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TH E
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CONTENTS
OF THE |
|
THIRD VOLUME. |
|
J. HOMAS CrANMER.5 - |
Page |
. - I |
|
Stephen Gardiner, - - - |
• - 51 |
Cardinal Pole, - . - • |
' ' ^ |
Robert Dudley, - - - |
- - 108 |
ySir Francis Drake, - - ■ |
- - 165 |
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^?vA {^t^A<?ny (^/n^t^^rtrr .
_^ **..^ ^- ^.:^ <**%^
THE
BPvITISH PLUTARCH.
The life of
Thomas C r a n m e r.
^^Y-^nH^ ^ ^ ^ S^"^^ prelate was the fon of ^ "^ Thomas Cranmer, efq. a gentle-
^ T <^ man of an antient and wealthy C^fcfe^*^ family that came in with the Con- M^n ' fS^ querorj and was born at Aflefton, in Nottinghamlhire, on the fecond of July, 1498. His father died when he was very young ; and his mother, when he was four- teen years old, fent him to Cambridge. He was eledted fellow of Jefus College; where he was fo well beloved, that, when his feU iowlhip was vacant by his marriage, yet, his wife dying about a year after, the mailer and fellows chofe him again.
Vol. III. B This
2 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
This favour he fo gratefully acknowledged, that, when he was nominated to a fellowlhip in cardinal Wolfey's new foundation at Oxoii, though the falary was much more confiderable, and the way to preferment more ready by the favour of the cardinal, he neverthelefs declined it, and chofe rather to continue with his old fellow- collegians, who had given him fo fin- gular a proof of their affedion.
In the year 1523, he commenced docTtor of divinity, being then in the twenty- fifth year of his age ; and, being in great eileem for theological learning, he was chofen reader of the divinity ledlure in his own college, and appointed by the univerfity to be one of the examiners of thofe who took their degrees in divinity.
During his refidence at Cambridge, the quellion arofe concerning king Henry's di- vorce; and the plague breaking cut in the uni- verfity about this time, he retired to Waltharri- Abbey ; where cafually meeting with Gardi- ner and Fox, the one the king's fecretary, the other his almoner, and difcourfmg with them about the divorce, he greatly commended the expedient fuggefted to the king by cardinal Wolfey, cf confulting the divines of our own and the fjreign univerfities. This converfation Fox and Gardiner related to the king, who immediately fent for him to court ; and, ad* miring his gravity, modefly, and learning, refoived to promote him. Accordingly he made him his chaplain^ and gave him a good
benefice.
THOMAS CRANMER. 3 benefice. He was alfo nominated by liim t© be arch-deacon of Taunton.
At the king's command he drew up his own judgment of the cafe in writing ; and fo folidly defended it at the public fchool at Cambridge, that he brought over divers of the contrary part to his opinion j particularly five of thofe fix doctors who had before given in their judg- ment to the king, for the lawfulnefs of the pope's difpenfation for marrying his brother's wife.
In the year 1530, Dr. Cranmer was fent by the king to difpute on this fubjeit at Paris, and in other foreign parts. At Rome he deli- vered his book to the pope, and offered to juf- tify it in a public difputation: but, after fundry promifes and appointments, none appeared to oppofe him publicly ; and, in more private conferences, he forced them to confefs, that the marriage was contrary to the law of God. The pope conftituted him penitentiary-ge- neral of England, and difmiffed him. In •Germany, he gave full fatisfaflion to many learned men, who were before of a contrary perfuafion ; and prevailed on the famous Ofi- ander, to declare the king's marriage unlaw- ful, in his Treatife of Inceiluous Marriages ; and to draw up a form of diredion, how the king's procefs fnould be managed ; which was fent over to England. Before he left Germa- ny, he was married to Ofiander's niece ; whom, wh^n he returned from his embaffy, B z he
.< BRITISH PLUTARCH.
he did not take over with him, but fer.t for
her private])' in 1534.
In Augull, 1532, archbifhop Warham de- parted this life ; and the king, thinking Dr. Cranmer the moft proper peribn to fucceed him in the fee of Canterbury, wrote to him to hallen home, concealing the reafon : but Cran- mer guefling at it, and defirous to decline the llation, moved flowly on, in hopes that the fee might be filled before his arrival : but all this backvvaranefs, and the excufes which his great modefty and humility prompted him to make, --vhen, after his return, the king opened his refolution to him, ferved only to iaife his Trid}.,e^iy\ opinion of his merit ; fo that, atlaft, he found him felf obliged to fubmit, and under- take the weighty charge.
The pope, notwithftandirg Cranmer v/as a man very unacceptable to Rome, difpa^^ched eleven bulls to complete his charader. Thefe bulls the archbifnop, according to cuflom, received ; but immediately furrendered them to the king, bscaufe he would not acknow- ledge the pope's power of conferring ecclefiaf- tiLal dignities in England ; which he efreemed the king's fole right. He was confecrated on the thirtieth of March, i)33; and, becaufe in the oath of fidelity to the pope, which he >vas obliged to take before his confecration, there were fome things feemingly inconfiftent v.ith his allegiance to the king, he made a pub- lic protdlation. That he intended not to take
^ ' the
THOMAS CRANMER. j
the oath in any other fenfe than that whica was reconcilcable to the laws of God, the king's iull: prerogative, and the ftatutes of this kingdom ; io as not to bind himfeif thereby to aa contrary to any of thefe. This protefla- tion he renewed when he was to take another oath to the pope, at his receiving the pall ; and both times defircd the protkonotary to make a public inilrumeiit of his proteltaticn, and the perfons prefent to Tign it.
The firfl fervice the archbifhop did for tlie king, was pronouncing the fentence of his di- vorce from queen Catharine ; which was done on the tv/enty- third of May. Gardiner, bi- lliop of Winchefcer, and the bifliops of Lon- don, Bath, and Lincoln, being in commiffion with him. The queen, after three citations, neither appearing in peribn nor by proxy, \^as declared contumax; the depofitions relating to the confjmmation of the marriage with prince Arthur were read, together with the opinions of the mod noted canonifts and divines in favour of the divorce : and the arch- biihop, with the unanimous conlent of the reft of the commifiioners, pronounced the mar- riage between the king and queen Catharine null, and of no force from the beginning ; and dtclartd them feparated a^.d divorcee! from each other, and at liberty to engage with whom they pleated.
In this affair, the archbilkop proceeded only
upon what had been already concluded by tne
univerfities, convocations, Sec. and did no
B 3 n;iore
6 BRITISH PLUTARCH,
more than put their dccifions into a form of law.
On the twenty eighth of May he held ano- ther court at Lambeth, in which he confirmed the king's marriage with Anne Bullen. The pope, alarmed at thefe proceedings, by a pub- lic inftruraent declared the divorce null and void, and threatened to excommunicate the archbifhop, unlefs he would revoke all that he had done : v.'hereupon the archbifhop appealed from the pope to the next general council, lawfully called ; and fent the appeal, under his feal, to Bonner, defiring him and Gardiner to acquaint the pope with it, in fuch a manner as they thought moil: expedient.
On the feventh of September, the new ^ueen was delivered of a daughter, who was baptized the Wednefday following, and named Elizabeth, archbifhop Cranmer itanding god- father.
When the fupremacy came under debate, and the ufurped power of the bifhop of Rome \vas called in quelHon, the archbifhop an- fwered all the arguments brought in defence ©f the papal tyranny, with fuch ftrength and perfpicuity, that the foreign power was, with- out fcruple, abolifhed by full confent in parlia- ment and convocation. The deftrudlion of this ufurped jurifdidtion Crann*ier had prayed for many years, as himfelf declared in a fer- mon at Canterbury ; becaufe it was the occa- fion of many things being done contrary to the Ijonour of God and the good of this realm ;
THOMAS CRAXMER. 7
and lie perceived no hopes of amendment while it continaed. This he now faw happily^ effedled ; and, foon after, he ordered an alter- ation to be ir.ade in the archiepilcopal titles ; inflead of apoflolics fedis legatus, fryling himfelf, mctropolitanus.
The king, whofe fupremacy was now almoil: as univerfally acknowledged as the pope's had been before, looked on the monaneries with a jealous eye; thefe he thought were, by their privileges of exemption, engaged to the fee of Rome, and would prcve a body of referve for the pope, always ready to appear in the quar- rel, and fupport his claim. This, it is pro- bable, was the chief motive which inclined the king to think of diffolving them : and Cranmer being confulted on ths head, ap- proved of the refolation. He faw how incon- fiftent thofe foundations were v/lth the refor- mation of religion, which he then had in view; and propofed, that, out of the revenues of ths monafteries, the king ihould found more bi- fhoprics : that, the diocefes being reduced into lefs compafs, the bifhops might the better difcharge th ir duty according to the foiptare and private practice. He hoped alfo, that, from thefe ruins, there would be new founda- tions ereded in every cathedral, to be rurfe- ries of learning, under the infpeclion of the bifhop, for the ufe and benefit of the whols diocefe. But thefe noble deiigns were unhap- pily defeated by the finiller arts of avaricious courtiers, who, without fear of the diviriC B 4 vengeance.
S BRITISH PLUTARCH,
vengeance, or regard to the good of the pub- lic, ftudied only how, facrilegioufly, to raife their own fortunes out of the church's fpoils.
When queen Anne Bullen was fent to the Tower, on a fudden jealoufy of the king, the archbilhop was greatly concerned for her mif- fortune, and did his utmoft endeavours to afliit her in her diil:refs. He wrote a confolatory letter to the king : in which, after having re- commended to him an equality of temper, and refignation to Providence, he put him in mind of the great obligations he had received from the queen, and endeavoured todifpofe the king to clemency and a good humour. Finally, he moft humbly implored him, that, however unfortunate the iilue of this affair might prove, he would ftill continue his love to the gof- pel, left it ihould be thought, that it was for her fake only that he had favoured it. But neither this letter of the aixhbiihop, nor ano- ther very moving one wrote with her own hand, made the leaft impreffion upon the king; for her ruin was decreed ; and, after Cranmer had declared her marriage with the king null and void, upon her confeiTion of a pre-contra6t with the earl of Northumberland, flie was tried in the Tower, and executed on the nineteenth of May, 1536.
In 1537, the archbifhop, with the joint au- thority of the bifhops, fct forth that valuable book, intitled. The [nftitution of a Chriiliaii Man. This book was compofed in Convoca- tion, and drawn up for a diredion to the bi-
£hops
THOMAS CRANMER. 9 fliops and clergy. It contains an explanation of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Ave Ma- ria, Juitincation, and Purgatory.
Archbifnop Cr:;nmer, fro.n the day of his promotion to the ieeof Canterbury, had con- tinually employed his thoughts on getting the fcriptures tranflated incO Englifh. fie had of- ten follicited his majeliy about it, and, at length, obtained a grant, that they might be trandatcd and printed. For want of good pa- per in England, the copy was fent co Paris ; and, by Bonner's means, a licence was pro- cured for printing it there. As foon as fome of the copies came to the archbifhop's hands, he fent one of them to the lord Cromwell, de- firing him to prefcnt it, in his name, to the king ; ir.ipoi tuning him to intercede with his majerty, that, by his authority, all his fubjed*: might have the liberty of ufing it without conllraint : which lord Cromwell accordingly did.
The book was received with inexprelTible joy; every one that was able purchafed it, and the poor greedily fiocked to hear it read. Some perfoiis in years learned to read on purpofe that they might perufe it j and even little children crowded with eagcrncfs to hear it. The archbiihop was not yet convinced of thi; falfenefs of the abfurd doitrine of tranfabiiaa- tiation, bat continued a ftiff maintainer of the ccrj.oreal prefence ; as appears from his being unhappily concerned in the profecution of Lambert, who was burnt, en the twentieth of B 5 November-v
10 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
November, 1538, for denying tranfubflantla- tion.
In 1539, the archbidiop, and the other bl- fhops who favoured a reformation, fell under the king's difpleafure ; becaufe they could not be perfuaded, to give their aflent in parliament that the king Ihould have all the revenues of the monalleries, which were fiipprefled, to his own fole ufe. They had been prevailed upon to confent, that he fhould have all the lands which his anceflors gave to any of them ; but the refidue they would have bellowed on hofpi- tals, fchools, and other pious and charitable foundations.
Gardiner, bifhop of V/inchel^er, and the reft of the popilh fadion, took this opportu- nity of infinuating themfelves, by their hypo- crify and flattery, into the king's favour ; and to incenfe him againft the archbiihop. This is thought to have been the caufe of the king's zeal, in preffing the bill containing the iix bloody articles. The archbiihop argued boldly in the houfe againft the fix articles three days together ; and that fo ftrenuoufly, that, though the king was fo obftinate in pall- ing the ad, yet he defired a copy of his rea- fons againft it ; and fliewed no refentment to- wards him for his oppofition to it. The king would have perfuaded him to withdraw out of the houfe, fince he could not vote for the bill ; but, after a decent excufe, he told his majefty, that he thought himftif obliged in confcience to ftay and (hew his diifent.
When
THOMAS CRANMER, ii
When the bill pafled he entered his proteit againft it ; and foon after he fent his wife pri- vately away to her friends in Germany. The king, who loved him for his probity and cou- rage, fent the dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, anc the lord Cromwell, to acquaint him, and to affure him, of his favour, notwithdanding the paffing of the act.
In 1 5 40, the king ifllied out a commiilion to the archbiihop, and a feled number o^f bifnops, to infpe^^ into matters of religion, and explain fome of the chief doftrines of it. The biihops drew up a fet of articles favouring- the old fuperilitions ; and meetino; at Lam- beth, vehemently urged the archbiihop, that they might be eftabliihed, it being the king's will and pleafure. But neither by fear nor flattery could they prevail upon him to confenc to it : no, though his friend the lord Crom- well lay then in the Tower, and himfelf was fuppofed to lofe ground daily more and mvore in the king's affedions, he went himfelf to the king, and expoiluhned with him, and fo wrought upon him, that he joined with the archbifnop againii the reil of the commiffioncrs; and the book of articles was drawn up and palled according to Cranmer's judgment.
In this year the largeil volume of the EnallHi Bible was publifhed, with an excellent preface of thearchbilhop's prefixed to it; and Bonner, then newly co;-fecrated bifliop of London, fet up fix of them in the moil convenient places of his cathedral of St. Paul's, for the peoole B 6 'to
12 BRITISH PLUTARCH, to refort unto and read. So different were his ientiments then from what they afterwards Jip- pearedin queen Mary's days.
After the fall of the lord Cromwell, archbi- (hop Cranmer, obferving the reiUefs fpirits of his adverfaries, and how they were upon the watch for an opportunity to bring him into trouble, thought it prudent to retire for a fea- fon, and to live in as great privacy as the du- ties of his llation would permit him. Not- withilanding which, his implacable enemy, bifliop Gardiner, was daily contriving his ruin j and he, having procured one Sir John Goft- wicke to accufe the archbiihop in parliament, of encouraging novel opinions, and making his family a nurfery of herefy and fedltion, divers lords of the privy-council moved the king to commit the archbiihop to the Tower, till enquiry (hould be made into the truth of this charge. The king, who perceived that there was more malice than truth in thefe cla- mours againil: ^anmer, one evening, under pretence of diverting him.felf on the water, ordered his barge to be rowed to Lsmbeth jjde. The archbil"hop's fervants acquainting their lord of his majefty's being fo near, hia lordfhipcame to the water-fidc,. to pay his re- fpetls to the king, and to invite him into his palace. The king commanded the archbiihop tacome into the barge, and made him iit dowH dole by hiip. Having (o done, the king be- gan to complain to him, of the nation's being ever-ran by herefy and new notions of divini- ty*
THOMAS CRANMER. 15 ty, which he had reafon to fear might be of dangerous confequence, and that the faftion might in time break out into a civil war : to prevent which, his majeity told him^ he was reiolved to look after the grand incendiary,, and to take him off by foine exemplary pu- nidiment : ana then proceeded to aik the arch:- bi'hop what his opinion was of fuch a refolu- tion.
Though Cranmerfoon fmelt the meaning of that quelHon, yet he fieely, and v^ithoat the lead appearance of conC£;rn, replied. That his majelly's refolutioa was much to- be com- mended : bat then he cautioned the kin?;, not to charge thofe with herefy who made the di- vineiy infpired fcriptures the rule of their faith^ and could prove their doftrines by clear tefti- monies from the word of God. Upon this the king came clofer, and plainly told him. He had been informed by many, that he was the grand herefiarch who encouraged all this* heterodoxy ; and that his authority had occali- oned the fix articles to be fo pubacly contclled in his province. The archbilhop ruodeftly replied, That he could not but acknowledge himfelf to be of the fame opinion, in refoecl of thofe articles, as he had declared himfelf of when the bill was paffmg ; but that, notwith- ftanding, he was not confcious to himfelf of having offended againft the acl.
Then the king, putting on an air of plea- ikntry, afiied him. Whether his bedchamber
would
14 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
would fiand the tell: of thofe articles ? The archbifhop gravely and ingenuoufly confeiled, that he was married in Gernnany during his embaily at the emperor's court, before his promotion to the fee of Canterbury : but, at the fame time, affured the l^ing. That, on paffing that aft, he had parted with his wife, and fent her abroad to her friends. His an- fwering thus, without evafion or refervc, fo pleafed the king, that he now pulled f JF the mafk, and allured him of his favour; and then freely told him of the information pre- ferred againft him ; and who they were that pretended to make it good. The archbiiliop faid, that he was not afraid of the llridl-fl fcru- tiny ; and therefore was willing to fibmit himfelf to a legal tryal. The kinjr affured him, he would put the caufe into his own hands, and trufc him entirely with the ma- nagement of it. This the archbifnop remon- ftrated, would becenfured as partiality, and the king's juftice called in queftion: buthismajefty had fo rtrong an opinion of Cranmer^s inte- grity, that he was refolved to leave it to his eondudl; and, having farther affured him of the entire confidence he lepofed in him, difmifTed him.
The archblihcp immediately fent down his vicar-general and principal regiftary to Can- terbury, to make a thorough enquiry into the affair, and trace the progrefs of this plot againfl him. in the mean time his adverfa-
ries
THOMAS CRANMER. n;
ties importunately prefTed the king to Tend hJm to priion, and oblige him to anfvver to the charge of herefy.
At length his majefty refigned fo far to their foUicitations, as to confent, that, if the ■archbifnop could faiily be proved guilty of any one crime againft either church or Itate, he fliould be fent to priion. In this the king acled the politician, intending, by tlias feem- ingly giving countenance to the profecution, to difcover who were Cranmer's chief adver- faries, and what was the length of their de- iign againft him. At midnight he fent a gen- tleman of his privy chamber to Lambeth, to fetch the archbilliop ; and, when he was come, told him, how he had been daily importuned to commit him to prifon, as a favourer of he- refy; and how far he had complied. The archbiihop thanked his m^jefty for this timely notice, and declared himfelf willing to go to prifon, and ftand a trial ; for, being confcious he v»/as not guilty of any offence, he thought that the beft way to clear his innocence, and jemove all unreafonable and groundlefs fufpi- cions. The king, admiring his fimplicity, told him, he was in the wrong to rely fo much on his innocence ; for, if he were once under a cloud, and hurried to prifon, there would be villains enough to fwear any thing againft him ; but, while he was at liberty, and his charadler entire, it would not be fo eafy to fuborn witnefies againft him : " and, there- fore," continued he, " iince your own un- guarded
i6 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
guarded fimplicity makes you hfs cautious than you ought to be, I will Tugg^ft to you the means of your prefervati-on. To morrow you will be fent for to the privy- couuciJ, and ordered to prifon : upoa this you are to re- quell, that, fmce you have the honour to be one of the board, you may be admitted unto the council, and the iniorrners againil: you brought face to face; and then, if you cannot clear yourfelf, you are willing to go to pri- fon. If this reafonable requeil i^^ dciiied you, appeal to me, and give theni ihis fign, that you have my authority for fo doing." Then the king took a ring of great value off his finger, gave it to the archbifnop, ar:d difmif- i'ed him.
The next morning, the archbifhop v.'as fummoned to the privy-council ; and, when he came there, was denied admittance into the council-chamber. When Dr. Batts, one of the king's pliyficians, heard of this, he came to the archbifhop, who was waiting in the lobby amocgft the footmen, to ihew his re- fpeO, and to protedi him from infults.
The king ioon after fent for the doftor, who acquainted his majeily With the fhameful . indignity put upon the archbifliop. The king, incen ed rhat the prima. e of all England fhould be uftd in fo contumelious a manner, imme- diately fent to command them to admit the archbilhop into the council-chamber. At his entrance he was- faluted with an heavy accufa- tion of having infeded the whole realm, with
herefy ;
THOMAS CRANMER. 1/
herefy ; and commanded to the Tower till the whole of this charge was thoroughly examined. The archbiiliop defired to fee the informers againrt: him, and to have the liberty of defend- ing himfelf before the council, and not to be fent to prifon on bare fufpicion : but, when this was abfolutely denied him, and finding that neither arguments nor intreaties would prevail, he appealed to the king; and pro- ducing the ring he had given him, put a Hop to their proceeding?.
When they came before the king, he fe- verely reprimanded them ; expatiated on his obligations to Cranmer for his fidelity and in- tegrity ; and charged them, if th^y had any afFeftion for him, to exprefs it, by their love and kindnefs to the archbifhop.
Cranmer having efcaped the fnare, never fhevved the leafl refentraent for the injuries done him ; and, from this time f^^rwards, had fo great a (hare in the king's favour, that no- thing farther was attempted again ft him. And, now I ara upon this fubjedl of the arch- bifhop's readinefi to forgive and forget inju- ries, [ cannot but take notice of a pleafant ftory which happened fome time before this : ^ The archhifhop's firll wife, whom he mar- ried at Cambridge, lived at the Dolphin inn. ; and he often reforted thither on that accoont. The pcpifti party had raifed a ftory, that he was oftler of that inn, and never had the be- nefit of a learned education. This idle llory a Yorklhire prieft Had, with great confidence,
affeited
i3 BRITISH PLUTARCR
afTerted in an ale-houfe he ufed to frequent ; railing at the archbifhop, and faying, that he had no more learning than a goofe. Some of the pariili, who had a refped for Cranmer's character,' informed the lord Cronuveii of this, v.'ho immediately fent for the piiefl, and com- mitted him to the Fleet prifon. When he had been there nine or ten weeks, hs fent a rela- tion of his to the arclibiHiop, to beg his par- don, and humbly fue to him for a difcharge. The archbifhop inilantly fent for him, and, after a gentle reproof, afeed the prieU, Whe- ther he knew him? to which he anfvvered, No. The archbifnop expoflulated with him, why he ihould then make fo free with his chara(5ier. The priell excufed himfelf by being in drink ; but this, Cranmer told him, was a double fault; and then let him know that, if he had a mind to try what a fcholar he was, he fnould have liberty tooppofe him in whatever fcience he pleafed. The priell allied his pardon, and confefTed himfelf to be very ignorant, and t» underlland nothing but his mother- tongue. «* No doubt, then," faid Cranmer, ** you are well verfed in the Englilli Bible, and can an- fwer any queftion of that : Pray tell me vvho was David's father ?" The prieft flood ftill a while to confider ; but at laft told the archbi- fhop, he could not recoiled his name. " Tell me then," fays Cranmer, " vvho was Solo- mon's father?" The poor priefl replied, that he had no fkill in genealogies, and could not tell. Then the archbifhop advifed him to fre- quent
THOMAS CRANMER. 19
quent alehoufes lefs, and his ftudy more ; and admonifned him, not to accufe others of waiit of iearning tiil he was mafter of fome himfelf, difcharged him out of cuftody, and fent him home to hi^^ cure.
The fame lenity he fhesved towards Dr. Thornton, the fuffragan of Dover, and Dr. Barbar ; who, though entertained in his fa- mily, and entruiled with his fecrets, and in- debted to him for many favours, had ungrate- fully confpired v.'ith Gardiner to take away his life. When he firfl difcovered their treachery, he took them afide into his fludy ; and tell- ing them he had been bafely and faifely abufed by fome, in whom he had always repofed the greateil confidjnce, defired them to advife him how he (hould behave himfelf towards them. They, not fufpe£ling themfelves to be concerned in the queftion, replied, That fuch vile abandoned villains ought to be pro- fecuted with the utmoft rigour; nay, deferved to die without mercy. At this the archbifnop, lifting up his hands to Heaven, cried out, ** Merciful God, whom may a man truit V^ and then, pulling out of his bolom the letters by which he had difcovered their treachery, afked them if they knew thefe papers. When they faw their own letters produced againfl them, they were in the umcft confufion ; and, falling down on their knees, humbly fued for forgivenefs. The archbilhop told ihem, that he forgave them, and would pray
for
20 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
for them ; but they murt not cxpedl hini ever to truft them for the future.
It cannot be denied, that thejufl; zeal of fome of 'our reformers againft the ufurped pa- pal fjpreniacy, cariied them too far, and made them ilretch the regal power to fuch an exorbitant length as was inconfjflent with the divine commiiijon of the clergy, and feemed to reduce the church to be a mere creature of the ftate. That archbiihop Cranmer ran into this extreme is plain, not only from his anfwers to fome qiiellions relating to the government of the church, firft publiihcd by Dr. Stillingfleet, m his mifchievous Irenicum, but from the commifTion which he took from Edv\'ard VI. whom he petitioned for a revival of his jurif- dii^ion ; and that, as he had exercifcd the funftions of an archbilhop, during the former reigns ; fo that auihonty determining v.dth king Henry's life, his majeily would trurthim with the fame jurifdiclion. On this error of the archbifhop, the modern papills make tra- gical outcries, forgetting, that it was the com- nion miHake of thofe times ; that it is ufual for men, m the firil: heat of their zeal againft any pernicious error, to run too far the con- trary way ; and that Bonner not only took out the lamecommiffion now, but had before taken out another in the reign of king Henry ; in which the king vva^ ded-ared the fountain of all authority, civil and ecclefiaflical ; and thofe who formerly exercifcd ecckfiauical ja-
rifdittion
THOMAS CRANMER. 21
rirdidlon, are faid to have done itprecarioufi}', and at the courtefy of the king, and that it was lawi'ul for him to revoke it at pleafure.
And therefore, fince the lord Cromwell, the king's vicar-general in ecclefiaftical af- fairs, was fo far employed in matters of ftate, as not to be at leifure to difcharge his func- tions every- where, the king gave Bonner au- thority to exercife epifcopal jurifdidion in the diocefe of London. This feems to have been the precedent, after which the new com- miilions were now formed, Mr. Strype, in- deed, confidently affirms the archbiihop to have had a hand in drawing them up ; but the very words which he quotes to prove it, are manifefdy taken from the preamble to Bon- ner's commiiTion. But from thefe imprimi- tive and uncatholic notions, our archbid.op was happily recovered by that luminary of cur reformed church, bilhop Ridley. Henry, who died in the Roman communion (though his imperfedlions are fo freely charged en the reformation, by the papifls; iiad. In his will, left fix hundred pounds per annum, for mafies for his ioul, with provificn for four folemn obits every year ; but by th^ influence of the archbiihop, who was one of i\ip regents, this fuperftitious part of his will, nctwithftanding his firidl and folemn charge for its execution^ was rejeded. On the twentieth of February, the coronation of king Edward v/as folemnized at Wellminfter Abbey. The ceremony was performed by archbifnop Cranmer, who m.ade
an
22 BRITISH PLUTARCH. &n excellent fpeech to the king ; in whieh, after the cenfiire of the papal encroachments on princes, and a declaration, that the folemn ceremonies of a coronation, add nothing to the authority of a prince, vvhcfe power is de^ rived immediately from God ; he goes to in- form the king of his duty, exhorts him to fol- low the precedent of good Jofias, to regulate the worihip of God, to fupprefs idolatry, re- ward virtue, execute juflice, relieve the poor, reprefs Violence, and punifli the evil doer* It may not be improper, to tranfcribe what he fays concerning the divine original of kingly power, in his own words, to redlify fome pre-^ vailing notions amongft us, " The folemn rites of coronation (fays he) have their ends and utility,yetrieitherofdire£t force or necefll- ty ; they be good admonitions to put kings in mind of their duty to God, but no in- creafement of their dignity : for they be God's anointed, not in refpedl of the oil, which the bifhop ufeth, but in confideration of their power, which is ordained, of the fword v/hich is authorifed, of their perfons which are eledted of God j and indued with the gifts of his Spirit, for the better ruling and guiding of the people. The oil, if added, is but a ceremony ; if it be wanting, the king is yet a perfeft monarch notwithHanding, and God's anointed, as well as if he was in- oiled." Then follows his account of the king's duty ; after which he goes on, " Being bound by my fun^ion, lo lay thefe things
before
THOMAS CRANMEk. 2j before your royal highnefs ; yet I openly de- clare, before the living- God, and before the nobles of the land, that I have no commiffion to denounce your majefty deprived, if your highnefs mifs in part, or in whole, of thefe performances.'* This fpeech had fo good an eflecl on the young king, that a royal vifita- tion was refolved on, to redify the diforders • of the church, and reform religion. The vi- fitors had fix circuits afTigned them; and every divifion had a preacher, whofe bufmefs it was, to bring oiF the people from fuper- ftition, and difi^ofe them for the intended al- teration. And to make the impreiTions of their doftrine more lafting, the archbifliop thought it highly expedient to have fome ho- mih'es compofed ; which ihould, in a plain method, teach the grounds and foundations ©f true religion, and corredl the prevailing er* rors and fuj erftitions. On this head he con- fulted the biiliOp of Winchefter, and defired his concurrence ; but to no purpofe. For Gardiner, forgetting his large profefiions of all future obedience to the archbifhop, was returned with the dog to his vomit, and wrote to the prctedor, to put a ftop to the reformation in its birth. When Cr^nmer per- ceived Gardiner obUinate, he wei.u.n without him, and fet forth the iiril book of homilies, in which himfelt had the chief hand. Sfeon after, ^rafmus's paraphrafe on the new Tef- tament was tranflated, and placed in every church," for the iniiruition of the people.
