Acts and Monuments Volume 2 Part 2, Book 12 · Account 111 – Account 112
❧Lady Katherine Duches of Suffolcke.The olde hatred of Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester agaynst the Duchesse of Suffolke.
STephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, surmising the Ladye Katherine Baronesse of Willoughby and Cresby and Duchesse Dowager of Suffolcke, to be one of his auncient enemies, because he knew he had deserued no better of her, deuised in the holy time of the first Lent in Queene Maries reigne, a holy practise … …euēge, first by touching her in the person of her husbād M. Richard Berty Esquyre, for whom he sent an attachment (hauing the great seale at his deuotion) to the Sheriffe of Lincolnshyre with a speciall Letter commaunding moste straitly the same Sheriffe,M. …ich. Bertie husband to the D…chesse, attached by the Byshop of Wynchester. to attache the sayd Richard immediatly, and without baile to bring him vp to London to his great Lordship. M. Berty her husband being cleare in conscience, and from offence toward the queene, could not coniecture any cause of this straunge processe, vnlesse it were some quarell for Religion, which he thought coulde not be so sore as the processe pretended.
The Sheriffe notwithstanding the commaundement, aduentured onelyonly to take the bonde of M. Bertye with 2. sureties, in a thousand poūd for his appearance to be made before the Byshop on good Friday folowing,M. Bert…e appeareth before B. Gardiner. at which day M. Berty appeared, the Bishop then lying at his house by S. Mary Oueryes. Of whose presence when the Byshop vnderstood by a gentleman of his chamber, in a great rage he came out of his gallery into his dining chamber, where he found a prease of suters, saying he woulde not that daye heare any, but came forth only to know of M. Berty, how he being a subiect durste so arrogantly set at light two former processes of the Queenes.
M. Berty aunswered,Talke betweene B. Gardiner and M. Bertie that albeit my Lordes woordes might seme to the rest somewhat sharpe towards him, yet he conceiued greate comfort of thē. For whereas he before thought it extremity to be attached, hauing vsed no obstinacy or contumacy, now he gathered of those wordes, that my Lord meant not otherwise but to hauehave vsed some ordinary processe: albeit in deed none came to his handes.
Yea Mary, quoth the Byshoppe, I hauehave sent you two subpenas, to appeare immediatly, and I am sure you receiued them, for I committed the truste of them to no worsse man but to Mayster Solicitour, and I shall make you an example to all Lyncolnshyre for your obstinacy.
M. Berty denying the receipt of any, humbly prayed his Lordship to suspend his displeasure & the punishment till he had good trial therof, & then, if it pleased him, to double the payne for the fault, if any were.
Well, quoth the Byshoppe,The deuotion of B. Gardiner to good Friday. I hauehave appoynted my selfe this day (according to the holines of the same) for deuotion, and I will not further trouble me with you: but I enioyn you in a thousand poūd not to depart without leaue, and to be here againe to morow at 7. of the clocke. M. Berty well obserued the houre, and no …ote …ayled: At whiche time the B. had with him M. Seriant Stampford, to whō he moued certayn questions of the sayd M. Berty, because M. Serieaunt was towardes the Lorde Wriothesley late Earle of Southhampton, and Chauncellour of England, with whom the said M. Berty was brought vp. M. Seriant made very frendly report of M. Berty of hys owne knowledge for the time of theyr conuersation together. Wherupon the Bishop caused M. Berty to be brought in, and first making a false trayne (as God would, without fire) before he woulde descend to the quarrell of Religion, he assaulted him in this maner.
Winch.
The Queenes pleasure is (quoth the Byshoppe) that you shall make present payment of 4000. pound due to her father by Duke Charles,M. Bertie attached for debt of 4000. poundes due to the Queene. late husband to the Duchesse your wife, whose executor she was.
Bert.
Pleaseth it your Lordshippe (quoth M. Berty) that debt is estalled, and is according to that estallement, truly aunswered.
Winch.
Tush (quoth the Byshop) the Queene will not be bounde to estallementes,Kette Captayn… of the rebells in Northfolke in K. Edwardes tyme. in the time of Kettes gouernement, for so I esteme the late gouernement.
Bert.
