K. of Almain the K. of Sicily the K. of Navar and K. Edward the Bridegroom and four Queens Mary Q. of France Margaret the Q. Mother of England her Daughter the Q. of Navar and Isabel the Bride Q. of England There were likewise present a great number of Persons of Honour and Quality and among them the beloved Peirce Gavestone who was entertained with the tenderest affection imaginable by K. Edward but the Nobility had such a detestation of him that they resolved to have hinder'd the Coronation of the King and Queen which soon after followed had not King Edward solemnly promised to give them a reasonable satisfaction in the matter yet was he so far from it that none appeare◠more great in Attendants Bravery and all other grandeur than Gavestone and as a particular mark of Esteem the King ordered him to carry Sr. Edward's Crown before him at that Solemnity This still increased the Abhorrence of the Lords against him who having the power and favour of the King on his side slighted all their Attempts and Designs and resolved to provoke them to the utmost by abusing miscalling and scoffing at the chief Peers of the Land naming Thomas Earl of Lancaster the Stage player Aymer de Valence Earl of Pembroke Joseph the Jew because he wa◠〈…〉 pale and Guy Earl of Warwick the 〈…〉 of Ardern all whom at a Tur 〈…〉 a most contemptible manner 〈…〉 took little notice of these base Af 〈…〉 rather enconraged his Insolence by heap 〈…〉 daily upon him and Gavestone to establish himself was still contriving those Diversions which he knew to be pleasing to his vain Mind so that the Court was filled with Fidlers Players Jesters Flatterers and all such pernicious People as by sensualities and riotous practices might withdraw him from attempting any Noble Enterprizes in performance of his Father's Last Will or for the good Government of his People and led him into all kind of Debauchery and Dissoluteness while Gavestone himself revelled in all outward felicity and wasted the Treasure of the Kingdom in Riot and Folly or else converted it to his private use and likewise transported great Summs beyond the Sea that he might have somewhat to trust to if Fortune should happen to turn her back upon him and force him to a second Banishment And indeed he had so absolutely and intirely ingrossed the King's Favour that he had thereby frequent opportunities of inriching himself for all Addresses to the King for obtaining Offices Honours Pardons or any other Advantages passed through his hands who always espoused their business not according to Justice but by the value of the Presents made him and it is scarce credible to relate with what Prodigality the King squandred away his Money upon him yea so prodigious was his kindness toward him that he bestowed on him the best Jewels Gifts or Rarities that he had nay the Imperial Crown 〈◊〉 Victorious Father and a very fine Table and Stands all of pure Gold with many other rich Ornaments which Gavestone privately conveyed away to the great damage of the Kingdom Nay he treated him by the name of Brother and publickly declared that if it were in his power he would make him his Successor to the Crown The Lords who had hitherto past by the private Affronts and Injuries they had daily received in hope that the King might in time have seen his Errours which they by their daily Admonitions endeavoured to make him sensible of finding that he still persisted in the same Courses which grew now intolerable resolved more plainly to remonstrate the matter to him telling him That to their great grief they perceived that his Dotage and ill-placed Affection was unlimited toward Gavestone a Person of a wicked and infamous Life whose Father was a Traytor to the French King and was hanged for the same That his Mother was burnt for a Witch and that he himself was banisht for being a Confederate with her in her cursed Witchcrafts and that they did verily believe he had bewitcht the King or else certainly he could never retain such an unreasonable Passion for so profligate a Wretch That they much doubted he would abuse his Greatness so far as to bring Foreigners into the Land to defend him in his lawless and destructive Courses to the utter Ruine of the Laws Liberties and Estates of his Subjects They therefore humbly desire him to hearken to the Advice of his Peers which would be both for his own Honour and the Welfare of his People and particularly 1. That he would confirm and maintain those Antient Laws and Customs which were contained in the Charters of the Kings his Predecessors 2. That he would not force any man to part with his goods without payment of the full value thereof 3. That whatever Money Lands Jewels or other valuable things had been given away or alienated from the Crown since his Father's death might be restored 4. That he would remember the Oath he had taken to his Father before his death not to recall Peirce Gaveston from his Banishment And for prosecuting the War against Scotland and that he would rectifie all that had hitherto been amiss that so his Enemies might have no cause to rejoice nor his Friends be any longer troubled and disquieted Lastly That no man should be restrained by the King 's Writ from prosecuting his Suits in any Court of Justice for defending his Right and Property but that Justice might be impartially administred throughout the Kingdom both to Rich and Poor according to the antient and approved Constitutions Customs and Laws of England The King taking Counsel of Peirce Gavestone and his Complices commanded the Lord Chancellor to tell the Lords that he would give them satisfaction to their demands at the next Session of Parliament The Barons were no sooner gone out of London to their own homes but the King ordered the Gates of City to be shut and the Streets to be chained and and strict Watch to be kept then with some Forces both English and Foreigners marched in company of Gaveston to Wallingford Castle and as his Conscience did not trouble him for the breach of his Oath so their dislike increased his love to Gavesion for none but Gaveston must do all and nothing was acceptable nor grateful but what came from his hand However the King's lavishness having quite emptied his Exchequer he was compelled to comply with the Parliament at their next Meeting in London so far as to pass an Act for Gaveston's perpetual Banishment and for securing the Liberty of the Subject and the due execution of Justice which the King confirmed by a solemn Oath and for which they gratified him with a subsidy of the twentieth part of their Estates In pursuance of this Decree Gaveston is sent by the King into Ireland himself accompanying him in Person as far as Bristol and giving him a Commission to be Chief Governor of that Kingdom bestowing likewise on him no less then thirty
two Towns in the Province of Gascoign in France and furnishing him with men and money sufficient to secure himself against his Enemies creating him Baron of Wallingford and Earl of Cornwal and giving him the whole Revenue of that County as well as of Ireland to be disposed of at his pleasure with such store of Plate and Jewels that he might well think his Banishment was but a splendid Ambassage and an occasion offered to the King by fortune to make him the more Rich and Honourable He was no sooner arrived there but the King sent Messengers to him with his gracious Letters requiring him to be cheerful and merry in his exile assuring him that his troubles should in the end be recompenced with greater dignities and favours than he had yet received and indeed the King's mind was so fondly transported that he could not live without him and the exigency of his affairs being over he soon made it appear that what he had done against him was absolutely contrary to his humour and that his Heart went not along with his Tongue and Hand He therefore sends for him back who arriving in Wales and coming to Flint Castle was there met by the â—…ing and received with such extraordinary satisfaction as if the greatest blessing of Heaven had been bestowed upon him and to fix him more strongly if possible in his affections he Married him to Joan of Acres Countess of Glocester his Sisters Daughter resolving with himself to retain his Gaveston in despight of all his Lords and People and to adventure his Crown and Life in protecting of him from their displeasure wherein both the King and He shewed much indiscretion it being as equally dangerous for a Prince to shew extravagant love to his Favourite as for him to accept and make use of the same and at length it proved fatal to them both For Gaveston who was naturally insolent and ambitious being thus above his hopes or expectationâ— advanced to an alliance with the Blood Royal seemen now to endeavour if possible to exceed in his former outrages and practifed many more notorious Villanies than ever he had done before wasting and consuming the King's Treasure with such monstrous profusion that he had not wherewithal to defray the ordinary expences of his Court or to provide necessaries for his Family For he continually studied to supply the King 's luxurious fancy with fresh and chargeable delights both in banqueting costly Wines and Lascivious dalliance whereby be clouded his understanding and viâ—ated his Soul insomuch that he abandoned the Lawâ—… Bed and Society of his Religious and Virtuous Queen and gave himself up to the imbraces of wanton and impudent Harlors The Queen was extreamly grieved at these unsufferable wrongs and abuses which she endeavoured to redress by her earnest Prayers to God and her obliging demeanor to the King but all her pains were fruitless for the beams of her excellent endowments could not disperse the thick mists of his debauched temper neither could her sighs nor tears soften his Heart hardned with the variety and continuance of sinning and the malevolent example of the cursed Gaveston Neither were the Common People silent but took much liberty to talk of these great misdemeanours of the King who still continued resolute in those dissolute courses to which he intiâ—ed him The Queen being thus abâ—…ed both in her Honour and Maintenance having not a sufficient Maintenance allowed her by the preâ—ominant Gaveston to support her Royal Dignity sends her â—…plaints to her Father the French King and the Abbot of St. Dennis in France being 〈…〉 Pope's Legate to demand the Legacy that thâ— King's Father lest for the recovery of the Holy Land used his earnest importunities with him to banish that lewd Companion Gaveston from his Court and Kingdom with whose Conversation all Mankind that had converse with him were infected but all was in vain After this the King Summoned a Parliament to meet at Northampton designing to go from thence to Scotland The Barons came thither well armed and guarded of which the King having intelligence sent them word he would not come yet at last he came as far as Stony-Stratford to whom the Lords sent the Earls of Warwick and Clare with their earnest intreaties that for his own safety and the benefit of the Kingdom he would appear at his Parliament Whereupon he was prevailed with to come in the Habit of an Esquire and the Lords were present unarmed and in conclusion an happy agreement was made and the Expedition to Scotland laid aside for the present Soon after the Parliament assembled at London to which came Lewes Brother to the French King and the Bishop of Poictou to endeavour to settle a lasting Concord between the King and the Peers At this Parliament many good Laws were Enacted and among others one for banishing Peirce Gaveston once again which the King was obliged to pass tho' sore against his will with this condition added by the Lords That if he were ever found again in any of the King's Dominions he should be taken as a Common Enemy and executed by Martial Law without any farther Tryal Hereupon