who rallying themselves seemed desperately resolved to renue the fight But the proposall of a Pardon made them cast away iheir armes and peaceably to depart The number of the chiefe authors of this Commotion who were hanged was great But ROBERT KET a Tanner who in those times and by that trade had gathered a fortune of a brace of thousands was above all as in Fault so in Execution remarkable He had beene the Chieftaine in this Rebellion and was not in reason to be obscured among the common sort wherfore it being thought fit that he should surmount them in the glory of a more notorious punishment he was fairely hanged in chaines on the verv top of Norwich Castle While the Easterne parts of the Kingdome were thus possessed the Westerne parts were not lesse tormented with the same Furies Devonshire and Cornwall with some additions out of Somersetshire had on the same pretences armed fifteene thousand men who after they had licentiously ransacked the Countrey at length sate downe before the famous City of Excester Forty dayes they besieged it and were repulsed by the Inhabitants though vtterly destitute of warlike provision On the sixt of August IOHN Lord Russell after Earle of Bedford entring the City with forces and munition disassieged it pursued the Rebells slew some tooke others to the number of foure thousand whereof many were after executed but especially HVMFREY ARVNDELL Captaine of S. Michaels Mount in Cornwall a man of antient descent and sufficiently ample revenues so that I cannot sufficiently wonder what madnesse drave him to associate himselfe with this desperate and vnruly rabble With him were hanged ROBERT BOCHIN IO. TOMSON ROGER BARRET IO. VLCOCKE WILL. ASA IAMES NORTON IO. BARON and RICHARD BENET Priests and besides them IOHN and IAMES ROSOGAN IO. PAYNE THO. VNDERHILL and IO. SOLMAN all prime incendiaries and chiefe authors of this tumult The City of Excester in memory of this their delivery hath ever sithence with an anniversary solemnity kept the sixt of August holy As for the other Counties infested with the reliques of this rebellion the evill being tempestively supprest before it spred it selfe and the ringleaders punished they were quickely reduced to their former temper Neither were our affaires more peaceable abroad then at home For HENRY King of France taking advantage of our domestique sedition not reguarding the League concluded betweene vs and his Father invaded Boloignois where his successe was such that he was animated to greater attempts He sets forth a Fleet for the taking in of the Isles of Iersey and Guarnesey the sole portions remaining to the English of the Duchy of Normandy At these Isles the French are with great losse driven abord their ships At the landing they lost a thousand men and we very few About Bouloigne Mont Lambert Sellaque and Ambleteul were lost Sellaque was defended by two Ensignes But having beene battered by the Enemy while we vnwarily parley with MONTMORENCY was on the five and twentieth of August forced by them At Ambleteul were six Ensignes of Foote who for some dayes made good the place But finding themselves vnable long to hold out against so great forces vpon no other termes then grant of lives yeelded the Fort to the French The losse of these places so daunted the Garrison at Blanconet that having beene scarce saluted by the Enemies Cannon vpon condition of life and goods they quitted the place Neither was this the last important effect of our conceived terrour for the English at Mont-Lambert not so much as attending the comming of the Enemie fired their lodgings made their provision vnusefull and retreated to Guisnes The Fort at the Tower of Ordre fortified both by nature and art gave a period to this yeares successe standing resolutely vpon defence vntill the extremity of Winter forced the French to raise their siege The losse of these small pieces set the Protector in the wane of the vulgar opinion and afforded sufficient matter for Envy to worke on Among the Lords of the Privy Counsaile the most eminent was the Earle of Warwickâ— a man of a vast spirit which was the more inlarged by the contemplation of his great Acts performed both abroad and at home He had long looked asquint vpon Somersets greatnesse whom in a favorable esteeme of himselfe he deemed far beneath him and was withall persuaded that could he but remove the Duke due reguards would cast the Protectorship on him The consideration also of the Dukes nakednesse disarmed of that metalsome peice the Admirall En quo discordia Fratres Perduxit miseros made his hopes present themselves in the more lively shapes He seekes about for sufficient matter wherewith to charge the Duke who could not be long ignorant of these practises against him The Duke finding himselfe aimed at but not well discerning whether the Earle intended a legall or military processe against him on the sixt of October from Hampton-Court where the King then resided sent letters to the City of London requiring from thence an aid of a thousand men who should guard the King and him from the treacherous attempts of some ill-affected Subiects And in the meane time presseth in the adiacent Countrey where having raised a reasonable company he the same night carried away the King attended by some of the Nobility and some of the Counsaile from thence to Windsore a place because fortified more safe and convenient for resistance But the Earle had made a greater part of the Counsaile who accompanied him at London To them he makes a formall complaint against the Protector beseeching them by their assistance to secure him from the Protectors malice who sought to intrap him for his life These Lords send a contre-letter to the Londoners demanding aids of them for the delivery of the King out of the hands of his Enemy for so they were pleased to terme the Duke Then they send abroad Proclamations wherein they insert the chiefe heads of their accusation as that By sowing seeds of discord the Duke had troubled that setled and peaceable estate wherin King HENRY had left this Kingdome and had beene the chiefe cause that it had lately beene ingaged in Ciuill wars to the losse of many thousand lives That many Forts conquered by HENRY with hazard of his Person were by the Dukes either cowardise or treachery regained by the Enemy That he reguarded not the advice of the rest of the Lords of the Counsaile and had plainely neglected King HENRY'S instructions concerning the governement of the Kingdomes of England and Irland That his chiefe studies and wherein he was most seene were to rake vp wealth to maintaine a Faction among the Nobility and yet comply with both parties for his owne advantages to build stately Palaces far exceeding the proportion of a Subiect and that even in the very instan that the Estate did shrinke vnder the burthen both of intestine and foraine wars The Duke certified of their proceedings and seeing himselfe forsaken
1509. his Coronation was deferred to the foure and twentieth of Iune In the meane time his Counsaile thought it would proue a profitable policie for the King to marrie CATHARINE the Widdow of Prince ARTHVR his deceased Brother and Daughter to FERDINAND King of Castile for otherwise that huge masse of monie assigned for her jointure must yearely bee transported out of the Kingdome Neither was there at first any other doubt made of this match then whether it were approued by the Ecclesiasticall Constitutions for as much as the Scripture said some forbad any man to marrie his brothers wife But this rub was easily remoued by the omnipotence of the Popes Bull insomuch that presently vpon the Dispensation of Pope Iulius on the third of Iune vnder a malignant Constellation the Nuptials of these Princes were solemnized and they both crowned the foure and twentieth of Iune next following being Saint Iohn Baptists day At these Solemnities there wanted neither pompe nor acclamations of the Estates of the Realme But to shew that of Salomon to be true The end of mirth is heauinesse fiue had not yet runne their course since the Coronation when MARGARET Countesse of Richmond the Kings Grandmother made an exchange of this life with death She was a very godly and vertuous Ladie and one who for her benefits to the Estate deserved with all honour to be commended to the perpetuall memorie of Posteritie but her euerliuing workes will so farre set forth her praise that the paines of any Writer will proue altogether needlesse Yet notwithstanding omitting other things it will savour somewhat of ingratitude if I should not recount what she hath conferred vpon our Vniuersities Shee founded two Colledges at Cambridge one dedicated to our Saviour CHRIST the other to Saint IOHN the Euangelist and endowed them both with such large Revenues that at this time besides Officers and Seruants there are about two hundred Students maintained in them shee also left Lands to both Vniuersities out of the rents whereof two Doctors publike Professors of Divinitie to this day doe receiue their annuall stipends Shee lies interred neere her Sonne in a faire Tombe of Touchstone whereon lies her Image of guilded brasse Anno Dom. 1510. Reg. 2. HENRY the Seventh Father to this our Eighth some few yeares before his death had caused an inquisition to bee made throughout the Kingdome of the breach of the penall Statutes saying that Lawes were to no purpose vnlesse the feare of punishment did force men to obserue them But the Inquisitors proceeding so rigorously that