On
24 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
On the fifth of November, 1547, a con- vocation was held at St. Paul's, which the archblfliop opened with a fpeech ; in which he put the clergy in mind ofapplying them- felves to the iludy of the holy fcriptures, and proceeding according to that rule, in throw- ing off the corrupt innovations of popery. But the terror of the fix articles being a check on the majority, they acquainted the a^ch- bi(hop with their fears ; who reporting it to the council, prevailed to have chat aft repeal- ed. In this convocation, the communion was ordered to be adminiHeredin both kinds, and the lawfulnefs of the m.arriage of the clergy afnrmed by a great majority. In the latter end of January, the archbifliop wrote to Bonner, to forbid, throughout liis diccefe, the ridiculous procefiions, which were ufual in the popifti times, on Candlemas-day, Alh-wednef- day, and Palm-funday ; and to caufe notice thereof to be given to the ether neighbouring bilhops, that they might do the fame. He was alfo one of the committee appointed to ir.fptd the ofHces of the church, <ind to re- form them according to fcripture and the pureft antiquity : and by them a new office for the holy communion was drawn up, and fct forth by authority. This year was alfo publifhed the archbi(hop*s catechifm, in titled, A fiiort imlrudion in ChriHian religion, for the fiijgular profit of children and young people ; and a Latin treatife of his againll unwritten verities. From this catechifm,
it
T'HOMAS CRANMEU. 25 it IS plain, that he had now recovered himfelf from thofe extravagant notions of the regal fcpremacy, which he h^d once the rr.isfortune to run into ; for here he ftrenuouliv aiferts the divine commilTion of bilhops and priefis, in- larges on the efficacy of their abfol-ution and fpiritual cenfures, and earnefily v,'ilhes for the reftoring of the primitive penicentiary difci- pline. Hence it appears, with what infmce*- rity Dr Stillingfleet adled, when in his Ireni- cum he endeavoured to impofe upon the world the contrary dodirines, as the lail judgment of the archbiihop on this fubjedl. The licence, which was given to men of learning and judg- itient, freely to preach at.d v/rite againft the popifh corruptions, now began to be abufed by men of great confidence and ignorance; who took this opportunity to vend many dangerous herefies and blafphemies : to prevent Vv'hich, they were convened before the archbifhop, and prevailed on to recant, and abjure their pernicious opinions. Only one Joan Becher, continued deaf to all arguments, and perverfe- ly obftinate to all perfuafions. The archbi- fhop thought it neceiTary to make her a fevere example, to terrify all others from the like cbfdnacy, and crufh thefpirit of herefy now in irj beginnings. To which end he iirfc ex- communicated her, and then delivered her over to the fecular powers ; upon which flie was condemned to be burnt. But thefe rigo- rous proceedings were very inconfillent with the merciful aiid tender fpirit of the king ; he VaL. Ill C long
z6 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
long withilood the figning a warrant for her execution : and when over-awed by the au- thority and reafonings of Cranmer, he at lail, with great reluftancy, confented to do it ; and -with tears in his eyes, faid to the archbiihop, ** My lord, if I do amifs in this, you mufl an fwer for it to God." When the popiih fac- tion broke out in 1549, into a dangerous re« bellion, demanding, in the mofiiinfolent terms, the revival of the fix article a.i\, the reftitutions of the old fuperflitions, and that cardinal Pole fhould not only be pardoned, but ferit for home, and be made a privy conncellor ; and that the abbey and chauntry lands fnoukl be rellored : the archbifiiop drew up a large and full an- fwer to their demands, clearly Ihewing how unreafonable they were, how prejudicial to the real intcrefts of the nation, and of what mif- chievous confeqnence to religion ; juftly ex- pofmg the abufes and corruptions of popery, and demonftrating the necefTity of a reforma- tion, Biihop Bonner was fufpeded to be a Secret approver and encourager of this rebel- lion : and one of the rebel's chief pleas being, that, during the king's minority^ the ftate had no authority to make laws ; Bonner was en- joined to preach on this very fubjeft, to fhew the falibood and danger of fuch pernicious te- nets, and alTert the king's juft power. But, inflead of obeying, in his difcourfe he caft bitter refle£lions on the reformation, and threw out fome fly infmuations againft the government ; and information being given
thereof
THOMAS CRANMER. 27 tliereof by Latimer and Hooper, a commidion was ifllied out to archbifhop Cranmer, bifhop Ridley, and others, to proceed againft him. When he appeared before the commiilicners, he refufed to give any diredl anfwer to the charge laid againil him ; pretending that tne canfe of his prefent trouble was, his afTerting in his fermon, the real prefence of Chrill's tody and blood in the facrament of the altar. Then he began in a moft audacious and in- folent manner to quellion the archbifiiop, con- cerning his belief in that point i but was told that they came not there to difpute, but to hear what anfwer he could make to the crimes laid Co his charge.
The archbil"hop, with incredible patience, bore with his unparalledinfolence, no lefs than feven feflions fuccelTively; but then finding him incorrigible, and that he was refolved not ti anfwer to the articles alledged againft him ; but inftead of that to revile and calumniate his judges ; he, in the name of the reft of the commifijoners, pronounced him contumax, and proceeded to the fentence of deprivation. Bonner protefted againft the validity of this fentence; becaufe he did not appear before them of his own free will, but was a prifoner, and conftrained to appear. To which the archbiftiop replied, that the fame plea might be made by any traitor and rebel, fmce no criminal is willing to be brought to juftice.
The next year bilhop Gardiner, alfo, was,
for his obftinate oppofition to the refonnation,
C z cit;;d
28 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
cited before the archbilhop, and other com- miiTioners. At his firfl: appearance he protefl- ed againft the authority of the judges, and ex- cepted againfl the legality of their commifTion: he protelled alfo againfl the perfons who ap- peared againll him ; and behaving himfelf in the fame haughty and arrogant manner as Bonner had done bofore, he was at laft de- prived, after they had borne with his infolence so lefs than two and twenty feffions at different places, from the 15 th of December, to the 14th of February. This year the archbifliop pubiifiied his defence ** of the true and ca- tholic dodrine of the facrament of the body and blood of our Saviour Chrift." He had iiow, by the aihllance of bilhop Ridley, over- come thofe flrong prejudiceshe had long la- boured under, in favour of the corporeal pre- fence ; and in this treatife, fjK)m fcripture and reafon, excellently confuted it. 7"hepopifh party were alarmed at the publication of it; and foon after two anfwers to it were publifhed, •the one v/rote by do£lor Smith, the other by Gardiner. The archbifhop defended his book againfl them both : and was allowed by all impartial readers, vaflly to have the fupe- liority in the argument. The archbifhop's book was afterwards tranflated into latin, by Sir John Cheke, and was highly efleemed by all learned foreigners, for the great know- ledge in fcripture and ecclefiaflical antiquity ■therein difcovered. The next material oc- -jcurience relating to the archbifhop, was the
publication
THOMAS CRANMER. 2g
publication of the forty two articles of reli- gion ; which, with the afTiftance of bifnop Ridley, he drew up for preferving and main- taining the purity and unity of the church. They were alfo revifed by feveral other bi- fliops and learned divines ; and, after their corredions, farther enlarged and improved by Craiimer. Thefe articles were agreed to in convocation, and were afterwards publlfhed by royal authoritv, both in Latin and tnglifh.
The archbifhop had formed a defign, in the reign of the late king Henry, to review and purge the old canon law from its popilli corruptions, and had made fome progrefs in the work : but by the fecret artifices cf Gardiner and others, the king \va> pre- vailed upon not to countenance or encourage it. In this- reign he refumed his defign, and procured a commifiian from the king, for himfelf, with other learned divines and law- yers, diligently to examine into the church- laws ; and to compile fuch a body of laws as they thought moft expedient to be pradifed in the ecclefiaflical courts, and moil conducive to order and good difcipline. The archbifoop profecuted this undertaking with great vigour, and had the principal hand in it : but v/hen a diredl and complete draught of it was finiilied and prepared for the royal afient, the unhap- py death of the good king blalled this great defign, and prevented its coniirmation. The book was publilhed by archbifhop Parker, in C 3- tlis
30 BRITISH PLUTARCH,
the year 1^71, intituled, " Reformatio legura cccleliafi:icarum."
King Edward was now far gone in a con- fumption, he had been perfuaded by the arti- fices of the duke of Northumberland, to ex- clude his fiflers, and to bequeath the crown to the lady Jane Grey, who was married to Northumberland's fon. The archbiiliop did his utmoll to oppofe this alteration of the fuC' ceiTion : he argued againft it with the king, telling him, that religion wonted not to be defended by fach unrighteoufs methods ; that it was one of the grofs errors of the papiUs, to juftify the excluding or depofmg princes from theirjuil rights, on account of religion ; and, let the confequence be what it would, juRice ought to take place, and the protedlion of the church committed to the care of that righteous providence, which was never known to give a blefiing to thofe who endeavoured to preferve themfelves from any imminent danger by unlawful means. But his majcfty being over-perfuaded by Northumberland's agents, was not to be moved from bis refolution : the will was made, and fubfcribed by the council and thejudges. The archbifhop was feut for lafl of al], and required to fubfcribe: but he plainly told them he could not do it without perjury, having fworn to the entail of thecrown on the two princefles, Mary and Eli- zabeth. To this the king replied, that the judges, whobeft knew the conilitution, fiiould be m.oft regarded in this f>ointj and they had
informed
THOMAS CRANMER. 31 informed him, that notvvithftanding that en- tail, he might lawfully bequeath the cro.vn to the lady Jane. The archbifnop defired to difcourfe with them himfelf about this matter; and they all agreeing, that he might lawfully fubfcribe to the king's will, he was, after many perfuafions, prevailed upon to reiign his own private fcruples to their authority ; and at laft, not without great reludlancy, he fet his hand to it.
On the fixth of July, in the year cf our Lord 1553, it pleafed almighty God to ra^ie to himfelf this pious and good prince, king Edward ; and the archbifhoo having fubfcribed to the king's will, thought himfelf obliged, by virtue of his oath, to join the lady Jane. But her (hort- lived power foon expired, and queen Mary's title was- univerfaily acknow- ledged, and fubraitted to,-. Not long after her accelTion, a falfe report was raifed, that arcn- bilhop Cranmer, in order 10 make his court 10 the queen, had offered to rellore the Latiii fervice, and that he had already faid mafs iti. his cathedral church at Canterbury. To vin- dicate himfelf from this vile and bafe afper- tion, the archbilhop publifhed a declaration, in which he not only cleared himfelf frora that unjuft imputation.- but offered publickK' to defend the Englilh liturgy, and prove it confonant to fcripture and the purefl antiquity ; and challenged his enemies to a difputation. This declaration foon idl into the hands of the council, who fent a copy of it to the 0-4^. queen V
^2 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
queen's com miiTioners ; and they immediately ient /or the archbifhop, and quellioned hiai about it. Cranmer acknowledged it to be his ; but complained that it had, contrary to his in- tent, liolen abroad in To imperfedl a condi- tion : for his defign was to review and cor- real it ; and then, after he had put his feal to it, to fix it up at St. Paul's, and on all the church doors in London. This bold and ex- traordinary anfwer fo irritated them, that they fent him to ths Tower,, there to be confined, till the queen's pleafure concerning him was known. Some of his friends whoforefaw this llorm, had advifed him to confult his fafety by retiring beyond fea ; but he thought it wculd refled a great dilhonour on the caufe he had efpoufed, if he fnould defert his flation at fuch a time as this ;. and chofe rather to hazard his life, than give fuch jufl caufe of fcandal and oitence.
In the middle of November, archbiiliop Cranmer was attainted by the parliament, and adjudged guilty of high treafon, at Guildhall. His fee was hereupon declared void: and on the tenth of December, the dean and chapter of Canterbury gavecommiffions to feveral per- fons to exercife archiepifcopal jurifdiclion ia their name, and by their authority. Arch- bilhop Cranmer wrote a very fubmiffive letter to the queen, in the moft humble manner ac- knowledging his fault, in confentiiig to fign the king's will; acquainting her v./hat prefiing inllances he, made to the king againll it; ar.J
excufing
THOMAS CRANMER; 53 excufing his fault, by being over-ruled by the authority of the judges and lawyers, who, he thought, underftood the conilitution better than he did himfelf. The queen had par- doned fo many already, who had been far more deeply engaged in the lady Jane's ufur- pation, that Cranmer could not for fhame be denied ; fo he was forgiven the treafon : but, to gratify Gardiner's malice, and her own implacable hatred againft him for her mother's divorce, orders were given to proceed againil him for here fy.
In April, i)44, the archbilhop was removed from the Tower to Windfor, and from thence to Oxford, todifpute with fome feledl perfons of both univerfi ties. At the firlt appearance of the archbilhop in the public fchools, three articles were given him tofubfcribe; in which the corporeal prefence, by tranfubftantiation, wasaifertcd, and the mafs afHrmed to be a propitiatory facrifice for the fins of the living and dead. Thefe, he declared freely, he eileemed grofs untruths ; and promifed to give an anfwer concerning them in writing.
Accordingly he drew ic up ; and, when he was brought again to the fchool-s to difpute,, "he debvered the writing to Dn Weilon, the prolocutor. At eight in the morning the dif^ putation began^ and held till two in the after- noon : all which time the archbilhop conftantly maintained the truth, with great learning and ct)urage, againft a multitude of clamorous and infoknt opponents : and three davs after, hj
C c:
34 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
was again brought forth to oppofe Dr. Harp{l field, who was to refpond for his degree ia divinity ; and here he acquitted himfelf fo well, clearly fhewing the grofs abfurdities, and inextricable difficulties of the dodrine of tranfubftantiation, that Weflon himfelf, as great a bigot as he was, could not but difmifs him with commendation, in thefe difputa- tions, with other flanderous reproaches, the archbifhop was accufed for corrupting and fal- fifying a pafiage which, in his book of the Sa« crament, he had quoted from St. Hilary. In anAver to which, he replied, that he had tranfcribed it verbatim from the printed book ; and that Dr. Smith, one of their own divines,- there prefent, had quoted it word for word aire. But Smith made no reply, being con- fcious that it was true.
When the difputation was over, one Mr; Heleot remembring that he had Smith's book, went directly to his chamber in Univerfity- ccllege ; and comparing it with Cranmer's, found the quotations exadly to agree. He af- terwards looked into a book of Gardiner's,, called, ** The Devirs SophiHry," where the il;me pafTage was cited ; and both the Latin and Englifh agreed exactly with Cranmer's quotation and tranllation. Upon this he re- foived to carry the fiid books to the archbi- Otop in prifon, that he might produce them in his own vindication.
When he came thither, he was Hopped and brought before Dr. Weflon and his collegnes,
who.
THOMAS CRANMER. 3> who, upon information of his defign, charged him with treafon, and abetting Cranmer in his herefy ; and committed him to prifon. The next day he was again brought before them, and they threatned to fend him to biihop - Gardiner, to be tried for treafon, unlefs he would fubfcribe to the three articles concern- ing which the difputations had been held. This he then refufed ; but, being fent for again, after the condemnation of Cranmer, through fear he confented to it ; yet not till they had alTured him, that, if he fmned by fo doing, they would take the guilt upon them- ielves, and anfwer for it to God : and yet even this fubfcription, of which he afterwards heartily repented, could not prevail for th»2 refi-oring his books, left he fhould Ihew them to their ihame ; nor for his entire difcharge, the mailer of Univerfity-college being com- manded to keep a ibid watch over him till Gardiner's pleafure concerning him was known ; ; and, if he heard nothing from him in a fort- night's time, then to expel him the college for his offence.
On the twentieth of April, Cranmer was brought to St. Mary's, before the queen's commiffioners • and refufmg to fubfcribe, was * pronounced an heretick, and fentence of con- demnation read againil him as fuch : upou which he told them, that he appealed fronr their unjuft fentence and judgment to the judg- ment of the Almighty ; and that he truilcd t;.< bs received to his prefence in Heaven, foi C 6 mair.iainino
j6 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
maintaining the truth of whofe fpiritual pr2>- fence at the altar he was there condemned. After this his fervants were difmilTed from their attendance, and himfelf clofely confined in prifon. The latter and a popifh convoca*- tion met, and did archbifhop Cranmer the honour to order his book of the Sacrament to be burnt, in. company with the Engliik Bible and Common-Prayer-Book.
Cranmer, in the mean time, fpent his me- lancholy hours in writing a vindication of his treatife concerning the Euchariil", from the objedions of Gardiner, who had publiflied a book againft it under the feigned name of Marcius Antonius ConHantius. Many of the learned m.en of the Romifti perfuafion came to vifit him in prifon, and endeavoured, by dif- putations and conferences, to draw him over to their church, but in vain.
In 1555, a new commiiTion was- fent from Rome for the trial of archbiftiop Cranmer for herefy ; the former fentence againft him being void in law, becaufe the authority of the pope was not then re eflablifhed. The commiffio.i* ers were Dr Brooks, biihop of Gloucefter, the pope'3 delegate, Dr. Stcric, and Dr. Martin^ dodors of the civil-law, the queen's commif^ fioners.
On the twelfth of September they met at St. Mary's church ; and, being feated at the high altar, commanded the archbifliop to be brought before them. To the queen's com- miiTioners, as reprefenting the fupreme autho- rity
THOMAS CRANMEI^. 3^
nty of the nation, he paid all due rerpe(Ei, but^ abfolutely refufed to {how any. to-, the pope's? delegate, leil he ftiould Teem to make the leaffe~ acknowledgment of his ufurped fupremacy. Brooks, in a long oration, exhorted him to conllder from whence he was fallen ;. adviiing; him, in the moil eameft and pathetic manner, to return to his holy mother, the Roman-ca- tholic church ; and, by the example of his re- pentance, to reclaim thofe whom his. pall eim rors had mificd.
In this oration he betrayed great ignorance both of fcripture and antiquity : of fcripture, by affirming, that the Arlans had more texts, by two and forty, to countenance their errors, than the Catholics had for the maintenance of the truth : of antiquity, by making Origin write of Berengarius, who lived near eight hundred years after him ; and, by confound- ing the great St. Cyprian with another Cy-^ prian at Antioch, laying the magical Iludies of the latter to the charge of the former.
When , he had finilbed hi& harangue, Dr* Martin-, in a fhort fpeech, began to open the trial, acquainting the archbifhop with the ar- ticles alledged againft him, and requiring his anfwer. The articles contained a charge of perjury, incontinence, and herefy : firli, on account of his oppoiition to the papal ty- ranny ; the fecond, in refpedl to his marriage ; and the lall, on account of the reformation in the late reign,, in which he had the chief hand.
The
SS BRITISH PLUTARCH.
The archbifhop having liberty to Ipeak, after he had repeated the Lord's Prayer and the Creed, began with a j unification of his condudl in relation of his renouncing the pope's fupremacy ; the admiiTion of which he proved, by many iniiances, to be contraj-y to- the natural allegiance of the fubjed, the fun- damental laws of the realm, and the original conflitution of the ChriiHan church : and, in the clofe, he boldly charged Brooks with per- jury for fitting there by the pope's authority, which he had folemnly abjured. Brooks en- deavoured to vindicate himfelf, and retort the charge on the archbifhop, by pretending, that he was feduced by Cranmer to take that oath : but this, the archbifhop told him, was a groi's untruth, the pope's fupremacy having received the laid blow from his predecefibr, . archbifhop Warham, by whofe advice -king Henry had fent to both the univerfities, to ex- amine what foundation it had in the word of God : to which he replied, and gave it under their feal, That, by the word of God, the fuprem.acy was veiled in the king, not the pope; and that Brooks had then fubfcribed this determination ; and therefore wronged . him, in pretending that he was f^^duced by him. At this Brooks was in a great confu- iion, and cried, " We came to examine you, and, 1 think, you examine us." Then Dr. Storic began to rail at the archbifhop in an in- decent manner, for excepting againfl the au- thority of his judge; and moved bifliop Brooks
to
THOMAS CRANMER. 39- to require from the archbifliop a dire£l anfwer £0 their articles, whereof he flood accufed j or, if he continued to deny the authority of the pope, and to decline anfwering, to pro- ceed to fentence againfl him. After which. Dr. Martin had a Ihort conference with the archbifhop about his condudl in relation to the fupremacy and the dodrine of the Ejacharifl i and then they proceeded to demand his anfwer to certain interrogatories concerning the crimes laid to his charge : to which he replied in fo full and fatisfadtory a manner, that Brooks thought himfelf obliged to make another fpeech, to take off the imprelTion his defence might have made upon the people. It was much unbecoming the gravity of a biihop, confiding only of fcurrilous and unchriftian railings, and uncouth and fophifdcal mifappli.i cations of fcripture and the fathers.
After this, the archbifhop was cited to ap- pear at Rome within fourfcore days, and there to anfwer in perfon : to which he replied, that he would very willingly confent, if the queen would give him leave to go to Rome, and juflify the reformation to the pope's face. But this was only a mock- citation, for he was kept all that time clofe confined ; and yet, at the end of fourfcore days, was declared con- tumax, for wilfully abfenting himfelf from Rome, whither he was legally fummoned ; and, in confequence thereof, was degraded> as we fhall fee' hereafter.
In
4^ BRITISH Plutarch:
In the mean time, farther to manlfell the" infincerity of Dr. Stillingfleet, and to vindi-' cate thecharader of the archbifliop, I (hall fet down his- laft judgment, concerning the ex- tent of the regal fupremacy, as contained inr his anfvver to Dr. Martin. When that do£lor afk.ed him, Who was fupreme head of the church of England ? The biihop anfwered, ** Chrift is head of this member, as well as of the whole body of the catholic church." When the doftor again demanded, Whether he had not declared king Henry the head of thechmxh? " Yes," faid the biihop, "of all the people in England, as well ecclefiaftical as temporal.'^ " What!*' fays Martin, " and not of the church?'' **No," replied the archbi- ihop ; " for Ghriil only is head of the church, and of the faith, and religion of the fame."
The February following, a new commiffioff was given to bifhop Bonner and biihop Thirl- by, for the degradation of the archbiihop,- When they came down to Oxon, the archbi- fhop was broaght before them ; and, after they had read their commiiTion from the pope, Bonner, in a fcurrilous oration, infulted over, him in a moil unchriftian manner ; for which he was often rebuked by biihop Thirlby. In the commiiTion it was declared, that the caufe had been impartially heard at Rome; the wit- neiTes on both fides were examined, and the archbiihop's council allowed to make the beft defence for him they could. At the reading
of
THOMAS CR AN ME R. 41
t>f this, the archbiiliop could not help crying out, *' Good God, what lies are thefe 1 that I, being continually in prifon, and not fuf- fered to have council or advocate at home, ftiould produce witnefles, and appoint my council at Rome 1 God mufi needs puniihthis open and fhamelefs lying."'
When Bonner had finifned his invedlive againil him, they proceeded to degrade him ; and, that they might make him as ridiculous as they could, the epifcopal habit which they had put on him, was made of canvas and old clouts. Then the archbiftiop, pulling out of his ileeve a written appeal, delivered it to them, faying, " I aopeal to the next general coun- cil."
When they had degraded him, they put on him an old thread-bare beadle-gown, and a tovvnfman's coat ; and in that garb delivered him over to the fecular power. As they were leading him to prifon, a gentleman came and gave {om.e money to the bailiffs for the arch- biihop : but this charitable aclion gave fuch Ouence to Bonner, that he ordered the gentle- man to be feized- and, had he not found great friends to intercede for him, would have fent him up to the council to be tried for it.
While the archbiihop continued in prifon, no endeavours were omitted to work him over to the church of Rome. Many of the moil eminent divines in the univerfity reforted to him daily, hoping, by arguments and perfua-» fions, to work on him j but all in vain.; foi
hs
42 BRITISH PLUTARCH; he held faft the profcfiion of the faith, without wavering ; and could not be Ihaken, by any of the terrors of this world, from his con- ilancy in the truth : nay, even when he faw the barbarous martyrdom of his dear compa- nions, bi(hop Ridley, and bifliop Latimer, he was fo far from ihrinking, that he not only prayed to God to ftrength"en them, but alfo, by their example, to animate' him to a patient expedlation and endurance of the fame fiery trial.
At laft the papiils bethought thcmfalves of a- ftratagem which proved fatal to him ; they re- moved him from prifon to the. lodgings of th* dean of Chrift- church ; they tre^ited him with the greateil: civility and refpect, and made him great promifes of the queen's favour, and the rellitution of his former dignities^ with many- other honours and. preferments accumulated, if he v/ould recant. And now, behold a moil aftonilhing inftance of human frailty ! The man, who had, with fuch undaunted refolu- tion, fuch unfliaken conilancy, and fo tnxlj primitive a fpirit of martyrdom, faced the ter- ror of death, and defied the moft exquifite tor- tures, finks under this lail temptation, falls a prey to flattery and hypocrify, and confents to recant 1 It is a vulgar error, even in our beil hiliorians, to fuppofe, that the archbifhop ac- knowledged the whole of popery at once, and fubfcribed but one recantation. But this mif- take is now redtified by the labour of the in- duUrioub Mr. Strype, who has difcovered how
lubtilly.
THOMAS CRANMER. 43
fubtilly he was drawn in by the papiils to fub- fcribe fix different papers ; the iirlc being ex- prefled in ambiguous words, capable of a fa- vourable conlbudlion ; and the five following pr eteiided to be only explanations of the nrll.
It as very probable, that, had they ac- quainted Cranmer with the whole of tlieir de- fign at once, he would never have been fe- duced to redeem his life with fuch a difho- nourable compliance: but, when they had, by their hypocrify and artifice, drav/n him in to a firfl and fecond recantation, alhamed to retradl after he had gone fo far, and unwillincr to lofe the benefit of his pall fubfcriptions^ prevailed with him to go on. Hwing gained ground upon him thus far, the/ grew bold and barefaced; and, in the fifth paper (which is in Fox*s Marty rology, and has been com* monly thought to be his only recantation) they required him to renounce and anathema- tize all Lutheran and Zuinglian herefies and errors ; to acknowledge the one holy catholic church to be that whereof the pope is the head ; and to declare him the fupreme bilhop, and ChriU's vicar, to whom all Chriftians ought to be fubjeft.
Then followed an exprefs acknowledgment of tranfubllantiation, the feven facraments, purgatory, and of all the doftrines of the church of Rome in general ; with a prayer to God to forgive his pall: oppofition to them ; and an earneftintreaty to all, who had been milled by his do<^rine and example, to return to the
unity
44 BRITISH PLUTARCFT.
unity of the church. And yet even this, fulf iind exprefs as it was, did not give content ; but a iixth was fall required j which was drawn up in fuch flrong and ample term 5, that nothing was capable of being added to it ; containing a prolix acknowledgment of all the popiih errors and corruptions, and a moH grievous accuiadon of himfelf as a blafphemer, .an enemy of Chrift, and a murderer of fouls;' on account of his. being the author of king^ Henry's divorce ; and of ail the calamities,, fchifms, and herefies, of which that u^s the fountain. This laft paper he fubfcribed on- the eighteenth of March; not in che leaft fuf- peding that the papiils deiigned, notwith- ftanding all thefe fubfcriptions, to bring hini to the llake ; and that the writ was abeady figned for his execution.
Thefe fix papers were, foon after his deatb, fent to the prefs by Bonner ; and publiflied, with the addition of another, which they had prepared foi' him t&fpeak at St. Mary's before his execution ; and, though he then fpake to a quite, contrary eiiedt, and revoked all his former recantations, yet Bonner had the confi- dence topublifh this to. the world, as if it had been approved and made afe of by the arch- bilhop.
The day appointed for his execution was the twenty-firil of March ; and Dr. Cole was fent to Oxford to prepare a fermon for the cc- cafion. The day before, Cole vifited him in the prifon, \> hither he was now removed ; and
THOMAS CRANMEU: //^
sfked him, if he flood firm in the faith he had fubfcribed ? To whi^h Cranmer gave a fatif- faftory anfwer. The next morning Cole vi- sited him again j exhorted him to cooftancy, and gave him money to difpofe of to the poor, as he faw convenient.
Soon after, he was brought to St. Mary's church, and placed on a low fcaffoid over againft the pulpit. Then Dr. Cole began his fermon ; the chief fcope whereof was, to en- deavour to give fome reafons why it was expe- dient that Cranmer fhould fuffer, notwithftand- ing his recantvation : and, in th€ clofe, he ad- dreiTed himfelf particularly to the archbifhop, exhorting him to bear up with courage againll the terrors of death ; and, by the example of the thief on the <rofs, encouraged him not to defpair, fince he was returned, though late, into the bofom of the catholic church, and to the profelfion of the true apoflolical faith.
The archbifhop, who, till now, had not the leall notice of his intended execution, was ilruck with horror at the bafe inhumanity and unparallelled cruelty (not to be exceeded in the infernal regions 1} of their proceedings. It is utterly impoflible to exprefs what inward agony he felt, and what bitter anguifh his foul was perplexed with. During the whole fer- mon he wept incelTantly : fometimes lifting up his eyes to Heaven, fometimes caftin^ them, dov.n to the ground, with marks of the ctnioH dejection,
Vv'hea
46 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
When it was ended, being moved to make a confeffion of his faith, and give the world fatisfadlion of his dying a good cathoh'c, he confented, and, kneeling down, began the following prayer :
*« O Father of Heaven ! O Son of God, Redeemer of the world ! O Holy Ghoft, pro- ceeding from them both, three perfons and one God ! have mercy upon me, the moft wretched cai tiff and miferable fmner ! I, who have offended both heaven and earth, and more greivouHy than tongue can exprefs ! Whither, then, ih all I go ? or, Where fn all I fly for fuccour ? To heaven, I am afhamed to lift up mine eyes ; and, on earth, I find no refuge !* What fnall I then do ? Shall I de- fpair ? God forbid ! O, good God, thou art merciful, and refufeft none who come unto thee for fuccour ! To thee, therefore, do I run ; to thee do I humble myfelf ; fay- ing, O Lord, my God, my fins be great, but yet have mercy upon me, for thy infinite mer- cy ! O God, the Son, waft thou not m^ade man ? this great m^yftery was not wrought for few or fmall offences Oiily : neither didil thou give thy fon to die, O God the Father, for our fmaller crimes, but for the greateft fms of the whole world ; fo that the finner return unto thee with a penitent heart, as I do now in this moment. Wherefore take pity on me, O Lord, whofe property is always to have mercy : for, though my fins be great, yet thy
mercy
THOMAS CRANMER. 47 ^mercy is greater. I crave nothing, O Lord, for my own merits, but for thy name's fake, aiKi that it may be glorified thereby, and for thy dear fon Jefus Chrifl's fake ; in whofe words I conclude : Our Father, &c,"
Having finifhed the Lord's Prayer, he rofe from his knees ; and, after he had exhorted the people to a contempt of the vanities of this -fmful and deceitful world, a patient obedience to the queen, mutual love and chanty, and bounty to the poor; he told them, that, be- ing now on the brink of eternity, he would freely declare unto them his real faith, and coi- nion, without the leallreferve or difiimulation. Then be repeated the Apoille's Creed, snd profefTed his belief thereof, and of all things contained in the Old and New Teiiament : after which he declared his great and unfeigned repentance, for having, contrary to his faith, fubfcribed the popiih hereiies ; lamented, with many tears, his grievous fall ; and de-. clared, that the hand, which had fo offended, fhould be burnt before the reft of his body. Then he renounced the pope, in the mofi: ex- prefs terms ; and profelTed his belief concern- ing the Eucharift, to be the fame witli what he had afferted in his book againft Gardmer.
This was a grievous difappoinmenc to the papifts; they made loud clamojis, and charged him with hypocrify andfalfliood. To which he meekly replied. That he was a plaih man, and neyer aded the hypocrite but when he was feduced by them to a recantation. —
Upon
4^ :BRITISH PLUTARCH,
Upon this they hurried him to the ftake ; to -which he approached with a chearful counte- rance ; and, notvvithftanding the earnell folli- citations of many of the papiiis, continued Hill to declare his utter abhorrence of the po- pifii errors, and hearty repentance for having recanted.
