Garter by whom Hee did congratulate his late victorious successe admonishing him to a close pursuit of his fortunes That if his Jmperiall Maiesty intended with greater forces to oppresse the already Vanquished in regard of the strict â—y of friendship betweene them his necessary endeauors should in no sort be wanting What answer the Emperor gaue I know not It is very likely he paid the King in his owne coine and dissembled with the Dissembler but hauing courteously entertained our Embassadours as courteously dismissed them But the King wants money and must now dissemble with his subiects He pretended war with France and with this key hopes to open his Subiects coffers The expectation of supplies by a Parliament would prove tedious some shorter course must be taken Money is therfore demanded by Proclamation that no lesle then according to the sixth part of euery mans Moveables Divers great personages appointed Commissioners vse all faire meanes to draw the people to contribute But although they sate in Commission in divers parts of the Kingdome at one and the same time they were so far from preuailing that as if the people had vniuersally conspired it was every where denied and the Commissioners very ill entreated not without further danger of sedition and tumult Hereupon the King calls a Parliament to be held at London wherein he professeth himselfe to be vtterly ignorant of these intollerable courses by such burthenous taxations The King disclaiming it euery one seekes to free himselfe The Cardinall was at last faine to take all vpon himselfe protesting That as a faithfull Seruant he had no further end in it than the profit of his Lord the King and that hee had aduised not onely with his Maiesties Councell which they all acknowledged but also with the Learned in the Lawes both Diuine and Humane whose opinion it was that the King might lawfully take the same course that PHARAOH did who by the ministery of IOSEPH sequestred a certaine portion of euery mans priuate estate for the publique good But the dislike of the people occasioned by this though fruitlesse proiect was greater than could be removed by this excuse And yet this proiect was not altogether fruitlesse the Kings apparant want affording a sufficient pretext of deferring the war with France vntill another yeare Neither was it the Kings intent to make vse of his advantages ouer the French who now lay open to all his blows HENRY hauing put away his wife the Emperour must needs be netled and then the amity of France would stand him in some steed Indeed CATHARINE was a noble and a vertuous Lady but shee had liued so long as to make her Husband weary of her He affected the daughter of Sir THOMAS BOLEN Treasurer of his Houshold Her he intends to marry and to be diuorced from the other For he did in his soule abhor this incestuous Match and it stood not with the publique weale that He should live single especially the lawfulnesse of his Daughters birth being so questionable Hee married not againe for his pleasure but to settle the Kingdome on his lawfull Issue The Learned as many as Hee had conferred with did generally pronounce the first marriage void yet would Hee haue it lawfully decided that with a safe conscience He might make choice of a second Thus far had WOLSEY willingly led him hoping to haue drawne him to a Match in France But Hee was of age to choose for himselfe and had already els where setled his affections And the more to manifest his love on the eighteenth of Iune he created his future Father in law Sir THOMAS BOLEN Viscont Rochfort At the same time were created HENRY FITZ-ROY the Kings naturall fonne by ELIZABETH BLOVNT Daughter to Sir IOHN BLOVNT Knight Earle of Nottingham and Duke of Richmond and Somerset HENRY COVRTNEY Earle of Devonshire the Kings Couzen german Marquis of Excester HENRY BRANDON eldest sonne to the Duke of Suffolke by the Kings Sister the Dowager of France Earle of Lincolne THOMAS MANNERS Lord Roos Earle of Rutland Sir HENRY CLIFFORD Earle of Cumberland and ROBERT RATCLIF Lord Fitzwalter Viscont Fitzwalter Cardinall WOLSEY this yeare laid the foundation of two Colledges one at Ipswich the place of his birth another at Oxford dedicated to our Sauiour CHRIST by the name of Christ-Church This later though not halfe finished yet a magnificent and royall Worke a most fruitfull Mother of Learned Children doth furnish the Church and Common-wealth with multitudes of able men and amongst others acknowledgeth me such as I am for her Foster-childe The other as if the Founder had also been the foundation fell with the Cardinall and being for the most part pulled downe is long since converted to private vses The Cardinalls private estate although it were wonderfull great being not sufficient to endow these Colledges with revenues answerable to their foundation the Pope consenting he demolished fourty Monasteries of meaner note and conferred the lands belonging to them on these his new Colledges It hath been the observation of some That this businesse like that proverbiall gold of Tholouse was fatall to those that any way had a hand in it We will hereafter shew what became of the Pope and the Cardinall But of five whom he made vse of in the alienation of the guifts of so many religious men it afterward happened that two of them challenging the field of each other one was slaine and the other hanged for it a third throwing himselfe headlong into a Well perished wilfully a fourth before that a wealthy man sunke to that low ebbe that he after begged his bread and Doctor ALLEN the fift a man of especiall note being Archbishop of Dublin was murthered in Jreland I could wish that by these and the like examples men would learne to take heed how they lay hands on things consecrated to God If the Divine Iustice so severely punished those that converted the abused yet not regarding the abuse but following the sway of their ambitious desires goods of the Church to vndoubtedly better vses what can we expect of those that take all occasions to rob and spoile the Church hauing no other end but onely the inriching of themselues LVTHER had notice of HENRY his intended Divorce and that from CHRISTIERNE the expelled King of Denmarke who eagerly solicited him to write friendly vnto the King putting LVTHER in hope that HENRY being a courteous Prince might by milde persuasions be induced to embrace the reformation which LVTHER had begun And indeed LVTHER foreseeing the necessary consequences of this Divorce was easily entreated and did write vnto the King in this submissiue manner He doubted not but he had much offended his Majesty by his late reply but he did it rather enforced by others then of his owne accord Hee did now write presuming vpon the Kings much bruited humanity especially being informed That the King himselfe was not Author of the Booke against him which thing