Gaveston went into France but that King being his sworn Enemy upon the account of the Queen his Daughter he durst not continue long in any one place but wandred from one Country to another seeking for Rest but could find none Wherefore â—…ing still confidence in the love and favour of the 〈◊〉 whose Sister he had Married he with many Foreigners adventured once more to England having scarce been absent three months and coming to the King who then kept his Christmass at York he was received and entertained with the former endearedness and so much joy that an Angel from Heaven could not have been more welcom to the King who instantly made him Principal Secretary of State The Queen Nobility and People were all mightily disturbed at Gaveston's return and the Lords perceiving the irreclaimable Temper of the King they consulted how to put an end to those notorious mischiefs and at length concluded that there could be no peace in the Kingdom while Gaveston was alive Hereupon they resolved to venture their Lives and Estates for the destruction of this infamous Foreâ—gner who seemed to design nothing but the utter ruin of the Nation Pursuant to which resolution they constitute Thomas Earl of Lancaster to be their Leader and put themselves in Arms but being sensible of the miseries of intestine Wars they were willing first to try all peaceable Expedients and therefore several Great men were sent with an humble Petition to the King at York requesting him to deliver into their hands or drive out of his Company and Kingdom the wicked Gaveston assuring him that they were all of opinion that he would never have any Money in his Exchequer nor any love for his Queen whilst that profligate stranger was in so much Grace and threatning that if he did not gratifie them in their requests
the Barons came in Person with a very strong Party before the Castle many of the Queen Friends who were formerly on the other side joining with him The Lord himself was gone with the rest of the Noblemen to destroy the Lands and Estates of the two Spencers having left his Wife and Children in the Castle and a Captain to command there After some time spent in the Siege the Besieged finding little hope of relief were forced to surrender it to the King at Mercy who hanged five or six of the principal Persons And committed the Lord Badlesmere's Wife and Children to the Tower After which many of the Barons misdoubting their strength deserted their Chief the Earl of Lancaster which now made the Victory the more easily incline to the King The third day after the Battle the King resolving to take his full swing of Vengeance upon the Barons sate in Judgment in Person at Pomfret Castle together with the Earls oâ— Kent Pembroke Surrey and the two Spencers Before whom the Earl of Lancaster and the rest being brought Sentence was pronounced against them to be drawn hanged and quartered as guilty of High Treason by Andrew Harkley a man of small fortune but made Earl of Carlile and Lord Chief Justice for taking the Earl of Lancaster and several other Lords Prisoners after the late Fight The Earl of Lancaster being the King's Uncle was only Beheaded the same day at Pomfret but the other Lords were hanged and quartered in several parts of the Realm As the Lords Lisle Touchet Manduit Bradburn Fitz Williams Cheyney at Pomfret The Lords Clifford Mowbray and Deynvile hang'd in Chains at York The Lord Gifford at Glocester The Lord Teys at London The Lord Aldenham at Windsor and the Lords Badlesmere and Ashburnham at Canterbury And several other Baronets Knights Esquires and Gentlemen were executed in other places Never before did English Earth at one time drink up so much Blood of her Nobility and Gentry shed in so vile a manner which whatsoever was pretended was reckoned by the People to be spilt upon the account and in the quarrel of the two Ravenous Favourites the Spencers nor was it long unrevenged with the destruction of the principal Actors After this the King likewise seized all their Estates as forfeited to the Crown This havock being made of the Nobility to the astonishment of the rest and the terror of the Vulgar the Spencers were elated so intolerably with Pride by this Victory that instead of making good use thereof and reforming those abuses that might occasion the like again and giving the King good Counsel they now proceed to commit greater Rapines and Violences than before making their Will a Law in all things And then presuming that all affairs should for the future be managed according to their pleasure they advise the King to call a Parliament at York in which he created Edward his eldest Son Prince of Wales and Duke of Acquitain He also created Sir Hugh Spencer the Father Earl of Winchester and Sir Hugh the Son Earl of Glocester And exacted the sixth Penny of all Mens Estates and Goods to support his intended Wars against the Scots the levying of which Tax caused much murmuring and discontent among the People who affirmed That they were already totally impoverished and ruined by War Famine and the disordereâ— Government of the King and his Evil Counsellors The King was fully persuaded that his late Successes had rendered him as terrible to the Scots as to his own Subjects and that they were no way capable of resisting so great a Power as he had raised against them resolving now to call them to a strict account for all their Inroads Murthers and Robberies The Scots being secretly inform'd that King Edward was intended to Invade their Country and to revenge those wrongs he had received from Robert Bruce their King endeavoured to divert him by landing a great Army in Ireland but the King having timely notice of their design made such provision that the greatest part of the Assailants were slain and the rest fled to their Ships and returned shamefully to their own Country The King after this marched with a very gallant Army into Scotland and being arrived the Scots Nobility with some thousands of men pretended to give him Battel but intended nothing less For at his approach they retired in good Order into the Woods Forests and Mountains of their Country insomuch that the English were quite tired and dispirited in pursuing them through those difficult and uneasie passages so that in a short time for want of Provisions and Necessaries and by reason of the Rains Hail Snow and Frosts which are incident to that cold Region the King's Forces were so afflicted with Sickness and Mortality that they were obliged to retire without having performed any thing suitable to such mighty preparations Which when the Scots perceived they pursued them with much cruelty and one night assaulted them with so much fury that the King himself very narrowly escaped and finding his Forces broken and his Army scattered he was forced to save his Life by an ignominious flight and to leave behind him his Treasure Ordnance Tents and Furniture a joyful prize to the Victorious Scots This last disaster and danger was occasioned principally by the Treachery of Sir Andrew Harkley the new made Earl of Carlile who under pretence of making Peace with the Scots secretly agreed to Marry the Daughter of King Robert whereupon he was seized and carried to London in Irons and being brought to the Bar before the Judg Sir Anthony Lucy in the Robes of an Earl with his Sword girt Hosed Booted and Spur'd the Judg spake thus to him ' Sir Andrew the King for thy Valour and Good Service hath advanced thee to great Honour and made thee Earl of Carlile notwithstanding which thou as a Traytor to thy Lord and King leddest a Party that should have assisted him at the Battel of Bayland in Scotland away by Copland through Lancashire by which Falseness and Treason of thine our Lord the King was discomfited by the Scots whereas if thou hadst arrived in time he might have gained the Victory And this Treason thou didst wilfully commit for a great sum of Gold and Silver which thou didst receive from James Dowglas a Scot and the King's Enemy For which great Crime our Lord the King hath commanded that thou be deprived of the Order of Knighthood wherewith he hath honoured thee for a terror to all other Knights to avoid the like Treachery Then his Spurs were hewed from his Heels and his Sword with which he was Knighted and Girt when created an Earl was broken over his Head he was then unclothed of all his Robes of Honour and State and his Coat of Arms defaced After which the Judg proceeded thus ' Andrew thou art now no Knight but a Knave and for thy Treason the King hath appointed that thou shalt be hanged thy Head smitten off and placed on London
de gentil Mortimer Good Son Good Son take pity upon the gentle Mortimer For she suspected the King was there though she did not see him Then were the Keys sent for and all the Castle with the Amunition and Provisions were delivered up to the King so secretly that none without the Castle had any knowledge of it but only the King's Friends This was counted a very daring enterprize in regard that Mortimer had usually 180 Knights besides Esquires and Gentlemen as a constant Guard for the security of his Person The next Morning early Roger Mortimer and his Accomplices were carried with mighty shoutings and rejoycings of the Common People the poor Earl of Lancaster though blind making up the cry toward London and was committed to the Tower And soon after in open Parliament at Westminster was Condemned by his Peers without being brought to Tryal by a Law of Mortimer's own contriving whereby the Earls of Lancaster Winchester Glocester and Kent were formerly out to Death The following Articles of High Treason were laid to his charge 1. That he was consenting to the Murther of the King's Father 2. That he Treacherously occasioned much loss and dishonour to the King at Stanhope Park by procuring the escape of the Scots for which he had received a great Sum of Money 3. That he caused several Ancient Deeds and Charters to be burnt wherein the King of Scots was obliged to do homage to the King of England and had made a dishonourable Contract between the King's Sister and David Bruce King Robert's Son 4. That he had prodigally and lewdly wasted the King's Treasures as well as those of the two Spencers 5. That he had been an Evil Councellor to the King and had been too familiarly conversant with the Queen Mother All which Articles are sum'd up in the following ragged Rymes which might very well have been in Prose but for their Antiqutty and brevity I will here insert them Five heinous crimes against him soon were had 1. That he caused the King to yield the Scot To make a Peace Towns that were from him got And therewithal the Charter called Ragman 2. He by the Scots was brib'd for private gain 3. That by his means King Edward of Carnarvan In Berkley Castle Treacherously was slain 4. That with his Prince's Mother he had lain 5. And finally with polling at his pleasure Had rob'd the K. and Commons of their Treasure For these Treasons he was sentenced to be hanged and afterward ignominiously drawn in a Sledg to Tyburn the common place of Execution then called the Elms and there upon the common gallows was as ignominiously Executed hanging by the King's command two Days and two Nights a publick and pleasing spectacle to the wronged People There died with him Sir Simon Bedford and John Deverel Esq as well for the expiation of the late King Edward's detestable Murther as in complement as it were to so great a Man's fall who seldom or never perish without company they suffered in 1330. The King by the advice of Parliament deprived the Queen of her excessive Dowry allowing her only a Thousand Pound a Year and confining her to a Monastery during Life but giving her the honour of a visit once or twice a Year though otherwise judging her scarce worthy to live in regard of her Debaucheries with Mortimer and her many other heinous practices