euen the least faults were punished according to the Law which inflicted a pecuniarie Mulct they that were touch't saith Polydore Virgil cried out that this proceeded out of Covetousnesse rather then Severitiâ— But the wiser sort conceiued the Kings intent to be partly to curbe the fierce mind of the people bred vp in faction partly that by these Fines hee might not only weaken the rich but also increase his owne strength and fortifie himselfe against ciuill Attempts whereof hee had lately seene some sparkles flie abroad if so bee any smothered coale should happen to breake out into a flame What euer the matter was many there were who by accusing others sought the Kings favour and inlarged their owne estates amongst whom two were chiefe the one was called RICHARD EMPSON the other EDMVND DVDLEY both Lawiers and both for having served the Kings turne lately made Barons of the Exchequer It is said that EMPSON was borne at Torcester in Northampton Shire his Father was a Siuier DVDLEY though he were well descended yet being not befriended by fortune long strugled with adversitie But after they had some moneths taken paines in these matters both of them arise to that greatnesse that there were few of the Nobilitie that would not crouch to them and be ambitious of their fauour Therefore it is not so much to be wondred at if they grew exceeding wealthy but this wealth drew with it an envy greater then it selfe which neuerthelesse did them little hurt during the life of HENRY the Seventh but afterwards cast them both downe as low as enuie could haue wisht The King vpon his death-bed commanded in his Will and Testament that restitution should bee made to all who had beene wronged by the Exchequer Whereupon infinite numbers flocking to the Court and demanding restitution there could not a fitter meanes be thought of to stop their mouthes then by committing of EMPSON and DVDLEY the occasioners thereof to the people as Sacrifices to appease their fury They were therefore arraigned and condemned of high Treason And these things were done presently vpon HENRY the Eighth his comming to the Crowne So their goods being seized vpon they for a whole yeare endured the miseries that vsually accompany a prison and yet were the Commons as eager against them as euer Whence it should first arise I know not but such a report there was that the Queene had begged the poore mens pardons The Nobilitie disdaining that such meane fellowes had beene heretofore so prevalent with their Prince and the Commons being easily incited against them by some as eager enemies to them as themselues cried out that they were cheated oftheir iust reuenge and wearied the King with continuall petitions for their death he was in a manner forced to satisfie them Whereupon on the seâ—enteenth day of August they were both publiquely beheaded Such was the end of EMPSON and DVDLEY who abounding with wealth and flourishing vnder their Princes fauour while they set light by all things else became a sacrifice to the gâ—ddie multitude And it may serue to teach vs to vse our power moderately and to take heed how wee giue offence to that Beast with many heads I meane the People which being angred and hauing once got the raines rageth like a tumultuous Sea DVDLEY left behind him a sonne named IOHN who as if he had beene heire to his fathers fortune being created Duke of Northumberland concluded his powerfull life with the like vnhappie end leauing much Issue behind him euen to our time but yet whereof the heires masle haue long since failed Anno Dom. 1511. Reg. 3. THis yeare on New yeares day the Queene was deliuered of a Sonne Heire apparant to this Crowne but hee out-liued not the three and twentieth of the ensuing Februarie to the great griefe of the King and Kingdome About the same time there came Embassadours from FERDINAND King of Arragon who craved of the King his Sonne in Law fifteene hundred auxiliary Archers Hee was then in hostilitie with the Moores inhabiting Afrique The King very willingly granted their request and having leuied the full number embarqued them for Spaine in foure ships of the Nauy Royall vnder the command of THOMAS Lord Darâ—ie They were scarce arriued there when newes was brought that a Peace being made FERDINAND stood in no farther need of their aide Yet euery one was liberally paid the Generall and those of
hee saw into what straights our King was likely to driue the French being weake if he would pressehard vpon him and pierce farther into the Kingdome although hee were a profest enemie to the French yet was he iealous of our prosperous proceeding and therefore by all meanes perswaded HENRY to dismantle Therouenne and thence to proceed to the siege of Tournay Hee blamed him not without iust cause for his late setting forth Summer being first welâ—neere spent Winter was now at hand when it would not quit cost to maintaine such an Armie good desigues being not then to bee put in execution Hee told him that Therovenne was so farre from him that it could not bee kept without great difficultie therefore hee should doe well to dismantle it that it might not hereafter serue for a Bulwarke to the Eenemie That Tournay was a French Citie but like an Island with the Sea surrounded with Flanders and Hainault and farre divided from the rest of France True it was that it was well stored with inhabitants and not meanly fortified but that there was no other Garrison then of Citizens and these hee should finde effeminate and for provision that they had none Hee should therefore make speed and come on them vnawares and with a few dayes siege force them to yeild That the French King if hee intended to succour them must first march through all Henault and passe over two or three great Riuers amongst which were the Escaut and the Scarpe That the Souldiers should finde good booties there and the King himselfe the triumph of a most assured conquest That the addition of such a Citie would bee no meane increase of his Dominions and so much the lesse care to bee taken of it for as much as it would bee as easie for him to keepe it in obedience as it was for the French for the space of so many yeares to defend it being placed amidst so many Enemies that still had a greedie eye over it King HENRY by this time had so much of Warre that hee began to bee wearie of the toyle thereof and to cast his minde on the pleasures of the Court Wherefore although hee wanted not Counsailors for the best hee followed the Emperours advice as being the more easie The Flemmings who begged it of the King had leave to rase the walls of Therouenne to fill the ditches and to burne all the buildings except the Church and the Chanons houses which they in regard of the dissensions vsuall to bordering Nations very gladly performed Therouenne being thus taken and destroyed away they march with all speed to Tournay indevouring by their celeritie to prevent the fame of their comming But the Citizens suspecting some such enterprise had fortified themselves as well as the shortnesse of time would permit them and the Peasants thereabouts bring all their goods into the Citie as to a place of safeguard The Citie was of no great circuit yet at the beginning of the siege it contained fourescore thousand people By reason whereof victuals quickly began to faile them and they could no way hope for reliefe The French King was farre off they had no Garison the Citizens bad Souldiers two great Princes had begirt the Towne with fifâ—ie thousand men but they had an Enemy within called Famine more cruell and insupportable then both So having for some few dayes held out the siege the nine and twentieth of September their lives being granted them they yeild and to saue themselves from spoile pay a hundred thousand Crownes The King makes them sweare Fealty to him and appoints Sir EDWARD POYNINGS a Knight of the Garter their Governour Next hee gives order for store of warlike provision puts in a small Garison and builds a Cittadell for the confirmation of his conquest Neither amongst these politique affaires did he neglect those of the Church For the Bishop being proscribed hee conferres the Sea with all the revenues vpon THOMAS WOLSEY of whose first rising and immoderate power we shall have much occasion to speake hereafter All things being thus ordered because Winter came on apace hee beganne to bethinke himselfe of returning with his Armie into England This thought so farre pleased him that having beene absent scarce foure monethes hee tooke ship and about the end of October came home triumphing in the glory of a double conquest By the way hee was entertained with the newes of another victorie the Lord HOWARD Earle of Surrey having vnder his Fortune slaine the King of Scots The King of France being encumbred with many warres had coniured IAMES the Fourth King of Scots by the ancient Lawes of Amitie and the late League made betweene them that Hee would not forsake him intangled in so many difficulties If Hee regarded not his friends case yet Hee should at least looke to himselfe for whom it would not bee safe to suffer a bordering Nation alwayes at enmitie with Him by such additions to arise to that height of power The King of England busied with a foraine warre was now absent and with Him the flower of the English Chivalrie Hee should therefore forthwith take Armes and trie to recover Berwicke an especiall towne of the Scottish Dominions but for many yeares withheld by the English He would easily be victorious if He