importunity one while for the Papacy another while for the Archbishopricke of Toledo did much molest him who had determined to afford him nothing but good words He disdained not in his letters to a Butchers son to vse that honorable compellation of Couzen whether present or absent he afforded him all kind of honor whatsoeuer But when the Cardinall craued any ernest of his loue some excuse or other was found out to put him by yet so as still to entertaine him with hopes But WOLSEY was subtill and of a great spirit And these deuises were now growne so stale that they must needs be perceiued CHARLES therfore neglecting his wonted course by WOLSEY studies how to be assured of the King without him For this no fitter means could be thought of then this interview The King was naturally courteous loued the Emperour exceedingly and reposed great confidence in him CHARLES therefore hoped that by the familiarity of some few weekes hee might make the King his owne But HENRY he thought would not long continue so vnlesse he could some way lessen his fauor toward the Cardinall This he hoped might be effected by admonishing the King that he was now past the yeares of a childe and needed no Tutor that it was not fit he should suffer himselfe to be swaied by a Priest one in all reason better skilled in the mysteries of the Altar than of State against which in this respect besides the abuse of his power he must needs be some way though perhaps vnwillingly faulty The addition of some aspersions withalâ— were thought not to be amisse which if not true should at least carrie a shew of truth That the Emperour practised something in this kinde the consequences make it more than probable HENRY being a noble Prince and one that scorned money as much as any one breathing was very glad of the Emperors comming yet was his Treasury very bare and so great a Guest could not be entertained without as great expences CHARLES vpon notice of the Kings pleasure attended by the Marquis of Dorset the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield the Lord De La-ware others of the English Nobility comes from Graueling to Calais from whence he passed to Douer where he was receiued by the Cardinall who was accompanied with two Earles ten Bishops ten Abbots thirty six Knights 100 Gentlemen thirty Priests all these apparelled in velvet and at least seuen hundred seruants Two daies he staied at Douer before the King came At length he came and welcommed him with all Princely entertainment professing that no greater happinesse could betide him on earth then the inioying his Maiesties most desired company though but for so short a time From Douer taking Canâ—erbury in the way they came to Greenwich where the Queene awaited the longed for presence of her Nephew FroÌ„ thence to London where they werereceiued by the Citisens with the solemnities vsuall at the Coronation of our Kings At Whitsontide both Princes came to Pauls where they heard the Cardinall say Masse Sports agreeable to the entertainement of such a Guest were not wanting But when mention was made of renewing the League Windsore was thought fittest for the Treaty it being not aboue twenty miles from London and a place altogether as it were composed for pleasure Windsore is situated in a large Plaine vpon the bankes of the riuer Thames The Castle being the chiefest in England for strength comparable to that of Douer but far exceeding it in greatnesse and beauty is built on a hill This Castle containes besides the Kings Court a goodly Church by EDWARD the Third dedicated to the blessed Virgin and Saint George adioining to which is the Colledge where are the houses of the Deane Prebendaries and Vicars Chorall where also liue twelue Souldiers discharged of the wars called Knights and hauing pensions who in their habits are bound daily to frequent the Church there to pray vnto God for the Knights of the Illustrious Order of the Garter Of this Order the Castle is the Seat where according to the first Institution the Knights are to be installed on certaine dayes are to offer and to do some other duties Here vpon Corpus Christi day these Princes hauing on the robes of the Order in their stalls heard Masse and receiuing the Sacrament bound themselues by oath inuiolably to obserue the Conditions of this new League the chiefe Articles whereof were these That they should with joint and as great forces as they could inuade France That the Emperor should yearely pay to the King as much as was due to Him and his Sister from the French viz. 133000 crownes That the Emperor should at conuenient yeares take to Wife his Cousin german the Lady MARY the Kings onely Childe who after raigned and at age of fortie yeares was married to PHILIP the Emperors son That he by whose default it should happen that this match should not succeed should pay the other fiue hundred thousand crownes and for assurance of this the Emperour should put Saint Omers and Aires into the Kings hands One would haue thought it had passed the reach of human policy to haue dissolued this band But shortly after broken it was and could neuer after be firmely knit againe After eight dayes stay at Windsore these Princes went to Winchester and from thence to Southampton where was the Emperors Fleet consisting of a hundred and eighty ships Here on the first of Iuly the Emperor tooke ship and made for Spaine In the meane time the Earle of Surrey hauing gathered a Fleet landed neere Morleys
not in the Pope to dispence with them It is certaine that the Emperors Embassadors had thus discoursed with WOLSEY vpon this very point and WOLSEY made his vse of it accordingly Hee knew the King doated not on his Queene and buzzed these things in his eares in hope he would bethinke himselfe of a new wife This taking as he desired and the King lamenting that for lacke of Issue he should leaue the Kingdome to a Childe to a Woman to One whom in reguard the lawfulnesse of her birth was questionable hee could not with safety make his Heire the Cardinall proposed vnto him for wife MARGARET Duchesse of Alançon a beautifull Lady and Sister to the King of France He knew that vpon his Diuorce from CATHARINE and Marriage with the other HENRY must of necessity fall foule with the Emperour and without hope of reconciliation strongly adhero to the French That this diuorce was for these reasons set on foot by WOLSEY the Imperiall Historians do all accord neither for ought I euer read do Ours deny But howsoeuer it came to passe this is certaine That HENRY in stead of furnishing the Emperour with the money he had promised demanded all that he had already lent Anno Dom. 1525. Reg. 17. RICHARD PACEY Deane of S. Pauls had been not long before sent to Venice as an Agent concerning our affaires in Italy He was a very learned man and worthy had God been so pleased of a better Destiny He knew not the change of the Kings minde But perceiuing the monethly pay due from the King according to promise came not of whole Honor which now lay at stake he was very tender he was much discontented To salue all he assaied to take vp so much money of certaine Merchants with whom it seemes he in part preuailed But the sum was so small that it stood the Imperialls in as small steed yet so great that it exceeded the ability of his priuate estate to make satisfaction Vpon notice of the Kings alienation from the Emperor he fell irrecouerably distracted In the meane time the Duke of Bourbon and the Imperialls were in so great distresse and want of all things that vnlesse they could by some stratagem or other draw the French to commit all to the fortune of a battaile the Army must needs disband They disquiet and trie the French especially in the night preceding Saint Mathias day which was the day of the Emperor CHARLES his natiuity with many false alarmes They make two squadrons of horse and foure of foot The first consisting of six thousand Lansquenets Spaniards and Italians vnder the command of the Marquis of Guasto The second of Spanish foot vnder the Marquis of Pescara The third fourth of Lansquenets vnder the Viceroy LAVNOY and the Duke of Bourbon They came to a wall called the Park-wall vnder the covert of the night cast downe aboue sixty paces enter within it the first squadron taking the way to Mirabell the rest marching toward the Kings Army The King thought the Imperials went to Mirabell as making choice of the plaine open fields to fight in He was vnwilliug to leave the besieged at liberty yet the Plaines were aduantageous for his Horse He therfore commands his Artillery to be discharged which somewhat endamaged them and though vnwilling drawes his Forces out of their trenches then which the Imperials desired nothing more opposed the whole strength of his Army against thē But passing before the Cannon hinders their execution They that tooke the way to Mirabell now turne head and both Armies engage themselues in a cruell fight wherein the King more following Shadowes then Substances and the idle rumors of the vulgar then the meanes of a most certaine and glorious victory is ouerthrowne and taken prisoner loosing beside the floure of the French Nobilitie almost all either taken or slaine at one blow the Duchie of Milan the possession whereof had made him Lord of the greatest part of Lombardy Pope CLEMENT who had left the Emperour for the French which hee afterward repented often aduertised the King that the Imperialls were in great distresse and want that they continually mutinied for lacke of pay that he had taken so sufficient order with the King of England and the rest of the Confederates that they should continue bare enough of money If therefore he would but hold his hand and forbeare to fight necessity enforcing the Imperialls to disband he should be victorious without bloudshed But he was not capable of so good advice His Forces were great yet short of his account his Captaines treacherously abusing him in not furnishing those numbers of foot for which they receiued pay and it were equally a dishonour to him either to seeme to avoid the Enemy or to ly still so long at a siege to no purpose The Diume Power hauing decreed to chastise him permitted him through impatience to run headlong into these errours which so deepely plunged him in those calamities that without Gods especiall favour had proved fatall to him and his France When I consider this and many other the like chances happening as well in the course of a private mans life as in publique affaires I cannot but wonder at the sottish valour of this age wherein rather than endure the touch of the least though fal◠aspersion wee will run the hazard both of life and fortunes How many braue men do wee daily see wonderfull ingenious in this kinde of folly who standing vpon I know not what Points of Honor vpon the least offence challenge the field and wilfully seeke out their owne destruction What in Gods name is become of the patience of that lingering FABIVS who quietly bearing the bitter taunts and mockes of his Souldiers of the People and the Senate yet brought home an easy though late victory We are certainely too blame with the Dog we catch at the shadow and loose the substance Of our Saviour we shall learne that it is the highest point of fortitude In patience to possesse our soules And according to ARISTOTLE True valour is regardles of ill language Mordear opprobrijs falsis matemque colores Fassus honor iuvat mendax infamia terret Quem nisi mendosum mendacem It is HORACE Backe-bitten must I needs turne pale for it False honors please and lying slanders fright Whom but the vnworthy and vainglorious wight In the tent of the captiue King the letters of the Pope and our King concerning their late league with the French being found the Duke of Bourbon now knew the cause why supplies of money came in so slowly And PRAT Lieger here for the Emperor vpon notice of it without leaue withdrew himselfe from Court and on the ninth of Aprill secretly departed the land In the meane time HENRY little suspecting that these secret compacts were knowne to the Emperor about the end of March sent Embassadors to him CVTBERT TONSTAL Bishop of London Sir RICHARD WINGfield Knight of the