of Scripture The eight of December the King graced three noble and worthy men with new titles of honour THOMAS BOLEN Viscount Rochfort the King 's future Father in law was created Earle of Wiltshire ROBERT RATCLIF Viscount Fitz-Walter of the noble Family of the FITZ-WALTERS Earle of Sussex in which honour his sonne THOMAS his nephevves THOMAS first then HENRY brother to THOMAS and now ROBERT the sonne of HENRY have succeeded him And GEORGE Lord Hastings was made Earle of Huntingdon who left it to his son FRANCIS Father of HENRY who deceased without issue and GEORGE Grandfather to HENRY the now Earle by FRANCIS who died before his Father Anno Dom. 1530. Reg. 22. WILLIAM TINDALL having translated the New Testament into English and procured it to be printed at Antwerp had secretly dispersed many copies thereof throughout England Whereat the Bishops and Clergy especially those that were most addicted to the Doctrine of Rome stormed excedingly saying that this Translation was full of errours and that in the prefaces and else where it contained many things contrary to the Truth The King being angry with the Pope had long since determined to free himselfe from his vsurped power And therefore admonished the murmuring Clergy to correct this booke not to suppresse it for it was a most profitable worke and very necessary for the discovery of the deceits of the Court of Rome the tyranny whereof was become intolerable to all the Princes of Christendome Whereupon he giveth order to the Bishops and some other learned men to set forth a new Translation which his subiects might reade with safety and profit The hope of prevailing with the Pope by the French King's meanes had drawne HENRY to send on a second Embassage to the Pope the Earle of Wiltshire Doctour STOKESLEY Elect of London and EDWARD LEE WOLSEY his Successor in Yorke They found the Pope at Bononia with the Emperour but had no other answer to their demands then that his Holinesse when he came to Rome would indevour to do the King iustice Till then he could do nothing Faire meanes not prevailing the King runs another course â—y publique Proclamation throughout the Kingdome he forbids all commerce betweene his subiects and the Bishop of Rome commanding that no man should receive any thing from or send any thing especially money vnto him either by exchange or any other meanes calling him Tyrant the Harpy of the World the common Incendiary and deeming him vtterly vnworthy of that glorious title which he had vaingloriously vsurped Christs Vicar This in September But the wealth of the Clergy being very great and considering how they had in the Raignes of his Predecessors strongly sided with the Pope the King was some what iealous of them To curbe them hee condemnes the whole Clergy throughout the Kingdome in a Praemunire for that without licence from his Maiesty they had beene obedient to the authority of the Pope in acknowledging WOLSEY for his Legate The Clergy of the Province of Canterbury being assembled in Convocation buy their pardon at a hundred thousand pounds and in this Synode he is with much ado by the Clergy of both Provinces declared next vnder Christ Supreme Head of the Church of England and all foraine power or authority whatsoever disclaimed The Province of Yorke is moreover fined at eighteene thousand eight hundred forty pounds So this one fault if it may be so accompted it being certaine that WOLSEY was licenced to exercise his authority Legantine cost the Clergy a hundred and eighteene thousand eight hundred and forty pounds Anno Dom. 1531. Reg. 23. THe only publique memorable occurrents of this yeare were that the Laity for the most part as deepe in a Praemunire as the Clergy were by Act of Parliament pardoned In which assembly Sir THOMAS MORE Lord Chancellour and other remarkable speakers related at large the Conclusions of the Vniversities concerning the vnlawfulnesse of the Kings marriage And yet perhaps the notorious villany of RICHARD ROSE Cooke to the Bishop of Rochester might crave a place in this History who with poysoned broth killed sixteene of the Bishops servants The Bishop himselfe who was especially aimed at that day contrary to his accustomed diet forbearing broth escaped The poisoner according to a Law lately enacted was throwne into a cauldron of boyling water But the offence deserved tortures of a most exquisite straine Anno Dom. 1532. Reg. 24. ON the three and twentieth of August died WILLIAM WARHAM Archbishop of Canterbury to whom THOMAS CRANMER at that time in Germany about the Kings affaires was appointed Successor He was not so ambitious as to aspire to such a dignity and some reasons made him vnwilling to accept it being offred He knew before he could be consecrated he must sweare obedience to the Pope which with a safe conscience he could not He feared what would be the issue of this abrupt seperation from the Sea of Rome Hee knew the King's disposition to be violent such sudaine changes to be full of danger and the Court although hee had not yet purchased the acquaintance of it to be a meere schoole of fraud and dissembling The Kings pleasure must necessarily be obeyed and if he slipped neuer so little enuy the mischievous attendant of great felicity would helpe him forward to a breake-necke CRANMER also having long since lost his Wife whom he had married in his youth had taken a liking to a certaine maide neipce to OSIANDERS wife whom he intended to make his second wife yet hee knew that the Canon Law permitted not Priests to marry and made them vncapable of holy Orders who had beene twice married These considerations made him linger in Germany six whole moneths after the dispatch of his businesle hoping that his absence might afford meanes to some other to worke a way to the Archbiâ—hopricke But the times were such that they to whom desert might give greatest hopes of attaining it did abhorre this still â—ottering and slippery dignity and even they who were already advanced to the like indeavoured to betake themselves to the safety of meaner fortune As did Sir THOMAS MORE the Lord Chancellour who by his continuall ernest petitions obtained leave of the King on the fifteene of May to resigne his place and Sir THOMAS AWDLEY on the fourth of Iune was in his steed made Lord Keeper CRANMER having privately married his wife at Norimberg at length returned into England where the Kings importunity prevailing beyond all scrupulous difficulties CRANMER is though much against his will made Archbishop of Canterbury the Pope also by his Bull confirming the Election He refusing the Arbishopricke because hee must take an oath to the Pope delivered the Bull to the King protesting that hee would never accept of any Bishopricke in England but from the King who was Supreme Head of the Church of England and that he would not take any oath that should any way derogate from the King's