would but make vse of this occasion so happily offered It could not be but this warre would bee for His Honour and profitable to His Friend if not to Himselfe He should thereby also make knowne to His Enemies that the Scottish Armes were not to bee contemned whose former victories a long and to them hurtfull peace had obscured and buried in oblivion among the English As for the charges of it Hee need not bee troubled for that Hee would afford Him fiftie thousand Crownes towards the providing of Munition and Ordinance These reasons so preuailed with the yong King covetous of glory that notwithstanding he had lately made a League with our King whose Sister hee had married and her vehement dissuasions he proclaimed warre against HENRY which proved fatall to him bloudie to his and the cause of many ensuing calamities So having raised a great Armie hee breakes into our Marches and besiegeth Norham Castle belonging to the Bishop of Durham the which having held out sixe dayes was at last yeilded vnto him Thence hee removes his Campe to Berwicke wasting all the Countrey as hee marcht with fire and sword The newes whereof are brought vnto them to whom the governement of the Kingdome was committed in the absence of the King and a leuy being made through all the North parts of the Kingdome Alnewike is appointed the rendez-vous where all the troupes should meete at a set day that thence they might set forward against the Enemie vnder the conduct of the Lord THOMAS HOWARD Earle of Surrey Among the first to his Fathers great ioy comes the Earles Sonne THOMAS Lord Admirall leading a veterane troupe of fiue thousand men of tried valour and
MAGDALEN Colledge and afterward became Master of the free Schoole thereto belonging Among other schollers the sonnes of the Marquis of Dorset were committed to his trust and for his care ouer them the Paâ—sonage of Limington in Somersetshire no verie meane one was bestowed on him As soone as he had set footing there he was very disgracefully entertained by Sir AMIAS POWLET who clap't him in the stockes a punishment not vsually inflicted vpon any but beggars and base people What the matter was that so exasperated him against WOLSEY a man not of least account I know not This I know that WOLSEY beeing afterward made Cardinall and Lord Chancellor of England so grieuously punished this iniurie that Sir AMIAS POWLET was faine to dance attendance at London some yeares and by all manner of obsequiousnesse to currie fauour with him There remaines to this day a sufficient testimonie her of in a building ouer the gate of the middle Temple in London built by the Knight at the time of his attendance there decked round about very sumptuously with the Cardinalls Armes hoping thereby somewhat to alay the wrath of the incensed Prelate But these things were long after this yere WOLSEY whether that hee could not brooke this disgrace or bearing a minde that look't beyond this poore Benefice left it and became domestique Chaplaine to Sir IOHN NAFANT Treasurer of Calais by whose meanes hee was taken notice of by FOX Bishop of Winchester a man that knew rightly how to iudge of good wits He finding this young man to be verie â—prightfull of learning sufficient and verie actiue in dispatch of affaires so highly commended him to king HENRY the Seuenth who relied much vpon FOXES faith and wisedome that hee thought it good forthwith to imploy him in affaires of great moment What need many words he so far pleased the King that in short time he became a great man and was first prefer'd to the Deanrie of Lincolne and then made the Kings Almoner But HENRY the Eighth a young Prince comming to the Crowne was wholly taken with his smooth tongue and pliable behauiour For when all the rest of his friends aduised Him to sit euerie day in person at the Counsell Table that so by experience and daily practise He might reape wisedome and to accustome Himselfe to the managing of affaires of Estate WOLSEY aduised Him to follow His pleasures saying That His youth would not be able to brooke their tedious Consultations euerie Age of man had its Seasons and Delights agreeable They did not do well that would force the King to act an Old Man before His time Youth being vtterly auerse from wrinckled Sâ—ueritie It would come to passe hereafter if God were so pleased that what was now troublesome to him would not be disagreeable to riper Yeares nay prooue perhaps a great pleasure Vntill that time came He should enioy the present and not by hearkening to others needlesse persuasions any way interrupt the course of that felicitie which the largenesse of His Dominions would easily affoord Him He should hawke and hunt and as much as Him list vse honest recreations If so bee Hee did at any time desire suddenly to become an Old Man by intermedling with Old Mens Cares He should not want those meaning himselfe that would in the euening in one or two wordes relate vnto Him the effect of a whole daies Consultation This speech hitting so pat with the Kings humour made WOLSEY so powerfull that whereas the King before fauored him as much as any other he onely was now in fauour with and next the King with whon e there was nothing to bee done but by him For he was the man that was made choice of who like another MERCVRY should passe betweene this our IOVE and the Senate of the lesser Gods offering their petitions to Him and to them returning his pleasure therein Wherefore he was euen at the first sworne of the Priuie Counsell and besides the late collation of Tournay vpon the death of SMITH he was also made Bishop of Lincolne In the gouernement of which Church he had not fully spent six moneths before he was translated from Lincolne to the Archbishopricke of Yorke then vacant by the death of Cardinall BAMBRIDGE at Rome Shortly after that I may at once shew all his honors WILLIAM WARHAM Archbishop of Caterâ—urie leauing the place he was by the King made Lord Chancellor of England and by the Pope Legate a latere Yet he stayed not there but as if the Archb shopricke of Yorke and the Chancellorship of England had not beene sufficient to maintaine the port of a Cardinall besides many other lâ—uings he procured of the King the Abbey of Saint Albanes and the Bishopricke of Bath and Wells And not content with these leauing Bath and Wells he addeth the Bishopricke of Durham to that of Yorke and then leauing Durhamâ—eazeth â—eazeth on Winchester at that time of greatest reuenue of any Bishopricke in England You now see WOLSEY in his height rich his Princes Fauourite and from the bottom raised to the top oâ— Fortunes wheele What became of him afterward you shall know hereafter Anno Dom. 1515. Reg. 7. THe League lately made with LEWIS the French King was confirmed by FRANCIS his Successor and published by Proclamation in London the ninth day of Aprill Anno Dom. 1516. Reg. 8. BVt the French King hauing taken into his protection the young King of Scots sent IOHN STVART Duke of Albanie in Scotland to be Gouernour both of the kings Person and kingdome The first thing this Duke vndertook was either to put to death or banish those whom he any way suspected to fauor the English Insomuch that the Queene Dowager who by this time was matried to ARCHIBALD DOVGLIS Earle of Aagus forced to saue herselfe by flight came into England to her Brother with whom she stayed at London a whole yeare the Earle her husband after a moneth or two without leaue returning into Scotland King HENRY being displeased at these French practises deales vnderhand with the Emperour MAXIMILIAN with whome the French then contended for the Dutchie of Milane and lends him a great summe of money whereby he might hire the Suisâ—es to aid him in the expelling the French out of Italie But the Emperour although he had leuied a sufficient Armie returned home without doing any thing He was indeed accompted a wise Prince but vnhappy in the managing of his affaires whether it were that Fortune waiwardly opposed him or that he was naturally slow in the execution of his wel plotted designes But shortly after hee intendes a second triall of his Fortune Wherefore by his Embassadour the Cardinall of Suisserland hee yet boroweâ— more mony of the King which was deliuered to certaine Merchants of Genua to bee by a set day payed to the Emperour in Italie But they whether corrupted by the French or not of sufficient abilitie to make returne deceiued him and so his second designes vanished also into