The estallement (quoth M. Berty) was appoynted by king Henry the 8. besides the same, was by speciall cō missioners confirmed in king Edwardes tyme, and the Lord treasurer being an executor also to the Duke Charles soly and wholly, tooke vponupon him before the sayd Commissioners, to discharge the same.
Winch.
If it be true that you saye (quoth the Byshoppe) I will shew you fauor. But of an other thing M. Berty, I will admonish you, as meaning you well. I heare euill of your Religion: yet I hardly can thinke euil of you, whose mother I know to be as Godlye and Catholicke, as any within this Lande, your selfe brought vp with a mayster, whose education if I should disallow, I might be charged as author of his errour. Besides, partly I know you my selfe, and vnderstande of my frendes, enough to make me your frend: wherefore I will not doubt of you, but I pray you if I may aske the question of my Ladye your wife,A Dogge clothed in a Rochet vnderunder the name of B. Gardiner. is she now as ready to set vp the Masse, as she was lately to pull it downe, when she caused in her progresse, a dog in a Rochet to be caried, & called by name? or doth she think her lambes now safe enough, which sayd to me whē I vailed my bonnet to her out of my chamber window in the tower, that it was mery with the lambes, now the Wolfe was shut vp?It is mery with Lambe…, when wolues be tyed vp. Another time my Lord her husband hauing inuited me and diuers Ladies to dinner, desired eueryevery Lady to choose him whom she loued best, and so place themselues: My Ladye your wife taking me by the hande, for that my Lord would not hauehave her to take himselfe, sayd that for so much as she could not sit downe with my Lord whom she loued best, she had chosen me whom she loued worst.
Of the deuise of the Dogge, quoth M. Berty, she was neither the author nor the allower. The wordes, though in that season they sounded bitter to your Lordship, yet if it should please you without offence to know the cause, I am sure the one will purge the other. As touching setting vp of Masse, which she learned not onelyonly by strong perswasions of diuers excellent learned men,Purgation of the Lady Duchesse for not comming to Masse. but by vniuersall consent and order whole vj. yeares past, inwardly to abhorre (if she should outwardly allowe, she should both to Christ shew her selfe a false Christian, and to her prince a masquing subiect. You know my Lord, one by iudgemēt reformed, is more worth then a thousand transformed tē porizers. To force a confession of Religion by mouth, cō trary to that in the hart, worketh damnation where saluation is pretended.
Yea mary (quoth the Bishop) that deliberation would do well i… she neuer required to come from an old Religion to a new. But now she is to returne from a newe to an auncient Religion: Wherin when she made me her gossip, she was as earnest as any.
For that, my Lord (sayd M. Berty) not long sithen, she aunswered a frend of hers v…ing your Lordships speach,Religion goeth not by age, but by truth. that Religion went not by age but by truth: and therefore she was to be turned by persuasion and not by commaundement.
I pray you (quoth the Bishop) thinke you it possible to persuade her?
Yea verely (sayd M. Berty) with the truth: for she is reasonable enough.
The bishop thereunto replying, sayd: it will be a maruellous griefe to the Prince of Spayne, and to all the nobility that shall come with him, when they shall finde but two noble personages of the spanish race within this lād, the Queene, and my Lady your wife, and one of thē gone from the fayth.
M. Berty aunswered, that he trusted they should find no fruites of infidelity in her.
So the Bishop perswading M. Berty to trauell earnestly for the reformation of her opinion,M. Bertye released from his band of appearing. and offring large frendship, released him of his bande from further appearaunce.
The Duchesse and her husband, dayly more and more, by their frendes vnderstanding that the Bishop meant to call her to an accoūt of her fayth, whereby extremity might followe, deuised wayes how by the Queenes licence they might passe the Seas. M. Berty had a ready meane: for there rested great summes of mony due to the old Duke of Suffolke (one of whose executers the Duches was) beyond the Seas,Wayes practised how to conuey the Duchesse ouer the Seas with the Qu…enes licence. M. Bertye deuiseth cause to passe ouer into Flaunders. the Emperour himselfe being one of those debters. M. Berty communicated this his purposed sute for licence to passe the Seas, and the cause, to the Bishop-adding, that he tooke this time most meet to deale with the Emperour, by reason of likelyhoode of Mariage betwene the Queene and his sonne.