After this, he kneeled down and prayed ; and then, having midrefTed himfelf, and taken leave of his friends, he was bound to the llrake. As foon as the fire was kindled, he ftretched forth his right arm, and held ity ftedfaftly and without flirinking, in the flame (only once he wiped his face with it) till it was quite confumed, which was fome time be- fore the f.re reached his body, nor expreffing any great fenfe of pain. He often cried out, *' This unworthy hand '. thi3 unworthy hand;" and, lifting up his eyes to Heaven, expired, with the dying words of St. Stephen in his mouth : *' Lord Jefus receive my fpirit 1"
He wa-s a man naturally of a mild and gen- tle temper ; not eafily provoked, and yet fo eafy to forgive, and reward good for evil, that it became a kind of proverb concerning him, ** Do my lord of Canterbury a fhrewd turn, and he will be your {riend as long as you live."
His candour and fmcerity, faithful nefs and integrity, mecknefs and humility, were ad- mired by all who converfed with him : and, when he was in power, his lenitf to the pa- piiis was fo great, that he was charged wiui
remifnCiS
THOMAS CRANMER. 49
remlfnefs and negligence : but his reply was. That men ought to have time allowed them to difentangle themfelves from their prejudices; and that, in the mean time, gentle ufage was more likely to have a better influence on thera than could be expeded from rigorous treat- ment.
He had, by his interceflion with king Henry, preferved the prefent queen's life, when her father's anger was inflamed to fucli an extravagant pitch, and her ruin feemed fo irrevocably fixed, that neither the duke of Norfolk, nor bifhop Gardiner, durll interpofe a word in her favour, left they fliould perifli with her : but the ungrateful queen, forget- ing this noble fervice, and his eminent zeal for her fucceiHon, could not refl till Ihe had brought him to the Hake.
As to his learnirig, he was an excellent di- vine. His knowledge in the fcriptures and fathers was equalled by~few of his time : he was alfo well read in the canoa and civil laws, and not unacquainted with the more polite part of learning. He had, in two folio vo- lumes, made large coileclicns from the fcrip- tures, fathers, councils, and fdioolmen ; and digefled them into commoi; places : by which he bravely juftifted the Englilh'ref •rmation,and fhewed how fa^ the church of Rome had de- generated from the dodririe, worfliip, and di- fcipline, of the primitive church.
"^^-^1^.111. D Thefc
50 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
Thefe valuable remains, after they had been, for fome time loft, th€ papifts endeavouring to have them fupprefled, were, in the reign of queen Elizabeth, happily recovered by arch- bifliop Parker.
THE
STEPHEN GARDINER. 51 The LIFE OF
Stephen Gardiner.
THIS great man was an able lawyer, a learned divine, and fhrewd ftatefoian? being biihop of Winchefter, and chancellor of England, in the fixteenth century. He was born of obfcure parents at Bury St. Edmond, in the county of Suffolk : but fome very good authorities give us to underlland, that he was the illegitimate fon of a prelate nobly de- scended and royally allied, who took pains to conceal a circumftance fo difcrediting to him- felf, by bellowing his miflrefs on one of his meaner fervants, whofe name this infant bore: there appears to be the greatelt probability that this was really the cafe : and, from an. original pidture of his, painted by Holben, we have good grounds to conclude, that his birth ought to be fixed to 1483.
We know nothing of his education, or the manner in which he pafied his youth ; but, that he was fent to the univerfity of Cam- bridge, where he fludied in Trinity-hall with great diligence and fiiccefs. Pie was diftin* guiflied there by his quick parts, his correal pen, his elegance in writing, and fpeaking D 2 Latiii
52 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
Latin, and for his extraordinary fiile in Greek, which procured him very high compliments, as to his acqulfitions in literature, when he was in no condition to reward flatterers. In procefs of time he applied himfelf entirely to the civil and canon laws, for which that learned foundation was very famous.
The reputation he -attained at Cambridge, foon opened him a pa^ige into the favour and confidence of feveral of the greateft men of that age. Firll, a? fome report, he was taken, under the proted\ion of that generous and po- tent peer, Thomas, duke of Norfolk ; and afterwards received into the family of the ftill more potent cardinal Wolfey, in quality of fecretary : but, v^hatever hopes he might en- tertain of rifing at court, he had flill academi- cal honours in view; and, in 1520, he re- ceived the degree of dodlor of civil law; and, the year following, he was made dodlor of canon-law alfo. There is no queftion that, as the cardinal of York's fecretary, he had a good provifion made for him ; but this mult have been by way of penfion or falary ; for preferment, fo far as we find yet, he had none.
In I '525, he was, by an accident, admitted at once into the king's prefence and favour, ; to the great fatisfa6lion of the powerful cardi-' nal his mafter ; though afterwards, as the po- liticians remarked, the cardinal funk in the fame proporiion as this fervantof his rofe.
At
STEPHEN GARDINER. 53 At this JLinduie, the king's ciffairs at Rome ^•^'ere but in an untoward fituation, the Roman ppntifF, Clement VII. having addiefs enough ((;) f^ed the king's agents with fair promifes, ^(rcording to the (landing maxims of that c(>urt ; but, in effed, making no progrefs at all towards the king's point ; which was his Qptaining a divorce from his queen, Catharine q[ Arra.gon. His majcfty refolved to knd fame ^^p•fon thither, in whom he eould entirely c(^nh(ie, and of whcfe abiliiies and attach- ly^en: he had a like opinion. After mack cxfii flu era lion, he fixed upon our doclor, novv beicome a mailer of Trinity-hall ; and, as bi- {l;.op Burnet remarks, efreemed, at that time, th^ ^tii civil lawyer in England ; to whom he joined Edward Fox, provoH of King's Col- lege, in Cambridge.
"i hefe commiiTioners departed in February, ij'28. In their journey towards Iralv, they e:)Jecuted a commiffion at the court oi' Paris, yyjiere, by v/arm and vigorous recreientations of what rheir mailer had done, and might d(j, f(;i- king Francis, they obtained that monarch's lifter to the pope, in as ftrong terms as could b.j dcfired, in fupport of king Henry's de- jj-j^nds. When they came to Ovieto, where tii^ pope then v/as, Dr. Gardiner ufed free larguage with his holinefs, Ihevved him the tl^nger he v^^as in of lofing the king by play- ing a double game ; and how much injury he ^vwuld do the cardinal if he failed his exped^a- tjans. By thefe meafures alj was obtaiiied D j • 'which
S-4 BRITISH RLUTARCe. \v])ich Ills inilrudllons required, and a new \:onimiiricn, directed to the cardinals Wolfey and Campegius, v/asilTued.
In the courfe of this long embafTy, the pope, U'hofemind was continually perplexed, and to whom the imperial, French, and En^'fn mi- Jiillers allowed no quiet, fell dangerou^^Sll i- the difordeis of his afFedions operating ^o» the humours of his body : and this, as might he expcded, gave a new tui'n to the intrigues ef R.ome.
Dr. Gardiner had as large a fnare in thefe as any minifter ; for he laboured the caufe of the cardinal of York, in cafe the pope's death, made way for a new ele6\ion : he alfo ma- naged the whole affair with his holinefs much to the fitisfaction of the king, the cardinal, and Anne Bullen ; all of whom vvrithim mod thank- ful and aifedionate letters ; till, finding the pope was determined to do nothing, Henry called Gardiner from Rome, in order to make life of him in the management of liis caufe be- fore the legantine court.
Upon his return, he had the archdeaconry of Norfolk beilowed upon hira by bifnop Nyx, of Norwich, for whom he had obtained fome favours from the pope. He was inflalled on the firft of March, 1529 ; and this, as far as appears, was his firll preferment in the church : but in the ftate his growth was quicker j for the king, having conftant need of his fervice, and not efteeming it proper to ufe it while hs belonged to another, took him
froia
STHEPHEN GARDINER. 5^- from his mailer Wolfey, and declared him fe- cretary of Hate.
In this fituation he wasconfickred as havino; a large (liare in the management of all affairs ; and was particularly advifed with by the king, when cardinal Campegio declared that the caufe was avoked to Rome.
When, in confequence ofthefe proceeding?^ Wolfey declined in favour, in his dillrers he had recourfe to his old fervant, then fecretary; and, though fome have infmuated the con- trary, he met with as ilncere returns of grati- tude and friendihip, as he could defire or ex- pcft.
The year enfuing opened with the moll im- portant fervice, at leall as his mailer con- ceived it, that had been as yet rendered him by Dr. Gardiner; and which, neverthelefs, does more honour to his abilities than hij vir- tue : and this v/as, to manage the univerfity of Cambridge fo as to procure their declara- tion in the king's caufe, after Dr. Cranmer's book ihould appear in fupport of it. This, in conjunction with Dr. Fox, he accom- plilhed, though not without much artifice and addref^, as his own letters ihews ; which fuf- ficiently demonllrates, that men, and even great bodies of men, have been much the fame in all ages. After this great exploit, as it was then thought, his afcent in the churCi. was marveloufly quickened.
In the fpring of the year 153 i, he v/as 'n-
ilalled archdeacon of Leiceiler, refigning that
D ^ of
56 BRITISH PLUTARCH, of Norfolk, which he had before ; and, to- wards the clofe of the month of September enfuing, he alfo refigned that in favour of his coadjutor Dr. Edward Fox, who became af- terwards biOiop of Hereford. In the month of 06lober, he was incorporated at the uni- verfity of Oxford ; and, on the twenty-feventh of November, 153 1, he was confecrated bi- iTiop of Winchefter, contrary to what many writers afTert, that he was not promoted to this fee till about three years after. On the fifth of December following, the temporalities were reftored ; which is a fufficient proof, that the former is the right date.
Dr. Gardiner, it feems, was not apprized of the king's intentions, who would fometimes roall him found ly, and, at the inflant he be- iiovved it, put him in mind of it. *' I have," faid he, *' orten fquared with you, Gardiner, (a word he ufed for thefe kind of rebukes) but 1 love you never the worfe, as the bilhopric I give you will convince you."
He fat with Dr. Cranmer, archbifliop of Canterbury, when that prelate pronounced the fentence of divorce again ft queen Catharine ; or, rather, declared her marriage with the king null and void, on the twentieth of May, ir33. The fame year he was fent over to Marfeilles, that he might have an eye to the interview between the French king and the pope ; from whence his mafter fufpeded fome detriment might fpring : and there he inti- mated the appeal of lienry VIII. to a general
council
STEPHEN GARDINER. 57
council, in cafe the pope fhould pretend to proceed in his caufe : and he did the like on the behalf of the archbiOiop of Canterbury, who made a particular application to him for that purpofe.
Upon his return to England, he was called upon, as other bifiiops were, not only to ac- knowledge and yield obedience to the king as fupreme head of the church, but to defend it; which he did : and this defefiCe, or court-fer- mon, he publifhed : and this is that celebrated piece entitled, " Of True Obedience." Ilispen was made ufe of upon other occafrons, and he never declined vindicsting the king's proceed- ings in the bufinefs of the divorce, thei-fabfe- quent marriage, or throwing off the dolnini- on of the fee of Rome ; which writings then acquired him the higheil reputation.
In the next year, 1535, he had fonie dif- pute with archbifliop Cranmer, on account of -his vifi ting his diocefe; upon which occafion there appeared a good deal of he^^.t on both fides. When he went over again to France, to refum.e his embalTy, he had the ill luck to differ with another archbifhop of Canterbury, as he afterwards became, Dr. Reginald Pole, then dean of Exeter, whom, zs king Henry's bitterefl enemy, he prevailed on the French king to remove out of his dominions ; v/hence thofe difpute;? grew which afterv/ards became public.
D M'hile
58 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
While he was thus employed, Cnmileie de^- manded h/s opinion about a religious league v/ith the princes of Germany ; which, on that bottom, he difTuaded ; and advifed making an alliance, grounded on political motives, and • ilrengthened by fubfidies, which he thought would lail longer, and anfwer the king's ends "better. In 1538, he was fent ambafTador^ with Sir Henry Knevit, to the German Diet^ where he is allowed to have acquitted himfelf well in regard to his commiffion; but either fell into fome fufpicion, or was in danger of having fomething faftened to him, in refpe(fl to his fecret correfpondence with the pope,, which at that juncture might have been his ruin. It is averted, that he was chief inili- gator of thofe feverities, and was the principal author of all the cruelties committed, about this time, upon heretics, as they were then called ; which, being a matter of great confe- quence, the reader may expeft fhould be more clearly difcufied. The only way of doing this,. will be to confider a few of thofe fanguinary proceedings in which he is faid to have had the chief hand ; for this will fliew us what credit is due to the general fuggeflion, that perfecution was the great objeft of his coun • ciis.
Amongft thefe, the firft that occurs is the cafe of Lambert, who was burnt for denying the real prefence in the facrament, and which is commonly attributed to the virulent fpirit of the bifnop of Winchefter, The ftatute,
commonly
STEPHEN GARDINER. 59 commonly called the fix articles, and which, it muft he owned, was the law on which many were put to death, is attributed to his con- trivance, and faid to have been paiTed by his influence; having been warmly oppofcd, both by the archbiihop, and the vicegerent Crom- well ; but thole who ailedge he had no credit with the king, and was little beloved by the people, cannot expedl an implicit faith to at- tend fuch an aHertion. That he was princi- pally concerned in drawing it, and that he was very earnell in promoting it in the houfe of lords, in conjundion with the duk& of Norfolk, and other lords fpiritiial and tempo- ral, thofe mail have but little knowledge in Engliih hillory who will attempt to deny. It- was not long after this, that Robirt Barnes fell under profecution, and, in the iffue, was condemned tcv be burnt ; v/ho, becaiife he fliewed particular fpleen againft biihop Gar- diner, and was firft committed to prison for want of refpedl to him in a fcrmon, he is fur- Bufed to have been the author of all his fuf- ferings, and the perfon by whofc power that unfortunate fry ar was at length brought to the flake ; which is mentioned as a fecond in- fiance of his good will to perfecution. There h no doubt, that, in the courf3 of this reign, the biihop of Wincheller mud: have done many things againll his inclination, and feve- ral againft his confcience. He was obliged to take a fhare in the divorce of Anne of Cleeves, which was none of the moft honour- D 6 able -,
6o BRITISH PLUTARCH, able; and he was likewife obliged to bear a part in that of queen Catharine Howard, which, confidering his attachment to their moil noble farfiily, could be no very pleafing employment. But in thefe, and other com- pliances, he had many companions, and the excufes made for them by fome great pens, may ferve for him ; or the reader will pais fentence as he pleafes, fmce we have no intention to difguife faults, but to diiclofe truths.
Upon the death of Sir Thomas Crom.well, earl of ElTex, he was eledled chancellor of the univerfity of Cambridge, 1540; which preferment was very acceptable to him. He Hill preferved h:.^ maflerlhip of Trinity hall; and it was well he did preferve it, iince, in the next reign, this, in moil peoples opiriicn, preferved the foundation. As he was eledled chancellor of the uuiverfity of Carribridge^ without influence, he was very aiTidious in his office, that he might conciliate the affeiftions of its mem.bers, and did all he could to ?i5ll them with his intereH at court, which, when he had aone any great fervice, was very good. Certain if is, that whatever power or prefer- ments his compliances obtained under this monarch were dearly purchafed, fiace they were held in continual hazard^ and imbittered with violent ilorms of royal refentment ; which, though, as the prelate himfeif fays, he knew how to fuflain v/ithout fmking, mull, . neverthelefs, be exceedingly dillalleful.
In
STEPHEN GARDINER. 6i In fomeconjunftures too, we are fatisjFied, they filled him with many apprehenfions, and, though he might be dextrous in fometimes fhifting off the king's ill-humours, yet at others, how great or how alert ibever his fpi- rit might be, he was forced to bear flights with patience, and even to fubmit to very difagreeable fupplications and expreilions of deep humility, and great fenfe of his own failings, diretlly contrary to the conviftionof his confcience and underlianding.
In the time of king Henry, thefe were indif- penfable conditions of miniftcrial greatnefs ; nor was there any fuch thing as enjoying court- favours, without being expofed alfo to threats and frowns. Bilhop Gardiner felt thefe, as Cranmer and others did alternately; living, now in the fun-fliine, and by and by in the fliade, or rather, under a cloud. But, in the latter end of the king's life, ihe profpe6l grew darker than ever. In 1544, if we may rely on the credit of John Fox, who afiures us he had what he relates from one Morrice, who was fecretary to archbiihop Cranmer, this pre- late had a very narrow efcape from the great- eft dangers to which he v.'as ever expofed in his whole life. He had a fecretary, and a re- lation, one German Gardiner, v.'ho is faid to Lave been much in his favour, and who had diftinguiihed himfelf by his conferences with John Frith, the martyr, an account of which he publifhed. This young clergyman being fufpeded in the matter of the king's fuprema-
cv.
6i BRITISH BLUTARCH.
cy, aprofecation was commenced againft him 5 and, his cbftinacy being great, he was executed as a tray tor, March 7, 1544. The enemies of the bifhop, and, as Fox fays, the duke of Suffolk particularly, fuggefted to the king, that it was very likely, iiOtwithiHnding all he had written, that he was of the fecretary's opinion, and that, if he was once in the tower, matter enough mJght he found againfl him ; on which his majefty confented to fend him thither. But the bifhop, having intelligence of this, went immediately to the king, fubmit- ted with the utmoil: humility, confeffed what- ever hismajeity charged him with, and, to the no fmall difappointment of his enemies, by complying with the king's humour, and Hievv- ing the deepeft concern for his real or pretend- ed failings, obtained full pardon. Yet after this, we may fuppofe, provoked by fuch ufage, for, as Fox llates it, one cannot avoid feeing it- was a deiign to dertray him at any rate; he thought of lefigning upon this invention, and of turning their own artillery upon his adver- faries ; particularly a^ainil Cranmer, as we have lliewn in that prelate's life, with thei/fue of their difference.
After this, the king opening himfelf to- bif^op Gardiner, upon fome iufpicions he en- tertained of his laft queen, Catharine Parr,- as inclined to herefy ; he fo far improved thefe jealoufies, as to prepare a paper of articles againft her, which the king figned, and it was agreed to fend hsr to the. Tower; but the
* chan-
STEPHEN GARDINER. %
ehancfllor, who was entrufted with thb paper, dropped it out of his bofom, and it was immediately carried to the princefs. She fo wrought upon the king's affeftions, as to difpel his fufpicions ; and this brought fevere reproaches upon the chancellor, and the king's refentment againft the biihop grew fo flrongj that he would never fee his face afterwards.
We need not wonder, if^ ftanding in thh light with the king, when drawing towards his latter end, he left him out of his will, and did not appoint him one of the counfcilors to prince Edward, as he once intended. Sanders alledges another reafon for this, which was, that Gardiner, taking Tome favourable oppor- tunity, perfuaded the king to rellore the fu- premacy to the pope, cither by a folemn de- claration in parliament, if there was time to call one, or by an authentic ad of his own,, if there was not ; which would fufhciently manifeft his intention. In this refpect, the king, as he tells the ftcry, foon after changed his mind; and thence proceeded his enmity to Gardiner, But all is pure RCiiGnj for biihop Gardiner himfeif, in a fermcn before king Philip and queen Mary, mentions feme fuch thoughts in the king during the northern re- bellion ; and, had there been a grain of truth in it, no doubt would have mentioned his in- clination at this time. Befides, there actually was a parliament then in being, which was dilTolved at his death. Some other reafons were afTigned for the king's excluding him in
his
64 BRITISH PLUTARCH,
his teflament with no better foundation. But whatever ufage he might meet with, at any time from his mailer, be (hewed, upon all oc- cafions, very high refpedl for his memory, and ever fpoke and wrote of him with great de- ference ; and though Fox treats him •very coarfely on that head, yet others have thought there was in it as much of prudence as of gratitude. For was his condusfl lefs wary in the reign of king Edward VI. while he would never fet a hand to the great work of refor- mation ; though he would not oppofe it, far- ther than by humbly remonilrating againil it. However this could not prevent his imprifon- ment, which, as a fenfible author obferves, was in all refpefts extraordin^,ry, and out of the common forms of jullice.
H"^ was fent for, u'hen in London, to attend the council, three weeks before the vifitors, then appointed, cam4e into his diocefe; and,be- caufe he would not promife to'receive the homi- lies, and pay obedience to whatever the king's vifitors might require, the council, notwith- fianding his clofe reafoning the point, as to its connilency vviih law, and his earneft entreaty to give him a little fpace to confider, commit- ted him clore prifoner to the Fleet. He was there, as we fee by his letters and petitions, very ftridly kept, and veryindiiferently ufed ; which mull have been by order, iince John Fox has marked on the margin of one of his applications for redrefs, that the warden of the Fleet v/as his fiiend. In the end he v*as dif-
char?ed
STEPHEN GARDINER 65 charged like a common malefactor, under co- lour of the king's general pardon, though never charged judicially with any oifence. The very dates prove thefe fads ; he v-as committed September die twenty-fifth, the parliament ailembled November the fourth, was prorogued December the twenty-fourth, and he was fet at liberty before the clofe, of that year, 1547. Befides this, all that we have advanced is fupported by unqueflionable au- thorities. In the courfe of this imprifonment, it came out, that the famous (late- book of re- ligion, publifhed by authority, under the title of " The Erudition of Chriftian Man," was compiled chiefly by bilhop Gardiner. By com- paring this v/ith'the religious fyflems in the reign of Edward VI. the difference maybe ken between his notions and thofe of Cranmer ; and from hence we may difcern, the proba- bility of his being in earnell in his declarations, without fuppofing, as almofl all Vv'riters do, mifled therein by the papifts themfelves, that in his heart he was a bigot to popery. Arch- bifhop Cranmer was once as well pi afed with the book afore-mentioned as any body, and had recommended it as ftrenuouily ; but now, having changed his mind as to the real pre- fence, he was not willing the world fhould know its true author ; and Gardiner, being touched with his infmuations, replied very ea- gerly in defence of his book.
Upon his obtaining his liberty, the bifliop went down to his diocefe, and there was fo far
from
66 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
from creating any trouble or difturbance, thar he was rernaikably a<Stive and dilige'-<t in giv- ing obedience, snd feeing that it was given, to thelaws concerning religion; but thofe who had a difiike to him, would not fuffer him to be long quiet. They were no fooner in- formed of his returning to town, than they procured an order for him to come before the council, where he was roughly treated, and then direded to keep his houfe till he gave fatisfadion, which v/as to be done in a fermon preached before the king and his minilkrs, in a public audience, for the matter of which, he was direded, as well what he fhould not, as what he fhould fay, by Sir William Cecil, On St. Peter's day, the bifhop did accordingly preach, but was fo far from -giving fari:sfac- tion, that the very next day, June the thirtieth 1548, he was fent to the Tower, and continu- ed there a prifoner during all that reign. It was very near a year, notwithiianding repeated applications; that he continued there, without having fcarce any notice taken of him, his chaplain having admittance but once when he was ill, and then retrained becaufe his life was not thought in danger. When the pro- testor was depofed, or fome fmali time before he had hopes given him of his releafe, and from thofe it is likely who could have done it if they had judged it proper. But finding himfelf deceived, he took the freedom of ap- plying himfelf, by letter, to the council, of
which
STEPHEN GARDINER. 67
which we have probably a true, though cer- tainly a very unpolifhed, account from honefl John Stov/e ; . who iikewife tells us, very plain- ly, why he publifned it; which, in eifecl, was, that no body elfe would.
When the duke of Somerfet, though re- moved from his high oiiice, found means to come again into power, and to oe called to counciU'^the aiiair of biihop Gardiner was brought once more on the carpet, and the duke and others, by virtue of an order of that board, went to confer with him in the Tower, June the ninth 1550. It was propofed that he fhould make a fubmiiHon for what was paffed, Ihould teftify his approbation of all that had been done in religion fmce he had been laid afide, and that he fhould promife obedience for the future. The two lait points Winchefter readily anfvvered to, and adually figned all that was expefted from him ; but refund his aflent to the firft, infilling upon his innocence. Much felicitation there was, with what intent one cannotfay ; at lailjthe biihop, perceiving they rofe in their demands, told them roundly he would do nothing in aprifon; and, that he did not feek either favour or pity, but juiHce. On the nineteenth of July he was brought to the council, and being allied, whether he would fubfcribe the lall article or not, he anfwered in the negative ; and it was thereupon declared to him, that his bifnopric ihould be fequellered ; and, if in three months he did not comply, they would go llill farther.
V/hea
68 BRITISH P LUTARCH.
When the three months were fully expiree!, and the bifhop remained in the fame fenti- ftients, a refoludon was taken to proceed ju- dicially againfl him, in order to deprive him of the fee of Winchefter, and what other preferments he had under the authority of the king^^ commliTion, in which the archbiihop preilded. Tliefe conimiffioners began their proceedings December the fifteenth, and ended them February the fourteenth following, hav" ing had in all two and twenty felTions, when the grand affair was f nifhed, and the bifhop deprived, for irreverence to the king's autho- rity; Though Gardiner very prudently laid the weight of the whole on the delegator?, who deprived him, and, by proteiling and appealing to the king, fliewed plainly that ail the hopes of redrefs he had, lay in the crown, and mull fp:^ ~g from the exercile of that fu- premacy to whr'ch they reprelented him. All the remaining p..rt of his reign, however, the bilhop remained in the fame ilate, that is, a clofe prifoner ill rhe Tower; and yet, not fo ftri^flly kept, at ieafl all the latter part of the time, as the order of the council feemed to re- quire ; for certain it is, that in this fpace, he not only wrote many controverfial pieces, but alfo compofed varietv of Latin poems, and tranflated into verfe feveral beautiful paffages in the books of Eccle iailes, Wifdom, job, and other poetical parts of the Old Tella- ment. He alfo kept up his fpirits all that time, and was wont to fay very confidently,
as
STEPHEN GARDINER. 69
as either believing it, or defiring to be thought to believe ii, that he il.ould live to fee another turn, and another court, in which he fhould be as great as ever.
On the death of king Edward, no donbt, he forefaw that turn was near, notwithftanding the new court fet up in his neighbourhood, for that unfortunate lady, queen jane. On the. nineteenth of July 1553? queen Mary was publickly proclaimed by ti-at very council which the day before owned the right of her competitor, and gave her the ccarfe and inju- rious title of bailard of Henry VIII. On the third of Auguft the queen made her folemn entry into the Tower, when biihop Gardiner, in the name of himfelf and his fellow pri- foners, the duke of Norfolk, the dutchefs of Somerfet, the lord Courtney, and others of high rank, made a congratulatory fneech to her majelly, who gave them all their liberties. On the eighth of the fame month he perform- ed in the queen's prefence, the cbfequies for the late king Edward, whofe body was buried in Weiiminller, with the Engiilh fei vice, by archbifnop Cranmer, the funeral fermon being preached by bifliop Day. On the ninth, bi- fhop Gardiner went to WinciiefiCr-houfe, in Southwark, after a confinement of fomewhat more than five years. On the twenty-third he was declared chancellor cf England, though his patent did not pafs *tiil the uventy-finl: cf September. On the iirll of October he had the honour of crowning the queen, and on
the
70 BRITISH PLUTARCH, the fifth of the fame month he opened the firfl parliament in her reign. By this time he was in pofTeffion again of his academical honours ; for as at the beginning of his misfortunes the univerfity of Cambridge eledled in his place the duke of Somerfet, and, on his fall, the duke of Northumberland ; fo when he fell, they chofe the bifhop of Wincheiler for their chancellor, and reftored him aifo to his lord- ' fliip of Trinity-hall, then pofTeiTed by dodor Mowfe.
At this jundure, the bifhop of Wincheiler, either through the queen's elleem for, and confidence in, him ; or, as fome fuggeft, though without any great evidence, through the recommendation of Charles V. was pof- felTed of a larger compafs of civil and eccle- fiallical power, than any Engliih minijler ever enjoyed, except cardinal Woolfey; and in his management of this, in all its various branches, though taken from fo long an imprifonment, and labouring under the weight of fo gnjat an sge as feventy, his bittereil: enemies muft al- low he gave indubitable marks of fuperior talenis. If contriving to accompliih, and that in a ihort time, things fo great and difficult, as to furpafs ail men's expedations, be, as the v/orld fee ins agreed they are, lure figns of fu- perioi talents. The queen is faid, by moft of our hiilorians, to have recommended three o-reat points to the bifhop of Winchefter's care, with eqnal concern, all of which were attended with almoft equal difficulties ; the firit was,
the
STEPHEN GARDINER. 71
the clearing the legitimacy of her birth, and annulling the div'orce of her rfiother ; though this was apparently bailavdizing her filler, and prefumptive fucceiTor. The next was, reftoring the old religion, and reconciling the nation to Rome, in the fame manner as be- fore her father's defertion. The third was, ob- taining the confent of parliament, to her mar- riage with prince Philip ; which was fo un- popular, that the former houfe of commons prepared an addrefs to the queen not to marry a fojeigner.
Amongft all the fecret and open obHacIes, which were not a few, that our minifter had to overcome in the profecution of thefe mea- fures, none probably gave him more trouble than getting over his diflike to'^ every one of them. The procuring the divorce was the firfl: fource he rendered the father, and now re- verfmg this divorce, and branding all who had been concerned in it, was the firfl fervice required by the daughter. He had alfo ailif- ted, promoted, and defended, the king's fu- premacy, which made way for all that follow- ed, as much or more than any in the king- dom, and had the reputation alfo of pennino- what was publifhed in defence of that prince's marriage with Anne BuUen, and ail that hap- pened thereupon, which was now to be con- demned as null and illegal, Bcfides, fo far as we are guided by unqueilionacle authori- ties, this feems to have been going greater lengths than he intended ; for hitherto he
had
72 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
had not entered into a correfpondence vvith the pope, or done any thing in ecclefiaftical sfFairs but in virtue of the queen's fupremacy, an authority more agreeable to his fyftem of divinity than that , of the Roman pontift'; but in that particular the queen was inflexible, and her paffion as Ilrong to relinquifh this title to the pope, as her father's ambition had been to take it from him. The Spaniih match crcfTed the mind of Wincheller, as much as it did that of the nation ; he forefaw that many troubles would follow fvony^ff^ and that the queen would enjoy none of that fe- licity with which fhe flattered herfelf in the profped. But he well knew what a temper jhc inherited from her parents, and that flie would find miniilers enough to carry into ex- ecution all that Ihe propofed. Upon this con- fideration, joined to a fenfe of his own dan- ger from what was pafied, if a new revolution happened, he refolved to remain where he was, and employ his utmoft fiiill to render the meafures of queen Mary's reign as beneficial to herfelf, and as little burthenfome to her people, as in their nature they could be.
The convocation being aflembled, he pro- cured fuch queflions to be moved there, as he judged conducive to the change he propofed tojnake; yet went no farther thaifdeclaring the real prefence in the facrament, which made way for reviving the old fervice on the twenty-firft of December. In parliament he went the fame pace, repealing, by a Angle
law,
STEPHEN GARDINER. 73 law, more afts, pafTed in the reign of king Edward, refpefting religion ; by which thofe who were of that religion countenanced by- king Henry, became as fafe as they could wilh ; and even the groffsift papifts were out of danger, yet not rellored to power. The queen's legitimacy was eflabli(hed, the divorce declared null and void, the whole fault being thrown upon archbifliop Cranmer.
