years together for before two years elapsed there was a War proclaimed against France and when overtures were made for a Peace it appears by the Treaty-Rolls that the Earl of Worcester was sent over Ambassador And when the Kings sister was sent over to Lewis the French King though Sir Thomas Boleyn went over with her he was not then so much considered as to be made an Ambassador For in the Commission that was given to many persons of Quality to deliver her to her Husband King Lewis the 12 Sir Thomas Boleyn is not named The persons in the Commission are the Duke of Norfolk the Marquess of Dorchester the Bishop of Duresm the Earls of Surrey and Worcester the Prior of St. Iohns and Doctor West Dean of Windsor A year after that Sir Thomas Boleyn was made Ambassador but then it was too late for Anne Boleyn to be yet unborn much less could it be as Sanders says that she was born two years after it But the Learned Camden whose Study and Profession led him to a more particular knowledg of these things gives us another account of her birth He says that she was born in the year 1507. which was two years before the King came to the Crown And if it be suggested that then the Prince to enjoy her Mother prevailed with his Father to send her Husband beyond Sea that must be done when the Prince himself was not 14 years of Age so they must make him to have corrupted other mens wives at that Age when yet they will not allow his Brother no not when he was 2 years older to have known his own wife But now I leave this foul Fiction and go to deliver certain Truths· Anne Boleyn's Mother was Daughter to the Duke of Norfolk and Sister to the Duke that was at the time of the Divorce Lord Treasurer Her Fathers Mother was one of the Daughters and heirs to the Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond and her great Grand-Father Sir Geofry Boleyn who had been Lord Major of London Married one of the Daughters and Heirs of the Lord Hastings and their Family as they had mixed with so much great Blood so had Married their Daughters to very Noble Families She being but seven years old was carried over to France with the Kings Sister which shews she could have none of those deformities in her person since such are not brought into the Courts and Families of Queens And though upon the French Kings Death the Queen Dowager came soon back to England yet she was so liked in the French Court that the next King Francis his Queen kept her about her self for some years and after her death the Kings Sister the Dutchess of Alenson kept her in her Court all the while she was in France which as it shews there was somewhat extraordinary in her person so those Princesses being much celebrated for their vertues it is not to be imagined that any person so notoriously defamed as Sanders would represent her was entertained in their Courts When she came into England is not so clear it is said that in the year 1522. when War was made on France her Father who was then Ambassador was recalled and brought her over with him which is not improbable but if she came then she did not stay long in England for Camden says that she served Queen Claudia of France till her death which was in Iuly 1524 and after that she was taken into service by K Francis his Sister How long she continued in that service I do not find but it is probable that she returned out of France with her Father from his Embassy in the year 1527. when as Stow says he brought with him the Picture of her Mistress who was offered in Marriage to this King If she came out of France before as those Authors before-mentioned say it appears that the King had no design upon her then because he suffered her to return and when one Mistress died to take another in France but if she stayed there all this while then it is probable he had not seen her till now at last when she came out of the Princess of Alenson's service but whensoever it was that she came to the Court of England it is certain that she was much considered in it And though the Queen who had taken her to be one of her Maids of Honour had afterwards just cause to be displeased with her as her Rival yet she carried her self so that in the whole Progress of the Sute I never find the Queen her self or any of her Agents fix the least ill Character on her which would most certainly have been done had there been any just cause or good colour for it And so far was this Lady at least for some time from any thoughts of Marrying the King that she had consented to Marry the Lord Piercy the Earl of Northumberland's eldest Son whom his Father by a strange compliance with the Cardinals vanity had placed in his Court and made him one of his servants The thing is considerable and clears many things that belong to this History and the Relator of it was an Ear-witness of the Discourse upon it as himself informs us The Cardinal hearing that the Lord Piercy was making addresses to Anne Boleyn one day as he came from the Court called for him before his servants before us all says the Relator including himself and chid him for it pretending at first that it was unworthy of him to match so meanly but he justified his choice and reckoned up her birth and Quality which he said was not inferior to his own And the Cardinal insisting fiercely to make him lay down his pretensions he told him he would willingly submit to the King and him but that he had gone so far before many witnesses that he could not forsake it and knew not how to discharge his conscience and therefore he entreated the Cardinal would procure him the Kings favour in it Upon that the Cardinal in great rage said why thinkest thou that the King and I know not what we have to do in so weighty a matter yes I warrant you but I can see in thee no submission at all to the purpose and said you have matched your self with such a one as neither the King nor yet your Father will agree to it and therefore I will send for thy Father who at his coming shall either make thee break this unadvised bargain or disinherit thee for ever To which the Lord Piercy replyed That he would submit himself to him if his Conscience were discharged of the weighty burden that lay upon it and soon after his Father coming to Court he was diverted another way Had that Writer told us in what year this was done it had given a great light to direct us but by this relation we see that she was so far from thinking of the King at that time that she had
Cardinal to oppose the Match with England since they looked for ruine if it succeeded The Queen being a sister of Guise and bred in the French Court was wholly for their Interests and all that had been obliged by that Court or depended on it were quickly drawn into the Party It was also said to every body that it was much more the Interest of Scotland to match with France than with England If they were united to France they might expect an easie Government For the French being at such distance from them and knowing how easily they might throw themselves into the Armes of England would certainly rule them gently and avoid giving them great Provocations But if they were united to England they had no remedy but must look for an heavier yoke to be laid on them This meeting with the rooted Antipathy that by a long continuance of War was grown up among them to a savage hatred of the English Nation and being inflamed by the considerations of Religion raised an universal dislike of the Match with England in the greatest part of the whole Nation only a few men of greater Probity who were weary of the depredations and Wars in the Borders and had a liking to the Reformation of the Church were still for it The French Court struck in vigorously with their Party in Scotland and sent over the Earl of Lenox who as he was next in blood to the Crown after the Earl of Arran so was of the same family of the Stewarts which had endeared him to the late King He was to lead the Queens party against the Hamiltons Yet they employed another Tool which was Iohn Hamilton base Brother to the Governor who was afterwards Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews He had great power over his Brother who being then not above four and twenty years of age and having been the only lawful Son of his Father in his old age was never bred abroad and so understood not the Policies and arts of Courts and was easily abused by his base Brother He assured him that if he went about to destroy Religion by matching the Queen to an Heretical Prince they would depose him from his Government and declare him Illegitimate There could be indeed nothing clearer than his Fathers Divorce from his first Wife For it had been formerly proved that she had been married to the Lord Yesters Son before he married her who claimed her as his Wife upon which her Marriage with the Earl of Arran was declared Null in the year 1507. And it was ten years after that the Earl of Arran did Marry the Governors Mother Of which things the Original Instruments are yet extant Yet it was now said that that Precontract with the Lord Yesters Son was but a forgery to dissolve that Marriage and if the Earl of Lenox who was next to the Crown in case the Earl of Arran was Illegitimated should by the assistance of France procure a review of that Process from Rome and obtain a Revocation of that Sentence by which his Fathers first Marriage was annulled then it was plain that the second marriage with the issue by it would be of no force All this wrought on the Governor much and at length drew him off from the Match with England and brought him over to the French Interests Which being effected there was no further use of the Eaâ—l of Lâ—nnox so he finding himself neglected by the Queen and the Cardinal and abandoned by the Crown of France fled into England where he was very kindly received by the King who gave him in marriage his Neece Lady Margaret Dowglass whom the Queen of Scotland had born to the Earl of Angus her second Husband From which Marriage issued the Lord Darnly Father to King Iames. When the Lords of the French Faction had carried things to their mind in Scotland it was next considered what they should do to redeem the Hostages whom the Lords who were Prisoners in England had left behind them And for this no other Remedy could be found but to let them take their hazard and leave them to the King of England's mercy To this they all agreed only the Earl of Cassilis had too much Honour and Vertue to do so mean a thing Therefore after he had done all he could for maintaining the Treaty about the Match he went into England and offered himself again to be a Prisoner But as generous actions are a reward to themselves so they often meet with that entertainment which they deserve And upon this occasion the King was not wanting to express a very great value for that Lord. He called him another Regulus but used him better For he both gave him his Liberty and made him noble Presents and sent him and his Hostages back being resolved to have a severer reparation for the injury done him All which I have opened more fully because this will give a great light to the affairs of that Kingdom which will be found in the Reigns of the succeeding Princes to have a great intermixture with the affairs of this Kingdom Nor are they justly represented by any who write of these times and having seen some Original Papers relating to Scotland at that time I have done it upon more certain information The King of England made War next upon France The grounds of this War are recited by the Lord Herbert One of these is proper for me to repeat That the French King had not deserted the Bishop of Rome and consented to a Reformation as he had once Promised The rest related to other things such as the seizing our Ships The detaining the yearly Pension due to the King The Fortifying Ardres to the prejudice of the English pale The revealing the Kings secrets to the Emperor The having given first his Daughter and then the Duke of Guises Sister in Marriage to his Enemy the King of Scotland and his confederating himself with the Turk And Satisfaction not being given in these particulars a War is declared In Iuly the King married Katharine Parre who had been formerly married to Nevil Lord Latimer She was a secret Favourer of the Reformation yet could not divert a storm which at this time fell on some in Windsor For that being a place to which the King did oft retire it was thought fit to make some examples there And now the League with the Emperour gave the Popish Faction a greater interest in the Kings Counsels There was at this time a Society at Windsor that favoured the Reformation Anthony Person a Priest Robert Testwood and Iohn Marbeck Singing Men and Henry Filmer of the Town of Windsor were the chief of them But those were much favoured by Sir Philip Hâ—bby and his Lady and several others of the Kings Family During Crâ—â—â—els power none questioned them but after his fall they were looked on with an ill eye Doctor Londâ—n who had by the most servile Flatteries insinuated himself into Cromâ—el and was much employed
things in which if these excuses do not wholly clear them yet they very much lessen their Guilt And after all this it must be Confessed they were men and had mixtures of fear and human infirmities with their other excellent Qualities And indeed Cranmer was in all other points so extraordinary a person that it was perhaps fit there should be some ingredients in his Temper to lessen the Veneration which his great worth might have raised too high if it had not been for these feeblenesses which upon some occasions appeared in him But if we examine the failings of some of the greatest of the Primitive Fathers as Athanasius Cyril and others who were the most zealous asserters of the Faith we must conclude them to have been nothing inferiour to any that can be charged on Cranmer whom if we consider narrowly we shall find as eminent vertues and as few faults in him as in any Prelate that has been in the Christian Church for many Ages And if he was prevailed on to deny his Master through fear he did wash off that stain by a sincere Repentance and a patient Martyrdome in which he expressed an eminent resentment of his former frailty with a pitch of Constancy of mind above the rate of modern Examples But their vertues as well as their faults are set before us for our instruction and how frail soever the vessels were they have conveyed to us a treasure of great value The pure Gospel of our Lord and Saviour which if we follow and govern our lives and hearts by it we may hope in easier and plainer paths to attain that Blessedness which they could not reach but through scorching flames and if we do not improve the Advantages which this light affords we may either look for some of those trials which were sent for the exercise of their Faith and Patience and perhaps for the punishment of their former Compliance or if we escape these we have cause to fear worse in the Conclusion EFFIGIES HENRICI VIII D. G ANGLIAE GALL. ET HIB REGIS DEFENSORIS FIDEI HHolbein pinxit Natus 1491 Iun 28. Patri Successit in Regno 1509 Apr. 22. Obijt 1547 8 Ian 28. Anno Aetat 57. pag. 1. Printed for Ricâ— Chiswell at the Rose and Crowne in St. Pauls Church yard THE HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION OF THE Church of England BOOK I. A Summary View of King Henry the Eighth's Reign till the Process of his Divorce was begun in which the State of England chiefly as it related to Religion is opened ENGLAND had for a whole Age felt the Miseries of a long and cruel War between the Two Houses of York and Lancaster during which time as the Crown had lost great Dominions beyond Sea so the Nation was much impoverished many Noble Families extinguisht much Blood shed great Animosities every-where raised with all the other Miseries of a lasting Civil War But they now saw all these happily composed when the Two Families did unite in King Henry the Eighth In his Fathers Reign they were rather cemented and joyned than united whose great Partiality to the House of Lancaster from which he was Descended and Severity to the Branches of the House of York in which even his own Queen had a large share together with the Impostors that were set up to disturb his Reign kept these heats alive which were now all buried in his grave and this made the Succession of his Son so universally acceptable to the whole Nation who now hoped to revive their former pretensions in France and to have again a large share in all the Affairs of Europe from which their Domestick Broils had so long excluded them There was another thing which made his first coming to the Crown no less acceptable which was that the same day that his Father died he ordered Dudley and Empson to be committed to the Tower His Father whether out of Policy or Inclination or both was all his life much set on the gathering of Treasure so that those Ministers were most acceptable who could fill his Coffers best and though this occasioned some Tumults and disposed the People to all those Commotions which fell out in his Reign yet he being successful in them all continued in his course of heaping up Money Towards the end of his Life he found out those Two Instruments who out-did all that went before them and what by vexatious Suits upon Penal but obsolete Laws what by unjust Imprisonments and other violent and illegal proceedings raised a general odium upon the Government and this grew upon him with his years and was come to so great a height towards the end of his Life that he died in good time for his own quiet For as he used all possible endeavours to get Money so what he got he as carefully kept and distributed very little of it among those about him so that he had many Enemies and but few Friends This being well considered by his Son he began his Government with the disgrace of those Two Ministers against whom he proceeded according to Law all the other inferiour Officers whom they had made use of were also Imprisoned When they had thus fallen many and great Complaints came in from all parts against them they also apprehending the danger they were like to be in upon their Masters Death had been practising with their Partners to gather about them all the Power they could bring together whether to secure themselves from popular Rage or to make themselves seem considerable or formidable to the new King This and other Crimes being brought in against them they were found guilty of Treason in a legal Trial. But the King judged this was neither a sufficient Reparation to his Oppressed People nor Satisfaction to Justice Therefore he went further and both ordered Restitution to be made by his Fathers Executors of great Sums of Money which had been unjustly extorted from his Subjects and in his first Parliament which he Summoned to the Twenty first of Ianuary following he not only delivered up Empson and Dudley with their Complices to the Justice of the Two Houses who attainted them by Act of Parliament and a little after gave order for their Execution but did also give his Royal assent to those other Laws by which the Subject was secured from the like Oppressions for the future and that he might not at all be suspected of any such Inclinations as his Father had to amass Treasure he was the most magnificent in his Expence of any Prince in Christendom and very bountiful to all about him and as one extreme commonly produces another so his Fathers Covetousness led him to be Prodigal and the vast Wealth which was left him being reckoned no less then 1800000 l. was in Three years dissipated as if the Son in his expence had vied Industry with his Father in all his Thrift Thomas Earl of Surrey afterwards Duke of Norfolk to shew how compliant he