I like your deuise well (quoth the bishop) but I think it better, that you tary the Princes comming, and I will procure you his letters also to his father.
Nay (quoth M. Berty) vnderunder your Lordships correction and pardon of so liberall speache, I suppose the tyme will then be lesse conuenient: for when the Mariage is cō sūmate, the Emperour hath his desire: but till then he will refuse nothing to win credit with vsus.
By S. Mary (quoth the Bishoppe, smiling) you gesse shrewdly. Well, proceed in your sute to the Queene, and it shall not lacke my helping hand.
M Bertye licensed by the Queene to passe the Seas.M. Berty found so good successe, that he in fewe dayes obteined the Queenes licence, not onelyonly to passe the seas, but to passe and repasse then so oftē as to him semed good, till he had finished all his busines and causes beyonde the seas. So he passed the seas at Douer about the beginning of Iune in the first yeare of her reign, leauing the Duchesse behinde,Preparation made how to … the Du…hesse ouer the …eas. who by agreement and consent beewixt her & her husband, folowed, taking Barge at Lyon Key, very early in the morning, on the first day of Ianuary next ensuyng, not without some perill.
There was none of those that wēt with her, made priuy to her going till the instant, but an old Gentleman called M. Robert Cranwell,M. Cranwell a … friend to Ma…ster Bertye. whom M. Berty had specially prouided for that purpose. She tooke with her her daughter an infant of one yeare, & the meanest of her seruaunts, for she doubted the best would not aduenture that fortune with her. They were in nūber 4. men, one a Greek borne, which was a rider of horses, an other a Ioyner, the thyrde a Brewer, the fourth a foole one of the kitchin, one g…ntlewoman, and a Laundreue.
As she departed her house called the Barbican,The Duchesse with her company departeth the realme. betwixt 4. and 5. of the clocke in the morning, with her company & baggage, one Atkinson a Herauld, keper of her house: hearing noyse about the house, rose and came out with a torch in his hand as she was yet issuing out of the gate: wherewith being amased, shee was forced to leaue a male wyth necessaryes for her young daughter,The ma…er of the Duchesse … ing out of her house. and a milke pot wyth milke in the same gatehouse, commaūding all her seruantes to speed them away before to Lyon Key, and takyng with her onelyonly the two womē and her child, so soone as she was forth of her owne house, perceiuing the Herauld to folow, she stept in at Garter house hard by. The Herauld comming out of the Duchesse house, and seeing no bodye stirring, not assured (though by the male suspecting) that she was departed, returned in: and while he stayed ransacking parcelles left in the male, the Duchesse issued into the street, and proceeded in her iourney, he knowing the place only by name where she should take her boate, but not the way thither, nor none with her. Likewise her seruauntes hauing diuided themselues, none but one knewe the way to the sayd key.
So she apparelled like a meane Marchantes wife and the rest like meane seruantes, walking in the streetes vnknowne, she tooke the way that led to Finesbury field and the others walked the city streetes as they lay open before them, till by chaunce more then discretion, they met all sodeinly together a litle within Mooregate, frō whence they passed directly to Lyon keye, & there tooke barge in a morning so misty, that the stearesman was loth to launch out,The Duchesse with her company taketh Barge. but that they vrged him. So soone as the day permitted, the Councell was informed of her departure, and some of thē came forthwith to her house to enquire of the maner thereof, and tooke an inuentory of her goodes, besides further order deuised for search and watch to apprehend and staye her.Pursute after the Duchesse.
The fame of her departure reached to Leigh, a towne at the lands end, before her approching thither. By Leigh dwelt one Gosling a marchant of Londō, an old acquaintaunce of Cranwels, whither the sayd Cranwell brought the Duchesse, naming her Mistres White,The Duchesse retayned in M. Goslings house by Leigh, vnderunder the name of his daughter. the daughter of Mayster Gosling, for such a daughter he had which neuer was in that coūtry. There she reposed her, and made new garmentes for her daughter, hauing lost her owne in the male at Barbican.