From the sudden ruin of this great Favourite Mortimer we may Remark what Inchantments Honour Riches and Power are to the minds of Men how suddenly how strangely do they blow them up with contempt of others and forgetfulness of themselves And surely the frailty and uncertainty of Worldly felicity is very visible in this Great Person who when he was drunk as it were with all humane happiness so that he seemed to fear neither God nor Man was suddenly overtaken by Divine Justice and brought to utter confusion when he least dreamt of it But it was very equitable that he who would not take example by the wretched Fate of his Favourite Predecessors should himself be made an Example by the like shameful and Ignominious Death Remarks on the Life of Henry Stafford Duke of Buckingham Favourite to King Richard the Third TWO Or three considerable Remarks do naturally result from the following History 1. That Tyrants being but single Persons could never perpetrate the many mischiefs which they are usually guilty of did they not meet with proper Instruments to imploy therein 2. That the pravity of Mankind is so deplorable that the temptations of Honour and Riches too often prevail upon Men and ingage them in the most vile and destructive designs 3. That those who are imployed by Tyrants must never boggle not strain at the greatest Villanies since if they be not as thoroughly wicked as their Master he will account them his implacable Enemies and they are subject to be justly ruined by his unjust and revengeful hand All these Maxims seem to be verified in the Life Actions and Fall of this Great Man Henry Stafford Duke of Buckinham He was Son to Humfry Stafford of Brecknock-shire in Wales who was created Duke of Buckingham and Lord High Constable of England by King Henry VI. Being descended from a Daughter of Thomas of Woodstock youngest Son to King Edward III. His Son succeeded him in his Titles and Honour and was a great Favourite to King Richard III. and very Instrumental in advising him to his Usurped Throne as by the following Relation appears When King Edward IV. died he left behind him two Sons Edward his Successor of thirteen and Richard Duke of York of eleven years of Age. The Young King and his Brother were by their Father's Will committed to the care of the Earl of Rivers the Queens Brother whom he made Protector of the King during his Minority The Court was at this time kept at Ludlow in Wales to retain the Welsh in obedience who began to be unruly and in the mean time the Earl of Rivers disposed of all Offices and Places of Preferment which very much dislatisfied the Duke of Glocester Brother to King Edward IV. and Uncle to the Present King who upon his Brother's Death possed from the North where he then was to London and finding the Queen and her Kindred had the whole Government of affairs about the King he was very much displeased as judging it a main obstacle to his Usurpation and and Advancement to the Throne which it seems he had long before designed for it was reported that the very night wherein King Edward IV. died one Misselbrook came early in the morning to one Potter living in Redcross street near Cripplegate and told him that the King was dead By my Troth man says Potter then will my Master the Duke of Glocester be King For surely if he had not been acquainted with his Master's Intentions he would not have thus spoke But the Duke knowing that a business of such consequence was not to be managed alone he
will for it would turn highly to the dishonour of God and to the displeasure of the People if the priviledge of that Holy place should be now broken which had so many Years been inviolably preserved which so many good Kings and Princes had granted and confirmed and which Holy Ground was 500 Years ago by St. Peter in his own Person accompanied with great numbers of Angels by Night so miraculously hallowed and Dedicated to God And for proof whereof they have St. Peter's Copy yet in Westminster Abbey to show and from that time to this there was never any King so indevout and prophane that durst violate that Sacred place nor any Bishop so Holy that durst as to presume to Consecrate it and therefore quoth the Archbishop God forbid that any Man for any Earthly thing should presume to break the Priviledges and Liberties of that Holy Sanctuary and I hope in God I shall not need to fear it for my utmost endeavours shall not be wanting The other Bishops and Clergy in the Council were of the same opinion that no violence ought by any means to be used toward the Queen or that Sacred Place The Archbishop added But my Honourable Lords If the Mothers fears or Womanish dread render my message ineffectual I hope I shall receive no prejudice in your judgments thereby Womanish fear nay Womanish frowardness replied the Duke of Buckingham for I dare take it upon my Soul she very well knows there is no just cause for her to fear any danger can accrue thereby either to her Son or her self for surely no Man will make War with Women I would to God that some Men of her Family were Women too and then we should all be quickly quiet Yet are none of them the less respected because they are her Relations but by reason of their ill actions but if we had no kindness for her or her Kindred yet no Man can believe that we have any hatred or evil design against the King's Noble Brother who is a Kin to us all for whose Honour and welfare if his Mother had so much regard as we of the Nobility have She would not suffer him any longer to be without his Brother's society nor give occasion to Men to think that we have any surreptitious intentions toward him For though she be a Wise Princess yet I hope she does not so presume upon her own Wit as to prefer it before the Wisdom of this Illustrious Assembly nor suspect any unfair dealing from us whom she knows to be devoted to the Service both of the K. and his Brother Her refusal must therefore be the effect of her pevishness and preversness and not of her real fears unless she dreads her own shadow Besides if upon pretended doubts she is not willing to part with him we have the greater reason to take him out of her hands lest to prevent us she should convey him out of the Kingdom and it would much reflect upon the discretion of this Honourable Council to suffer the King's Brother to be carried out of the Realm before our Faces I am therefore clearly for taking him from her not that I would have Sanctuary violated but as I would not break the Priviledges they have so long enjoyed so if they were now to be given I would not be one that should consent to confirm them I will not deny but it may be necessary that those Men whom unfortunate accidents and not their own ill Husbandry have reduced to Poverty should have a place of security from their cruel Creditors Likewise If their be a Contention about the Rights of Princes to the Crown whereby sometimes one Party and soon after another are declared Traytors as it has lately happened I judge it convenient that there be some places of refuge for both But for Thieves and especially wilful Murtherers whom God Almighty commands should be taken from the Altar and put to Death I know no reason that they should have any protection For if either necessity self defence or misfortune brings a Man into danger he is either acquitted by the Law or the King out of his Clemency has power to grant him a Pardon Now let us consider how few Sanctuary men are necessitated to go thither and how great a number their own flagitious crimes drive into them What a rabble of Thieves Murtherers Traytors and other heinous Offenders shelter themselves from Justice in two Sanctuarys only The one in the Elbow of the City as I may call it I mean this at Westminster the other in the very bowels of it St. Martins Le Grand and I dare avow that if we compare the mischiefs that are occasioned by them with the benefits received from them we must conclude that we were better without both This I affirm though they were not abused as they are and having so long continued bad there is now little hope of redress since no Man dares presume to talk of reforming them and Men thereby seeming to make God and St. Peter the Patrons of Profligate and Vitious People For how many live prodigally and run in debt upon the incouragement of securing themselves in these places How many Rich Villains carry in thither Poor Mens Goods and leave them and their Families to Starve for want of their just dues How many Women run away from their Husbands with their Plate and Money and are there protected to spend it upon their Gallants How many Robbers bring Stolen Goods thither and live bravely upon them there they contrive new Robberies going out at Night to commit them and having Stolen Plundred and Murdered they return thither again with their prey as if such places gave them not only security to perpetrate these Villanies but a Licence to continue them But much of this mischief might be prevented if good Men would in earnest put their hands to it which might tend much to the honour of God and yet be no breach of Priviledge For since former Popes and Princes who were more Politick than Pious have granted them these long immunities We and others since out of fear have confirmed them we must be content to suffer them and in God's name let them stand in force as far as reason will permit but not in such force as to hinder us from taking this Young Prince out of Prison and restoring him to his Liberty Honour and Estate A Sanctuary is to preserve those Men or Women that are in danger of the Law abroad but not to wrong nor cheat any body by going in thither Now this Prince is in peril by no Law his Youth and Innocence free him from all suspicion of danger as well as his near Alliance to the King therefore he neither needs nor can have any benefit by Sanctuary and I dare say is very angry with those that keep him there But suppose the Duke is willing so long to continue there yet it is my opinion that he may be taken from thence against his will as
forty thousand pound out of the Exchequer which he carried over to Callice and from thence in 80 Waggons and a Guard of 1200 Horse 60 Mules and Sumpter Horses and attended with a great number of Lords and Gentlemen he conveyed this great Sum to the French Court at Amiens Having before his going hence sent out Commissions to all the Bishops of England to Sing the Litany after this manner Holy Mary pray for our Holy Pope Clement Holy Holy Peter pray for Pope Clement c. And thus was the Cardinal disappointed in advising the King to declare the Duke of Bourbon his General who proceeded farther then he could ever have imagined The Cardinals ambition being unlimited he during the Imprisonment of the Pope sent to the Emperour to use his interest to advance him to the Papacy but receiving a disobliging answer he grew thereupon so furious that he sent the Emperor word That if he would not endeavour his advancement he would make such a rustling among the Christian Princes as there had not been the like for an hundred years before though it should cost him the whole Kingdom of England The Emperour answering this insolent Letter in Print bid the Cardinal have a care of undertaking what might both ruin himself and the Kingdom Hereupon the Cardinal sent private Letters to Clarentius King at Arms to join with the French Herald and proclaim defiance to the Emperour Who suspecting that it was done without the King's knowledge ordered his Ambassadour at London to complain thereof The King much wondered to hear of it and the Cardinal confidently affirmed that he knew nothing of the matter but that it was the fault of Clarenâ—ius who had done it at the request of the French Herald for which he swore he should lose his Head when he came to Callice Clarentius having intelligence hereof instantly Imbark'd at Bullen and coming to