passed both Houses when this lusty Widower with as good successe as before marrieth his fifth Wife CATHARINE HOWARD When their nuptialls were celebrated is not knowne but on the eighth of August in Royall habiliments shee shewed her selfe as Queene The fautors of Reformation were much dismaied at the sudden vnqueening of ANNE fearing not without cause least it proving occasion of enmity betweene HENRY and the Princes of Germany he must of necessity rely on them who misliked our divorce from Rome But the King proceeding still in the course he had begun like a torrent bearing all before him not onely caused three Anabaptists to be burned but also many sincere Professors of the Truth for not subscribing to the Six Articles Among whome three Divines were most eminent viz. ROBERT BARNES Doctor of Divinity THOMAS GERARD and WILLIAM IEROM Bachelors who by Parliament vnheard being condemned for Heresie were on the one and thirtieth committed to the â—orments of the mercilesse fire At the same time and place three other Doctors of Divinity viz. POWELL ABIE and FETHRSTON were hanged for denying the Kings Supremacy the sight whereof made a French man cry out in these words Deus bone quomodo hic vivunt gentes Suspenduntur Papistae comburuntur Antipapistae Good God how do the People make a shift to live here where both Papists are hanged and Antipapists burned In August the Prior of Dancaster and six other for defending the Institution of the life Monasticall a crime now become as capitall as the greatest being also condemned by Act of Parliament were hanged The same day with the Lord CROMWELL the Lord HVNGERFORD was also beheaded As their causes were divers so died they alike differently CROMWELLS conscience quietly welcommed Death to the other suffering for that most vnnaturall crime of Sodomy Death presented it selfe with that horror that the apprehension of it made him as impatient as if hee had been seized with a frenzy Anno Dom. 1541. Reg 33. THe late Yorke-Shire Rebellion was not so throughly quenched but it againe began to shew it selfe but by the punishment of the chiefe Incendiaries it was quickely suppressed Fourteene of the Conspirators were put to death LEIGH a Gentlenan THORNTON a Yeoman and TATTERSHALL a Cloatheir at London Sir IOHN NEVILL and ten others at Yorke Which Commotion whether raised in favour of Religion or being suspected that it had any abettors beyond the Seas is thought to have hastened the death of the long sithence condemned Countesse of Sarisbury who on the seven and twentieth of May was beheaded in the Tower The eight and twentieth of Iune the Lord LEONARD GREY Deputy of Irland did on the Tower hill publiquely vndergo the like punishment Hee was Sonne to the Marquis of Dorset neere allied to the King and a brave martiall man having often done his Countrey good service But for that he had suffered his Nephew GERARD FITZ-GERARD brother to THOMAS lately executed proclaimed enemy to the Estate to make an escape and in revenge of some conceived private iniury had invaded the lands of the Kings friends hee was arraigned and condemned ending his life with a resolution befitting a brave Souldier The same day THOMAS FINES Lord Dacres of the South with some other Gentlemen for the death of one BVSBRIG slaine by them in a fray was hanged at Tiburne Many in reguard of his youth and Noble Disposition much lamented his losse and the Kings inexorable rigour Anno Dom. 1542. Reg. 34. BY this time HENRY began to finde the conveniency of his change having married one as fruitfull in evill as his former wives were in good who could not containe her selfe within the sacred limits of a Royall marriage bed but must be supplied with more vigorous and active bodies then was that of the now growing aged and vnweildy King Alas what is this momentary pleasure that for it wee dare hazard a treble life of Fame of Body of Soule Heaven may be mercifull but Fame will censure and the inraged Lyon is implacable such did this Queene finde him who procured not only her to be condemned by Act of Parliament begun the sixteenth of Ianuary and with her the Lady IANE Wife to the Viscount ROCHFORT behold the thrift of the Divine Iustice which made her an Instrument of the punishment of her owne and others wickednesse who by her calumnies had betraied her owne Husband and his Sister the late beheaded Queene ANNE but two others also long since executed FRANCIS DERHAM and THOMAS CVLPEPPER in their double condemnation scarce sufficiently punished DERHAM had beene too familiar with her in her virgin time and having after attained to some publique offices in Irland was by her now Queene sent for and entertained as a houshold servant in which time whether hee revived his former familiarity is not manifest But CVLPEPPER was so plainly convict of many secret meetings with the Queene by the meanes of the Lady ROCHFORT that the adultery was questionles For which the Queene and the Viscontesse ROCHFORT were both beheaded within the Tower on the twelfth of February DIRHAM had beene hanged and CVLPEPPER beheaded at Tiburne the tenth of the preceding December Hitherto our Kings had stiled themselves Lords of Irland a Title with that rebellious Nation not deemed so sacred and dreadfull as to force obedience The Estates therefore of Jrland assembled in Parliament enacted him King of Irland according to which Decree he was on the three and twentieth of Ianuary publiquely proclaimed About the same time ARTHVR Viscont Lisle naturall Sonne of EDWARD the Fourth out of a surfeit of sudden ioy deceased Two of his Servants had beene executed the preceding yeare for having conspired to betray Calais to the French and the Viscont as being conscious committed to the Tower But vpon manifestation of his innocence the King sent vnto him Sir THOMAS WRIOTHSLEY Principall Secretary of Estate by whom he signified the great content he received in the Visconts approved fidelity the effects whereof hee should finde in his present liberty and that degree of favour that a faithfull and beloved Vnkle deserved The Viscont receiving such vnexpected newes imbelished with rich promises and Royall tokens the King having sent him a Diamond of great value of assured favour being not sufficiently capable of so great ioy free from all symptomes of any other disease the ensuing night expired After whose decease Sir IOHN DVDLEY was created Viscont LISLE claiming that honour as hereditary in the right of his mother Lady ELIZABETH Sister and Heire to the Lord EDWARD GREY Viscont LISLE Wife to the late deceased Lord ARTHVR but formerly married to EDMVND DVDLEY one of the Barons of the Exchequer beheaded the first yeare of this Kings raigne Which I the rather remember for that this man afterwards memorable for his power and dignities might have provod more happy in his Issue then his greatnesse had not his owne ambition betraied some of these
faire sprouts to the blast of vnseasonable hopes and nature denying any at least lawfull issue to the rest the name and almost remembrance of this great Family hath ceased Of which hereafter Scotland had beene long peaceable yet had it often administred motives of discontent and jealousy IAMES the Fifth King of Scots Nephew to HENRY by his Sister having long liued a Bachelor HENRY treated with him concerning a marriage with his then only Childe the Lady MARY a Match which probably would have vnited these neighbour Kingdomes But God had reserved this Vnion for a more happy time The antient League betweene France and Scotland had alwaies made the Scots affected to the French and IAMES prefer the alliance with France before that of England where the Dowry was no lesse than the hopes of a Kingdome So he marrieth with MAGDALEN a Daughter of France who not long surviving hee againe matcheth there with MARY of Guise Widow to the Duke of Longueville HENRY had yet a desire to see his Nephew to which end he desired an enterview at Yorke or some other oportune place IAMES would not condiscend to this who could notwithstanding vndertake a long and dangerous voyage into France without invitation These were the first seeds of discord which after bladed to the Scots destruction There having been for two yeares neither certaine peace nor a iust War yet incursions from each side Forces are assigned to the Duke of Norfolke to represse the insolency of the Scots and secure the Marches The Scot vpon newes of our being in Armes sends to expostulate with the Duke of Norfolke concerning the motives of this war and withall dispatcheth the Lord GORDON with some small Forces to defend the Frontiers The Herauld is detained vntill our Army came to Berwick that hee might not give intelligence of our strength And in October the Duke entring Scotland continued there ransacking the Countrey without any opposition of the Enemy vntill the middle of November By which time King IAMES having levied a great Army resolved on a battaile the Nobility persuading the contrary especially vnwilling that hee should any way hazard his Person the losse of his Father in the like manner being yet fresh in memory and Scotland too sensible of the calamities that ensued it The King proving obstinate they detaine him by force desirous rather to hazard his displeasure than his life This tendernesse of him in the language of rage and indignation hee termes cowardise and treachery threatening to set on the Enemy assisted with his Family only The Lord MAXWELL seeking to allay him promised with ten thousand only to invade England and with far lesse then the English Forces to divert the war The King seemes to consent But offended with the rest of the Nobility he gives the Lord OLIVER SAINTCLARE a private Commission not to be opened vntill they were ready to give the onâ—et wherein hee makes him Generall of the Army Having in England discovered five hundred English horse led by Sir THOMAS WHARTON and Sir WILLIAM MVS GRAVE the Lord SAINTCLARE commanded his Commission publiquely to be read the recitall whereof so distasted the Lord MAXWELL and the whole Army that all things were in a confusion and they ready to disband The oportunity of an adioining hill gave vs a full prospect into their Army and invited vs to make vse of our advantages Wee charge them furiously the Scots amazedly fly many are slaine many taken more plunged in the neighbouring fens and taken by Scotish Freebooters sold to vs. Among the Captives were the Earles of Glencarne and Cassells the Lords SAINTCLARE MAXWELL Admirall of Scotland FLEMING SOMERWELL OLIPHANT and