Thele extraordinary changes were wrought rather by addrefs and fair fpeeches, than by violence and corruption, though fome of our writers fay the contrary. As to force, the queen, a few guards excepted, had none; and her care as to money was the fame, though the bifhop of Wincheller was a frugal miniiler. But what feems to put corruption out of the queftion in this parliament, is, that after all, the members could not be br-- ught to relifh the queen's marriage to Don Philip; and there- fore, the chancellor advifed the diflblving this aflembly before the clofe of the year. And thus two of the three great points were accom- plifhed. But much greater difficulties were to be furmounted before the third could be brought to bear. The marriage treaty was left entirely in the hands of biihop Gardiner, and it is allowed he managed it very dex- troufly. He made ufe of the great rcluftance Ihevvn by the lall parliament, to procure fuch articles as might fecure the nation againll the ambition of Philip and his Spaniards ; and forefeeing expen<:e3 might follow upon this
Vol, 111. E match,
74 BRITISH PLUTARCH, match, notvvithftp.nding the hard bargain he had made, he procured, as is faid, half a million flerling from the emperor, to facilitate the approbation of a new parliament. But while thefe preparations employed thofe in the cabinet, fuch as abhorred this match were contriving very formidable meafures for its difappointment. Sir Thomas Wiat of Kent, and Sir Peter Carew of Cornwall, laid the plan of a deep and dangerous infurredion, in which the unfortunate duke of Suffolk had juR (hare enough to bring his own head, and, which was much more to be regretted, the heads of lady Jane, and her huiband lord Guilford Dudley, to the block. The whole fcheme mifcarried by the ill management, and, to fay the truth, the want of honefty in the chiefs.
All infurre(5^ions, when fupprefTed, are ufeful to thofe againft whom they are raifed, more efpecially when managed hy men of parts and dexterity. None knew better how to procure, or to ufe advantages, than the bi- fhop of Winchefter ; and he fo well managed men's hopes and fear?, with every other help he had, that when the queen's fecond par- liament met, April the fecond JSS4-> ^^ ^^'^Y foon appeared he might prevail on them to give a fandion to his meafures, whatever they were. The terms of the queen's marriage, as he fettled them, met with very little oppofi- tion ; and as for making fevere laws againll heretics, it is allowed the bifliop had no other
trouble
STEPHEN GARDINER. 75
trouble than to reilrain them, which in feveral inftances he did. His own and the wifer bi- fliop's zeal, not flaming near fo high as that of this houfe of commons. In the whole of his conduft through this parliament, over which he had as much influence as minifttr ever had, there was nothing done that was ci- ther unworthy of his flation, or injurious to his country ; on the contrary, forefeeing that fome who hadaccefs to the queen might make an ill ufe of her confidence, and engage her, by plaufible promifes, to countenance things every way beneath her, and dangerous to her fubjedls, he procured this to be put out of her power, by a fliort law, drawn by his direflion. But when the great meafures aimed at were adjufted, the chancellor, fuppofing that what remained for accomplifhing the whole of the queen's plan, might be compaffed more effec- tually after the marriage ; the queen, on the fifth of May, came to the parliament, and, having given her confent to fifteen bills, dif- folved that aiTembly.
All obftaclcs to the marriage being now re- moved, and the circumftances of the houfe of Auftria making it neccfiary to haflen it, king Philip put to fea, and arrived, towards the clofe of July, at Southampton, efcorted by a confiderable fleet, which, however, was oblig- ed to pay homage to that of England, in the narrow feas ; fuch was the temper of thcfc times, and the vigour of that adminiflration. He proceeded, with a numerous train of no- E 2 billrv.
76 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
bility, from Southampton to Winchefter, where he was received, and fplendidly enter- tained, by the biihop; on St. James's day, the tutelary faint of Spain, he was, by that prelate, folemnly married to the queen, in the cathedral, the emperor Charles V. refigning to him the kingdom of the two Sicilies, and many nominal fovereignties, upon the mar- riage. In his way to London, the king t( ok Windfor, where he was inilalled knight of the garter, and made his entry into this capital oq the eleventh of AuguH: 1554, with prodigious magnificerice, and, like all new princes, with univerfal acclamations.
The chancellor, well knowing this fair weather would not continue long, refolved to avail himself of it while it lafted; and, there- fore, called a new parliament about the middle of November the fame year. A very little time after the feflion began, cardinal Pole came in- to England, with the title of legate, not much to the real good liking either of the king or charcellor. '
By thefe gradations all things were brought back to their old fituation ; and the fangui- nary laws for reprefling herefy, revived and carried into execution.
Thus the bilhop of Winchefter paid the fall price of his exaltation to the miwiflry, and ob ained, in fpite of all difficulties, all that the queen had defired. Eat the joy in this wa5'^^uickly troubled by the bloody perfe- cution fet on foot in almoll all parts of the
kingdom.
STEPHEN GARDINER. 77
kingdom, whether by the advice, and with the entire concurrence, of the bifhop of Winchef- ter, as many liiftorians affirm, it is bucjuft fhould be more largely difcuffed than the bounds of this narrative will allow. Certain it is, that, to this time, our prelate had not difcovered any thing of this difpofition. He is indeed reputed, by many of our hiftorians, a great dilTembhr ; but in this a6led quite another part. In all public tranfaclions he profefTed himfeif always with the fam.e opinion wi:h the council, and did not aim ar fciecning himfeif from popular odium, by putting on a cloak of moderation. But in all the trials, where, by virtue of cardinal Po.e's coniniif- lion, he was obliged to be, he was exceed ig- ly afliduous to Oiew the prifoners, that, 'n tJie matter of the real prefence, which was moil infilled on, they might eafil\ fave their lives, by complying Vvithfubfcriptions drawn in very general terms ; till, by foul language, they convinced him that he had to do with men vho we: f- as little to be wheedled as frighted out of their principles. This fuicly proves that he was not defirous of fev'eriti-s, or perfecuted for the fake of gratifying a cruel temper, or to revenge pail injuries. And that fuch pro- teflants as were of milder natures, and content to referve themfelves for better times, when driven to dillrefs were well received by him, and not barely fcreened but encouraged and protedled, without offering any violence to their confciences, farther than locking them E 3 up.
78 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
up,, and committing the key to the cuftody of their own difcretions, we may very fafely af- iirm is a point out of difpute. For towards the clofe of the year, it was llrongly reported, and Indeed generally believed, that the queen was v/ith child ; for which rejoicings were made, and prayers appointed for her fafe delivery. The chancellor made a right ufe of this wrong notion ; he perfuaded her majefty to fet feveral prifoners at liberty, that had been near a year in confinement, and for that purpofe went in perfon to the Tower, January the eighteenth Is; 5 5, and difcharged the archbifiiop of York, Sir Edv/ard Rogers, Sir James Crafts, Sir Nicholas Throckmorton, Sir Edward Warner, Sir George Harper, Sir William Saintlow, Sir Gawin Caiew, Sir Andrews Dudley, Wil- liam Gibs, Carthbert Vaughan, John Har- rington, Efqrs. Mr. Tremain, and others. One of thefe had a little before taken the U-- berty of expoilulating with him very freely, notwithftanding which he had (beyond his. expeftations perhaps) his liberty amongft the refl:. His fon has given us, in an account of this adventure, fome paflages relating to bifhop Gardiner, very well worth notice.
The three months next enfuing, bifhop Gardiner was employed in carrying the laws lately revived againR heretics, into execution ; and fat often (to his eternal difgrace) by vir- tue of a commiffion from cardinal Pole, as the pope's legate, at Winchefter houfe in Southwark, to examine fuch as were brought
before
STEPHEN GARDINER. 79
before him. Yet, we are told, he foon grew weary, and would proceed no farther ; upon which, the cruel and invidious talk was put upon Bonner ; neither was it long before he grew relax, till quickened by orders from the council, and other meafures. But it faither appears in favour of Gardiner, that during his embafiy, about this time, to the king of Frarice, the great feal was put into the hands of William marquis of Winchefter; and from the council-books it appears, good ufe was made of it for llirring up the perfecution ; for quickening of which, writ after writ was iiTued, and letters dire6led to the nobility and gentry, as well as clergy, exciting them to give their attendance, with their fervants, at the burning of heretics ; fo that we fee this cruel flame raged molt when the bilhop was abroad, and grew Hill higher after his death.
Upon his coming home, he declared plainly, he would have no farther hand in feverities, and therefore thofe apprehended in his diocefe v/ere removed into that of London, and fo put under the jurifdiclion of Bonner, who in a fliort time fell oir again, and had frefh re- primands from the king and queen for his relaxation and lenity. We may, from thefe inliances, perceive, that fome made their court to the queen, by promoting thefe cruel pro- ceedings, and that they were neither prefTed, nor could be impeded, by the bifhop of Win- chefler. In matters of government, his in- fluence was iliU without diminution, and, ac- E 4 cordii-g
8o BRITISH PLUTARCH. cording to his advice, a parliament wasfum- moned to meet in Odlober ; for it was one of his maxims, to have (hort feffions and frequent parliaments. He had projecled fome additional fccurity for church and abbey lands, which, by a well-timed addrefs from the convocation to the cardinal, which he put into his hands himfelf, he had, in fome meafure, preferved to all who pofTeiTed them ; and this projcft was afterwards brought to bear by his friend, Mr. fecretary Peek. Odober the twenty- firil: 1558, he opened the feffion, with a judicious fpeech, and was there again on the twenty-third, which was the lall time of his appearing in that afiembly.
Towards the clofe of this month, he fell ill, and continued to grow worfe and worfe to the thirteenth of November 1555, when he departed this life, about the age of feventy- two He died at the royal palace of White- hall, about one in the morning; and about three the fame mcrning his body was carried over to Winchefter-houle, from whence the fu- neral was performed. His death was a great lofs to the queen his milhefs, who found no miniiler that could manage her affairs fo well, or keep her on fo good terms with the parlia- ments, from whom, during his adminiilration, flie received nothing, but lived upon the fet- tled ordinary revenue of the crown, with fome help, it may be, from the treafure brought over by king Philip. His pen alfo was of no fmall ufe, fince in polemical writbgs he was
inferior
STEPHEN GARDINER. 8i
inferior to none of his contemporaries. The fefhion of thofe times allowed more to exte- rior cxpreffions of funeral forrow than ours, and by entertaining the eyes of the vulgar with a lugubrious fpeclacLe of a great man's' lail journey, imprefiedon their minds a greater degree of reverence than could be wrought by words. In this point, there was a remarkable attention paid to the bifhop; and an author has taken the pains to leave the ceremonies of his obfequies, ciearly, circumftancially, and me- thodically fet dc ■ n ; but this was an age, when there was i.;ore atte.Lticn pa^d to fight than to all the leit of the lenle^; and more money bellowed, and more diligence ufed, in feii-ing out fuch a folemnity, than without fuch a detail as the abcve-mentioied could be eafily imagined. Many intrigues were iet on foot at court, on this great prelate's death, about filling his places, which occafioned fome delay in difpofmg- of them. The great feal was, in the mean time, put into the hands of Sir Nichoh.s Hare, mailer of the rolls, and, on Nevv'-year's-day ^ollowing^, given to Dr. Nicholas i eath, archbilhop of York. In the chanceilorihipof Cambridge he was fucceeded by cardinal Pole, who had fome inclination to have held his bi(hopric of Wincheiler, too, in . commendam; but at length it was given to Dr. White, bifhop of Lincoln, the modeft car- dinal contenting himfelf with a penfion of one thoufand pounds a year out of the revenue, £ 5 for
82 BRITISH PLUTARCH. *or the fupport of his dignity. As to themaf- terfhip of Trinity-hall, Dr. Mowfe, who took it as a good proteftant in king Edward's time, was now become fo good a catholic as to take it again in queen Mary's time ; and, in the days of Elizabeth, had a prebend of York be- llowed on him, being once more become a proteflant. As to the private eflate of biihop Gardiner, he difpofed of it by will, of which his two old friends, Sir Anthony Brown vif- count Montacute, and Dr. Thomas Thirlby bithop of Ely, were the executors.
*^. * # * e^
The
C-nrt/o/^ui/ tiy^wY .
j'"^/-
CARDINAL POLE. S3
The life of
Cardinal Pole.
REGINALD POLE, cardinal, was defcerided of royal blood, being a youn- ger Ton of Sir Richard Pole, lord Mo tague, knight of the garter, and coufin-german to Henry VIL by Margaret, his wife, daughter of George, diike of Clarence, younger bro- ther to king Edward IV. He was born at Tiverton, in StafFordfhiie, in the year 1500 ; and, after the greateit care hsd been taken by' his mother to form his mind and manneiS from his cradle, he was'Tenr, at feven years of age, to be mftruded in gi-amnjar by the Car- thufians, in the monadery at Shene, near Richmond, in Surry : and, at about the age of twelve, became a nobleman of M^gdaleu- coUedge, in Oxford, where an appartment was provided for him in the preildent's lodg- ings. The famous Linacre, and William La 7 timer, two of the greateH mailers of thofe times in the Greek and Latin tongues, were our young nobleman's principal preceptors ^ and he made a confiderable progrefs in his Iiu- dies under them.
In June, 1515, he took the degree of ba- chelor of arts, having firll kept ^the regular E 6 exercife
84 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
exercife for it ; and the fame year fupplicatcd the congregation for leave to wear fuch a habit and robes as were fuitable to his birth, and to be admited into the public library. Some time afterwards he entered into deacon's or- ders; and, on the nineteenth of March, 15 17, was made prebendary ©f Rofcomb, in the church of Salilbury ; to which was added the prebendary of Yatminfter Secunda, in the fame church, on the tenth of April, 1519; the deanery of Wimbourne monaftcry, or mini- jler, in Dorfetlhire ; and that of Exeter, in Devonlhire, being conferred on him about the fame time.
Thefe early promotions were no more than the genuine cffeds of the munificent temper of king Henry VI II. to whom he was related, and who direded his breeding to the church, with a defign to raife him to the higheft dig- /lities in it. Nor was Pole undeferving of the royal bounty. To a good ihare of natural parts were joined a fweet and noble temper, and a love of letters.
He was now nineteen years of age, and, having laid a good ground- work of learning at Oxford, it v/as determined, according to the cuilom of thefe times, to fend him, for further improvement, to Italy, where the li- beral arts and fciences then flourifhed. This deftination v^as very agreeable to him ; he had himfelf follicited it, and a fupport fuitable to his rank was provided by the king, who al- lowed
CARDINAL POLE. ^5
lowed him a large yearly penfion, befides the profits of his dignities.
He went, therefore, accompanied with a learned attendance ; and, on his arrival, after vifiting feveral other univerfities, he made, Pa- dua his choice, then mod flourifliing for elo- quence. Here he hired a handf(>me houfe, and fettled a proper houfboid. Such a diftir^. guiftied figure cou'd not fail of drawing the eyes of all the learned men in the place upon him ; and put it into his power to make the befl advantage of their abilities towards per- fefting the plan of h'- iludies. He like- wife, at the fame time, became the delight of that part of the world, for hi: learning, po- litenefs, and piety. At the fame time he grew not lefs the darling of his own country, wnere every one endeavoured to heap favours on him ; particularly Fox, bifhop of Wincheller, made him fellow of the new-founded college of Corpus- Chrifti in Oxford, on the fourteenth of February, 1523. From Padua our noble- man v;ent to Venice, where he continued for fome time, and then vifited fome other parts of Italy.
Having fpent five years abroad, he was re- called home; but being very defirous to fee the jubilee, which was celebrated this year at Rome, he took a tour to that city ; and, paffing by the way of Florence, he was re- ceived honourably, 2nd had prefents made to him there as well as at other places on tKe road. At Rome, he was entertained with the
fame
86 BRITISH PLUTARCH, fame refpefti and, after he had fadsfitd hl» curiofity in vifitlng the court, the churches, religious houies, ar^d raritie; , he returned to England, before the expiration of 1525 ; and was received with great affection and honour, as well by the court as the nobility. But the world, however alluring, had no charms for his talle at prefent : devotion and lludy v/ere his fole delight j and, in order to have a full and free enjoyment of them, he refolved to retire to his old habitation, among the Car- thullans at Shcne, having obtained a grant from the king of the apartment which Dr. Colet had lately built for his own ufe in the fame exercifes.
He had called two years with great pleafure in this retirerMcnt, when king Henry Vilf. be- gan ',0 i^art his fcruple5 about the lawfulnefs of his marriage with qu^en Catharine of Spain in order to a div -rce. Pole, forefeeing the commotions whicli this incident mull occafion, and that he fhould not efcape being involved in them if he llaysd in the kingdom, refolved to withdraw ; and, making ufe of the pretence of compleating his ftud-'es, he obtained his majefty's leave to go to Paris. Here, carrying fome learned perfons in his train, he pailed Lis time in that tranquility, which is fo much the defire of, and is lb necelTary for, ftudious per- fons ; till the king, profccuting the an'air of the divivrce, fsnt to the moll noted univerfides in Europe for their opinion on his cafe.
Wi^^
CARDINAL POLE. %j
On this occafion, Pole was fent to, and de- lired to concur with the king's agents. This threw him into fome perplexity for a while ; but, at length, he refoived to leave the nego- tiation wholly to thofe who were joined with him in the commiffion ; and to excule himfelf to the king, as unfit for employ, fince the courfe of his ftudies had lain another way. But Henry was fo much difpleafed, that, when his kinfrnan returned home, not long after, he was advifed, by all means, to clear himfelf of all aifloyalty, and appeafe his ma- jeily's anger : and, having averted the llorm for the prefent, by his fubmiflion, he retired to his former habitation at Shene ; where he profecuted his ftudies and devotions undif- turbed for the fpace of two years.
In the mean time, Henry, perceiving the court of Rome's intentions to baffle his pro- ceedings, carried on, under their authority, againft Catharine, kindled into a refolution to fhake oiF the yoke of that affumed authority, and to rely wholly on his ovvnfubjeds. This politic liep brought new troubles upon Pole : he was now univerfaliy eileemed for his learn- ing and piety; and v,'a5 befides of the royal blood. It was obferved, therefore, that his confent would be of great fervice as an exam- ple to the reft. Accordingly, no means were left untried to win him over ; and, being ir- refiftibly prefled on every fide, he yielded, at length, to the occafion ; and repaired to the king, with a defign to give him fatisfai^ion :
but
88 BRITISH PLUTARCH, but his confcience checking him the moment he was about to fpeak, he was not able to ut- ter a word. The extremity infpired him with courage, and, quitting the former purpofe, he fpoke his mind to the king ; which, be- ing fuch as was not pleafing nor expected, Henry, with a countenance full of anger, put his hand, fometimes to his poniard hanging at: his girdle, with an intention to kill him, but was overcome with the fimplicity, humility, and fubmiiTion of his kinfman's addrefs, and difmiifed him in tolerable temper, without urging the poi.it any more.
Pole, however, being apprehenfive that fur- ther danger would inevitably accrue to him, if he contiiued in England, laid hold of the king's paciEc difpofition, to apply to him, by fome friends, for leave to withdraw, under a pretence for further improvement in the uni- verfuies abroad ; which he obtained : and his majeicy was fo far fatisfied at prelent, that he contijaued his penlion for fome time.
The firft place Pole went to, was Avignon, m France, which then fiouriflied in the ftudies of the liberal arts and fci^nces. The town was under the pope's jurildidion, and our au- thor continued there unmolefted for the fpace of a year ; but finding the air not to agree wii^ his conftitutiony he left it, and went to Padua, where before he had experienced a better air, befides good company, and the bve of learned men. In this beloved univerfityhe fixed his jefidence the fecond time, making
excurfions
CARDINAL POLE. §9
excurfions now and then for diverfion to Ve- nice. With regard to iludy, divinity had now his principal attention, yet not (o as to exclude the inferior fciences. At the fame time, learn- ing and religion went hand in hand ; nature had given him a ftrong turn to that kind of devotion which is charaf^eriftical.lydiilinguinied in the Roman church by the name of piety.
There was one Mark, a monk, faid to be a. perfon of great learning, and greater piety, who then taught theology ; with this mailer Pole was exceedingly delighted, and attended his leflures afiiduoufly. In the fame difpofi- tion, he admitted into an iriimate familiarity Cofmo Sherius, bifhop of Fano, a ci;y in Umbria ; in whom, though young, he found an eminent fund of knowledge in feveral branches of literature, joined to afmgularho^ nefty in manners and tonverfation, and an ar- dent defire of piety. A^t Venice alio our no- bleman became acquainted with the famous Gafpar Contarenus, who afterwards was elected into the college of cardinals, as likew-f^ he did with Peter CaraiFa, bifhop of Theate, who, about that time, had founded a new religious order at Venice, cal-ed Theatines, but became afterwards the turbulent pope PaulIV. and an enemy to Pole,
Several other perfons of the firft reputation iri the republic of letters, are ranked mongft his acquaintance : but, above all, there was none fo familiar with him as a noble Venetian
ca lied
90 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
called Aloifius Priiiii. He was a pcrfon offin- gular worth and integrity, and a friendfnip was now bej^un between them which ended not but with the death of Pole. Thus the days pafTed veiy agreeably in Italy, but frefh troubles were brewing in England.
Henry had not only divorced Catharine, but married Anne Bullen, and refolved to throw off the papal yoke, and aflert his right to the fupremacy, with the title of Supreme Head of the Church. To this end he had procured a book to be written in defence of that title by Dr. Richard Sampfon, billiop of Chice-ler; and, obferving the high efleem in which Pole was held, both at home and abroad, he was not a little deCrous to have it coniirmed by his kinfman. He therefore difpatched a cou- rier with Dr. Sampfon's book and a letter, re- quiring his opinion upon the matter. Na body was better acquainted with the king's vioiene temper in general than Pole ; the fate of Sir Thomas More and billiop Fiftier par- ticularly had reached his ears ; and, feeing the method pradifed in order to bring him over to acknowledge the new title, he per- fuaded himfelf that the like means were de- figned to bring on the like conclufion ; and, that the prefent application was a fnare laid purpofely to uflier him to the block. He therefore contrived fome excufes for defering his anfvver; and, when he found no delays could prevail any longer, taking courage fron?
the
CARDINAL POLE. 91
die fecurity of the pope's protedlion, he not only difapproved the king's divorce, and repa- ration from the apoftolic fee, in aniwer for the prefent, but iliortly after drew up his piece Pro Unitate Ecclefiailica, and fent it to king Henry. This confidence was a notorious proof of his zeal and attachment to the fee of Rome. Befides ufing very rude and indecent language to biftiop Simpfon, he not only prelled the king earneflly to return to the obedience he owed to that fee, but excited the emperor to revenge the injury done to his aunt, the di- vorced queen, with a great many iTiarp reflec- tions.
Henry was much difpleafed with this con- dudl, and, knowing that the book could not long lie concealed in Italy, though Pole had promifed not to publKh it, fent for our author to come to England, that he might explain fome paffages of it to him : but Pole, well aware that it was made treafon in England to deny his majefty's fupremacy, which was the principal fcope of his book, chofe not to obey the call ; but defired the king, as now being freed from her who had been the occafion of all this, to take hold of the preient occafion; and redintegrate himfelf with the pope, and accept the council now fummoned ; whereby he might have the honour of being the caufe of the reformation of the church in doflrine and manners; afluring him, that otherwife he would be in great danger.
This
92 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
This was the laugu^.ge of a fuperior. It was manifeil from what fountain he now drew, and the king therefore refolved to keep ^mea- fures with him no longer : accordingly, his penfion was withdrawn ; he was flripped of all his dignities in England ; and an adl of at- tainder of hightreafon pafTed againft him : but he was abundantly compenfated for thefe loffes and fufferings by the bounty of the pope and the emperof. He had been, as it is faid, muc.-t agai'il: his own inclination, created a cardiial, in January preceding, by the title of S. Nereurand Achilleus; then of St. Mary, in Cofmedin ; and, at length, of St. Prifca : and foon after was fent by the pope, with the charader of Nuncio, both to France and Flan- ders ; that, being near England, he might hold a correfpondence with the catholics tliere, in order to keep them ftedfall in the faith of that church.
At Paris he was received by the king very honourably, but did net ftay long there; for Henry, being informed of it, fent to demand him of the French monarch ; which being no- tified to him by that prince, he removed to Cambray, and put himfelf under the protec- tion of the biihop iSere. Yet neither was this a place of fafety for him, by reafon of the war then between France and the empire, in which Henry wa3 engaged ; fo that the Engiilh foldiers were continually harraffing thofe parts. The nuncio was therefore very defirous to
leave
CARDINAL POLE. g^
leave the place, and the more for this reafon, that he now heard of his being proclaimed a traitor in England, and a price fet upon his head.
During this perplexity, cardinal Erardas, a Marchia, bifhop of Liege, inviting him thi- ther, he immediately pofted from Cambray, and was received as a bi other, and moll liber- ally entertained. Here he continued fix n:onths, waiting till all things fhould be amended in England, according to the delire of France and the emperor ; but thefe expedations proviiig vain, our nuncio found himfelf ilill in danger of being delivered up to Henry VII L Here- upon he left Leige, and, by the pope's com- mand, returned through Germany to Rome, where he was- very gracioufly received ; and, not long after, attendeu his holinefs to Nice, to affift in making a peace between France and the empire : after which, he was employed hy the pontiff to thefe two princes, and fonie others, to perfuade them *:o enter into a league againft England, in order to reftore it to the ancient ^-eligion, cleanfe it of herefy, and re- lieve the devotees to the apoi.o'"c fee, then in a lingering and groaning coi;.' cion, a thing of greater neceff ty and merii than to war againft the Turk.
To diipatch this embaffy with quicknefs, and to avoid the toils of Henry Vlil. ^or car- dinal went incognito, aid with a very fe.v'at- tendants, firrt to the emperor, tlien at Toledo, defigning to proceed from thence to France.
But
94 B RI T I S H- P LUTARCH.
But this projeft being counterworked by Henry, the cardinal met with a cool reception from his imperial majeliy ; whereupon he re- turned by the fame road to Avignon, where he acquainted the pope with his ill luccefs ; and, ■ receiving a letter from his hoHnefs to continue in thofe parts, he took this opportunity of making a vifit at Carpentras to his acquaint- ance ana beloved friend cardinal Jacob Sado- let ; with whom he fpent fix months much to his fatisfai^ion, and in the utmcft fafety, this place, as well as Avignon, being under the pope's jurifdiftion ; and, being recalled hence, and fent by the pope to Verona, he found much friendihip and hofnitality from John Matthew Gibert, bifhop of that place. At length, his holinefs, confideriiig how to re- ward his fervices, fent him legate to Viterbo, an eafy employ, and near the city, where he might refide entirely fafe, and out of the reach of his enemies.
In this poll he Hill maintained his charafter for piety and learning, and particularly ob« tained the love of the people by his Sr.odera- tion towards proteftants ; for which, however, he was charged by the bigots with favouring herefy. His eminency continued at Viterbo till i)43» when the pope- having called thei council of Trent, appointed him, together with the cardinal of Paris, and cardinal John Merene, his three legates there ; but, as the council could not then afiemble, by reafon of ihe wars which arofe in Germany, and other
Chrillian
CARDINAL POLE. 95
Chritlian countries, Pole returned to Viterbo ; between which place and Rome he pa/Ted his time, following his ftudies in great repofe and tranquillity, till the pontiff, refolving not to have his views in calling a council defeated, ifiued a fecond citation for holding it at the fame place, and appointed Pole again, but with two different cardinals, his legates there. Accordingly he attended in that council as long as he was able ; but the bad Hate of the air bringing a dangerous catarrh upon hiin, he obtained leave to go to Padua for the benefit of advice and a better air. After a while the council alfo was removed to Bononia on the fame account. About which time, our cardi- nal, having recovered his health, returned to Rome, and was received very gracioufly, as ufual, by the pcpe, who made him his chief councellor in matters relating to kings and fovereign princes, and particularly when it was concluded tc make a defence in writing, car- dinal Pole was the penman. Thus, for in- ftance, when the pope's power to remove the council was c^ ntefled by the emperor's embaf- fador, Pole drew up a vindication of that pro- ceeding ; and, when the emperor fet forth the Interim, the fame cardinal was employed to anfwer it.
This was in 1548, and pope Paul III. dying the next year, our cardinal was twice ele£led to fucceed him, but rcfufed both the eledions; one as being too haily, and without delibera- tion ; and the other, becaufe it was done in
the
^6 BRITISH PLUTARCH,
the night-tin\e. Such an unexampled deli- cacy dil'gufted feveral of his friends in the con- clave. They thereupon joined with the party of cardinal John Maria cle Monte, bilhop of Poletrina ; who, by that means, being chofen pope, took the name of Julius III. This hap- pened on the thirtieth of March, 1550 ; and the t*-anqnility of Rome being foon after much diilurbed by the wars m France, and on the borders ot Italy, Pole retired, with the pope's leave, to a monallery of th?' Benedidines called Magazune, fituated near the lake of Benacus, in the territory of Verona.
In this pleafant retirement he continued till the death of Edward VT. in July, 1553 : but, on the acceflion of queen Mary, it was deter- mined by the ceurt of Rome, that Pole fliould be fent legate into England, as the fitteil: in- ftrument, on all accounts, to eiFe6l the reduc- tion of the king-''- u to the obedience of the pope. The -undertaking, however, required feme confideration. I'he aft of attainder, wh'ch had pafled agc.jnft him under Henry VIII. had been confirmed by Edward, and confequently Hood ftiil in force, both thefe princes were held in great efleem among the people. Our legate therefore did nOw think it fafe CO venture his perfon in England till he undcrftood the true flate of things there. However, it was not long before he received full Utisfattion upon ali theie points, and ac- cordingly fer out for England, by th.e way of Germany, in the month of Odober tnis year,
1553:
CARDINAL POLE, 97
1553; but he had not proceeded far in the emperor's dominions, when a mefiagc came to him from that prince, to put a ftop to his far- ther progrefs at prefent. Thefe were foon followed by an exprefs from queen Mary to the fame purpofe, who, to keep him in good humour, fent him alfo the two afts that had pafled, for the j unification of her mother's marriage, and for bringing all things back to theftaie they were in at her fatheT's death, de- firing him likewife to fend her a lilt of fuch perfons as fhould be made bifhops.
