A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government, Regnal history 13 (3 of 3)

A Chronicle of the Kings of England from the Time of the Roman Government · Regnal history 13 (3 of 3)

p. 42After that the King perceived his new wi…e to be with childe, he caused all Officers necessary to be appointed to her; and so on Easter eave she went to her closet openly as Queen, and then the King appointed her coronation to be kept on Witsunday following; and writings were sent to all Sheriffes, to certifie the nams of men of forty pounds, to receive the order of Knighthood, or else to mak… fine: the assesment of which …ines was appointed to Thomas Cromwell Master of of the Jewel-house, and of the Kings Councell; a man newly come in the King… favour, by whose industry great sums of money were by such fines gathered. In the beginning of May, the King caused Proclamation to be made, that all men who claimed to doe any service at the Coronation, by the way of tenure, gran…, or prescription, should put in their claime three weekes after Easter in the Star-chamber, before Charles Duke of Suffolke, for that time high Steward of England, the Lord Chancellour and other Commissioners. Two dayes before the Coronation were made Knights of the Bath, the Earle of Dorset, the Ea…le of Der…y, the Lord Clifford, the Lord Fitzwater, the Lord Hastings, the Lord Monteagle, the Lord Vaux, Sir Iohn Mordant, Sir Henry Parker; Sir William Windsor, Sir Francis Weston, Sir Thomas Arundell, Sir Iohn Hurlson, Sir Thomas Poynings, Sir Henry Savill, Sir George …itzwilliams, Sir Iohn Tindall, and Sir Tho: I…rmey. On Whitsunday the Coronatio… was kept in as great state & … for al circumstances as ever an… was, and the day after a solem Just… was …olden.

In May this yeer Pope Clement sent a messenger to King Henry, requiring him personally to appeare at the generall Councell, which he had appointed to be kept the yeer following; but when his Commission was shewed, there was neither time nor place specified for keeping of the said Councell; and so with an uncertain Answer to an uncertain Demand, the Messenger departed.

It was now the five and twentieth yeere of the Kings reigne, when on Midsomer day, Mary the French Queene, and then wife to Charles Duke of Suff…lke, dyed; and was buried at Saint Edmund-berry; and on the seaventh of September following, between three and foure a clocke in the afternoone, the Queene was delivered of a daughter that was named Elizabeth; the Godfather at the christning was the Archbishop of Canterbury; the Godmother the old Dutchesse of p. 43Norfolke, and the old Marchionesse Dorset widow; and at the Confirmation, the Lady Marchionesse of Excester: the Christning was performed with exceeding great state, and great gifts were given by the Gossips.

This yeere, one Pavier the Town-clerke of London hanged himselfe, (whom Hollinshead saith) he heard once sweare a great oath; that if he thought the thought the King would set forth the Scripture in English, rather then he would live to see that day, he would cut his owne throat: which I therefore relate, that the judgement of God may be seene upon such unhallowed oathes.

A little before this time one Elizabeth Barton, named the Holy Maid of Kent, came to be discovered; whose abettours were Richard Master a Priest, Parson of Aldington in Kent, Edward Bocking Doctor of Divinity, a Monke of Canterbury, Richard Deering a Monke, Edward Thwayts Gentleman, Henry Gold Parson of Aldermary, Hugh Rich a Fryar observant, Richard Risby and Thomas Gold, Centlemen. This Maid had learned to counterfeit falling into Trances; in which she would deliver many strange things, and amongst others, said, that by Revelation from God and his Saints she was informed; that if King Henry proceeded to the Divorce, and married another, he should not be King of England one monethmonth after. And here we may see how credulous oftentimes great Schollars are in beleeving Impostures, when VVarham Archbishop of Canterbury, and Fisher Bishop of Rochester were thought to give credit to this Counterfeit, that we need not wonder at Saint Austin; who though he gave credit to many lying Miracles, yet they were such as had more probability in them then this; which consisted in nothing but making of faces, as upon Examination of the Maide and her Abettours was confessed; and thereupon she and most of them were condemned, drawne to Tyburne and there hanged.

In this meane time the Scots had beene troublesome, and made Intodes upon the Borders; till at last, Commissioners being sent to treat of agreement; a Peace was concluded, to continue both the Kings lives; which on the twentieth of May this yeer, was openly Proclaimed.

About this time, at the suit of the Lady Katherine Dowage, a Bull was sent from the Pope, which cursed both the King and the Realme; which Bull was set up in the Towne of Dunkerke in Flanders, the Messenger not daring to come neerer: and because it was knowne that the Lady Dowager had procured this Curse to be sent, the Duke of Suffolke was sent to her, lying then at Bugden besides Huntington, to discharge a great part of her houshold servants; yet leaving her a convenient number, like a Princesse.

It was now the six and twentieth yeer of King Henries reigne, when in a Parliament holden, an Act was made for establishing the succession in the Crown, upon the Lady Elizabeth; to which, first all the Lords, Knights and Burgesses were sworne; and after Commissioners were sent into all parts of the Realm, to take the oath of all men and women to the said Act. Another Act was also made, which authorized the King to be Supreame Head of the Church of England, and the Popes authority to be utterly abolished. But Doctor Iohn Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, Sir Thomas Moore Knight, and Doctor Wilson Parson of Saint Thomas Apostles in London, expresly denied at Lam…eth, before the Archbishop of Canterbury, to take the Oathes; of whom Doctor Wilson recanted, but the other two persisting in their opinion, were both of them beheaded. Of these two Bishop Fisher was much lamented, as reputed a man both of great learning and good life. The Pope had elected him Cardinall, and his Hat was come as farr… as Callice, but before it could come into England his head was off. Sir Thomas Moore was both learned and very wise, but so given to a vaine of jesting and merry scoffing, that he could not refrain it at the very time of his death: as when he was carried to the Tower, being demanded his upper garment (meaning his Gowne) you shall have it, said he, and gave them his cap; saying, it p. 44was the uppermost garment he had: also, when being upon the Scaffold, the Hangman kneeled downe and asked him forgivenesse; I forgive thee (said he) but I promise thee, thou wilt never have credit by cutting off my Head, my necke is so short: and when he was to lay his head downe upon the blocke, having a great gray beard, he stroked it out, and said to the Hangman, I pray you let me lay my beard over the blocke, lest you should cut it; for though you have Warrant to cut off my head, you have none to cut my beard. But his Devotion was no jesting matter, for he used to weare a shirt of haire next his skin, for a perpetuall pen…ance; and oftentimes in the Church he would put on a Surplesse, and helpe the Priest to say Masse; which he forbore not to doe even when he was Lord Chancellour of England; as one time the Duke of Norfolke comming to the Church found him doing it. Two memorable things are recorded of him; one, which shewes his great integritie, and the small reckoning he made of riches; that having passed through so many great imployments, and borne so many great Offices; yet in all his time, …e never Purchased above one hundred pounds land a yeere, nor left any great stocke of money behinde him, when he died. The other, which shewes his filiall piety, that being Lord Chancellour of England, at the same time that his Father wa… a Judge of the Kings Bench, he would alwayes at his going to Westminster, goe first to the Kings Bench and aske his Father blessing, before he went to sit in the Chancery.

The ninth of Iuly, this yeere, the Lord Dacres of the North was arraigned at Westminster of high treason, before the Duke of Norfolke, as high Steward of England; his Inditement being read, he so answered every part and matter therein contained, that by his Peeres he was found Not guilty; a rare thing to stop a currant that ran with such violence. The one and twentieth of September Doctor Taylour Master of the Roles, was discharged of that Office; and the ninteenth of October following, Thomas Cromwell was sworne in his place.

This yeere the King of Scots was installed Knight of Garter, by his Deputy the Lord Erskin and Stephen Gardiner, who after the Cardinals death, was made Bishop of Winchester, was sent Embassadour Legier, into France, where he remained three yeeres. Also in Ianuary, of this yeere, Katherine Princesse Dowage…, fell into her last sicknesse; to whom the King sent the Emperours Embassadour Legier, desiring her to be of good comfort; but she finding her death to approach, caused onelyonly one of her Gentlewoman to write a Letter to the King; commending to him her Daughter and his, and beseeching him to be a good Father to her; and then desiring him further, to have some consideration of her Servants. On the eighth of Ianuary, at Kimbolton, she departed this life, and was buried at Peterborough. A woman of so vertuous a life, and of so great obsequiousnesse to her husband, that from her onelyonly merit, is grown a reputation to all Spanish wives. Also the nine and twentieth of Ianuary, this yeere, Queene Anne was delivered of a childe before her time, which was borne dead.