the discovery of the Indies having brought great wealth into Europe Princes began to deal more in that trade than before so that both France and England had their Instruments in Scotland and gave considerable yearly Pensions to the chief heads of Parties and Families In the search I have made I have found several Warrants for Sums of Money to be sent into Scotland and divided there among the Favourers of the English Interest and 't is not to be doubted but France traded in the same manner which continued till a happier way was found out for extinguishing these Quarrels both the Crowns being set on one head Having thus shewed the State of this Kings Government as to forreign Matters I shall next give an account of the Administration of Affairs at home both as to Civil and Spiritual Matters The King upon his first coming to the Crown did choose a wise Council partly out of those whom his Father had trusted partly out of those that were recommended to him by his Grand-Mother the Countess of Richmond and Derby in whom was the Right of the House of Lancaster though she willingly devolved her pretensions on her Son claiming nothing to her self but the Satisfaction of being Mother to a King She was a wise and Religious Woman and died soon after her Grand-Son came to the Crown There was a Faction in the Council between Fox Bishop of Winchester and the Lord Treasurer which could never be well made up though they were oft reconciled Fox always complaining of the Lord Treasurer for squandring away so soon that vast Mass of Treasure left by the Kings Father in which the other justified himself that what he did was by the Kings Warrants which he could not disobey but Fox objected that he was too easie to answer if not to procure these Warrants and that he ought to have given the King better advice In the Kings first Parliament things went as he desired upon his delivering up Empson and Dudley in which his preventing the severity of the Houses and proceeding against them at the Common Law as it secured his Ministers from an unwelcome President so the whole honour of it fell on the Kings justice His next Parliament was in the Third year of his Reign and there was considered the Brief from Pope Iulius the Second to the King complaining of the Indignities and Injuries done to the Apostolick See and the Pope by the French King and entreating the Kings assistance with such cajoling words as are always to be expected from Popes on the like occasions It was first read by the Master of the Rolls in the House of Lords and then the Lord Chancellour Warham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Lord Treasurer with other Lords went down to the House of Commons and read it there Upon this and other reasons they gave the King subsidies towards the War with France At this time Fox to strengthen his Party against the Lord Treasurer finding Thomas Wolsey to be a likely man to get into the Kings favour used all his endeavours to raise him who was at that time neither unknown nor inconsiderable being Lord Almoner he was at first made a Privy Counsellour and frequently admitted to the Kings presence and waited on him over to France The King liked him well which he so managed that he quickly engrossed the Kings favour to himself and for 15 years together was the most absolute Favourite that had ever been seen in England all forreign Treaties and Places of Trust at home were at his Ordering he did what he pleased and his Ascendant over the King was such that there never appeared any Party against him all that while The great Artifice by which he insinuated himself so much on the King is set down very plainly by one that knew him well in these words In him the King conceived such a loving fancy especially for that he was most earnest and readiest in all the Counsel to advance the Kings only will and pleasure having no respect to the case and whereas the Ancient Counsellors would according to the Office of good Counsellors divers times perswade the King to have some time a recourse unto the Council there to hear what was done in weighty Matters the King was nothing at all pleased therewith for he loved nothing worse than to be constrained to do any thing contrary to his pleasure and that knew the Almoner very well having secret Insinuations of the Kings Intentions and so fast as the others Counselled the King to leave his pleasures and to attend to his Affairs so busily did the Almoner perswade him to the contrary which delighted him much and caused him to have the greater affection and love to the Almoner Having got into such Power he observed the Kings Inclinations exactly and followed his Interests closely for though he made other Princes retain him with great Presents and Pensions yet he never engaged the King into any Alliance but what was for his Advantage For affairs at home after he was established in his Greatness he affected to Govern without Parliaments there being from the Seventh year of his Reign after which he got the great Seal but one Parliament in the 14th and 15th year and no more till the One and Twentieth when matters were turning about But he raised great Sums of Money by Loans and Benevolences And indeed if we look on him as a Minister of State he was a very extraordinary Person but as he was a Church-man he was the disgrace of his Profession He not only served the King in all his secret pleasures but was lewd and vicious himself so that his having the French Pox which in those days was a matter of no small infamy was so publick that it was brought against him in Parliament when he fell in disgrace he was a man of most extravagant vanity as appears by the great State he lived in and to feed that his Ambition and Covetousness were proportionable He was first made Bishop of Tourney when that Town was taken from the French then he was made Bishop of Lincoln which was the first Bishoprick that fell void in this Kingdom after that upon Cardinal Bembridge his death he parted with Lincoln and was made Arch-Bishop of York then Hadrian that was a Cardinal and Bishop of Bath and Wells being deprived that See was given to him then the Abbey of St Albans was given to him in Comendam he next parted with Bath and Wells and got the Bishoprick of Duresm which he afterwards exchanged for the Bishoprick of Winchester But besides all that he had in his own hands the King granted him a full Power of disposing of all the Ecclesiastical benefices in England which brought him in as much money as all the Places he held for having so vast a Power committed to him both from the King and the Pope as to Church-preferments it may be easily gathered what
advantages a man of his temper would draw from it Warham was Lord Chancellour the first seven years of the Kings Reign but retired to give place to this aspiring favourite who had a mind to the great Seal that there might be no interfering between the Legantine and Chancery Courts And perhaps it wrought somewhat on his vanity that even after he was Cardinal Warham as Lord Chancellour took place of him as appears from the Entries made in the Journals of the House of Peers in the Parliament held the 7th year of the Kings Reign and afterwards gave him place as appears on many occasions particularly in the Letter written to the Pope 1530 set down by the Lord Herbert which the Cardinal subscribed before Warham We have nothing on record to shew what a Speaker he was for all the Journals of Parliament from the 7th to the 25th year of this King are lost but it is like he spoke as his Predecessor in that Office Warham did whose speeches as they are entred in the Journals are Sermons begun with a Text of Scripture which he expounded and applyed to the business they were to go upon stuffing them with the most fulsome flattery of the King that was possible The next in favour and Power was the Lord Treasurer restored to his Fathers honour of Duke of Norfolk to whom his Son succeeded in that Office as well as in his hereditary honours and managed his Interest with the King so dexterously that he stood in all the Changes that followed and continued Lord Treasurer during the Reign of this King till near the end of it when he fell through Jealousie rather than guilt this shewed how dexterous a man he was that could stand so long in that imployment under such a King But the chief Favourite in the Kings pleasures was Charles Brandon a Gallant graceful Person one of the strongest men of the Age and so a fit match for the King at his Justs and Tiltings which was the manly diversion of that time and the King taking much pleasure in it being of a robust Body and singularly expert at it he who was so able to second him in these Courses grew mightily in his favour so that he made him first Viscount Lisle and some Months after Duke of Suffolk Nor was he less in the Ladies favours than the Kings for his Sister the Lady Mary liked him and being but so long Married to King Lewis of France as to make her Queen Dowager of France she resolved to choose her second Husband her self and cast her eye on the Duke of Suffolk who was then sent over to the Court of France Her Brother had designed the Marriage between them yet would not openly give his Consent to it but she by a strange kind of Wooing prefixed him the Term of four days to gain her Consent in which she told him if he did not prevail he should for ever lose all his hopes of having her though after such a Declaration he was like to meet with no great difficulty from her So they were Married and the King was easily pacified and received them into favour neither did his favour die with her for it continued all his life but he never medled much in business and by all that appears was a better Courtier than States-Man Little needs be said of any other Person more than will afterwards occur The King loved to raise mean Persons and upon the least distaste to throw them down and falling into disgrace he spared not to sacrifice them to publick discontents His Court was magnificent and his Expence vast he indulged himself in his pleasures and the hopes of Children besides the Lady Mary failing by the Queen he who of all things desired issue most kept one Elizabeth Blunt by whom he had Henry Fitzroy whom in the 17th year of his Reign he created Earl of Nottingham and the same day made him Duke of Richmond and Sommerset and intended afterwards to have put him in the Succession of the Crown after his other Children but his death prevented it As for his Parliaments he took great care to keep a good understanding with them and chiefly with the House of Commons by which means he seldom failed to carry Matters as he pleased among them only in the Parliament held in the 14th and 15th of his Reign the Demand of the Subsidy towards the War with France being so high as 800000 lib. the 5th of mens goods and lands to be paid in Four years and the Cardinal being much hated there was great Opposition made to it for which the Cardinal blamed Sir Thomas More much who was then Speaker of the House of Commons and finding that which was offered was not above the half of what was asked went himself to the House of Commons and desired to hear the reasons of those who opposed his Demands that he might answer them but he was told the Order of their House was to reason only among themselves and so went away much dissatisfied It was with great difficulty that they obtained a Subsidy of 3 s. in the lib. to be paid in four years This disappointment it seems did so offend the Cardinal that as no Parliament had been called for Seven years before so there was none summoned for Seven years after And thus stood the Civil Government of England in the 19th year of the Kings Reign when the Matter of the Divorce was first moved But I shall next open the State of Affairs in Reference to Religious and Spiritual Concerns King Henry was bred with more care than had been usually bestowed on the Education of Princes for many Ages who had been only trained up to those Exercises that prepared them to War and if they could read and write more was not expected of them But learning began now to flourish and as the House of Medici in Florence had great honour by the Protection it gave to learned men so other Princes every-where cherished the Muses King Henry the 7th though illiterate himself yet took care to have his Children instructed in good letters And it generally passes current that he bred his second Son a Scholar having designed him to be Arch-Bishop of Canterbury but that has no foundation for the Writers of that time tell that his Elder Brother Prince Arthur was also bred a Scholar And all the Instruction King Henry had in Learning must have been after his Brother was dead when that Design had vanished with his life For he being born the 18th of Iune 1491. and Prince Arthur dying the Second of April 1502. he was not full eleven years of Age when he became Prince of Wales at which Age Princes have seldom made any great progress in Learning But King Henry the 7th judging either that it would make his Sons Greater Princes and fitter for the Management of their Affairs or being jealous of their looking too early into business or their pretending to the Crown
St. Mark and to examine the Decrees of the ancient Councils He went incognito without any Character from the King only he had a Letter Recommending him to the care of Iohn Cassali then Ambassador at Venice to procure him an admittance into the Libraries there But in all his Letters he complained mightily of his Poverty that he had scarce whereby to live and pay the Copiers whom he imployed to Transcribe passages out of MSS. He stayed some time at Venice from whence he went to Padua Bononia and other Towns where he only talked with Divines and Canonists about these questions Whether the Precepts in Leviticus of the Degrees of Marriage do still oblige Christians And whether the Popes Dispensation could have any force against the Law of God These he proposed in Discourse without mentioning the King of England or giving the least intimation that he was sent by him till he once discovered their Opinions But finding them generally inclining to the Kings Cause he took more courage and went to Rome where he sought to be made a Penitentiary Priest that he might have the freer access into Libraries and be lookt on as one of the Popes Servants But at this time the Earl of Wiltshire and Stokesley who was made Bishop of London Tonstall being Translated to Duresm were sent by the King into Italy Ambassadors both to the Pope and Emperor Cranmer went with them to justifie his Book in both these Courts Stokesley brought full Instructions to Crooke to search the Writings of most of the Fathers on a great many passages of the Scripture and in particular to try what they wrote on that Law in Deuteronomy which provided that when one died without Children his Brother should marry his Wife to raise up Children to him This was most pressed against the King by all that were for the Queen as either an Abrogation of the other Law in Leviticus or at least a Dispensation with it in that particular Case He was also to consult the Iews about it and was to Copy out every thing that he found in any Manuscript of the Greek or Latine Fathers relating to the Degrees of Marriage Of this labour he complained heavily and said That though he had a great task laid on him yet his allowance was so small that he was often in great straits This I take notice of because it is said by others That all the Subscriptions that he procured were bought At this time there were great Animosities between the Ministers whom the King imployed in Italy the two Families of the Cassali and the Ghinucci hating one another Of the former Family were the Ambassadors at Rome and at Venice Of the other Hierome was Bishop of Worcester and had been in several Ambassies into Spain His Brother Peter was also imployed in some of the little Courts of Italy as the Kings Agent Whether the King out of Policy kept this hatred up to make them Spies one on another I know not To the Ghinucci was Crooke gained so that in all his Letters he complained of the Cassali as men that betraied the Kings Affairs and said that Iohn then Ambassador at Venice not only gave him no assistance but used him ill and publickly discovered That he was imployed by the King which made many who had formerly spoken their minds freely be more reserved to him But as he wrote this to the King he begged of him that it might not be known otherwise he expected either to be Killed or Poisoned by them Yet they had their Correspondents about the King by whose means they understood what Crooke had Informed against them But they wrote to the King that he was so morose and ill-natured that nothing could please him and to lessen his Credit they did all they could to stop his Bills All this is more fully set down than perhaps was necessary if it were not to show that he was not in a condition to corrupt so many Divines and whole Universities as some have given out He got into the acquaintance of a Frier at Venice Franciscus Georgius who had lived 49 years in a Religious order and was esteemed the most Learned man in the Republick not only in the vulgar Learning but in the Greek and Hebrew and was so much accounted of by the Pope that he called him the Hammer of Hereticks He was also of the Senatorian Quality and his Brother was Governor of Padua and payed all the Readers there This Friar had a great opinion of the King and having studied the case wrote for the Kings cause and endeavoured to satisfie all the other Divines of the Republick among whom he had much credit Thomas Omnibonus a Dominican Philippus de Cremis a Doctor of the Law Valerius of Bergamo and some others wrote for the Kings cause Many of the Iewish Rabbins did give it under their hands in Hebrew That the Laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy were thus to be reconciled That Law of Marrying the Brothers wife when he dyed without Children did only bind in the Land of Judaea to preserve Families and maintain their Successions in the Land as it had been divided by Lot But that in all other places of the world the Law of Leviticus of not Marrying the Brothers wife was obligatory He also searched all the Greek MSS. of Councils and Nazianzens and Chrysostoms works After that he run over Macarius Acacius Apollinaris Origen Gregory Nyssen Cyril Severian and Gennadius and copied out of them all that which was pertinent to his purpose He procured several hands to the Conclusions before it was known that it was the Kings business in which he was employed But the Government of Venice was so strict that when it was known whose Agent he was he found it not easie to procure Subscriptions Therefore he advised the King to order his Minister to procure a Licence from the Senate for their Divines to declare their opinions in that matter Which being proposed to the Senate all the answer he could obtain was that they would be Neutrals and when the Ambassador pressed as an evidence of Neutrality that the Senate would leave it free to their Divines to declare of either side as their Consciences led them he could procure no other answer the former being again repeated Yet the Senate making no Prohibition many of their Divines put their hands to the Conclusions And Crook had that Success that he wrote to the King he had never met with a Divine that did not favour his cause but the Conclusions touching the Popes Power his Agents did every-where discourage and threaten those who subscribed them And the Emperors Ambassador at Venice did threaten Omnibonus for writing in prejudice of the Popes Authority and asserting conclusions which would make most of the Princes of Europe Bastards He answered he did not consider things as a Statesman but as a Divine Yet to take off this fear Crook suggested to the King to order his Minister at the