The cardinal being fatisfied, that the true caufe of this delay was to prevent his arrival in England before the queen's marriage to Philip Hiould be completed, was not a little nettled at it, and wrote a letter to her majeily, where- in he faid, he knew this Hop to his journey came chiefly from the emperor, who was for purfuing fuch particular courfes now, as him- felf had followed in the bufmefs of the iine-_ rim, being refoivcd to have the ftate fettled before (he m.eddbd u'ith religion. That he had fpoke to the empeior's confefibr about it, and had convinced him of the impropriety of fuch courfes, and fct him to work on his maf- ter. He alfo told the queen, h*; was afraid carnal pleafures might govern her too much, and that fhe might thereby fall from her fim- plicity in Chrift, wherein fhe had hitherto lived : he encouraged her therefore to put oa a fpirit of wifdom and courage, and trufl in God, whc had preferved her fo long. He af-
VoL. III. F fured
•9B BRITISH PLUTARCH, fured her, that he had wrote to micigate the pope and cardinals, who, there was room enough to think, would relent his being flop- ped ; which, he had told them, was done on- ly to wait till his attainder was taken off; and to make a (hew of going forward, he had fent his houHiold-rtuff to Flanders. With regard to the ads, he found fault that no mention was made in the fir fl of the pope's bulls, by the authority -of which, only, it could be a lawful marriage; and he did not like, that in the other ad, the worihip of God, and the facra- ments, were to be as they were in the end of her father's reign, for then they were in a fiate of fchifin, that the pope's interdict llill lay on the nation, and till that were taken off, none could, without fin, either ad minifier or receive them. He confeffed he knew none of either houfe fit to propofe the matter of rejeding the fupremacy, and therefore he thought it befl for herfelf to go to the parliament, having be- fore-hand acquainted fome few, both of the fpirituallty and temporality, with her defign, and tell the houfe, fhe was touched with the ichifm, and defired a legate to come over from the apoftolic fee, to treat about ; and fhould thereupon propofe the reveriion of his attain- der. That whereas fome might apprehend thraldom from the papacy, fhe might give them affurance fhe would fee all things fo well fecured, that there fhould no danger come to the nation from it; and he affured them, that he, for his part, v»'ould take as much care of
that,
CARDINAL POLE. .99
that, as any of all the temporality could de- iire.
But the queen's marriage vvithPhilip, meet- ing with great oppolition, it was refolved that the legate fhould be kept at a diftance. There- fore, by way of diverfion, another legation %vas contrived for him, to mediate a peace be- tween the empire and France. In obedience to the pope's appointment he went to Paris on. this errand, the bufinefs was m.oft agreeable to -his natutal difpofition, and he laboured it very ferioufly for feme time, till finding no profpedl: of fuccefs, he returned to his former refidence in a monaftery near BrufTels, where he had refided befoxe his call to France. The truth is, the real defign of this fecond embafiy was now compieated, in the celebration of queen Mary's nuptials with Philip, which was no fooner finifhed, than her majefty fent the lords Paget and Haftings to condud her cou- iin into England. Accordingly, he fet out in September 1554, but being detained by 'contrary winds at Calais till November, he did not <'rof3 th« water till the twenty-firil of that inontit 'j when, arriving at Dover, he went t^ike by land to Gravefend, where, being met by ^he bifhop of Ely, and the earl of Saiifoury, who, prefenting him with the re- peal of the aft of his attainder, that had paf- €ed the day before, he went onboard a yatcht, which carrying the crofs, the enfign of his legation, at her head, conveyed him to White- hall, where he was received with the utmoft F 2 veneration
ISO BRITISH PLUTARCH. veneration by their majefties ; and after a!I polTible honour and refpedl paid to him there, he was conducted to the archbi (hop's palace at Lambeth, the deftined place of his reii- dence, which had been fumptuoufly fitted up ■by the queen for the purpofe.
On the twenty-feventh he went to the par- liament, and made a long and grave fpeechj inviting them to a reconciliation with the apoftolic fee, from whence, he faid, he was fent by the common pallor of Chriftendom to produce them, who had long llrayed from the inclofure of the church. On the twenty-ninth, the fpeaker reported to the commons the fub- flance of this fpeech ; and a me/Tage coming from the lords for a conference, in order to prepare a fupplication to be reconciled to the fee of Rome, it was confented to, and the pe- tition being agreed on, was reported and ap- proved by both houfes ; fo that being prefented by them on their knees to the king and queen, thefe made their interceflion with the cardinal, who thereupon delivered himfelf, in a long ipeech, at the end of which he granted them abfolution. This done, all went to the royal chapel, where Te Deum was fung on the oc- cafion. Thus the pope's authority being now reftored, the cardinal, two days afterwards, made his public entry into London, with all the folemnities of a legate, and prefently fet about the bufinefs of reforming the church, of what they called hercfy. How much fo- ever he had formerly been fufpeded to favour
the
CARDINAL POLE. lo! the reformation; yet he feemed now to be much altered, knowing the court of Rome kept a jealous eye upon him in this refpe^t. He therefore expreffed great deteftation oi them, nor did h^e converfe much with any that, had been of that party. He came over into England, much, changed from that tlreedom.: of converfation he had formerly praO.ifed. He was in referve to all, fpoke little, and put on an Italian temper, as well as behaviour,, making Priuli and Ormaneto, two Italians whom he brought with him, his only confi- dsnts.
In the mean time, the queen difpatched ambaf- fadors to Rome, to make obedience, in the name of the whole kingdom to the pope ; who had already proclaimed a jubilee on that occafion* But thefe meflengers had fcarce fet foot on Ita- lian ground,, when they were informed of the death of Julius, and the eledion of Marcellus his fucceflbr ; and this pontiff dying foon af- ter, the queen, upon the firll news of it, re- commended her lanfman to the popedom, as every way the fitted perfon for it; and dif- patches were accordingly fent to Rome for the purpofe, but they came too late ; _Peter Ca- raffa, who took the name of Paul IV. being elected before their arrival. This pope, who had never liked our cardinal, was better pleaf- ed with the biftiop of Winchefter, whofe tem- per exaftly tallied with his own. In this dif- poTition he favoured Gardiner's views upon the fee of Canterbury ; nor was P/)Ie's no^ F 3 m^ nation
102 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
mination to that dignity confirmed by his ho- linefs, till after the death of his rival. The queen however, confiding in Pole for the nianagement and regulation of ecclefiaftical affairs, granted him a licence to hold a fynod on the fecond of November 1554. In this convention, the legate propofed the next year a book he had prepared, containing fuch re- gulations as he judged might be the beft .means of extirpating herefy ; thefe were paf- fed in the form of twelve decrees, and they are fo many proofs of his good temper, which difpofed him not to fet the clergy upon prO' iecuting the heretics, but rather to reform themfelves, and feek to reclaim others by a good example.
However, he was prevailed upon to a£bin ma- ny inftances afterwards, very unfuitably to the temper of thefe decrees, as is confeffedbyBurnet^ who moreover plainly fuggefts his belief of the report, that Cranmer's execution was of P0le*s procuring ; whom he fucceeded in the arch- i^ifhopric of Canterbury, the very next day af- ter that prelate's death. In November, the fame year, 1556, he was eledled chancellor of the univerfity of Oxford, and foan after of Cambridge ; and in the beginning of the year following, he vifited both, by his commiffa- ries, reforming them in the fenfe of thofe times, but not without committing fome uncommon-^ ly inhuman profecutions.
We have already obferved, how unaccepta- ble he was to Paul IV. who now fat in the
papal
CARDINAL POLE. 103
pt».pal chair, and the war which England was djawn into with France this year, by king Philip, furniihed the haughty pontiff with a pretence for gratifying his ill-will to the le- gate. He had paffionately efpoufed the quar- rel of the French monarch, and being infiam- ed to fee England fiding againft his fiend, he refolved to revenge it on Pole. In this point, having declared openly^ that it might ROW be feen how. little the cardinal regarded the apoftolic fee, when he faffered the (jueen to affifl: their enemies againfl their fnends. The firll made a decree in May, for the gene- ral revocation of all legates and nuncios in the king of Spain's dominions, cardinal Po7e being m.entioned among the reft j by the re- prefentation of Sir Edward Came, then the Englifh ambaflador at Rome. Yet, upon the fatal blow given to the French at St. Quiutin, and the ill faccefs of his own forces in Italy, his wrath burft out with frefh fury, he became utterly implacable, accufed Pole as a fuipefted heretic, fummoned him to P.ome to anl^vver the charge ; and, depriving him of the legatine powers, conferred them on Peyto, a Francifcari fyyar ; whom he had fent for to Rome, and made a cardinal for the purpofe, defigning him alfo to the fee of Salifbury. This ap- pointment was made in September, and tae new legate was aftually on the road for Eng- land, when the bulls came to queen Mary; who, having been informed of their contents by her ambaffador, laid tfeem up without o- F, 4 _ ^Quin^
ic4 BRITISH PLUTARCH. peiiing them, or acquainting her coufin with the matter, in whofe behalf fhe wrote to the pope, and afijming fome of her father's fpirit, ihe wrote to Peyto, forbidding him to proceed on his journey, and charging him on his peril not to fet foot on Englifh ground,
Butnctyvithilandingali her caution to conceal the matter from the cardinal, it was notpoffible to keep it long afccret, and he no fooner became acquainted with the holy fathei*spleafure, than out of that implicit veneration, which he conitnntly and unalterably preferved for the apollolic fee, he voluntarily laid down the en- figns of his tegatine power, and forbore the cxercife of it ; difpatching his trufty minifter Ormaneto to Rome, with letters, wherein he cleared himfelf in fuch fubmiflive terms, as it is faid even molified and melted the obdurate heart of Paul . The truth is, the pontiff was brought into a better temper by fome late events, which turned his regard from the French toward the Spaniards, and the ftorm againll: Pole blew over entirely, by a peace that was concluded this year, between his ho- linefs and Philip ; in one of the fecret articles of which, it was ftipulated, that our cardinal ihould be reftored tc his legatine poweis. But he did net live to enjoy the reiloration a full twelvemonth, beting feized with a double quartan ague, which carried him off the ftage of life, early in the mornirg of the eighteenth o'- November ic;8.
His
CARDINAL POLF. 105-
His death is faid to have been hailened by that of his royal miitrers and kinfvvoman, queen Ma- ry ; which, as if one iiar governed bath their nativities, happened about fixteen hours before. His body being put into a leaden coffin, laid forty days in great Hate, at Lambeth ; after which, it was conveyed thencewith as great, funeral pomp to Canterbury, and interred with folemnity on the north fide of Thomas a'Becket's chapel, in that cathedra]. Over his grave there was ere6led a tomb, on which were infcribed only thefe three words, as fv''- ficient to his fame, Depofitum Cardinali.^ Poli.
As to his chara»fler, in his perfon he was of ainiddle flat^re and of acompa£t, though /len- der habit; his complexion was fair, agreeablv tinclured with red, and his beard yellow in his youth. He bad a large open countenance, enlivened with a chearful and pleafant eye, a true index of the temper, which was fweel and placid, of the inhabitant within. Though his conflitution: was not llrong, yet, in genera!, he enjoyed a good flate of health; which,, however, was fometimes dift^rdered, by ar.'i- tarrh that fell upon one of his arm€,,and brought an inflammation into both eyes. He ufed a. fp are diet, eating only on plain difhes; though he always kept a table fuitabJe to his flation and quai'.ity, which even rofe to kingly magnificence, when there was occafion,. Yet he was a good ceccnftmift, and his ex- pencei,were conllantly proportioned, in gene- P 5 i-air
io6 BRItrsH PLUTARCH, ral, to his revenues. Inhifdrefs, he called for little help; and often rofe out of bed and dref- {ed himfelf without any attendants. In regard to the qualitiesof his mind and manners, he was a learned, eloquent, modeft, humble, and good-^ natured man ; of exemplary piety and charity, Es well as a generofity becoming his birth. Ihough, by nature, he was more inclined to ftudy and contemplation than an adlive life ; yet he was piudent and dextrous in bufmefs : ib that he would have been a finifhed chara<5ler, had not his fuperftitious devotion to the fee of Rome carried him., againU his nature, to commit feveral cruelties in profecuting the Protefr-nfs.
During his laft illnefs, he made his will ; wherein he appointed his bell beloved friend, Aloyfi Priuii, his fole executor and tellamen- tary heir. But that Italian was of a more no- ble temper than to enrich himfelf by hie, friend's wealth, whom, he furvived only twenty* months ; v.'hich time was wholly fpent in col- ledling the cardinal's effects, that lay difperfed in divers countries ; and, having difcharged all the legacies, he gave away the remainder in fuch a manner as he knew to be moli agree- able to the cardinal's mind ; referving to him- felf only the Breviary and Diary, particularly endeared to him by his friend's frequent ufe of them.
Indeed, the cardinal was not a man to raife a fortune; being, by the greatnefs of his
birth.
CARDINAL POLE. loj
,b?rth, and his excellent virtues, carried far above fuch mean defigns. So that the arch- bifliopric was, little advantaged by him, only in a grant which he obtained from queen Mary, of the patronage of nineteen parfonages for it. All that he did behdes, was endowing it with fomehoufes, built by liimfelf, and aground- renton the eafi fide of Lambeth. Ho\vever,it :s faid that he defigned, if he had lived, to have built a {lately archbifiiop's palace at Canter- bury; to which church he gave two filver can- die-lticks gilt very heavy ; a filver incenfe-pot^ in the form of a ihip, partly gilt ; a filver mi- tre, adorned with jeweh ; a filver paftoral-ftafF and crofs, partly gilt; two pontifical rings, fet^vith jewels of great value ; and a very large Diver ciftern for the holv- water.
E o' The
:io8 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
The life of
Robert Dudley.
OBERT DUDLEY was the fifth ^ ^ Ion of John duke of Northumberland, by Jane, the daughter and heirefs of Sir ward Guilford. Under king Edward V came to court, and was made one of h:. .i-o.> j-slly's privy-chamber. Upon the king'- death, he engaged with his father, in defence of the ]zdy Jane Grey, and attended upon iiiin in hi expedition into Norfolk ; but upor his arreft ?jl Cambridge fled to the queen^s . amp, from whence he was brought up prifcncrto London, and conhi.ed in the Tower, on the twenty- iixth of July 1553, and on the hfteenth of ■anuary following, was arra'-nied of h'^^h trcia- "ion at the Guild-hall -of Lo-^'on, conteued the indidlmtnc, and was ^dJ rid red by the earl of SufTex to be hanged, dawh, and qn .rtered« But the lords inierced:;d 'for him with the queen, who gave way to / their enueaty, ref- tored him and his breth/.-en in b-^.od, except only the lord GuiLf -d- received iiim into fa- vour, and made hiin j-jaafle. oi: the Englifh ordnance at th^ iiege^ oF St. Quintin. As foon as queen LlizabetFt afrrnded the throne, ihe advanced him to the highell honours,
5be
,T,'JSt^»fm^ fca^
fJTfe CMn {>/.^r^^r^/r?^ .
ROBERT DUDLEY. 109
She mRi^ie him mafter of the horfe in the firfl ye^M- of her reign, and chofe him, to the ad- piiiration of all men, into the order of the garter.
Encouraged by thefe favours, he ^ave into the opinion, that, could he get rid of his wife, he need not defpair of foon rendering himfelf ' agreeable to her majefty. The lady was dif- patched into the country, to the houfe of one of his dependants, where, it is faid, he firft attempted to have taken her off by poifbn ; but, fliiling in this defign, he caufed her to be thrown down from the top of a ilair-cafe, and murdered by the fall. She was at firft obfcurely buried, but that having given oc- cafion to cenfure, he ordered her body to be tak^n up, and fhe was interred again in the. univerfity-chjrch of Oxford, with all imagin- able pomp and folemnity.
His lordfhip, in the mean time, met with a more favourable reception than ever from the queen ; the management of all affairs was principally entrufted to him, and though fhe did not openly countenance his pretenfions of marriage, yet fhe feemed not at all difpleafed with the overture. But envy and emulation are the fure attendants upon greatnefs, and Dudley, by being thus diilinguiflied above the reft in her majefty's favour, drew upon him- felf the difinclination of the courtiers : and, it is pofTible that about this time, the hiflory of Reynard the Fox, now in the hands of every child as a plaything, was written, as a fatire againft his lordfliip,
But
no BRITISH PLUTARCH-/
But among, all Leiceiler's enemic^';, fg. cretary Cecil was become the moil dangre, rous ; who, to prevent his growing ablolute, fuggefted to her majei^y the propriety of a match between his lordiliip and the queen of Scots, then about to form a foreign alliance, which muil: be prejudicial to England. The crown of Scotland in poiTeffion, and the right of inheritance to the crown of England, was an alluring bait to Dudley's ambition ; and the fecretary kne\v> that fhould he be over- earneft in the puvfuit; of the match propofed, he would be infallibly lofl in the good graces of the queen; and he was under noapprehen- fion, from the known temper of the queen of Scots, that a perfon of his iordfliip's extradlioa could ever render himfelf acceptable to her. Elizabeth, v.'hatever was her motiv.% gavp ear to the fecretary's propo(al, and fent immediate inftruclions to Randolph, her ambaliador in Scotland, to open the matter to Mary ; but that queen refolved to rejed the offer, though fhe feared to come to an open rupture with Elizabeth. She difpatched Sir James Melvil to London, Vv'ith inftra6lions full of friendli- nefs and regard. But when Elizabeth enquir- ed if the queen of Scots had fent any anfwer to the propofition of marriage ihe had made her, the ambaffador gave an evafive anfwer. Her majefty then entered upon the eommenda- tion of lord Pvobert Dudley, declared fhe . would marry him heifelf, if Ihe had not been
determined
ROBERT DUDLEY. iii
determined to end her days in virginity ; that this match would remove all future animofity and diflatisfaaion from between the two Grown s : and farther, to convince the queen > his miftrefs of the regard fhe bore him, (he purpofcd to advr^nce him to the higheft ho- nours before his departure for Scotland, On the twenty- fixth of September he was ac- • cordingly created baron of Denbigh, and the day following earl of Leiceiler. The creation was performed with great folemnity, the queen herfelf affiled at the ceremony. And not long after, upon the refignation of Sir ]. Mafon, he was made chancellor of the uni- verfity of Oxford.
In the mean time, his lordfnip feemed ra- ther to decline the match, than defre it; he excufed himfelf to the Scottifh ambafTador, from having ever entertained fo proud a pretence, declared his fenfe of his own unworthinefs, and begged her majelly would not be offended, nor impute a matter to him, which the malice of his enemies had devifed for his dedruclion : within a few days after, Sir James Mel- vil obtained his difpatch, with a more ample declaration of the queen's mind, upon the fub}e£lofhis embaffy.
In the mean time the earl of Leicefter wrote letters to the earl of Murray, to ex- cufe him to the queen of Scots. And that he might the more recommend himfelf to her ma- jefty's favour, heaccufed Sir Nicholas Bacon to Elizabeth, that he had intermeddled in the
affair
jr2 BRITISH PLUTAR-CK; affair of the fucceffion, and affifted in the pub- lication of a book againii the Queen of ' Scots' title. The Queen was highly offended,. the author, Hales, was taken up and imprifon- cd, and Sir Nicholas Bacon would have infal- libly ioil his ofiice, if Leiceller could have perfuaded Sir Anthony Brownto have accepted it.
In November foil-owing,, the earl of Bed- ford and Mr. Randolph, the earl of Murray- and fecretary Lidington, commifii oners on both fides, met near Berwick, to treat of the marriage, but with fie nderer offers, and lefs effeftual dealing, than was expeded. The; earl of Leicefter's behaviour, and the prudence- and difcretion,. which appeared in the letters he had written to the earl of Murray, had made an impreffion upon the queen of Scots^ . and Ihe feemed fo far to approve of che match, that, queen Elizabeth began to bs afraid it mic-ht take effect. Under thefe apprehenfions,, and at the follicitation of fecretary Cecil, (he gave leave to my lord Darnley to take a jour- ney into Scotland, in hope, that hispreience- might be more prevalent than Leicefter's ab- fei-iCe. And the earl of Leicefler, perceiving . the queen's inclination, wrote private ietters- tO'the earl of Bedford, todefift from profecuting it farther. The queen of Scots was ibon after - folemnly married to lord Darndey, in the royal chapel of Holyrood-houfe, and the next day he was publickly proclaimed king, and,
aflbciated:
ROBERT DUDLEY. ^ji
alTociated with her majefly in the govt^. nient. _ ^~
Hereupon application v/as again made to^ queen Elizabeth to think rerioully of a h'.ilhand, ^y this means to weaken the party of the queen of Scots in England, and to ftrengthfin the interefl of the proteltant re- ligion. The emperor Maximilian propofed his brother, with very honjDurable conditions. The earl of Suffolk favoured the match ; but brd Leicerter, prefuming upon his power with the queen, took pains to prevent it. This oppofition was ill digefted by the earl of Suf- fex', who was of an high fpirit, and nobly de- fcended. The honefty of his nature led him to a profefTed enmity, which divided the whole court ; and whenever the two earls went a- broad, they were attended with a retinue of armed followers ; infomuch, that ^ the q ue-en was obliged to interpofe her authority to make up the breach : but SuiTex continued his aver-- fion till his death ; and, in his \?A ficknefs, is faid to have addrefled his friends to this pur- pofe : " I am now paflinginto another world, and muft leave you to your fortunes, and to the queen's grace and goodnefs ; but beware of the gyp fie (meaning Leiceiter) for he wilt be too hard for you all; you know not the beail fo well as I do.**
We have already obferved, that the earl of Leicefter was made chancellor of the univer- fity of Oxford, towards the end o^ the laft
year.
,• ^ BRITISH PLUTARCH.
'jar. At his entrance upon this ofHce, he i'ound the univerfity in a moft deplorable condition: their difcipline had long been neglected, and their learning moil miierably impoverillied. The whole univerfity could furnifn only three preachers;, and in the ab- fence of two of them, the audience was fre- quently put off with very lame performances. To give the reader an inftance : The congre- gation being one Sunday deftitute of a preacher, Taverner of Woodeaton, the IherifF of the county, enters St. Mary's, with his fword by his fide, and his gold chain about his neck,, mounts the pulpit, and haraugues the fcholars in the following Ibain: *'. Arriving at the mount of St. Mary's in the ftony ftage, where. I now ftand, I have brought you fome fine bifcuits, baked in the oven of charity,, careful- ly conferved for the chickens of the church, the fparrows of tiie fpirit,- and the {wtet fwaliows of faivation." This Taverner, it f^ems, had been brought up in the cardinal's college, was an inceptor in arts, and in dea- con's orders, and a perfon at that time in efteem for his learning in the univerfity ; {o that from this fpecimen it may appear to how, low a character their ftudies vvere reduced.
The earl of Leiceller laboured by all pofli- b.le means, to introduce an improvement in literature, and give a new. turn to the face of aiFairs in the univerfity. . By his letters he re- commended to them the practice of religion and learning, and prefied them to a more
clofa ,
ROBERT DUDL E Y. 115
clofe obfervance of their duty. This applica- tion was not without its eireifl ; proyifion was immediately made for reforming abufes in graces and difpenfations, ledlures and publie e.vercifes were enforced by fratu*-e, and the ha- bits brought under regulation ; the earl con- tinuing to patronize and regulate the univer- fity upon every occafion.
fn the beginning of the year 1566, monfieur Ramboullet was difpatched into England to queen Elizabeth, by Charles IX. king of France, with the order of St. Michael, to be conferred on two Englifh noblemen, as fliould be mofl: agreeable to her majefly. The queen made choice of the duke of Norfolk and the earl of Leicefter, the one diftinguiflied by his high birth, and the other by her majcily's far vour. And on the twenty-fourth of January they were invelled in the royal chapel at Whitehall, with very great folemnity ; no Englifhman having ever been admitted before into this order, except king Henry VIII. king Edward VI. and Charles Brandon dukq of Suffolk.
This fummer the queen took a progrefs in^ to the country, and upon her return made a" vifit to Oxford. She was attended by the earl of Leicefter, who informed the univerfity of her defign, defired they would confult their own credit upon this occafion, and make an honourable provifion for her majelly's recep- tion. On the twenty-ninth of Augufi his iprdihip, with fome others of the nobility,
were *
ii6 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
were diipatclied before by her majefty, to give notice, that Cie would be thpre within two days. The vice-chancellop^and the heads of houfes came out to meet them on horfeback^ and entertained them vvith Latin or?.tions ad- drefled to their chancellor and fecretary Cecil. Aind in the afternoon the lords returned to Woodilock, where the court lay, and ex- preiled their fatisfadlion in the entertain- ment.
On the thirty-fir ft of Angnft in the fore- noon, the earls of Leicefter and Huntingdon were prefent at Dr. Humphreys*s Icflures in the fchools, who read as queen's profefTor in divinity, and then they attended at the public- difputations. Towards eveni-ng, as her ma- jefty approached, ftie was met at Wolvercote;. where the jarifdidion of the univerfity ends, by the chancellor the earl of Leicefter, by four do6lors, and the vice-chancellor, in their fcarlet robes and hoods; and by eight mafters of arts, v/ho wereTieads of colleges or halls. The chancellor then delivered the flaffs of the three fuperior beadles into her majefty*& hands, and having received thetn again from her, and likewlfe reilored then^ to their refpec- tive oSicers, the canon of Chrift-ch-urch made an elegant fpeech to her majefly upon the oc- cafion.. She then held out her hand to the> orator and the doftors, and as Dr. Humphreys drew near to kifs it, " Mr. dodor," fays the queen, fmlling, '* that loofe gown become^' you mighty well, I vvond>er vour notiOT^«
ihouia,
ROBERT DUDLEY. 117
iliould be fo narrow." This Humphreys, it &ems, was at the head of the puritan party, and had oppofed tlie ecclefiailical habits with great warmth of zeal.
As fhe entered the town, the (Ireeta were lined with fcholars from Bocardo to Quater- vois, who, as her majcfty palTed along, fell down upon their knees, and with one voice cried out, *' Long live the queen !" At Qua- tervois the Greek profeflbr addrefTed her ma- jelly in a Greek oration, and the queen anfwer- ed him in the fame language, and commended 'his performance. From hence llie was con- veyed with the like pomp to Chrlft-church, where fhe was received by the public orator; who, in the name of the univerfity, congratu- lated her majelly's arrival among them.
Forfeven days together the queen was mag- nificently entertair^ed by the univerfity, and expreffed an extreme delight in the ledures^ difputations, public exercifes, and fhews; which fhe conftantly heard and faw. On the fixth day llie declared her fatisfaftion in a Latin fpeech, and alTured them of her favour and protedlion. The day after fhe took her leave, and was conduced by the heads as far as Shotiver-hill, when the earl of Leicefter gave her notice, that they had accompanied her to the limits of their jurifdidion. Mr. Roger Marbeck then made an oration to her majefty, and having laid open the difiicuhies under which learning had formerly laboured, he applied himfelf to the encouragements it had
iately.
ii8 BRITISH PLUTARCH, lately received, and the profpeft of its arifing to the height of fplendor under her majelly's moll: gracious adininiftration. The queen heard him with pleafure, returned a very favourable anfwer j and calling her eyes back upon Oxford, with allpofiiblc marks oftender- nefs and aifediion, (he bade him farewell. Here it may not be amifs to obferve, that the queen's countenance, and the earl of Leicef- ter's care, had fuch an effed upon the dili- gence of this learned body, that, within a few years after, it produced more fhining inllances of real worth, than had ever before been fent abroad, at the fame time, in any age whatfo- ever.
Upon the queen's return to London, the parliament met on the firft of November, fell into warm debates, and feemed refolved to in- fill upon her majefty's immediate marriage, or the declaration of a fucceifor. The earl of Leiceller had earneilly follicited in behalf of tlie queen of Scots ; but, not meeting with the fuccefs he defired, he faid that an hufband ought to be impofed on the queen, or a fuc- ceiTor appointed by parliament againft her in- clination. Wherein he was openly joined by the earl of Pembroke, and more privately by the duke of Norfolk. But the queen was highly incenfed at this behaviour, and, for fome time, they were all excluded the pre- fence- chamber, and prohibited accefs to her perfon : however it was not long before they fubmitted, and obtained her majefty's pardon.
Durin?:
ROBERT DUDLEY. 119
During this difgrace, lord Leicefler is charged with having entered into a traiterous corrcfpondence with the Irifh, who had juft "before broken cut into an open rebellion. His letters are faid to have been found upon a per- •fon of diltintTtion, who was killed in battle 5 but, before the difcovery could be made, he was reconciled to the queen, and placed above the reach of any private acciifation.
The next year, count Stolberg was dif- patched into England, by the emperor, to t3eat again of a marriage with the archduke Charles. The earl of Suflex had not long be- fore, been fent to his imperial majelly upon this fubjedl, and ufed his utmoft efforts that bcr majefty might be married to a foreign prince : but Leiceiler took care to fupplant him in his deligns, and privately engaged the lord North, who attended him in his journey, to be afpy upon his adlions, and to break the meafures he fliould enter into, by contrary in^ fmuations. In the mean time, he difcouraged her majefty from the attempt, by laying before her the inconveniences that would necelTarily arife from a foreign match : and the archduke not long after married the daughter of the duke of Bavaria.
About this time, the queen of Scots came into England ; and Leiceiler appears to have been weil-affe£led to her intereli. He Hands charged with having entered into a confpiracy againft fecretary Cecil, becaufe he fufpeded him to favour the fucceflicn of the houfe of
Suffolk^
120 BRITISH PLUTARCH. Suffolk, to Mary's difadvantage : and, wherj the earl of Murray fuggelled the marriage with the duke of Norfolk, the earl of Leiceficr ern- biaced the propofal with eagernefs. He took upon him to propound the matter to the duke; extenuated the crimes fiie was accufed of; and wrote letters to Mary in commendation of Norfolk ; in which he earneilly perfuaded her to approve of the marriage : and, farther, he drew up certain articles, which he fent to her b.y the biihop of RoiTe, promifmg, upon her acceptance of the propofed conditions, to pro- cure for her the crown of Scotland in prefent poffeffion, and the crown of England in rever- fion.
Whim affairs were in this fituation, and the earl of Leicefler was waiting for a convenient opportunity of opening the defign to his mif- trefs, the earl of Murray fent fecret advice to her majelly of the whole tranfad^ion, and charged the duke of Norfolk with having en- gaged in private pradices to get the prefent poifefJion of the two crowns by means of this marriage. This report, though very foreign to the duke's inclinations, was fupported by circumftantial evidence, and raifed the queen's jealoufy, to a high degree, againfl the duke and the lords that were concerned with him : which, when Norfolk underftood, he would have perfuaded the earl to impart the fcheme to her majefty without delay ; but his lord- fhip put it off from lime to time, till,
at
ROBERT DUDLEY. lu
at length ("aHing Tick at Titch field, or, at leafl, pretending ficknefs ; being tliere vifited by the queen, he declared the whole matter to her, begging forgivenefs with fighs and tears: and, not long after, the duke and the lords being taken into cuflody, the carl of Leicefter was examined before the queen and council ; where he gave fuch an account of his proceed- ings, and behaved in fuch a manner, that he eafily obtained her majcHy's pardon.
The year after this there broke cut an open quarrel between the earl of Leiceller and the aichbifliop of Canterbury. A prebendary of value in the church of York was lately fallen void, and the advowfon of it had been pro- cured by one Mr. Hammond, a gentleman of a confiderable ellate in the county, for his Ton, who was yet a child. This coming ♦■o the ears of th.e bifiiop of London, who was aovv eleft of York, he gave notice of it to the archbifhop, and prefTed him not to grant his difpenfation to any boy whatfoever. In the mean time, the earl of Leiceller had made application to his grace to beftov/ this preben- dary upon one Brookes, a creature of his own. The archbifhop fhevved fome unwillingnefs t» yield, without the confent of the bifhop of London. But Brookes anfwered, tha: the earl of Leiceder defired only his grace's counte- nance and recommendation to the queen, and that he was already favoured by the bi(hop of London. Upon which the archbiihop fig*-!ed his hand. But now, when it was expeded
Vol. in. G that
i22 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
that Leicefter fhould have performed his pro- inife, and difpatched this bufinefs with the queen, his mind was changed ; and Mr. Hammond had found means, as it is fuppofed, by a prefent, to gain him over. He wrote letters to the archbilhop, earneftly entreating him to grant a difpenfation to Mr. Hammond's boy, if he (hould think it meet : but the archbifhop refufed to comply. Leicefter was provoked at the refufal, and gave his grace a deal of trouble. He procured an order of council, to enquire, whether he had never granted difpenfations to children before : but the archbiihop wrote letters to the fecretary in his own vindication ; complained of the unrea- fonable demands of certain noblemen ; and pointed at the earl of Leicefter, whom he wiihed to have God always before his eyes. " However," fays he, " fome noblemen will be men."