Some doe farther adde that concerning that part of the Embassage of warre against France our demands were such as if they had beene purposely coined by WOLSEY to force the Emperour to the prioritie of an apparent breach For the King demanded no smaller share in the conquest then Picardie Normandie Guien Gascoigne with the title of King of France and that the Emperour partaking both of Perill and Charge should himselfe serve in Person But CHARLES wanting money and tired with continuall perill if he regard either his safetie and ease or his profit must not give his assent especially considering that the Captive King made larger offers and those with Peace then these yea although he became victorious with Warre the event whereof being alwayes doubtfull no man can assure himselfe of wished successe Neither indeed did HENRY expect any other issue of his Embassie then a flat refusall For at the same time he deales with the Regent the Captive Kings Mother to send over some trustie person with whom he might consult of the maine chance which she gladly did dispatching away the Lord of Brion President of Rouen and IOHN IOACHIM with a large Commission and Instructions by all submissive and faire Language to perswade the King to persist in the prosecution of this new League For indeed shee much feared least the consideration of his advantages over the tottering Estate of France might make him flie off againe France was already distressed what would it bee if the Emperour pressing hard on the one side and the Duke of Bourbon a homebred enemy revolting besides many other occasions the English should infest it on the other side In England these Agents found their entertainment such that they could not but hope well especially making meanes to the Cardinall who yet swayed the King WOLSEY long since disaffected the Emperour but now made his hate apparant CHARLES before the baâ—taile of Pauy sent no letters to the Cardinall but intirely written by himselfe and subscribed Your Sonne and Couzen CHARLES After this victorie he sent one or two subscribed barely with his Name without the vsuall solemne forme or any signification of favour or respect These were evident tokens of an alienated minde and WOLSEY durst view hates with him Neither did he deale otherwise with HENRIE then as one beneath him being now puffed vp with the conceipt of that great victory for the obtaining whereof HENRIE did beare a part in the charge though in deed not so great as he promised The Kings affaires now stood vpon those termes that renouncing the strict alliance with the Emperour hitherto by so many ties kept inviolable he must make a party with the French Brion therefore at the Counsaile Table having Audience deplores his Princes calamitie and the miseries inflicted vpon his Countrey by their late overthrow He calleth to minde what Trophies the English erected in France when the Estate of it was most flourishing withall acknowledging that France being now as it were in the Sun-set of its Fortune occasion was offred of advancing the English Colours farther then ever But it would neither beseeme so magnanimous a King nor would it be for the good of England at this time to invade it A generous minde scorneth to insult over one already deiected Neither would the victorie beside the fortune of warre want its dangers being to be communicated with one alreadie become so potent that no lesse then the vnited Forces of all Europe would serve to stop the current of his fortune which must necessarily be done vnlesse we could be content willingly to vndergoe the miseries of a Spanish servitude Hee therefore craved of his Maiestie that leaving the Emperour who puffed vp with his late successe contemned his best Friends Hee would vouchsafe to make a League with the King his Master whom in this so great a time of need if He would bee pleased to raise as it were from the ground He should by so great a benefit oblige him to a faithfull Friendship which hee should vpon all occasions be readie to manifest vnlesse for foule Jngratitude hee had rather vndergo the censure of the Christian World Having delivered thus much in Latine Sir THOMAS MORE afterward Lord Chancellor returned this answer in Latine likewise That the King was well pleased that the French acknowledged Hee wanted not power to revenge old iniuries that having felt his Force they should also tast of his Bounty that Hee would do the vtmost of his indeuour to set their Captive King at libertie Which if Hee effected Hee hoped when Hee had occasion to make vse of their King hee would not be vnmindfull of so good a turne freely done in so vrgent a season Jn the meane time Hee was content to make a perpetuall Peace with them As for the Emperour He would consider what to determine of him So a most firme League is concluded with the French the Regent vndertaking for her Sonne and a separation from the Emperour so openly made that the first thing concluded betweene them was That it should not bee lawfull for the French King in lieu of his ranson to consigne any part of his Kingdome to the Emperour The French were glad of this League who now began to conceiue some hope of good being secure of England Indeed it made so great an impression in the heart of FRANCIS that in his care of our affaires for many yeares together hee shewed himselfe mindfull of so great a benefit These things were done in the winter season A little after FRANCIS having beene a yeare Prisoner in Spaine was vpon these Conditions at length set at liberty That as soone as he came into France hee should consigne the Dutchie of Burgoigne to the Emperour That hee should quit the Soueraignette of Flanders and Arthois That hee should renounce all his right pretended to the Dutchy of Milan and Kingdome of Naples That he should restore to his honours the Duke of Bourbon and the rest that had revolted with him That he should marrie Eleonor the Emperour's Sister Queene of Portugall That he should pay the whole summes of money heretofore due to the King of England his Sister the Queene of France and Cardinall VVolsey The payment whereof the Emperour had vndertaken that wee might not be endammaged by partaking with him For the performance of these and other things of lesse moment FRANCIS not onely bound himselfe by Oath but also delivered his two Sonnes FRANCIS the Dolphin and HENRY Duke of Orleans who should remaine Hostages in Spaine vntill all things were duly performed FRANCIS as soone as hee entred into his Realme ratified all the Articles of the Treaty but that concerning the Dutchie of Burgoigne which hee pretended he could not alienate without the consent of his subiects Having therefore assembled the Estates of the Countrey for the debating of this matter vpon a sudaine in the presence of the Emperours Embassadours is publiquely proclaimed the League made betweene the Kings of England
silver There were two hundred and fourescore Beds the furniture to most of them being silke and all for the entertainment of Strangers onely Keturning to London we were on Saint MARTINS day invited by the King to Greenwich to a Banquet the most sumptuous that ever I beheld whether you consider the dishes or the Markes and Playes wherein the Ladie MARY the Kings Daughter acted a part To conclude the King and MONTMORENCY having taken the Sacrament together the King for himselfe MONTMORENCY in the behalfe of FRANCIS swore the observation of the League The King bestowed great gifts on euery one and dismissed MONTMORENCY who left the Bishop of Bayeux Leiger for his King to endevour the continuance of the amitie begun betweene these Princes Shortly after were sent into France Sir THOMAS BOLEN Viscount Rochfort and Sir ANTHONY BROWNE Knight who together with IOHN 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 Clarentieux King at Armes are dispatched away to the Emperonr to demand the moitie of the bootie gotten in the battaile of Pavie and the Duke of Orleans one of the French Kings Sonnes left Hostage for his Father to be delivered to HENRY who had borne a share in the charges of that war and therefore expected to partake in the gaines To command him to draw his Army out of Italy and not to disturbe the peace of Christendome 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 Clarentieux and a certaine French Herald being admitted to the Emperous presence do in the names of both Kings proclaime war agaiust him CHARLES accepts it chearefully But the Embassadors of France Venâ—ce and Florence craving leave to depart are committed to safe custodie vntill it be knowne what is become of his Embassadours with these Estate The report hereof flies into England and withall that Sir FRANCIS POINTZ and Clarentieux were committed with the rest Whervpon the Emperour's Embassador is detained vntill the truth be knowne as it shortly was by the safe returne of them both But Sir FAANCIS POINTZ about the beginning of the next Summer died fudainly in the Court being infected with the sweating sicknesse The same happening to divers other Courtiers and the infection spreading it selâ—e over London the Terme was adiourned and the King faine to keepe a running Court But these were the accidents of the ensuing yeare Anno Dom. 1528. Reg. 20. POpe CLEMENT was of himselfe naturally slow but his owne ends made him beyond the infirmity of his nature protract time in this cause concerning the Kings Divorce Bearing himselfe as neuter betweene the Emperor and the French King hee makes them both become iealous of him And war being renewed in Italy hee perceives himselfe likely againe to become a prey to the Conquerour Which if it should happen hee must betake himselfe to the King of England of whose helpe hee was certaine as long as his cause did vncertainly hang in suspence But if hee should determine in the behalfe of the King would he in gratitude be as beneficiall as hope or feare of offending had made him That he much doubted These thoughts possessing the Pope CAESAR'S affaires in Italy began to decline almost all the Townes throughout the Realme of Naples out of hatred to the insolent Spaniard and affection to the French making offer of their Keyes and receiving Garisons of French CLEMENT therefore did not now much stand in awe of the Emperour much against whose minde he was intreated to send a Legate into England LAWRENCE CAMPEGIVS Cardinall and Bishop of Salisbury who together with the Cardinall of Yorke should have the hearing of this Cause so long controverted to no purpose And the more to testifie his affection to the King he did by a Decretall Bull but privately drawne pronounce the Kings marriage with CATHARINE to bee void This Bull was committed to the Legate with these instractions That having shewed it to the King and the Cardinall of Yorke Hee should withall signifie to them that he had authoritie to publish it but not to give sentence vntill hee received new instructions telling him that he was content the King should enioy the benefit of it and it may be hee was then so minded but that it stood him vpon to haue this businesse delayed vntill he had sufficiently secured himselfe from the Emperour These were the pretences of the old Fox to the Legate But his meaning was to make vse of all seasons and to turne with the weather The ninth of October to London comes the Legate the King having given order to the Citie for his solemne entertaiment But the old mans infirmitie frustrated their preparations hee was grievously tormented with the gout and would bee privately brought into the Citie After a few dayes rest carried in a chaire he was brought to the King's presence to whom his Secretary made a Latin Oration wherein having much complained of the extreme crueltie of the Imperials in the sacking of Rome he vsed many words to signifie that the Kings pious bounty shewed in his liberally relieving them in so needfull a season was most acceptable to the Pope and the whole Colledge of Cardinals To this speech EDWARD FOX afterward Bishop of Hereford returned an answere in Latine wherein he declared That his Maiestie was much grieved at his Holinesse calamitie forasmuch as man is naturally touched with a feeling of anothers miseries That He had not onely performed what could bee expected from him as a man but had also done the part of a friend for a friend and what was due from a Prince to CHRIST'S Vicar on earth He did therefore hope that in reguard of his filiall obedience to the Holy Sea if it should happen that He should stand in need of its assistance and authoritie his Holinesse would be pleased readily to grant those things which it might beseeme a Sonne to crave of the common Mother Thus much passed in publique The King and the Legates conferring in private CAMPEGIVS assured the King of the Popes forwardnesse to pleasure him CAMPEGIVS was indeed no bad man and spake truly what hee thought For CLEMENT knowing how difficult a matter it was to deceive a man that was no foole by one conscious of the guile and that was not deceiued himselfe made the Legate beleeue that in this matter of the Divorce hee would be readie to doe for the King whatsoeuer hee should demand After these passages the Legates spent sixe whole moneths in consultation only concerning their manner of proceeding in the Kings Divorce In the meane time the