fresh-men and Novices The great matter of the Kings Marriage came on at this time Many reports were brought the King of the beauty of Anne of Cleve so that he inclined to ally himself with that Family Both the Emperor and the King of France had courted him to Matches which they had projected The Emperor proposed the Dutchess of Milan his kinswoman and Daughter to the King of Denmark He was then designing to break the League of Smalcald and to make himself master of Germany And therefore he took much pains with the King to divide him from the Princes there which was in great part effected by the Statute for the six Articles Upon which the Ambassadors of the Princes had complained and said That whereas the King had been in so fair a way of union with them he had now broke it off and made so severe a Law about Communion in one kind Private Masses and the Celibate of the Clergy which differed so much from their Doctrine that they could entertain no further correspondence with him if that Law was not mitigated But Gardiner wrought much on the Kings vanity and passions and told him that it was below his Dignity and high Learning to have a Company of dull Germans and small Princes dictate to him in matters of Religion There was also another thing which he oft made use of though it argues somewhere a great Ignorance of the Constitution of the Empire That the King could not expect these Princes would ever be for his Supremacy since if they acknowledged that in him they must likewise yield it to the Emperor This was a great mistake For as the Princes of Germany never acknowledged the Emperor to have a sove raignty in their Dominions so they did acknowledg the Diet in which the Soveraignty of the Empire lies to have a Power of making or changing what Laws they pleased about Religion And in things that were not determined by the Diet every Prince pretended to it as highly in his own Dominions as the King could do in England But as untrue as this Allegation was it served Gardiner's turn for the King was sufficiently irritated with it against the Princes so that there was now a great coldness in their correspondence Yet the Project of a Match with the Dutchess of Milan failing and these proposed by France not being acceptable Cromwel moved the King about an Alliance with the Duke of Cleve who as he was the Emperors Neighbour in Flanders had also a pretension to the Dutchie of Guelders and his eldest Daughter was Marryed to the Duke of Saxony So that the King having then some apprehensions of a War with the Emperor this seemed a very proper Alliance to give him a Diversion There had been a Treaty between her Father and the Duke of Lorrain in order to a match between the Duke of Lorrain's Son and her But they both being under Age it went no further than a Contract between their Fathers Hans Holbin having taken her Picture sent it over to the King But in that he bestowed the common complement of his Art somewhat too liberally on a Lady that was in a way to be Queen The King liked the Picture better than the Original when he had the occasion afterwards to compare them The Duke of Saxony who was very zealous for the Ausâ—â—â—â— Confession finding the King had declined so much from it disswaded the Match But Cromwel set it on mightily expecting a great Support from a Queen of his own making whose friends being all Luthâ—rans it tended also to bring down the Popish Party at Court and again to recover the ground they had now lost Those that had seen the Lady did much commend her beauty and person But she could speak no Language but Dutch to which the King was a stranger Nor was she bred to Musick with which the King was much taken So that except her person had charmed him there was nothing left for her to gain upon him by After some Months Treaty one of the Counts Palatine of the Rhine with other Ambassadors from the Duke of Saxony and her Brother the Duke of Cleves for her Father was lately dead came over and concluded the Match In the end of December she was brought over to England And the King being impatient to see her went down Incognito to Rochester But when he had a sight of her finding none of these charms which he was made believe were in her he was so extreamly surprized that he not only did not like her but took an Aversion to her which he could never after overcome He swore they had brought over a Flanders Mare to him and was very sorry he had gone so far but glad it had proceeded no further And presently he resolved if it were possible to break off the matter and never to yoke himself with her But his Affairs were not then in such a condition that he could safely put that affront on the Dukes of Saxony and Cleves which the sending back of this Lady would have done For the Germans being of all Nations most sensible of every thing in which the Honour of their Family is touched he knew they would resent such an Injury And it was not safe for him to Adventure that at such a time For the Emperor was then in Paris whither he had gone to an Enterview with Francis And his Reception was not only as Magnificent as could be but there was all the Evidence possible of hearty Friendship and kindness The King also understood that between them there was somewhat projected against himself And now Francis that had been as much obliged by him as possibly one Prince could be by another was not only forgetful of it but intended to take advantage from the distractions and discontents of the English to drive them out of France if it were possible And it is not to be doubted but the Emperor would gladly have embroyled these two Kings that he might have a better opportunity both to make himself Master of Germany and to force the King of England into an Alliance by which the Lady Mary should be Legitimated and the Princes of Germany be left destitute of a Support which made them Insolent and Intractable The King apprehended the Conjunction of those two great Princes against himself which was much set forward by the Pope and that they would set up the King of Scotland against him who with that forreign Assistance and the discontents at home would have made War upon great advantages especially those in the North of England being ill affected to him And therefore he judged it necessary for his Affairs not to lose the Princes of Germany Only he resolved first to try if any Nullities or Pre-contracts could excuse him fairly at their hands He returned to Greenwich very Melancholy He much blamed the Earl of Southampton who being sent over to receive her at Callice had written an high Commendation of her
Father were committed to the Tower That which was most insisted on was their giving the Arms of Edward the Confessor which were only to be given by the Kings of England This the Earl of Surrey justified and said they gave their Arms according to the opinion of the Kings Heraulds But all excuses availed nothing for his Father and he were designed to be destroyed upon reasons of State for which some colours were to be found out The Earl of Surrey being but a Commoner was brought to his Tryal at Guildhall and put upon an Inquest of Commoners consisting of nine Knights and three Esquires by whom he was found guilty of Treason and had Sentence of death passed upon him which was executed on the 19th of Ianuary at Tower-Hill It was generally condemned as an Act of high injustice and severity which loaded the Seimours with a popular Odium that they could never overcome He was much pitied being a man of great parts and high courage with many other Noble Qualities But the King who never hated nor ruined any body by halves resolved to compleat the misfortunes of that Family by the Attaindor of the Father And as all his Eminent Services were now forgotten so the Submissions he made could not allay a displeasure that was only to be satisfied with his Life and Fortune He wrote to the King Protesting his Innocency That he had never a thought to his prejudice and could not imagine what could be laid to his Charge He had spent his whole Life in his Service and did not know that ever he had offended any person or that any were displeased with him except for prosecuting the breakers of the Act about the Sacrament of the Altar But in that and in every thing else as he had been always obedient to the Kings Laws so he was resolved still to obey any Laws he should make He desired he might be examined with his Accusers face to face before the King or at least before his Council and if it did not appear that he was wrongfully accused let him be punished as he deserved In Conclusion he begged the King would have pity on him and restore him to his favour taking all his Lands or Goods from him or as much of them as he pleased Yet all this had no effect on the King So he was desired to make a more formal Submission which he did on the 12th of Ianuary under his hand ten Privy Councellors being Witnesses In it he confessed First his discovering the Secrets of the Kings Council Secondly his concealing his Sons Treason in using to give the Arms of St. Edward the Confessor which did only belong to the King and to which his Son had no Right Thirdly That he had ever since his Fathers death born in the first quarter of his Arms the Arms of England with a difference of the Labells of Silver that are the proper Arms of the Prince which was done in prejudice of the King and the Prince and gave occasion for disturbing or interrupting the Succession to the Crown of the Realm This he acknowledged was high Treason he confessed he deserved to be attainted of high Treason and humbly begged the Kings Mercy and Compassion He yielded to all this hoping by such a Submission and Compliance to have overcome the Kings displeasure but his Expectations failed him A Parliament was called the reason whereof was pretended to be the Coronation of the Prince of Wales But it was thought the true cause of calling it was to Attaint the Duke of Norfolk for which they had not colour enough to do it in a Tryal by his Peers Therefore an Attaindor by Act of Parliament was thought the better way So it was moved that the King intending to Crown his Son Prince of Wales desired they would go on with all possible haste in the Attaindor of the Duke of Norfolk that so these Places which he held by Patent might be disposed of by the King to such as he thought fit who should Assist at the Coronation And upon this slight pretence since a better could not be found The Bill of Attaindor was read the first time on the 18th of Ianuary And on the 19th and 20th it was read the second and third time And so passed in the House of Lords and was sent down to the Commons Who on the 24th sent it up also passed On the 27th the Lords were ordered to be in their Robes That the Royal assent might be given to it which the Lord Chancellor with some others joyned in Commission did give by vertue of the Kings Letters Patents And it had been executed the next Morning if the Kings death had not prevented it Upon what grounds this Attaindor was founded I can only give this Account from the 34th Act of the first Parliament of Queen Mary in which this Act is declared null and void by the Common Law of the Land for I cannot find the Act it self upon Record In the Act of Repeal it is said That there was no special matter in the Act of Attaindor but only general words of Treasons and Conspiracies and that out of their care of the preservation of the King and the Prince they passed it But the Act of Repeal says also That the only thing with which he was charged was For bearing of Arms which he and his Ancestors had born both within and without the Kingdom both in the Kings presence and in the sight of his Progenitors which they might Lawfully bear and give as by good and substantial matter of Record it did appear It is also added That the King dyed after the date of the Commission That the King only empowered them to give his Assent but did not give it himself And that it did not appear by any Record that they gave it That the King did not Sign the Commission with his own hand his Stamp being only set to it and that not to the upper but the nether part of it contrary to the Kings custom All these particulars though cleared afterwards I mention now because they give light to this matter As soon as the Act was passed a Warrant was sent to the Lieutenant of the Tower to cut off his head the next Morning but the King dying in the night the Lieutenant could do nothing on that Warrant And it seems it was not thought advisable to begin the new Kings Reign with such an Odious Execution And thus the Duke of Norfolk escaped very narrowly Both Parties descanted on this differently The Conscientious Papists said it was Gods just Judgment on him who had in all things followed the Kings pleasure oftentimes against his own Conscience That he should smart under that Power which himself had helped so considerably to make it be raised so high The Protestants could not but observe an hand of God in measuring out such a hard measure to him that was so heavy on all those poor people that were
you so much the more to accelerate as ye know how necessary it is that all diligence and expedition be used in that Matter And so ye all to handle and endeavour your selves there for the time of your demor as ye may do the most benefit and advantage that may be to the speedy furtherance of the said Cause And forasmuch as at the dispatch of your said last Letters ye had not opened unto the Pope's Holiness the last and uttermost Device here conceived and to you written in my Letters sent by the said Alexander but that ye intended as soon as ye might have time and access to set forth the same wherein it is to be trusted since that thing could by no colour or respect to the Emperor be reasonably denied ye have before this time done some good and brought unto perfection I therefore remitting you to such Instructions as ye received at that time advertise you that the King's mind and pleasure is ye do your best to attain the Ampliation of the said Commission after such form as is to you in the said last Letters and Instructions prescribed which if ye cannot in every thing bring to pass at the least to obtain as much to the King's purpose and the benefit of the Cause as ye can wherein all good policy and dexterity is to be used and the Pope's Holiness by all perswasions to be induced thereunto shewing unto the same how ye have received Letters from the King's Highness and me responsives to such as ye wrote of the Dates before rehearsed whereby ye be advertised that the King's Highness perceiving the Pope's strange demeanour in this his great and weighty Cause with the little respect that his Holiness hath either to the importance thereof or to do unto his Holiness at this his great necessity gratuity and pleasure not only cannot be a little sorry and heavy to see himself frustrate of the future hope and expectation that his Grace had to have found the Pope's Holiness a most loving fast near and kind Father and assured Friend ready and glad to have done for his Grace that which of his Power Ordinary or Absolute he might have done in this thing which so near toucheth the King's Conscience Health Succession Realm and Subjects But also marvelleth highly That his Holiness both in Matters of Peace Truce in this the King's Cause and in all other hath more respect to please and content him of whom he hath received most displeasures and who studieth nothing more than the detriment of the See than his Holiness hath either to do that which a good common Father for the well of the Church Himself and all Christendom is bounden and oweth to do or also that which every thing well pondered it were both of Congruence Right Truth Equity Wisdom and conveniency for to do Thinking verily that his Highness deserved to be far otherwise entreated and that not at his most need in things nearest touching his Grace and where the same had his chief and principal confidence thus to have his just and reasonable Petitions rejected and totally to be converted to the arbitre of his Enemy which is not the way to win acquire and conserve Friends to the Pope's Holiness and See Apostolick nor that which a good and indifferent Vicar of Jesus Christ and common Father unto all Princes oweth and is bound to observe Nevertheless ye shall say the King's Highness who always hath shewed and largely comprobate himself a most devout Son unto the See Apostolick must and will take patience and shall pray to God to put in the Pope's mind a more direct and vertuous intent so to proceed in his acts and doing as he may be found a very Father upright indifferent loving and kind and not thus for partial respect fear or other inordinate Affection or cause to degenerate from his best Children showing himself unto them as a Step-Father nor the King's Highness ye shall say can persuade unto himself that the Pope's Holiness is of that nature and disposition that he will so totally fail his Grace in this Matter of so high importance but that by one good mean or other his Holiness will perfectly comprobate the intire love that always the same hath shewed to bear towards his Highness wherein ye shall desire him now to declare by his Acts the uttermost of his intent and disposition so as ye Mr. Stevins and Mr. Brian who be revoked home do not return with void hands or bring with you things of such meagerness or little substance as shall be to no purpose And thus by these or like words seconding to the same effect which as the time shall require and as he shall have cause ye by your Wisdoms can qualifie and devise It is not to be doubted but that the Pope's Holiness perceiving how the Kings Highness taketh this Matter and that two of you shall now return will in expedition of the said Ampliation of the Commission and other things requisite strain himself to do unto the King's Highness as much gratuity and pleasure as may be for the better attaining whereof ye shall also shew how heavy and sorry I with my Lord Legate Campegius be to see this manner of proceeding and the large promises which he and I so often have made unto the King's Highness of the Pope's fast and assured mind to do all that his Holiness etiam ex plenitudine potestatis might do thus to be disappointed most humbly beseeching his Holiness on my behalf by his high Wisdom to consider what a Prince this is the infinite and excellent gratitudes which the same hath exhibited to the Pope's Person in particular and to the See Apostolick in the general the magnitude and importance of this Cause with the Consequences that may follow by the good or ill entreating of the King's Highness in the same wherein ye shall say I have so largely written so plainly for my discharge declared the truth unto his Holiness and so humbly reverently and devoutly made intercession that more can I not add or accumulate thereunto but only pray unto God that the same may be perceived understood and taken as the exigence of the Case and the merits of this Noble Prince doth require trusting always and with fervent desire from day to day abiding to hear from his said Holiness some such thing as I shall now be able constantly to justifie and defend the great things which I and my said Lord Legate have said and attested on his Holiness behalf This with all other such matter as may serve to the purpose ye shall extend as well as ye can and by that means get and attain as much to your purpose for the corroboration and surety of all things to be done here as is possible leaving to speak any more or also to take or admit any rescripts for exhibition of the Brief advocation of the Cause or other of the former degrees seeing that all which shall or can be