The earl of Leicefter indeed ftands charged with having had a gainful ihare in the difpofal of all offices of profit. Of his rewards for promoting to bishopries, take the following ftory from Sir John Harington. " Of the biftiops," fays he, " that lived in the firft: twenty years of the queen's reign, when I was at fchool, or at the univerfity, I could hear little ; yet, at my firft coming to the court, I heard this pretty tale ; That a bilhop of Winchefter one day, in pleafant talk, com- paring his revenue with the archbilhop's of Canterbury, fhould fay, * Your grace's will
ihew
ROBERT DUDLEY. 123
ihew better in the rack, but mine will be found more in the manger.' Upon which, a courtier of good place faid, * It might be lo in diebus illis ; but,* faith he, * the rack ftands fo high in fight, that it is fit to keep it full ; but that may be, fmce that time, feme have, with a provideatur, fwept fome provender out of the manger.* And, becaufe this metaphor comes from the liable, I fufpeft it was meant by the mafter of the horfe.**
The next y^ar. Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, a zealous antagonift to fecretary Ctcil, in fa- vour of our earl, departed this life. Being at Leicefter's houfe, as he was at fupper, he was feized, in a moil violent manner, by an im- pollhumation in his lungs, and died in a few days, but not without fufpicion of poifon. ' It is faid, that, being lately re';onciied to the fecretary, the earl was apprehenfive he might make a difcovery of his lecret pra£lices, and for this reafon took care to difpatchhim. And, farther, he bore him a fecret grudge for a for- mer meifage fent over to queen Elizabeth, whilft her embaflador in France, that he had heard it reported at the duke of Montmorency's table, that her majeily was about to marry her horfekeeper.
The day before his death, he 's faid to have declared thecaufe of his diftemperto be a poi- foned fallad ; and to have broke out into bit- ter invedtives againil the earl of Leicefler*s cruelty. The earl, however, made a mighty fhew of lamentation over him; and, in alet- G 2 ter
124 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
ter to Sir Francis Walfingham, then embafTa- dor in France, he thus exprefTes himfelf upon the occafion, '* We have loft, on Monday, our good friend Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, who died in my houfe, being there taken fud- denly in great extremity on Tuefday before. His lungs were perifhed, but a fudden cold he had taken was the caufe of his fpeedy death. God hath his foul, and we, his friends, great lofs of his body."
About this time, a match was propofed be- tween queen Elizabeth and the duke of An- jou ; and the earl of Leicefter appears to have laid ahde his pretenfions to the queen upon this occafion, and to have follicited the mar- riage with zeal. But the duke infilling upon a toleration in the exercife of his own religi- on, the queen abfolutely refufed to comply.
The defigns of Ridolpho, the Italian mer- chant, and the confpiracy of the duke of Nor- folk, being now difcovered, to prevent any farther attempt in favour of the queen of Scots, a law was made, prohibiting, under a fevere penalty, the declaring any perfon whatfoever to be heir or fucceffor of the queen, except it were the natural iliue of her body. This ex- preffion, as it was unaccuflomed in Hatutes of this nature, and the term Natural was ufually applied by the lawyers to fuch children as were born out of wedlock, gave great occafion to cenfure ; and loud clamours were raifed again ft Leicefter, as though, by inferting this claufe in the flatute; he had defigned to involve the
realm
ROBERT DUDLEY. 125
realm in new difputes about the fuccefllon : for it was urged, that no poilible realbn could be imagined, why the ufual form of Lawful I/Tue fhould be changed into Natural Iffiie, unlefs with a view to refted upon the honour of her majefty, and to obtrude hereafter upon the Englifa feme baflard fon of his own as the Natural Iffue of the queen.
This year, at the folemnization of the mar- riage between Henry, king of Navarre, and the lady Margaret, the French king's filler, the bloody maflkcre of the Proteilants was wrought at Paris on the eve of St. Bartholo- mew. If Mr. Camden is not miftakcn, the earl cf Leieefler and the lord Burleigh were invited to the nuptials under a pretext of ho- nour, but were defigned to have been cut off in cafe they had accepted of the invitation. This tragedy was lamented by my lord of Lei- cefter, in another letter he wrote to Sir Francis Walfingham, with an uncommon drain of pi- ety and concern.
In July, 1575, the queen made the earl of Leicefter a vifit at his caftle of Kenilwonh, which had been granted to his lordftiip and his heirs, by the queen's letters patents, ever iince the fifth year of her reign ; and his expence in enlarging and adorning it amounted to no lefs than fixty thoufand pounds. He enter- tained the queen and her court with all ima- ginable magnifieence.
At her firll entrance, a floating illand was
difcerned upon the pool, glittering with
G 3 torches J
126 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
torches; on which fat the lady of the lake, attended by two n>'tnphs, who addrefTed her majefly in verfe with an hillorical account of the antiquity and owners of the caftle ; and the fpeech was clofed with the found of cornets, and other inftruments of loud mufic. Within the bafe- court was erefled a flately bridge, tA^'enty foot wide, and feventy foot long, over which the queen was to pafs ; and on each fide flood columns, with prefents upon them to her majelly from the gods. Silvanus offered a cage of wild-fowl, and Pomona divers forts of fruits ; Ceres gave corn, and Bacchus wine ; Neptune prefented fea-fiih, Mars the habili- ments of war, and Phoebus all kinds of muii- cal inftrtsments.
During her flay, variety of fports and fhews v/ere daily exhibited. In the chafe was a favage man v^dth fatires; there were bear- baitings, fire-works, Italian tumblers, and a country brideale, running at the qui tin, and morrice- dancing. And, that no fort of diver- iion might be omitted, the Coventry men came, and ac^ed the ancient play, fo long fince ufed in their city, called Hocks Tuefday, re- prefentlng the deflruftion of the Danes in the reign of king Ethelred ; v. hich proved fo agreeable to her majefly, that fhe ordered them a brace of bucks, and five marks in mo- ney, to defray the charges of the feaft. There were, befides, on the pool, a triton riding on a mermaid eighteen foot long, and Arion up- on adobhin.
An
ROBERT DUDLEY. 127
An ellimate may be formed of the expence
from the quantity of ordinary beer that was
drank upon this occafion, which amounted to
three hundred and twenty hogiheads.
Towards the clofe of this year, Walter D'Evereux, earl of EiTex, was, by lord Lei- cefter's management, commanded to refign his authority in Ireland ; and returned into Eng- land, after having fuftained a confiderable lofs in his private fortunes. But expreffino his re- fentment with too much eagernefs again ft Lel- ceiler, to whofe under-hand dealings he im- puted the whole caufe of his misfortunes, he was again fent bick into Ireland by his pro- curement, with the unprofitable title of earl- marfhal of the country. And here he conti- nued not long before he died of a bloody-flux in the midil of incredible torments.
The death of this nobleman carried with it a fufpicion of poifon, and was charged upon the earl of Leicefter. Two of his own fer- vants, are reported to have been confederates in the murder : and it is faid, that a pious lady, whom the earl much valued, was accidentally poifoned at the fame time. It is farther al- ledged, that his lordfhip's page, who was ac- cuftomed to tafte of his drink before he gave it him, very hardly efcaped with life, and not without the lofs of his hair, though he drank but a fmall quantity ; and that the earl, in companion to the boy, called for a cup of drink a little' before his death, and drank to G 4 him
128 BRITISH PLUTARCH, him in a friendly manner, faying, '• I drink to thee, my Robin ; but ben't afraid, 'tis a better cup of drink than that thou tookell to tai^e when we both were poifoned."
This report was, however, contradi»5lcd by Sir Henry Sidney, the lord-deputy of Ireland ; yet the fufpicion was encreafed by lord Le'.cef- ter's foon after marrying the widow to the earl of EiTex, and putting away his former wife, widow to the lord Sheffield, and daughter to William lord Howard of Effingham : for that fhe w?.s his wife, feems evident from the depo- fitions made in the Star-chamber in the begin- ing of king James's reign, in favour of the le- gitimacy of Sir Lobert Dudley, the earl of Leiceller's fon by the faid lady.
But all engagements gave way to Lis paffica for lady Eifex ; of whom he became (o ena- moured, that he offered his countefs no lefs than feven hundred pounds a year in ihe queen's garden at Greenwich to difov/n her marriage : and there is caufe to believe, that, finding her obftinately refolved not to comply with his demand, he attempted to take her off by poifon. " For 'tis certaiiv," fays Sir Wil- liam Dugdale, " that fhe had fome ill potions given her ; fo that, with the lols of her hair and nails, fhe had hardly efcaped death.'* Af- ter which, to fecure her life from any future pradxes, fhe contra£led marriage with Sir Ed- ward Stafford, a perfon of charailer and rej)u- putation, and her majefty's embaflador into
France.
The
ROBERT DUDLEY. 129
The duke of Anjou was now eagerly prefT- ihg for the match which had been propofsd. between him and queen Elizabeth ever fince he was duke of Alencon : and, at length, came over Monfieur Simier, attended by a large train of French nobility. He waited upon the queen at Richmond, and was enter- tained by her majefty with fuch marks of re- gard, that the earl of Leicefter began to be afraid the marriage might takeefFed. He had fome time before engaged Aflley, one of the queen's bed-chamber, to fearch out her difpofi- tion towards him, and had met with an unfa- vourable anfwer. For, when he was covertly recommended to her majeily for an hafband, fhe reply'd in a paiTion, '* Do you think that, in chufing a huiband, I fnould be fo regardlefs of my character, or unniindful of my royal dignity, as to prefer my fervant, whom myfelf have raifed, to the greateft princes of Chriiien- dom. ?" Perchance he perceived, that, fhould heinterpofe in the affair of the French match, his oppofition would be conllrued to proceed from'interefted motives, and might be a means to promote, rather than prevent it. He there- fore chofe to counterfeit ficknefs, and, under pretence of taking phydck, he for fome time became a voluntary prifoner.
But, as he was nearly concerned to break off
this alliance, he was all the while very bufy
durin^- his retirement, in contriving fome ef-
feflual means to put a flop to it. He call his
G s eves
I30 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
eyes upon his nephew Sir Philip Sidney, the moft accompliihed young gentleman that England ever bred, and engaged him to draw up an addrefs to her majefly, wherein he laid before her ajuil reprefentation of the ill con- fequences attending on the marriage, and preffed her to decline it ; and the queen was pleafed with his remonftrance.
But Mr. Camden gives a different account of lord Leiceller's confinement. He fays, that Simier, apprehending the queen's affec- tion for his lordfhip to be the greatefl bar to his mafter's preteniions, endeavoured to throw him out of favour, by revealing to her ma- jefty his marriage with lady EfTex. The queen broke out into intemperate language, and in a pafTion commanded him not to ftir from the caftle of Greenwich, defigning to have com- mitted him to the Tower of London, if the earl of EiTex had not difTuaded her from it. It is faid, the earl of Leicefter refented this ufage, and, in return, fuborned a ruffian to cut off Simier : and it is certain, that, about this time, the queen ordered, by a public proclamation, that no affroat fhould be of- fered to that embalTador, or any of his attend- andants, under a fevere penalty. However, as he was one day waiting upon her majefty in her barge, a gun was difcharged from a neigh- bouring boat, and one of the queen*^3 barge- men wounded through both his arms. It was Ibait fuggeftcd, this vras fome plot to difpatch
Simier :
ROBERT DUDLEY. 131 Simler : but the matter proving wholly acci- dental, the man, who had immediately been apprehended, was fet at liberty.
Some time after, the duke of Anjou came over in perfon into England. As he was one day entertaining hermajefty with amorous dii- courfe, fhe drew a ring from olf her finger, and placed it upon his, on certain private con- ditions, which had been agreed between them. The company prefent miilook it for a contrail of marriage ; and the earl of Lei- ceiler, and ths reit of his fafllon, who h.^d fpared no pains to render the dcfign abortive, cried. The queen, the realm, and r-ligion, were undone. The ladies of honour, who were all in his intereft, broke out into bitter Jamenta ions, and fo terriiied the queen, that, early the next morning, fne fent for the duke of Anjou, and, after fome private converfa- tion with him, difmilTed him her court, after having flayed in England three months. To do him honour, the queen attended him as far as Canterbury, and ordered the earl of Lei- cefter, and fome others of her nobility to v.'ait upon him to Antwerp.
It was this year that the eftates in the Ne- therlands, being greatly diflreiled, made ap- plication to queen Elizabeth, and defired her majefty to accept of the government of the United provinces, and take them into hex* protedion. The queen heard their deputies with favour ; however, Ihe refufed the fove- reignty, and only entered into a treaty, by G 6 which
132 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
^^•hich fl:e obliged herfelf to furniih them with a large fupply of men and money, which now liie fcnt to them under the condudl of her ge- neral the earl of Leicerter,
On the eighth of December he went on board, attende\l by feveral perfons of dillinc- tion. His fleet coniifted of iifty fail of fliips iind tranfporls ; and, on the tenth, he ar- lived at Flufl)ing, where, with his whole train, he was magnlHcently entertained by Sir Philip Sidney, governor of the town for her mrjeily, and other noblemen : and, in his progrefs from thence toDelph, his lordfhip was treated with fuch magnificence as is fcarce to be paralled : pafticularly, on the twenty- third of December; his lordihip taking boat from Dort to Roterdam, was drawn along a narrow and pleafant river, by men or horfes, an a very fwift and eafy manner. Towards night he drew near the town, and was met opon the water by three pleafure-boats, with twelve failors in each of them richly drefled, and great flore of rockets and fireworks. They had all of them crefTets at the ftern, which were heightened as the night came on, and, by the refied^ion of the water, made a delightful Ihew. On the banks flood ranks of foldiers, with a torch or cr^ffet placed between every four of them. And thus he was brought by water to his lodging, the drums and trumpets playing, and the foldiers dif- charging large vollies of mufket-fhot as he pafTed by. The Ibtes attended upon him at
fupper.
ROBERT DUDLEY. r.35:
fupper. And here the inhabitants were fo overjoyed at the arrival of the Englifh fuc- cours, that they entertained the whole army at their own private expence ; whilft every ci- tizen ftrove to go beyond his neighbour in all the ofnces of friendlinefs and civility which- could be fnewed to his welcome guell. It is- faid that the famed flatue of Erafmus was ereded in the market-place upon this occafion;. where he is reprefented Handing in a pulpit, as though he were preaching, and holding his Paraphrafe upon the Four Gofpels in his hand>. with this infcription underneath, Erasmus
ROTERODAMUS.
From hence the earl of Leiceiler made halle towards Delph, attended by the ftates and a magnificent train. He entered the town late, but was lighted along the river by creffets and fireworks. He was received at the port by a file of mulketeers, who waited upon him to his lodging, which was the houfe where the prince of Orange was flain, and congra- tulated his arrival by the cullomary difcharge of their feveral pieces. Over the gate were written, in Latin, verfes much to the honour of his lordfhip and the Esiglifn nation.
On^he twenty-fifth of December, his lord- fhip was nobly feafted by the ftates ; and the next day he returned the compliment. Be- fides the ftates and count Maurice, the princefs of Des, with feveral ladies and gentlewomen, graced the entertainment, Whilft they were at table, they were diverted with a confort of
Dutch
134 BRITISH PLUTARCH. Dutch mufic, orations in Dutch and Latin, and all poffible expreffions of benevolence and regard. On the twenty-feventh, his Joidfhip removed from thence to Donhage, and there he determined to keep his court.
He m?de his entry in the evening by the light of torches and fireworks, accompanied by a noble train of Engliihmen, with an hun- dred and fifty of his guard, the ftates of Ro- terdam and Delph, and was met upon the water by the ftates of Donhage, and received in triumph. Several magnificent (hews were exhibited, as he entered, and addreifes paid to him. Fiibermen were firil placed in the harbour, reprefenting Peter, James, and John, and our Saviour walking by them on the water, and commanding them to call in their nets a lecond time, according to the Gol- pel of St. Matthew ; and, as they drew them out laden with £ihes, thry made a fhew of prefentment to the earl of Leicefler, who re- turned his thanks as he pafled by. The next reprefentation was of the poetical gods. Mars and Bellona fate upon the river, and made a congratulatory fpeech to his lordfhip upon his arrival.
At his landing he was met by a troop of horfe, dre/Ted in fantallic habits, who ran many courfes before him, and, as the ftreets grew narrow, marched oiF, As he entered the principal ftreet of the town, there were two galleries hung with black bays ereded on each fidej on which iluod fifteen virgins
cloathed
ROBERT DUDLEY. 135
cloathed in white with palm-branches, and lighted tapers in their hands, and paid their refpedls to him as he went along. They ftood about a fpear's length from each other, and between every one of them was hang up a glafs fconce with a lighted taper ; and at the ends of each gallery were placed a champion and a Moor ; the one fupporting the arms of England, and the other the arms of Holland. Frequent gates were raifed of rugged ilones, adorned with tapers, and the arms of the prin- cipal artificers of the town. The ftreets were hung with broad cloths, on which abundance of red croiTes were faftened, drawn on paper. As the way turned, upon an high fcaffold raifed over an arch, an imaginary battle was fought between the Englifh and the Spaniards, and the Englifh prevailing, an infcription was written underneath to this effed, ** May our fortune be, as 'tis here reprefented, and bring freedom to ourfelves and fame to England." And other lines in Latin, alluding to Britain, were expofed to public view.
As he moved forward, a lofty fcaffold was crefted, on which her majefty's arms were placed at large : upon it ftood feven virgins, reprefenting the feven provinces, each holding a fpear, and fupporting the arms of the pro- vince fhe was to denote ; and in the midft was an armed Minerva, encompafTed with the arms of England, on which the reft feemed to rely : and thefe were all prefented to her ma-
jefty
156 BRITISH PLUTARCH, jefty by an old champion named NecefTity. At fome diilance, on a like fcafFold, feven- perfons, exprefTing the feven liberal ftiences, were prefented to the earl, as due to him by Hierit. The itreets were all illuminated as he palled along, and many agreeable inventions devifed upon the occafion. A.morg the reft, over againft his lordibip's gate, a barber had fo difpofed above threefcore bafons of bright copper, with a wax candle in every one of them, as to make a moft glorious ibew ; afid in the midll was placed the rofe and crown, with a fuitable motto.
Upon his entrance into the court-gate, Ar- thur of Britain, involved in a cloud, whom, they compared to the earl, was difcerned upon a fcafFold ; and within were entertainments of all kinds of mufical inftruments.
Thus was he led in triumph through the city ; and, as he entered the great hall, he- was welcomed to his lodging with the dif. charge of large vollies of fnot. Great rejoice- ings were made in the town all the night long^ with variety of fireworks, as rockets, fquibs,. wheels, and bails of fire, and an artificial dragon, which call: out flames for near an hour together.
The next day, on the river adjoining to his lordfhip's lodging, a kind of tilting was per- formed upon the water in the following man- ner. From each end of the river came a boat running with fix oars, and an armed man
itanding
ROBERT DUDLEY. i y;
iUnding in the Hern, with a llafF in his reft, having a but-end of cork : as they met they encountred, and both fell into the water, where otlier boats flood ready to a&il them. This diverfion was continued till my lord of Leicefter grew weary of it, in compafiionating the pain of the poor men that were thrown into the river.
On the third of January, his lordfhip en- tered Leyden with a large retinue of three hundred horfe, very richly furnifned. He was met upon the way by the chief townfmen, who congratulated his arrival among them. The firft that addreiTed him were twelve burgo- mafters in long black gowns, with the nan^.e of Leyden, in large letters of fdver, upon their fhoulders. Thefe were followed by twelve of the principal burgeffJjs, and a large- train on horfeback, dreiTed all in black velvet. From his entrance into the town, he v/as led to his feat through a covered llreet of different coloured faie, with a canopy borne over him ; and, as foon as he was feated, two men, like poets, on a llage over againil him, prefented him with the following fpeftacle, reprefenting the miferies tiiey had endured, whilft be« fieged by the Spaniards about eight years be- fore.
The firfl perfona^re that appeared, was a fine woman richly drefled, denodng tlie town: fne was long affaulted by Spaniards Vvdth falfe fires of flict, in order of battle ; but not pre- vailiMij, th?v retired, and c-ontirued the lieee
tlU.
nS BRITISH PLUTARCH, till fuch time as provifion grew fcarce ; and then entered Famine, in a proper attire ex- preffive of want ; who was followed by men rending afunder live cats and dogs, and feed- ing upon them ; and foldiers bereaving the women of their children and devouring them, She was now attacked by Peftilence, which was attended with heaps of carcafles, buried in a diibrderly manner ; and at length with the funeral of an officer, who had dilHngnilhed himfelf in the fervice, and was carried over the flage with dead marches, howling trum- pets, colours wrapt up, trailed pikes, and drawn pieces ; and, as he was laid in the ground, was bid farewell with a volley of fhot. The Spaniards were next reprefented as compaffionating her miferies, and lending fr«. quent meflages to exhort her to yield ; to which fhe returned no anfwer. but, big with the hopes of afliftance, ordered a light to be fixed on the pinnacle of the higheft ileeple in the town to give notice to the prince of Orange, who lay at Delph, that fhe expelled fuccour ; and he again, by the device of a dove, fent back a promifed aid ; which was returned with repeated afTurances that fhe would flill hold out till it fhould pleafe Pro- vidence to favour her. Providence then en- tered the llage, upon whom (he leaned, and feen>ed to repofe her utmoll confidence. By the help of Providence, a part of the wall was thrown down in the night with a vawmure of fix and twenty poles. Upon this, the ene- my,
ROBERT DUDLEY. 139
my, apprehending the prince of Orange was entered with his force, have recourfe to flight, are purfaed by the town, and as many as were overtaken are put to the fvvord, whilll: the lady and her attendants march off in tri- umph. Another woman was then introduced, armed like the former, and befieged by a Spaniard, courted by a Frenchman, and flat- tered twice by an Italian ; but rejedling the Spaniard, fhe haftily leaped ofi^ the ftage and hid herfelf under the earl of Leicefler's cloak, and his lordfliip receiving her into his protec- tion, the Spaniard put on an air of threatning and walked off*. The earl led her home to his lodging, and put an end to the (hew.
The next day he was publickly entertained by the town, and on the fifth of January went back to Donhage. Five days after he made a mufter of part of his horfemen, to the num- ber of five hundred and more, and diftributed them into feveral garrifons, under fevcral go- vernors, and nominated the earl of Efl'ex to be general of the horfe. He then returned to Leyden, and caufed a general faft to be pro- claimed throughout Holland, Gelderland and Frifeland, on the twelfth, which was obferved with great folemnity and devotion. The lord lieutenant fpent the day in hearing of fermons, and in praver, in reading and finging of pfalms, and neither eat himfelf, nor fuffered any be- longing to him to tafte of meat till the even- ing. On the twenty-fourth of January he was vifited at Donhage by the prince of Portugal,
and
140 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
and on the twenty-fifth his lordHiip was in- ftalled and fworn, and the llates took an oath to the queen. I'he manner of the inllalment was as follows : at the upper end of the great haii the lord lieutenant was feated under the arms of England, and on each fide of him, in a defcent of two ikps, fat twelve of the- principal fiates, and the reft to the number of twenty were placed direftly before him, but four or five iteps lower. On his lordihip's rigiit hand flood the prince of Portugal, the lord Morley, Mr. Noiris governor of Mun- fter, Sir William RulTel, Sir Robert Germain, and other perfons of diilinflion : on his left were Grave Maurice, the earl of Effex, Sir William Stanley, Sir Thom.is Parrat, and fevcral others of rank and quality. A large oration was then made in Dutch, declaring thecaufe of the afiembly, and concluding with acknowledgments to the queen and the lord lieutenant. After this the agreement between the ftates, the queen, and his lordHnip was read in Latin, and being interchangeably delivered by my lord to the llates, and by the iLites to his lordfliip, he was defired to fwear to the obfervance of the articles contained in it, which, holding up his hand to heaven, he did ;- and the fiates in like manner holding up their liands, did the fame. And then again the llates took an oath to the queen and her lord lieutenant, and retiring to his palace,- were nobly entertained by his lordfnip. In the be- ginning of February he went to the Hague,-
vvierir'
ROBERT DUDLEY. 141
where the ftates general were afiembled, and on the fixth day of the month a grant was given him in writing of the chief govern- ment and abfolute authority over the united provinces. After which the lord lieutenant applied himfeif to the buHnefs of his charge, and nominated certain fuperintendants to act under him in the feverai provinces ; all of them natives of the country, and members of the great council. But when nev/s was brought to queen Elizabeth, how large an honour and authority the Hates had conferred on his lord- Ihip, and that he had accepted it, ihe very highly refented his proceedings, and imme- diately difpatched her vice chamberlain to him with an expoftulating letter ; at the fame time writing to the ftates general to turn Leiceller out of that abfolute authority, whofe com- miffion fhe had limited ; not that Ihe thought their caufe unv^'orthy to be favoured and aiiift- ed, but to provide for and fecure her own ho- nour, which fhe efteemed more dear to her than life itfelf.
The flates returned a fubmiflive anfwer, ex- cufed v/hat they had done by the necelTity they lay under, gave a fofter ienfe to the word abfolute than was generally meant by it, and laid before her theiiiconvenience of recalling a power they had already given. The earl of Leicefter, too, lamenting bis hard fate in hav- ing difobliged her, fo wrought upon her eafy diipcfition by his feigned forrow, that rae over- looked
142 BRITISH PLUTARCH, looked the offence, and acquiefced in the de- claration of the ilates.
Upon the arrival of the Englifh fuccours, the Dutch were infpired with new hopes ; and the prince of Parma, the Spanifli general, who had been raifed to an expectation of foon re- ducing the Netherlands to the obedience of the catholic king, found he had a more power- ful enemy to cope with than he had yet en- countered : in their firil attacks the Englifh carried every thing before them ; and the earl of Leicerter being then at Utrecht, in his pro- grefs through the Provinces, he received an account of his fuccefs againft the enemy, from his lieutenant general N orris ; in confequence of which good news, he kept the feaft of St. George, then nigh approaching, with a pomp and folemnity worthy of himfelf andhis coun-
.On the twenty- third of April, being St. George's day, the ftreets of Utrecht were ranked with eight enfigns of burghers richly appointed, and wearing fcarfs upon their arms knit like rofes red and white, in the midft of whom the proceflion marched on hrrfeback from the lord lieutenant's palace to the cathe- dral church. Firftrode the trumpeters, cloathed in fcarlet laced with filver, founding their in- ftruments, their bannerols being difplayed and richly limned with his lordihip's arms. Next came the gentlemen, captains, colonels, and her majefty's fworn men, to the number of
forty
ROBERT DUDLEY. 143
forty horfe, In gold and filver fluffs, and va- rious coloured filks. Thefe were followed by fix knights, four barons, the council of the eftates, the earl of Eflex and the eleifloral bi- fhop of Cologne, and the prince of Portugal by himfeif. After whom marched the captain of the Guard, the treafurer and comptroller of the houlhold, bearing white (laves, two gen- tlemen ufhers, and Portcullis herald in a rich coat of arms of England. And laft of all came the lord lieutenant inverted in the robes of the order, and guarded by the principal burghers of the town, who offered themfelves to this fervice, befides his own guard, which confided of fifty halberts in fcarlet cloaks, edged with purple and white velvet. In this flate he was conducted to the church, and pay- ing his reverence to her majefty's feat, which was fituate fome degrees lower. After prayers and the fermon were ended, he proceeded to the offering, firil for her majefty and then for himfeif, which part of the fervice he perform- ed with fuch a grace and majeftic deportment, as procured him the applaufe of the whole affembly.
From hence they returned to dinner, and were very honourably entertained at his lord- fhip's palace. At the upper end of the hall was a fumptuous cloth and chair of ftate, de- iigned for queen Elizabeth, with hermajefly's arms and flile upon it, and before it a table covered in the fame manner, as if her highnefs had been prefent; and at the lov/er end of it on
the
144 BRITISH PLUTARCPf. the left hand, were placed the llool and platfe of the lord lieutenat, for he would have no chair. The company being afiembled, his lordfnip knighted Sir Martin Skencke before the chair of Hate, for the many fervices he had done to his country, and then the ufhers marfhalled the feail. The difhes were brought up into the hall with the found of trumpets, were ferved on the knee, and carved and tailed to her majeily's trencher.
The fide-tables were all furnilhed in filver plate, and waited on by gentlemen, and upon the removal of the firll courfc, and placing the fecond upon the queen's board, the uihers cried, '' A hall." which being made with fome diihculty, by reafon of the cro,\d, they brought up between them Portcullis herald, invefted with the arms of England, who after he had thrice paid his reverence to the chair of ftate, pronounced in Latin, French, and Englilh, the queen's ufual flile, of England, France and Ireland, defend refs of the faith. Sec, and then cried aloud thrice, '* LargefTe.'*
When dinner was over, there paiTed feveral entertainments of dancing, vaulting, and tumbling ; and after fupper feveral a6ls of chivalry u'ere performed, wherein the earl of Elfex dillinguilhed himfelf above the rell.
From Utrecht his excellency pailld to Arn- heira with a confiuerablc force, defigning to relieve Grave, then befieged. But before his lordihip could bring up his luccours. Van Hemart, the governor, furrenderred, and de- livered
ROBERT DUDLEY. 14^
livered the town up to the duke of Parma, to \^ hich capitulation they fay he was induced by the perfuafions of a kept miilrefs ; how- ever, his cowardice coft him his life. The carl of Leiceller prefently ordered him to be apprehended, and for an example of terror caufcd him and two other officers concerned with him, to be put to an ignominious dc^ath^ There were found in the town, as Strada re- ports, twenty-feven pieces of cannon, an hun- dred and eight barrels of gunpowder, and a fufHcient quantity of provilion to fupport fix thouiand men for a whole year. And, in the mean time, the earl of Leiceller drew the Spa- niards from their ftrong holds in other places.