Greenwich was introduced by some of his Friends into the King's Presence before the Cardinal knew of it and produced the Cardinals Letters Commission and Instructions for what he had done At which the King was so surprized that he stood some time silent and then said ' O Lord Jesus He that I trusted most hath deceived me and given a false account of my Affairs Well Clarentius for the future I shall take care whom I believe for I now find I have been informed of a great many things as true which I now find to be utterly false And from that time the King withdrew his favour and confidence from him Some time before this the Cardinal sent Letters to Doctor Stephen Gardiner the King's Orator at Rome and afterward Bishop of Winchester urging him to use all manner of means for advancing him to the Papal Dignity which he said nothing could induce him to aspire to but the vehement desire he had to restore and advance the Authority of the Church wherein no Man should be more Zealous and indefatigable than himself He likewise ingaged the French King and King Henry to write to the Cardinals on his behalf that he might succeed after the Death of Pope Clement and vast Sums of Money were wasted in this business but all the Cardinals ambitious thoughts proved abortive and as he already began to stagger in the King's favour so in a short time he fell into his high displeasure For these extravagant expences drained the King's Treasury so low that the Cardinal was compell'd to contrive new ways for filling them again To which end he without the King's knowledge and by his own Authority Issued out Commissions under the Great Seal to every County in England for taking an account of every Man's Estate and he that was worth Fifty Pound was charged to pay Four Shillings in the Pound All that were worth above Twenty and under Fifty Pound Two Shillings in the Pound and those not worth Twenty Pound to pay Twelve pence to be paid either in Money or Plate making himself chief Commissioner for raising the same in and about London The Clergy were likewise charged at four Shillings in the Pound for their Livings These unjust Proceedings were grievous both to the Clergy and People who generally refused to comply alledging That these Commissions were contrary to Law and against the Liberty of the Subject and that it was not possible for those who were worth more yet to raise the half of what they were charged with either in Plate or ready Money and therefore they Petitioned the Cardinal to intercede with the King for remitting it To whom he haughtily replied That he would rather have his Tongue pluck'd out of his Mouth with Pincers then move any such thing and that he was resolved to make them pay the utmost Farthing and the Lord Viscount Lisle one of the Commissioners in Hampshire sending a Letter to the Cardinal that he doubted the raising this Money would occasion an Insurrection he swore deeply that his not following the Instructions given him should cost him his Head But however the discontents of the People were so general that the Cardinal doubting the Event thought fit to recal those Commissions and to issue others whereby he demanded a sixth part of every Mans Estate according to the aforesaid Rates which he did not doubt but they would have complied with but on the contrary they renewed their complaints and cursed the Tyrannical Cardinal for his Arbitrary Proceedings which at length reach'd the King's Ear. who being told that all Places were filled with Clamours Discontents and Mutinies he openly protested that these Commissions were issued out without his Knowledge or Consent and to prevent farther Mischief he by Proclamation vacated them declaring that though his necessities were never so urgent yet he would never force his Subjects to pay any Tax without their own consent in Parliament but that his wants being extream at this time if they would of their own accord by way of Benevolence supply his present exigencies he should accept it as an infallible Proof of their Love and Duty toward their Soveraign The Cardinal perceiving himself obliquely struck at by this Proclamation as the principal Author of these heavy Pressures and publick Grievances he Politickly sent for the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common Council of London before him to whom he declared That perceiving the former Demands to be grievous to the People he had upon his Knees for the Love and Kindness he bore toward them perswaded the King to annul those Commissions and wholly to relie upon the free Gift of his People and though the King might have justly demanded the former Summs as a due Debt yet he freely released them of the same not doubting but they would equal if not exceed the Rates formerly required of them the Lord Mayor and Aldermen assembled their respective Wards and acquainted them with the King's desire but the Citizens absolutely refused to give any thing alledging that they had pay'd enough already and were able to do no more adding many opprobrious
Words against the Cardinal who having notice of it sent for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen again saying he would examine them upon Oath what they were worth which they also denied to have done and one of their Counsellours pleaded that the demanding or paying of any Benevolence was contrary to the Statute made in the I. Year of King Richard III. What says the Cardinal do you quote a Law made by an Usurper and Murtherer the Counsellour replied the Act was made by the Lords and Commons of England and not by him alone Well my Lord Mayor and Aldermen said the Cardinal pray tell me what you will give My Lord pray excuse me said the Lord Mayor for if I should offer any thing I do not know but it may cost me my Life ' What for your kindness to your King that 's very strange said the Cardinal why then I am afraid you will constrain the King to force you to your Duty well my Lord pray go home and tell your Neighbours the King will be very kind to them if they do but shew their good will to him in some competent summ next day the Lord Mayor called a Common Council where it was unanimously Voted that the Meeting of the Aldermen in their respective Wards in order to the demanding a Benevolence of the Subject was contrary to Law and therefore not to be regarded two or three of the Common Council moved that every Man should go to the Cardinal and give him privately what they thought fit but this so inraged the rest that they required that these Men should be for ever banisht and excluded from sitting in the Common Council and so the Court broke up in disorder and every Man went to his own home Neither had this Project better success in other places of this Realm the People in Kent Essex Suffolk Norfolk c. assembling three or four thousand in a Company and openly declaring against the Benevolence and the Duke of Norfolk coming to them and demanding what was the cause of their Insurrection and who was their Captain was answered that Poverty was both their Cause and Captain the great Taxes they had already paid having so ruined their Trades that they had not Bread for their Families nor Work to imploy them in desiring the Duke to mediate with the King on their behalf The King having daily Intelligence of these disorders thought it dangerous to proceed further in this matter and therefore summoned a great Council to York Place now Whitehall where he again made a solemn Protestation That he never designed to demand any thing of his People which might tend to the breach of the Laws and therefore desired to know by whose Order those Commissions were issued out to demand the Sixth Part of every Man's Estate the Cardinal answered That it was done by the consent of the whole Council and by the Advice of the Judges for the supply of the King's wants who said it might lawfully be demanded and that he took God to witness he never designed to oppress the Subject but like a true and just Counsellour contrived how to inrich the King and some Clergy men had told him that it might be done by the Law of God because Joseph caused Pharaoh King of Egypt to take the Fifth Part of every Man's Goods in that Land ' But however said he since I find every Man is willing to free himself of this burden I am content to take upon me the scandal of it and bear the ill Will of the Multitude for my good Will toward the King and to clear you my Lords and Counsellours but the Eternal God knoweth all Well said the King I have been informed that my Realm was never so rich as now and that no trouble would have risen upon this demand since every Man would freely pay it at the first request but now I find all contrary at which all held their Peace Come said the King I 'll have no more of these disturbances pray send Letters to every County in England to recal the Benevolence I will freely pardon what is past but pray let me hear no more of it The Lords on their Knees returned the King thanks and Letters were sent accordingly wherein somewhat to excuse the Cardinal it was inserted That the Lords Judges and others of the Privy Council first contrived that demand and that the Cardinal only concurred with them in it but however the Common People had a mortal Aversion to him for this and many other illegal Practices and his Interest with the King seemed likewise daily to lessen and to disoblige the Court he insinuated into the King that his Family was much out of Order and thereupon undertook to reform the same by removing several Officers and Servants from their Places and putting ill Men in their Rooms He likewise presented his Mannor and Palace of Hampton-Court to the King a little to sweeten him in recompence of which the King gave him leave to keep his Court in his Palace at Richmond wherein King Henry VIIth did so extreamly delight which yet made him the more abhorr'd both by the Courtiers and Common People who reproachfully said Who would ever have thought to have seen a Butcher's Dog lye in the Palace of Richmond After this the Marriage of the King with Queen Katherine his Brother Arthur's Widow began to be questioned and some Authors say the scruple about it was first put into the King's Head by Cardinal Woolsey who being naturally revengeful and never forgiving any Injury moved it partly to be avenged on the Emperour whose Sister Queen Katherine was for not making him Pope and partly because the Queen had often secretly and modestly reproved him for his Tyranny Covetousness Oppression Pride and Lasciviousness King Henry seemed very much disturbed at this Motion and desired that the Legality of his Marriage might be debated among the Learned pretending that he had no design in it but only to satisfie his Conscience and to establish the Succession of the Crown in a rightful Heir which could not be done if Queen Katherine were not his lawful Wise upon this account a religious Sorrow seemed to seize upon him 〈◊〉 he refrained from the Queen's Bed till by a Ju 〈…〉 Sentence this grand Affair might be settled the Cardinal to advance his Reputation higher with the King procured a Commission from the Pope to himself and Cardinal Campeius that before them as Supream Judges this Question might be debated by legal Processes and Proceedings and determined according to the Laws of God and Man the King declared that he intended nothing but Justice in the Case and therefore allowed the Queen to chuse what Counsellours she pleased to defend her Cause who accordingly nominated Warham Archbishop of Canterbury West Bishop of Ely Fisher Bishop of Rochester the Bishop of St. Asaph and some others Cardinal Campeius being again arrived in England the two Legates caused a stately Court to be erected in Black Fryers