And now King Henry began to fall into tho…e great disorders, which have been the blemish of his life, and have made him be blotted out of the Catalogue of our best Princes; for first, in October this yeer, he sent D…ctor Lee and others, to …isit the Abbeys, Priories, and Nunneries in England; who set at liberty all those Religious persons, that would forsake their habit, and all that were under th… age of foure and twenty yeers; and in December following, a survay was taken of all Chantries, and the names of such, as had the guift of them. After which, in a Parliament holden the fourth of February, an Act was made, which gave to the King all Religious houses, with all their lands and goods, that were of the value of three hundred marks a yeere and under: the …mber of which Houses, was three hundred seventy and six: the value of their lands yeerly, above two and thirty thousand pounds, their movable goods, one hundred thousand, the Religious persons put out of the same houses p. 45above ten tho…sand. This yeere, William Tindall, was burnt at a Town in Flanders, betweene Brussels and Mechlyn, called Villefort, for translating into English the New Testament, and divers parts of the old; who having beene long imprisoned, was upon the Lord Cromwels writing for his Deliverance, in all haste, brought to the fire, and burnt.

It was now the eight and twentieth yeere of King Henries Reigne, when on Munday, there were solemne Justs holden at Geeenwich, from whence the King suddainely departed, and came to Westminster, whose suddaine departure stroke great amazement into many, but to the Queene especially, and not without cause; for the next day, the Lord Rochford her brother, and Henry Norris were brought to the Tower of London, prisoners, whither also the same day at five a clock in the afternoone, was brought Queene Anne her selfe, by Sir Thomas Audeley Lord Chancelour, the Duke of Norfolke, Thomas Cromwell Secretary, and Sir William Kingston Leivtenant of the Tower, who at the Tower-gate, fell on her knees before the said Lords, beseeching God to help her, as she was innocent of that whereof she was accused: on the …ifteenth of May, she was arraigned in the Tower, before the Duke of Norfolke, sitting as high Steward of England. When her Inditement was read, she made unto it so wise and discreet answers, that shee seemed fully to cleere her selfe of all matters laid to her charge: but being tried by her Peeres, whereof the Duke of Suffolke was chiefe; she was by them found guilty, and had Judgment pronounced by the Duke of Nor…olke; immeadiatly the Lord Rochford her brother, was likewise arraigned and condemned: who on the seaventeenth of May, together with Henry Norris, Marke Smeton, VVilliam Briorton, and Francis VVeston, all of the Kings Privy-chamber, about marters touching the Queen, were behe…de… on the Tower-hill, Queen Anne her selfe on the nineteenth of May, on a Sca… fold upon the Green within the Tower, was beheaded with the sword of Callice by the hangman of that Towne; her body with the head, was buried in the Quire of the chappell there. This Queen Anne, was the daughter of Thomas Bullen Earle of VViltshire, and of Lady Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Nor…olke; the Earles Father was the sonne of Sir VVilliam Bullen, whose wife was Margaret the second daughter and Coheire of Thomas Butler Ealre of Ormond, and the said Sir VVilliam, was the sonne of Sir Godfrey Bullen, Lord Major of London, who lieth buried in Saint Leonards Church in the Iewry, whose wife was Anne eldest daughter & coheire to Thomas Lord Hoo and Hastings: and his discent was out of the house of the Bullens in the County of Norfolke; thus much for her Parentage: for her Religion, she was an …arnest Professor, and one of the first Countenancers of the Gospell: in Almes-deeds so liberall, that in nine moneths space; It it is said, she distributed amongst the poore, to the value of fifteene thousand pounds: now for the crimes for which she died, (Adultery and Incest:) proofes of her guiltinesse there are none recorded: of her Innocency, many; first, her owne clearing of all objections, at the time of her arraignment: then Cromwels writing to the King, after full examination of the matter; that many things have been objected, but none confessed, onelyonly some circumstances had been acknowledged by Marke Smeton: (and what was Marke Smeton, but a meane fellow, one that upon promise of life, would say any thing; and having said somthing, which they took hold of was soone after executed least he should retract it:) lastly, they that were accused with her, they all denied it to the death: even Henry Norris, whom the King specially favoured, and promised him pardon if he would but confesse it. It was a poore proofe of Incest with her brother, that comming one morning into her chamber before she was up, he leaned down upon her bed, to say somthing in her eare; yet this was taken hold of for a proof: and it need be no marvaile if we consider the many aduersaries she had; as being a Protestant, and perhaps in that respect, the King himselfe not greatly her friend: (for though he had excluded the Pope, yet he continued a Papist stil: and then who knowes p. 46not, that nature is not more able of an Acorn to make an oake, then authority is able of the least surmise, to make a certainty. But howsoever it was, that her death was contrived: certain it is, that it cast upon King Henry a dishonourable Imputation; in so much, that where the Protestant Princes of Germany had resolved to choose him for head of their League; after they heard of this Queens death, in such a manner, they utterly refused him as unworthy of the honour: and it is memorable what conceit Queene Anne her selfe had of her death; for at the time, when shee was led to be beheaded in the Tower… shee called one of the Kings Privy-chamber to her, and said unto him, commend me to the King, and tell him; he is constant in his course of advancing me, for from a private Gentlewoman, he made me a Marquesse, from a Marquesse, a Queen; and now, that he had left no higher degree of worldly honour for me, he hath made me a Martyr.

Immediatly after her death, in the weeke before Whi…on…ide, the King maried Iane Seymour, daughter to Sir Iohn Seymour, who at Whitsontide was openly shewed as Queene: and on the Tuesday in the Whitson-weeke her brother Sir Edmund Seymour, was created Viscount Beauchamp, and Sir Walter Hangerford, was made Lord Hangerford.

The eight of Iune, the Parliament began; during the which, the Lord Thomas Howard, without the Kings assent, had affianced the Lady Margaret Douglas, daughter to the Queen of Scots, and Niece to the King: for which he was attainted of treason, and an Act was made for like offenders hereafter; and so he died in the Tower, and shee long time remained there a prisoner; yet afterward was set at liberty, and maried Mathew Earle of Lenox, who by him had Henry, Father of Iames the first King of Great Brittaine.

In the time of this Parliament, the Bishops and all the Clergy had a solemne Convocation at Pauls Church in London; where after much disputation and debating of matters, they published a book of Religion; intituled, Articles devised by the Kings Highnesse: in which booke are specially mentioned but three Sacraments: namely Baptisme, Eucharist, and Pennance; also certaine Injunctions were set forth, whereby many of the old Holi-dayes were abrogated, specially those that fell in Harvest time.

The two and twentieth of Iuly, Henry Duke of Richmond and Somerset, base sonne of King Henry by Elizibeth Blunt, died at Saint Iames, and was buried at Thets…one in Norfolke.