Eight his Chappell in the Church of Windsore That three of his Children raigning after him none of them vndertooke by perfecting it to cover the as it were vnburied bones of their Father what may wee thinke but that the excessive charge of it deterred them But vpon a further ininquiry we may more iustly ascribe it to the especiall iudgement of the Divine Providence who had decreed that he who had so horribly spoiled the Church should alone be debarred the honor afforded to each of his Predecessours in the Church And thus much concerning WOLSEY who died the thirtieth of November 1530. In the meane time in Iune Anno 1529. after long debating the matter to and fro by the mediation of Louyse the French Kings Mother and MARGARET Aunt to the Emperour these two Princes are drawne to an accord a Peace is concluded betweene them at Cambray thence commonly called The Peace of Cambray but by vs The Peace of Women The chiefe Conditions whereof and that any way concerned vs were That the French King should giue to the Emperour for the freedome of his Children who had beene three yeares Hostages in Spaine for their Father two Millions of Crownes whereof he should pay foure hundred thousand due from the Emperor by the League made Anno 1522. to Henry and his Sister Mary Dowager of France Beside which huge summe he should also acquit the Emperor of fiue hundred thousand which he did owe to our King for the indemnity of the marriage betweene the Emperour and the Lady Mary the Kings Daughter whom having beene long since contracted hee left to marry with the Daughter of Portugall And that hee should vngage and restore to the Emperour the Flower de Lys of gold enriched with precious stones a piece of our Saviours Crosse which Philip truly called The Good Duke of Burgoigne the Emperours Father being driven into England by contrary windes had ingaged to Henry the Seventh for fifty thousand Crownes So that the summe to be paid to HENRY amounted to nine hundred and fifty thousand Crownes besides sixteene hundred thousand more to be payed to the Emperour at the very instant of the delivery of the French King's Children The totall summe was two millions fiue hundred fifty thousand Crownes which of our money make seven hundred sixty five thousand pounds FRANCIS not knowing which way sudainly to raise so huge a masle by his Embassadours intreated our King to be pleased to stay some time for his moneyes But HENRY was much moved that he had not beene made acquainted with this Treaty notwithstanding his secret designes made him temper his choler nay and with incredible liberality to grant more then was demanded For hee absolutely forgave him the five hundred thousand Crownes due for the not marrying his Daughter hee gave the Flower de Lys to his Godsonne HENRY Duke of Orleans and left the other foure hundred thousand to be payed by equall portions in five yeares The Pope had lately by his Legates deluded HENRY who was therevpon much discontented not knowing what course to run And this is thought to be the cause of his so extraordinary liberality toward the French The King being then in progresse and hunting at Waltham it happened that STEPHEN GARDINER Principall Secretary of Estate after Bishop of Winton and FOX the King's Almoner after Bishop of Hereford were billeted in the house of a gentleman named CRESSEY who had sent his two sons to be brought vp at Cambridge vnder the tutelage of THOMAS CRANMER Doctour in Divinity a man both very learned and vertuous The plague then spreading it selfe in Cambridge CRANMER with his two Pupils betooke himselfe to Master CRESSEY their father his house Where GARDINER and FOX among other table talke discoursing of the Kings Suite concerning his Divorce which had so many yeares depended in the Court of Rome vndecided CRANMER said that he wondred the King required not the opinions of the most famous learned men that were any where to be found of whom the world had many far more learned then the Pope and followed not their iudgements What CRANMER had as it were let fall by chance they report to the King who sudainly apprehending it said that this fellow whosoever he was had hit the naile on the head and withall demanding his name caused CRANMER to be sent for whom he commended for his but too late advise which course if he had taken but five yeares before hee should now have had an hundred thousand pounds in his purse which he had vnprofitably in this suite cast away on the Court of Rome he commands CRANMER to write a Tract concerning this question wherein having drawne together what reasons hee could for the confirmation of his advice hee should conclude with his owne opinion CRANMER did it very readily and is therevpon with Sir THOMAS BOLEN lately created Earle of Wiltshire CARNE STOKESLEY and BE NET Doctours of Law with others sent on an Embassie to Rome CRANMER'S booke is to be presented to his Holinesse and they are commanded to challenge the Court of Rome to a disputation wherin the Contents of that book should be maintained the argument whereof was That by the authority of holy Scripture ancient Fathers and Councels it was vtterly vnlawfull for any man to marry his Brothers Widow and that no such marriage could bee licenced or authorized by the Popes Dispensation This being done the King's intent was they should procure the opinions of all the Vniversities throughout Europe by whom if he found his former marriage condemned then without farther expecting the approbation of the Sea of Rome he was resolved to run the hazard of a second To this the amity of the French seeming very conducible the King had by his former liberality sought to oblige him The Embassadours came to Rome had audience were promised a publique disputation whereof they were held so long in expectation that perceiving their stay there to bee to little purpose they all returned into England except CRANMER who with the same instructions that hee had formerly beene sent to the Pope was to go to the Emperour whose Court was then in Germany There this good learned man hitherto no friend to LVTHER while he defends his owne booke and the King's Divorce against the most learned either of Protestants or Papists is thought to have beene seasoned with the leaven of that doctrine for which after he had beene twenty yeares Archbishop of Canterbury he was most cruelly burned While CRANMER thus laboured abroad the King at home deales with LANGEY the French Embassadour by whose meanes with the forcible Rhetoricke saith one of some English Angels hee obtained of the Vniversities of Paris with the rest throughout France Pavia Padua Bononia and others this Conclusion That the Pope who hath no power over the Positive Law of God could not by his Dispensation ratifie a marriage contracted betweene a Brother and a brothers Widow it being forbidden by the expresse words
Earle of Arren substituted but also committed to custody whence afterwards making an escape hee was the authour of more garboiles In the meane time the marriage of the young Queene and other conditions proposed to the Estate of Scotland by Sir RALPH SADLER the Kings Embassadour are fully assented vnto and hostages promised for the performance of them But the adverse Faction became so prevalent that the hostages were not delivered at the day neither did the Captive Nobility render themselves in England Only GILBERT KENNEDA Earle of Cassels like another REGVLVS had rather commit himselfe to the mercy of his enemies then prostitute his Honour to the fowle taint of base infidelity His brethren had become pledges for his returne the importunity nay violence of his friends could not deterre him from redeeming them So to London he caâ—â—e where the bountifull King duly honouring him for his constancy in steed of receiving a ranson gave him one dismissing him and his brothers fraught with honour and rewards The Scots falling off from their late agreement the King commandeth stay to bee made of all their ships and confiscateth their goods sends letters full of threats and iust complaints to the Estates at Edinborough blaâ—â—ing them for arrogantly reâ—ecting his Alliance the want whereof must needs be preiudiciall to them neither had they onely reiected it but vnmindfull of former benefitâ— had sowen seeds of new warre and forced him to armes But letters proving in effectuall Scotland is by the frontier Garisons invaded in three severall places forty Scots making resistance are slaine five and fifty Villages burned five hundred and sixtie prisoners taken and a booty brought into England of three thousand five hundred head of cattell eight hundred horses and seven thousand sheepe beside great provision of houshold stuffe But this obstinacy of the Scots proceeded not onely from themselves France and Scotland were ever combined against England so that to invade one was to draw on a war with both Wee had beene often victorious in France wherof many portions anciently belonged to Vs if we should make any claime to all or part of our Inheritance Scotland would serve either to distract our forces or to transfer the seat of the war neâ—rer home The vniting of England and Scotland would by securing vs at home facilitate our enterprises vpon France These were motives sufficient for FRANCIS notwithstanding the long inviolate amity betweene him and HENRY secretly to crosse our designes in Scotland Whereof HENRY could not long be sensible and not revenge Wherefore hee proclaimes open hostility with France as he had already with Scotlaâ—â— and reconciles himselfe with the Emperour before thought irreconciliable in reguard of his Aunts disgrace who professed that all causes of difference betweene them were buried with her yet is it certaine that vnto the Pope he accused HENRY to have dispatched her by poison But now they are become Confederates and an aide of ten thousand English sent to ioyne with Imperialls Landrecy a towne lately taken from the Emperour by the French is the first exercise of our Armes The Emperour also comming in Person it is invested with forty thousand men is furiously battered and the souldiers brought to the distresse of halfe a provant loafe of bread a day and to drinke water FRANCIS being certified of their wants assembles his forces drawesneere the Emperour feeding him with hope of a Battaile entertaining him with skirmishes relieves the besieged and without any more adoe vnder the covert of the night retreats Let vs now conclude the yeare at home And to begin with the Church In February the people by Proclamation is licenced to eate White Meates in Lent but vnder a great penalty enioyned to abstaine from Flesh The third of Iune MOROGH O BRIEN a Nobleman of Irland descended from the Kings of Limrick submitted himselfe to the King and was shortly after made Earle of Twomond which honour his posteritie at this day enioyeth having given ample proofe of their loyalty to succeeding Princes The twelf of Iuly the King married his sixt Wife the Lady CATHARINE PARR Widow to the Lord LATIMER and sister of WILLIAM PARR lately created Earle of Essex in the right of his Wife sole Daughter and heire to the late Earle HENRY BOVRCHIER At what time another of the same name Vnckle to the Queene and the Earle was created Lord Parr and Chamberlaine to the Queene The eight and twentieth of Iuly for the profession of their Faith were ANTHONY PARSONS ROBERT TESTWOOD and HENRY FILMER burned at London MARBECK was also condemned but afterward pardoned Anno Dom. 1544. Reg. 36. THe Lord THOMAS AVDLEY Chancellour of England deceasing the last of Aprill the Lord WRIOTHSLEY chiefe Secretary of Estate is designed his successor And the Earle of Hertford made Lieutenant of the North is sent thither with an Army to represse the incursions of the Scots The Viscount Lisle Admirall of England with a Navy of two hundred saile entred the Forth of Scotland landed ten thousand men forced the rich towne of Leith and then marched toward Edenburg the Metropolis of the Kingdome The Regent was there with the Cardinall at whose dispose hee now wholy was and many other Nobles guarded with six thousand horse and a great number of foote who vpon sight of an invading Army betooke themselves to flight and left the City voide of defendants The Provost craving parley offred to yeild the city vpon condition of departure with Bag and Baggage and saving the towne from fire But the breach of League and insolencies of the inhabitants of Leith and Edenburg had inspired vs with revenge so that no Conditions were to be admitted but what the Victor should impose This drives the Provost to a desperate resolution of defence The English give a furious assault enter at the Canygate put the inhabitants to the sword pillage and fire it The like calamitie felt the Country round about fire and sword cruelly feeding vpon Villages Castles and Noblemens houses Leith had hitherto beene reprived from the like misery but at our returne to the Navy it is made its owne funerall pile and the Peere of the haven vtterly consumed New imployments call home our Admirall HENRY resolves once more to transport his Armes into France there to ioyne with the Earles of Reux and Bares Imperiall Commanders It was agreed betweene the Emperour and the King that the one should invade Champaigne the other Picardy and having vnited their forces which should amount to fourescore thousand foote and eighteene thousand horse to march directly to Paris thereby either to force the French to fight with disadvantage or to suffer the ruine of his Countrey HENRY lands at Calais and finds Picardy vnfurnished of men FRANCIS having withdrawne his forces towards Champaigne to oppose them against the Emperour Hee therefore sends the Duke of Norfolke with the Earles of Reux and Bures to beseege Montrueil The Marshall of Biez