it not a marvellous thing to think into what great Debt this great Cardinal hath brought you to all your Subjects How so quoth the King Why says she there is not a man in your whole Kingdom worth an hundred pounds but he hath made you a Debtor to him Meaning the Loan which the Cardinal had borrowed for the King some years before and which he procured the House of Commons who were most the King's Servants to discharge without repaying a farthing to the great loss of the People Nay added she how many violencies and oppressions is he guilty of to your great dishonour and disgrace in divers parts of the Realm so that if my Lord of Norfolk my Lord of Suffolk my own Father or any other Nobleman had done but half so much wrong as he they well deserved to lose their Heads Then I perceive said the King that you are no friend of my Lord Cardinal 's Why Sir quoth she I have no cause no more have any others that love the King Neither has your Grace any reason to be kind to him considering his indirect and unlawful actions The King said no more but went away The Council and the Nobility perceiving that the King's Heart was estranged from Woolsey they resolved if possible utterly to depress him for he was generally hated for his excessive Pride insulting Tyranny grievous oppressions monstrous injustice unsatiable covetousness abominable debauchery malicious and cruel revenge and likewise for his secret Intreagues with the Pope and Church of Rome whereby the King's Authority and Prerogative Royal in all things touching the Church and Clergy were made void Hereupon they concluded him guilty of a Praemunire and that consequently he had forfeited all his Promotions Spiritual and Temporal with all the rest of his Estate and likewise his Liberty to the King These crimes the Nobility drew into Articles which were ingrossed and signed with their hands and then delivered to the King Which were as followeth I. That by subtil and indirect means he had procured himself without the King's consent to be made a Legate whereby he deprived the Bishops and Clergy of England of all jurisdiction in Ecclesiastical Affairs II. That in all his Letters to Foreign Princes he used the insolent stile of Ego Rex meus I and my King as if the King were his Inferior or Servant III. That he unchristianly and abominably slandered the Church of England to the Pope affirming That they were Reprobates and without Faith and that there was an absolute necessity for him to be made a Legate to reduce them to the true belief IV. That without the King's consent he carried the Great Seal of England to Flanders only for vain Glory and to the great damage of the Subjects of England V. That he being filthily powdered with the French Pox by reason of his excessive Letchery and Debauched Life did oft presume to discourse with and cast his unwholesome Breath into the King's Face VI. That he caused the Cardinals Hat to be put on the King's Coin VII That to obtain his Dignities he had conveyed out of the Realm 240000 l. at one time and incredible sums at other times And to inrich the K. again had of his own accord sent out Commissions for exacting infinite sums contrary to Law which raised hatred and insurrections among the People against the King These with many other Articles being charged against VVoolsey he with his own Hand freely Subscribed to them confessing all of them to be true throwing himself upon the King's mercy hoping he would have forgiven him but afterward finding that he disposed of his Offices and part of his Estate he secretly procured a Bull from the Pope to Curse and Excommunicate the King unless he would restore to him all his Dignities and Lands who likewise declared that the King himself nor no other authority on Earth but the Pope alone had power to punish any Clergyman for any crime or offence whatsoever This Bull with the Letters sent him by several Cardinals to incourage him not to faint or be discouraged assuring him of his Restoration and that the King should be certainly crost in the business of his Marriage so animated the Cardinal that he did not doubt of his re-advancement if not with yet without the King's consent so that he made great preparations for his in stalment into his Archbishoprick of York which he designed to solemnize with extraordinary Pomp and Magnificence to which purpose he had erected a stately seat of an extraordinary height in that Cathedral resembling the Throne of the King and writ Letters to the Nobility and Gentry of the North wherein he kindly invited them to be present at his Instalment for which he had made extraordinary provision of all manner of Dainties These mighty preparations being made without acquainting the King therewith and seeming to be in contempt of him who had been so kind to allow him the Bishopricks of York and VVinchester though justly forfeited to the Crown caused the King to put a stop to his aspiring purposes so that he sent order to the Earl of Northumberland to Arrest him and deliver him to the Earl of Shrewsbury Lord High Steward of the Houshold The Earl accordingly went to his Mannor of Caywood about seven Miles from York and coming into his Chamber told him he arrested him for High Treason in the King's name The Cardinal was so astonisht that for some time he stood speechless at length recovering himself he said You have no power to Arrest me who am both a Cardinal and a Legate and also a Peer of the See Apostolick of Rome and ought not to be Arrested by any Temporal Power for I am Subject to none and none I will obey Well said the Earl here is the King's Commission and therefore I charge you to submit I remember when I was sworn Warden of the Marches you your self told me that with my staff only I might Arrest any man under the degree of a King and now I am stronger for I also have a Commission for what I have done The Cardinal at length recollecting himself Well my Lord said he I am contented to submit but though by negligence I fell into the danger of a Praemunire whereby I forfeited all my Lands and Goods to the Law yet my Person was under the King's Protection and I was pardoned that offence therefore I much wonder I should be now Arrested especially considering I am a Member of the Sacred College at Rome on whom no Temporal Man ought to lay hands Well I find the King wants good Counsellors about him He was then kept close in one of his Chambers and Dr. Austin his Physician was at the same time Arrested for High Treason and sent to the Tower The Cardinal's Goods were all seized and his Servants discharged And he himself was so dejected that he continually lamented his hard fortune with such a mean and unbecoming forrow as such haughty Spirits are
commonly subject to when they fall into adversity as having neither good Consciences nor manly Courage to support their drooping Spirits From hence he was carried to the Earl of Shrewsbury's to Sheffeild where he continued till the King sent Sir William Kingston Captain of the Guard and Constable of the Tower to bring him to London the sight of whom so daunted him that he redoubled his lamentations and would receive no comfort and much doubting he should lose his Head he took so strong a Purge or poysonous Potion for fear of being brought to open punishment for his many enormities as in a few days put an end to his Life at Leicester Abbey in his Journey toward London Being near his end he called Sir William Kingston to him and said 'Pray present my Duty to his Majesty who is a Noble and Gallant Prince and of a resolved Mind for he will venture the loss of his Kingdom rather than be contradicted in his desires I do assure you I have sometimes kneeled three hours together to dissande him from his resolutions but could never prevail therefore you had need take care what you put into his Head for you can never get it out again And now Mr. Kingston had I but served God as diligently as I have served the King he would never have forsaken me in my Gray Hairs but this is the just reward that I receive for all my pains and labour who neglected the Service of God and studied only to please and humour my Prince He then proceeded to vilifie the Protestants whom he named Hellish Lutherans and that the King should take care to suppress and extirpate them as being the occasion of Rebellions and Insurrections in Bohemia and England in King Richard II's time and other places and that these Seditions and Heresies would ruin Holy Church and bring destruction upon the Realm About eight a Clock at Night he gave up the Ghost as himself had predicted the day before A Person in whose Arm he died affirmed that his Body when dead was as black as pitch and so heavy that six men could hardly carry it and stank so horribly that they were forced to bury him that very night before it was day At which time so great a Tempest of Wind and such a lothsome stench arose that all the Torches were blown out and the Corps being hastily thrown into the Grave was there left without Tomb Monument or Remembrance Of which the Poet thus writes And though from his own Store Woolsey might have A Palace or a College for his Grave Yet here he lies interr'd as if that all Of him to be remembred were his Fall Nothing but Earth to Earth no pompous weight Upon him but a Pebble or a Quait One Historian thus concludes his Story Thus Lived and thus Died this great Cardinal who was Proud and Ambiâ—ious VVanton and Letcherous Rich and Covetous a Liar and a Flatterer a Tyrant and Merciless forgetful of his beginning disdainful in his Prosperity dispirited and base in adversity and wretched in his end VVhose Death made the King joyful the Nobles jocund and the People glad This happened in 1530. Thus died this mighty Prelate who though guilty of so many horrid crimes yet to the last hour pretended much zeal for the Church breathing forth Death and murder against the Protestants and charging them with those Rebellions and Disturbances which the Clergy only were the cause of by their violent Counsels and their bloody cruel illegal and arbitrary decrees and practices Insomuch that Sir Richard Baker in his Chronicle of England writing the Character of King Henry VIII says thus But it will be injurious to charge all the Blood spilt in his Reign to his account They were the bloody Bishops that made those bloody Laws and the bloody Clergy that put them in execution the King oft-times scarce knowing what was done and when he heard of some of them he extreamly condemned their barbarous cruelty Remarks upon the Life Actions and Fatal Fall of Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex Favourite to King Henry the Eighth 〈◊〉 the Life of this Great Person we may remark That those Noble Virtues which sometimes adâ—… Men to Honour and Dignity are not always priâ—…es intailed and appropriated to high Birth and â—…rable Descent But that those that proceed from mean and abject Families are oftentimes indued with such singular VVisdom Dexterity and Industry that they rise to high preferment and authority VVe may likewise observe That though his Predecessor VVoolsey could not bear the great Fortune to which he arrived with any moderation but by his Pride and Insolence became distastful to all men yet our great Cromwell on the contrary carried an even Sail in all conditions being neither elated with Prosperity nor deprest when fallen from it Lastly We may hence conclude with the Wise man that all things happen alike to all in this life Woolsey the greatest slave to Vice and Cromwell a Person of the most sublime Virtue being both Favourites to the same King both falling into disgrace with him and both expiring by a fatal Fall Thomas Cromwell was the Son of a Blacksmith at Putney in Surrey to whom may be applied what Juvenal said of Demosthenes the famous Orator who had the same Original Whom his poor Father blear-ey'd with the Soot Of Sparks which from the burning Iron did shoot From Coals Tongs Anvil and such Blacksmiths Tools And dirty Forge sent to the Grammar Schools His Father educated him according to his mean ability and though his low condition was at first a great hindrance to his promotion yet such was his pregnancy of wit his solid judgment his ready elocution his indefatigable diligence his couragious Heart and his active Hand that so many excellencies could not lye long concealed insomuch that though he were without Friends or Money yet nothing being too difficult for his Wit and Industry to compass nor for his Capacity and Memory to retain he soon got into Imployment For having passed over his Youth with the common diversions of that state when he grew toward man he had a great inclination to travel abroad and learn experience in the World and gain those Languages which might be serviceable to him in the future course of his Life Whereupon going over to Antwerp he was there retained by the English Merchants for their Secretary It happened about this time that the People of Boston in Lincolnshire thought fit to send to Rome to renew the Great and Little Pardon which formerly belonged to a Church in their Town by which they found much advantage from those who came to have the benefit of the remission of their Sins by them which were no small number of superstitious Zealots And being very sensible that all things at Rome were to be purchased only by Money they sent one Jeffery Chambers with a round sum upon this notable errand who in his Journey coming to Antwerp and much doubting his ability for managing