The nine and twentieth of Iune the King held a great Justs and Triumph at VVestminster, but a disastrous Sea-fight on the water; where one Gates a Gentl…man was drowned in his harnesse, and by the breaking of a Gunne two Mariners were sore mained: in Iuly following, Thomas Cromwell, Secretary to the King, and Master of the Rolles, was made Lord Keeper of the Privy-seale: and the ninteenth of Iuly the Lord Fitz-Warren was created Earl of Bath; and the day after, the said Cromwell was made Lord Cromwell; and on the eighteenth of Iuly, Vic…r Generall under the King over the Spiritualty; who sate diverse times in the Convocation House, amongst the Bishops as head over them: and now was the state of Religion in England come to a strange passe; because alwayes in passing, and had no consistance; for at first, the authority of the Pope was excluded in some cases onelyonly, a while alter in all; but yet his Doctrine was wholly retained. Afterward, his Doctrine came to be Impugned, but in some few points onelyonly: a while after, in many more: that the fable of Proteu… might no longer be a fable, when the Religion in England might be his true Morral…: and indeed, it could be no otherwise; the distance between the two Religious being not possible to be passed Per saltum; but must be done by degrees, which degrees may be observed in the progresse of the story: for where at first, it was permitted onelyonly to read the Bible in English, now it came to be permitted, to pray in English; for now in September, the Lord Cromwell set forth Injunctions, to have the Lords prayer, the Ave, the Creed, the ten Commandements, p. 47and all Articles of the Christian-faith translated into English, and to be taught by all Parsons and Curates to their Parishoners: which Innovation so stirred up the people, that in Lincol…shire they assembled to the number of twenty thousand; against whom the King himselfe went in person, who win…ng by perswasions their chief leaders, brought the rest upon pardon to submit themselves: but when he had himselfe done the work of mercy; he afterward sent the Duke of Suffolke, with Sir Francis Brian, and Sir Iohn Russell to doe the worke of Justice; who caused Nicholas Melton, and a Monke naming himselfe Captaine Cobler, and thirteen others (Ringleaders of the sedition,) to be apprehended, and most of them to be executed. But this Commotion was scarce appeased, when presently there rose another in the North-parts, where forty thousand were assembled, giving themselves out for an holy Pilgrimage, where on one side of their Ensignes, they had Christ hanging on the crosse, on the other side, the Cuppe and Bread of the Sacrament, as taking Armes onelyonly for maintenance of the Faith of Christ, and deliverance of the holy Church now oppressed: but these were opposed by George Earle of Shrewsbury, who having raised an Army without Commission, though to resist the Rebels, yet began to be much troubled, whither in so doing he had not committed Treason, and was never quiet till he had se…t to the King for pardon and commission to proceed: at which time a rumour being raised amongst his souldiers, that the Earle so well liked the Rebels cause, that what shew soever he made, yet when it should come to the triall, he would not stick to joyne with them and take their parts: to remove which Opinion out of their mind…, he caused all his souldiers to come before him, and made his Chaplaine give him an oath; by which he swore in their hearing, to be true to the Crowne, and never to be assisting to any Rebels: to his aide were sent the Duke of Norfolke, with the Marquis of Excetur … the Earles of Huntington and Rutland: who with a mighty Army approachi…g the Rebels, beyond Doncaster, in the way towards York, attempted first to have pacified them without blood-shed; but when no perswasions would serve, it was resolved of both sides to come to a battell; but see here the great goodnesse of God, for the night before the day appointed for battel, it happened that a litle Brook called Dun, running betweene the two Armies, upon a small raine grew to such a height, that it was not passable by either foot or horse; so as the Armies having time to consider, and considering perhaps this miracle as sent of God, they came to agreement, and upon pardon disbanded and returned to their houses: but in the mean time they had besieged the Castle of Scarborough where the resolute carriage of Sir Ralph Evens is memorable; who held the Castle by onelyonly his owne servants and Tennants, and that, when for twenty dayes together, he had no other sustenance but bread and water: but all Comotions were not yet appeased, for at this very time, there was another great Army assembled out of Cumberland, Westmerland, and the North-parts of Lancashire, marching South-wards; but by the diligence of the Earl of Darby, to whom also the Earle of Sussex was sent, they were suppressed, and their chief Leader…, as the Abbo…s of Wally, Sauly, and others, apprehended and hanged: but neither is there yet an end of comotions, for now in February Nicholas Musgrave, Thomas Til…y, with o…hers to the number of twelve thousand, began a Rebellion, and be sieged Carlile, but by the power of the City were first beaten back, and then were encountred by the Duke of Norfolke, who caused seventy foure of them, by Martiall-law …o be hanged on the walls of Carlile: but neither was there yet an end of Comotions, for now in Setrington, Pickering, L…igh and Scarborough, began a new Rebellion, by procurement of Francis Bigot; who had r…ised a great power, and meant to have taken Hull, but by the industry of Sir Ralph Ellarker, and the Major of the Towne, threescore a… the Rebels were taken and hanged, and the rest put to flight, and glad to be quiet: but neither yet was there an end of Commotions, for in the latter end of this eight and twentieth yeer, the Lord Darcy, the Lord Hussey, Sir Robert Constable Sir Iohn p. 48Bulmer and his wife, Sir Thomas Percy brother to the Earl of Northumberland, Sir Stephen Hamilton, Nicholas Tempest Esquire, and others began to conspire, although each of them before had been pardoned by the King: but this as being but the fagge end of Commotion; was soon suppressed, the Lord Darcy was beheaded on the Tower-hill, the Lord Hussey at Lincol…e, Sir Robert C…nstable was hanged in cheins at Hull, Sir Iohn Balmers Paramout was burnt in Smithfield, and most of the other were executed at Tyburne: Tantae molis erat, so great a matter it was… to make the Realme be quiet, in so great innovations of Religion.

This yeer on Saint Georges-feast, the Lord Cromwell was made Knight of the Garter, and on the twelfth of October, which is Saint Edwards-eve…, at Ha… ton-Court, the Queen was delivered of a sonne; (but with so hard a labour that she was faine to be ript) the child was named Edward, whose Godfathers at the Christning were the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Norfolke, his Godmother was his sister the Lady Mary: at his Bishoping, his Godfather was the Duke of Suffolk: on the eighteenth of October, he was made Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester: but the birth of his sonne brought not so much joy to the King, as the death of his Queene brought him sorrow; for within two dayes after she died, and was buried at Winsor, and …o much was the Kings grief for her death, that he continued a widdawer two yeeres after.

It is not unworthy the relating, what a miserable dissolation befell the family of the Geraldynes or Fitz-Garrets, (Earle of Kildare in Ireland) about this time; for Gerald Fitz-Garret, who had been ten yeers Deputy in Ireland; upon complaint of some fault, was sent for over into England, where not making a satisfying answer, he was committed to the Tower; but before his commi…g over, had with the Kings leave, left Deputy there his own sonne, a Young-man of not above twenty yeers of age, but yet ripe of understanding and fit for the pla…e: this young Lord, hearing that his father was committed prisoner to the Tower; and soon after, as the rumour encreased, that he was put to death; in rage to be revenged, rose up in Armes; and having five Unckles in the Cou…try (men of great estimatio…) drew them (though some of them unwillingly) to take his part; amongst other outrages he committed, the Archbishop of Dublin was slaine in his presence… the Father in the Tower hearing hereof, with very griefe died; the Sonne and his Uncles, upon the Kings sending a… Army, were all either taken or submitted; and being sent for over into England, those of his Unckles, that against their wils had been drawn into the Action, had good hope of their lives, till entring the ship of passage, which was called the Cow; they then presently dispaired, because of a Prophesie, that five sonnes of a certaine Earl should be carried into England in the belly of a Cowe, and never after return: and indeed it fell out true, for through the malice of their adversaries, (exasperating the King against them and saying, there would never be quietnes in Ireland, as long as any of the Geraldines were left alive,) they were all put to death: one onelyonly sonne of the family remained, a youth of thirteene yeers of age, who though at that time sick of the smal-pox, yet made shift to save himselfe by flight; fled first into France, and frighted from thence, afterwards into Flanders, and driven from thence, at last into Italy, where pr…oected by Regin…ld Poole, ar that time made Cardinall, by Pope Iulie the third, he was afterward, by this meane…, restored to his dignity and his patrimony.

This yeere Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp the Queens brother, was created Earl of Hartford, and Sir VVilliam Fitz-VVilliams Lord Admirall, was created Earl of Southamton, Master Paulet was made Vice Treasurer, Sir Iohn Russell was made Controller of the Kings House, and diverse Gentlemen were made Knights.

In February diverse Roodes were taken downe by the Kings commandement, as the Roode of Boxeley, called the Rood of grace, which was made with vices to move the eyes and lips, also the Rood called Saint Saviour at Bermondsey p. 49Abbey in Southwarke, a…d diverse others: in May a Frier Observant, called Frier Forrest, who had taken the oath of Supremacy himselfe, yet privately perswaded others, that the King was not supreme head of the Church; was thereupon examined, and for his defence said, that he took the oath with his outward man, but his inward man never consented to it; but this answer served not his turn from being condemned; and on a paire of Gallowes prepared for him, in Smith…eld, he was hanged by the middle, and arme-holes, all quick, and under the Gallowes was made a fire wherewith he was consumed: a little before his executio…, a huge great Image was brought to the Gallowes, fetched out of Wales, which the Welch-men had in great reverence, called Darvell Gatheren, of which there went a Prophesie, that thi… Image should set a whole Forrest on fire, which was thought to take effect, in …erring this Frier Forrest on fire, and consuming him to nothing.

In September, by the speciall motion of the Lord Cromwell, all the notable Images, unto which were made any speciall Pilgrimages and offerings, were taken downe and burnt; as the Images of Walsingham, Ipswic…, VVorcester, the Lady of VVilsdon, with many other, and forthwith by meanes of the said Cromwell all the orders of Friers and Nunnes, with theirs Cloysters and Houses were suppressed and put downe: also the shrines of counterfeit Saints; amongst others, the shrine of Thomas Becket in the Priory of Christ-church was taken to the Kings use, and his bones, scull and all which was there found, with a peece …roken out by the wound of his death, were all burnt in the same Church by command of the Lord Cromwell: and the one and twentieth of October, the Church of Thomas Becket in London, called the Hospitall of Saint Thomas of Acres was suppressed: the sixteenth of November the Black-friers in London was suppressed; the next day the VVhite-friers, the Gray-friers, and the Monkes of the Charter-house, and so all the other immediately after, … three Abbots resisted, the Abbot of Colechester, the Abbo… of Reding, and the Abbot of Glastenbury, who therefore were all taken and executed. The foure and twentieth of November the Bishop of Rochester Preached at Pauls-crosse, and there shewed the blood of Hales, affirming it to be no blood, but honey clarified and coloured with sa…ron, as it had been evidently proved before the King and Councell. The number of Monasteries suppressed, were six hundred forty five, besides fourescore and ten Colledges, one hundred and ten Hospitals, and of Chantries and free Chappels two thousand three hundred seventy foure. But now to make amends for the suppressing of so many Monasteries, the King instituted certaine new Bishoprickes, as at VVestminster Oxford, Peterborough, Bristow, Chester and Gloster; and assigned certaine Canons and Prebends to each of them.