The Parliament had alreadie granted him great Subsidiâ—â— so that thence hee could expect no more Yet moneyes must be had HENRY therefore resolves on an honesâ— kind of rapine The Intreaties of Princes little differ from Commands vnlesse perhaps in this that they worke more subtilly and render them pliable with whom Commands would not have prevailed Which manifestly appeared in the execution of this proiect He had twenty yeares since commanded money by Proclamation a course so far from taking as wâ—â— desired that it had like to have beene the cause of much mischiefe but now by some fit Commissioners informing his subiects of his necessities and desiring the richer sort one by one to contribute towards his support hee quickly replenished the Exchequer The Commissioners begin first with the Citizens of London among whom two were more straight laced then the rest viz. RICHARD READ and WILLIAM ROCH but their parsimony shall cost them deare For READ being an old man and vtterly vnexpert of Martiall Discipline is commanded to serve in person in the wars of Scotland is taken by the Scots and forced to ranson himselfe at a high rate ROCH as having vsed some vncivill language before those of his Maiesties Counsaile who sate Commissioners was for some moneths punished with straight imprisonment and at length not improbably bought his libertie In the meane time Boloigne was a great eyesore to the French They try to regaine it by stratagems and surprisals but in vaine They betake themselves to force with the like successe The Marshall of Biez Governour of Boloignois comes with a great Army to the Port a Towne two miles from Boloigne and begins to build a Fort on this side the river vpon the point of the Tower of Ordre but is by the Earle of Hertford forced away and leaves his Castle in the Aire His intent was by this Fort to have kept the garrison of Boloigne within their wals to have commanded the haven so to cut off all succours by sea and from Calais by land Which being done FRANCIS resolved in Person to besiege Guisnes and there to fortifie thereby to famish Boloigne and to keepe Calais and the land of Oye in subiection But these designes proving fruitlesse he prepares his navall forces giving forth that he intended to invade England hoping that this alarme would have made vs have a care of the maine and neglect those pieces abroad so that Boloigne for lack of aide should easily be reduced The noise of an invasion made HENRY arme who having gathered together a sufficient Fleet awaited the Enemie at Portsmouth intent to all occasions Neither did the French onely intend an alarme landing in three severall places in England but were every where with losse driven aboard their ships Two dayes after they fall downe to the Channell that divideth the Isle of Wight from the rest of Britaine they seeme to threaten Portsmouth where the King then was and seeke to draw our Fleet to fight The French beside a sufficient Fleet of other ships had twenty five Gallies no way probably vsefull in these â—empestuous and rough seas not brooking this flat kinde of shipping but by their bulke and number to terrifie vs yet at this time an vnusuall calmnesse of the sea without winde or current put them in hope of effecting wonders by their Galleyes But our Fleet was not to be drawne to fight much lesse to bee forced without apparent danger to the Enemy who must slâ—p downe a narrow Channell where but few ships could go in front and the like number opposed might easily defend it where they could not enter but with the tide and winde and the first ships repulsed in their falling backe would have disordered the rest of the Fleet where of necessitie they must fight vnder the favour of our Forts and Cannon which would easily have hindred their approach The Enemy being put off heere consult of fortifying the Isle of Wight where at Saint Helens point they land two thousand men resolve forsooth to make that the seate of the warre and there to build three Forts but the valour of the inhabitants made them change their designe and forced them againe to their ships Thus every where affronted to their losse without any memorable act they set saile for Normandie The French Fleet consisted of a hundred and three saile of all sorts ours of only sixtie so that it was no way sae for vs to incounter them Some light proffers were made on both sides wherein we alwayes came of with the better As for the Mary Rose a ship which with her losse buried Sir GEORGE CAROW the Captaine and seven hundred men the French do well to make vse of casualties to their owne glory But it was not the valour of the French or fury of their Cannons that sunke her but the supine negligence of the Marinets being wracked in the very haven in the presence of the King Boloigne was not idle the while Vpon hope of a Fort to be built by the Marshall of Biez FRANCIS had made great preparations for an enterprize vpon Guisnes but was diverted by the death of the Duke of Orleans his younger Sonne and the lost hopes of his intended Fort neere Boloigne and having for a while encamped at Mont-Lambert retired at last toward Amiens The neernesse of the Kings Campe at Mont-Lambert did daily invite both Nations to make triall of their valour the English sometimes sometimes the French having the better One day among the rest the English hotly charging the French the Duke of Aumale comes to relieve them who being strooken with a Lance vnder his right eye it breakes in pieces and leaves the tronchion halse a foot within his head It was a token of an excellent spirit in this young Nobleman that for so rough a charge hee lost not his stirrups and endured the torture whereto they put him in drawing out the three square head with such an invincible constancy as if they had picked a thorne from out his finger and beyond all expectation of the Chirurgians recovered The victory remained to the English Who could not long bragge of it afterward seeking to cut off a Convoy of the Enemies defeated by the Ringrave with the losse of sixteene Captaines and seven or eight hundred men The Earle of Surrey who led them saved himselfe by flight And were it not discourtesie in vs not to requite the late visit of the French The Lord Admirall therefore landed six thousand men at Treport in Normandie burned the Towne and Abbey with thirtie Ships and a Barke in in the Haven and returned with the losse of only fourteene men Neither were our imployments lesse or fewer in Scotland then among the French Scotland had so many enemies at home that it needed not any abroad But their homebred dissentions had caused war from vs and the way to set them at peace was to invade them In the beginning of March Sir RALPH EVERS by the death of his
The Lord Paget not long before had beene sent to the Emperor 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 dissensions that our necessities required speedy succours or would force vs to condescend to an inconvenient Peace with France But perceiving nothing was to bee obtained of him wee stroke hands with the French vpon 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 vnto EDVVARD foure hundred thousand crownes by equall portions at two payments That the English should restore to the Scots Lauder and Douglas and if the Queene 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 Queene 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 eight of Aprill Hostages were given By Vs The Duke of Suffolke The Earle of Hertford Sonne to the Duke of Somerset The Earle of Arundell The Earle of Derby The Earle of Bath By the French IOHN of Bourbon Duke of Anguien CLAVD of Loraine Marquis of Mayenne FRANCIS Sonne to the Constable MONTMORENCY LEWIS of Tremoville FRANCIS of Vendosme Vidame of Chartres CLAVD d' Annebalt This Peace betweene vs and France was on the third of March solemnely proclaimed in London and on the five and twentieth of Aprill Bouloigne being accordingly surrendred to the French our Hostages were returned On the thirtieth of Iuly died the Lord WRIOTHSLEY Knight of the Garter late Lord Chancellour of England and Earle of Southampton He had about the beginning of this Kings Raigne delivered vp the Seale the Custody wherof was committed to the Lord Rich. But having beene about halfe a yeare past removed as was also the Earle of Arundell but for what cause is vncertaine from the Counsaile Table he at length whether out of griefe or some other cause fell sicke and died He was father to HENRY the second Earle and Grandfather to HENRY the third Earle of Southampton not long since deceased who having tasted of both fortunes did hertofore as generously behave himselfe in adversity as he did since moderately in prosperity whereto by the Clemency of our late Soveraigne he was restored Anno Dom. 1551. Reg. 5. MEntion hath formerly beene made concerning the Sweating Sickenesse a disease to which England hath given a name as well in reguard of it's originall as of the knowne disposition of our bodies to admit of this virulent contagion England had beene formerly afflicted with it but never so mortally as this present yeare Shrewsbury was now the first place acquainted with this Pestilence there it began in Aprill and thence diffusing it selfe over the most part of the Kingdome at length it vanished away in the North about the beginning of October The fury of it was such as if it would never end but by it's proper cruelty when it should not have left subiects wheron to feed The dead whome it swept away were numberlesse In London only eight hundred was scarce a seven nights stint It made it's first entry into this Island in the Reigne of HENRY the Seventh Anno 1486. and from hence it tooke it's progresse to other Nations The Infected flowed away and within the space of twenty foure houres when this malignant disease was most mercifull in it's execution peradventure within twelve did sweat out their soules Women children and old men it for the most part overpassed and wreaked it selfe on the robustious youth and well compact middle age who if in the beginning of their sickenes did but slumber perished instantly If it seized on any that were full gorged the recovery was in a manner desperate Nay and of others whatsoever they were scarce one of a hundred escaped vntill time had found out a remedy the manner wherof was thus If any be taken in the day time hee must without shifting of his apparell betake himselfe to bed If by night and in bed let him not stir thence vntill twenty foure howers be run In the meane let the coverture be such that it provoke not sweat but that it may gently distill of it selfe if it be possible for him so long to forbeare let him not eat nor drinke more then may moderately serve to extinguish thirst But above all let him so patiently endure heat that hee vncover not any part of his body no not so much as a hand or a foot The strangenesse of this disease I do not so much admire for that PLINY in his twenty sixt Booke the first Chapter witnesseth and daily experience teacheth vs that every age produceth new and Epidemicall diseases But that which surpasseth the search of humane reason is this that this Pestilence afflicted the English in what part of the world soever without touching the Natives but in England alone This dire contagion promiscuously impoverisht the Land of people of all sorts among those of especiall note were HENRY Duke of Suffolke and his Brother who were the Sonnes of CHARLES BRANDON and the Kings Couzins germane young Noblemen of great and lively hopes by the death of HENRY the Duchy was for some few howers devolved to the younger Brother who had the vnhappy honour but to be seized of the Title and dy The Lord Gray Marquis of Dorset having married FRANCIS the eldest Daughter of CHARLES BRANDON in the right of his Wife made claime to the Duchy and was on the eleventh of October invested in it At what time also IOHN DVDLEY Earle of Warwicke was created Duke of Northumberland WILLIAM POWLET Earle of Wiltshire Marquis of Winchester and Sir WILLIAM HERBERT Lord Cardif Master of the Horse Earle of Pembroke The masculine Line of DVDLEY and GRAY hath beene long since extinct Of the Family of the POWLETS we have spoken already the Lord HERBERT Brother in law to Queene CATHARINE PARR derived himselfe from WILLIAM HERBERT in the time of EDWARD the Fourth Earle of Pembroke and was succeeded in the Earledome by his Sonne HENRY Father to WILLIAM the moderne Earle whose mature wisedome and gravity even in his greener yeares long since ranked him in the sage Senate of the Privy Counsaile to two successive Kings and to PHILIP by King IAMES created Earle of Montgomery Then also were knighted Sir IOHN CHEEKE the King's Schoolemaster Sir HENRY DVDLEY Sir HENRY NEVILL and whome I cannot mention but with due honor Sir WILLIAM CECILL CECILL I say who then Secretary of Estate was afterward by all Europe held in admiration for his wisedome whome Queene ELIZABETH made Lord Treasurer of England and Baron of Burleigh and was whilest he