It is not our purpofe, however, to give a diRind recital of the feveral battles, fieges, r.nd fkirmifhes, which happened between the ^panifn forces and thofe of the confederates. The earl of Leicefier certainly, in many in- Itances, fhewed himfclf a brave man, if not a great general ; and the Englifii and Dutch, for the moil: part, had the better of their enemies. Yet, when the lord lieutenant came to the Hague after his fecond campaign, where the /lates of the country were then alfembled, they received him with coldnefs, and fooa broke cut in expoilulation ana complaint ; in a mo- derate way defiring a redrefs. But he in re- turn entered upon a juftification of his pro- ceedings, ilrove to remove their fuppofed mif- conftruftions and millakes, and at lad endea- vcured to difiblve the aiTemblv ; but not be*
\'qu III, H ' inff
546 BRITISH PLUTARCH. ing able to bring about his purpofe, he de- clared his reiblution of returning to England, ^nd left the council in an angry mafiner. However, he kems afterwards to have been •brought to temper, and to have told the lUtes, that by his journey into England, he ihould be the more enabled to affill them in iheir affairs, and provide a remedy to all -their grievances.
When the day came for his departure, by a public adl he gave up the care of the pro- vinces into the hands of the council of ftate ; but privately, the fame day, by an acl of re- ilridion, he referved an authority to himfeif over all governors of provinces, forts and ■cities ; and farther took away from the coun- cil and the prefidents of provinces their ac- cuftomed jurifdidion. And thus he fet fail for England.
But whatever might be the pretence for Leicefter's leaving the Low-Countries at this conjunflure, his prefencein England feems not to have been at all unacceptable to queen Eli- ^.abeth. The late confpiracies, which had .been formed in favour of the queen of Scots, had made a deep impreffion upon her majefly, and ihe appears to have been now refolved to 4lifpatch her competitor ; but the difficulty lay in what manner it ihould be done ; and fhe knew ihe could fecurely rely upon Leicefter's fidelity. When the matter was brought be- fore the council, his lordihip is faid to have iidvifed to ukQ her off by poifon ; but this
fcheme
ROBERT DUDLEY. 147
fcheme being openly oppofed hy fecretary Walfingham, who had lefufed to give ear to the private infinuations of a court- divine, whom his lordfliip had fent to draw him into a confent, it was at laft determined to proceed againft her by a late aft in the twenty- feventh. year of queen Elizabeth, which had been pur- pofely made upon this occafion. And thus the unfortunate queen was brought to hertry- al, and lord Leiceller conftituted one of he? judge?. After fentence of condemnation had been pronounced againft her, queen Elizabeth was no lefs perplexed, in what manner fhe fhould proceed to her execution. She was de- firous, as much as pofllble, to remove the blame from herfelf ; and the earl ef Leicefter obferving it to be her majefty's inclination,, again advifed her to make her fecretly away. And the queen feems fo far to have come into his fentiraents, that fhe ordered her fecretaries Davifon and Walfmgham to write to Fothc- ringay, where the queen of Scots was then imprifoned, to have her taken off by violence. Btrt the keepers, detefting the a6lion, declined the office, and her majefty, within a i'sw days after, fell a public (acrifice by the hands of au executioner.
In the mean time the affairs of the Low- Countries were in a very unprofperous condi- tion. And the governors of the provinces gave in loud complaints againft the earl of Leicefters adminiftration. During his ftay in England they called together the ftates gene- H 2 ral,
14^ BRITISH PLUTARCH, ral, and to preferve their country, they agreed to in veil prince Maurice with the full power and authority of Stadtholder. And purfuant to this determination, they obliged all the of- ficers to receive a new commiihon from him, and to take a new oath to the flates, and dif- charged all recufants whatfoever from the fer- vice.
Queen Elizabeth was highly dilpleafed with thefe alterations in the government. She im- mediately fent over lord Buckhurll: to enquire into the matter, to complain of the innova* tions they had introduced in the earl of Lei- cefter's abfence, and to fettle all diiFerences between them. The flates in return afTured her majelly, that their proceedings were but provifiona), and enforced through fear of a general revolt in confequence of their lolTes ; and that at his lordfhip's return they would readily acknowledge both him and his authori- ty ; for the dates were too well acquainted with the fnare Leicefter bore in her majefty's afFec- .tion, to attempt any accufation againft him. But notwith Handing many outvv'ard profeflions of regard, they inwardly hated him, and pri- vately proceeded in the execution of their projeds, to ftraiien his power.
Thefe proceedings however were by no means agreeable to the majority of the people; and the clergy, who were firm in the interell of the earl of Leicefter, threatened to be revenged of the ftates, if the queen (hould take any offence at their alterations. The
fynod
ROBERT D-UDLEY. 149
fynod at Sneek, in particular, prefented a pe- tition to lord Buckhurii to be tranfmitted to Elizabeth, in which they invite her to come to the affiftance of Chriil, who threv?/ himfeifand his children into her armsj and implored her protedlon.
And the preachers at Amflerdam had open- ly inveighed againfc the magiftrates from the pulpit, and the people f-t up libels againli: the ilates. Bat as thcfe diforders v/ere at the point of being carried to the utmoll: extremity, lord Buckhurii fignified to them from her majeHy, that it was her inclination to fend back tlie earl of Leicefler into the Low-Ccuntrits, which gave a check to their violence, and put a farther i\op to the proceedings c^f the itates, who then, both publickly and privately, af- fured lord Buckhurfi: of all duty and ndelicy to him; But the queen requiring, before ftie could be prevailed on to give ccnfent to his lordfnip's return, fome pro.iiifes and provifoes, which the fiates refolutely refufed to comply with ; Buckhurfi again declared, that he had no commiffion from her majelly to promile his lordlhip's return to them.
The demands made by the queen from the Butch, increafed the indignation of the great men of that country againit the e.ari of Lei- celler. They now faw plainly, he fought not fo much their advantage, as the gratilication of his own ambidon. It was their part therefore to provide for their own fecurity, and guard H. 3 ' agairj:.
l5o BRITISH PLUTARCH.
againfl any future encroachments he might hereafter attempt upon their coniHtution. But while they were employed in this attempt their perils from the Spaniards encreafed fo continually upon them, that there feemed no other poffible remedy to prevent their entire rain and fubverfion, but a prefent governor, atcendc'd with a prefent fupply of men and money. Lord Buckhuril was not wanting to notify their diibeffcs to queen Elizabeth, but Leicefier's dem.ands were fo great from her m.ajefty, that die continued doubtful for fome t"me, whether fhe fhould again employ him in that fervice. This engaged lord Buckhuril to draw up a new fcheme for the government of the united provinces, which offended the earl of Lerctiler fo much, that he never for- gave it. Yet Euckhurfl flill cominued to make application to the court of England, laid open the miferies to which the provinces were reduced, and with prelling inilances re- commended the coniideration of their neceflity to her majefty. And in the end the queen's trcafurer arrived with money, to the great joy of his lordfhip, and th'e comfort of the dillref- fed foldiers, who had long been wiLhout pay and neceilaries.
Nothing now feemed wanting l^ut the earl of Leiceiler's prefence. The queen at laft be- came fenfible of the inconveniencies attending •upon any farther delay, and after fome fruitlefs endeavours towards a peace, gave confent t^
Jus
ROBERT DUDLEY, r^r
his lordfhip's return, aad ordered him ta make ready for his journey. Before his de- parture feveral letters palled between him and the miniflers of South Holland, and one of them was written in the manner following.
Gentlemen,
" That I did not return fuch an anfwer to feveral of your letters as you defired and ex- pefled, was not for want of a good-will to- wards ferving the caufe of God, and defend- ing the Door people ; but it was becaufe 1 had not yet rfceived her majefiy's refolutions aboat what was farther neceflary to be done for the. fervice of your country. But the queen hav^ ing given me full directions with regard to the forces fhg v/iil fend to your aifiHance, and having laid her commands upon me to return ; I therefore, poflponing all private viewf and confideratioris, and abandoning all thofe ad- vantages, which God has bellowed upon me in this kingdom, intend to haften over, and fatisfy the defires of a people, who have fo often called for me ; to which the zeal and good inclinations of fome have more induced me, than the demerits of others, that fuffer themfelves to be made tools for keeping me back by flanders and detradlions ; which I, iliail neverthelefs enter into my book of obli- vion, that no harm may befal thofe, who feek to do me fuch differvices ; and I hope I Ihall H 4 never
15^ BRITISH PLUTARCH.
never give the people any caufe to diminiih their good-'AilI and afFedion for me. In the mean time, I intreat joa to go on in your du- ty, and to admoniih and excite thofe under your care to peace and unity, to the end thct they may more and more deferve all the be- nefits they receive. For the r<fil I refer my- {qU^ to my arrival, and (o I recommend you, gentlemen, to the protedion of the almighty,"
Your good friend, X3iven at London,
Jan. 7. O. S. R. Leicester.
Cut as every thing ftood flill till his lord- ihip's arrival in Holland, the Spaniards had great advantage of the Dutch, who thought, cr rather feared, they could not afl properly, though for their own defence, till the earl of X^eicefter came to head the Englifh forces.
The duke of Parma had befeged Sluys, and the town was reduced to the utmoii extremity, when Leicelier fet fail from England .with a confiderable fupply both of horfe and foot. Prince Maurice and the deputies of the ftates attended upon him at Fiuining, to congratulate his return, and left count Hollack to v;atch the motions of the enemy. When they had talked upon the fubjefl of raifing the fiege, it was determined to attempt it by fea. To this end they fitted out as m.any Oiips as were thought expedient, and fent on board them about "£ve thoufand foot and fix hundred horfe, with
ROBERT DUDLEY; 153-
all neceflary provifion, for the relief of the town. Within a few hours after the fleet r.p- peared in the channel, and the earl of Leicef- ter made figns to the befieged, that he was come to their affiftance : but upon flrider en- quiry, finding the channel blocked up, and the paffage iecure, he favv it would be in vain to-; endeavour to proceed any farther. For thfee days he continued in fufpenfe what flep he. fliould take ; and at lad weighing anchor, he- bent his courfe towards Oflend, with a refolu-- tion to fuccourthe befieged by land. But the duke of Parma apprehending his defign, im- mediately-Tent a reinforcement of horfe and foot to oppofe his pr^grefs. As foon as the earl of Leicefler had landed his men, he pre- pared to attack a very important fort, and joining the whole garrifon of OHend to his army, marched up diredlly againll it, The duke of Parma, therefore, leaving the liege every where well provided, led the remainder of his army to the defence of the fort againiV his lordftip. The Englilh troops were upon .the point to begin their batteries, but upon fight of the enemy's army, they deferred their hoiHlities, and after feme confakation retired to oilend. From hence they re'turnt^d v»-ith the fame fleet to the place where they had formerly been at anchor, not far from Sluys; and the duke of Parma, marching fuddenly back, again prefented himfelf to their view; and took from them all poffible Mops of relieving the town. And thus they
■1^4 BRITISH PLUTARCfl. found themfelves under a neceflity to retire again, and never after attempt to be feen theie anymore.
The lofs of Sluys, which foon followed-, renewed the mifunderihnding between the earl cf Leicefler and theitates, whilll the blame of the aftion was thrown, by each party, upon the mifmanagement of the other. And this diiHitisfaflion encieafing, they refufed to re- efiablilh him in that abfolute authority, which had been conferred upon him at his firft arri- val. The earl of LeiceHer openly expreffed his difpleature againft the ilates, and is charged with having entered into indired; pradHces. 'i'he magiibates of Leyden had private infor- mation, that a fcheme VvEs formed to furprifa the town, -and change the governors. And ceUiin companies of Englifh foldiers had inarched to IViaefiand, and Delfshaven, with di» reciicni5 to feize upon the perfon of Olden- barnevelt, advocate and counfellor to the flates of Holland, whom his lordfhip had deiHned to deihuctidn, with thirteen others of the prin- cipal afTerters of the liberties of their country, by the hands of an executioner. And prince Maurice, upon the difcovery, left the Hague the next day, to avoid the ruin which Teemed to threaten him. But the common people were fo overfwayed with the appearances of .-piety and zeal in the earl of Leiceder, as to 'approve of all he did. Within a few days *liis Lordmip went to- Utrecht, where he Was very diligent to form an uucxeft among the
toivnfmea
-ROBERT DUDLEY. i^j
ttjwnfmen in his favour ; and from thence he- inade a progrefs through the country,, conver- fing chiefly with the minifters and private per- fons, and fowing the feeds of difcord.and.di- vifion wherever he came.
He is faid to have engaged in a defign againft Amfterdam, but the magiftrates got notice of his project, and prevented its execution. Up- on this difappointment he direded his courfe towards North-Holland, and call his eye upon Enkhuyfen. And here he thought he was fe-: cure of his purpofe, by-reafon the clergy had a great influence over the town. But the minifter took part with the magiftrates, and recommended the duty of fabje&on in fuch prefling terms from the pulpit, that the people were all unanimous in fupporting their autho- rity. With this encouragement they fent a letter to his lorfhip, as he was upon his jour* ney, deflring he would decline to vi fit them upon this occafion. He anfwcred their letter, and took no notice of his coming, but not- AvithHanding went ou fhip-board at Hoorn, and marched diredly towards them. Hereup- on they aflTembled all the ofiicers of the mili- tia, and after fome confultations about the common fafety, agreed to place a guard at their gates ; and when his lordfhlp was ad- vanced within a league of the city, they, dif- patched certain members of their feriate to him, to dilTuade his proceeding any far- ther. _
156 BRITISH PLX'TAHCH.
The deputies delivered their mellage wiih {"ubmifTicn and refped ; but his lordfhip being apprehenfive that the gates would be fnut upon him, pafild the night at Streek, and the next Hiorr.ing turned aiide to Medenblike.
About this time, a certain Fleming, who had been placed as a fpy upon his lordfhip, and had frequently difclofed his counfels, and given ieafonable notice of his defigns, appears to have been diicovered, and was never heard of any more.
In the mean time, the minifters were every -where very induftrious to promote the honour and intercfts of his lordfhip. In the begin- ing of Otftober, certain of them drew up a memorial, in the name of the Dutch and Wal- loon churches ; which they prefented to the ftr;tes ; who heard them with patience, and ci- villy told them. They would confider of their memorial. But, within a few days after, as the application cf the "minirters had been public, the ftates judged proper to draw up a public anfwer ; which they caufed to be printed and diftributed to the magiflrates in every town of Holland and Weft-friefiand, with directions to fummon the clergy before them, to put a copy of it into their hands, and to bid them exhort their congregations to unity and peace ; to give heed to teaching and preaching ; and to leave matters of govern- ment and policy to the ftates and magiflrates. ■Bu': this reproof feems to have b€€4i ill received
by
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fcy the minillers, who declared they had dons* nothing but their duty, and did not exped fo unkind a return.
About this time, Provink, a creature of the earl of Leicefier's, attempted to ftir up the- people of Dort to an infurreftion in his lord- fnip's favour. To this end he had drawn up a petition, to have been figned and prefented by them to his lordlhip ; in which, after feve- lal invedives againft the ftates, they promifed to ftand by him with their lives and fortunes, and toufe their utmoft power to the eftabliihing his authority every where. This paper being ihevvn to the miniller, he difTuaded the execu- tion of the enterprize 3 and fo the projedl was ■dropped for that time. It afterwai^ds fell into the hands of the magiflrates, who, though moil of them inclined to favour the Engliih intereft, thought proper to lay it before the afTembly of the ftates, then fitting at Harlem.
But the fpirit of difcord and rebellion was no where more prevalent than it was at Ley- den. Many thoufands of Flemilh and Bra- ■banders, who had 'taken fhelter here during -the late perfecutions, had contraded an aver- iion to the ilates, upon an imagination that the caufe of the church and the earl of Leicefler were fo clofely united, that every diminution of his lordfhip's authority was a difiervice to religion.
The earl of Leiceller confidering this, fent forCofmode Pefcarengiis, a native of Pied- '■mont, who had been formerly a pawnbroker
At
tjS BRITISH PLUTARCH.
at Leyden, but was now a dilbanded colonel,, and ready to engage in any defperate under- ataking. He laid before him the inclinations- of the people of Leyden to reduce the city to his'obedience-; Ihewed him how eafy it was ta acccmpliili their purpofe ; that nothing more was wanting than an officer of refolution to- head them ; and prefied Cofmo to affill in the fervice. Cofmo, with little perfuafion, was induced to comply, but he wanted his lord- fhip to give him inftrudions in writing. But my lord made anfwer. He would fupport his- own work, that he would never forfake him, , but fly to his affiflance in cafe of difficulty,, though at the expence of all his fortune.
When Cofmo was come to Leyden, he made his application to Nicholas de Maulde, a young officer of reputation, v/ho Ealonged to the gart. rifon, and gained him over to the Engliih inte*- refl. The fame day the chief of the fadicn met at Cofmo's lodgings, to debate upon the execution of their projeft, and , what was the moH efficacious method of feizing upon the magiftrates. And here it was agreed to make ufe of De Maulde*s company, and the foldi- .ers of one Heraugiere, which were to be •brought from Delft upon this occafion. Some few days after, Cofmo, upon fufpicion of fome other>crime, was taken up and imprifoned. This accident ftruck a terror into the reft of the confpirators, who judged they were all difcovered : but foon learning their miilake, they fent Volmaer to the. earl of Leicefter, to
confuU -
ROBERT DUDLEY. i^^
confult with him what was farther to be done.. His lordfhip required them to go on, and ex* prelled his difTatisfadlion at their delays.
Upon the return of their meiTenger, they met once more at Meetkirke's houfe, and de- termined to execute their defign on the Sunday: following. Maulde, by my lord of Leicefter's orders, was to afic leave of the magiftrates to. draw his company out of the town the evening before ; and, under this pretext, was, early the next morning, to march his foldiers along the] Broadiireet as far as the ftadthoufe, whers he was to be flopped by fifty or fixty of the armed citizens, who fnould declare that they had taken up arms for the fervice of the church and his excellency the earl of Leicefter. They were then to feize the fladthoufe, and to pub- liih a declaration, That the good Burghers had been obliged to take up arms for the fer- vice of the queen of England, for the main- tainance of the true religion, and for re.- eftabliihing the earl of Leicefler," &c.. And their watch- word was to have been, *' Long live the queen of England, and the earl o£ Leicefter^"
However, the day came, and nothing waiS effected. They were afraid, it feems, lell: the citizens, whom they had drawn into the con- fpiracy, fhould be backward in the infurrec- tion ; and thus the mifchief, which they had defigned for others ihould revert on themftives.
In the mean time, one of the confpirators, named Andrew Schott, difclofed the whole af- fair
£6o BRITISH PLUTARCH,
iair to the magiilrates ; whereupon Volinaer: was taken -up, Cofmo more ftridlly confineds and captain Maulde apprehended at Woerden, and carried back to Leyd^n. Volmaer con- fefled all he was accufed of, but threw the blame upon the earl of Leiceller. He was de« fired to produce his commilTion; but he faid he- had relied upon his lordfhip's honour, and aded only by a verbal order. And,, when he was told that the earl would deny his word,, *' Why then,*' faid he, " I am a dead man.'' Cofmo declared that the earl of Leiceiler had drawn him into this defign by the promife of a reward. And Ds Moulde coniefTed, that he was led afide by the infinuations of Cofmo, the name of the earl of Leicefter, and the cre- dit of Meetkirke, Cofmo only was expofed to torture; and, as he was upon the rack, cried out upon his lordihip, *' O excellence, a quoy employez vous les gens r' The other two were fentenced to be beheaded.
The earl of Leicefter was at Alkmae?- when news was brought him of the fad fate of his confederates, and is reported to have faid, " 'Tis high time to take care of my own head.*' And, not long after, he left the coun- try, and returned into England, leaving tli^ adminiilration of the provinces to the fiate* themfelves.
At his departure, he privately diilributed among the members of his faction certain gold medals, flamped with his own eitigies on one
-de J
ROBERT DUDLEY. 361
^de, and, on the reverfe, a dog ready to de- part, looking back upon a flock of Iheep, froiTi whence feme had ftrayed. Over the dog was this inicription, ** Invitus defero ;" and near the fheep, ** Non gregem, fed ingra- tos"
Prince Maurice was immediately appointed governor of the United Provinces in his lord- Ihip's ftead; and the lord Willoughby made general of the English forces in the Low- Countries by her majedy. But, notwithftand- ing his abfence, he is reported to have ilill fomented divisions in the country. But the cueen, confidering the dangers which now threatened her from the preparations in Spain, gave orders to my lord Willoughby to check the feditious fpirit in the Low-Countries, and reduce the difafFefted to a fubmiffion to the ftates ; which, by the aiTiilance of prince Maurice, he happily performed.
ft is faid, thst lord Leiceiler, upon Kis r^ turn, finding an accufaticn was preparing againft him by Euckhurft, and others of his enemies, for his mifcondu'fl in the Low- Countries ; and that he was fumraoned to ap- pear and give an account of his behaviour *t)efore the council ; privately threw himfelf at her majefly's feet, and implored her prc- letflion : and, that the queen was fo pacified with his expreffions of humility and forrow, a^ to pafs by the difpleafure ihe had conceived againll him, and admit him into her former grace and aifeclion.
Tlie
l52 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
The next day, when it was expected he fliould have given in his anfvver, he took his place at the council-table; and, when the fe- cretary had begun to read his accufation, he- rofe up and interrupted him, complaining of the injuries that had been offered him, and declaiing that his public commiffioa was li- iniied by private inilrudions; and making his appeal to the queen, he evaded the accufation, and came off in triumph. But it fared not fo' with lord Biickhuril j for Leiceller's aver- £on to him, and power with the queen, fo far prevailed, that a cenfure was paffed upon his negcciation, and his lordiliip was confined to^ his houfe for feverai months.
The preparations in the ports of Spain had already made a great noife, and there was na doubt but their principal views weie direded againil England. The queen was not negli- gent in making all preparations requinte fo^r. her defence. She fiited out a cor.fiderable fieet under the command of the lord Howard of Effingham, and farther lined the fouthera coails with tv.'enty thoufand men. An army of one thoufand horfe, and twenty-two thou- fand foot, was commanded by her j^eneral the €arl of Leiceller, and encamped at Tilbury^ near the m.outh of the Thames ; and another of thirty-four thoufand foot, and two thoufand horfe, was under the command of the lord Hun^don, and kept as a guard upon the queen's perfon.
Upoa
ROBERT DUDLEY. 163
tJpon the encampment at Tilbury, her ma- jefty rode through all the fq^uadrons of her ar- my, attended by the earls of Leicefier and Ef- fex, and Norris, lord-marihal, on foot : and, having viewed them all, (he exprefTed her fa- tisfaction of their fidelity, and her {^vSq of my lord of Lsicefter's merit, in a noble fpeech.
But, notwithflanding her msjefly's com- mendation, there was no opportunity for his lordihip to exert his abilities on this occafion; for the Spaniih army never landed on the fnore. And this was th^ lail expedition in which his lordiliip was engaged ,* for retiring foon after to his caflle at Keniiworth, as hs was upon his journey, he was taken ill of a ftver at Cornbury Park, in Oxforufnire ; of which he died on the fourth of September following.
'* He was efneemed," fays Mr. Camden, " a mofc accomp-lifhed courtier, free and boun- tiful to foldiers aadftudents'; a cunning time- fervcr, and re feeder ©f 4iis own advantages ; of a difpofition ready and apt to pieafe ; ■crafty and fjbtle towards his adverfaries ; much given formerly to women, and in his Jatter days doating extremely upon maniage. But, whilft he preferred power and greatnefs, which is fubjedl to be envied, before folid vir- tue, his detradling emulators found large matter to fpeak reproachfully of him ; and, even when he was in his moil flourifhing con- dition, fpared not difgracefuHy to defame him
164 BRITISH PLUTAxRCH.
by libels, not without a mixture of fome un- truths."
It is faid, that he died in the queen's debt; and, that her niajeily caufed his goods to be fold at a public (ale, that payment might be inade ; for, however favourable fhe might have been i]i all other refpecls, the queen is obfeived never to have remitted the debts that were owing to her Treafury. From Coinbury Park his corpfe was removed to Warwick, where he was interred in our Lady's chapel, adjoining to the choir of the collegiate-churchy, and a very noble monoaient ere^d to his me- inory.
Tiis
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 165 The life of
Sir Francis Drake.
THIS famous voyager was born near South-Taveftock, in Devonfhire, his father being a miniiler, who, for fear of the fix articles, in the reign of Henry VIII. was forced to fecure himfeif in the hull of a fnip, where he had many of his younger fons, hav- ing twelve in all, moll of them born on the water.
After the death of Henry VIII. Mr. Drake got a place to read prayers in the royal navy, and bound his eldeft fon, Francis, apprentice to a Ihip-marter, who traded to France and Holland ; with whom he endured much hard- ship. It isfaid, that, at the age of eighteen, he was purfer of a ihip trading to the Bay of Bifcay. At twenty, he made a voyage to Guinea; and, at the age of twenty-two, w^s appointed captain of the Judith ; and, in that capacity, was in the harbour of St. John de Uiloa, in the gulph of Alexico ; where he be- haved very gallantly in the glorious a£ti'"^n un- der Sir John Hawkins ; and returned with him, to England with a high reputation, but flrip- ^3d of all, and very poor.
Soon
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Soon after this, he conceived a defign cf making reprifals on the king of Spain; which, according to fome, was put into his head by the chaplain of the ihip : and, indeed, the cafe was clear in fea-divinity, that the fubjefts of the king of Spain had undone Mr. Drake, and therefore he was at liberty to take the beft fatisfadion he could on them in return. This dodlrine, however roughly preached, was very taking in England ; and, therefore, no fooner did he publifh his defign, than he had num* bers of volunteers ready to accompany him> though not aduated by the fame motives, and without any fuch pretence to colour their pro- ceeding as he had.
In 1570, he made his firfl voyage with two ihips, the Dragon and Swan ; and the next year in the Swan alone : from which laft ex* pedition he returned fafe, if not rich. The* we have no particular account of thefe two voyages, or what Drake performed in them., yet nothing is clearer than that captain Drake had two great points in viev/ : the one was, to inform himfelf perfedlly of the fituation and ftrength of certain places in the Spanifh Weft- Indies J the other, to convince his country- men, that, notwithftanding what had hap- pened to captain Hawkins, in his laft voyage, it was a thing very practicable to fail into thefe parts, and return in fafety : for it is to be ob- lerved, that Hawkins and Drake feparated in the Weft-Indies ; and, that the former, find- ing
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. t€y ing it impolTible to bring all his crew home to •England, had fee part of them, but with their own confent, alliore in the bay of Mexico; «nd, inde^ed, few of tliefe finding their way home, the terror of fuch a captivity as they were known to endure, had a prodigiou? efFed. But captain Drake, in thefe two voyages, hav- ing very wifely avoided coming to blows with the Spaniards, and bringing home fufficient returns to fatisfy his owneis, dilTipated theie apprehenfions, as well as raifed his own charac- ter : fo that, at his return from his fecond voyage, he found it no difficult matter to raife fuch a ftrength as might enable him to perform what he had long meditated in his own mind, which othervvife he never would have been able to elfedt.
Having now means fufficient to perform greater matters, as well as fkill to condudt them, he laid the plan of a more important defign ; which he put in execution on the twenty- fifth of March : for, on that day, he failed from Plymouth, in a fhip called the Pa- feta, burden feventy tons ; and his brother, John Drake, in the Swan, of twenty-five tons ; their whole ftrength confifting of only fe- venty.three men and boys : and with this fmall force, on the twenty fecond of July, in the year following, 1573, attacked the town of Nombre de Dios, which then ferved the Spa- niards for the fame purpofes as Porto- Bello 4oes now. He took it in a few hours by
floriB>
568 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
ilorm, notwithllanding a very dangerous wound he received in the aftion ; yet, after all, with little advantage, being obliged, af- ter a very brilk aftion, to betake themfelvcs to their ihips.
His next attempt was to plunder the mules laden with filver, which paffed from V^era Cruz to Nombre de Dios; but in this too he failed : however, attacking the former town, he carried it, and got feme little plunder. In their return, they unexpeiflly met with fifty mules laden v/ith plate ; of which they car- ried off as much as pofTible, and buried the reft. In thefe enterprifes he was very greatly afiilled by a nation of Indians, perpetually en- gaged in war with the Spaniards. The prince, or captain, of this tribe, Vv'hofe name was Pe- dro, captain Drake prefcnted with a fine cut- lafs, of which he favv the Indian was very fond. In return, Pedro gave him four large wedges ^ of gold ; all which captain Prake threw Into the common ftock, adding withaJ, That he thought it but juft, that fuch as bore the charge of fo uncertain a voyage, on his credit, fhould fliare the utmoil: r^dvantages that voyage produced. Then embarking his men, with a very cor.fiderablc booty, he bore away for England ; and, in twenty-three days, failed from Cape Florida to the ifles of Scilly ; and from thence arrived fafe at Plymouth oa the ninth of Auguft.
His fuccefs in this expedition, joined to his iipright behaviour towards his owners, toge- ther
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 169 tlier with the ufe he made of his riches, gained him a very high reputation ; for, in 1575, fitting out three frigates at his own ex- pence, he failed with them to Ireland ; where, ander Walter, earl of EfTex, (father to the earl who had been beheaded) he ferved as a volunteer, and did many glorious exploits.
After the death of his patron, he returned to England, in IC76; where Sir Chriftopher iiattoa, vice-chamberlain to queen Elizabeth, took him under his protedlion ; introduced him to her majefty, and procured him her countenance. By this means he was enabled to undertake that grand expedition which will immortalize his name. The firll thing he propofed was a voyage into the South -^eas, through the Straits of Magellan, hitherto un- attempted by any Englilhman. This project was well received at court, and captain Drake foon faw himfelf at the height of his wiOies; for, in his former voyage, having had a diftant profpeft of the South-Seas, he ardently prayed to God that he might fail an Englifh fhip in them ; which now he found an opportunity of attempting, the queen, by her permifTion, fur- niihing him with the means ; and his own fame quickly drawing to him a fufficient force for that purpofe.
While he meditated on this great delign in his own breaft, without communicating it to any, he took care to procure the bell lights, to engage feveral bold and a(^ive men to ferve
VoL.IIL I under
170 BRITISH PLUTARCH, under him where-ever he went ; and, by a well-timed dilplay of public fpirit, made him- felf known to, and gained, feme powerful friends at court. But, in 1577, while he was thus warily contriving what he afterwards fo happily execu^ed, one John Oxenham, who had gained great reputation by his gallant be- haviour in the lall: voyage under him, believed he had penetrated captain Drake's fcheme, and theught to be before hand with him in the ex- ecution of it. Accordingly, this man failed in a bark of one hundred and forty tons, with feventy brave fellows, to Nombre de Dios ; vs/here, laying his bark up in a creek, he marched acrofs the iflhmus with his compani- ons ; got into the South-Seas with fome ca- noes ; and took two Spaniih fhips with an jmmenfe treafure in gold and filver : but, be- ing without Drake's abilities and generofity, though nothing inferior to him in courage, fell out with his men ; which occafioned fuch a delay in his return, that the Spaniards re- covered their treafure ; dellroyed many of his crew ; and, at length, took him, with foar of his companions ; whom, for want of a commiffion to juftify their proceedings, they hanged as pirates.
Captain Drake, before he had any know- ledge of the ilTue of this bufinefs, and be- ing acquainted with no more than what was public throughout all tnc weft of England, that Oxe»ibam was failed upon fome fuch
defign.