The third of November Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exceter, and Earle of Devonshire, Henry Poole Lord Montacute, Sir Nicholas Carew of Bedington, Knight of the Garter, and Master of the Kings Horse, and Sir Edward Nevill, brother to the Lord of Aburgeiney, were sent to the Tower, being accused by Sir Geoffry Poole, the Lord Montacutes brother, of high treason; the… were indi…ed for devising to promote and advance one Reinold Poole to the Crowne, and put downe King Henry. This Poole was a neere kinsman of the Kings (being the sonne of the Lady Margaret Countesse of Salisbury, daughter and heire to George Duke of Clarence) he had been brought up by the King in learning, and made Deane of Excetur; but being sent after, to learne experience by travaile, he grew so great a friend of the Popes, that he became an enemy to King Henry, and for his enmity to the King, was by Pope Iulius the third made Cardinall; for this mans cause, the Lords aforesaid being condemned, were all executed, the Lord Marquis, the Lord Montacute, and Sir Edward Ne…ill, beheaded on the Tower-hill, the ninth of Ianuary, Sir Nicholas Carew the third of March, two Priests condemned with them were hanged at Tyburn, Sir Ieoffry Poole though condemned also yet had his pardon.

p. 50About thi… time one Nicholson alias Lambert, being accused for denying the Reall presence in the Sacrament, appealed to the King, and the King was co… tent to heare him; whereupon a Thron… was set up in the Hall of the Kings Pallace at Westminster, for the King to si…: and when t…e Bishops had urged their arguments, and could not prevaile, then the King tooke him in hand, hoping perhaps to have the honour of con…erting an Hereticke, when the Bishops could not doe it, and withall promised him pardon if he would recant; but all would not doe, Nicholso… remained obstin…te, the King mist his honor, the delinquent mist his pardon; and shortly after was drawne to Smithfield and there burnt.

About this time King Henry being informed that the Pope, by instigation of Cardinall Poole, had earnestly moved divers great Princes to invade England; He as a provident Prince, endea…oured a… …arn…stly to provide …or defence; a…d to that end, rode himselfe to the S…a-coast… … them fortifi…, and in needfull places Bulwarkes to be erected: Hee c…used hi… Na…e… be rigged, and to be in readinesse at any short warning: he c…sed Musters … be raken in all shee…es; and lists of all, able men in e…ery Count…, in L…don specially; where Sir William Forman the …hen M…jor, …ified the number of fifteene thousand; not that they were …, but that so many were ready prepared; and these on the eight of May, the King himselfe saw Mustered in Iames Parke; where the Citize…s …ove in such sort to exceed each other in bravary of armes, and forwardnesse of service, a… if the City had bin a Campe, and they not men of the gown…, but all profest Souldiers; which they performed to their great cost, but greater comend…ion.

It was now the one and thirtieth yeere of King Henri…s reigne, and the nine and fortieth of his age; when having continued a widdower two yeere, he began to thinke of marrying againe; and bee needed not be a sui…our for a wife, for he was sued unto take one. The Emperour sollicited him to marry the Dutchesse of Milan; but to marry her he must first obtaine a Licence from the Pope, and King Henry was resolved rather to have no wife, then to have any more to doe with the Pope. Then the Duke of Cleve made suit unto him, to marry the Lady Anne hi… Sister, and hee was a Protestant Prince; and so, though differing in points of Doctrine, yet in the maine Point of excluding …he Pope, both of one min…e. Many about the King were forward for thi… Ma…ch, but the Lord Cro…well specially; and indeed it concerned him more then any other, that the King should take a Protestant wife, seeing … actions h…d beene such as none but … Protestant Queene would ever like; and if the Queene should not like them; the King, though done by his leave, would …ot like them long. Hereupon such meanes was used, that Emb…ssa…ours came from the Duke of Cleve to conclude the March; and the…, the elev…nth of December, the Lady her selfe in gr…at state was brought, first to Callice, and then over to Dover; and being come to Rochester, the King secretly came to see her, afterward she was conducted to London, me… by the way in severall places, by all the great Lords and Ladies of the Kingdome. The third of Ianuary she was received into London by Sir William Hollice, then Lord Major, with Oration…, Pageants, an… all complements of Sta…e, the greatest that ever had beene seene. On Twelfth day the Marriage was …olemnized, the Archbishop of Canterbury did the office, the Earle of Oversteine, a German Lord ga…e her. In Aprill following the Lord Cromwell, as though he had won the Kings heart for ever by making this march, was made Earle of Essex; for in March before, Henry Rourchie… Earle of Essex … and the ancientest Earle of England, had broken his necke by seeking to breake a yong Horse, leaving onelyonly one Daughter, and the dying without issue, the Earldome came to the Family of Devereux, which yet enjoyed not the honour, till afterward in Queene Elizabeths time, and then made but not restored.

p. 51The ninth of March, the King created Sir William Paulet Treasurour of his House, Lord Saint Iohn, Sir Iohn Russell Controlour, Lord Russell, and shortly after Sir William Par was created Lord Par. The eight and twentieth of April began a Parliament at Westminster, in the which Margaret Countesse of Salisbury, Gertrude wife to the Marquesse of Exceter, Reynold Poole Cardinall, bro…her to the Lord Montacute, Sir Adrian Foskew, Thomas Dingley Knight of Saint Iohns; and divers others were attain…ed of high treason; of whom Foskew and Dingley the tenth of Iuly were beheaded, the Countesse of Salisbury two yeeres after: and in this Parliament the Act of the six Articles was established, and Sir Nicholas Hare was restored to his place of Speaker in the Parliament.

It was now five moneths after the Kings marriage with the Lady Anne of Cleve; and though the King at the first sight of the Lady, did not like her person; yet, whether as respecting the honour of Ladies, he would not disgrace her at the first meeting; or whether he ment to try how time might worke him to a better liking; or indeed, that he would not give distaste to the German Princes at that time, for sole ends he had a working, he dissembled the matter, and all things went on in a shew of contentment on all hands. But for all these shewes; the crafty Bishop of London Stephen Gardiner, finding how the world went with the Kings affection towards his Queene; and for her sake with Cromwell; to neither of whom he was greatly affected (not to the Queene, as misliking her religion; not to Cromwell, as envying his greatnesse;) he so wrought upon the Kings inclination; what by suggesting, and what by aggravating, that the Lord Cromwell the ninth of Iuly, sitting in the Councell Chamber, was suddenly apprehended and committed to the Tower; and the ninteenth of the same monethmonth was attainted by Parliament, and never came to his Answer; by a Law, which (as some reported) he himselfe had caused to be made; and the eight and twentieth of Iuly was beheaded on the Tower-hill; for crimes (as appeares in Record) of Heresie and Treason. This Lord Cromwell was borne at P…tney, a Village in Surrey neere the Thames side; sonne to a Smith, after whose decease, his Mother was married to a Sheereman; for the pregnancy of his wit he was first entertained by Cardinall Woolsey, and by him imployed in many great affaires; the Cardinall falling, the King tooke him into his service; and finding his great abilities, first advanced him for his worth, and then for his pleasure overthrew him. But the greatest part of Stephen Gardiners practice had beene done before; for at Midsomer before, the King caused the Queene to remove to Richmond, as for her health and pleasure; and and in the time of her absence, on the sixt of Iuly, sent certaine Lords to the Lower House of Parliament, who there declared certaine causes, for which the Kings marriage with the Lady Anne of Cleve, was not to be counted lawfull; and so carried the matter, that the Convocation cleerly determined, the King might marry any other; and so might she. Being thus Divorced; it was further Enacted, she should no more be called Queene, but the Lady Anne of Cleve. The fault for which this Divorce was decreed, is not expresly delivered… some say, a precontract of the said Lady with a Lord of Germany was pretended; but it seems to have bin for some womanish defect in her body; as she spared not to a…firme that she had never bin carnally known by the King in al the time of their lying together: and as it is said, when her Ladies, one time said unto her, that they looked now every day to hear of her great belly; she should answer, they might look long enough, unlesse, saying, how dost thou sweerest, God morrow sweet-heart, and suc… like words, could make a great belly; for (said she) more then this, there never passed between the King and me. How ever it was, she willingly submitted to the Decree, whether out of fear, or perhaps as little liking the King as the King did her; and afterward led a private life here in England, wel respected of the King, and dying sixteen yeers after, in the fourth yeer of Quee… Mary, was buried at Westminster.

p. 52About this time Leonard Gray Deputy of Ireland, was on the Tower-hill beheaded, for suffering his Nephew Gerald Fitz-Garret to escape, who had been declared an enemy to the state, and then also was Thomas Fines Lord Dacres, a young m…n of foure and twenty yeers of age, hanged at Tyburne, …or kiling a meane peson upon a suddaine affray; also the fourth of A…gust, Thomas Epson a Monke of Westminster, for denying to take his oath, to be true to the King, had his Monks garment plucked from his back, the last Monke that was seen in such habit in England till Queen Maryes dayes.

The sixt of Iuly in the two and thirtieth yeere of his Reigne, King Henry had been divorc…d from the Lady Anne of Cleve, and now the eighth of August following, the Lady Katherine Howard, Niece to the Duke of Norfolke and daughter to the Lord Edward Howard was shewed openly as Queene at Hampton-Court.