lived a second prop of this Estate who on the fourth of August 1598. piously ended his long but for the publique weales sake ever restlesse life leaving two Sonnes THOMAS by King IAMES created Earle of Excester and ROBERT out of the same Fountaine of Royall Goodnesse Earle of Sarisbury and Lord Treasurer of England And now the ill cemented affections of the Dukes of Somerset and Northumberland dissolved into open enmity In the prosecution wherof Somerset otherwise of a most milde disposition but Patience abused oft runneth into the extreme of Fury provoked by continuall iniuries resolved as some write to murther Northumberland To this end but vnder colour of a visite privily armed and well attended by Seconds who awaited him in an vtter chamber he comes to his Adversary at that time by reason of some indisposition of body keeping his Chamber hath accesse vnto him naked as hee was in his bed but is so courteously entertained and with such smooth language that the Duke of Somerset good man repenting himselfe of his bloudy resolutions would not execute what he purposely came for At his departure one of his conspirators is reported to have asked him Whether he had done the feat and vpon his denial to have added Then you are vndone This his intent being by his owne Party bewraied a second accusation is ingrossed against him The matter is referred to the Counsaile Table and he on the sixteenth of October againe committed to the Tower together with the Duchesse his Wife the Lord Gray of Wilton Sir RALPH VANE Sir THOMAS PALMER Sir MILES PARTRIDGE Sir MICHAEL STANHOP Sir THOMAS ARVNDELL and many other of his Friends On the first of December the Marquis of Winchester being for that day high Steward he is arraigned for Treason against the Estate which hee had not onely ill but treacherously managed and for conspiracy against the Duke of Northumberland Of Treason he cleered himselfe and his Peeres acquitted him For the Conspiracy he was by his owne confession condemned and that by vertue of a Law enacted 3. HENR 7. which made the very intent nay imagination of killing a Privy Counsailor punishable by death But howsoever the Law enacted as some conceive vpon somewhat differing intents and meaning were extended to the highest of it's rigour yet can I not but wonder how a man so great in the reguards of his Reigning Nephew of his Honors of the popular Favour should be so destitute of Learned Advice as not to exempt himselfe from a felonious death by his Clergy But such were the times such his misfortunes in the minority of his Prince from whose revengefull hand how could the adverse Faction presume themselves secure in the future Neither could they choose but be somewhat terrified with that ecchoing testimony of the peoples ioy who seeing that fatall Virge the Axe vsually marshalling Traitors to the Barre laied aside vpon his freedome from the guilt of Treason from Westminster Hall certified that part of the City by their loud festivall acclamations of the gladsome tidings of their Favorite's conceived Absolution And these peradventure might be causes that his execution was deferred Hitherto had the Estate patiently indured the obstinate opposition of some Bishops in point of Reformation who for their non-conformity are at length deprived and others substituted in their Bishopricks Of some of them we have occasionally already spoken whose censures notwithstanding fall in with this yeare GARDINER Bishop of Winchester was deprived the fourteenth of February DAY of Chichester and HEATH of Worcester on the tenth of October TONSTALL of Duresme on the twentieth of December committed to the Tower and BONER of London on the first of October 1549. had beene already exautorated All of them for feare of practising against the Estate were deteined in Prison And on the last of October FRANCIS INGLEFIELD WALGRAVE and ROCHESTER Servants to the Lady MARY as also FRANCIS MALLET Doctor of Divinity her Chaplaine were committed I cannot speake any thing certaine of the causes of any of their imprisonments excepting Doctor MALLET'S only At the Emperours request he was permitted to celebrate Masse but with this limitation In the presence of the Lady MARY not otherwise for adventuring to celebrate in her absence it was thought fit he should be punished for his presumptuous transgression With the Lady her selfe all meanes had beene vsed to conforme her to the Times the King himselfe had taken much paines with her by often suasory Letters the Counsaile had done the like and personally to satisfie her with reason divers learned men had beene imploied But their labours were vaine for hatred to our Religion for her Mothers for her owne sake and some politique respects for by the Decrees of our Religion she was made illegitimate and consequently cut off from the Succession to the Crowne if her brother should dy issulesse confirmed her in that Superstition which she had sucked from her Mother On the fourteenth of Aprill one GEORGE PARIS a Gormane was at London burned for Arrianisme On the five and twentieth of May Croydon and seven or eight other Villages in Surrey were terribly shaken with an Earthquake Toward the beginning of November MARY Dowager of Scotland arriving at Portsmouth sent to the King and craved leave to passe through England into Scotland Which being granted and she invited to London entred the City on the second of November where her entertainment was generall and Royall On the sixt of November she departed for Scotland and had the charges of her whole Retinue borne vntill she arrived there in safety About the same time also the Earle of Arundell and the Lord Paget were but for what causes is vncertaine committed to the Tower In the ensuing Aprill the Garter was taken from the Lord Paget and conferred on the Earle of Warwick the Duke of Northumberlands eldest Sonne As for the Earle oâ— Arundell he was on the third of December in the next yeare set at liberty On the one and twentieth of December was the Lord Rich removed from the Chancellorship and THOMAS GOODRICH Bishop of Ely made Lord Chancellor Anno Dom. 1552. Reg. 6. THe Duke of Somerset had now continued two moneths in prison since his condemnation At length the violence of his enemies notwithstanding the Kings desire to save his Vnkle vnder whose tuitioâ— he had passed his childehood drew him to the Scaffold Being on the twenty foure of Ianuary brought to the place of execution he in this manner bespake the Assembly Being by the Law condemned I here willingly submit my selfe by exemplary punishment to satisfie it's Rigour That God hath beene pleased to grant me so long a preparative to my end I humbly thanke his eternall Goodnesse But in that he hath beene farther pleased to inspire me with the knowledge of his Truth and to make me an instrument for the propagation of the same J can never sufficiently magnify his Mercies Jn this do J
France the second Daughter of HENRY the Seventh who her two Brothers then alive had beene married to HENRY GRAY Marquis of Dorset The two Brothers as before dying of the late mortality the Marquis is in the right of his Wife created Duke of Suffolke and this was another stop to his Ambition For the removall whereof he intends this course He imparts his designes to the Duke of Suffolke and desires that a Match may be concluded betweene the Lord GVILFORD DVDLEY his fourth Sonne and Lady IANE GREY the Duke of Suffolke's eldest Daughter And because if onely right of inheritance should be pretended the Duchesse of Suffolke were in reason to be preferred before her Daughter he vndertakes to persuade the King not only to disherit his Sisters by Will and Testament but also by the same to declare the Lady IANE his next and immediate Successor Suffolke biting at this bait they complot by drawing the chiefest of the Nobility to contract Affinity either with the one or tother to procure the generall assent of them all So on the same day that Lady IANE vnder anvnhappy Planet was married to Lord GVILFORD the Duke of Suffolk's two youngest Daughters are married CATHARINE to Lord HENRY eldest sonne to the Earle of Pembrooke and crouch backed MARY to MARTIN KEYES Groome Porter Northumberlands eldest Daughter also named CATHARINE was married to the Lord HASTINGS eldest sonne to the Earle of Huntington These marriages were in Iune solemnized at London the King at that time extremely languishing Hauing thus brought these things to a desired passe nothing now remained but to act his part with the weake King To Him he inculcates In what danger the estate of the Church would be if He dying provision were not first made of a pious Successour and such a one as should maintaine the now established Religion How the Lady MARY stood affected was well knowne Of the Lady ELIZABETH there might be peraduenture better hopes But their causes were so strongly connexed that either both must be excluded or the Lady MARY be admitted That it was the part of a religious and good Prince to set apart all respects of Bloud where God's Glory and the Subiects weale might be indangered They that should do otherwise were after this life which is short to exspect revenge at God's dreadfull Tribunall where they are to vndergo the tryall either of eternall life or eternall death That the Duke of Suffolke had three Daughters neerest to him in degrees of Bloud they were such as their Vertues and Birth did commend and from whome the violation of Religion or the danger of a forraine yoke by any match was not to be feared for asnuch as their education had beene Religious they had as it were with their milke suckt in the spirituall food of true Christian Doctrine and were also matched to Husbands as zealous of the Truth as themselves He could wish and would advise that these might be successively called to the Crowne but with this caution That they should maintaine the now established Religion And although Lady IANE the eldest of the three were married to his Sonne he would be content that they should be bound by oath to performe whatsoever his Maiesty should decree for he had not so much reguard to his owne as the generall good These reasons so prevailed with the young King that he made his Will and therin as much as in him lay excluded both his Sisters from the Succession to the Crowne and all others whosoever beside the Duke of Suffolke's Daughters This Will was read in presence of the Counsaile and the chiefe Iudges of the Realme and by each of them confirmed with a strict command that no man should publish the contents of it least it might prove an occasion of sedition and civill tumults The Archbishop CRANMER did for a while refuse to subscribe to it not deeming it any way agreeable to equity that the right of lawfull Succession should vpon any pretences be violated But the King vrging him and making Religion a motive which was otherwise likely to suffer after a long deceptation he was at length drawne to assent But these delaies of his were so little reguarded by Queene MARY that vnder her scarce any man was sooner marked out for destruction Some few daies after these passages on the fixt of Iuly in the sixteenth yeare of his age King EDWARD at Greenwich surrendred his soule to God having vnder his Tutors reigned six yeares five moneths and nineteene daies and even in that tender age given great proofe of his vertue a Prince of great devotion constancy of minde love of the Truth and incredibly studious vertues which with Royall Greatnesse seldome concur Some three howers before his death not thinking any one had beene present to over-heare him he thus commended himselfe to God O Lord God free me Ibeseech thee out of this miserable and calamitous life and receive me among the number of thine Elect if so be it be thy pleasure although not mine but thy will he done To thee O Lord do J commend my Spirit Thou knowest O Lord how happy J shall be may I live with thee in Heaven yet would I might live and be well for thine Elects sake that I might faithfully serve thee O Lord God blesse thy People and save thine Jnheritance O Lord God save thy people of England defend this Kingdome frome Popery and preserve thy true Religion in it that Iand my People may blesse thy most Holy Name for thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST Then opening his eyes which he had hitherto closed and seeing Doctor OWEN the Physition from whose report we have this Prayer sitting by Are you there quoth he J had not thought you had been so neere who answered I heard you speake but could not collect your words Jndeed replied the King J was making my prayer to God A little after he suddenly cried out I faint Lord have mercy vpon me and receive my Soule which words he had scarce spoken ere hee departed Much might be spoken in praise of this Prince but reguardfull of my intended brevity I will only give you a taste of him out of CARDAN who about a yeare before travailing through England toward Scotland was admitted to his presence The conference betweene them he thus describeth Aderant illi speaking of the King Gratiae Linguas enim multas callebat puer c. He was stored with Graces for being yet a Childe he spake many Languages his native English Latine French and as I heare was also skilled in the Greeke Italian Spanish and peradventure some others He wanted neither the rudiments of Logicke the principles of Philosophy nor Musicke He was full of Humanity the relish of Morality of Gravity befitting Royalty of hopes great as himselfe A Childe of so great wit and such expectation could not be borne without a kinde of miracle in nature I write not this Rhetorically with the excesse of an Hyperbole for to