was to the Humours of the Princes whom he served as he had been Lord-Treasurer to the Father the last Seven years of his Life so being continued in the same Office by this King did as dextrously comply with his Prodigality as he had done formerly with his Fathers sparingness But this in the beginning of the Princes Reign did much endear him both to the Court and Nation there being a freer Circulation of Money by which Trade was encouraged and the Courtiers tasted so liberally of the Kings bounty that he was every-where much magnified though his Expence proved afterwards heavier to the Subject than ever his Father's Avarice had been Another thing that raised the Credit of this King was the great Esteem he was in beyond Sea both for his Wisdom and Power so that in all the Treaties of Peace and War he was always much considered and he did so exactly pursue that great Maxime of Princes of Holding the Ballance that still as it grew heavier whether in the Scale of France or Spain he governed Himself and Them as a wise Arbiter His first Action was against France which by the Accession of the Dutchy of Britain through his Father's over-sight was made greater and more formidable to the Neighbouring Princes therefore the French Successes in Italy having United all the Princes there against them Spain and England willingly joyned themselves in the Quarrel The Kingdom of Spain being also then United conquered Navarre which set them at great ease and weakned the King of France on that side Whose Affairs also declining in Italy this King finding him so much lessened made Peace with him having first managed his share of the War with great Honour at Sea and Land For going over in Person he did both defeat the French Army and take Terwin and Tourney the former he demolished the latter he kept and in these Exploits he had an unusual Honour done him which though it was a slight thing yet was very pleasant to him Maximilian the Emperour taking pay in his Army amounting to a Hundred Crowns a-day and upon all publick Solemnities giving the King the precedence The Peace between England and France was made firmer by Lewis the French Kings Marrying Mary the Kings Sister but he dying soon after new Counsels were to be taken Francis who succeeded did in the beginning of his Reign court this King with great Offers to renew the Peace with him which was accordingly done Afterward Francis falling in with all his force upon the Dutchy of Milan all endeavours were used to engage King Henry into the War both by the Pope and Emperour this last feeding him long with hopes of resigning the Empire to him which wrought much on him insomuch that he did give them a great Supply in Money but he could not be engaged to divert Francis by making War upon him and Francis ending the War of Italy by a Peace was so far from resenting what the King had done that he courted him into a straiter League and a Match was agreed between the Dolphin and the Lady Mary the Kings Daughter and Tourney was delivered up to the French again But now Charles Arch-Duke of Austria by his Father and Heir to the House of Burgundy by his Grand-mother and to the Crown of Spain by his Mother began to make a great Figure in the World and his Grand-Father Maximilian dying Francis and He were Corrivals for the Empire but Charles being preferred in the Competition there followed what through personal Animosities what through reason of State and a desire of Conquest lasting Wars between them which though they were sometimes for a while closed up yet were never clearly ended And those two great Monarchs as they eclipsed most other Princes about them so they raised this Kings glory higher both courting him by turns and that not only by earnest and warm Addresses but oft by unusual Submissions in which they knowing how great an Ingredient Vanity was in his temper were never deficient when their Affairs required it All which tended to make him appear greater in the eyes of his own People In the year 1520. there was an Interview agreed on between the French King and Him but the Emperor to prevent the effects he feared from it resolved to out doe the French King in the Complement and without any Treaty or previous assurances came to Dover and sollicited the Kings friendship against Francis and to advance his design gained Cardinal Wolsey who then Governed all the Kings Counsels by the promise of making him Pope in which he judged he might for a present Advantage promise a thing that seemed to be at so great a distance Pope Leo the Tenth being then but a young man and with rich presents which he made both to the King the Cardinal and all the Court wrought much on them But that which prevailed most with the King was that he saw though Charles had great Dominions yet they lay at such a distance that France alone was a sufficient Counterpoise to him but if Francis could keep Milan recover Naples Burgundy and Navarre to all which he was then preparing he would be an uneasie Neighbour to himself and if he kept the footing he then had in Italy he would lie so heavy on the Papacy that the Popes could no longer carry equally in the affairs of Christendome upon which much depended according to the Religion of that time Therefore he resolved to take part with the Emperor till at least Francis was driven out of Italy and reduced to juster terms so that the following Interview between Francis and him produced nothing but a vast Expence and high Complements and from a second Interview between the King and the Emperor Francis was full of jealousie in which what followed justified his apprehensions for the War going on between the Emperor and Francis the King entred in a League with the former and made War upon France But the Pope dying sooner than it seems the Emperor look't for Cardinal Wolsey claimed his promise for the Papacy but before the Messenger came to him Adrian the Emperors Tutor was chosen Pope yet to feed the Cardinal with fresh hopes a new promise was made for the next vacancy and in the mean while he was put in hope of the Arch-Bishoprick of Toledo But two years after That Pope dying the Emperor again broke his word with him yet though he was thereby totally alienated from him he concealed his indignation till the publick Concerns should give him a good opportunity to prosecute it upon a better colour and by his Letters to Rome dissembled his resentments so artificially that in a Congratulation he wrote to Pope Clement He protested his Election was matter of such joy both to the King and himself that nothing had ever befaln them which pleased them better and that he was the very person whom they had wished to see raised to
perhaps consummated by the Carnalis Copula who was dead without any issue but they being desirous to Marry for preserving the Peace between the Crowns of England and Spain did Petition his Holiness for his Dispensation therefore the Pope out of his care to maintain peace among all Catholick Kings did absolve them from all Censures under which they might be and Dispensed with the Impediment of their Affinity notwithstanding any Apostolical Constitutions or Ordinances to the contrary and gave them leave to Marry or if they were already Married he Confirming it required their Confessor to enjoyn them some healthful penance for their having Married before the Dispensation was obtained It was not much to be wondred at that the Pope did readily grant this for though very many both Cardinals and Divines did then oppose it yet the Interest of the Papacy which was preferred to all other Considerations required it For as that Pope being a great Enemy to Lewis the 12th the French King would have done any thing to make an Alliance against him firmer so he was a War-like Pope who considered Religion very little and therefore might be easily perswaded to Confirm a thing that must needs oblige the succeeding Kings of England to maintain the Papal Authority since from it they derived their Title to the Crown little thinking that by a secret Direction of an over-ruling Providence that Deed of his would occasion the extirpation of the Papal Power in England So strangely doth God make the Devices of Men become of no effect and turn them to a contrary end to that which is intended Upon this Bull they were Married the Prince of Wales being yet under Age. But Warham had so possessed the King with an aversion to this Marriage that on the same day that the Prince was of Age he by his Fathers command laid on him in the presence of many of the Nobility and others made a Protestation in the hands of Fox Bishop of Winchester before a publick Notary and read it himself by which he Declared That whereas he being under Age was Married to the Princess Katharine yet now coming to be of Age he did not confirm that Marriage but retracted and Annulled it and would not proceed in it but intended in full form of Law to void it and break it off which he declared he did freely and of his own accord Thus it stood during his Fathers life who continued to the last to be against it and when he was just dying he charged his Son to break it off though it is possible that no consideration of Religion might work so much on him as the apprehension he had of the troubles that might follow on a controverted Title to the Crown of which the Wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster had given a fresh and sad Demonstration The King being dead one of the first things that came under Consultation was that the young King must either break his Marriage totally or conclude it Arguments were brought on both hands but those for it prevailed most with the King So six weeks after he came to the Crown he was Married again publickly and soon after they were both Crowned On the first day of the year she made him a very acceptable new-years gift of a Son but he dyed in the Februâ—ry thereafter She miscarried often and an other Son dyed soon after he was born only the Lady Mary lived to a perfect Age. In this state was the Kings Family when the Queen leâ—t bearing more Children and contracted some diseases that made her person unacceptable to him but was as to her other Qualities a vertuous and grave Princess much esteemed and beloved both of the King and the whole Nation The King being out of hopes of more Children declared his Daughter Princess of Wales and sent her to Ludlow to hold her Court there and projected divers Matches for her The first was with the Dolphin which was agreed to between the King of France and him the 9th of Novemb. 1518. as appears by the Treaty yet extant But this was broken afterwards upon the Kings Confederating with the Emperor against France and a new Match agreed and sworn to between the Emperor and the King at Windsor the 22 of Iune 1522. the Emperor being present in person This being afterwards neglected and broken by the Emperor by the advice of his Cortes and States as was formerly related there followed some Overtures of a Marriage with Scotland But those also vanished and there was a second Treaty begun with France the King offering his Daughter to Francis himself which he gladly accepting a Match was Treated and on the last of April it was agreed that the Lady Mary should be given in Marriage either to Francis himself or to his second Son the Duke of Orleance and that Alternative was to be determined by the two Kings at an Enterview that was to be between them soon after at Calais with forfeitures on both sides if the Match went not on But while this was in agitation the Bishop of Tarbe the French Ambassador made a a great demur about the Princess Mary's being illegitimate as begotten in a Marriage that was contracted against a Divine precept with which no humane Authority could Dispense How far this was secretly concerted between the French Court and ours or between the Cardinal and the Ambassador is not known It is surmised that the King or the Cardinal set on the French to make this exception publickly that so the King might have a better Colour to justifie his suit of Divorce since other Princes were already questioning it For if upon a Marriage proposed of such infinite advantage to France as that would be with the Heir of the Crown of England they neverâ—heless made Exceptions and proceeded but coldly in it it was very reasonable to expect that after the Kings Death other Pretenders would have disputed her Title in another manner To some it seemed strange that the King did offer his Daughter to such great Princes as the Emperor and the King of France to whom if England had fallen in her Right it must have been a Province for though in the last Treaty with France she was offered either to the King or his second Son by which either the Children which the King might have by her or the Children of the Duke of Orleance should have been Heirs to the Crown of England and thereby it would still have continued divided from France yet this was full of hazard for if the Duke of Orleance by his Brothers Death should become King of France as it afterwards fell out or if the King of France had been once possessed of England then according to the maxime of the French Government that whatever their King acquires he holds it in the Right of his Crown England was still to be a Province to France unless they freed themselves by Arms. Others judged that the
another Wife keeping the Queen still Zuinglius confutes that and says If the Marriage be against the Law of God it ought to be dissolved But concludes the Queen should be put away honourably and still used as a Queen and the Marriage should only be dissolved for the future without Illegitimating the Issue begotten in it since it had gone on in a publick way upon a received error But advises that the King should proceed in a Judiciary way and not establish so ill a President as to put away his Queen and take another without due form of Law Dated Basil 17th of Aug. There is a second Letter of his to the same purpose from Zurick the first of September There is also with these Letters a long paper of Osianders in the form of a Direction how the Process should be managed There is also an Epistle of Calvins published among the rest of his Neither the date nor the person to whom it was directed are named Yet I fancie it was written to Grineus upon this occasion Calvin was clear in his judgment that the Marriage was null and that the King ought to put away the Queen upon the Law of Leviticus And whereas it was objected that the Law is only meant of Marrying the Brothers wife while he is yet alive he shews that could not be admitted for all the prohibited degrees being forbidden in the same style they were all to be understood in one sense Therefore since it is confessed that it is unlawful to Marry in the other degrees after the death of the Father Son Uncle or Nephew so it must be also a sin to Marry the Brothers wife after his death And for the Law in Deuteronomy of Marrying the Brothers wife to raise up seed to him he thought that by Brother there is to be understood a near Kinsman according to the usual phrase of the Hebrew tongue and by that he reconciles the two Laws which otherwise seem to differ illustrating his Exposition by the History of Ruth and Boaz. It is given out that Melancthon advised the Kings taking another wife justifying Polygamy from the old Testament but I cannot believe it It is true the Lawfulness of Polygamy was much controverted at this time And as in all controversies newly started many crude things are said so some of the Helvetian and German Divines seem not so fierce against it though none of them went so far as the Pope did who did plainly offer to grant the King Licence to have two wives and it was a motion the Imperialists consented to and promoted though upon what reason the Ambassador Cassali who wrote the account of it to the King could not learn The Pope forbade him to write about it to the King perhaps as Whisperers enjoyn silence as the most effectual way to make a thing publick But for Melancthons being of that mind great evidences appear to the contrary for there is a Letter of Osianders to him giving him many reasons to perswade him to approve of the Kings putting away the Queen and Marrying another the Letter also shews he was then of opinion that the Law in Leviticus was Dispensable And after the thing was done when the King desired the Lutheran Divines to approve his second Marriage they begged his excuse in a writing which they