On the tenth of Iune the yeere following, Sir Edmund Knevet of Norfolke, Knight, was arraigned before th… Officers of the Green-cloath, for striking one Master Cleere of Norfolke, within the Tennis-court of the Kings House… being found guilty, he had judgment to loose his Right hand, and to forfeite all his lands and goods; whereupon there was called to do execution, first, the Serjeant Surgion, with his Instruments pertaining to his office, then the Serjeant of the Wood-yard, with a mallet and a block to lay the hand upon, then the Kings Master-cooke with the knife …o cut off the hand, then the Serjeant of the larder to set the knife right on the joynt, then the Serjeant Farrier with searing…irons to seare the veines, then the Serjeant of the …oultry with a Cock, which cock, should have his head smitten off upon the same block, and with the same knife; then the Yeoman of the Chandry with seare-cloaths, then the Yeoman of the Scullery, with a pan of fire to heare the irons, a chafer of water to coole the ends of the irons, and two formes for all Officers to set their stuffe on, then the Serjeant of the Cellar with wine, Ale and Beere, then the Serjeant of the Ewry, with Bason, Ewre, and towels: all things being thus prepared Sir William Pickering Knight Marshall, was commanded to bring in his prisoner, Sir Edmund Knevet, to whom the chiefe Justice declared his offence, which the said Knevet confessed, and humbly submitted himselfe to the Kings mercy, onelyonly he desired, that the King vvould spare his Right hand and take his left, because (said he) if my right hand be spared, I may live to doe the King good service: of vvhose submission, and reason of his suite, vvhen the King vvas informed, he granted him to loose neither of his hands, and pardoned him also of his lands and goods.

The summer of his three and thirtieth yeer… King Henry with his Queene Katherine, made a progresse into the North-parts, and ret…rning at Alhallantide to Hampton-court he was there informed, of the Queens dessolute life first before her mariage with one Francis Deerham, a Gentleman of N…rfolke, whom imployed afterward in Ireland; she had lately againe at Pomfret received into her service, and now since her mariage with one Thomas Colepepper, of the Kings Privy-chamber; whereupon the thirteenth of November, Sir Thomas VVriothsley Knight secretary to the King, was sent to the Queen at Hampton-Court, to charge he… with these crimes, and discharging her houshold, to cause her to be convayed to Sion, there to remaine, till the Kings pleasure should be further knowne: the deli…quents being examined, Deerham confessed, that before the King… mariage with the Lady Katherine, there had been a pre-contract between himselfe and her; but when he once understood of the Kings liking towards her, he then waved and consealed it for her preforment: so the first of December, the… Gentlemen being arraigned at the Guild-hall, they confessed the Indictment, a… had Judgment to die, as in cases of treason: the tenth of December, they we…e drawne from the Tower to Tyburne, where Colepepper was beheaded, and Deerham was hanged and dismembred; Colepeppers body was buried in Sepulchers Church in London, but both their heads were set on London-bridge: p. 53the two and twentieth of December, there were arraigned at the Kings-bench, the Lord VVilliam Howard and the Lady Margaret his wife, Katherin Tilney and Alice Restwold Gentlewomen, Ioane Bulmer, wife to Anthony Bulmer Gentliman, Anne Howard wife to Henry Howard Esquire, and brother to the Queene, with divers others, who were all condemned for misprision of treason, for concealing the Queens misdemeanor, and adjudged to forfeit all their lands and goods during life, and to remaine in perpetuall prison. The sixteenth of Ianuary the Parliament began at VVestminster, where the Lords and Commons p…itioned the King, that he wo…ld not vex himselfe with the Queenes offence, and that both she and the Lady Rochford might be attainted by Parliament; and that to avoid protracting of time, he would give his royal assent un…o it, under the great Seale, without staying for the end of the Parliament. Also, that Derham and Colepepper having beene attained before by the Common-Law, might be attainted likewise by Parliament: all which was assented to by the King; and after, on the thirteenth of February, the Queen and the Lady Roch…ord were beheaded on the-greene within the Tower, where they confessed their offences, and dyed penitently: yet something to take off the offences of this Queene; it is certainly said, that after her condemnation, she protested to Doctor VVhite Bishop of VVinchester, her last Confessour, that as for the Act for which she was condemned, she tooke God and his holy Angels to witnesse, upon her soules salvation, that she died guiltlesse.

Before this, on the three and twentieth of Ianuary, King Henry was proclaimed King of Ireland; where as before this …ime, the Kings of England were onelyonly entituled Lords of Ireland: and this title was given him both by the Parliament here, and by the Parliament holden in Ireland, before Sir Anthony Seintleger knight, the Kings Deputy there.

About this time Arthur Plantagenet Visconnt Lisle, base sonne to King Edward tha fourth; having beene imprisoned upon suspition of a practice, for betraying of Callice to the French, whilst he was the Kings Lievtenant there, was now found to be innocent of the Fact: and thereupon, the King to make him some reparation for his disgrace, sent him a Ring and a very gracious message, by Sir Thomas VVriothsley his Secretary; whereat the said Viscount tooke so great joy, that the night following, of that very joy he died: so deadly a thing is any passion, even joy it selfe, if it be extream. After his death Sir Iohn Dudley, his wives Sonne, was crea…ed Viscount Lisle. This Sir Iohn Dudley was sonne to Edmund Dudley, beheaded in the first yeere of this Kings reigne, and was made Viscount Lisle in right of his Mother.

During this Parliament, one George Ferrers Gentleman, servant to the King and Burgesse for the town of Plimmouth in Devonshire, in going to the Parliament House, was arrested in London by a Processe out of the Kings Bench, for a Debt wherein he was late afore condemned, as surety for one Welden, at the suit of one White; which arrest being signified to Sir Thomas Moyle knight, …peaker then of the Parliament, and to the Knights and Burgesses there; order was …aken, that the Serjeant of the Parliament, called Saint Iohn, should be sent to the Counter in Bredstreet (whither the said Ferrers was carried) and there demand to have him delivered: but the Officers of the Counter not onelyonly refused to deliver him, but gave the Serjeant such language, that they fell at last to an affray; at which time the Sheriffes comming, they also tooke their Officers part; so as the Serjeant was faine to returne without the prisoner; which being signified to the Speaker and the Burgesses, they tooke the matter in so ill part, that they would sit …o more without their Burgesse; and thereupon rising up, repaired to the Upper House, where the whole Case was declared by the Speaker, before Sir Thomas Audeley Lord Chancellour, and the Lords and Judges there assembled: who judgeing the contempt to be very grea…, referred the punishment thereof to the House of Commons it selfe: whereupon returning to their places againe… upon new debate of the Case, they p. 54tooke order that t…eir Serje…nt shou…d once more rep…ire to the Sheriffe of London, and demand …e prisoner, wit…out carryi…g any Writ or Warrant for the matter. It is tru… the Lord Chancellour offered to grant a Writ, but the House of Common… refused it; being of a cle…re opinion, that all Commandements from the nether House were to be executed by their Serjeant without Writ, onelyonly by shewing his Mace, which is his Warrant: but before the Serjeants returne into London, the Sheriffes better advised, became more mild, and upon the second demand, delivered the prisoner without any deniall, but then the Serjeant had further in charge, to command the Sheriffs and Clerkes of the Counter, to appeare personally the next morning before the House of Commons: where appearing, they were charged by the Speaker, with their contempt, and compelled to make immediate answere, without being admit…ed …o any counsaile, Sir Roger Chomley Recorder of London, offered to speak in the cause, but w…s not suffered, nor any other but the p…rties themselves: in conclusion, the Sheriffes and White who had caused the Arrest, were committed to the Tower, the Officer that did the Arrest, with foure other Officers to Newgate; but after two or three dayes, upon the …umble sui…e of the Major, were set at liberty; and because the said Ferrers being in execution upon a condemnation of debt, and set at large by priviledge of Parlaiment, was not by law to be brought againe into execution; and so the creditour without remedy for his debt, against him as his princip…ll debtour; therefore after long debate, by the space of nine or ten dayes together, they at last resolved to make an Act of purpose, to revive the execution of the said debt, against Welden who was principall debtour, and to discharge Ferrers that was but surer…: wherein notwithstanding, the house was devided, and the Act passed but by fourteen voyces: the King being adver…ised of this proceeding, called before him the Lord Chancelour and the …udges, the Speaker and divers of the lower House, to whom he decla…ed his Opinion to this effect: first commending their wi…dome, in maintaining the priviledges of t…eir house, (which hee would …o… have to be infringed in any point) he alleaged, that …e being head of the Parliament, and attending in his owne person upon the businesse t…ereof, ought in reason, to have Priviledge for himselfe and all his servants attending upon him, so as if the said Ferrers had been no Burgesse, but onelyonly hi… servant; yet in that respect, he was to have the priviledge as well as any other: for I understand (saith he) that you, not onelyonly for your owne persons, but also for your necess…ry servants, even to your Cookes and Hors-keepers injoy the s…me p…i…iledge… i… so much, as my Lord Chancelour here present, hath informed u…, that whilst he was Speaker of the Parliament, the Cook of the Temple was Arrested i… London, and in execution upon a statute of the S…aple, and for so much, as the said Cook during all the Parliament served the Spe…ker in t…at office; he was taken out of execution by priviledge of Parliament; the Prerogative of which Court, (as our learned Counsaile informeth us) is so great, that all Acts and processes comming ou… of any other Court, must for the time ce…se and give place to it: and touching the party himselfe, though for his presumption he was worthy to have lost his debt, yet I commend your Equity, that have restored him to hi… debt against him that was the principall: when the King had said this, Sir Edward Mountacute Lord chiefe Justice, rose up, and confirmed by many reasons, all that the King had said, as likwise did all the other Lord…, none speaking any thing to the contrary.