matters Ecclesiasticall this last she could not for a while obtaine the other was assented vnto vpon conditions That PHILIP should not advance any to any publique Office or Dignity in England but such as were Natives of England and the Queenes Subiects He should admit of a set number of English in houshold whome he should vse respectively and not suffer them to be inâ—â—red by Forainers He should not transport the Queene out of England but at her intreaty nor any of the Jssue begotten by her who should have their education in the Realme and should not be suffered but vpon necessity or some good reasons to go out of the Realme nor then neither but with the consent of the English The Queene deceasing without Children PHILIP should not make any claime to the Kingdome but should leave it freely to him to whome of right it should belong Hee should not change any thing in the Lawes either publique or private the Jmmunities and Customes of the Realme but should be bound to confirme and keepe them He should not transport any Iewells or any part of the Wardrobe nor alienate any of the Revenues of the Crowne He should preserve our Shipping Ordnance and Munition and keepe the Castles Forts and Blocke-houses in good repaire and well manned Lastly that this Match should not any way derogate from the League lately concluded betweene the Queene and the King of France but that the Peace betweene the English and the French should remaine firme and inviolate onely it should be lawfull for PHILIP out of other Kingdomes and Dominions belonging to his Father the Emperour to send aides vnto him either for propelling iniuries or taking revenge for any already received All things being thus transacted and no further impediment interposing betweene these Princes PHILIP setting saile from the Groine on the sixteenth of Iuly with a good Southerne gale within three dayes arrived at Southampton with a Fleet of one hundred and sixty saile wherof twenty were English and other twenty Flemings Having rested himselfe there the space of three dayes attended by a great company of the English and Spanish Nobility on the fower and twentieth of Iuly being a very wet day he came to the Queene at Winchester The feast day of S. Iames the tutelary Saint of Spaine was destined for the Nuptialls which were celebrated at Winchester with great pompâ— There Don IVAN FIGVEROA for the Emperor resigned the Kingdomes of Naples Sicily and conferred all his right thereto on PHILIP and the Heralds proclaimed their titles in Latine French and English About the beginning of August these two Princes came to Basing and thence to Windsore where the King was installed Knight of the Garter On the eleventh of August they came to London where the Citizens received them with most magnificent solemnity Oâ— the eleventh of November another Parliament began at Westminster about the beginning wherof Cardinall POOLE who by King HENRY had beene proclaimed enemy to the Estate was created Cardinall by PAVL the Third had himselfe beene Pope if he had but consented in time and in the opinion of many was thought a fit Husband for the Queene arrived in England Having beene put beside the Papacy by others default more then his owne craving leave of the new Pope IVLIVS he withdrew himself to a Monastery in the territory of Verona called Maguzano the Religious whereof were Benedictine Monkes of which Order hee himselfe while hee continued at Rome had beene Patron Having decreed there to hide himselfe and spend the remainder of his dayes the fame of King EDWARD'S death and Queene MARY'S advancement to the Crowne drew him againe out of the Cloister to Rome He was not ignorant how MARY stood affected to the Sea of Rome and therefore hoped not without good cause that IVLIVS who much favoured him having by his delaies attained the Papacy would send him into his Countrey with the honorable title and authority of a Legate And now he fained to himselfe a double hope of a Kingdome if not secular at least Ecclesiasticall by vertue of his authority Legatine and the dignity of Archbishop of Canterbury Queene MARY had her education for some yeares vnder MARGARET Countesse of Salisbury the Mother of POOLE who was then a childe and that by Queene CATHARINES meanes who intended as it was thought to marry her Daughter the Lady MARY to one of the Countesses Sonnes thereby to strengthen her Daughters claime to the Crowne if it should happen that HENRY should decease without other lawfull issue the Countesse being Daughter to GEORGE Duke of Clarence who was brother to EDWARD the Fourth The Cardinall whether for this or some other reasons knowing himselfe to be in deere esteeme with the Queene was confident if not of the Crowne by marriage yet at least of all advantages of her favour Neither was he therein deceived for MARY having obtained the Crowne earnestly sued vnto him to restore himselfe to his Countrey and the Pope not ignorant how much he would advantage the Apostolique Sea at the Queenes request dispatched him with most ample authority But the Emperour having a proiect on foot for his Sonne was somewhat jealous of the Cardinall and therefore began seriously to treat with Cardinall DANDINO the Popes Legat with him for the conclusion of a Peace betweene him and the French that so he might give a stop to POOLE whose comming into England the Emperors affaires being not yet setled might peradventure make all fly asunder DANDINO to gratify CHARLES by FRANCISCO COMMENDONO sends Letters to POOLE advising him not to set forth as yet forasmuch as this Legacy vndertaken without the Emperours 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 therfore was not to be emploied vnto them vntill persuasions had brought them to a better temper POOLE having received these letters in his Cloister thought it fitting to expect his Holinesse pleasure The Pope not brooking the increase of the Emperors greatnes by the addition of such Estates and fretting that DANDINO had presumed to stay the Cardinall recalled DANDINO and conferred on POOLE alone the Legacy both into England for the one affaire and to the Emperour and the French for the treaty of a Peace He willingly vndertaking it presently set forward from Trent certifying the Emperour and the French of his large Commission The Emperour perceiving that these devises would be no longer availeable sent Don IVAN de Mendoza vnto him with letters wherin he plainly discovered his feare that the Cardinalls premature arrivall in England might prove an obstacle to his proceedings there which were great and hopefull wherfore it was his desire that hee should either there attend his pleasure or if hee would needs go further he might come to Liege and there expect the event of his designes The Cardinall vpon receipt
the living only the bones of MARTYN BVCER and PAVL PHAGIVS long since dead were digged vp formally accused of heresie and no man vndertaking their cause as who durst condemned and publiquely burned in the market place at Cambridge And PETER MARTYR'S wife who died at Oxford was disinterred and with barbarous and inhumane cruelty buried in a dunghill To BVCER and PHAGIVS Queene ELIZABETH did afterward with great solemnitie restore their memorie and honour And as for PETER MARTYR'S wife shee caused her bones to be translated from that vncleane place to be reinterred in the Church and commixed with the reliques of FRIDESWID by Papists reputed a Saint that the like occasion of mockage might not againe be offered On the same day whereon CRANMER thus ended his life Cardinall POOLE was ordered Priest at Greenwich and the next day NABOTH being dead tooke possession of his Vineyard being consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury Three dayes after being the Feast of the Annunciation accompanied by many Nobles POOLE with great solemnitie received the Pall at Bow-Church About the same time a notable conspiracie was detected some having proiected to rob the Exchequer at that time full of Spanish coine to the value of fiftie thousand pounds The names of the conspirators were VDALL THROCKMORTON PECHAM DANIEL STANTON and besides others that fled for it WHITE who discovered his fellowes The rest were all taken and suffred as Traitors Sir ANTHONY KINGSTON as partaker in their intentions was also apprehended but died before he could reach London In Iuly new tumults begunne to be set on foot in Norfolke were maturely suppressed CLEBER and three brothers called LINCOLNE the authours of it suffering for their seditious attempt On the one and twentieth of November IOHN FECKNAM Deane of Pauls was installed Abbot at Westminster which HENRY the Eighth had erected to an Archiepiscopall Sea There being at that time no Monkes in England fourteene were found who were content with FECKNAM to take the Religious habit of Benedictines Anno Dom. 1557. Reg. Mariae 4. 5. Philipi 3. 4. NOw after foure or five yeares we found the effect of our Northerne Navigation set on foot by CABOTA About the beginning of this yeare arrived in England OSEP NAPEA Embassadour from BASILIWITZ Emperour of Russia for the Treatie of a perpetuall League betweene our Kings and his Prince On the Scottsh coast hee had suffered wracke and beside merchandize of infinite value hee lost those Presents which were from the Emperour destinated to their Maiesties But the losse of RICHARD CHANCELLER was beyond all these inestimable who being a most expert Pilot first discovered the passage into those Northerne Regions and now more sollicitous of the Embassadours safeguard then of his owne this man most worthy of immortall memory was swallowed vp in the Seas insatiate gulfe I thinke the intertainment of any Embassadour with vs was never more royall On the five and twentieth of May PHILIP having about seven dayes before returned out of Flanders he was admitted into the presence of the Kings declared the purport of his Embassie and continued in London vntill the third of May and having then got a convenient season laden with guifts he set saile for his Countrey On the sixt of March CHARLES Lord STOVRTON for having in his house cruelly murthered one HARGILL and his sonne with whom he had long beene at variance was by a wholesome example to posterity hanged at Sarisbury with foure other of his servants who were not only conscious but actors in the cruelty After hee had beaten them downe with clubs and cut their throats hee buried their carcases fiâ—teene foot deep in the ground hoping by such sure worke to stop the voice of bloud crying for revenge or if perad venture it were discovered the reguard of his zealous persistance in the Religion of Rome would he hoped procure the Queenes pardon But murther is a sinne that God hath by many memorable examples manifested that iâ— shal not remaine vndetected and the Queene although blindly misled in matter of Religion was so exact a fautrix of iustice that she was vtterly averse from all mention of pardon So this Nobleman had the punishment due to his offence only in this preferred before other murtherers and parricides that he was not strangled with an halter of hempe but of silke The seven and twentieth of Aprill THOMAS STAFFORD landing in the Northerne parts of the Realme having raked together a small company of exiles and some forainers surprised Scarborough castle then as in time of peace vtterly destitute of provision for resistance having thus seized on a place of defence he makes Proclamation that Queene MARY having her selfe no right to the Crowne had betraied it to the Spaniard exhorting the people with him to take armes for the recovery of their lost liberty But by the diligence of NICHOLAS WOTTON Deane of Canterbury then Embassadour for their Maiesties with the French all his designes were revealed to the Counsaile before his arrivall in England So by the industry of the Earle of Westmerland hee was within six dayes taken brought to London and on the eight and twentieth of May beheaded STRECHLEY PROCTOR and BRADFORD the next day following him but in a more due punishment being drawne hanged and quartered whom they had followed in their treacherous attempts The Emperour CHARLES having bequeathed the inheritance of his hate to France with his Crowne MARY could not long distinguish her cause from her Husband 's Wherefore on the seventh of Iune the Queene set forth a Proclamation to this effect that Whereas the King of France had many wayes iniured her by supporting the Duke of Northumberland and Wyat in their Rebellions against her and that his Realme had beene a receptacle for Dudley and Ashton who with the privity of his Embassadour had in his house contrived their treacherous designes and after their escape into France had beene relieby Pensions from the King as also for having lately aided Stafford with shipping men money and munition thereby if it were possible to dispossesse her of the Crowne She gave her subiects to vnderstand that they should not entertaine traffique with that Nation whose Prince she accompted her Enemy and against whom vpon farther grievances shee determined to denounce war Although these things were true yet had shee abstained from denunciation of warre had not the five yeares Truce betweene PHILIP HENRY by the Popes instigation beene lately broken by the French and so warre arising betweene them shee would not make her selfe her Husband two For the Pope having long since maligned the Emperour knowing that he after the resignation of his Estates to his Son PHILIP had withdrawne himselfe into Spaine by the Cardinall of Loraine still sollicited the French King to armes against the Spaniard promising to invest him in the Kingdome of Naples HENRY vpon these faire hopes vndertakes it and MARY resolves to assist her Husband That MARY tooke