greatest note that accompanied him were richly rewarded and all being dismissed with many thankes safely returned home In their absence MARGARET Duchesse of Sauoy who was Daughter to the Emperour MAXIMILIAN and Gouernesse of the Netherlands vnder CHARLES the Infant of Spaine preuailed with our King for the like number of Archers shee hauing then wars with the Duke of Gueldres against whom she meant to imploy them These men in the space of fiue moneths did many braue exploits at Brimnost Aske and Venloo vnder the command of Sir EDWARD POâ—NINGS a braue Souldier and in great fauour with his Prince Of them fourteene hundred returned home much commended and well rewarded the fortune of warre had cut off one hundred Foure Captaines in regard of their valour were Knighted by the Infant CHARLES afterwardes Emperour viz. IOHN NORTON IOHN FOG IOHN SCOT and THOMAS LYND The King of Scots had then warre with the Portugall vnder pretext whereof one ANDREW BARTON a famous Pirat tooke all ships that coasted either England or Scotland affirming them alwayes to bee Portugals of what Nation soeuer they were or at least fraught with Portugall marchandise The King sent EDWARD HOWARD Lord Admirall of England and his brother the Lord THOMAS HOWARD eldest sonne to the Earle of Surrey with one IOHN HOPTON to take this Rouer When they had once found him out after a long and bloudie fight they tooke him aliue but mortally wounded with his two ships and all his companions that survived the fight and brought them to London Anno Dom. 1512. Reg. 4. AS yet our HENRY had no warre with any forraine Prince neither did the wiser sort wish that he should haue any But hee a young King in the heat of one and twentie yeares was transported with a vehement desire of warre which saith the Prouerbe is sweet to them that neuer tasted of it Although he had about a yeare or two before made a League with LEWIS the Twelfe of France yet hee was easily entreated by Pope IVLIVS â—o renounce this Confederacie This Pope more like to that CAESAR whose Name hee bare the PETER from whom he would faine deriue his Succession that like another NERO sitting still hee might from on high be a spectator while the whole world was on fire had written Letters to our King wherein hee entreated his assistance towards the suppression of the French who without feare of God or man these were the pretended causes had not only sacrilegiously laid hold on the reuenues of the Church had caused Cardinall WILLIAM to vsurpe the Papacie had vpheld ALFONSO of Ferara and the Bentivogli in rebellion against him but had also farther decreed to make Italy the Theater of his tyrannie Wherefore he coniured him by the Loue of our Saâ—ionr by the Pietie of his Ancestors whose aides were neuer wanting when the Church stood in need and by the fast tie of Filiall Obedience that hee would enter into the Holy League of the Estates of Italy who had made choice of him for their Generall Iealousie and Reuerence to the Sea of Rome so prevailed with Him that hee easily condiscended to the Popes request Yet that he might some way colour his action hee would needs interpose himselfe as Vmpier betweene the Pope and the French whom by his Embassadours hee entreates to lay aside armes withall not obscurely threatning that if he did not so he intended to vndertake the defence of the Pope against him the common disturber of the peace of Christendome The French set light by this Wherefore warre is proclaimed by a Herald the French King commanded to part with the Kingdome of France and the Duchies of Normandie and Aquitaine which hee without right vniustly vsurped Then entring into League with MAXIMILIAN the Emperour the Arragonois and the Pope they consult of assaulting the French with ioint forces The Arragonois invites vs into Spaine that thence we might invade France promising besides certaine troupes of Horse store of Artillery Waggons for carriage Munition and many other things necessary for such an Expedition Our King relying on his Father in law his promises levies a great Armie whereof he ships onepart for Spaine and employes the other by Sea EDWARD HOWARD Lord Admirall had charge of the Sea forces who fought with the French Fleet in the Bay of Bretatgne In which fight there was no memorable thing done besides the combate of the two great ships the one having seven hundred English in it vnder the command of Sir THOMAS KNEVET the other nine hundred French vnder PRIMAVGET a Briton These ships being both fast grapled after a long fight fell both on fire and were vtterly consumed not a man being saved of whom it might bee learned whether this fire happened by chance or were purposely kindled by a forced despaire Our other Army vnder the command of the Lord THOMAS GRAY Marquis of Dorset amongst ten thousand tall English souldiers had fiue hundred Germanes vnder one GVINT a Flemming This Armie landed in Biscay where they spent some moneths in expectation of due performances from the Arragonois who feeding them with promises only tempered the heat of our men who were very eager vpon the march for France It hapned that GASTON of Foix Competitor for the Kingdome with IOHN King of Navarre died about the same time The Navarroâ—s had promised FERDâ—NAND some aides toward this warre But now fearing no Competitor hee whether out of inconstancie or that he thought his affaires so required secretly by his Agents makes a League with the French Vpon this FERDINAND turnes his Armes vpon the Navarrois and straines all his strings to draw our men to the same attempt but the Marquis of Dorset pleaded his Commission beyond which hee could not with safetie proceed The Navarrois was vtterly vnprouided and the Nobilitie so divided into the factions of the Egremonts and the Beaumonts that he could doe nothing It was bruited that two mighty Kings came against him with no lesse forces what should hee doe to hope from France were vaine the French were too farre off and deeply engaged in other warres At the approach of the Spantard hee quits his Kingdome and with his Wife and Children flying over the Pyrenean mountaines makes Beaâ—ne his receptacle FERDINAND having thus gotten a new Kingdome casts off all farther thought of â—rance onely intending the confirmation of his conquest to which end hee intreates of HENRY the helpe of our forces raised for France and prevailes but to no purpose For the English having their bodies inflamed with the intolerable heate of a strange climate and the drinking of strong wines dropâ— downe every where insomuch that we lost about a thousand some say of eighteene hundred men in an instant Wherefore impatient of farther delay they force their Commanders to set saile homeward The King was mightily enraged at their returne insomuch that hee once thought to haue punished them for their obstinacie but the multitude of Delinquents proved a