When the time came that she shoulde take ship, being constrayned that night to lye at an Inne in Leigh (where she was agayne almost be wrayed) yet notwithstanding, by Gods good working she escaping that hassard, at lēgth, as the tyde and wind did serue, they went aboord,The hard aduenture of the Duchesse vponupon the Seas. & being caryed twise into the seas, almost into the coast of Zeland, by contrary wind were driuē to the place from whēce they came, and at the last recuile, certayne parsons came to the shore, suspecting shee was within that shippe: yet hauing examined one of her company that was a land for fresh Achates, and finding by the simplicitye of his tale, onelyonly the appearaunce of a meane Marchauntes wife to be a shipboord, he ceased any further search.
To bee shorte, so soone as the Duchesse had landed in Brabant,The Duchesse landed in Brabant. M. Bertye with the Duchesse his wyfe ariued at Santon. The free towne of Wesell in Cleueland. she and her womē were apparelled like the women of Netherlande with hukes, and so she and her husband tooke theyr iourney towardēs Cleueland, and being ariued at a towne therin called Santon, took a house there vntill they might further deuise of some sure place where to settle themselues.
About fiue miles from Santon, is a free towne called Wesell, vnderunder the sayd Duke of Cleues dominion, and one of the Haūs townes, priuiledged with the company of the Steelyard in London, whether diues Wallons were fled for religion, and had for theyr Minister one Frances Perusell, then called Frances de Riuers, who had receiued some curtesy in England at the Duchesse handes. Maister Berty being yet at Santon,A prote… tion procured for the Duchesse, of the Magistrates of Wesell. practised with him to obteine a protection from the Magistrates for his abode & his wiues at Wesell: whiche was the sooner procured because the state of the Duchesse was not discouered but onelyonly to the chiefe Magistrate, earnestly bent to shewe them pleasure, whiles this protection was in seeking.
In the meane while, at the Towne of Santon was a muttering that the Duchesse & her husbande were greater personages then they gaue themselues forth, and the Magistrates not very well inclined to religion, the Bishop of Arras also being Deane of the great Minster, order was taken, that the Dutches and her husband should be examined o… their condition and Religion vppon the sodayne.M. Bertye and the Duchesse in daunger of taking by the B. of Arras at Santon. An other escape of the Duchesse and her husband. The hard distresse of the Duchesse by euill wether. Which practise discouered by a gentleman of that country to Mayst…r Bertie, he without delay taking no more then the Duches her daughter, and two other with them, as though he meant no more but to take the ayre, about three of ye clock in the afternoone in February, on foot, without hiering of horse or wagon for feare of disclosing hys purpose, meant priuily that night to get to Wesel, leauing his other family still at Santon.
After the Duches and he were one englishe mile from the town, there fell a mighty rayne of continuance, wherby a long frost and ise before congealed, was thawed, whiche doubled more the wearines of those new lacquies. But being now on the way, and ouertakē with the night, they sent their two seruauntes (which onelyonly went with them) to villages, as they past, to hyre some carre for theyr ease, but none could be hyred. In the meane time M. Bertye was forced to cary the childe, and the Duches his cloke and rapier.The hard intertainment of M. Bertye and the Duchesse of their entring into Wesell. At last betwixt vi. & vii. of the clocke in ye dark night, they came to Weesell, and repayring to theyr Innes for lodging and some repose after such a paynfull iourney, found hard intertaynment, for goyng from Inne to Inne offring large mony for small lodging, they were refused of all the Inholders, suspecting Mayster Bertye to bee a Launceknight, and the Duches to be hys woman. The Childe for cold and sustenaunce cryed pittifully, the mother wept as fast, the heauens rayned as fast as ye cloudes could poure.
Mayster Bertie destitute of all other succour of hospitalitie, resolued to bring the Duchesse to the porche of the great churche in the towne, and so to buy coales, victualls and straw for theyr miserable repose there that night, or at least till by Gods helpe he might prouide her better lodging. Mayster Berty at that time vnderstoode not muche dutche, and by reason of euill weather and late season of ye night, he could not happen vppon any that coulde speake english,Gods prouidence in tyme of …. Frenche, Italian, or Latine, till at last goyng towardes the Church porch, he heard 2. striplinges talkyng Latin, to whom he approched and offered thē two stiuers to bring him to some Wallons house.