seeme a miracle and is a great argument both of rare vertue in the succeeding King and of a right iudgement in the subject For this great Lady was so farre beyond example that even the best Princes come short of her and they who most inveigh against that Sexe contend that Woman is incapable of those vertues in her most eminent Wisdome Clemency Learning variety of Languages and Magnanimity equall to that of Men to which I adde feruent Zeale of Piety and true Religion But in these things peraduenture some one or other may equall her What I shall beyond all this speake of her and let me speake it without offence to my most excellent Soueraigne IAMES the Paterne of Princes the Mirrour of our Age the Delight of Britaine no age hath hitherto paraleld nor if my Augury faile not none ever shall That a Woman and if that be not enough a Virgin destitute of the helpe of Parents Brothers Husband being surrounded with enemies the Pope thundring the Spaniard threatening the French scarce dissembling his secret hate as many of the neighboring Princes as were devoted to Rome clashing about her should containe 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 passe that England which is among the rest of it selfe a Miracle hath not these many yeares 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 finde any Church which either defiled with Popish superstitions or despoiled of those Revenues which should maintaine Professors of the Truth hath not laid open a way to all kinde of Errors grosse Ignorance in learning especially Divine and at length to Ethnique Barbarousnesse But to what end do I insist on these or the like they beeing sufficiently knowne 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 attaine to the true intelligence of the passages of those times have leasure for the compiling it and that no other more able then my selfe which I wish may happen in the meane time ingage themselves therein LAVS DEO Errata PAg. 4. Lin. 20. read five dayes p. 6. l. 36. wearying p. 11. l. 36. dele of p. 26. l. 27. for crave read renew p. 27. l. 7. after her part read the good of the. p. 31. l. 9. into Scotland p. 32. l. 31. this debt p. 38. l. 13. Tournay lin 24. sixtieth p. 41. l. 13. oblations at Beckets tombe p. 51. l. 1. these p. 64. l. 6. mutemque l. 7. Falsus p. 72. l. 12. doth p. 95. l. 2. for Protector read Proctor pag. 97. lin 8. Ziâ— p. 133. l. 12. sticklers p. 139. l. 14 31. SMETON p. 142. l. 12. for just read vnjust p. 193. l. 33. MEVTAS p 198. l. 34. for passed r. posted p. 214 l. 20. Heads p. 223. l. 13. sictitious p. 227. l. 3. for of r. by p. 238. l. 21. for greatly r. gently p. 2â—6 l. 28. disceptation p. 2â—8 l. 14. dele and. ibid. read could hardly p. 318. l. 30. read out of contempt p. 319. l 1 for vnity read vnion p. 3â—0 l. 13. read vnion Henry 8. 1509. His priuie Counsaile The funerals of Henry the 7. S. Stephens Chappell The Coronation of Henry the 7. His marriage The death of Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond Empson and Dudley An expedition into Afrique Into Gueldres Barton a Pirat takâ—n Warre with France Afruitlesse Voyage into Spaine The Spaniard seâ—seth on Navarrâ— The Lord Admirall drowned Terouenne besieged The battaile of Spurres Terouenne yeilded Maximilian the Emperor serveth vnder King Henry The siegâ— of Tournay Tournay yeilded Wolsey Bishop of Tourney The King of Scots slaine Flodden field The descent and honours of the Howards Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke Charles Somerset Earle of Worcester Peace with Frauce The Ladie Mary the Kings sister married to Levis 12. K. of France Cardinall Wolsey A breach with France The Starre-chamber and The Court of Requests instituted by Wolsey Ill May day The sweating sickenesse Peace with France The death of the Emperor Maximilian The Emperour Charles the in Fifth England Canterburie Enterview betwixt the Kings of England and France Henry visits the Emperor at Graueling The Duke of Buckingham accused of treason King Henry writeth against Luther Luthers departure from the Church Rome The Kings of England by the Pope stiled Defenders of the Faith The death of Leo the Tenth Cardinall Wolsey and others sent embassadors to the Emperour and French King The Emperor Charles the second time in Enland Windsore The Conditions of the League concluded with the Emperor Rhodes taken by the Turke Christierne King of Denmarke The Duke of Bourbon reuolts The death of Adrian the Sixth Clement the Sâ—uenth succeedeth and Wolsey suffereth the repulse Wolsey persuades the King to a diuorce Richard Pacey Deane of Pauls falleth mad The battel of Pavy Money demanded and commanded by Proclamation The King fals in Loue with Anne Bolen A creation of Lords Wolsey to build two Colledges Demolisheth fou Monasteries Sacrileoge punished Luther writes to the King The Kings answer A breach with the Emperor The King endevours to râ—lieve the French King A League concluded with the French King The French King set at liberty The King of Hungary slaine by the Turkes Wolsey seâ—kes to bee Pope Sede nondum vacante Rome sacked Montmorency Embassadour from France War proclaimed against the Emperor The inconstancie of the Pope Cardinall Campegius sent into England The Kings Speech concerning his Divorce The suite of the Kings Divorce The Queens speech to the King before the Legates The Queene depart th Reasons for the Divorre Reasons against the Divorce The Popes inconstancy Wolsey fals The Legates repaire to the Queene Their conference with her Her answer Cardinall Campegius his Oration Wolsey discharged of the great Seale Siâ— Thomas Moore Lord Câ—ancell our Thâ— Câ—rdinall accused of treâ—son Wolseyes speech to the Iudges Christ Church in Oxford Wolsâ—y falls sickâ— Wolsâ—y is confined to Yorke The 〈◊〉 â—s apprehended His lâ—st words He dieth And is buried His greatnesse His buildings The peace of Cambray The first occasion of Cranmers rising Creation of Earles The Bible translated into English An Embassie to the Pope All commerce with the Sea of Rome forbiddâ—n 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 succeedoth him Sir Thomas More resignes the place of Lord Chanceâ—lour An enterview betweene the Kings of England and France Catharina de Medices married to the Duke of Orleans The King marrieth Anne Bâ—len The
forasmuch as the Commissioners demanded it after an impudent and shamelesse manner they in most places incurred the dislike and indignation of the people especially in Germany where they saw this facultie of redeeming soules from Purgatory was either solde for little or nothing or played away in their Tauernes But what speake I of the Commissioners That which made the Germans most impatient was that the heedlesse Pope had giuen to his sister MAGDALEN the profit of the exactions of Indulgences in many parts of Germany and that so openly that euery one must needs know it For all Germany spake it that this money was not gathered for the Pope or the Treasurie of the Church whereby peraduenture some part of it might be employed to good vses but was exacted to satisfie the greedinesse of a woman At that time liued MARTIN LVTHER a Doctor of Diuinity and an Augustine Monke one who vnder a religious Habit did not consecrate himselfe to idlenesse but to God It is reported how truly I know not that recreating himselfe in the fields his companion with whom he then discoursed was suddenly stricken dead with thunder He therupon falling into due consideration of the vncertaintie of death and of iudgment left the study of the Ciuill Law to which he then applied himselfe and renouncing the world betooke himselfe to a Cloister where for his deportment he was beyond exception for learning especially diuine he was scarce matchable Vpon this horrible abuse of the authority of the Keyes being inflamed with a pious zeale he could not containe himselfe but boldly and bitterly inueighed against this grosse impiety Neither staied he there but storme the Pope neuer so much proceeds to other enormities in the Church of Rome some whereof that Church hath since reformed the rest religious Princes by LVTHER awakened out of their dead sleepe of superstition notwithstanding the practises of Rome haue God be thanked exploded New opinions especially in matters of Religion are of themselues alwayes odious HENRY being offended with LVTHERS new as the world then deemed them Tenets thought it would proue to his honor by writing against LVTHER to manifest his learning and pietie to the world Herupon vnder his name a book was set forth better beseeming some antient and deep Diuine than a youthfull Prince whom although he earnestly endeauoured it yet his affaires would not permit to bury himselfe among his books which many thought to haue beene compiled by Sir THO. MOORE some by the Bishop of Rochester and others not without cause suspected to be the worke of some other great Scholler Whosoeuerwrit it LVTHER repli ed in such sort that although his holy zeale were approved by many yet those many could haue wished him more temperate and respectiue of the Maiesty of Kings This Booke was so acceptable to the Pope that according to the example of ALEXANDER the Sixt who entituled the King of Spaine Catholique and of that Pope whosoeuer he were that gaue the French King the title of Most Christian he decreed to grace King HENRY and his Successors with that honorable one of Defender of the Faith Which severall titles are by these Princes retained to this day But LEO long surviued not his gift about the end of the yeare dying as is suspected by poison In the meane time the exulcerated mindes of the Emperour and the French King according to the nature of ambitious hatred that for it 's owne ends makes all causes iust burst out into open wars for the composing whereof each of them had formerly agreed to refer themselues if any differences should arise to the arbitrement of HENRY He therefore sends to each of them Embassadours the Cardinall of Yorke the Earle of Worcester and others who should if it were possible reconcile these inraged Princes All they could do proued but an endeavor for when they thought they had compassed their desires sudden newes came That the Admirall BONIVET had by force taken Fuentaraby a Towne of the Emperours in Biscay The Emperour would not then ratify the Agreement vnlesse this towne were redeliuered which the French denying to do all fell to pieces againe and the War was renewed After their deuoir in this cause our Embassadours went directly to Bruges to the Emperour of whom for a fortnight which was the time of their stay there they had royall entertainment But he held the Cardinall in so great esteeme that it was apparant hee was not ignorant how powerfull the Cardinall was with his Prince And here perhaps it would not be amisse in reguard of those times to let the Reader know the pompe and state of this Cardinall how many Gentlemen attended him apparrelled with velvet and adorned with gold chaines then how many were cloathed in skarlet coats the skirts whereof were guarded with veluet the full bredth of a hand But let him guesse HERCVLES stature by the length of his foot Such was the brauerie of his attendants that in CHRISTIERNE King of Denmarke and other Princes then residing at Bruges it bred amazement It was also reported that he was by Gentlemen of the best ranke serued on the knee a kinde of state which Germany had yet neuer knowne He spent a huge masse of money in that Embassage and that as it is thought not against his will For he by all meanes sought the Emperors fauour hoping that LEO although much younger either cut off by treachery or his owne intemperance might leaue the world before him And then were it no hard matter for him being vnderpropped by the Emperour and our King to be aduanced to the Papacy Wherefore at the first bruit of his death hee posted away PACEY the Deane of Pauls into Italy with Mandates to certaine Cardinalls whom he thought respected him that they should do their best in his behalfe But before hee could reach Rome he was certainely informed that ADRIAN sometimes Tutor to the Emperour and then Viceroy of Spaine was already elected by the name of ADRIAN the Sixt. Anno Dom. 1522. Reg. 12. WOLSEY neuerthelesse was as full of ambitious hope as euer For ADRIAN was a decrepit weake old man and therefore not likely as indeed he did not to survive him In the mean time he might make an ascent by which his ambition might clime He therefore seeks to aduance the Emperors designes more than ever to that end he persuadeth HENRY to denounce war against the French for that he denied to surrender Fuentaraby had broken the Couenants made between them in not standing to the arbitrement of HENRY as both CHARLES FRANCIS had compromised at what time it was likewise decreed that HENRY should declare himself an enemy to the obstinate refuser The French discerning the storme before it came arrests all English ships commits the Merchants to prison and seizeth their goods to His own vse stops all Pensions due either to HENRY for Tournay or to his Sister the Dowager of France for her Ioincture The French