King vnderstanding that among his subiects but especially the women kinde this his action was much traduced as if Hee tooke this course more to satisfie his Lust then his Conscience to give a stop to all farther rumours having assembled all the Nobles of the Realme Iudges Lawiers and as many of the better sort of Commonsas could conveniently attend vpon the eight of November made an Oration to this effect Twentie yeares have almost run their course faithfull and loving Subiects since We first began Our Raigne among you Jn all which tract of time Wee haue by Gods â—ssistance so behaved Our Selfe that Wee hope Wee haue neither given you cause to complaine nor Our Enemies to glory No foraine power hath indevoured ought against you but to his owne losse neither have Wee employed Our Armes any where but We haue triumphantly erected Our glorious trophies So that whether you consider the sweet fruits of plentifull Peace or the glory of Our warlike exploits We dare boldly avouch Wee have shewed Our Selfe not vnworthy of Our Ancestors whom without offence bee it spoken Wee have in all points equalled But when wee reflect vpon the necessary end of Our fraile life We are surprised with feare least the miseries of future times should so obscure the splendour and memory of Our present felicitie that as the Romans did after the death of Augustus so you may hereafter bee forced to wish with teares either that VVe had never beene or might have perpetually lived to governe you VVee see many here present who in reguard of their age might have beene parties in the late Civill warres which for eightie yeares together so miserably rended this Realme no man knowing whom to acknowledge for his Soveraigne vntill the happie Coniunction of Our Parents did not resolve but tooke away all cause of farther doubt Consider then whether after Our death you can hope for better dayes then when the Factions of Yorke and Lancaster distracted this Realme VVee have a Daughter whom VVee the more affectionately tender because shee is Our sole Jssue But VVee would have you know that having lately treated with Our deare Brother of France concerning a match betweene this Our Daughter and Henrie Duke of Orleans his yonger sonne both of Vs were well pleased with this alliance vntill one of his Privy Counsell made a question of Our Daughters birth for it was much to bee doubted least she were to be held illegitimate being begotten of Vs and that Mother who had before beene married to Our deceased Brother saying it was vtterly repugnant to the Word of God that any one should marry his Brothers Widow wherefore he was of opinion that this match with Our most beloved Spouse was to be deemed no other then incestuous How grievously this relation afflicted Vs God the Searcher of Our hearts knowes For these words did seeme to question not onely Our deare Consort and Our Daughter but euen the very estate of Our soule which after death must necessarily vndergo eternall and inevitable torments if being admonished of so horrible an Incest We should not indevour an amendement And for your parts you cannot but foresee how great dangers by reason of this doubt do threaten you and your Posterity Being therefore desirous as the case indeed required to bee resolved in this point Wee first conferred with Our Friends and then with the most learned in the Lawes both Divine and Humane who indeed were so farre from satisfying Vs that they left Vs more perplexed Wee therefore had recourse to the Holy Apostolique Sea to the Decree whereof VVe thinke it fitting that Our Selfe and all others should bee obedient To this and no other end We call immortall God to witnesse have wee procured this Venerable Legate As for the Queene Our most beloved Consort whatsoever women may tattle or ill willers mutter in private We do willingly and ingenuously professe that in noblenesse of Mind she far transcends the greatnesse of her Birth so that if wee were now at liberty and free for a second choice We take God to witnesse among all the plenty of the worlds Beauties wee would not make choice of any other if lawfully wee might then of this Our now Queene one in regard of her mildnesse wisdome humility sanctity of minde and conversation We are verily perswaded not to be paralleled But when We consider that We are bestowed on the world to other ends then the pursuite of Our owne pleasures We have thought it meet rather to vndergo the hazard of an vncertaine iudgement then to commit impiety against God the liberall Giver of all blessings and ingratitude against Our Countrey the weale and safetie whereof each one should prefer before his private life or fortunes Thus much have you heard from Our owne mouth And we hope that you will hereafter give no heed either to seditious detractions or idle rumours of the people This Oration tooke according to the divers dispositions of the hearers some lamenting the King's but many more the Queenes case every one doubting and fearefull of the event Some few weary of the present estate desired a change even to worse rather then a continuance of the present And by these the course the King had taken not approved by the vulgar as pious and imposed on him by his owne and the publique necessitie was according to the nature of hopefull flattery most highly applauded Anno Dom. 1529. Reg. 21. AT length about the beginning of Aprill the King residing at Bridewell at the Blacke Friers in London began the suit concerning the King's Divorce There was that to be seene the like whereof the Histories of no other Nation afford A most puissant Monarch actually Soveraigne and bearing rule in his Realme being cited by the voice of of an Apparitor made his appearance personally before the Iudges The ceremonies in a matter so vnusuall and indeed otherwise of great moment require an accurate and large relation beyond the intended shortnesse of this Historie A Chaire of State whereto was an ascent of some steps was placed above for the King and by the side of it another but a little lower for the Queene Before the King at the fourth step sate the Legates but so as the one seemed to sit at his right hand the other at the left Next to the Legates stood the Apparitors and other Officers of the Court and among them GARDINER after Bishop of Winchester appointed Register in this businesse Before the Iudges within the limits of the Court sate the Archbishop of Canterbury with all the other Bishops of the Realme At the farther end of each side were the Advocates and Proctors retained for each partie for the King SAMPSON after Bishop of Chichester BELL after Bishop of Worcester TREGONEL and PETERS Father to the now Lord PETERS all Doctours of Law For the Queene FISHER Bishop of Rochester and STANDISH Bishop of Saint Assaph with RIDLEY Doctor whether of Divinitie or Law I know not but one who