GRAY besides two hundred of the better sort and eighthundred common souldiers The consideration of this overthrow occasioned as hee conceived by the froward rashnesse of his owne Subiects and the death of an English Herauld slaine in Scotland so surcharged him with rage and griefe that hee fell sicke of a Fever and died in the three and thirtieth yeare of his age and two and thirtieth of his raigne leaving his Kingdome to the vusally vnhappy governement of a Woman a Childe scarce eight dayes old The chiefe of the captives being conveied to the Tower were two dayes after brought before the King's Counsaile where the Lord Chancellour reprehended their treachery who without due denunciation of war invaded and spoiled the territories of their Allies and committed many outrages which might excuse any severe courses which might in iustice be taken with them Yet his Maiesty out of his naturall Clemency was pleased to deale with them beyond their deserts by freeing them from the irkesomenesse of a strict imprisonment and disposing of them among the Nobles to beby them entertained vntill He should otherwise determine of them By this time King IAMES his death had possessed HENRY with new hopes of vniting Britaine vnder one Head England had a Prince and Scotland a Queene but both so young that many accidents might dissolve a contract before they came to sufficiency Yet this seeming a course intended by the Divine Providence to extirpate all causes of enmity and discord betweene these neighbouring Nations a marriage betweene these young Princes is proposed With what alacrity and applaufe the proposition was on both sides entertained wee may conceive who have had the happinesse to see that effected which they but intended Which being a matter of so sweet a consequence it is to be wondred at that the conspiracy of a few factious spirits should so easily hinder it The hope of it prevailed with the King for the liberty of the Captives conditionally that they should leave hostages for their returne if peace were not shortly concluded which as also the furtherance of this so wished coniunction they faithfully promised Anno Dom. 1543. Reg. 35. AFter their short Captivity the Scottish Lords having beene detained onely twelve dayes at London on New yeares day began their iourney towards Scotland and with them ARCHIBALD DOVGLAS Earle of Angus whom his Sonne in law King IAMES had a little before his death intended to recall Fifteene yeares had hee and his brother GEORGE lived exiles in England HENRY out of his Royall Bounty allowing to the Earle a pension of a thousand markes and to his brother of five hundred The sudaine returne of these captive Lords caused in most as sudaine a ioy Only the Cardinall of Saint ANDREWS who had by forgery made himselfe Regent and his faction could willingly have brooked their absence They came not as freed from a Captivity but as Embassadours for Peace by them ernestly persuaded which by the happy coniunction of these Princes might be concluded to perpetuitie But the Cardinall with his factious Clergy the Queene Dowager and as many as were affected to the Flower de Lys interposed themselves for the good of France Yet notwithstanding the Cardinals fraud being detected hee is not only deposed from his Regency and IAMES HAMILTON
Preiudiciall to the Estate Grievous and Burthensome to the Subiect FINIS ANNALES OF ENGLAND EDVVARD THE SIXT The Second Booke LONDON Printed by Adam Islip and William Stansby 1630. Vae tibi Jerra cuius Rex Puer est ANNALES OF ENGLAND The second Booke EDWARD the Sixt. Anno Dom. 1547. Reg. 1. ROyalty like a Pythagorean Soule transmigrates Although HENRY were dead the King was still alive and survived in the person of young EDWARD who began his Raigne the eight and twentieth of Ianuary then in the tenth yeare of his age and having beene on the last of the same moneth proclaimed King came the same day from Enfield where the Court had then beene to the Tower there according to the ancient custome of our Kings to abide vntill his Inauguration at Westminster The next day the Counsaile assembled for the managing of the Estate conferred on the Kings Vnckle EDWARD SEIMOVR Earle of Hertford the honour and power of Protector of the King's Person and Kingdome Who to season his new Dignitie with some memorable act on the sixt of February dubbed the King Knight the King presently imparting the same Honour to RICHARD HOBLETHORNE Lord Maior of London On the fifteenth of February King HENRY his Funerals were solemnized and his Body Royally interred in the middle of the Quire in the Church at Windsore Two daies after were some of the Nobilitie dignified with greater Honours some new created The Lord Protector Earle of Hertford was made Duke of Somerset WILLIAM PARR Earle of Essex Marquis of Northampton IOHN DVDLEY Viscount Lisle Earle of Warmicke and the Lord Chancellour WRIOTHSLEY Earle of Southampton Sir THOMAS SEIMOVR brother to the Protector and Lord Admirall Sir THOMAS RICH Sir WILLIAM WILLOVGHBY and Sir EDMOND SHEFFEILD were inrolled among the Barons Other two daies being fled after their Predecessours the King passed triumphantly from the Tower through London to Westminster where he was solemnely crowned anointed and inaugurated by CRANMER Archbishop of Canterbury At what time also with incredible indulgence pardon of all crimes whatsoever was publiquely proclaimed and granted to all persons throughout the Realme six only being exempted from the benefit thereof namely the Duke of Norfolke Cardinall POOLE the lately beheaded Marquis of Excester his eldest Sonne one THROCMORTON FORTESCVE and RICHARD PATE late Bishop of Worcester who least hee should be constrained to acknowledge the King Head of the Church had some yeares passed fled to Rome On the nineteenth of Iune in the Cathedrall Church of Saint PAVL in London were celebrated the Exequies of FRANCIS King of France He deceased the two and twentieth of the precedent March having beene after the death of our HENRY much disposed to melancholy whether for that hee failed in the hope of strengthening their late contracted amity with some stricter tie or that being some few yeares the younger hee was by his death admonished of the like approaching fate They were also of so conspiring a similitude of disposition and nature that you shall hardly finde the like betweene any two Princes of what ever different times This bred a mutuall affection in them and as it were forcibly nourished the secret fire thereof betweene them vnlesse peradventure when emulation or the respect of publique vtilitie swaied them the contrary way so that the death of the one could not but much grieve the surviver He therefore in the Cathedrall at Paris celebrated the Funerals of HENRY though excommunicated by the Pope He also left one only Sonne named HENRY inheritor of his Crowne whose Raigne lasted but to the beginning of Queene ELIZABETH And now the affaires of Scotland which have without doubt beene great and memorable crave a part in our History Wee have before made mention of our League with Scotland wherein it was determined concerning the marriage betweene the now King EDWARD and the Queene of Scots The times since then were full of continuall iarres Wee at length resolved not to dally with them but to vndertake the war with forces agreeable to the cause The Duke of Somerset by consent of the Privie Counsaile is sent into Scotland with ten thousand Foot and six thousand Horse beside pioners and artificers thirteene hundred and fifteene peeces of brasse Ordnance To the Lord CLINTON is assigned a Navy consisting of foure and twenty men of war one Galley and thirty Ships of burthen wherewith hee was to scowre the Seas and infest the maritime parts of Scotland On the third of September the Duke of Somerset made an hostile entrance vpon the Enemies Countrey and forthwith dispatched letters to the Earle of Arren Regent of Scotland much to this effect That he wished the Scots would consider that this war was waged among Christians that our ends were no other then a iust Peace whereto the endevours of all good men should tend An occasion not only of a League but of a perpetuall Peace was now happily offred if they would suffer the two differing and emulous Nations by vniting the Head to grow together This as it had beene formerly sought by vs so had it beene generally assented to by the Estates of Scotland Therefore he could not but wonder why they should rather treacherously recurre to Armes the events of war being vsually even to the Victor sufficiently vnfortunate then maintaine in violate their troth plighted to the good of both Nations They could not in reason expect that their Queene should perpetually live a Virgin life And if shee married where could shee bestow her selfe better then on a puissant Monarch inhabiting the same Island and parlying the same language They saw what inconveniences were the consequents of foraine matches whereof they should rather make triall by the examples of others then at their owne perill He demanded nothing but equity yet he so much abhorred the effusion of Christian bloud that if hee found the Scots not vtterly averse from an accord hee would endevour that some of the Conventions should be remitted he would also permit that the Queene should abide and be brought vp among them vntill her age made her marriageable at what time she should by consent of the Estates her selfe make choice of a Husband In the meane time there should be a Cessation of Armes neither should the Queene be transported out of her Realme nor entertaine treatise of marriage with the French or any other forainer This if they would faithfully promise he would forthwith peaceably depart out of Scotland and whatsoever damages the Countrey had suffred by this invasion he would according to the esteeme of indifferent Arbitrators make ample satisfaction The Scottish Army consisted of thirty thousand Foot some speake a greater number The chiefe Commanders whereof puffed vp with confidence of their strength although they had lately lost eight hundred in a tumultuary skirmish and misconceiving our offers to proceed out of feare reiect all Conditions of Accord and least vpon knowledge of the equitie of our demands the Counsaile should