It was now the foure and thirtieth yeere of King Henries Reigne, when in May he took a loane of money of all such as were valued at fifty pounds and upward… in the Subsidy book, the Lord Privy-seale, the Bishop of VVinchester, Sir Iohn Baker, and Sir Thomas Wriothsley were commissioners, that the loane in London, who so handled the matter, that of some chief Citizens they obtained a thousand ma…kes in prest to the Kings use: for which Privie Seales were delivered to repay it againe within two yeeres.

p. 55At this time, were many complaints made by the …gli…h, against the Scots, partly for receiving and maintaining diverse English Reb…ls, … into Scotland, and partly for invading …he Engli…h Borders; but still w…en the King of Englan… was preparing to oppose them, the Scottish King would send Embassadours to tre…t of reconcilement, till at last, …fter m…n… delusory prankes of the Scots; the King of England, no longer …nduri…g such abuses, sent the Duke of Norfolke his Leivtena… Generall, accompanied with the Earls of Shrewsbury, Darby, Cumberland, Surrey, Hart…o…d, A…us, Rutland, the Lords of the North parts, Sir Anthony Browne Master of the Kings horse, and Sir Iohn Gage Controller of the King… House, with others, to the number of twenty thousand men; who on the one and twentieth of Oc…ober entred Scotland, where staying but eig…t daye… onelyonly he burnt above eighteen Towne…, Abbeys, and Castles, and then without …aving bat…aile offered, for want of victuals returned to Barwick; … soon as …e was returned, comes abro…d the King of Scots, raiseth a power of fifteen thous…nd men, and using great threatnings what he would doe, invaded the west Borders, but the edge of his threatning was soon taken off, for the bastard Da…es, with Iack of Musgrave setting upon them with onelyonly an hundred Light…horse, and Sir Thomas Wharton with three hundred, put them to flight; upon a concei…, th… the Duke of Norfolke with all his Army had beene come i…to those part…; where were taken prisoner… of the Scots, the Earl of Cassill and Glenc…ne, the Lord Maxwell Admir…ll of Scotland, the Lord Flemming, the Lord So…erwell, the Lord Oli…ha…t, the Lord Gray, Sir Oliver Sinclee…e, the Kings Minion, Iohn Rosse Lord of Gragy, Robert Erskin sonne to the Lord Erskin, Car Lord of Gredon, the Lord Maxwells two Brothers, Iohn Lesloy bastard sonne to the Earl of Rothus, George Hame Lord of Hemetton, with divers other men of account, to the number of above two hundred, and more then eight hundred of meaner calling; so as some one English m…n, and some women also, had three or foure prisoner… in their hands: at which over…hrow, the King of Scots took such grief, that he fell into a burning Ague, and thereof died, leaving behind him one onelyonly daughter; and heere King Henry began to apprehend a greater matter then the victory, for he and his Couns…ile conceived, that …hi… daughter, would be a fit match for his sonne Prince Edward, thereby to make … perpetuall union of the two Kingdomes; and to …his purpose they confer…ed with the Lord whom they had taken prisoners, who exceeding glad of the proposition, and promising to further it by all the possible meane they could, were …hereupon s…t at liberty, and suffered …o return home. Comming into Scotland … acquainting the Earl of Arraine wi…h the motion, who was chosen Gover…our of the young Queen and of the Realme; t…e matter with great liking was entertained, and in Parliament of the three est…tes in Scotland, the marriage was confirme…, and … peace between the two Re…lms, for ten yeer… wa… proclaimed, and Embass…dours sent into England, for sealing the conditions. But Beton Archbishop of S…int Andrews being Cardinall, and at the Popes devotion, and therefore an utter enemy to King Henry, so crossed the businesse that it came to nothing, but ended in a war between the two Kingdomes; so as in March the yeere following, the Lord Seymour Earle of Hartford, with an Army by Land and Sir Iohn Dudley Lord Lisle, with a Flee…e by Sea, me… at New-castle, and there joyned together, for invading of Scotland; with the Earl of Hartford, were the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Lords Cobham, Clinton, Conyers, Stinton, the Lord William Howard, with Knights and others, to the number of ten thousand, with Sir Iohn Dudley the Admirall, were two hu…dred s…ile of ships: on the fourth of May, the whole Army was landed two miles from the Towne of Lieth, at a place called Granther Crag; and there the Lord Lievtennant puting his men in order, ma…ched toward the Towne of Lieth: the Lord Admirall led the foreward, the Lievtennant the Battell, and the Earl of Shrewsbury the Rearward. Before they came to the Towne of Lieth, the Cardinal with six hundred …orse, besides foot, lay in the way to impeach their passage; but they were so p. 56assailed by the, Harqu…butars, that they were glad to flye, and the first man that fled was the Cardinal himself, and then the Earls of Huntley, Murrey & Bothwel; hereupon the English made forward to Lieth, and entred it without any great resistance: the sixth of May they marched towards Edenbrough, and as they approached the Towne, the provost with some of the Burgers, came and offered the keyes of the Towen, to the Lord Lievtennant, upon condition they might depart with bag and baggage, and the Towne to be preserved from fire; but the Lord Livetennant told them, their falshood had been such, as deserved …o fa…our, and therefore unlesse they would deliver the Towne absolutely without any condition, he would pro…eed in his enterprise, and burne the Towne. Here wee may see, what it is to make men desperate, for to this the Provest answered, they were better then to stand upon defence, and so indeed they did, and made the English glad to retire, for the Castle shot so fiercely upon them, that having burnt onelyonly a part of the Towne, they returned to Lieth; but whilst they lay there, they so wasted the Country, that within seaven mile… every way of Edenbrough, there was not a Towne, nor Village, nor house t…at was left unburnt: at Lieth, the eleveth day of May, the Lord Generall made Knights, the Lord Clinton, the Lord Conyers, Sir William Wroughton, Sir Thomas Holecraft, Sir Edward Dorrell, Sir Francis Hothome, and other…, to the number of at least threescore: in Lieth Haven, they seized upon all the Scottish Ships; whereof two were of notable fairnesse, the one called the Salamander, given by the French King, at the mariage of his daughter into Scotland, the other called the Unicorne, made by the late Scottish King; the ballast of which two ships was Cannon-shot, whereof they found in the Towne, to the number of fourscore thousand. On the fiftee…th of May, their Army and their Flee… departed from Lieth, both in one houre, having first set the Towne on fire and burned it to the ground: from Lieth the English Army marched to Seaton, from thence to Haddington, from thence to Dunbar, from thence to Ranton, all which Towns and Castles with diverse others they burnt and utterly defaced; and on the eighteenth of May came to Barwick, not having lost in all the journey above fourteen men…

In the meane time, in King Henries five and thirtieth yeer, on Trinity sunday a new league was entred into and sworne, between the King and the Emperour at Hampton-court, to be both offensive and defensive.

In this yeer, Proclamation was made, whereby the people were licensed to eate white meats in Le…t, but streightly forbidden the eating of flesh; whereupon shortly after, the Earle of Surrey with diverse other Lords and Knights, were imprisoned for eating of flesh contrary to the proclamation.

The third of Iune this yeer, there came ou… of Ireland three Lord…, of whom Obrine was here created Earle of Thonmo…d, (which ho…our his posterity injoyeth to this day) Mack William a Bary, was created Ea…le of Clanrinckford, and Mack Gilparick, was made Barron of Ebranky.

King Henry had already had five wives all of them Maides, and no good luck with any of them, he will now therefore try his fortune with a Widdow, a…d therupon the twelveth of Iune, in the five and thirtieth yeere of his Reigne hee took to wife the Lady Katherine Par, widdow of the Lord Latimer late deceased, who was then proclaimed Queen; but how lucky would this ma…ch have proved, if the King had longer lived, God knowes, seeing in the short time of three yeers they lived together, it was no smal danger she escaped, which though it hapenned not till a yeer or …wo after this time, yet will not unfitly be spoken of in this place, that so her story may come together; this Queen as being an …arnest Protestant, had many great adversaries, by whom she was accused to the King, to have Hereticall books found in her closet; and this was so agravated against her, that they prevailed with the King, to signe a warrant to commit her to the Tower, with a purpose to have her burnt for Heresie; this warrant was delivered to Wriothsley Lord Chancelour, and he by chance, or rather p. 57indeed by Gods providence, letting it fal from him, it was taken up and caried to the Queen; who having read it, went soone after to visit the King, at that time keeping his chamber, by reason of a sore leg; being come to the King, he presently fel into talk with her, …bout some points of Religion, demanding her resolution therin; but she knowing that his nature was not to be crost, specially considering the case she was in, made him answer, that she was a woman accompanied with many imperfections, but his Majesty was wise and judicious, of whom she must learne as of her Lord and Head; not so by Saint Mary (said the King) for you are a Doctor Kate to instruct us, and not to be instructed by us, as often we have seen heretofore: indeed Sir (said she) if your Majesty have so conceived, I have been mistaken, for if heretofore I have held talke with you touching Religion, it hath bin to learn of your Majesty some point, whereof I stood in doubt, and sometimes that with my talke, I might make you forget your present infirmity: a…d is it even so Sweet heart (quoth the King) why then we are friends, and so kissing her, gave her leave to depart. But soon after, the day was appointed by the Kings warrant, for apprehending her; on which day, the King being disposed to walk i… the Garden, had the Queen with him, when suddenly the Lord Chancelour with forty of the Guard… c…me into the Garden, with a purpose to apprehend her: when as soon as the King saw, he stept to him, and calling him knave and foole, bid him avaunt out of his presence: the Queen seeing the King so angry with him, began to intreat for him, to whom the King said; ah poore soule, thou little knowest what it is he came about, of my word sweet heart, he hath bin to thee a very knave; and thus by God… providen… was this Queen preserved, who else had tasted of as bitter a c…p, as any of his former wives had done.