of his Father and birth a Welchman comming to the Crowne as if they had recouered their liberty whereto they so long aspired they obeied him as their lawfull Prince So the English being freed of their former jealousies permitted them to partake of their Priuiledges since common to both Nations the good whereof equally â—edounded to both I could wish the like Vnion with Scotland That as wee all liue in one Island professing one Faith and speaking for the most part one Language vnder the gouernment of one and the same Prince so we may become one Nation all equally acknowledging our selues Britans and so recouer our true Countrey Britaine lost as it were so many hundreds of yeares by our divisions of it into England Scotland and Wales Anno Dom. 1535. Reg. 27. THe Coronation of the new Queene and other passages of entertainment had exhausted the Treasury The Pope and the Emperour were both enemies of HENRY watchfully attending all opportunities to do him mischiefe Neither in regard that so many sided with the Pope were all things safe at home The King was therefore forced to a course seemingly rash and full of dangerous consequences but very necessary for the time Hee resolves to demolish all the Monasteries throughout England Hee is content the Nobility should share with him in the spoile so inriching and strengthening himselfe by their necessary revolt from the Popish faction To this end they that were thought more especially in maintaining the Popes authority to withstand the Kings proceedings were condemned of high Treason and they that refused to acknowledge the King vnder CHRIST Supreme Head of the Church of England are hanged For this cause on the third of May were executed IOHN HOVGHTON Prior of the Charterhouse in London AVGVSTINE WEBSTER Prior of Bevaley and THOMAS LAWRENCE Prior of Exham and with them RICHARD REIGNALDS a Monke and Doctor of Divinity and IOHN HALES Vicar of Thistlehurst On the eighteenth of June EXMEW MIDDLEMORE and NVDIGATE all Charterhouse Monkes suffered for the same cause And foure dayes after IOHN FISHER Bishop of Rochester a man much reverenced by the People for his holy life and great learning was publiquely beheaded and his head set over London bridge Our Histories hardly afford a president of the execution of such a man But the Pope was the occasion of his death who to ease the burthen of his now a yeares imprisonment by the addition of a new title had on the one and twentieth of May created him Cardinall The newes whereof hastened him to a scaffold The sixth of Iuly Sir THOMAS MORE for the same stifnesse in opinion with Bishop FISHER suffered the like death This was that MORE so famous for his Eutopia and many other Workes both in English and Latin As for his conversation the most censorious fault him in nothing but his too too jesting I will not say scoffing wit to which he gaue more liberty then did beseeme the grauity of his person not tempering himselfe in the midst of his calamity no not at the very instant of death After his condemnation hee denied to giue any thing to the Barber that trimmed him affirming That head about which he had bestowed his paines was the Kings if he could prove it to be his that did â—eare it hee would well reward him To his Keeper demanding his vpper garment as his fee hee gaue his Hat Going vp the scaffold he desired him that went before him to lend him his hand to helpe him vp as for comming downe he tooke no care Laying his head vpon the blocke hee put aside his beard which was then very long saying The Executioner was to cut off his head not his beard The executions of so many men caused the Queene to be much maligned as if they had beene done by her procurement at least the Papist would haue it thought so knowing that it stood her vpon and that indeed â—hee endeavoured that the authority of the Pope of Rome should not againe take footing in England They desired nothing more than the downefall of this vertuous Lady which shortly after happening they triumphed in the overthrow of Innocence In the meane time they who vndertooke the subversion of the Monasteries invented an Engine to batter them more forcibly then the former course of torture and punishment They send abroad subtle headed fellowes who warranted by the Kings authority should throughout England search into the liues and manners of religious persons It would amaze one to consider what villanies were discouered among them by the meanes of CROMWELL and others Few were found so guiltlesse as to dare withstand their proceedings and the licentiousnesse of the rest divulged made them all so odious to the people that neuer any exploit so full of hazard and danger was more easily atchieued then was the subversion of our English Monasteries Anno Dom. 1536. Reg. 28. THis yeare began with the end of the late Queene CATHARINE whom extremity of griefe cast into a disease whereof on the eighth of January she deceased Queene ANNE now enioyed the King without a Rivall whose death not withstanding not improbably happened too soone for her For the King vpon May day at Greenwich beholding the Viscont Rochfort the Queenes brother HENRY NORRIS and others running a tilt arising suddenly and to the wonder of all men departing thence to London caused the Viscont Rochfort NORRIS the Queene her selfe and some others to be apprehended and committed The Queene being guarded to the Tower by the Duke of Norfolke AVDLEY Lord Keeper CROMWELL Secretary of Estate and KINGSTON Lieutenant of the Tower at the very entrance vpon her knees with dire imprecations disavowed the crime whatsoeuer it were wherewith shee was charged beseeching God so to regard her as the iustnesse of her cause required On the fifteenth of May in the hall of the Tower she was arraigned the Duke of Norfolke sitting high Steward to whom were adioined twenty six other Peeres and among them the Queenes Father by whom she was to be tried The Accusers hauing giuen in their evidence and the Witnesses produced she sitting in a chaire whether in regard of any infirmity or out of honour permitted to the Wife of their Soueraigne hauing an excellent quicke wit and being a ready speaker did so answer to all obiections that had the Peeres giuen in their verdict according to the expectation of the assembly shee had beene acquitted But they among whom the Duke of Suffolke the Kings brother in Law was chiefe one wholly applying himselfe to the Kings humor pronounce Her guilty Whereupon the Duke of Norfolke bound to proceed according to the verdict of the Peeres condemned Her to death either by being burned in the Greene in the Tower or beheaded as his Maiesty in his pleasure should thinke fit Her brother GEORGE Viscont Rochford was likewise the same day condemned and shortly after HENRY NORRIS WILLIAM BRIERTON and FRANCIS WESTON