By these boyes, and Gods good conduicte, hee chaunced at the first vppon the house where Mayster Perusell supped that night, who had procured them the protection of the Magistrates of that towne. At the first knocke, the goodman of the house himselfe came to the dore, and opening it, asked Mayster Berty what he was. Maister Berty sayd, an englishman, that sought for one M. Peruselles house. The Wallon willed M. Bertie to stay a while, who went backe and told Mayster Perusell that the same english gentleman of whome they had talked the same supper had sent,The meeting of W. Perusell & the Duch…sse of Wesell. by likelihoode, his seruaunt to speake with hym. Whereupon M. Perusell came to the dore, and beholding Mayster Bertie, the Duchesse, and theyr childe, their faces, apparelles, and bodyes so farre from their old forme, deformed with durt, wether, & heauines, could not speake to them, nor they to him for teares. At length recouering them selues, they saluted one an other, and so together entred the house, God knoweth ful ioyfully. Mayster Berty chaunging of his apparrell with the goodman, the Duchesse with the good wife, and theyr childe with the childe of the house.
Within fewe dayes after, by M. Peruselles meanes, they hyred a very fayre house in the towne, and did not let to shew themselues what they were, in such good sort as their present condition permitted. It was by this tyme through the whole towne what discurtesie the Inholders had shewed vntounto them at their entrie,The Citizens of wesell admonished by their Preacher of their hardnes toward straungers. in so muche as on ye Sonday following, a preacher in the Pulpit openly in sharpe termes rebuked that great inciuillitie towardes straungers, by allegation of sundry places out of holye scriptures, discoursing how not onelyonly Princes sometyme are receiued in the Image of priuate persons, but Angels in the shape of men, and that God of his Iustice woulde make the straungers one daye in an other lande, to hauehave more sense of the afflicted hart of a straunger.A friendly part of Syr Iohn Mason towardes the Duchesse. A trayne layd for the Duchesse by the Lord Paget and the Duke of Brunswicke.
The time was passing foorth, as they thought themselues thus happily setled, sodainly a watchworde came from sir Iohn Mason, then Queene Maries Ambassador in Netherland, that my Lorde Paget had fayned an errant to the Bathes that waies: and whereas the Duke of Brunswick was shortly with x. ensignes to passe by Wesell for the seruice of the house of Austricke agaynst ye frēch king, the sayd Duchesse, and her husband shoulde be wyth the same charge and company intercepted.
Wherfore to preuent the cruelty of these enemies, M. Berty with his wife and childe departed to a place called Winheim in high Dutchland vnderunder the Palsgranes Dominion, where vnderunder his protection they continued tyll their necessaries began to fayle them,M. Bertye and the Duchesse remoue to Wineheim vnderunder the Palsgraue… and they almost feynting vnderunder so heauy a burden, began to fayle of hope.
At what tyme, in the middest of theyr dispayre, there came sodeinly letters to them from the Pallatine of Uilua and the kyng of Poole, being instructed of theyr hard estate by a Baron named Ioannes Alasco, that was sometyme in England offering them large curtesie.The helping hand of the Lord agayne in their necessitye. Ioann. Alasco a meanes to the king of Poole, for the Duchesse of Suffolke. This puruison vnlooked for, greatly reuiued theyr heauye spirites. Yet considering they shoulde remoue from manye theyr countrymen and acquaintaunce, to a place so farre distant a Country not haunted with the English, and perhappes vponupon their arriuall not finding as they looked for, the end of their iourny should be worse then the beginning: they deuised thereupon with one M. Barloe, late Byshoppe of Chichester, that if he would vouchsafe to take some payns therein, they woulde make him a fellowe of that iourny.The Duchesse inuited into Pooleland by the kinges letters. M. Barlow a messenger from the Duchesse to the king of Poole. The Pallatine of Vilua a great friend to the Duchesse. So finding him prone, they sent with him letters of great thankes to the king and Pallatine, and also with a fewe principall Iewelles (which onelyonly they had lefte of many, to solicite for them, that the king woulde vouchsafe vnderunder his seale, to assure them of the thing whiche hee so honourably by letters offered.