About this time King Henry and the Emperour sent Garter and Toyson d…or, kings at Armes, to demand performance of certain Articles of the French King: which if he denied, they were then comanded to defie him: but the French King would not suffer them to come within his land, and so they returned: wherupon King Henry caused the s…id demand… to be declared to the French Embassadour at Westminster; aud in Iuly sent over six thousand men, under the leading of Sir Iohn Walloppe accompanied with divers Knights & Gentlemen, Sir Thomas Seymour was Marshal of the Army, Sir Robert Bowes Treasuror, Sir Richard Cronwal Captain of the horse, and Sir George Carew his Lieutenant. There were likewise Sir Thomas Palmer, Sir Iohn Rainsford, Sir Iohn St. Iohn, and Sir Iohn Gascoigne Knights, that were Captains of the foot. Their Comission was to joyn with the Emperor, and together to m…ke war upon France. The third of August open wa… was proclaimed in London, between the Emperor & the King of England on the one part, and the F…e…ch King on the other, as mortal enemy to them both; and to all other christian Princes besides, as he that had confederated himselfe with the Turk. Sir Iohn Wallop marching forth of Callice with his Army, joyned with …e Emperors Forces, who together went and besieged Landersey a Town lately fortified by the French, lying within the borders of the Emperors dominions: to raise this siege, the French King had raised a mighty army; with which he came on, as if he ment to give the Emperor battaile; and thereupon the Emperor raising his siedge, with a purpose to encounter him, the French King tooke the opportunity to put men and victuals into the town, which was the thing he intended: and having done this, the night following departed with his army; and then the Emperour seeing him gone, and finding the winter coming on, and no hope of sudden ge…ting the Town, being now newly supplied, he also broke up his Army, and returned home.

This yeer, the sunday before Christmas, the Lord William Parre, brother to the Queen, who had maried the daughter and heire of Henry Bourchier Earle of Essex, was at Hampton Court created Earl of Essex, & Sir William Parre knight unckle to them both, was made Lord Parre of Horton and Lord Chamberlin to the Queen; and on New-yeers-day Sir Thomas Wriothsley, the Kings Secretary, was made Lord Wriothsley of Tichfield.

p. 58In Iune this yeer, Matthew Earl of Lenox fled out of Scotland and came into England, whom King Henry received kindly, and gave him in marriage the Lady Margaret his Sisters daughter, by whom he had Henry, Father of our late King Iames of blessed memory.

Thomas Audley Lord Chancellour, being lately dead, Thomas Lord Wriothsley succeeded him in the place; and now was an Army levied to goe for France; the Duke of Norfolke and the Lord Privie Seal, accompanied with the Earl of Surrey the Dukes Son, the Lord Gray of Wilton, the Lord Ferrers of C…artley and his Son Sir Robert Devereux, Sir Thomas Chainey Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, the Lord Montjoy, Sir Francis Byran, Sir Thomas Poynings Captaine of Guysnes, with many other Knights and Gentlemen, about Whitsontide passed over to Callice; and marching toward Muttrel, joyned with the Emperours forces, under the leading of the Count de Buren; which two Armies laid siedge to Muttrel, wherof Monsseur de Bies, one of the Martials of France was Captaine, but being then at Bulloign, and hearing of the siedg of Muttrel, he left Bulloigne and with his forces came thither, which was the thing that was desired, to draw him from Bnlloign; and thereupon was the Duke of Suffolke appointed to passe over with the Kings army, accompanied with the Earl of Arundell. Marshall of the Field, the Lord St. Iohn, the Bishop of Winchester, Sir Iohn Gage Controlor of the Kings house, Sir Anthony Browne Master of the Kings horse, with divers others; who the ninteenth of Iuly came and incamped before Bulloigne; the four and twentieth of Iuly the King in person, accompanied with divers of the Nobility, came to Callice; and the six and twentieth incamped before Bulloign on the north side; many batteries and assaults were made, so long, till at last the Town upon composition yeelded, and the Duke of Suffolke entred and tooke possession, suffring six thousand French, as was agreed, with bag and baggage to depart. The eight of September King Henry entred the town himselfe, and then leaving the Lord Lisle Lord Admirall, his Deputy there, he returned into England, landing at Dover the first of O…tober. Many enterprises after this were made by the Dolphin of France, and by Monsieur de Bies for recovery of Bulloigne, but they were still repulsed, and the English kept the towne in spight of all they could doe; although at one time there came an Army of eighteene thousand foot, at another time an Army, wherein were reckoned twelve thousand Lance-knights, twelve thousand French foot-men, sixe thousand Italians, foure thousand of Legionarie souldiers of France, a thousand men of Armes, besides eight thousand light Horse; great Forces certainly to come and doe nothing.

Whilst these things were doing about Bulloign, the ships of the west Country and other places wa…ted abroad on the Seas, and took above three hundred French ships; so that the Gray-friers Church in London was laid full of wine, the Austin-friers and Black-friers full of herrings and other fish, which should have bin convayed in France.

About this time the King demanded a Benevolence of his Subjects, towards his wars in France and Scotland, to which purpose, the Lord Chancelour, the Duke of Suffolke, and other of the Kings Counsaile sate at Baynards Castle, where they first caled before them the Major and Aldermen, and because Richard Read Alderman, would not agree to pay as they set him, he was commanded to serve the King in his wars in Scotland, which the obstinate man rather choose to doe, then he would pay the rate he was required, but being there, he was taken prisoner by the Scots, to his far greater damage, then if he had agreed to the Benevolence required. For at this time, Sir Ralph Evers Lord Warden of the Marches, after many fortunate Roades into Scotland, assembled four thousand men, and entring Scotland now againe, was encountred by the Earl of Arraigne by whom he and the Lord Oagle, and many other Gentlemen were slaine, and diverse were taken prisoners, of whom Alderman Read was one.

It was now the seaven and thirtieth yeer of King Henries Reigne, when on p. 57Saint Georges day Sir Th…mas Wriothsley Lord-Chancelour, was made Knight of the Garter, also Trinity Tearme was adjourned, by reason of the warres but the Exchequer and the Court of the Te…thes were open.

At this time, the English fleet went before New-haven, but being there encountred by a farre greater fleet of French, they ret…rned; with whose retreate, the French Admirall emboldned, came upon the Coast of Sussex, where hee landed Souldiers, but upon firing of the Beacons was driven back, after which he landed two thousand men in the Isle of Wight, but was there repelled, though reported to have in his ships threescore thousand men.

In Angust this yeer, died the valiant Captaine, the Lord Poynings, the Kings Lievtenant of his Towne of Bulloigne, and the same month also, died at Guildford, the noble Duke of Suffolke, Charles Brandon, Lord great Master of the Kings House, whose Body was honourably buried at Windsore at the Kings cost.

About this time, the Scots having received aide out of France, approached the English Borders, but durst attempt nothing, whereupon the Earle of Hertford, Lievtenant of the North parts, raising an army of twelve thovsand men, English and strangers, entred Scotland and burnt a great part of Mers and Tividale, as Kelsay Abbey and the Towne, the Abbeys of Medrosse, Driborne, and Yedworth, with a hundred Townes and Villages more; when on the sixteenth of September, an Army of Scots and French attempted to enter into England on the East borders, but in a streight were set upon by the English, who slew and tooke of them to the number of seven score, amongst whom was the Lord Humes sonne, and a principall French Captaine; in another roade, which they made into the West Borders, the Lord Maxwels sonne, and diverse other were taken, but then at another time (such is the chance of war) five hundred English entring the West Borders of Scotland were discomfited, and the greatest part of them either taken or slaine.

And now to revenge the presumptious attempts of the French upon the Isle of Wight, the Lord Admiral with his fleet approached the Coasts of Normandy landed six thousand men at Treport, burnt the Suburbs of that Towne with the Abbey, destoryed thirty ships there in the Haven, and then returned, not having lost above fourteen persons in the whole voyage.