her Sonne GERTRVDE Widow to the Marquis of Excester Sir ADRIAN FORTESCVE and Sir THOMAS DINGLEY DINGLEY and FORTESCVE were beheaded on the tenth of Iuly and the Countesse being then aged threescore and ten yeares suffered two yeares after In the same Parliament it was inacted That the King might erect new Episcopall Seas in oportune places of the Realme For the performance whereof and of some other things no lesse specious the late dissolution of those Abbeyes whereon the King seised was confirmed and all Religious Houses as yet vnsuppressed were granted to the King for ever Vpon notice whereof many either out of guilt of conscience or desirous to purchase the Kings favour surrendred their charge even before they were required And first of all the Abbot and Convent of Saint Albans the first Abbot of the Realme as Saint ALBAN was the first Martyr which Honour was conferred on this House by Pope ADRIAN the Fourth whose Father had long lived a Monasticall life therein forsake their rich Abbey seated neere the ruines of Verolamium once a great and antient City and leaue it to the mercy of the Courtiers Which dereliction afforded matter of example to many other few enioying that security of conscience that they durst lay claime to their owne Onely three were found whose innocence made them so regardlesse of threats promises or reward that they could never be induced to betray the goods of their Churches to the mercilesse impiety of sacrilegious Harpyes which three were Iâ—OHN BECH Abbot of Colchester in Essex HVGH FARINGDON Abbot of the Abbey of Reding built by HENRY the First for the place of his Sepulture and RICHARD WHITING Abbot of Glastonbury one of the stateliest and antientest Monasteries of Europe being first builded by IOSEPH of Arimathea who buried the body of our Saviour CHRIST and is himselfe there interred as is also beside some Saxon Kings that most renowned King ARTHVR whose glorious Acts had they beene vndertaken by a fit Historian would have ranked him among the antient Worthies without the helpe of a fabulous Romance Against these men therefore other courses not availing that one one was taken of administring the Oath of Supremacy which they refusing are as enemies to the Estate condemned of high Treason BECH was hanged at Colchester and FARINGDON with two Priests named RVG and OGNION at Reding WHITING a man very aged and by reason therof doting scarce perceiving that he had beene condemned returning from the place of Iudgement which was in the Bishops Palace at Wells distant from Glastonbury foure miles with conceit that hee was restored to his Abbey was suddenly rapt vp to the top of the Tor a hill that surveies the country round about and without leave of bidding his Convent farewell which hee earnestly begged was presently hanged the staine of ingratitude sticking fast to the authors of this speedy execution of whom the poore Abbot is reported to have better deserved With WHITING were two Monkes also executed named ROGER IAMES and IOHN THORNE their bodies all drawne and quartered and set vp in divers places of the Countrey The punishment of these few so terrified the rest that without more ado they permitted all to the Kings disposall The number of those that were supprest is not easily cast But the names of the chiefest and whose Abbots had voices among the Peeres in the higher House of Parliament are these S. PETERS in Westminster Saint MARIES in Yorke S. ALBANS  S. Edmundsbury Teuksbury S. BENETS of Hulme Reading Berdney Battaile Shrewsbury Winchcomb Crowland Hide by Winchester Abingdon Cirencester Euesham Waltham Glocester Walmesbury Ramsey Thorney Saint AVGVSTINES in Canterbury Saint IOHNS in Colchester Selbey Coventrey Peterborough Tavestocke The King that hee might some way supply the want of the suffrages of so many learned and wise men in the Parliament House as also that of so great a prey hee might consecrate if not the tenth to HERCVLES at least some Part to God according to his promise erected some new Bishoprickes wherof one was at Westminster a place so neere and contiguous to London that it might rather seeme a part of the Suburbs thereof than a distinct City But a City it is and so ennobled with many stately monuments that for beauty it contendeth with most in Christendome In it are the chiefe Seat of the Prince and Palaces of the Nobility the chiefe seats of Iustice in the Land the most magnificent Church wherein are interred most of our Kings and Nobles whose sumptuous Monuments render it vnparaleld even by the world Another was at Oxford in the Colledge founded by Cardinall WOLSEY The rest at Peterborough Bristoll stoll Chester and Glocester Westminster was by Queene MARY againe reduced to an Abbey and furnished with Monkes of Saint BENETS Order whome Queene ELIZABETH againe expelled and converted the revenues of the Bishopricke to the maintenance of Schollers and other pious vses As for the other Seas they remaine to this day From those antient Cathedrall Churches wherein Monkes were seated nothing was taken away onely Cannons were placed there in steed of Monkes as likewise in the Cathedrall Churches of the new erected Bishoprickes The Churches wherein antiently Cannons and Prebendaries were instituted are Jn England YOrke Wells London Lichfield Lincolne Hereford Sarisbury Chichester Excester  Jn Wales S. DAVIDS Bangor Landaf S. ASAPH The Cathedralls founded with Monkes were CAnterbury Worcester Winchester Rochester Ely Duresme Norwich Carlisle The new Seas where primarily were Abbeyes are OXford Chester Bristoll Peterborough Glocester  So there are six and twenty Bishoprickes within this Realme and in every Cathedrall Archdeacons Prebendaries and other Ministers as also a Deanâ— who governes the rest vnles it be in S. Davids where the Chanter and Landaf where the Archdeacon is Head of the Chapter These things thus ordered the King still jealous least it should be conceived that hee had forsaken the Religion of his Fathers began to thunder out against the maintainers of new Tenets and much against CRANMERS will by Parliament enacted the Law of the Six Articles the summe whereof was 1 That if any one should deny the True and Reall presence of the Body of CHRIST in the Sacrament or should maintaine That the substance of Bread and Wine remained after the words of Consecration pronounced by the Priest he should be burned as an Heretique 2 If any should deny the Sacrament to be sufficiently administred vnder one Species only 3 Or should hold it lawfull for Priests to be married but much more he that having entred into holy Orders should presume to take a Wife 4 Or that Chastity vowed vpon mature deliberation was not to be kept 5 Or that private Masses ought not be celebrated in the Church of England or els where 6 Or that Auricular Confession was not expedient hee should for his errours vndergo losse of life by hanging These Lawes like those of Draco written in bloud were the destruction