That sute by the forewardnes of the Pallatine, was as soone graunted as vttered. Upon whiche assurance the sayd Duchesse and her husband, with their familye, entred the iorney in Aprill. 1557. from the Castle of Wineheim, where they before lay, towardes Franckford. In ye which their iorney, it were long here to describe what daungers fell by the way vponupon them, and theyr whole company,The Duchesse taketh her iourney toward Pooleland. The troubles happening to the Duchesse in her iourny to Pooleland. by reason of theyr Lantgraues Captain, who vnderunder a quarrell pretensed for a spaniell of M. Berties, set vppon them in the high way, with his horsemen, thrusting their borespeares through the wagon where the Children and Women were, M. Bertie hauing but 4. horsemen with hym. In the which brable it happened the Captaynes horse to be slayne vnderunder him.
Whereupon a rumour was sparsed immediately thorough townes and villages about, that the Lantgraue captayne should be slayne by certayne Wallons, which incensed the ire of the countrymen ther more fiercely against M. Bertie, as afterward it proued. For as he was motioned by his wife to saue himselfe by ye swiftnes of his horse and to recouer some towne there by for his rescue, hee so doing was in worse case then before, for the townsmen and the Captaines brother supposing no lesse but that the Captayne had bene slaine, pressed so egerly vponupon him, that he had bene there taken and murthered among them, had not he (as God would) spying a ladder leaning to a wyndow, by the same got vp into the house, and so gone vp in to a garret in the top of ye house, where hee with his dagge and rapyre defended himselfe for a space: but at lengthe the Burghmayster comming thither with an other Magystrate, which could speake latin, he was counselled to submit himselfe to the order of the law. Mayster Bertye knowing himselfe cleare, and the Captayne to be aliue, was ye more bolder to submit himselfe to the iudgement of ye law, vponupon condition that the Magistrate woulde receiue hym vnderunder safe conduct, and defend him from the rage of the multitude. Whiche being promised, M. Bertie putteth him selfe and his weapon in the Magistrates hande, & so was committed to safe custodye, while the trueth of hys cause should be tryed.
Then Mayster Berty writing his letters to ye Lantgraue and to the Erle of Erbagh, the next day early in the mornyng the Erle of Erbagh dwellyng within 8. miles, came to the towne whether the Duchesse was broughte with her wagon, M. Bertie also beyng in the same towne vnderunder custody.
The Earle, who had some intelligence of the Duches before, after hee was come and had shewed suche curtesie as hee thought to her estate was seemely, the Townesmen perceyuyng the Earle to behaue hymselfe so humbly vntounto her, beganne to consider more of the matter, and further vnderstandyng the Capitayne to bee alyue, both they, and especially the authors of the sturre shrunke away, and made all the friendes they could to maister Bertie and his wife, not to report their doyngs after the worst sorte.
And thus Mayster Bertie and his wife escaping that daunger, proceeded in their iourney toward Polelande, where in conclusion they were quietly entertayned of the king,M. Bertye with the Duchesse honourably intertayned of the king of Poole. and placed honourably in the Earldome of the sayd king of Poles in Sanogelia, called Crozā, wher M. Berty with the Duchesse hauing the kings absolute power of gouernement ouer the saide Earldome, continued both in great quietnesse and honoure, till the deathe of Queene Mary.
¶Thomas Horton Minister.
A story of Thomas Horton, Minister.AS yee hauehave heard of the daungerous troubles of the Duchesse of Suffolke in time of her exile for religion sake, whom notwithstanding the Lordes present protection still deliuered in all distresses, as well from her enemies in England, as in Dutchland frō ye Launceknightes there: so hauehave we no lesse to behold and magnifie the lords mercifull goodnes in preseruing of Thomas Horton frō the like perilles of the same Countrey.
Whiche Thomas Horton, what a profitable instrument hee was to the Church of Christ in Queene Maries time, all our Englishmen almost beyond the seas then, did both know and feele.
This good Thomas Horton, as he vsed oftentymes to trauayle betweene Germany and England, for the behoofe and sustenaunce of the poore English exiles there: so he iournying vponupon a time betweene Mastricke and Collē chaunced to bee taken there by certayne Rouers, and so being led by them away, was in no little daunger: and yet this daunger of his was not so great, but the present helpe of the Lord was greater to ayd and deliuer him out of the same.