more worthy or be induced to conforme themselves to the present Reformation of the Church according to the prescript of the Lawes in that behalfe lately enacted And yet I would there were not sufficient cause to suspect that this was but a made oportunity the removall of these obstacles making way for the invasion of these widow Seas For as soone as TONSTALL was exautorated that rich Bishopricke of Duresme by Act of Parliament was wracked the chiefe revenues and customes of it being incorporated to the Crowne and and the rest in despight of the Tenants so guelded that at this day it scarce possesleth the third part of it's antient revenues Yet did Queene MARY seriously endeavour the restitution of those religious portions Queene ELIZABETH would hardly consent that it should lose any of it's plumes yet some it did and King IAMES hath lately enacted against the Alienation of Church lands yea even to the Crowne otherwise then vpon reservation of a reasonable Rent and the returne of them to the Church after the expiration of three lives or one and twenty yeares The hungry Courtier finding how good a thing the Church was had now for some yeares become acquainted with it out of a zealous inteÌ„t to Prey neither could the horridnesse of her sacred skeleton as yet so worke on him as to divert his resolutions and compassionately to leave the Church to her religious poverty Beside the infancy of the King in this incertaine ebbe and flow of Religion made her oportune to all kinde of sacriledge So that we are deservedly to thanke the Almighty Guardian of the Church that these Locusts have not quite devoured the maintenance of the Laborers in this English Vineyard For we yet retaine that antient forme of government in the Primitive Church by Bishops who have for the most part wherwith to support their honorable Function as likewise have other those subordinate Prelats Deans Archdeacons Canons of Cathedrall Churches as for our Preachers of the more polite learned sort we thinke him little befriended by Fortune who long liveth in expectation of a competent preferment I would the residue of the Reformed Churches of Christen dome had not beene pared so neere the quicke by precise hands that but some few of them might in this kinde be paralelled with ours And now behold two Brothers acting their severall Tragedies Iealousy Envy and Ambition infernall Furies had armed them against each other and the Pride of the Feminine Sex prepared them for the Lists A lamentable exigent wherein the losse of his Adversary must be the destruction of each wherein the Kingdome must groane at the losse of one both being in the Estate incompatible wherin the King himselfe must as most suspect he did suffer that he might not suffer THOMAS SEIMOVR Lord Admirall had married CATHARINE PARR the Widow of the deceased King What correspondence there might be betweene Her who had beene the Wife of the late Soveraigne and the Duchesse of Somerset whose Husband being Protector of the Realme in point of command little differed from a Soveraigne and had over his Brother the Admirall the advantages of Age Dignity and generall Esteeme if any man cannot without difficulty coniecture I refer him to the first booke of HERODIAN where let him observe the contentions arising betweene CRISPINA the Wife of COMMODVS and LVCILLA who had beene formerly married to L. VERVS the Emperour But in this the divers dispositions of the Brothers set on edge on the emulous humors of their Wives The Duke was milde affable free open and no way malicious the Admirall was naturally turbulent fierce ambitious and conceived himselfe to be of the two the fitter for publique government Presently after the death of HENRY the Admirall thrust on by the flattery of his overweening conceits resolved to ad a lustre to his good parts by marrying the Lady ELIZABETH as yet indeed scarce marriageable But the Protector wisely considering how rash and perilous this proiect was frustrated that designe By his after marriage with CATHARINE a most beautifull and noble Lady and aboundiug with wealth befitting her dignity most men were confident that the gulfe of his vast desires would have beene satisfied but the Law wherby he was condemned though peradventure enacted by strength of Faction will manifest the contrary What notice I have received and what the publique Records testify concerning this being persuaded that they swarve not much from the truth I thinke I may without blame relate The Admirall having now fortified himselfe with money and friends and deeming his Brothers Lenity Sluggishnesse began to behold him with the eye of contempt and to cast about how to dispossesse him of the saddle and being of like degree of consanguinity to the King to enioy the seat himselfe To the furtherance of this proiect it would be conducible secretly to viâ—ify and traduce the Protectors actions to corrupt the Kings Servants especially if in any degree of favor by faire words and large promises by degrees to assure himselfe of the Nobility to secure his Castle of Holt with a Magazine of warlike provision but above all to take care for money the nerves of War and assurance of Peace These things having beene ordered with exact diligence and for supply of coigne the Exchequer mightily pilled he vnmaskes himselfe to some of the Nobility signifying his intent of setling himselfe at the Sterne of forcibly ceasing on the Kings person Nay his madnesse so far transported him that to one of them conditionally that his assistance were not wanting to the advancement of his designes he promised that the King should marry his daughter In the meane time the Queene his Wife being in September delivered of a Daughter died in childe-bed and that not without suspicion of poison For after her death he more importunately sought the Lady ELIZABETH then ever eagerly endeavoring to procure her consent to a clandestine marriage as was that with the deceased Queene and not vntill after the Nuptialls to crave the assent of the King or the Lords of the Counsaile Anno Dom. 1549. Reg. 3. BVt the Admiralls proiects being oportunely discovered and a Parliament lately assembled he is by the authority thereof committed to the Tower and without triall condemned The Parliament being on the fourteenth of March dissolved he is on the sixt day after publiquely beheaded having first vehemently protested that hee never willingly did either actually endeavour or seriously intend any thing against the Person of the King or the Estate Concerning his death the opinions of men were divers their censures divers Among some the Protector heard ill for suffering his Brother to be executed without ordinary course of triall as for these faults proceeding from the violence of youthfull heat they might better have beene pardoned then the King be left destitute of an Vnkles helpe or himselfe of a Brothers Nay they say there wanted not those that before this severe couâ—se taken with the Admirall
he vnderstood was captiously cavilled at by some Sophisters And hauing occasion to speake of the Cardinall of Yorke he called him the Caterpillar of England He vnderstood the King did now loath that wicked sort of men and in his minde to fauour the Truth Wherefore he craueth pardon of his Majesty beseeching him to remember that wee being mortall should not make our enmities immortall If the King would be pleased to impose it hee would openly acknowledge his fault and blazon his Royall Vertues in another Booke Then hee wished him to stop his eares against those slanderous tongues that branded him with Heresy for this was the summe of his Doctrine That wee must bee saued through Faith in Christ who did beare the punishment of our sinnes in every part and throughout his whole body who dying for vs and rising againe raigneth with the Father for euer That he taught this to be the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles and that out of this position hee shewed what Charity was how we ought to behave our selues one towards another that we are to obey Magistrates to spend our whole life in the profession of the Gospell If this Doctrine containe any Jmpiety or Errour why do not his Aduersaries demonstrate it Why do they condemne him without either lawfull hearing or confutation In that he inveigheth against the Pope and his Adherents hee doth it not without good reason forasmuch as for their profits sake they teach things contrary to what Christ and the Apostles did that so they may domineere ouer the Flocke maintaine themselues in Gluttony Idlenes That this was the marke at which their thoughts and deeds aimed and that it was so notorious that they themselues could not deny it That if they would reform