sent over to him so that Melanâ—â—hon not allowing the thing when it was done cannot be imagined to have advised Polygamy before hand And to open at once all that may clear the sense of the Protestants in the Question when some years after this Fox being made Bishop of Hereford and much inclined to their Doâ—ctrine was sent over to get the Divines of Germany to approve of the Divorce and the subsequent Marriage of Anne Boleyn he found that Melancthon and others had no mind to enter much into the Dispute about it both for fear of the Emperor and because they judged the King was led in it by dishonest affections they also thought the Laws in Leviticus were not Moral and did not oblige Christians and since there were no Rules made about the Degrees of Marriage in the Gospel they thought Princes and States might make what Laws they pleased about it yet aâ—ter much Disputing they were induced to change their minds but could not be brought to think that a Marriage once made might be annulled and therefore demurred upon that as will appear by the Conclusion they passed upon it to be found at the end of this volume All this I have set together here to give a right representation of the judgments of the several parties of Christendome about this matter It cannot be denyed that the Protestants did express great sincerity in this matter such as became men of conscience who were acted by true Principles and not by maxims of Policie For if these had governed them they had struck in more compliantly with so great a Prince who was then alienated from the Pope and in very ill terms with the Emperor so that to have gained him by a full Compliance to have protected them was the wisest thing they could do and their being so cold in the matter of his Marriage in which he had engaged so deeply was a thing which would very much provoke him against them But such measures as these though they very well became the Apostolick See yet theâ— were unworthy of men who designed to restore an Apostolick Religion The Earl of Wiltshire with the other Ambassadors when they had their Audience of the Pope at Bononia refused to pay him the submission of Kissing his foot though he graciously stretched it out to them but went to their Business and expostulated in the Kings name and in high words and in Conclusion told the Pope that the Prerogative of the Crown of England was such that their Master would not suffer any Citation to be made of him to any forreign Court and that therefore the King would not have his cause tryed at Rome The Pope answered that though the Queens Sollicitor had pressed him to proceed in the Citation bâ—th that her Marriage being further examined might receive a new Conâ—irmation for silencing the Dispuâ—es about it and because the King had withdrawn himself â—rom her yet if the King did not go further and did not innovate in Relâ—gion the Pope was willing to let the matter rest They went next to the Emperor to justifie the Kings Proceedings in the Suit of the Divorce But he told them he was bound in honour and justice to â—uppâ—rt his Aunt and that he would not abandon her Cranmer offered to maintain what he had written in his Book but whether they went so far as to make their Divines enter into any Discourse with him about it I do not know This appears that the Pope to put a Complement on the King declared Cranmer his Paenitentiary in England He having stayed some months at Rome after the Ambassadors were gone
the Father Son Uncle and other such Relations there is no ground to disjoynt this so much from the rest as to make it only extend to a Marriage before the Husbands death And for any Presidents that were brought they were all in the latter Ages and were never Confirmed by any publick Authority Nor must the Practices of later Popes be laid in the Ballance against the Decisions of former Popes and the Doctrine of the whole Church and as to the Power that was ascribed to the Pope that began now to be enquired into with great Freedom as shall appear afterwards These Reasons on both sides being thus opened the Censures of them it is like will be as different now as they were then for they prevailed very little on the Queen who still persisted to justifie her Marriage and to stand to her Appeal And though the King carryed it very kindly to her in all outward appearance and employed every body that had credit with her to bring her to submit to him and to pass from her Appeal remitting the Decision of the matter to any Four Prelates and Four Secular men in England she was still unmovable and would hearken to no Proposition In the judgments that people passed the Sexes were divided the Men generally approved the Kings cause and the Women favoured the Queen But now the Session of Parliament came on the Sixteenth of Ianuary and there the King first brought in to the House of Lords the Determination of the Universities and the Books that were written for his cause by Forreigners After they were read and Considered there the Lord Chancellor did on the 20th of March with Twelve Lords both of the Spiritualty and Temporalty goe down to the House of Commons and shewed them what the Universities and Learned men beyond Sea had written for the Divorce and produced Twelve Original Papers with the Seals of the Universities to them which Sr. Brian Tuke took out of his hand and read openly in the House Translating the Latine into English Then about an Hundred Books written by Forreign Divines for the Divorce were also showed them none of which were read but put off to another time it being late When that was done the Lord Chancellor desired they would report in their Countries what they had heard and seen and then all men should clearly perceive that the King hath not attempted this matter of Will and Pleasure as strangers say but only for the Discharge of his Conscience and the Security of the Succession to the Crown Having said that he left the House The matter was also brought before the Convocation and they having weighed all that was said on both sides seemed satisfied that the Marriage was unlawful and that the Bull was of no force more not being required at that time But it is not strange that this matter went so easily in the Convocation when another of far greater consequence passed there which will require a â—ull and distinct account Cardinal Wolsey by exercising his Legantine Authority had fallen into a Premunire as hath been already shewn and now those who had appeared in his Courts and had sutes there were found to be likewise in the same guilt by the Law and this matter being excepted out of the Pardon that was granted in the former Parliament was at this time set on foot Therefore an Indictment was brought into the Kings Bench against all the Clergy of England for breaking the Statutes against Provisions or Provisors But to open this more clearly It is to be Considered that the Kings of England having claimed in all Ages a Power in Ecclesiastical Matters equal to what the Roman Emperors had in that Empire they exercised this Authority both over the Clergy and Laity and did at first erect Bishopricks grant Investitures in them call Synods make Laws about Sacred as well as Civil Concerns and in a word they Governed their whole Kingdom Yet when the Bishops of Rome did stretch their Power beyond either the limits of it in the Primitive Church or what was afterward granted them by the Roman Emperors and came to assume an Authority in all the Churches of Europe as they found some Resistance every where so they met with a great deal in this Kingdom and it was with much Difficulty that they gained the Power of giving Investitures Receiving Appeals to Rome and of sending Legates to England with several other things which were long contested but were delivered up at length either by feeble Princes or when Kings were so engaged at home or abroad that it was not safe for them to offend the Clergy For in the first Contest between the Kings and the Popes the Clergy were generally on the Popes side because of the Immunity and Protection they enjoyed from that See but when Popes became ambitious and warlike Princes then new Projects and Taxes were every where set on foot to raise a great Treasure The Pall with many Bulls and high Compositions for them Annates or first Fruits and Tenths were the standing Taxes of the Clergy besides many new ones upon emergent occasions So that they finding themselves thus oppressed by the Popes fled again back to the Crown for Protection which their Predecessors had abandoned From the days of Edward the 1st many Statutes were made to restrain the Exactions of Rome For then the Popes not satisfied with their other oppressions which a Monk of that time lays open fully and from a deep sense of them did by Provisions Bulls and other Arts of that See dispose of Bishopricks Abbeys and lesser Benefices to Forreigners Cardinals and others that did not live in England Upon which the Commonalty of the Realm did represent to the King in Parliament That the Bishopricks Abbeys and other Benefices were founded by the Kings and people of England To inform the people of the Law of God and to make Hospitality Alms and other works of Charity for which end they were endowed by the King and people of England and that the King and his other Subjects who endowed them had upon Voidances the Presentment and Collations of them which now the Pope had Usurped and given to Aliens by which the Crown would be disinherited and the ends of their endowments destroyed with other great Inconveniences Therefore it was ordained that these Oppressions should not be suffered in any manner But notwithstanding this the abuse went on and there was no effectual way laid down in the Act to punish these Transgressions The Court of Rome was not so easily driven out of any thing that either encreased their Power or their Profits Therefore by another Act in his Grand-Child Edward the 3ds time the Commons complained that these abuses did abound and that the Pope did daily reserve to his Collation Church-Preferments in England and raised the first-Fruits with other great Profits by which the Treasure of the Realm was carried out of it
And therefore they were every-where meeting together and consulting what should be done for suppressing Heresie and preserving the Catholick Faith That zeal was much inflamed by the Monks and Friers who clearly saw the Acts of Parliament were so levelled at their Exemptions and Immunities that they were now like to be at the Kings mercy They were no more to plead their Bulls nor claim any Priviledges further than it pleased the King to allow them No new Saints from Rome could draw more Riches or Honour to their Orders Priviledges and Indulgences were out of doors so that the Arts of drawing in the people to enrich their Churches and Houses were at an end And they had also secret Intimations that the King and the Courtiers had an eye on their Lands and they gave themselves for lost if they could not so embroyl the Kings Affairs that he should not adventure on so invidious a thing Therefore both in Confessions and Conferences they infused into the people a dislike of the Kings Proceedings which though for some time it did not break out into an open Rebellion yet the humor still fermented and people only waited for an opportunity So that if the Emperor had not been otherwise distracted he might have made War upon the King with great Advantages For many of his discontented Subjects would have joyned with the Enemy But the King did so dextrously manage his Leagues with the French King and the Princes of the Empire that the Emperor could never make any impressions on his Dominions But those factious Spirits seeing nothing was to be expected from any forreign Power could not contain themselves but broke out into open Rebellion And this provoked the King to great severities His Spirit was so fretted by the tricks the Court of Rome had put on him and by the Ingratitude and seditious practises of Reginald Pool that he thereby lost much of his former temper and patience and was too ready upon slight grounds to bring his Subjects to the Bar. Where though the matter was always so ordered that according to Law they were Endicted and Judged yet the severity of the Law bordering sometimes on rigor and cruelty he came to be called a cruel Tyrant Nor did his severity lie only on one side but being addicted to some Tenets of the Old Religion and impatient of Contradiction or perhaps blown up either with the vanity of his new Title of Head of the Church or with the praises which Flatterers bestowed on him he thought all persons were bound to regulate their Belief by his Dictates which made him prosecute Protestants as well as proceed against Papists Yet it does not appear that Cruelty was Natural to him For in Twenty five years Reign none had suffered for any Crime against the State but Pool Earl of Suffolk and Stafford Duke of Buckingham The former he prosecuted in Obedience to his Fathers last Commands at his death His severity to the other was imputed to the Cardinals Malice The Proceedings were also legal And the Duke of Buckingham had by the knavery of a Priest to whom he gave great credit been made believe he had a Right to the Crown and practises of that nature touch Princes so nearly that no wonder the Law was executed in such a case This showes that the King was not very jealous nor desirous of the Blood of his Subjects But though he always proceeded upon Law yet in the last Ten years of his Life many instances of Severity occurred for which he is rather to be pityed than either imitated or sharply censured The former Book was full of Intrigues and forreign Transactions the greatest part of it being an account of a tedious Negotiation with the subtlest and most refined Court in Christendome in all the Arts of humane Policy But now my work is confined to this Nation and except in short touches by the way I shall meddle no further with the Mysteries of State but shall give as clear an account of those things that relate to Religion and Reformation as I could possibly recover The Suppression of Monasteries The advance and declension of Reformation and the Proceedings against those who adhered to the Interests of the Court of Rome must be the chief Subjects of this Book The two former shall be opened in the series of time as they were Transacted But the last shall be left to the end of the Book that it may be presented in one full view After the Parliament had ended their Business the Bishops did all renew their Allegeance to the King and swore also to maintain his Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Matters acknowledging that he was the Supreme Head of the Church of England though there was yet no Law for the requiring of any such Oath The first act of the Kings Supremacy was his naming Cromwell Vicar-General and General Visitor of all the Monasteries and other Priviledged places This is commonly confounded with his following Dignity of Lord Vice-Gerent in Ecclesiastical matters but they were two different Places and held by different Commissions By the one he had no Authority over the Bishops nor had he any Precedence but the other as it gave him the Precedence next the Royal Family so it cloathed him with a compleat Delegation of the Kings whole Power in Ecclesiastical Affairs For Two years he was only Vicar-General But the tenour of his Commissions and the nature of the Power devolved on him by them cannot be fully known For neither the one nor the other are in the Rolls though there can be no doubt made but Commissions of such Importance were enrolled therefore the loss of them can only be charged on that search and rasure of Records made by Bonner upon the Commission granted to him by Queen Mary of which I have spoken in the Preface of this work In the Prerogative-Office there is a subalterne Commission granted to Doctor afterwards Secretary Petre on Ian. 13. in the Twenty Seventh year of the Kings Reign by which it appears that Cromwells Commission was at first conceived in very General words for he is called the Kings Vice-Gerent in Ecclesiastical causes his Vicar-General and Official-Principal But because he could not himself attend upon all these affairs therefore Doctor Petre is deputed under him for receiving the Probates of Wills from thence likewise it appears that all Wills where the Estate was 200 lib. or above were no more to be tryed or proved in the Bishops Courts but in the Vicar-Generals Court Yet though he was called Vice-Gerent in that Commission he was spoken of and writ to by the Name of Vicar-General but after the second Commission seen and mentioned by the Lord Herbert in Iuly 1536. he was alwayes designed Lord Vice-Gerent The next thing that was every-where laboured with great industry was to engage all the rest of the Clergy chiefly the Regulars to own the Kings Supremacy To which they generally submitted In Oxford the Question being put whether