encline to resolutions of peace they conceale our letters And not only so but vpon assurance of victory spred a rumor that nothing would content the insolent English but the delivery of the Queene which if they could not otherwise they would by force obtaine and proceed to the absolute conquest of the Kingdome This report inraged the Souldiers whom no motives could disuade from present ingaging themselves in battaile The wiser sort were not ignorant of the necessities that long since began to presse vs who were brought to that passe that by reason of the difficulties of passages we could not make a safe retreat nor force the Enemie to fight in reguard of the strength of the place where he was incamped But the vaine hope of victorie had possessed the mindes of the greater part and excluded reason Necessitie forced vs to a resolution brave and expedient which was to seeke the Enemy in his lodging and endevour to draw him to combat But the hot-spurre Scots issuing from out their fastnesses seemed willing to prevent vs. So both Armies entertaine a mutuall resolution A little before the ioyning of the Armies an accident happened which did not a little make way to our victory The Enemy marching along neere the sea shore a piece of Ordnance discharged from out Gally tooke away five and twentie of their men whereof the eldest sonne of the Lord GRIMES was one Foure thousand Archers terrified with so vnexpected a slaughter made astand could never after be brought on The two armies approching each other the Duke of Somerset commanded the Lord GRAY with the Cavallery to charge the Scots and finde them imployment vntill the Infantery had seized on an adioyning hill and if he◠could without much hazard to disorder the Enemy But they were gallantly received by a strong Squadron of Pikes whereon some of the formost having too far ingaged themselues were cast away the rest retreated affirming that it was as casie to force a wall as through the Scottish rankes The Duke makes a second triall by the light Horse seconding them with the Ordnance and the Archers The Enemy either not able to stand so violent a charge or as some relate to draw vs from the favour of our Canon begins to giue ground which we perceiving give a shout crying out withall They fly they fly which so amazed them that some began to fly indeed and at length the whole Army was routed The Scots complaine that we tyrannized over the Captives especially the Priests and Friers whereof many served in this Feild because by their instigation chiefly our Conditions were so arrogantly reiected Of the Enemies were slaine thirteene thousand and among them beside the Earle of Lohemor and the Lord FLEMING the chiefe of the Scottish Gentry with their Tenants who thought it a disgrace to survive their Lords In the chase were taken fifteene hundred among whome were the Earle HVNTLEY Chancellour of Scotland the Lords HESTER HOBBEY and HAMILTON beside many other persons of Quality This lamentable overthrow was given the tenth of September The English become Victors beyond their expectation ransacked the Countrey five miles about fortified in the Forth the forsaken Islands Keth and Haymon tooke Brocth Castle by their terrour forced the Garrisons of Humes and Fastcastle to yeeld and having built a Fort at Lauder and repaired the ruines of Roxburgh by their departure recreated the deiected mindes of the distressed Scots Our affaires thus succeeding abroad the Church at home had her changes Many of the Counsaile but especially the Protector much endeavoured Reformation in point of Religion The rest who were addicted to the Doctrine of Rome could for private respects temporize fearing indeed restitution of Church goods wherein each of them shared vnles an irreconcileable breach were made with that Sea So that whiles some eagerly oppose Popery and others coldly defend it not onely what had beene enacted by HENRY the Eighth concerning the abrogation of the Popes authority is confirmed but many other things are added whereby our Church was so purged from the dregs of Superstition that for Purity of Doctrine and Institution of select Ecclesiasticall Rites it excelled the most Reformed Churches of Germany All Images are pulled downe Priests are permitted to marry the Liturgy set forth in the English Tongue the Eucharist administred vnder both kindes Auricular-Confession forbidden no man prohibited the reading of the Scriptures no Masses to be said for the Soules of the departed and many other things ordained so far differing from the Institution of our Forefathers that it administred matter to the common people who are won◠to judge not according to Reason but Custome of breaking out into Rebellion And it is somewhat remarkable that the same day wherin the Images wherof the Churches were dispossessed were publiquely burned at London we obtained that memorable victory over the Scots at Musselburgh This yeare at Archbishop CRANMER his invitation came into England PETER MARTYR a Florentine MARTIN BVCER of Selestadt and PAVLVS PHAGIVS borne in the Palatinate who being very courteously received by the King and Nobles having reposed themselves some while at Canterbury were sent MARTYR to Oxford BVCER and PHAGIVS to Cambridge there publiquely to read Divinity but PHAGIVS having scarce saluted the Vniversity deceased of a Quartane Ague the twelfe of November in the five and fortieth yeare of his age Neither did BVCER long survive him who died at Cambridge the last of February 1551 being then threescore yeares old MARTYR shortly after his comming to Oxford maintained publiquely in the Schooles and that with solid arguments against TRESHAM and CHEDSEY Opponents that the Popish Transubstantiation was but a meere fiction which Disputation he after published and inlarged Anno Dom. 1548. Reg. 2. THe English having this yeare fortified and put a strong Garrison into Hadinton a Towne seated in the most fertile soile of all Scotland did from thence and Lauder make often inrodes vpon the bordering Countrey burning and spoiling whatsoever might be vsefull to the Enemy from whome they expected a siege In the meane time had the French sent six thousand ten thousand say we men into Scotland wherof three thousand were Lansquenets led by the Reingrave The Lord of Essé a man of tried valor famous in the siege of Landrecy and other expeditions was chief of the Army These advēturers lāding at Dunbar march speedily for Hadinton ioining with the Scottish Forces consisting of eight thousand men straightly besiege it At the Abbey neere the Towne they call a Counsaile treat of transporting the Queene into France and marrying her to the Daulphin They whome the respect of private ends had not corrupted and withdrawne from the care of the publique weale obiected That they should so draw on them a perpetuall war from England and betray themselves to the slavery of the French That the propositions made by the English were reasonable who offered a ten yeares Truce and sought not to intrap the Scot
in any bands or preiudiciall compacts their demands being none other then this That if within the ten yeares either the King of England or the Queene of Scots should decease all things should on each side remaine entire and in their former estate Delay had often in the like cases proved advantageous wheras speedy repentance commonly followeth precipitated haste The Popish Faction especially the Clergy to whom the amity of England was little pleasing in reguard of the differences in Religion and some others oblieged to the French either in respect of received benefits or future profit with might and maine interposed to the contrary and chiefly the Regent bought with a pension of foure thousand crownes and the Command of one hundred Lances The French Faction prevailed for her transportation The Fleet from Leith where it harboured setting saile as if for France fetching a compasse round about Scotland put in at Dâ—nbritton where they embarqued the six yeare old Queene attended by IAMES her base Brother IOHN ARESKIN and WILLIAM LEVISTON who being put backe by contrary windes and much distressed by tempest arrived at length in Little Bretaigne and from thence set forward to the Court of France so escaping our Fleet which hovered about Calais to intercept them if as we were persuaded they needs must they crossed those neighbouring Straights Hadinton in the meane time being straightly beleaguered Sir ROBERT BOWES and Sir THOMAS PALMER are with seven hundred Lances and six hundred light Horse sent to relieve it BVCHANAN saieth there were but three hundred Horse the rest Foote Of what sort soever they were it is certaine that before they could reach Hadington they were circumvented and slaine almost to a man Yet did not the besieged let fall their courages but bravely defended themselves vntill FRANCIS Earle of Shrewsbury with an Army of twelve thousand English and foure thousand Lansquenets disassieged them and forced the French to retreat The Earle having supplied the Towne with necessaries and re-inforced the Garrison returned to Berwicke What they could not by force the Enemy hopes more easily to effect by a surprisall To this end D' Essé with some select Bands arrives at Hadinton about the breake of day where having killed the Centinells and taken an halfe moone before the Port some seeke to force the gates some invade our adioining Granaries The noise and shouts of the assailants gives an alarme to the Garrison who give fire to a Canon planted before the Port the bullet whereof penetrating the gate makes way through the close ranks of the Enemies and so affrights them that they seeke to save themselves by flight Fortune was not so favourable to the garrisons of Humes and Fastcastle where by the negligence of the Centinells the designes of the Enemy were crowned with succes At Humes being conducted by some that knew all the secret passages they clime vp a steepe rocke enter massacre the secure Garison and enioy the place At Fastcastle the Governor had commanded the neighbouring Husbandmen at a prefixed day to bring in their contribution of corne and other necessary provision The Enemy makes vse of this oportunity Souldiers habited like Peasants at the day come fraught with their burthens wherof easing their horses they carry them on their shoulders over the bridge which ioined two rockes together and so gaine entrance the watch-word being given they cast downe their burthens kill the Centinells open the gates to their fellowes and become masters of the place Neither were our navall enterprises fortunate being at Saint Minian and Merne repelled with losse In Autumne the Earle of Rutland with three thousand Lansquenets and some bands drawne out of the frontier Garrisons arrives at Hadington Who duly considering that this Towne could not be kept any longer without the excessive charges of iust Army forasmuch as the Countrey about being miserably foâ—raged it could not be victualled without great difficulty and danger rased the walls fired the houses brought away the Artillery and finding no resistance returned in safety to Berwick BVCHANAN refers it to the ensuing yeare but I follow the record of our owne Historians And having thus far spent the yeare abroad I at length returne home where I finde STEPHEN GARDINER Bishop of Winchester in the Tower He was a man very learned and no lesse subtle adhering to the Popish Faction yet so as that hee would be content to accommodate himselfe to the current of the times King HENRY had emploied him in many Embassages and that with ample authority vnder whom he durst not oppose the proceedings confirmed by enacted Lawes And vnder EDWARD hee repressed himselfe for a time seemingly consenting to the commenced Reformation But his dissimulation was at length manifestly discovered to the Privy Counsaile who had commanded him in a Sermon at Pauls-Crosse to signify his approbation of the present estate of the Church which he accordingly did on the nine and twentieth of Iune but so ambiguously and obscurely that he satisfied them not And being expressely forbidden to speake any thing concerning the Eucharist he knowing that by the Lawes nothing was definitively determined in that point did so eagerly assert that Papisticall I will not say Capernaiticall Corporall and Reall Presence of CHRIST in the Sacrament that he wonderfully offended the mindes of many but especially of the Lords of the Counsaile Wherfore he was on the thirtieth of Iune committed and obstinately refusing to acknowledge his errour was two yeares after deprived of his Bishopricke and as he was of a turbulent spirit least hee should practise any thing against the Estate detained neverthelesse in prison vntill the death of EDWARD In the meane time Archbishop CRANMER by writing oppugned that grosse and carnall assertion of the Church of Rome concerning CHRISTS Presence in the Sacrament whom GARDINER secretly answered vnder the fictious name of M. Constantius Neither did that Bloud-sucker BONER Bishop of London who in Queene MARYES raigne so heated the Kingdome with the funerall piles of so many Saints speed any better then Winchester For being likewise enioined to preach at the Crosse hee did it so coldly omitting many of those points wherof he was commanded to speake that hee was likewise committed deprived of his Bishopricke and so lived vntill Queene MARY set them both at liberty What the objections were against CVTBERT TONSTALL Bishop of Duresme and GEORGE DAY Bishop of Chichester I do not finde but that they ran the same fortune is manifest They were both very learned Prelates but especially TONSTALL a milde man and of most sweet conditions in reguard wherof I do not a little wonder that he was so hardly dealt with But the drift of the punishments of such men who in HENRY'S time were accounted the chiefe Lights of our Church I conceive to have beene that the rest of that Order might by their example be admonished without dissimulation either to resigne their Bishoprickes to others that were thought