themselues by chāging their idle and filthy course of life maintained by the losse and wrong of others the differences might easily be composed That his Tenets were approued by many Princes and Estates of Germany who did reverently acknowledge this great blessing of God amongst whom he wonderfully desired he might ranke his Maiesly That the Emperour and some others opposed his proceedings he did not at all wonder for the Prophet DAVID had many ages since foretold That Kings and Nations should conspire against the Lord and against his Christ and cast away his yoke from them That when he did consider this and the like places of Scripture he did rather wonder that any Prince did fauor the doctrine of the Gospell And to conclude he craued a fauorable answer The King made a sharpe reply to LVTHERS letter accusing him of base inconstancy He stands in defence of his Booke which hee said was in great esteeme with many Religious and Learned men That he reuiled the Cardinall a Reuerend Father was to be regarded as from him from whose impiety neither God nor man could be free That both Himselfe and the whole Realme had found the profitable and wholsome effects of the Cardinalls endeavours who should reape this fruit of LVTHERS railing that whereas he loued him very well before hee would now favour him more than ever That among other of the Cardinalls good deeds this was one that he tooke especiall care that none of LVTHERS leprosy contagion and heresy should cleaue to or take roote in this Kingdome Then he vpbraided him with his incestuous marriage with a Nunne a crime as hainous and abhominable as any At this answer which the King caused to be printed LVTHER grieued much blaming his friends that had occasioned it saying That he writ in that humble manner only to please his Friends and that he now plainely saw how much he was mistaken That he committed the like errour in writing friendly at the request of others to Cardinall CAIETAN GEORGE Duke of Saxony and ERASMVS the fruits whereof were that he made them the more violent That the shewed himselfe a foole in hoping to find Piety and Zeale in Princes Courts in seeking Christ in the Kingdome of Satan in searching for IOHN BAPTIST among the Cloathed in Purple But being he could not prevaile by faire meanes he would take another course The late mention of ERASMVS puts me in minde of a Booke written by him either this or the yeare passed at the entreaty of the King and the Cardinall as he himselfe in an Epistle confesseth entituled De Libero Arbitrio Whereto LVTHER made a quicke reply writing a booke De Servo Arbitrio Anno Dom. 1526. Reg. 18. MAny reasons might move the Emperour to seeke the continuation of a Peace with England The French although they concealed it their King beeing not yet at liberty intend to revenge their late ouerthrow The Turke prepares for Hungary the King whereof LEWIS had married ANNE the Emperors Sister Almost all Italy by the Popes meanes combined against CHARLES whose power is now becom formidable And Germany it self the Boors hauing lately bin vp in arms being scarce pacified do yet every where threaten new tumults In this case the enmity of HENRY must necessarily much impeach his proceedings But many things againe vrge him on the other side his Aunts disgrace for of this he long since had an inkling The late League concluded vnder hand with the French But that which swaied aboue all was the dislike of his promised match with the Kings Daughter That the Queene his Aunt might be reconciled to her Husband there might yet be some hope The League with France especially the French Kings case being now so desperate might be as easily broken as it was made But this Match did no way sort to his minde which he had either for loue or for some other private respects setled els where ISABELLA Sister to IOHN King of Portugall was a brave beautifull Lady and had a Dowry of nine hundred thousand Duckets MARY was neither marriageable nor beautifull yet her by agreement must he marry without any other Dowry then those foure hundred thousand crownes which he had borrowed of HENRY The wars had drawne his Treasury dry and his Subjects in Spaine being required to relieve their Prince doe plainly perhaps not without subornation of some principall persons deny it vnlesse hee marry ISABELLA one in a manner of the same Linage of the same Language and Nation and of yeares sufficient to make a mother By way of seruice Custome growing to a Law they are to giue their King at his marriage foure hundred thousand Duckets if hee will in this be pleased to satisfie their request they promise to double the vsuall summe For these reasons when HENRY sent Embassadours to treate againe whether sincerely or no I cannot say concerning the renewing of the League the marriage of the Ladie MARY and of warre in France to bee maintained at the common charge of both CHARLES answered but coldly and at last even in the very nuptiall solemnities sends to excuse his marriage to the King whereunto the vndeniable desires of his subiects had in a manner forced him
friend BERNARDINE OCHINVS and came to Antwerp from thence to Colen at last to Strasburg from whence hee first set forth for England In the meane time on the first of October the Queene was with great pompe crowned at Westminster by STEPHEN GARDINER Bishop of Winchester and that after the manner of her Ancestours On the fift of the same moneth a Parliament is called at Westminster wherein all the Lawes enacted against the Pope and his adherents by HENRY and EDWARD were repealed And in the Convocation house at the same time was a long and eager disputation concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the Prolocutor Doctour WESTON with many others maintaining CHRISTS Corporall reall presence in the Sacrament Among those few who sided with the Truth were IOHN AILMER and RICHARD CHEYNEY both by Queene ELIZABETH made Bishops the one of London the other of Glocester IOHN PHILPOT Archdeacon of Winchester who confirmed this doctrrine with the testimony of his bloud IAMES HADDON Deane of Excester and WALTER PHILIPS Deane of Rochester At length the Truth was oppressed by Multitude not Reason Wherevpon the restitution of Romish rites is againe concluded and on the one and twentieth of December Masse beganne againe to bee celebrated throughout England The same day also the Marquis of Northampton and Sir HENRY GATES not long since condemned were set at libertie and pardoned And the Lords AMBROSE and GVILFORD DVDLEY with Lady IANE had their imprisonment more at large with hope of pardon also Anno Dom. 1554. Reg. 1. 2. THe Queene who was now thirty seuen yeares old hetherto thought averse from marriage either in regard of her own natural inclination or conscious to her selfe of the want of such beauty as might indeare a husband to her her affaires so requiring began at length to bethink her of an husband She feared least the consideration of her sexes imbecillity might bring her into contempt with her people she being yet scarce setled in her throne and the Kingdome still distracted in their affections to severall Competitors Fame had destined three for her bed PHILIP Infant of Spaine the Emperou'rs Son Cardinall POOLE and the Marquis of Excester The two last were proposed for their Royall descent and the opinion of the loue of their Countrey there being hope that vnder them the freedome and the priviledges of the Kingdome might be preserued inviolate But besides proximity of Bloud in each of the three Cardinall POOLE was much affected by the Queene for his grauity sanctimony meeknesse and wisdome COVRTNEY for his flourishing youth his courteous and pleasant disposition But he I knew not how was somwhat suspected not to thinke sincerely of the late established Religion but to haue fauored the Reformed And the Cardinall being now in his fiftieth and third yeare was deemed a little too old to be a father of childen But their opinion prevailed as more necessary who thought this vnsetled Kingdome would require a puissant King who should be able to curbe the factious subiect and by Sea and Land oppose the French by the accrue of Scotland become too neere neighbours and enemies to vs. Vpon these motives the ambitious Lady was easily induced to consent to a match with PHILIP For the Treaty whereof the Emperour had about the end of the last yeare sent on a grand Embassage LAMORALLE Count Egmond with whom CHARLES Count Lalaine and IOHN MONTMORENCY were ioyned in Commission In Ianuary the Embassadours arrived at London and in a few daies conclude the marriage the Conditions whereofwere these That matrimony being contracted betweene Philip and Mary it should be lawfull for Philip to vsurpe the Titles of all the Kingdomes and Provinces belonging to his Wife and should be ioint-Governour with her over those Kingdomes the Priviledges and Customes thereof alwayes preserved inviolate the full and free distribution of Bishoprickes Benefices Favors Offices alwayes remaining intire to the Queene That the Queene likewise should be assumed into the society of all the Realmes wherein Philip either then was or should be afterward invested That if Shee survived Philip sixty thousand pounds per annum should be assigned for her iointure as had beene formerly assigned to Lady Margaret Sister to Edward the Fourth and Widow to Charles Duke of Burgoigne wherof forty thousand should be raised out of Spaine and Arragon twenty thousand out of the Netherlands and the Provinces