so weighty a business he made a visit to Mr. Cromwell and giving him an account of the affair he was very importunate with him to accompany him Cromwell knew very well the many Intreagues of the Roman Court and the unreasonable expences they must be at among those Spiritual Cormorants however having some knowledge of the Italian Tongue and being not yet well setled in Religion he was at length prevailed with to adventure with him When they arrived at Rome Cromwell finding it very difficult to get his Pardons dispatcht and being unwilling to spend much time or money he at length perceived that nothing was to be done without making a Present of some Rarity to the Pope and hearing that he was much delighted with delicate new found Dishes he prepared several fine Dishes of Jelly of divers colours according to the English fashion which were not as yet known at Rome Cromwell observing his time when the Pope was newly returned to his Pallace from Hunting he with his English Companions approached him with their Presents which they introduced with singing in English the three Mans Song as it is called The Pope wondring at the Song and understanding they were Englishmen and came not empty handed ordered them to be called in Cromwell making low obeysance presented his jolly junkets being such as he said none but Kings and Princes in England use to Eat desiring his Holiness to accept of them from him and his Companions who were poor Suitors at his Court and had presented them as Novelties proper only for his Table Pope Julius observing the strangeness of the Dishes bid a Cardinal taste them which he liked so well and the Pope after him that inquiring what their business was and then requiring them to give him an account how these Jellies were made he without delay Sealed both the Great and Lesser Pardons and fully dispatcht them All this while Cromwell had no great sense of Religion but was wild youthful and without regard to any thing that was serious as he often declared to Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury being very diligent with Jeffery Chambers in publishing the Pardons of Boston in all the Churches as he travelled and serving sometime under the Duke of Burbon at the Siege of Rome Thus he continued for some years till at length by learning the New Testament of Erasmus by Heart in his going to and from Rome he began to come to a better understanding About this time Cardinal Woolsey began to grow very great in England ruling all under or rather over the King so that Persons of the briskest Wits and noted Abilities addrest themselves to him for imployments Among whom Thomas Cromwell was by him prefer'd to be his Chancellor and at the same time Sir Thomas More and Stephen Gardiner were likewise taken into the Cardinals Family being all three almost of one Age one standing in Learning not much unequal in Wit and their advancements arising from the same foundation though afterward their Studies Dispositions and Fortune were greatly different The Cardinal designing to erect a famous Colledge in Oxford called then Frideswide now Christ Church obtained leave from the Pope to suppress several small Monasteries and Priories in divers parts of the Realm and to convert the Revenues thereof to his own use He committed the charge of this business to Cromwell who used such industry and expedition therein as was displeasing to some Great Persons both of the Nobility and Clergy But afterward the Cardinal who had risen suddenly began to fall as fast first from his Chancellorship which was bestowed on Sir Thomas More and then falling into a Praemunire his Family was dissolved Cromwel being thereby out of Office endeavoured to be retained in the Kings Service and Sir Christopher Hales Master of the Rolls though an earnest Papist yet had so great a kindness for him that he recommended him to the King as a Man most fit to be imployed by him but Cromwel had been so misrepresented by the Popish Clergy for his forwardness in defacing their Monasteries and Altars that the King abhorr'd the very name of him but the Lord Russel Earl of Bedford being present whose Life Cromwel had saved at Bononia in Italy where he was secretly imploy'd in the King's Affairs and was in great danger to be taken had he not been secured by Cromwel's Policy who not forgetting his Benefactor gave him an account of the whole matter and since His Majesty had now to do with the Pope his great Enemy he was of Opinion there was not a fitter Instrument for the King's purpose than he and told him wherein The King hereupon was willing to speak with him of which Cromwel having Private notice he got in readiness the Oath which the English Bishops took to the Pope at their Consecration and being called in after paying his Duty to the King answered to all Points demanded of him whereby he made it plainly appear that his Royal Authority was diminisht within his own Kingdom by the Pope and his Clergy who having sworn Allegiance to the King were afterward dispensed with for the same and sworn anew to the Pope so that he was but half King and they but half Subjects in his own Realm which was derogatory to his Crown and absolutely contrary to the Common Law of England and that his Majesty might therefore justly make himself rich with their forfeited Estates if he pleased to take the present occasion The King was very Attentive to his Discourse especially the last part of it and demanded whether he would justifie what he said He affirmed he would producing the Oath they had taken to the Pope which the King having read he took his Ring off his Finger and first admitting him into his Service by the Advice of his Council sent him therewith to the Convocation then sitting Cromwel coming boldly with the King's Signet into the Convocation House and placing himself among the Bishops Warham being Archbishop of Canterbury declared to them the Authority of the King and the Obedience due from Subjects especially from Bishops and Clergymen to the Laws of the Land which are necessarily provided for the Benefit and quiet of the Commonwealth which Laws notwithstanding they had all highly transgressed to the great Derogation of the King 's Royal Dignity and thereby brought themselves into a Praemunire not only in consenting to the Power Legantine of the late Cardinal Woolsey but also by Swearing to the Pope contrary to their Allegiance to their Soveraign Lord the King whereby they had forfeited all their Spiritual and Temporal Estates real or personal The Bishops were amazed at first to hear this bold Charge and began to deny it but Cromwell shewing them the very Copy of their Oath taken to the Pope at their Consecration made the matter so plain that they began to shrink and desired time to advise about it but however before they could get clear of this Praemunire the two Provinces of Canterbury and York
were obliged by Act of Parliament to pay the King one hundred eighteen thousand eight hundred and forty Pounds Cromwel after this came into great Favour with the King who made him a Knight Master of his Jewel House and a Privy Councellour and soon after Knight of the Garter Earl of Essex Lord Privy Seal and Lord Great Chamberlain of England and lastly he was constituted Vicegerent in all Ecclesiastical Affairs by Virtue whereof both in Parliament and elsewhere he had the precedence of the Archbishop of Canterbury This Authority he used upon all occasions for the extirpating Romish Superstition and Idolatry to which he always was an utter Enemy and for which there was a fair occasion offered For the King being inraged against the Pope for refusing to annul his Marriage with Queen Katherine though he had the Judgement of nineteen Universities on his side he resolved to have the matter determined by the Clergy of his own Kingdom and having summoned a Convocation they after mature debate declared the Marriage null and void from the beginning and confirmed the Kings second Marriage with Queen Ann of Bullen which he had consummated some time before And a Parliament being called several Acts were passed against the Popes Supremacy whereby all Clergymen that should make any appeal to Rome were declared guilty of a Praemunire and that the King should have power to visit examine and reform all the Monasteries and Nunneries of the Kingdom and should give Licenses for electing Bishops to all Vacancies without the Popes consent or approbation and declaring the King Supream Head on earth of the Church of England after which a stop was put to the Persecutions which the Protestant Ministers had suffered many of whom were cruelly burnt by the Popish Clergy for want of stronger Arguments to convince them The Nobility and Gentry were generally well satisfied with this change but the Body of the People who were more under the Power of the Priests were by them possest with great fears of a change of Religion being told that the King had now joined himself with Hereticks and that Queen Ann Cranmer now Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Cromwel favoured them For the Monks and Friers saw themselves left at the King's Mercy the Trads of new Saints was now at an end they had also some Intimations that Cromwel was forming a Project for suppressing Monasteries so that in Confessions and Discourses they infused into the People a dislike of the Kings Proceedings which prevail'd so far upon them as they afterward broke out into formidable Insurrections and Rebellions in divers Parts of the Kingdom Cromwel by his Vicegerency had precedence of all next the Royal Family and as the King came in the Popes Room so the Vicegerents Authority was in all Points the same that the Legates had in the time of Popery the first Act of Cromwel's after his being Vicar General was with a Delegation of the Kings Supremacy to him to visit all the Monasteries and Churches in England of which the Bishops and Abbots were so jealous that of their own accord before any Law was made about it they swore to maintain the Kings Supremacy however the Visitation went on throughout England and in many places monstrous disorders were found as the Sin of Sodomy in some barbarous Murthers and Cruelties in others Tools for false Coining in others and great Factions and Divisions in many The Report that was made contained many other abominable Crimes not fit to be named hereupon Cromwel procured the Parliament to pass an Act that