At this time the Earle of Hartford lying at Bulloigne, had in his Army above fourscore thousand men, and many skirmishes passed between him and the French, till at last, by mediation of the Emperour and diverse other Princes a meeting was appointed to treat of a peace, between the two Kings of England and France; hereupon there came to Guisnes for the King of England, the Earl of Hertford, the Bishop of Winchester, Sir Iohn Dudley Viscount Lisle, Baron of Mawpas and high Admirall of England, Sir William Paget the Kings Secretary & Doctor Nicholas Wootton Dean of Canterbury. For the French King, there came to Ard, Claude Danebolt Admirall of France, the Bishop of Eureux, Monsieur Reymond chiefe President of Roan, and the Secretary Bouchetell. Diverse times they met betwixt Ard and Guisnes, and after long debating of matters, and diverse breakings off… at length, the seventh of Iune, a Peace was concluded, and proclaimed in the City of London on Whitsunday the thirteenth of Iune, by sound of trumpet; and the same day in like manner at Paris and Roan; the chiefe Article of which Peace was this; that the French King paying to the King of England eight hundred thousand Crownes, within the terme of eight yeeres, should have Bulloigne againe restored to him, which in the mean time should remain in possession of the King of England, as a pledge for assurance of the said money; and now for a full establishment of this Peace, the Viscount Lisle Lord Admirall, with the Bishop of Duresme and divers other Lords, were sent into France to take oath of the French King and of the Dolphin; as likewise at the same time, divers Lords came from the French King to take oath of King Henry; who by the way were met by the yong Prince and many Lords, and conducted to the King at Hampton-Court.

p. 60In his seven and thirtieth yeere, the three and twentieth of November, a Parliament began at VVestmins…er, wherein was granted to the King, a Subsidie both of Spiritualty and Temporalty, and all Colledges, Chanteries and Hospitalls were given to him to dispose of: the foure and twentieth of December the Parliament was prorogued, on which day the King comming to the Parliament House, the Speaker made to him an Oration, which the Lord Chancelour was used to answere, but at this time the King would answer himselfe, the effect whereof was, that where Master Speaker had commended him for many excellent qualities that were in him, he thanked him for it, not that he had them, but for putting him in mind, how necessary it was, he should have them; then he thanked the whole House for their Subsidie, and for giving him the Colleges and Chanteries, which hee promised to see bestowed, to the glory of God and good of the Realme; lastly, he ackowledged their love to himselfe, but found fault with want of love to one another; for what love, where there is not concord? and what concord, when one calleth another Heretick and Anabaptist, and he againe calleth him Papist and Hipocrite: and this not onelyonly amongst those of the Temporalty, but even the Clergy men themselves preach one against another, inveigh one against another, without Charity or Discretion; some be so stiffe in their old mumpsimus, and others so curious in their new sumpsimus, that few or none Preacheth truly and sincerely the word of God; now therfore let this be amended, feare and serve God, be in Charity amongst your selves, to the which I as your supream Head and Soveraigne Lord, exhort and require you: and this said, the Acts were openly read, to some he gave his Royall assent, and to diverse assented not.

Whilst oath for the peace was thus taken by both Kings, Bulloigne remaining still in King Henries possession, Monsieur de Chatillon Captain of Mont-pleasier began to make a new Bastillion at the very mouth of the Haven of Bulloigne naming it Chatillous Garden: hereof the Lord Gray of VVilton as then Deputy of Bulloigne advertised the King by Sir Thomas Palmour, requiring to know his pleasure whither he should race it, as a thing very incommodious to the Town, or let it stand; the King asked advice of his Counsail, who all agreed, that the conditions of the peace ought in no wise to be infringed, and therefore to let the Bastillian stand; whereupon the King caused his Secretary the Lord Paget, to write a letter to the Lord Gray, to that purpose, but then called Sir Thomas Palmour secretly to him, bidding him tell the Lord Gray, that whatsoever he had written in his letter, yet with all speed possible, he should race the fortification to the ground; Sir Thomas Palmour replying that a message by word of mouth being contrary to his leter, would never be beleeved, wel (said the King) do you tell him as I bid you, and leave the doing it to his choice; upon the comming back of Sir Thomas Palmour, the Lord Gray called a counsaile, shewing them th… King… letter, and withall Sir Thomas Palmours message, and then asked their Advise, what in this case he should doe? who all agreed without any question, that the letter was to be followed, and not the message, to which the Lord Gray himselfe said nothing, but caused the message to be wtitten verbatim from Sir Thomas Palmours mouth, and those of the Counsaile, to set their hands to it: this done, the night following he issued forth with a company of Armed men and Pioners, aud overthrew the fortification to the ground, a…d then sent Sir Thomas Palmour with letters to the King, who as soon as he saw him, asked aloud, what, will he doe it or no? Sir Thomas Palmour delivering his letter said, your Majesty shall know by these, but then the King halfe angry, nay tell me (saith he) wil he doe it or no? being then told it was done, and the fortification clean raced, he turned to his Lords and said, what say you my Lords to this, Chatillous Garden is raced to the …loore; whereto one presently answered, that he that had done it, was worthy to loose his head, to which the King streightl… replyed, that he would rather lose a dozen such heads as his was, that so J…dged, then one such servants as had done it, and therewith commanded the Lord Grays p. 61pardon should presently be drawn, the which he sent vvith letters of great thanks, and promise of reward; the cause why the King took this course was this, lest if he written the racing of the Fortification, in his letter it might have come t… the French-mens knowledge, before it could have been done, and so have been prevented, and by this may be taken a scantling of King Henries great Capacitie.

It is now the eight and thirtieth yeere of his reigne, when about Michaelmas Thomas Duke of Norfolke, and Henry Earle of Surrey his Sonne and heire, upon certaine surmises of treason, were committed to the Tower of London; and the thirteenth of Ianuary, the King then lying at the point of death, the said Earle was arraigned in the Guild-hall, before the Lord Major, the Lord Chauncellour, and other Lords there in Commission; the speciall matter wherewith he was charged, was the bearing of certaine Armes that were said to belong to the King and to the Prince; though the Earle justified the bearing of them, as belonging to divers of his Ancestours; affirming withall, that he had the opinion of Heraulds therein: But this notwithstanding, being no Lord of the Parliament, he was tried by a common Jurie, and by them was found guilty, and thereupon had judgement of death; and the nineteenth of Ianuary was beheaded on the Tower-hill. The Duke was attainted by Parliament and kept in prison, …ill in the first yeer of Queen Mary the Attaindour was reversed. The death of this Earle might lay an imputation of cruelty upon King Henry, if a just jealousie growing from the many circumstances of the Earles greatnesse, in the tender age of his owne Sonne did not excuse him.

Soone after the death of this Earle, the King himselfe died; having made his last Will, in which he tooke order, that his Sonne Edward should succeed him in the Crowne, and he dying without issue, his daughter Mary, and she dying without issue, his daughter Elizabeth; although another order of succession had passed before by Act of Parliament. The Executors of his last Will were these sixteene; Thomas Cranmor Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Wriothsley Lord Chancellour, Sir William Pawlet Lord Saint Iohn, and great Master of the Houshold, Sir Edward Seymor Earle of Hartford and high Chamberlin of England, Sir Iohn Russell Lord Privie Seale, Sir Iohn Dudley Viscount Lisle, Lord Admirall… Cutbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham, Sir Anthonie Browne Master of the Horse, Sir Edmund Montacute, Lord chiefe Justice of the Common-Pleas, Sir Thomas Bromley one of the Justices of the Kings Bench, Sir Edward North Chancellour of the Augmentation, Sir William Paget Knight of the Order, Sir Anthonie Dennie, Sir William Herbert, Sir Edward Wootton Treasurour of Callice, and Nicholas VVootton Deane of Canterbury and Yooke. To whom were adjoyned as assistance these twelve, Henry Fitz Allan Earle of Arundell, VVilliam Par Earle of Essex, Sir Thomas Cheyney Treasurour of the Houshold, Sir Iohn Gage Controlour, Sir Anthony VVingfield Vice-chamberlaine, Sir VVilliam Peter Principall Secretary, Sir Richard Rich, Sir Iohn Baker of Sissingherst in Kent, Chancellour of the Exchequer, Sir Ralph Sadler, Sir Thomas Seymour, Sir Richard Southwell and Sir Edward Peckham. And it was not without need to leave a full Councell Table, considering in what termes he left the Kingdome when he died. Abroad, in league with the Emperour, at Peace with the King of France; but whether these were not personall onelyonly, and no longer binding then King Henry lived, might be doubted; with the Scots at deadly send; with the Pope at utter defiance; from both which coasts there could be expected but little faire weather: at home, the frame of Religion extreamly disioynted; and the Clergie that should set it in frame, out of frame themselves: the mindes of the people extreamly distracted; and the Nobility that should cyment them, scarce holding themselves together: And in this stare was the Kingdome when King Henry the eight dyed, in the yeer 1547. the fifty sixth of his life, and of his Reigne the eight and thirtieth.