1509. his Coronation was deferred to the foure and twentieth of Iune In the meane time his Counsaile thought it would proue a profitable policie for the King to marrie CATHARINE the Widdow of Prince ARTHVR his deceased Brother and Daughter to FERDINAND King of Castile for otherwise that huge masse of monie assigned for her jointure must yearely bee transported out of the Kingdome Neither was there at first any other doubt made of this match then whether it were approued by the Ecclesiasticall Constitutions for as much as the Scripture said some forbad any man to marrie his brothers wife But this rub was easily remoued by the omnipotence of the Popes Bull insomuch that presently vpon the Dispensation of Pope Iulius on the third of Iune vnder a malignant Constellation the Nuptials of these Princes were solemnized and they both crowned the foure and twentieth of Iune next following being Saint Iohn Baptists day At these Solemnities there wanted neither pompe nor acclamations of the Estates of the Realme But to shew that of Salomon to be true The end of mirth is heauinesse fiue had not yet runne their course since the Coronation when MARGARET Countesse of Richmond the Kings Grandmother made an exchange of this life with death She was a very godly and vertuous Ladie and one who for her benefits to the Estate deserved with all honour to be commended to the perpetuall memorie of Posteritie but her euerliuing workes will so farre set forth her praise that the paines of any Writer will proue altogether needlesse Yet notwithstanding omitting other things it will savour somewhat of ingratitude if I should not recount what she hath conferred vpon our Vniuersities Shee founded two Colledges at Cambridge one dedicated to our Saviour CHRIST the other to Saint IOHN the Euangelist and endowed them both with such large Revenues that at this time besides Officers and Seruants there are about two hundred Students maintained in them shee also left Lands to both Vniuersities out of the rents whereof two Doctors publike Professors of Divinitie to this day doe receiue their annuall stipends Shee lies interred neere her Sonne in a faire Tombe of Touchstone whereon lies her Image of guilded brasse Anno Dom. 1510. Reg. 2. HENRY the Seventh Father to this our Eighth some few yeares before his death had caused an inquisition to bee made throughout the Kingdome of the breach of the penall Statutes saying that Lawes were to no purpose vnlesse the feare of punishment did force men to obserue them But the Inquisitors proceeding so rigorously that euen the least faults were punished according to the Law which inflicted a pecuniarie Mulct they that were touch't saith Polydore Virgil cried out that this proceeded out of Covetousnesse rather then Severitiâ— But the wiser sort conceiued the Kings intent to be partly to curbe the fierce mind of the people bred vp in faction partly that by these Fines hee might not only weaken the rich but also increase his owne strength and fortifie himselfe against ciuill Attempts whereof hee had lately seene some sparkles flie abroad if so bee any smothered coale should happen to breake out into a flame What euer the matter was many there were who by accusing others sought the Kings favour and inlarged their owne estates amongst whom two were chiefe the one was called RICHARD EMPSON the other EDMVND DVDLEY both Lawiers and both for having served the Kings turne lately made Barons of the Exchequer It is said that EMPSON was borne at Torcester in Northampton Shire his Father was a Siuier DVDLEY though he were well descended yet being not befriended by fortune long strugled with adversitie But after they had some moneths taken paines in these matters both of them arise to that greatnesse that there were few of the Nobilitie that would not crouch to them and be ambitious of their fauour Therefore it is not so much to be wondred at if they grew exceeding wealthy but this wealth drew with it an envy greater then it selfe which neuerthelesse did them little hurt during the life of HENRY the Seventh but afterwards cast them both downe as low as enuie could haue wisht The King vpon his death-bed commanded in his Will and Testament that restitution should bee made to all who had beene wronged by the Exchequer Whereupon infinite numbers flocking to the Court and demanding restitution there could not a fitter meanes be thought of to stop their mouthes then by committing of EMPSON and DVDLEY the occasioners thereof to the people as Sacrifices to appease their fury They were therefore arraigned and condemned of high Treason And these things were done presently vpon HENRY the Eighth his comming to the Crowne So their goods being seized vpon they for a whole yeare endured the miseries that vsually accompany a prison and yet were the Commons as eager against them as euer Whence it should first arise I know not but such a report there was that the Queene had begged the poore mens pardons The Nobilitie disdaining that such meane fellowes had beene heretofore so prevalent with their Prince and the Commons being easily incited against them by some as eager enemies to them as themselues cried out that they were cheated oftheir iust reuenge and wearied the King with continuall petitions for their death he was in a manner forced to satisfie them Whereupon on the seâ—enteenth day of August they were both publiquely beheaded Such was the end of EMPSON and DVDLEY who abounding with wealth and flourishing vnder their Princes fauour while they set light by all things else became a sacrifice to the gâ—ddie multitude And it may serue to teach vs to vse our power moderately and to take heed how wee giue offence to that Beast with many heads I meane the People which being angred and hauing once got the raines rageth like a tumultuous Sea DVDLEY left behind him a sonne named IOHN who as if he had beene heire to his fathers fortune being created Duke of Northumberland concluded his powerfull life with the like vnhappie end leauing much Issue behind him euen to our time but yet whereof the heires masle haue long since failed Anno Dom. 1511. Reg. 3. THis yeare on New yeares day the Queene was deliuered of a Sonne Heire apparant to this Crowne but hee out-liued not the three and twentieth of the ensuing Februarie to the great griefe of the King and Kingdome About the same time there came Embassadours from FERDINAND King of Arragon who craved of the King his Sonne in Law fifteene hundred auxiliary Archers Hee was then in hostilitie with the Moores inhabiting Afrique The King very willingly granted their request and having leuied the full number embarqued them for Spaine in foure ships of the Nauy Royall vnder the command of THOMAS Lord Darâ—ie They were scarce arriued there when newes was brought that a Peace being made FERDINAND stood in no farther need of their aide Yet euery one was liberally paid the Generall and those of