thirty Persons Spiritual and Temporal such as his Majesty should impower under his Great Seal should have Authority to make and establish Laws and Ordinances Ecclesiastical which should be obligatory upon all the Subjects of this Realm and likewise that all Religious Houses either Monasteries Priories or Nunneries whose revenues did not exceed two hundred pounds a Year should be supprest and dissolved and all their Possessions and Lands setled on the Crown for ever And the Reasons alledged for doing this were because these Houses were erected upon gross abuses and subsisted by them the Foundation of all their Wealth being founded upon the belief of Purgatory and of the Virtue that was in Masses to redeem Souls out of it and that these eased the Torments of departed Souls and at last delivered them out of them so it past among all for a piece of Piety to Parents and of care for their own Souls and Families to endow those Houses with some Lands upon Condition they should have Masses said for them the number of which were usually according to the value of the Gift this was like to have drawn the whole Wealth of the Nation into those Houses had not some restraint been put to that Superstition they also perswaded the People that the Saints interceded for them and would kindly accept offerings made at their Shrines and the greater they were the more earnestly would they use their Interest for them The credulous Vulgar measuring the Court of Heaven by those on Earth believed that Presents might be very prevalent there so that every new Saint must have new Gifts presented him Likewise some Images were believed to have an extraordinary Virtue in them and Pilgrimages to them were much extolled and there was great Contention among the Monasteries every one magnifying their one Saints Images and Reliques above others the Wealth that these Follies brought in occasioned great Corruptions so that the Monks and Friers were very debaucht and very Ignorant And the begging Friers under the appearance of Poverty course Diet and Cloathing gained much esteem and became almost the only Preachers and Confessort in the World but not being able to conceal their Vices they were now fallen under much Scandal and a general Disesteem and the King designing to create new Bishopricks thought it necessary in Order thereto to make use of some of their Revenues and that the best way to bring them into his hands would be to expose their vices that so they might quite lose the esteem they yet had with some and it would be the less dangerous to suppress them Cromwel was imploy'd in this Reforming Work and for removing all Images and Superstitious Pictures out of the Churches many of the Abbots surrendred their Monasteries and in most Houses the Visitors made the Monks sign a Confession of their former Vices and Disorders in which they acknowledged their Idleness Gluttony and Sensuality for which the Pit of Hell was ready to swallow them up others acknowledged that they were sensible that the manner of their former pretended Religion consisting only in some Dumb Ceremonies whereby they were blindly led without any Knowledge of God's Laws and being exempted from the Authority of their own Bishops and wholly subjecting themselves to a Forreign Power who took no care to reform their abuses it had occasioned great disorders among them but the most perfect way of Life revealed by Christ and
her demeanour so rude that he askt whether they had brought over a Flanders Mare to him and thenceforward had an absolute aversion for her Person Neither had he any kindness for her Religion and many Virtues she being a very Devout Protestant So that he resolved to break the Match if possible but for fear of disobliging the German Princes his affairs making their friendship very necessary to him at this time to obviate the designs of the Emperor Pope and French King now projecting against him he Married her but exprest his dislike of her so plainly that all about him took notice of it and the day after he told Cromwell that he had not consummated his Marriage with her and did believe he should never do it complaining of ill smells about her and that he suspected she was not a Virgin which so much increased his dislikes that he thought he should be never able to endure her Cromwell endeavoured in vain to overcome these prejudices so that though the King lived with her five Months and lay often in the Bed with her yet was his aversion rather increased than abated About this time all the ground that the Reformation gained after so much had been lately lost was a liberty for all private persons to have Bibles in their Houses the managing of which was put into Cromwell's hands by a particular Patent And a new Parliament being called as the Lord Chancellor declared the matters of State to them so the Vicegerent Cromwell spake to them concerning Religion telling them ' That the King desired nothing so much as an entire Union among all his Subjects but that some Incendiaries opposed it as much as he promoted it and that rashness on one side and inveterate Superstition on the other had raised great dissentions which were inflamed by the reproachful names of Papist and Heretick and though they had now the Word of God in all their hands yet they rather studied to justifie their Passions than amend and govern their Lives by it To remove which the King had appointed several Bishops to settle the Doctrine and Ceremonies and to publish an exposition of the Doctrine of Christ without corrupt mixtures and yet to retain such Ceremonies as should be thought necessary resolving afterward to punish all Transgressors of either side At this time Cromwell was created Earl of Essex which shâ—ws that the King's dislike of the Queen was not the chief cause of his ruin otherwise he had not now advanced him The Popish Bishops especially Gardiner being glad to be any way rid of a Protestant Queen heightned the King's aversion to the Lady Ann of Cleve by all means possible and persuaded the King to move for a Divorce The Queen seem'd little concerned at it and exprest much willingness to discharge him from a Marriage so unacceptable to him The Lords addrest to him that he would suffer the Marriage to be examined which being granted a Commission was sent to the Convocation to discuss it and Witnesses being heard it appeared that her Pre-contract with the Prince of Lorrain was not fully cleared And that the King had Married her against his Will And not having given an inward and compleat consent he had never consummated the Marriage so that no Issue could be expected from the Queen Whereupon the Convocation publisht an authentick Instrument under the Seals of the two Archbishops declaring to the Christian World that the King's Marriage with the Lady Ann of Cleve was a nullity void frustrate and of none effect because the said Lady under her own hand had upon due examination confest that the King never had nor could perform to her that Benevolence which by a Husband was due to a Wife This Sentence was confirmed by Parliament adding that it was lawful according to the Ecclesiastical Laws for the King to Marry another Wife and for the Lady Ann of Cleve to take another Husband according to the Laws of Holy Church And all such as by Writing Printing or Speaking did maintain the contrary should be punisht as for High Treason During this Transaction a sudden turn happened at Court The Lord Cromwell was suddenly Arrested for High Treason by the Duke of Norfolk in the Council Chamber at White-Hall and committed Prisoner to the Tower The lowness of his birth procured him many Enemies among the Nobility to see a Blacksmiths Son prefer'd to such high Dignity He being at the same time Lord Vicegerent Lord Privy Seal and Lord High Chamberlain of England Earl of Essex and Master of the Rolls The Popish Clergy hated him mortally the suppression of the Abbies and the Injunctions about Reformation in the Church being imputed to his Counsels And the King being freed from the fear of the Confederacy betwixt the Emperor and French King against him who could not agree upon the Terms Cromwells Counsel's now became useless to him and he hoped the making him a Sacrifice might somewhat appease the People who were much disturbed at some late proceedings And surther he now intended a Match with Katherine Howard Neice to the Duke of Norfolk a Papist and an Enemy to the Reformation The King was likewise told that Cromwell was an Enemy to the Six Articles and incouraged those that opposed them Of the truth of the fast we read this following Passage About two years before the King ordered Archbishop Cranmer to put in Writing all the Arguments he had used in Parliament against the six Articles He likewise sent Cromwell and the Duke of Norfolk to Dine with him and assure him of the continuance of his favour and kindness to him At Table they acknowledged that Cranmer had opposed the Articles with much Prudence and Learning expressing a great value for him and telling him that those who differed from his opinion could not but esteem him highly for his worth and since the King seemed to approve of them he need fear nothing Cromwell added That the King had so much respect for him above his other Counsellors that he would not give ear to any complaints against him and that as Cardinal Woolsey lost his friends by Pride the other gained upon his Enemies by his Humility and Moderation The Duke of Norfolk replied he could speak best of the Cardinal having been his man so long Cromwell replied warmly That he never liked his Manners but said he If he had been Pope I never intended to have gone into Italy with him as you my Lord Duke designed to have done The Duke swore he lied and gave him ill Language which put all the company into disorder and they were never friends afterward Cranmer drew up his Reasons against the six Articles and gave them to his Secretary to transcribe fairly for the King's use but crossing the Thames met with a very odd accident For a Bear being baited near the River broke loose and running into the Water overturned the Boat wherein the Secretary was whereby his Book fell into the Thames and was taken up