therto belonging And to prevent all future iars and contentions about the division of the inheritance of the Kingdomes and Provinces which either then were or afterward should be belonging to either it is agreed That the Issue begotten by this marriage should succeed in all the Queenes Kingdomes and Dominions and in all the Principalities of the Netherlands and Burgoigne whereof the Emperour did stand possessed That Charles the eldest Sonne to Philip by a former marriage should likewise succeed in all the Kingdomes aswell of his Father as of his Grandmother and his Grandfather the Emperour both in Italy and Spaine and by reason thereof should stand obliged for the payment of the forementioned forty thousand pounds If by this matrimony no other Issue shal be begotten then Female the Eldest shall succeed in all the Provinces of the Netherlands but with this caution that by the Counsaile and consent of her Brother Charles she shall make choice of an Husband either ouâ— of England or the Netherlands if she marrie from elsewhere without his consent shee shall be deprived of her right of Succession and Charles be invested therin But to her and her Sisters a convenient Dowry shall be assigned according to the Lawes and Customes of the places Jf it happen that Charles or his Successours shall die without issue in that case the first borne by this marriage although it be a Female shall succeed in all the Kingdomes belonging to both these Princes as well of the Netherlands as of Spaine and in all the Principalities of Italy and shall be bound to preserve inviolate all the Lawes Priviledges Jmmunities and Customes of each Kingdome Betweene the Emperour Philip and his Heires betweene the Queene and her Children and Heires and betweene both their Realmes and Dominions constant Amity Concord a perpetuall and inviolable League shall be continued This League Agreement and Articles shall be renued and confirmed at VVestminster the two and fortieth yeare of this Seculum and foure yeares after on the sixteenth of Ianuary at Vtrecht As soone as the Decree concerning these Nuptiall Compacts was divulged many out of a restles disposition misliking the present times but especially traducing the intent of this Accord as if by it the Spaniard were to become absolute Lord of all who should have the free managing of all affaires and abolishing our ancient Lawes and Customes would impose an intolerable yoake as on a conquered Nation This was the generall conceit of this Action But in private every one according to their divers humours did mutter
above navell high through the dikes to the wall which wee little feared could be done without resistance finding the place void of defendants they easily make themselves masters of the Castle and had as easily taken the Towne if Sir ANTHONY AGER Marshall of the Towne had not with some few others made head against them and forced them to retreat to the Castle in which conflict that valiant Knight was slaine The Lord WENTWORTH Governour of the Towne seeing little hopes of keeping the Towne craved parley which was granted and at length yeilded the Towne vpon these Conditions That the common souldiers and inhabitants should depart without transporting or carrying away any thing with them and that the Lord WENTWORTH with fifty others such as the Duke of Guise should appoint should remaine captives to be put to ranson So was Calais lost which had continued English above two hundred yeares neither was the siege long the Enemy sitting downe before iâ— on Newyeares day and having it yeilded vp on Twelfe day Seven dayes after the Duke marcheth toward Guisnes which Towne he tooke without any difficultie but the Castle which the Lord GRAY commanded not so easily But that and Hames Castle were at length taken also and dismantled so that of all the Kingdome of France the greatest part whereof was for a long time held by our Kings and whereof HENRY the Sixt had beene crowned King at Paris Anno 1431. nor in the Duchies of Normandie and Aquitaine the ancient inheritance of the Kings of England our Kings possesse nothing but the Isles of Iersey and Guarnesey which have proved loyall to vs ever since the Conquest While the French proceeded thus in Picardie the Queene certified thereof with great diligence prepares her Fleet to transport succours for Calais but contrary windes kept them backe so long vntill Calais was irrecoverably lost You shall not easily read of any action wherein God hath by more manifest signes declared how displeasing those wars are to him which vndertaken for ambition or profit do dissolve the publique peace PHILIP to begin with him against whom HENRY and the Pope did most vniustly conspire inlarged himselfe with a double victorie each whereof were great and memorable The Cardinall CARAFFA and the Duke of Paliane who for their owne ends had persuaded the doting Pope to throw the ball of discord betweene these Princes were after for this very thing beheaded by PIVS the Fourth who immediately succeeded PAVL PAVL himselfe in the meane time the French being overthrowne at Saint Quintin was exposed to the mercy of the Spaniard whom he had irritated the French being forced to withdraw his Army out of Italy The rash violation of the League by MARY was punished with the losse of Calais and through griefe thereof according to common beliefe of life also What happened to the French who by the Pope's instigation first brake the five yeares Truce wee have already declared And least it might be conceived that his losses at and of Saint QVINTIN were repaired by the taking of Calais another overthrow given him within few moneths after will take away much from the content of that victory In Iune the Marshall De Termes who succeeded STROSSY lately slaine Governour of Calais breaketh into Arthois and Flanders with an Army consisting of neere about eleven thousand men leaving Graveling and Burburg at his backe attempts Berghes takes it sackes it and so opens a way to Dunkirk which hee also takes and spoiles and the Countrey all about for they feared not the French there and the Townes which the Spaniard held thoroughout that Tract were ill furnished lying open to their mercy they ransacke it most miserably and march as far as Newport PHILIP was affrighted with this Tempest fearing especially least the Duke of Guise then in Armes should joine with TERMES but having intelligence that the Duke spent his time about Arlon and Vireton hee resolves to intercept the French in their returne In this enterprise hee employes Count EGMOND his Lieuetenant generall in the Netherlands who having speedily out of the neighbour Garrisons of Betune Saint Omer Aires Burburg and others assembled an Army of fifteene thousand puts himselfe betweene Dunkirk and Calais TERMES had hitherto expected the Duke of Guise but vpon notice that the Countrey was vp in Armes he somewhat too late bethought himselfe of a retreate Hee was now every way inclosed and passage not to be gained but by dint of sword The French therefore valiantly charge their Enemies and overthrow some Squadrons of Horse indeed dispaire animated them to do wonders and the Flemings were set on fire by the desire of revenging late injuries The Spanish Troupes renew the fight which was with equall order long maintained on both sides in the heate whereof ten English Men of War fortunately sailing by for De TERMES had for his security betaken him to the shore hoping that way with much lesse hazard to have gained passage vpon discovery of the French Colours let fly their Ordnance furiously among the French making such a slaughter that they began to give ground were at last routed and overthrowne The French in this battaile lost five thousand Their chiefe Commanders were almost all taken the Marshall himselfe was hurt and taken with D'ANNEBALT the Son of CLAVD the late Admirall the Earle of Chaune SENARPONT VILLEBON Governour of Picardy MORVILLIERS and many others Two hundred escaped to our Ships whome they might have drowned but giving them Quarter they were brought Captives into England This battaile was fought on the thirteenth of Iuly The Queene desirous by some action or other to wipe out the staine of the ignominious losse of Calais about the same time set forth a fleet of one hundred and forty Saile whereof thirty were Flemings the maine of the expedition being from Brest in Bretaigne But the Lord Clinton Lord high Admirall of England finding no good to be done there set saile for Conquet where he landed tooke the Towne sacked it and set it on fire together with the Abbey and the adiacent villages and returned to his ships But the Flemings somewhat more greedy after prey disorderly piercing farther into the Countrey and reguardlesse of martiall discipline which commands obedience to their Generall being incountred by the Lord of Kerâ—imon came fewer home by five hundred PHILIP about the same time lodging neere Amiens with a great Army HENRY with a far greater attended each motion of his They incampe at last HENRY on the North of the river Somme PHILIP on the South of the river Anthy so neere to one another that it might be thought impossible for two such spirited Princes commanding so great Armies to depart without a battell But divers considerations had tempered their heat PHILIP being the weaker of the two saw no reason why to ingage himselfe HENRY had an Army which had twice felt the other victorious and was therefore loath on them to adventure his already shaken estate