and his Gospel so if she be proved culpable there is not one that loveth God and his Gospel that ever will favour her but must hate her above all other and the more they favour the Gospel the more they will hate her For then there was never creature in our time that so much slandered the Gospel And God hath sent her this punishment for that she feignedly hath professed his Gospel in her mouth and not in heart and deed And though she have offended so that she hath deserved never to be reconciled unto your Graces favour yet Almighty God hath manifoldly declared his goodness towards your Grace and never offended you But your Grace I am sure knowledgeth that you haue offended him Wherefore I trust that your Grace will bear no less entire favour unto the truth of the Gospel than you did before Forsomuch as your Graces favour to the Gospel was not led by affection unto her but by zeal unto the truth And thus I beseech Almighty God whose Gospel he hath ordained your Grace to be Defender of ever to preserve your Grace from all evil and give you at the end the promise of his Gospel From Lanbeth the 3d day of May. After I had written this Letter unto your Grace my Lord Chancellor my Lord of Oxford my Lord of Sussex and my Lord Chamberlain of your Graces House sent for me to come unto the Star-Chamber and there declared unto me such things as your Graces pleasure was they should make me privie unto For the which I am most bounden unto your Grace And what Communication we had together I doubt not but they will make the true report thereof unto your Grace I am exceedingly sorry that such faults can be proved by the Queen as I heard of their relation But I am and ever shall be Your faithful Subject Your Graces most humble Subject and Chaplain T. Cantuariensis But Jealousie and the Kings new affection had quite defaced all the remainders of esteem for his late beloved Queen Yet the Ministers continued practising to get further evidence for the Tryal which was not brought on till the 12th of May and then Norris Weston Brereton and Smeton were tryed by a Commission of Oyer and Terminer in Westminster-Hall They were twice indicted and the indictments were found by two Grand Juries in the Counties of Kent and Middlesex The Crimes with which they were charged being said to be done in both these Counties Mark Smeton confessed he had known the Queen Carnally Three times The other Three pleaded not Guilty but the Jury upon the evidence formerly mentioned found them all Guilty and Judgment was given that they should be drawn to the place of Execution and some of them to be hanged others to be beheaded and all to be quartered as Guilty of high Treason On the 15th of May the Queen and her Brother the Lord Rochford who was a Peer having been made a Viscount when his Father was Created Earl of Wiltshire were brought to be Tryed by their Peers The Duke of Norfolk being Lord high Steward for that occasion With him sate the Duke of Suffolk the Marquess of Exeter the Earl of Arundel and Twenty Five more Peers of whom their Father the Earl of Wiltshire was one Whether this unnatural complyance was imposed on him by the Imperious King or officiously submitted to by himself that he might thereby be preserved from the Ruin that fell on his Family is not known Here the Queen of England by an unheard-of president was brought to the Bar and Indicted of high Treason The Crimes charged on her were that she had procured her Brother and the other Four to lye with her which they had done often that she had said to them that the King never had her heart and had said to every one of them by themselves that she loved them better than any person whatsoever Which was to the slander of the issue that was begotten between the King and her And this was Treason according to the Statute made in the 26th year of this Reign so that the Law that was made for her and the issue of her Marriage is now made use of to destroy her It was also added in the Indictment that she and her complices had conspired the Kings death but this it seems was only put in to swell the charge for if there had been any evidence for it there was no need of stretching the other Statute or if they could have proved the violating of the Queen the known Statute of the Twenty Fifth year of the Reign of Edward the Third had been sufficient When the Indictment was read she held up her hand and Pleaded not Guilty and so did her Brother and did answer the evidence was brought against her discreetly One thing is remarkable that Mark Smeton who was the only person that confessed any thing was never confronted with the Queen nor was kept to be an evidence against her for he had received his Sentence Three dayes before and so could be no witness in Law but perhaps though he was wrought on to confess yet they did not think he had confidence enough to aver it to the Queens face therefore the evidence they brought as Spelman says was the Oath of a Woman that was dead yet this or rather the Terror of offending the King so wrought on the Lords that they found her and her Brother Guilty and Judgment was given that she should be Burnt or Beheaded at the Kings pleasure Upon which Spelman observes that whereas Burning is the death which the Law appoints for a Woman that is attainted of Treason yet since she had been Queen of England they left it to the King to determine whether she should dye so infamous a death or be Beheaded but the Judges complained of this way of proceeding and said such a disjunctive in a Judgment of Treason had never been seen The Lord Rochford was also Condemned to be Beheaded and Quartered Yet all this did not satisfie the enraged King but the Marriage between him and her must be annulled and the issue illegitimated The King remembred an Intrigue that had been between her and the Earl of Northumberland which was mentioned in the former Book and that the then Lord Piercy had said to the Cardinal ' That he had gone so far before witnesses that it lay upon his Conscience so that he could not go back this it 's like might be some promise he made to Marry her per verba de futuro which though it was no Precontract in it self yet it seems the poor Queen was either so ignorant or so ill-advised as to be perswaded afterwards it was one though it 's certain that nothing but a Contract per verba de praesenti could be of any force to annul the subsequent Marriage The King and his Council reflecting upon what it seems the Cardinal had told him resolved to try what could be made of it and pressed the Earl of
Hereticks in a little time Bird said doest thou marvel at that I tell thee it is no marvel for the great Master of all is an Heretick and such a one as there is not his like in the World By the same Act the Lord Hungerford was likewise Attainted The Crimes specified are that he knowing Bird to be a Traitor did entertain him in his house as his Chaplain that he ordered another of his Chaplains Sir Hugh Wood and one Doctor Maudlin to use Conjuring that they might know how long the King should live and whether he should be victorious over his Enemies or not and that these three years last past he had frequently committed the detestable sin of Sodomy with several of his Servants All these were Attainted by that Parliament The Lord Hungerford was Executed the same day with Cromwell he dyed in such disorder that some thought he was frenetick for he called often to the Executioner to dispatch him and said he was weary of Life and longed to be dead which seemed strange in a man that had so little cause to hope in his death For Powel Fetherstoun and Abell they suffered the same day with Barnes and his friends as hath been already shewn This year Sampson Bishop of Chichester and one Doctor Wilson were put in the Toâ—er upon suspition of correspondence with the Pope But upon their submission they had their pardon and liberty In the year 1541 five Priests and ten secular persons some of them being Gentlemen of Quality were raising a new Rebellion in Yorkshire which was suppressed in time and the Promoters of it being apprehended were Attainted and Executed and this occasioned the death of the Countess of Sarum after the Execution of the Sentence had been delayed almost two years The last instance of the Kings severity was in the year 1543 in which one Gardiner that was the Bishop of Winchesters kinsman and Secretary and three other Priests were tryed for denying the Kings Supremacy and soon after Executed But what special matter was laid to their charge cannot be known for the Record of their Attaindor is lost These were the proceedings of this King against those that adhered to the interests of Rome in which though there is great ground for just censure for as the Laws were rigorous so the Execution of them was raised to the highest that the Law could admit yet there is nothing in them to justifie all the clamors which that party have raised against King Henry and by which they pursue his memory to this day and are far short both in number and degrees of the cruelties of Queen Maries Reign which yet they endeavour all that is possible to extenuate or deny To Conclude we have now gone through the Reign of King Henry the 8th who is rather to be reckoned among the Great than the Good Princes He exercised so much severity on men of both perswasions that the writers of both sides have laid open his faults and taxed his cruelty But as neither of them were much obliged to him so none have taken so much care to set forth his good qualities as his Enemies have done to enlarge on his Vices I do not deny that he is to be numbered among the ill Princes yet I cannot rank him with the worst The End of the third Book and of the first Part. ADDENDA After some of the sheets of this History were wrought off I met with Manuscripts of great Authority out of which I have Collected several particulars that give a clear light to the proceedings in those times which since they came too late to my knowledg to be put in their proper places I shall here add them with refâ—râ—nces to the places to which they belong Ad Page 202. line 13. THere it is said that the Earl of Wiltshire Father to Queen Anne Boleyn was one of the Peers that Judged her In this I too Implicitly followed Doctor Heylin he seeming to write with more than ordinary care for the Vindication of that Queen and with such assurance as if he had seen the Records concerning her so that I took this upon trust from him The reason of it was that in the search I made of Attaindors I did not find the Record of her Tryal so I concluded that either it was destroyed by Order during her Daughters Reign or was accidentally lost since that time And thus having no Record to direct me I too easily followed the Printed Books in that particular But after that part of this History was wrought off I by chance met with it in another place where it was mislaid and there I discovered the error I had committed The Earl of Wiltshire was not one of her Judges these by whom she was tryed were the Duke of Suffolk the Marquis of Exceter the Earls of Arundell Oxford Northumberland Westmoreland Derby Worcester Rutland Sussex and Huntington and the Lords Audley Delaware Mountague Morley Dacres Cobham Maltravers Powis Mounteagle Clinton Sands Windsor Wentworth Burgh and Mordant in all twenty six and not twenty Eight as I reckoned them upon a Vulgar Error The Record mentions one particular concerning the Earl of Northumberland that he was taken with a sudden fit of sickness and was forced to leave the Court before the Lord Rochford was Tryed This might have been only Casual but since he was once in Love with the Queen and had designed to Marry her see Page 44 it is no wonder if so sad a change in her Condition did raise an unusual disorder in him When I had discovered the mistake I had made as I resolved to publish this free Confession of it so I set my self not without some Indignation to examine upon what Authority Doctor Heylin had led me into it I could find no Author that went before him in it but Sanders the chief design of whose writing was to defame Queen Elizabeth and to blast her Title to the Crown To that end it was no ill piece of his skill to perswade the World of her Mother lewdness to say that her own Father was convinced of it and condemned her for it And Doctor Heylin took this as he has done many other things too easily upon Sanders Testimony Ad Page 217. line 37. The Articles of Religion of which an abstract is there set down are indeed published by Fullâ—r but he saw not the Original with all the Subscriptions to it which I have had in my hands and therefore I have put it in the Collection with three other Papers which were soon after offered to the King by Cranmer The one is in the form of fifteen queries concerning some abuses by which the people had been deceived as namely by these Doctrines that without Contrition sinners may be reconciled to God that it is in the Power of the Priest to pardon or not to pardon sin at his pleasure and that Gods pardon cannot be obtained without Priestly Absolution Also he complained that the people
or other Histories other than he can avouch and justify to be written by some allowed Writer And when he hath done all that he will say and utter for that time he shall then in few words recite again the pith and effect of his whole Sermon and add thereunto as he shall think good Item That no Parson Vicar Curat or other Priest having Cure of Souls within my Diocess and Jurisdiction shall from hence-forth permit suffer or admit any manner of person of whatsoever estate or condition he be under the degree of a Bishop to preach or make any Sermon or Collation openly to the people within their Churches Chappels or else-where within their Cures unless he that shall so preach have obtained before special License in that behalf of our Sovereign Lord the King or of me Edmund Bishop of London your Ordinary And the same License so obtained shall then and there really bring forth in writing under Seal and shew the same to the said Parson Vicar Curat or Priest before the beginning of his Sermon as they will avoid the extream Penalties of the Laws Statutes and Ordinances provided and established in that behalf if they presumptuously do or attempt any thing to the contrary Item I desire require exhort and command you and every of you in the Name of God Thâ—â— ye firmly faithfully and diligently to the uttermost of your poweâ—â— do observe fulfil and keep all and singular these mine Injunctions And that ye and every of you being Priests and having Cure or not Cure as well Benefice as not Beneficed within my Diocess and Jurisdiction do procure to have a Copy of the same Injunctions to the intent ye may the better observe and cause to be observed the Contents thereof The names of Books prohibited delivered to the Curats Anno 1542. to the intent that they shall present them with the Names of the Owners to their Ordinary if they find any such within their Parishes THe Disputation between the Father and the Son The Supplication of Beggars the Author Fish The Revelation of Antichrist The Practice of Prelates The Burying of the Mass in English Rithme The Book of Friar Barnes twice printed The Matrimony of Tindall The Exposition of Tindall upon the 4 th Chap. to the Corinth The Exposition of Tindall upon the Epistles Canonick of St. Iohn The New Testament of Tindalls Translation with his Preface before the whole Book and before the Epistles of St. Paul and Rom. The Preface made in the English Prymmers by Marshall The Church of Iohn Rastall The Table Glosses Marginal and Preface before the Epistle of St. Paul and Romans of Thomas Mathews doing and printed beyond the Sea without priviledg set in his Bible in English XXVII A Collection of Passages out of the Canon Law made by Cranmer to shew the necessity of reforming it An Original Dist. 22. Omnes de Major obedien solit Extra De Majorit obedient Unam Sanctam HE that knowledgeth not himself to be under the Bishop of Rome and that the Bishop of Rome is ordained by God to have Primacy over all the World is an Heretick and cannot be saved nor is not of the flock of Christ. Dist. 10. de Summa Excommunicationis Nominat 25. q. 11. omne Princes Laws if they be against the Canons and Decrees of the Bishop of Rome be of no force nor strength Dist. 19 20 24. q. 1. A recta memoria Quotiens haec est 25. q. 1. General violatores All the Decrees of the Bishop of Rome ought to be kept perpetually of every Man without any repugnancy as God's Word spoken by the Mouth of Peter and whosoever doth not receive them neither availeth them the Catholick Faith nor the four Evangelists but they blaspheme the Holy Ghost and shall have no forgiveness 35. q. 1. Generali All Kings Bishops and Noblemen that believe or suffer the Bishop of Rome's Decrees in any thing to be violate be accursed and for ever culpable before God as transgressors of the Catholick Faith Dist. 21. Quamvis 24. q. 1. A recta memoria The See of Rome hath neither spot nor wrinkle in it nor cannot err 35. q. 1. Ideo de Senten re judicata de jurejurando licet ad Apostolicae li. 6. de jurejurando The Bishop of Rome is not bound to any Decrees but he may compel as well the Clergy as Lay-men to receive his Decrees and Canon Law 9. q. z. Ipsi cuncta Nemo z. q. 6. dudum aliorum 17. q. 4. Si quis de Baptis ejus effectu majores The Bishop of Rome hath authority to judg all Men and specially to discern the Articles of the Faith and that without any Counsel and may assoil them that the Counsel hath damned but no Man hath authority to judg him nor to meddle with any thing that he hath judged neither Emperor King People nor the Clergy And it is not lawful for any Man to dispute of his Power gr Duo sunt 25. q. 6. Alius Nos Sanctorum juratos in Clemen de Haereticis aut efficiund The Bishop of Rome may excommunicate Emperors and Princes depose them from their States and Assoil their Subjects from their Oath and Obedience to them and so constrain them to rebellion De Major obedien solit Clement de summa re judicata Pastoral The Emperor is the Bishop of Rome's Subject and the Bishop of Rome may revoke the Emperor's Sentence in temporal Causes De Elect. Electi proprietate Venerabilem It belongeth to the Bishop of Rome to allow or disallow the Emperor after he is elected and he may translate the Empire from one Region to another De supplenda Negligen praelat Grand li. 6. The Bishop of Rome may appoint Coadjutors unto Princes Dist. 17. Si modo Regula Nec licuit multum Concilia 96. ubinam There can be no Council of Bishops without the Authority of the See of Rome and the Emperor ought not to be present at the Council except when Matters of the Faith be entreating which belong universally to every Man 2. q. 6. Nothing may be done against him that appealeth unto Rome 1. q. 3. Aliorum Dist. 40. Si Papa Dist. 96. Satis The Bishop of Rome may be judged of none but of God only for altho he neither regard his own Salvation nor no Mans else but draw down with himself innumerable People by heaps unto Hell yet may no mortal Man in this World presume to reprehend him forsomuch as he is called God he may not be judged of Man for God may be judged of no Man â— z. q. 5. The Bishop of Rome may open and shut Heaven unto Men. Dist. 40. Non vos The See of Rome receiveth holy Men or else maketh them holy De Pecunia Dist. 1. Serpens He that maketh a Lye to the Bishop of Rome committeth Sacriledg De Consecra Dist. 1. De locorum praecepta Ecclesia de Elect. Electi proprietate Fundamenta To