with to Storm it was forced to retire and in his retreat had a great number of his Souldiers kill'd and drowned returning home with great disuonour Upon the return of the Fleet the Cry of the Nation was so great both for the Disgrace and the Seamen's want of Pay that the King was obliged to call a Parliamene which being met the Duke is declared the Grievance of Grievances and the Cause of all the miseries of the Kingdom But the King Proroguing the Parliament before they could proceed against him in the mean time Dr. Lamb the Duke's Creature is murthered in the City out of hatred to his Master And the Town of Rochel who had declared for the English when they were there being now closely besieged by the French The King had prepared a Fleet under the command of the Duke to relieve it who being advanced as far as Portsmouth to go aboard was slain by one Lieutenant Felton in his own Lodgings by one blow with a Knife under the left Rib and up to the Heart leaving the Knife in his Body and got away undiscovered In his fall to the Ground the Duke was heard to say The Villain has killed me Company coming in and finding him weltring in his Blood began to inquire for the Murtherer when Felton immediately stept out and said ' I am the man that have done the deed let no man suffer that is innocent VVhen he gave the fatal blow Felton cry'd The Lord have mercy upon thy Soul VVhich the Duke had not time to pronounce himself Felton had a Paper sticking to the Lining of his Hat wherein he had written as followeth ' I would have no man commend me for doing it but rather discommend themselves for if God had not taken away their Hearts for their Sins he had not gone so long unpunisht The man is cowardly base in mind opinion and deserves not the name of a Gentleman or Souldier that is unwilling to Sacrifice his Life for the Honour of God his King and Country Subscrib'd John Felton He confest to the Council that the motives to it were his want of pay his being disappointed of a Captains place which the Duke promised him Together with the late Remonstrance of the House of Commons against him A. B. Laud askt him whether the Puritans did not incite him to it which he denied or any body else VVell then said Laud we must make you confess your Accomplices on the Rack If you should said Felton it may be the torment would make me accuse you as soon as another So he was tried for murther and suffered very penitently at Tyburn and his Body was hung in Chains at Portsmouth in 1628. An Ingenious VVriter is much offended with Sir Henry VVotton for making a Parallel between the Earl of Essex aforementioned and the Duke of Buckinghim to be found in his remains which he says is much to the disadvantage of Essex who besides his last action never did any thing so ingrateful as might make him fear the anger or beg the favour of a Parliament much less owe his Life to the Dissolution of one He died like a Christian He was no instrument of Tyranny and Oppression his memory being still valuable among the People VVhereas the Duke's retains a contrary Tincture nor can his bounty to his Friends and Servants expunge his faults because the Money was drained either from the People the Publick Treasury or from the general safety of the Nation Whereas Essex obliged his Confidents out of his own store or by such innocent ways as the Subject had no cause to repine at His natural parts were as great and his Learning and Birth greater than the Dukes Nor can his last inconsiderate action that rather deserves the Title of a Riot than Treason come up to so great an ingratitude and indignity to the Nation as Buckingham's proceedings at Rochel wherein the Duke shewed no less folly in procuring so great a hatred among the People than Essex did in misapplying their love And if his Picture be exact Essex was as hand some as he which was the chief cause of Villers advancement Only in this Essex came short in having a Mistress that would attend to reason whether it came from friendship or malice Whereas the Dukes fortune depended on two Princes that in reference to their own weakness or his strongth remained deaf to all Complaints but what were made by him or his Creatures under pain of his high Displeasure which was usually much heavier than the King 's Concerning their Deaths saith my Author I can attest the Duke 's did occasion no lâ—… joy than the other did sorrow though the death of Queen Elizabeth her self be put into the Scale Nor was the Hangman willing to be hired to cut off Essex whereas Felton seemed to be inspired with some Daemon if not the Genius of our Nation Remarks on the Life Actions and Fatal Fall of Thomas Wentworth Earl of Strafford Favourite to King Charles I. THIS great Favourite was born in Chancery Lane London his Mother coming casually to the City but descended from an antient Family at Wentworth VVoodhouse in Yorkshire He was educated in St. John's College in Oxford whereby he was so accomplisht that his endowments soon advanced him to be a Member of the House of Commons wherein he appeared very zealous for the Liberties of his Country and that often with so much strength of reason that his Sentiments prevail'd for or against the Cause he managed Of which I shall give a few instances In the Parliament 3. Charles I. Upon a debate on the Grievances of the Kingdom by quartering Souldiers Loans Benevolence Privy Seals and Imprisoning Gentlemen that refused to lend Money on that account and were refused to be Bailed upon there Habeas Corpus he spake thus ' Surely these illegal ways are punishments and marks of indignation The raising of Loans strengthned by Commissions with unheard of Instructions and Oaths and the Billetting of Souldiers by Deputy Lieutenants have been such as if they could have persuaded Christian Princes that the right of Empires had been to take away mens Properties by strong hands These Projectors have introduced a Privy Council who have ravisht at once the Spheres of allantient Government shprisoning us without either Bail or Bond. They have taken from us what What shall I say indeed What have they left us The remedy I shall propound is To vindicate our antient vital Liberties by reinforcing the Laws made by our Ancestors by giving such a Character of them as no Licentious Spirit shall ever dare enter upon them hereafter Let 〈◊〉 secure our selves and our freedom from imprisonment Les us secure our Goods that no Levies be made but by Parliament no Bilseting of Souldiers If we are not secured in these we cannot give supplies I cannot forget that duty I owe to my Country and unless our Liberties be secured I incline to look upon the state of our Country whether it be
fit to give or no. Are we come to an end of our Countries Liberties Are we secured for time future We are accountable to a Publick Trust and since there hath been a Publick Violation of the Laws by the King's Ministers nothing will satisfie but a Publick Amends and our desire to vindicate the Subject's Right is no more than what is laid down in former Laws Let us be sure that the Subject's Liberties go hand in hand with the supply and not to pass the one till we have good Ground and a Bill for the other Upon the Petition of Right which the House of Lords would have had this addition to ' We present this our Humble Petition to your Majesty with the care not only of preserving our own Liberties but with due regard to leave intire that Sovereign Power wherewith your Majesty is trusted for the Protection Safety and Happiness of the People Sir Tho. Wentworth spake thus ' If we admit of this Addition we shall leave the Subjects worse than we found them and we shall have little thanks for our labour when we come home Let us leave all Power to his Majesty to punish Malefactors but these Laws are not acquainted with Soveraign Power VVe desire no new thing nor do we offer to intrench on his Majesties Prerogative but we may not recede from this Petition either in part or in whole The King hearing of his ability and understanding used all means to gain him to himself by bestowing of Titles of Honour and Places of Trust upon him Creating him Viscount VVentworth Earl of Strafford and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whereby he made him wholly his own In Ireland he was very active in augmenting the King's Revenues and advancing the Royal Authority by all ways within his Power And upon his return into England he advised the King to go into Scotland and settle the Peace of that Kingdom by his Coronation there he having intelligence that if it were defer'd any longer the Scots might perhaps incline to Elect another King Upon the troubles that rose soon after there on the account of imposing the Common Prayer upon them and the King resolving to raise an Army to reduce them but doubting the Parliament would not supply him the Lords told the King that they would ingage their own Credits to forward the business and the Earl of Strafford for the incouragement subscribed 20000 l. other Noblemen following his example conformable to their Estates and some of the Judges contributed largely April 13. 1639 a Parliament being assembled the Earl of Strafford was led into the House of Peers by two Noblemen to give an account of his proceedings in Ireland having there obrained the Grant of four Subsides for maintaing 10000 Foot and 1500 Horse Implicitely hinting thereby that they should propostion their Supplies accordingly But the Parliament doubting that the Irish Forces might indanger Religion and seeming to allow the justness of the Scots Cause and of the good that might be obtained by favouring them in this Conjuncture the King doubting they might vote against the War with the Scots whom he resolved to Treat severely for not complying with his Will and Pleasure he thereupon suddenly Dissolves them to the great discontent of the People who for eleven years past durst scarce mention the name of a Parliament Being hereby disappointed of a supply the King sends to the Citizens of London to lend Money and to all Knights and Gentlemen who held Lands of the Crown to provide Men Horses and Arms for his Assistance The Citizens generally refused pleading poverty and want of Trade but by the assistance of the Gentry an Army was raised with great celerity of which the Earl of Strafford was made Lieutenant General and the King commanded in Chief The Scots having notice of these preparations speedily raised an Army with which they marched into England to make this the Seat of War The Lord Conway doubting they would take in Newcastle drew off 3000 Foot and about 1200 Horse to secure the Pass at Newburn Lesly the Scots General marching forward sent a Trumpeter to the Lord Conway to desire leave to pass to the King with their Petition which being denied they fell upon the English and kill'd 300 of them Which being accounted an unhappy Omen several of the Lords Petitioned the King for a Parliament which was seconded by another from the Scots and a third from the City of London At length the King consented to it having first by advice of the Peers consented to a Treaty with the Scots at Rippon they refusing to send their Commissioners to York alledging That the Lieutenant of Ireland resided there who proclaimed them Rebels in Ireland before the King had done it in England and against whom as a chief Incendiary they intended to complain in the next Parliament For the Parliament meeting Nov. 3. 1640. the Scotch Commissioners coming to London had many private Conferences with some of the House of Commons and it was concluded that the Earl of Strafford should be immediately Impeached at his first coming into the House of Lords which was done accordingly and thereupon he was instantly taken into Custody and in March following he was brought to his Trial in Westminster Hall The King Queen and Prince were present in a private Closet where they could here all but were seen of none And then Mr. Pym Impeached the Earl of twenty eight Articles of High Treason in the name of the Commons of England sharging him That he had Trayterously endeavoured to subvert the fundamental Laws and Government of England and Ireland and to introduce an Arbitrary Tyrannical Government by Trayterously assuming to himself Regal Power over the Laws Liberties Persons Lands and Goods of his Majesties Subjects Had countenanced and encouraged Papists Had maliciously endeavoured to stir up enmity and hostility between the Subjects of England and Scotland Had wilfully betrayed the King's Subjects to death by a dishonourable retreat at Newburn that by the effusion of blood and the dishonour and loss of New-Castle the People of England might be ingaged in a National and Irreconcileable quarrel with the Scots And that to secure himself from being questioned for these and other Trayterous Courses he had laboured to subvert the Rights of Parliament and to incense his Majesty against them by false and malicious slanders and that upon the Dissolution of the last Parliament he did treacherously and wickedly counsel and advise His Majesty to this effect That having tryed the affections of his People he was loose and absolved from all rules of Government and was to do every thing that power would admit Since having tried all ways he was refused so that he would now be acquitted both by God and Man And that he had an Army in Ireland meaning the Army of Papists who were his Dependants which the King might imploy to reduce this Kingdom to his obedience That he falsly maliciously and treacherously declared before some of the