The Lord Paget not long before had beene sent to the Emperor to signifie how we were distressed on the one side by the Scots and on the other by the French and miserably rent at home by intestine dissensions that our necessities required speedy succours or would force vs to condescend to an inconvenient Peace with France But perceiving nothing was to bee obtained of him wee stroke hands with the French vpon these conditions That Boloigne and all the Forts in Boloignois should be surrendred to the French together with the Artillery and other military provision That in lieu thereof the King of France should pay vnto EDVVARD foure hundred thousand crownes by equall portions at two payments That the English should restore to the Scots Lauder and Douglas and if the Queene of Scots should desire it should rase their Fortifications in Haymon and at Roxburgh The Emperour was on both sides comprehended in the League and the Queene of Scots by the French The two Kings presented each other with their military Orders and as one writeth it was on both parts agreed on that EDWARD should marry one of the Daughters of France For the ratification of the Articles on the eight of Aprill Hostages were given By Vs The Duke of Suffolke The Earle of Hertford Sonne to the Duke of Somerset The Earle of Arundell The Earle of Derby The Earle of Bath By the French IOHN of Bourbon Duke of Anguien CLAVD of Loraine Marquis of Mayenne FRANCIS Sonne to the Constable MONTMORENCY LEWIS of Tremoville FRANCIS of Vendosme Vidame of Chartres CLAVD d' Annebalt This Peace betweene vs and France was on the third of March solemnely proclaimed in London and on the five and twentieth of Aprill Bouloigne being accordingly surrendred to the French our Hostages were returned On the thirtieth of Iuly died the Lord WRIOTHSLEY Knight of the Garter late Lord Chancellour of England and Earle of Southampton He had about the beginning of this Kings Raigne delivered vp the Seale the Custody wherof was committed to the Lord Rich. But having beene about halfe a yeare past removed as was also the Earle of Arundell but for what cause is vncertaine from the Counsaile Table he at length whether out of griefe or some other cause fell sicke and died He was father to HENRY the second Earle and Grandfather to HENRY the third Earle of Southampton not long since deceased who having tasted of both fortunes did hertofore as generously behave himselfe in adversity as he did since moderately in prosperity whereto by the Clemency of our late Soveraigne he was restored Anno Dom. 1551. Reg. 5. MEntion hath formerly beene made concerning the Sweating Sickenesse a disease to which England hath given a name as well in reguard of it's originall as of the knowne disposition of our bodies to admit of this virulent contagion England had beene formerly afflicted with it but never so mortally as this present yeare Shrewsbury was now the first place acquainted with this Pestilence there it began in Aprill and thence diffusing it selfe over the most part of the Kingdome at length it vanished away in the North about the beginning of October The fury of it was such as if it would never end but by it's proper cruelty when it should not have left subiects wheron to feed The dead whome it swept away were numberlesse In London only eight hundred was scarce a seven nights stint It made it's first entry into this Island in the Reigne of HENRY the Seventh Anno 1486. and from hence it tooke it's progresse to other Nations The Infected flowed away and within the space of twenty foure houres when this malignant disease was most mercifull in it's execution peradventure within twelve did sweat out their soules Women children and old men it for the most part overpassed and wreaked it selfe on the robustious youth and well compact middle age who if in the beginning of their sickenes did but slumber perished instantly If it seized on any that were full gorged the recovery was in a manner desperate Nay and of others whatsoever they were scarce one of a hundred escaped vntill time had found out a remedy the manner wherof was thus If any be taken in the day time hee must without shifting of his apparell betake himselfe to bed If by night and in bed let him not stir thence vntill twenty foure howers be run In the meane let the coverture be such that it provoke not sweat but that it may gently distill of it selfe if it be possible for him so long to forbeare let him not eat nor drinke more then may moderately serve to extinguish thirst But above all let him so patiently endure heat that hee vncover not any part of his body no not so much as a hand or a foot The strangenesse of this disease I do not so much admire for that PLINY in his twenty sixt Booke the first Chapter witnesseth and daily experience teacheth vs that every age produceth new and Epidemicall diseases But that which surpasseth the search of humane reason is this that this Pestilence afflicted the English in what part of the world soever without touching the Natives but in England alone This dire contagion promiscuously impoverisht the Land of people of all sorts among those of especiall note were HENRY Duke of Suffolke and his Brother who were the Sonnes of CHARLES BRANDON and the Kings Couzins germane young Noblemen of great and lively hopes by the death of HENRY the Duchy was for some few howers devolved to the younger Brother who had the vnhappy honour but to be seized of the Title and dy The Lord Gray Marquis of Dorset having married FRANCIS the eldest Daughter of CHARLES BRANDON in the right of his Wife made claime to the Duchy and was on the eleventh of October invested in it At what time also IOHN DVDLEY Earle of Warwicke was created Duke of Northumberland WILLIAM POWLET Earle of Wiltshire Marquis of Winchester and Sir WILLIAM HERBERT Lord Cardif Master of the Horse Earle of Pembroke The masculine Line of DVDLEY and GRAY hath beene long since extinct Of the Family of the POWLETS we have spoken already the Lord HERBERT Brother in law to Queene CATHARINE PARR derived himselfe from WILLIAM HERBERT in the time of EDWARD the Fourth Earle of Pembroke and was succeeded in the Earledome by his Sonne HENRY Father to WILLIAM the moderne Earle whose mature wisedome and gravity even in his greener yeares long since ranked him in the sage Senate of the Privy Counsaile to two successive Kings and to PHILIP by King IAMES created Earle of Montgomery Then also were knighted Sir IOHN CHEEKE the King's Schoolemaster Sir HENRY DVDLEY Sir HENRY NEVILL and whome I cannot mention but with due honor Sir WILLIAM CECILL CECILL I say who then Secretary of Estate was afterward by all Europe held in admiration for his wisedome whome Queene ELIZABETH made Lord Treasurer of England and Baron of Burleigh and was whilest he