many Untruths and weak Reasons which Mr. Wailing desired might be answered before the Defence were made by Proclamation I trust you will so hold hand to the Reformation of all these things as the Queen my Soveraign may have effectual occasion to esteem you her Friend which doing you shall never offend the Queen your Mistris your Country nor Conscience but be a favourer of the Truth against Errors and yet deserve well of a Princess who hath a good heart to recognize any good turn when it is done her and may hereafter have means to do you pleasure For my particular as I have always honoured you as my Father so do I still remain of the same mind as one whom in all things not touching the State you may direct as your Son Thomas Cecil and with my hearty commendations to you and my Lady both I take my leave From Striveling the 14 th of Ianuary 1566. FINIS AN APPENDIX Concerning some of the Errors Falshoods IN SANDER's Book OF THE English Schism AN APPENDIX THose who intend to write Romances or Plays do commonly take their Plot from some true piece of History in which they fasten such Characters to Persons and Things and mix such Circumstances and secret Passages with those publick Transactions and Changes that are in other Histories as may more artificially raise these passions and affections in their Readers minds which they intend to move than could possibly be done if the whole story were a meer fiction and contrivance and tho all Men know those tender passages to flow only froâ— the invention and fancy of the Poet yet by I know not what charâ— the greatest part that read or hear their Poems are softned and sensibly touched Some such design Sanders seems to have had in his Book which he very wisely kept up as long as he lived he intended to represent the Reformation in the foulest shape that was possible to defame Queen Elizabeth to stain her Blood and thereby to bring her Title to the Crown in question and to magnify the Authority of the See of Rome and celebrate Monastick Orders with all the praises and high characters he could devise And therefore after he had writ several Books on these Subjects without any considerable success they being all rather filled with foul calumnies and detracting malice than good Arguments or strong sense he resolved to try his skill another way so he intended to tell a doleful Tale which should raise a detestation of Heresie an ill Opinion of the Queen cast a stain on her Blood and disparage her Title and advance the honour of the Papacy A Tragedy was fitter for these ends since it left the deepest impressions on the graver and better affections of the mind the Scene must be laid in England and King Henry the Eighth and his three Children with the changes that were in their times seemed to afford very plentiful Matter for a Man of wit and fancy who knew where he could dextrously shew his Art and had boldness enough to do it without shame or the reverence due either to crowned Heads or to Persons that were dead Yet because he knew not how he could hold up his Face to the World after these discoveries were made which he had reason to expect this was concealed as long as he lived and after he had died for his Faith that is in Rebellion which I shall shew is the Faith in his stile this Work of his was published The stile is generally clean and things are told in an easy and pleasant way only he could not use his Art so decently as to restrain that malice which boiled in his Breast and often fermented out too palpably in his Pen. The Book served many ends well and so was generally much cried up by Men who had been long accustomed to commend any thing that was useful to them without troubling themselves with those impertinent Questions whether they were true or false yet Rishton and others since that time took the Pencil again in their hands and finding there were many touches wanting which would give much life to the whole Piece have so changed it that it was afterwards reprinted not only with a large continuation that was writ by a much more unskilful Poet but with so many and great additions scattered thorough the whole Work whereby it seemed so changed in the vamping that it looked new If any will give themselves the trouble to compare his Fable with the History that I have written and the certain undoubted Authorities I bring in confirmation of what I assert with the slender and for the most part no Authorities he brings they will soon be able to discern where the Truth lies but because all People have not the leisure or opportunities for laying things so critically together I was advised by those whose Counsels directed me in this whole Work to sum up in an Appendix the most considerable Falshoods and Mistakes of that Book with the Evidences upon which I rejected them Therefore I have drawn out the following Extraction which consists of Errors of two sorts The one is of theâ—e in which there is indeed no malice yet they shew the Writer had no â—â—ue information of our Affairs but commits many Faults which tho they leave not such foul imputations on the Author yet tend very much to disparage and discredit his Work But the others are of an higher guilt being designed Forgeries to serve partial ends not only without any Authority but manifestly contrary to Truth and to such Records as in spite of all the care they took in Q. Mary's time by destroying them to condemn Posterity to Ignorance in these Matters are yet reserved and serve to discover the falshood of those Calumnies in which they have traded so long I shall pursue these Errors in the series in which they are delivered in Sanders his Book according to the Impression at Colen 1628 which is that I have I first set down his Errors and then a short confutation of them referring the Reader for fuller information to the foregoing History 1. Sanders says That when Prince Arthur and his Princess were bedded King Henry the 7 th ordered a grave Matron to lie in the Bed that so they might not consummate their Marriage This is the ground-work of the whole Fable and should have been some-way or other proved But if we do not take so small a circumstance upon his word we treat him rudely and who will write Histories if they be bound to say nothing but Truth But little thought our Author that there were three Depositions upon Record point blank against this for the Dutchess of Norfolk the Viscount of Fitswater and his Lady deposed they saw them bedded together and the Bed blessed after they two were put in it besides that such an extravagant thing was never known done in any place 2. Sanders says Prince Arthur was not then fifteen years of Age and was sick of a
perfectly and truly repentant and contrite of all their sins before committed and also perfectly and constantly confessing and believing all the Articles of our faith according as it was mentioned in the Article before or else not And Finally if they shall also have firm credence and trust in the promise of God adjoyned to the said Sacrament that is to say that in and by this said Sacrament which they shall receive God the Father giveth unto them for his Son Jesus Christs sake remission of all their sins and the Grace of the Holy Ghost whereby they be newly regenerated and made the very Children of God according to the saying of Christ and his Apostle St. Peter Paenitentiam agite Baptizetur vnusquisque vestrum in nomine Iesu Christi in remissionem peccatorum accipietis donum Spiritus Sancti and according also to the saying of St. Paul ad Titum 3. non ex operibus justitiae quae fecimus nos sed secundum suam misericordiam salvos nos fecit per lavacrum regenerationis renovationis Spiritus Sancti quem effudit in nos opulenter per Iesum Christum servatorem nostrum ut justificati illius gratia haeredes efficiamur juxta spem vitae aeternae The Sacrament of Penance THirdly Concerning the Sacrament of Pennance We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their Spiritual charge that they ought and must most constantly believe that that Sacrament was instituted of Christ in the New Testament as a thing so necessary for mans Salvation that no man which after his Baptism is fallen again and hath committed deadly sin can without the same be saved or attain everlasting Life Item That like-as such men which after Baptism do fall again into sin if they do not Pennance in this Life shall undoubtedly be damned even so whensoever the same men shall convert themselves from the said naughty Life and do such Pennance for the same as Christ requireth of them they shall without doubt attain remission of their sins and shall be saved Item That this Sacrament of perfect Pennance which Christ requireth of such manner of persons consisteth of three parts that is to say Contrition Confession with the amendment of the former Life and a new obedient reconciliation unto the Laws and will of God that is to say exteriour Acts in works of Charity according as they be commanded of God which be called in Scripture fructus digni Paenitentia Furthermore as touching Contrition which is the first part We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their Spiritual charge that the said Contrâ—tion consisteth in two special parts which must always be conjoined together and cannot be dissevered that is to say the penitent and contrite man must first knowledg the filthiness and abomination of his own sin whereunto he is brought by hearing and considering of the will of God declared in his Laws and feeling and perceiving in his own conscience that God is angry and displeased with him for the same he must also conceive not only great sorrow and inward shame that he hath so grievously offended God but also great fear of Gods displeasure towards him considering he hath no works or merits of his own which he may worthily lay before God as sufficient satisfaction for his sins which done then afterwards with this fear shame and sorrow must needs succeed and be conjoyned The second part viz. a certain faith trust and confidence of the mercy and goodness of God whereby the penitent must conceive certain hope and faith that God will forgive him his sins and repute him justified and of the number of his Elect children not for the worthiness of any merit or work done by the penitent but for the only merits of the blood and passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Item That this certain faith and hope is gotten and also confirmed and made more strong by the applying of Christs words and promises of his grace and favour contained in his Gospel and the Sacraments instituted by him in the new Testament and therefore to attain this certain faith the second part of Pennance is necessary that is to say Confession to a Priest if it may be had for the Absolution given by the Priest was institute of Christ to apply the promises of Gods grace and favour to the Penitent Wherefore as touching Confession We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge that they ought and must certainly believe that the words of Absolution pronounced by the Priest be spoken by the Authority given to him by Christ in the Gospel Item That they ought and must give no less faith and credence to the same words of Absolution so pronounced by the Ministers of the Church than they would give unto the very words and voyce of God himself if he should speak unto us out of Heaven according to the saying of Christ Quorum remiseritis peccata c. qui vos audit me audit Item That in no ways they do contemn this Auricular Confession which is made unto the Ministers of the Church but that they ought to repute the same a verry expedient and necessary mean whereby they may require and ask this Absolution at the Priests hands at such time as they shall find their consciences grieved with mortal sin and have occasion so to do to the intent they may thereby attain certain comfort and consolation of their consciences As touching the third part of Penance We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge that although Christ and his death be the sufficient oblation sacrifice satisfaction and recompence for the which God the Father forgiveth and remitteth to all sinners not only their sin but also Eternal pain due for the same yet all men truly penitent contrite and confessed must needs also bring forth the fruits of Penance that is to say Prayer Fasting Almsdeeds and must make Restitution or Satisfaction in will and deed to their neighbour in such things as they have done them wrong and injury in and also must do all other good works of mercy and charity and express their obedient will in the executing and fulfilling of Gods Commandments outwardly when time power and occasion shall be Ministred unto them or else they shall never be saved for this is the express precept and commandment of God Agite fructus dignos paenitentia and St. Paul saith Debitores sumus and in another place he saith Castigo corpus meum in servitutem redigo Item That these precepts and works of Charity be necessary works to our Salvation and God necessarily requireth that every penitent man shall perform the same whensoever time power and occasion shall be ministred unto him so to do Item That by Penance and such good
works of the same we shall not only obtain everlasting life but also we shall deserve remission or mitigation of these present pains and afflictions in this World according to the saying of St. Paul Si nos ipsi judicaremus non judicaremur a Domino Zacharias Convertimini ad me ego convertar ad vos Esajas â—8 frange esurienti panem tuum c. tunc eris velut hortus irriguus Haec sunt inculcanda ecclesiis ut exercitentur ad bene operandum in his ipsis operibus exerceant confirment fidem petentes expectantes a Deo mitigationem praesentium calamitatum The Sacrament of the Altar FOurthly as touching the Sacrament of the Altar We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that they ought and must constantly believe that under the form and figure of bread and wine which we there presently do see and perceive by our outward senses is verily substantially and really contained and comprehended the very selfe-same body and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ which was born of the Virgin Mary and suffered upon the cross for our Redemption and that under the same form and figure of bread and wine the very selfe-same body and blood of Christ is corporally really and in the very substance exhibited distributed and received of all them which receive the said Sacrament and that therefore the said Sacrament is to be used with all due reverence and honour and that every man ought first to prove and examine himself and religiously to try and search his own Conscience before he shall receive the same according to the saying of St. Paul Quisquis ederit panem hunc aut biberit de poculo domini indigne reus erit corporis sanguinis domini probet autem seipsum homo sic de pane illo edat de poculo illo bibat nam qui edit aut bibit indâ—gne judicium sibiipsi manducat bâ—bit non dijudicans corpus domini Iustification FIfthly As touching the order and cause of our Justification we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that this word Justification signifieth remission of our sins and our acceptation or reconciliation into the grace and favour of God that is to say our perfect renovation in Christ. Item That sinners attain this Justification by Contrition and Faith joyned with Charity after such sort and manner as we before mentioned and declared not as though our Contrition or Faith or any works proceeding thereof can worthily merit or deserve to attain the said Justification for the only mercy and grace of the Father promised freely unto us for his Sons sake Jesus Christ and the merits of his blood and his passion be the only sufficient and worthy causes thereof and yet that notwithstanding to the attaining of the said Justification God requireth to be in us not only inward Contrition perfect Faith and Charity certain hope and confidence with all other spiritual graces and motions which as we said before must necessarily concur in remission of our sins that is to say our Justification but also he requireth and commandeth us that after we be justified we must also have good works of charity and obedience towards God in the observing and fulfilling outwardly of his Laws and Commandments for although acceptation to everlasting life be conjoyned with Justification yet our good works be necessarily required to the attaining of everlasting Life and we being justified be necessarily bound and it is our necessary duty to do good works according to the saying of St. Paul debitores sumus non carni ut secundum carnem vivamus nam si secundum carnem vixerimus moriemur sin autem spiritu facta corporis mortificaverimus vivemus etenim quicunque spiritu dei ducuntur hi sunt filii dei and Christ saith si vis ad vitam ingredi serva mandata and St. Paul saith de malis operibus qui talia agunt Regnum dei non possidebunt Wherefore we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge and God necessarily requireth of us to do good works commanded by him and that not only outward and civil works but also the inward spiritual motions and graces of the Holy Ghost that is to say to dread and fear God to love God to have firm confidence and trust in God to invocate and call upon God to have patience in all adversities to hate sin and to have certain purpose and will not to sin again and such other like motions and vertues for Christ saith Nisi abundaverit justitia vestra plusquam scribarum Pharisaeorum non intrabitis in regnum caelorum that is to say we must not only do outward civil good works but also we must have these foresaid inward spiritual motions consenting and agreeable to the Law of God Of Images AS touching Images truth it is that the same have been used in the old Testament and also for the greater abuses of them sometime destroyed and put down and in the new Testament they have been also allowed as good Authors do declare wherefore we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us to their spiritual charge how they ought and may use them And First that this may be attributed unto them that they be representers of vertue and good example and that they also be by occasion the kindlers and firers of mens minds and make men often remember and lament their sins and offences especially the Images of Christ and our Lady and that therefore it is meet that they should stand in the Churches and none otherwise to be esteemed And to the intent the rude people should not from henceforth take such superstition as in time past it is thought that the same hath used to do we will that our Bishops and Preachers diligently shall teach them and according to this Doctrine reform their abuses for else there might fortune Idolatry to ensue which God forbid And as for Censing of them and kneeling and offering unto them with other like worshippings although the same hath entred by devotion and fallen to custome yet the people ought to be diligently taught that they in no ways do it nor think it meet to be done to the same Images but only to be done to God and in his honour although it be done before the Images whether it be of Christ of the Cross or of our Lady or of any other Saint besides Of Honouring of Saints AS touching the honouring of Saints we will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that Saints now being with Christ in Heaven be to be honoured of Christian people in Earth but not with that confidence and honour which
are only due unto God trusting to attain at their hands that which must be had only of God but that they be thus to be honoured because they be known the Elect persons of Christ because they be passed in Godly Life out of this transitory World because they already do Reign in Glory with Christ and most specially to laude and praise Christ in them for their excellent vertues which he planted in them for example of and by them to such as are yet in this World to live in vertue and goodness and also not to fear to dye for Christ and his cause as some of them did and finally to take them in that they may to be the advancers of our prayers and demands unto Christ. By these ways and such like be Saints to be honoured and had in reverence and by none other Of Praying to Saints AS touching Praying to Saints We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that albeit grace remission of sin and Salvation cannot be obtained but of God only by the mediation of our Saviour Christ which is only sufficient mediator for our sins yet it is very laudable to pray to Saints in Heaven everlastingly living whose charity is ever permanent to be intercessors and to pray for us and with us unto Almighty God after this manner All holy Angels and Saints in Heaven pray for us and with us unto the Father that for his dear Son Jesus Christ's sake we may have grace of him and remission of our sins with an earnest purpose not wanting Ghostly strength to observe and keep his holy Commandments and never to decline from the same again unto our lives end And in this manner we may pray to our Blessed Lady to St. Iohn Baptist to all and every of the Apostles or any other Saint particularly as our devotion doth serve us so that it be done without any vain superstition as to think that any Saint is more merciful or will hear us sooner than Christ or that any Saint doth serve for one thing more than another or is Patron of the same And likewise we must keep Holy-days unto God in memory of him and his Saints upon such days as the Church hath Ordained their memories to be celebrated except they be mitigated and moderated by the assent or commandment of the Supream head to the Ordinaries and then the Subjects ought to obey it Of Rites and Ceremonies AS concerning the Rites and Ceremonies of Christs Church as to have such vestments in doing God service as be and have been most part used as Sprinkling of holy-Water to put us in remembrance of our Baptism and the blood of Christ sprinkled for our redemption upon the Cross Giving of holy bread to put us in remembrance of the Sacrament of the Altar that all Christen men be one body mystical of Christ as the bread is made of many grains and yet but one Loaf and to put us in remembrance of the receiving the holy Sacrament and body of Christ the which we ought to receive in right Charity which in the beginning of Christs Church men did more often receive than they use now adays to do Bearing of Candles on Candlemas-day in memory of Christ the spiritual light of whom Simeon did prophesie as is read in the Church that day Giving of ashes on Ash-Wedensday to put in remembrance every Christen man in the beginning of Lent and Penance that he is but ashes and earth and thereto shall return which is right necessary to be uttered from henceforth in our mother-tongue always on the same day Bearing of Palms on Palm-Sunday in memory of receiving of Christ into Ierusalem a little before his death that we may have the same desire to receive him into our hearts Creeping to the Cross and humbling our selves to Christ on Good-Friday before the Cross and offering there unto Christ before the same and kissing of it in memory of our Redemption by Christ made upon the Cross Setting up the Sepulture of Christ whose body after his death was buried the Hallowing of the Font and other like Exorcisms and Benedictions by the Ministers of Christs Church and all other like laudable Customs Rites and Ceremonies be not to be contemned and cast away but to be used and continued as things good and laudable to put us in remembrance of those spiritual things that they do signifie not suffering them to be forgotten or to be put in oblivion but renuing them in our memories from time to time but none of these Ceremonies have Power to remit sin but only to stir and lift up our minds unto God by whom only our sins be forgiven Of Purgatory FOrasmuch as due order of Charity requireth and the book of Maccabees and divers ancient Doctors plainly shewing that it is a very good and charitable deed to pray for Souls departed and forasmuch also as such usage hath continued in the Church so many years even from the beginning We will that all Bishops and Preachers shall instruct and teach our people committed by us unto their spiritual charge that no man ought to be grieved with the continuance of the same and that it standeth with the very due Order of Charity for a Christen man to pray for Souls departed and to commit them in our prayers to Gods mercy and also to cause others to pray for them in Masses and Exequies and to give Alms to others to pray for them whereby they may be relieved and holpen of some part of their pain But forasmuch as the place where they be the name thereof and kind of pains there also be to us uncertain by Scripture therefore this with all other things we remit to God Almighty unto whose mercy it is meet and convenient for us to commend them trusting that God accepteth our prayers for them referring the rest wholly to God to whom is known their estate and condition wherefore it is much necessary that such Abuses be clearly put away which under the name of Purgatory hath been advanced as to make men believe that through the Bishop of Romes Pardon Souls might clearly be delivered out of Purgatory and all the pains of it or that Masses said at Scala caeli or otherwhere in any place or before any Image might likewise deliver them from all their pain and send them streight to Heaven and other like Abuses Signed Thomas Cromwell T. Cantuarien Edwardus Ebor. Ioannes London Cuthbertus Dunelmen Ioannes Lincoln Ioannes Lincoln Nomine procuratorio pro Dom. Ioan. Exon. Hugo Wygornen Ioannes Roffen Richardus Cicestren Ioannes Bathonien Thomas Elien Ioannes Lincoln nomine procuratorio pro Dom. Rowlando Coven Lichfielden Ioannes Bangoren Nicholaus Sarisburien Edwardus Hereforden Willielmus Norwicen Willielmus Meneven Robertus Assaven Robertus Abbas Sancti Albani Willielmus Ab. Westmonaster Ioannes Ab. Burien A Richardus Ab. Glasconiae A Hugo Ab. Redying Robertus Ab. Malmesbur Clemens Ab. Eveshamen
Bishops and Divines concerning the Functions and Divine Institution of Bishops and Priests 321 365 6. A Letter of Melanthons to perswade the King to a further Reformation 329 367 7. A Letter written by the German Ambassadors to the King against the taking away of the Chalice and against private Masses and the Celibate of the Clergie 332 ibid 8. The King's Answer to the former Letter 396 ibid 9. A Letter written by the King to his Bishops directing them how to instruct the People 360 368 10. Arguments given by Tonstal to the King to prove Auricular Confession to be of a Divine Institution with some Notes on the Margent written with the King 's own hand 363 369 11. A Letter of the King 's to Tonstall in Answer to the former Paper 366 ibid 12. A Definition of the Catholick Church corrected with the King 's own hand 367 370 FINIS Errata in the Collection of Records PAge 21. Line 4. compendio read Compendio P. 19. l. 32. huic r. hic P. 21. l. 23. datum r. datam P. 65. l. 30. before to r. than P. 38. l. 5. and take r. to take l. 22. gentily r. generally P. 111. the Marginal Note should stand 6 lines higher P. 1 4. l. 14. for r. her l. 15. Word r. were P. 128. l. 12 13 14 15 the Comma's are all wrong placed P. 137. l. 42. other r. Oath P. 154. l. 19. as if dele as P. 157. l. 12. here r. have P. 190. l. 18. our r. your P. 220. l. 5. Quest. 3. r. Quest. 9. P. 269. l. 47. Variety r. Verity P. 285. l. 19 28 r. 18. P. 305. l. 30. in any r. many P. 311. l. 41. and r. that P. 317. l. 26. say-men r. Lay-men l. 45. refuge r. refuse P. 322. l. 30. only r. every P. 335. l. 35 36. fides lis r. fidelis Literal Faults or escapes in the Punctuation are left to the Reader 's Correction King Henry's Succession to the Crown Apr. 22. 1509. He proceeds against Dudley and Empson * Hall says the same day L. Herbert says the day following Hall He holds a Parliament Ian. 21. 1510. Aug. 18. His great Expence His Affairs beyond Sea A War with France Aug. 24. Octob. 2. 1513. Aug. 7. 1514. A Peace and a Match with France Oct. 9. Lewis dies Ian. 1. 1515. Lady Mary Betrothed to the Dolphin Octob. 8. 1518. Emperour dies Ian. 12. 1519. Charles Elected Iune 28. 1520. The Emperor comes to England May. 26. Iune 7. Iuly 10. A second War with France Leo. 10. dies Dec. 1. 1521. Adrian chosen Pope Ian. 9. 1522. He dyed Septemb. 14. 1523. Clement the 7th chosen Novemb. 19. 1522. Emperor Landed at Dover May. 26. The Emperor contracted to the Kings Daughter Iune 19. May 6. 15â—7 Mar. 18. 1526. The Clementine League May. 22. 1526. September 20 1527. Rome taken and sack't May 16. Iuly 11. Decemb. 9. The Kings success against Scotland Sept. 9. 1513. His Counsels at home 1509. Ian. 21. 1510. Feb. 4. 1512. Cardinal Wolseys rising Cavendish life of Wolsey MSS. in Biblioth Nob. D.G. Pierpoint Octob. 1513. a Rest. temp 4. March 5 Regni 1 part Rot pat b Novemb. 6 Regni 1. part R. P. c Aug. 28.10 Regni 1 part R. P. d Decemb. 7.13 Regni 3 part R. P. e April 30.15 Reg. 2 part R. P. f May 4.20 Reg. 1. part R. P. May 15 5â—â— Reg. 1. Part. Rot. pat April 1515. Lady Mary died Iun. 23. 1533. Iâ—n 17.18 Reg. Rot. Paâ— Duke Rich. died Iâ—n 22. â—536 He was bred a Scâ—olar The Kings Prerogative in Ecclesiastical matters Cusâ—odia Temporalitatis Râ—stitutâ—o Temporalitatis Collect Numb 15. License to the Prior of Peterburg Novemb 3.1 Part. 5 â—â— Reg. Rot. Pat. A Contest about the EcclesiasticalImmunity Killways Reports Made Clerke Octob. 29. 1. Reg. Rot. Pat. Part. 1o. Iournal Procerum 7 Hâ—n 8. Parliamentumâ—2 â—2 Dâ—â—e 1515. Iohanne Tylor Iâ—râ—s Pontificii Doct. Clerico Parliamentorum Domini Râ—gis â—â—dem tempore Prolocutore Convocationis Cleri quod raro accidit Iâ— hoc Parliamento Convocatione periculosi â—imâ— seditiones exortâ—â—â—ent inter Clâ—â—um Secâ—lâ—râ—m pâ—tâ—â—tatem â—â—per libertatiâ—â—s Ecclesiasticis quodam Fratre Minore nomine Standish omniam malorum miniâ—â—ro ac stimulatore Hali. and Fox * Hunne hanged in Prison And his body burned Dec. 20. 1514. April 3. The King obliged the Popes highly and was much courâ—ed by them Collect. Numb 2 d. Treaty-Rolls 3 Reg. 19 April 1512. 1521. October 11. L. Herbert A Bull for Reforming the Clergy 10 Iune 1519. L. Herbert and Article 29. of his Impeachment The Cardinal's Pride Polydore Virgil He designs a Reformation And a Suppression of Monasteries The Calling of Convocations Collect. Numb 3 d. Collect. Numb 4 th Regist. Tonst Fol. 33 34. Collect. Numb 5th Of the State of the Monasteries Rot. Pat. 11. Hen. 8. Part. 1. The Cardinal's Colledges The Bull and Royal Assent 14. Reg. 2. Part. Rot. Pat. The Firsâ— beginning of Reformation in England The Cruelties of the Church of Rome Fitz-Herbert de Nat. Breviâ—â— The Laws of England against Hereticks Under Rich. the 2d Cook 's Institutes 3. part chap. 5. of Heresie 6 to Rich. 2. 1 Part. Numb 52. Rot. parl Another Law under King Henry the 4th Herbert's Natura Brevium Hall 5th year of Edw. 4th Warham's Proceedings against Hereticks Regist. Warham Fol. 164. Fitz-Iames Bishop of London his proceeding against Hereticks Fol. 4. The Progress of Luther's Doctrin Fox The King writes against Luther 1522. October 23. Reg. Tonstall Fol. 45. with which that in Fox agrees exactly Collect. numb 6th The beginning of the Suit of Divorce The Marriage of Prince Arthur to the Infanta of Spain 1501. See the Depositâ—ons of Witnesses in L. Herbert Prince Arth. his Death Apr 2. 1502. Bacons Henry the 7th Consultations about a second Marriage of the Infanta to his Brother Warham's Deposition in L Herbert It is allowed by the Pope Collections Numb first Upon political reasons L. Herbert Henry Protests against it Iun. 27. 1505. Collect. Num. 2d Morison His Father also disswaded it Apr. 22. 1509 K. Henry VII dies Henry being come to the Crown Marries her Iun. 3 They are Crowned Iune 24. Son born Ian. 1. 1511. dies Feb. 22. another born and dies Nov. 1514. Lady Mary born Feb. 19. 1516. 1â—27 1518. Treaty Rolls 10. Reg. His Daughter Mary Contracted to the Dolphin October 11. Afterwards to the Emperor Iun. 22. 1522. Offer'd to Scotland Sept. 1524. again to France April 30. 1527. For K. Francis himself or for his Son the Duke of Orleance The Kings Marriage questioned by Forreigners The King himself Scruples it Sanderus de Schism Angl. In his Letter to Bucer Sept. 10. 1531. in MSS. R. Smith The grounds of his Scruples All his Bishops except Fisher declare it unlawful Cavendish his liâ—e of Wolsey The dangers that were like to follow from it Wolsâ—y went into France 1527. Iuly 11. The Kings fears hopes about it L.
durst adventure on making any complaints against her Yet the Kings distempers encreasing and his peevishness growing with them he became more uneasie and whereas she had frequently used to talk to him of Religion and defend the Opinions of the Reformers in which he would sometimes pleasantly maintain the Argument now becoming more impatient he took it ill at her hands And she had sometimes in the heat of discourse gone very far So one night after she had left him the King being displeased vented it to the Bishop of Winchester that stood by And he craftily and maliciously struck in with the Kings anger and said all that he could devise against the Queen to drive his resentments higher and took in the Lord Chancellor into the design to assist him They filled the Kings head with many stories of the Queen and some of her Ladies and said They had favoured Anne Askew and had Heretical Books amongst them and he perswaded the King that they were Traitors as well as Hereticks The matter went so far that Articles were drawn against her which the King Sigâ—ed for without that it was not safe for any to Impeach the Queen But the Lord Chancellor putting up that Paper carelesly it dropt from him And being taken up by one of the Queens Party was carryed to her Whether the King had really designed her ruin or not is differently represented by the Writers who lived near that time But she seeing his hand to such a Paper had reason to conclude her self lost Yet by advice of one of her Friends she went to see the King who receiving her kindly set on a Discourse about Religion But she answered that women by their first Creation were made subject to men and they being made after the Image of God as the Women were after their Image ought to instruct their Wives who were to learn of them and she much more was to be taught by his Majesty who was a Prince of such excellent Learning and Wisdom Not so by St. Mary said the King you are become a Doctor able to Instruct us and not to be Instructed by us To which she answered That it seemed he had much mistaken the freedom she had taken to argue with him since she did it partly to engage him in discourse and so put over the time and make him forget his pain and partly to receive Instructions from him by which she had profited much And is it even so said the King then we are friends again So he embraced her with great affection and sent her away with very tender assurances of his constant Love to her But the next day had been appointed for carrying her and some of her Ladies to the Tower The day being fair the King went to take a little air in the Garden and sent for her to bear him company As they were together the Lord Chancellor came in having about forty of the Guard with him to have arrested the Queen But the King stept aside to him and after a little discourse he was heard to call him Knave Fool and Beast and he bade him get him out of his Sight The Innocent Queen who understood not that her danger was so near studied to mitigate the Kings displeasure and interceded for the Lord Chancellor But the King told her she had no reason to plead for him So this design miscarried which as it absolutely disheartned the Papists so it did totally alienate the King from them and in particular from the Bishop of Winchester whose sight he could never after this endure But he made an humble Submission to the King which though it preserved him from further punishment yet could not restore him to the Kings favour But the Duke of Norfolk and his Son the Earl of Surrey fell under a deeper Misfortune The Duke of Norfolk had been long Lord Treasurer of England He had done great services to the Crown on many signal Occasions and success had always accompanied him His Son the Earl of Surrey was also a brave and noble person Witty and Learned to an high degree but did not command Armies with such Success He was much provoked at the Earl of Hertfords being sent over to France in his room and upon that had said That within a little-while they should smart for it with some other expressions that savoured of Revenge and a dislike of the King and a hatred of the Counsellors The Duke of Norfolk had endeavoured to ally himself to the Earl of Hertford and to his Brother Sir Thomas Seimour perceiving how much they were in the Kings favour and how great an Interest they were like to have under the succeeding Prince And therefore would have engaged his Son being then a Widower to Marry that Earls Daughter And pressed his Daughter the Dutchess of Richmond Widow to the Kings Natural Son to Marry Sir Thomas Seimour But though the Earl of Surrey advised his Sister to the Marriage projected for her yet he would not consent to that designed for himself nor did the Proposition about his Sister take effect The Seimours could not but see the Enmity the Earl of Surrey bore them and they might well be jealous of the Greatness of that Family which was not only too big for a Subject of it self but was raised so high by the dependence of the whole Popish Party both at home and abroad that they were like to be very dangerous Competitors for the chief Government of Affairs if the King were once out of the way whose disease was now growing so fast upon him that he could not live many weeks Nor is it unlikely that they perswaded the King that if the Earl of Surrey should marry the Lady Mary it might embroil his Sons Government and perhaps ruine him And it was suggested That he had some such high project in his thoughts both by his continuing unmarried and by his using the Armes of Edward the Confessor which of late he had given in his Coat without a Diminution But to compleat the Duke of Norfolks ruin his Dutchess who had complained of his using her ill and had been separated from him about four years turned Informer against him His Son and Daughter were also in ill terms together So the Sister Informed all that she could against her Brother And one Mrs Holland for whom the Duke was believed to have an unlawful affection discovered all she knew but all amounted to no more than some passionate Expressions of the Son and some Complaints of the Father who thought he was not beloved by the King and his Councellors and that he was ill used in not being trusted with the secret of affairs And all persons being encouraged to bring Informations against them Sr. Richard Southwell charged the Earl of Surreâ— in some points that were of a higher nature which the Earl denied and desired to be admitted according to the Martial Law to fight in his shirt with Southwel But that not being granted he and his