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, 171
defign, brought his own projefl to bear, thro' the light of his own judgment, and at the ex- pence of private perfons, who had an entire confidence in him ; for the fleet with which he failed on this extraordinary enterprize, con- filled of the following fliips : viz. The Peli- can, of one hundred tons, commanded by himfelf; the Elizabeth, vice-admiral, of eighty tons, under the command of captain John Winter ; the Marygold, a bark of fifty tons, under captain John Cheller ; and the Chriftopher, a pinnace of fifteen tons, under captain Thomas Moon. In this fleet the whole number of hands embarked, but a- mounted to no more than one btmdred and fixty-four able men, with all neceflary provi- fions for fo long and dangerous a voyaga ; the intent of which was, however, not publicly declared, but given out to be for Alexandria, though it vyas generally fufpe^led, and m.any ki.ew, that it was defigned for America.
On the twenty- fif:h of the fame month, he fell in with the coafl of Larbary j and, on the twenty-ninth, with Cape de Verd. The thir- teenth of March he paflcd the line ; the fiftit* of April he made the coail of Brazil, in ^o® N. iat. and ei:.e:ed the river de la Plata, where he loil the company of cyo of his fleet ; but, meeting them again, and taking out all their hands, and the provifions they had on board, he turned them adrift. On the twenty-ninth of May he entered the port of St. Julian's, I 2 where
t-T BRITISH PLUTARCH, where he executed Mr. John Doughty, who was next in authority to himfelf; in which» however,- he preferved a great appearance of judicc.
It will, however, be neceiTary to give an account of this affair, as it was one of the moll renaarkablt paflages in our hero's life, with re- gard to his moral charadler. After he had continued about two months in port Sr. Julian, lying within one degree of the Streights of Magellan, to make the neceflary preparations for paffing the freights with fafety, on a fud- den having carried the principal pcrfons en- gaged in the fervice to a defert ifland lying in the ba^', he called a court-martial, where he opened his commiffion ; by which the queen granted him the power of life and death, which was delivered him with this remarkable exprefSon from her own mouth : " We do ac- count that he, Drake, who flrikes at thee, does flrike at us." He then explained with that wonderful fluency of fpeech which, with indifferent education, he was naturally mailer of, the caufe of the aifembly ; and proceeded next to charge Mr. John Doughty, who had been fecond in command during the whole voyage, firft, with plotting in his abfence to murder him.
*' We had," faid he, " the firf^ notice of this gentleman's intentions before he left Eng- land, but was in hopes his behaviour would have extinguiflied fach difpofitions, if there had been any truth in the inforraauoB,"
He
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 173 He then appealed for his behaviour to the v-'hole alTembly, and to the gentleman accuf^d: he next expofed his pradlices from the time •they left England, Vv'hile he behaved towards 'him with all the kindnefs and cordiality of a brother; fupporting his charge by producing papers under his own hand; to which Mr. Doughty added a full and free confelTion. Af- ter this, the captain, or, as he was then called, the general, quitted the place, telling the af- /embly he expelled that they fhould pais a vcr- <li6l upon him.; for he would be no judge ia -his own caufe.
Camden fays he was tried by a jury. Ths accounts afiirm, that the whole forty perfons of which the court confiiled, adjudged him to death, and gave this in writing under their hands and feals, leaving the time and manner of it to the general. Upon this, captain Drake, having maturely weighed the whole affair, gave Mr. Doughty his choice of thres things. Firll, to be executed on the ifiand vvhere they were; fecondly, to be fet afhore on ■tlie main land ; or, laftly, to be fent home to abide the juliice of his country. After defir'ng till next day to confider of ihefe, he declared, that he made the firll his choice ; and, havii:g received the facrament with the general fjoni the hands of Mr. Francis Fletcher, chaplaia to the fleet, and made a full confelhon, hi"^ head was fevered from his body with an axe by the provcft-marlhal, on the fecond of Julv, 1578.
I 5 Thii
174 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
This ifland had been the fcene of another affair exadly of the fame kind, fifty eight years before, when Magellan caufed John de Carthagend, who was joined in commiffion with him by the king of Spain, to be hanged for the h'ke offence; and from hence it was called the ifland of true juftice.
But to return to an account of captain Drake's voyage ; en the twentieth of Augull, 1579, he entered the Streights of Magellan j on the twenty-fifth he paffed them, having then with him only his own iTiip, which, in the South -Seas, he new named the Hind : on the 2^th of November he came to Macao, in 33^ lat. where he had appo nted a rendez- vous in cafe his fnips were parted ; but captain Winter having repafied the freights, returned to England. From Macao, Drake continued his voyage along the coafts of Chili and Peru, taking all opportunities of feizing SpaniOi (hips, or of landing and attacking them on fhore, till they were fated with plunder ; and then coafling North- America, to the height of 48^, he endeavoured to find a paffage back into the Atlantic Ocean on that hde. — A con- vincing evidence of his confummate ficill and undaunted courage : for, ifeverfucha paffage be found to the northward, this, in all proba- bility, will be the me::hod.
Here, being difappointed of what he fought, he landed, and called the country New Al- bion ; taking poffeffion of it in the name, and
fqi
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. i- t<-)r the uf^^, of queen Elizabeth ; and, after careening his fliip, fet fail from thence, on the twenty-ninth of Septeraber, for the Molucca iflands. He chofe this pafTage round rather than to return by the Streights of Magellan ; partly from the danger of being attacked by the Spa- i>iards, and partly from the latenefs of the fea- fon, when dreadful ilorms and hurricanes were to be apprehended. Perhaps too, he gave out amoKg his feamen, that ' he was deterred by - the confident, though falfe, reports cf the Spaniards, that the S:reights could not be re- paired ; for it had actually been done by cap- tain John Winter, though Drake and his com- pany could know nothing of it then.
But that captain Drake could net apprehend any impofribillty in the thing iticlf appe:its from hence, that, in this very voyage he hud not only pafTed them, but had alfo been driven back again, not through the ftreights indeed, but in the open fea ; of which Sir Richard Hawkins gives the following account from the captain's own mouth: *' In all the fireights it ebbeth and flov/eth more or lefs. If a man be furnitlied with wood and water, and the wind good, he may keep the main fea, and go round about the llreights to the fouthward ; and this is the fliorter way. For, befides the experience which we made, that all the fouth part of the freights is but iflands, many times having the fea open, I remember that Sir Francis Drake lold me, that, having fhot the I 4 freights,
176 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
flrelghts, a Horm took him, firll, at ncrth- weft, and afterwards veered about to the fouth-weft ; which continued with him many cays with fuch extremity that he could not open any fail ; and, that at the end of the fiorm he found himfclf in £fty degrees : which was fuffi'cient proof that he was beaten round abv:ut the itreights; for the leaft height of the freights is in 52*^ and 50', in which ftand the two entrances, or mouths. And, moreover, he faid, that, landing about when the wind changed, he was not well able to double the fouthernmoll ifland, and fo anchored under the lee of it 3 and going afhore carried a compafs with him; and feeking out the fouthernmoft part of the ifland, call himfelf down upon the uttermoft point, groveling, and fo reached cut his body over it. Soon after, he embarked ; wh^re he acquainted his people that he had been upon the fouthernmoft knov/n land in the world ; and further to the fouth" ward upon it than any man yet known."
On the 13th ofOdober, Drake fell in with certain iflands inhabited by the m.oft barbarous people he had met with in all his voyage. On the fourth of November he had fight of the Moluccas ; and, coming to the ifland of Ter- nate, was extremely well received by the king of that ifland, who feems to have been a wife and polite prince. On the tenth of Decem- ber he made Celebes; where, his fhip running on a rock, on the ninth of January they go:t
off
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 177
^ff and coiitinued their co^lTL^ Oli the fix- teenth of March^ 1580, he arrived at Java Major, thence intending to have proceeded to. Malacca, he found himfelf obliged to think of l-eturning home immediately. On the twenty- Sfih he put this defign in execution ; and, on- the fifteeath of June, doubling the Cape, he -iad on board his fhip fifty-fevenmen, and but three cafks of water. On the twelfth of July tie crofied the Line; reached the coaftof Gui- cey on the fixteenth, and there took in wa-, ter. On the eleventh of September, he made -the illand of Tercera; and, on the third of November following, entered the harbour of Plymouth,
In this voyage he completely furrounded the globe, which Jio commander in. chief had done before him,
Drake's faccefs in this voyage, and the im- menfe treafure he brought home with him, became the general topic of converfation, fome highly commending, and others as loudly cen- furing him. In this uncertainty matters con- tinued during tJie remainder of this year, ]58i, and the fpring of the next ; when, at length, on the 14th of April, .her majelty go- ing to Deptfcrd, went on board Drake's fnipj where, after dinner, flie conferred the hojiour of knighthood on him, and declared her abfo^. lute approbation of all he- had done. She alfo gave diredions for the prefervation of his ihip, that it wight remain z moniimeni both of 1 5 bijv,."
178 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
himfelf and his country. But time, that cJe- ftroys all things, having made great breaches in this veffd, which, for many years, had been viewed with admiration at Deptford, was at length broken up, and a chair made out of the planks was prefented, by John Davies, efq. to the univerfity of Oxford, where it is ftill preferved.
In the year 1585, he again failed to the Weft-Indies. In this expedition he took the cities of St. Jago, St. Dominico, Carthagena, and St. Auguftine; by which he even exceeded the moflfanguine hopes of his warmed friends. Yet the profits of this voyage were but mode- rate, Sir Francis's defign being rather to weaken the enemy than enrich himfel.^.
Two years afterwards he proceeded to Lif- bon with a fleet of thirty fail ; and, receiving intelligence of a confiderable fleet afiembled in the bay of Cadiz, intended to make part of the Spanilh, armada, he bravely entered that port, and burnt upwards of ten thoufand tons of fhipping : then, having advice cf a large Caracca (hip expected at the ifland of Teicera from the Eafl-Indies, he failed thither; and, though his men were in great want of provifions, he prevailed on them to go through thofe hardfhips for a few days ; in which time the Eaft- India fhip arriving, he took and car- ried her home in triumph : fo that, during all the war, no expedition was fo happily con- dudted as this, either with regard to reputa- tion
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 179 tion or profit : and therefore it is the lefs Air- priling, that, upon his return, he was fome- thing elated with the high applaufe he re- ceived. In this he was, however, the more excufable, as his pride always vented itfelf in the ferv'ice of the public.
It is here to be obferved, that, though our intrepid feaman in his voyage round the world had the queen's commifrion, yet he commanded none of her {hips ; but, in this expedition of 1587, Sir Francis was on board a man of war, and his vice-admiral, Forbillier, was in ano- ther ; befides which he had two more of her majefty's (hips, together with twenty-fix fail of feveral fizes fitted out by the merchants of London.
In the year 1588, Sir Francis undertook to convey water to the town of Plymouth, for want of which, till then, it was greatly diftref- fed ; and performed it by bringing thither a flream from fprings at the diiiance of eight miles, if the diftance be raeafured in a Ihait line ; but in the manner by which he con- duced it, the courfe it runs is upwards of twenty miles.
This year alfo he was appointed vice-admi- ral under lord Charles Howard of Effingham, high- admiral of England : here he v/as as for- tunate as ever, for he took a prize of a very- large galleon, commanded by don Pedro de Valdez, who yielded without flriking a blow at the bare mention of his name. This don.
Pedro
igo BRITISH PLUTARCH,
Pedro remained above two years Sir Francri Prake's prifoner in England, and, when h^- was releafed, paid him for his own liberty, and -that of his two captains, a ranfom of three thoufand iive hundred pounds.
From the veiTel taken above, 5'o,ooo ducats were diftributed among his failors and fol- diers ; which liberal (hare not a little riveted the affeflion they had for their valiant com-- mander, It muft, however, be owned, that,, through an overfight of his, the adniiral ran a great hazard of being taken by the enemy ; for Drake was appointed, the firft night of the engagement, to carry lights in his ihip for the dire<5lion of the Engliih fleet ; but, being in purfuit of fome hulks belonging to the Hans towns, negleded it ; which occafioned the admiral's following the Spanifh lights, and in the morning found himfelf in the centre of the enemy's fleet. But his fucceeding feivices fuf-, iiciently attoned for this overfight, the greateft execution done on the flying Spaniards being performed by his fquadron.
Next year, 1589, Sir Francis Drake was appointed admiral of the fleet fent to reilore don Antonio, king of Portugal, and the com. mand of the land-forces given to Sir Joha -Norris. But the fleet was fcarce at fea before the commanders differed; the occafion of ■which was this : the general was earnell for landing at the Groyne ; whereas the admiral, and fea^ofncers were for failing directly to
Lifbon y
SIR TRANCIS DRAKE. i8i liifbon ; in which, had their advice been taken, doubtlefs their enterprize had fuc- ceeded, and don Antonio been rellored ; for the enemy made fuch good ufe of the time in fortifying Lifbon, that no impreflion could be made. Sir John, indeed, marched by land to Lifbon, and Sir Francis promifed to fail •up the river with his whole fleet j but, up^ on per-ceiving the confeqtjences, he chofe ra- ther to break his word than hazard the queen'« navy; for which he was highly reproached by Norris, and the mifcarriage of the whole af- fair imputed to the failure in his promife. Yet Sir -Francis fully juuified himfelf on his •return; for he flievved the queen and council, that whatever was done there or elfewhere, for -the credit of the nation, was performed folely by the fleet, and by his orders ; in confequence of which, a large fieet, laden with naval fcores from the Hans towns, was taken, with a great quantity of ammunition and artillery on board : that his failing up th« nver of Lilbon would have fignified nothing t9 the taking the callle, which was two miles off? and, that, without reducing it, there was no -taking the city. He further fhewed, that, had it not been for the fleet, the army mufi have been ftarvedj and, that, if they had ftayed any longer, neither fleet nor army could liave returned home; and, that, when h$ found that he could not prevail on fome men '^0 raanage their own affairs right, he con- tented
iSz BRITISH PLUTARCH.
tented himfelf with managing as well as he could thofe that were immediately within his own province ; and with refped to thefe, even thecenfurers of this expedition admit, that no body could have managed them better.
The war with Spain flill continuing in 1)9,', and it being evident that nothing dif- irefTed the enemy lo much as the loQ'cs they met with in the Indies, a propofition was made to the queen by Sir John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake, for undertaking a more ef- feftual expedition into thofe parts than had hitherto been attempted ; and at the fame time they offered to be at a great part of the expence themfelves, and to engage their friends to bear a confiderable proportion of the reft. The queen readily iillened to this propofal, and furnifhed a flout fquadron of Ihips of war, on board one of which, the Garland, Sir John Hawkins embarked. Their whole force confifted of twenty-feven (hips and barks, and on board of them were two thoufand five hundred men. The fleet was detained fome time after it was ready on the Englifh coalh by the arts of the Spaniards, who receiving intelligence of its flrength and deflination, gave out that they were ready themfelves to invade England, and to render this the more probable, afrually fent four gal- lies to make a dcfcent or. Cornwall. This ha.d the defired efled, for tne queen and the nation being thereby aiarmed, thought it by
no
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. 1^3
no means advifeable to fend fo great a number of (hips on fo long a voyage at that critical JLinOure. At laft this alarm b!owii:g over, the fleet failed in conjunction for deilrcying Nombre de Dios, a particular account of which will be given in the life of Sir John Hawkins, who died the day before Sir Francis made his defperate attack on the (liipping in the har- hour of Porto Rico on November the thir- teenth, in purfuance of a refolution taken by a council of war. This attempt was ended in- deed with confiderable lofs to the Spaniards, yet with little advantage to the Englifh, who, meeting with a ftronger refinance and better fortifications than they expecled, were oblig- ed to fheer off. The admiral then {leered for the main, where he took the town of Rio de la Hache, which, a church and a fmgle houfe excepted, he burnt to the ground. After this, deftroying feme other villages, he proceeded to Santa Martha, which he alfo burned. The like fate had Nombre de Dios, the Spaniards refufmg to ranfom thefe places; and in thern an inconfiderable booty was taken. On the twenty-ninth of December Sir Thomas Baf- kerville marched vv'ith feven hundred and fifty men towards Panama, but returned on the fecond of January, finding the defign of redu- cing that place wholly impradlicable : fo that the whole of this expedition was a feries of misfortunes. If they had gone at firft to Por- to Rico, they had done the queen's bufinefs and their own : if, when they had intelligence
of
i84 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
of the Spanifh fuccours being landed there, they had proceeded diredly to the Ifthmus* in order to have executed their defigns againil Panama, before their forces had been weakened by that defperate attack, they might pofiibly have accomplifbed their firft intention; but grafping at too many things fpoiled all. A very ftrong fenfe of this threw Sir Francis Drake into a deep melancholy, which occa- fioned a bloody flux, the natural difeafe of the country, that brought him to his end. His bo- dy, according to the cuflom of the fea, was funk very near the place where he firil laid the foundation of his fame and fortune. Such v/as the end of this great man, havng, according to fome, lived fifty-five years, and according to others only fifty-one. His death was general • ly lamented by the whole nation, but more efpecially by thofe of his native place, who had great reafons to love him from the circum- fiances of bis private life, as well as to eiiQtsn. him in his public charader. He had been eleded burgefs for the town of BoiHney in Cornwall, in the parliament held the twenty- feventh of queen Elizabeth, and afterwards for Plymouth in Devonfliire, in the thirty- fifth of the famereign. Having hitherto fpoken of his public adions, we fhall now fay fome- thing of his perfon and charadier.
He was low of ftature, but well fet, had a broad open cheil, his eyes large and clear, of a fair complexion, with a frefh chearful and engaging countenance : as navigation had
been
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. i^, been his whole fludy, he was a perfed mafter in every branch of it, efpecially allronomy, and the application of it to the nautical art. His voyage round the world is an inconteft- able proof of his courage, capacity, patience, and public fpirit; fince he performed every thing that could be expefted from a man, who preferred the honour and profit of his country to his own private advantage : and it is apparent, that if Sir Francis Drake amafled a large fortune by continually expofing him- felf to labours and perils, which hardly any: other man would have undergone, for the fake even of the greatell expedations, he was far from being governed by a narrow and private fpirit: on the contrary, his notions weie free and noble ; and the nation ftands indebted to him for many advantages which flie at prefent enjoys, in arms, navigation, and commerce.
It was the felicity of our admiral to live iix the time of a princefs, who always took care to diftinguifh merit. Sir Francis therefore was always her favourite ; and when his coun- tryman Sir Bernard Drake, alfo a feaman, whofe arms Sir P'rancis had afTumed, was fa incenfed as to give him a box on the ear ; the queen was pleafed to honour him with a new coat, viz. fabk,^ a fefs wavy between two pole-ftars, argent; and for his creft, a fhip on a globe under a rufF, held by a cable with a hand out of the clouds, and over it this motto, AXJXiLio DiviNO ; underneath, sic parvus MAGNA 5 in the rigging is hung up by the
he€b
i86 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
heels a wivern gules, which was the coat of Sir Bernard. Her majefty's kindnefs however did not reach beyond the grave, for fhe fuffered his brother Thomas Drake to be profecuted for a pretended debt to the crown, which much diminifhed the advantao-es he other- wife would have received from his brother's fortune. This brother of his hnd accompanied him in his laft expedition, as bis brothers John and Jofeph had done in his hrfl voyages to the Weil-Indies, where they both died. The land eftate, purchafed by Sir Francis, was very confiderable (for though on proper occa- fions he was extremely generous, yet he was alfo a good oeconomift) devolved to his ne- phew Francis Drake, fon to his brother, the aforefaid Thomas, who, in the fucceeding reign, v,'as created a baronet. In the pof- feffion of the lineal defcendant of his family, viz. Sir Francis Henry Drake, baronet, is a bible to be feen, with an infcription indented on the edges, fignifying, that it made the tour cf the world with Sir Francis Drake, as alfo many other relicks preferved in the cabinets of the curious in memory of this famQus perfon, as a ftafF made out of his Ihip, before it was broke up in that of Mr. Thoresby of Leeds. And to this day is preferved in Berkley caftle, the bed and curtains, of green fluff, on which he lay during his whole voyage.
End of the Third Volume.
Rm
G. R.
WHEREAS Our trully and well-beloved Edward DiLLY, of onr city of Lon- don, Bookfeller, hath, by his petition, humbly reprefented unto us, that he hath undertaken to print and publifh a work called The Britijh Flutarch^ or Biographical Enterinimr ; -beirig *i kle<5l coileclion of the lives at large of ths moft eminent men, natives of Great-Britain and Ireland, from the reign of king Henry the Eighth, to that of Our late Royal Grandfather, both inclufive : in the profecution of which he •hath been at great trouble and expence in pro- curing accefs to antient records, memoirs, pa- pers, and other authentic intelligence ; as well as engaging feveral gentlemen of learning and abilities, to compile from thofe materials, in fuch a ftile and method, as to render that work more amuiing and univerfally ufeful, than any thing of the kind that has hitherto made its appearance. And, being defirous of reaping the fruits of his faid labour and expence, and enjoying the full profit and benefit that may arife from vending the above-mentioned valu-
ablf
able. work, without any other perfon's inter- fering in his juft property : he hath therefore moft humbJy prayed Us to grant him Our Royal Licence, for the fole printing, publifhing, and vending, the faid work. We do therefore, by thefe Prefents, fo far as may be agreeable to the ftatute in that cafe made and provided, grant unto him, the faid Edward Dill y, his executors, adminiftrators, and afligns. Our Royal Licence, for the fole printing, publifh- ng, and vending, the faid work, for the term of fourteen years ; ftridly forbidding all Our fubjecls, within Our kingdoms and dominions, 10 reprint, abridge, or publilh the fame, either in the like, or any other volume, or volumes, whatfoever; or to import, buy, vend, utter, or diHribute,. any copies thereof reprinted beyond the feas, during the aforefaid term of fourteen years, without the confent and approbation of the faid Edward Djlly, his heirs, executors, and afligns, under their hands and feals firll had and obtained, as they will anfwer the cOn- trar.y at their peril. Wherefore the commif- fiofiers, and other officers of, the cuftoms, the marter, wardens, and company of flationers, are to take notice, that due obedience may be rendered to Our will and pleafure herein de- clared.
Ginjen at Our Court at St. James's, this 7.0th Day cf January, 1762, inthe fecondTear of Our reign.
By His Majesty's Command,
EGRE.MONT.
THE ^
Biographical E^tert.vixer .
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Patriots L Divines ,1 Pliilolophers .
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CONTENTS
O F T H E ^
FOURTH VOLUME. ..
Page
VV iLLiAM Cecil, . - - - i
■ Francis Walfingham, - - • 42
^ Robert Deverenx, - - - • 4^
John Knox, - . - - - ^ p2
;^-Fldmund Spencer, .117
Sir John Perrot, 137
THE
BRITISH PLUTARCH.
The life of
WILLIAM CECIL.
Extra£ted from an Ancient Manufcript.
F^^^ILLIAM, lord of Burleigh, was J^ ^ born at Bourn, in the county of
^ ^ Lincoln, on the thirteenth day of
%£ ^^ iJ September, 1521. His father, ^■^^-^ Richard Cecil, of Burleigh, in the county of Northampton, eiqaire, being prin- cipal officer of the robes in the time of Henry VIIL and in great favour with the king. His mother's name was Jane Heckington, daugh- ter and heirefs of William Heckington, of Bourn, in the> county of Lincoln j by whom Vol. IV. B came
< BRITISH PLUTARCH.
.pricfcs, chaplains to O Neale, who was then in court ; and talking long with them in La- tn, he fell into difputation with the piiefts 5 Avherein he fhevved lb great learning and wit, as he proved the poor p: iells to have neither ■; who were fo call down that they had not a •word to fay, but flung away in chafe, no lefs ■difcontented than afhamed to be foiled in iuch a place by a lad, it was told the king, that young Kir. Cecil had confuted both O Neal's chaplains. The king called for him, 'and, after long talk with him, being much delighted with his anfwers, the king willed his father to find out a fuit for him : whereupon he be- came fuitor for a reverfion of the Cuflos Bre- vium Office m the Common Pleas ; which the king willingly granted.
After he had fpent fome time at the lav/, on the eighth of Auguft, in the 33d year of Henry VIII. he took to wife Mary Cheeke* filler to Sir John Cheeke, knight, who lived with him not a year and a quarter; by whom he had his firil fon Thomas. Afterwards, on the twenty-fiiH of December, five years follow- ing, being twenty-four years old, he married A'jiidred Cooke, one of the daughters of Sir Anthony Cooke, knight, a wife and virtuous lady, who lived with him many years after he came to be treafurer of England. She was excellently learned in the Greek, fo that fhe •tiai.flated 2. piece of Chryfoftom into Englifn. He had by her, Anne, Robert, and Elizabeth; aiid Frances Cecil, a daughter, and William, ^nd William, who all three died young.
hi
TvTILLIAM CECIL. f
In the firfl year of king Edward VI. the duke of Somerfet, then lord-proteaor, hear- ing of Mr. Cecil, fent for him to be mafterof his requerts ; and the fame year he went with. the duke to Mufelborough-field, where he was like to have been flain, but v/as miraculoufly faved by one that-, putting forth his arm to thruft iVIr. Cecil out of the level of the canon, had it ftriken off. In the fecond year of king Edward VI. he was committed to the Tower about the duke of Somerfet's firft calling ia qu2ition ; where he rem lihed a quarter cf a^ year, ?.vA was delivered.
The dukeof Somerfer perceiving the king%T great liking of Mr. Cecil, aboi.it the third, year of the king's reign, preferred him to be fecretary of ftate, and a counfellor lo the king, being but ti.venty-rj,ve vears old ; and, in the fi^th year of Edward VI. he was made knight: a rare thing fqr (o young a man to be called to- fuch places of honour and edimation, wherein he continued till the king's death.
The two dukes of Northumberland and So- merfet drove to win him. tempting him wiih great offers. He fliewed duty to both, hut- would take gifts of neither; but, after the king died, he was difgraced by the duke of Northumberland for difliking the purpofe touching the lady Jane ; yet he carried the raatter fo. temperately as he kept his confcicnce free, his truth to the crown, and himfelf from cianger*
6 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
When queen Mary came in, (he granted Sir William Cecil a general pardon; and, in choofing her counfellors, faid, if he would change his religion, hefliould be her fecretary and counfellor : to which purpofe fome wife men were underhand let to allure and difcover his dirpofition ; but, like himfelf, he wifely and chiiftianly anAvered, he was taught and bound to i'crve God lirft, and next the queen ; that Ihe had been his fo gracious lady as he would ev-er ferve ar>d pray for her in his heurt; and with his body and go-^ds be as ready to ferve in her defence as any of her loyal fubjef^s ; but hoped fhe would pleafe to grant him leave to ufe his ccnfcience to him- felf, and ferve her at large as a private man rather than to be her greateft counfellor. Yet the queen flill ufed him very gtacioufly, and forbore either to hear his enemies, vvho were many, or to difgrace himfelf ; for, in the fe- cond year of her reign, he was fent to Bruf- k-ls, with the lord Paget, to bring in cardinal Pole.
In the parliament time there was a matter iu queltion for fomething the queen would have pafRd ; wherein Sir Anthony Kin^fton, Sir William Courtney, Sir John Pollard, and many others of value, efpecially weflern men, were oppofite. Sir William Cecil being their fpeaker,* having that day told a good tale for them. When the houfe rofe, they came to him and faid they would dine with him
WILLIAM CECIL. 7
that day. He anfwered they fhould be wel- come, fo they did not fpeak of any matters of parliament; which they promifed ; yet feme bfgan to break promife, for which he chal- lenged them.
This meeting and fpcech was knoww to the counfel, and all the knig^hts and gentleniea were Tent for and committed. Sir Wiiiiam Cecil was alfo font for; bat h« defircd th^y would not do by him as by the rert, which he thought forr.ewhat hard ; that was, to con'i- mit them firfl and to hear thehi after; but prayed them firu to hear him, and then to com- mit him if he were guiluy. *' You've fpoken like a man of experience," quoth my lord Paget J and, upon hearing the circumllsnccNj he cleared himfelf, and fo efcaped imprifon- ment and difgrace.
When queen Elizabeth began her reign^ Sir William Cecil, for his truth and tried kr~ vice to her, was worthily called and honour- ably advanced by her majefly to be her fecre- tary and counfellor ; and was firll fworn of any counfellor fhe had, at Ha' field, where fne lay at her fnfl coming to her crown.
At the firil: parliament holden in the "begin- ing of the queen's reign, great diiHculties arcfe in reforming and ahering religion, and for the better fatisfaction of the Hate of parliament, by his lord(hip*s advice, there was a conference had in Weflminfler church, by the old and new bifhops and other learned men, upon B 4 fgiue
S BRITISH PLUTARCH.
forjie queflions and points devifed principally by himfelf touching the exercife of religion ; which was (o politicly handled, and wifely governed, that fuch fatisfaftion v/as given, that the queen and parliament, with one con- fcnt, el^ablifhed the form of religion ever fince pra"cifed.
Ey his politic advice, the coin, and mo- nies of the realm, were brought to a ftandard ^if finenefs from bafenefs, being then one of the richeft coins of the world, to the great enriching of this realm and commonwealth ; fcr he held a pofition, which undoubtedly is true, that the realm c:;np.ot be rich whole coin is poor or bafe
Jn the fecond year of the queen he was (ent into Scotland to treat of peace; which, chiefly by his wifdom, was efTtdled, with f^jme honors sble conditions for the queen and realm. It was ever obferved, as ore notable virtue in his oifpoution, to be defirous to preferve peace in the land ; which undoubtedly is the only blefiing can tlill upon a r: tion.
In the third year of the queen*s reign, the tenth of January, he was made mafter of the wards, upon the death of Sir Thom.as Parry,
In the twelfth year of her msjefly's reign, the rebellion of the north began ; wherein, himfelf being fecretary alone, and thereby all difpatches palling his hands, he took fuch care, and gave fuch provident counfel, that matters were ib quickly cjcpediied, and politicly car- ried
WILLIAM CECIL. ^■
aed, and the rebels TupprefTed without blood- or danger, to the konour of the queen and weal of the realm.
But, in the time of this profperous r'fing^ the hearts of fome did ajfo rife againii his for- tune 3 who were more hot in envying him, than able to follow him ; detrading his praifes, difcouraging his fervices, and plotting his danger; as on a time a book, palFionately penned againfl the nobility, came to his hands, and was {^tn upon his table, by a great man ; which book he had read with great dif- like, noting many lies and faults of the writer : yet there w^s a formal tale told to the lords of the counfej, and divers other of the nobility, infering it to be done or procured by himfelf to difgrace the nobility. Whereupon fuch a fire was kindled againft him among the lords, as a plot was laid to cut him off. He was thereupon called before the council with- out the queen's knowledge, and charged ;- which, though he fufficiently anfwered, yet was it refolved he Ihould be f?ntto the Tower, and then they would find matter enough againft him. Whereof he having advertiie- ment, wrote to the queen ; who commanded nothing fnould be done againfl hira without her privity. So th^ fire was covered, but not quenched ; for, not long after, a villain w^s hired to kill him, and fet at the flairs foot xo difpatch him as he came from the queen ,• but being warned of it, he went down anoiher way Jvnd efcaped; and, as he had. fame foes zi B c home.
10 BRITISH PLUTARCH, home, fo he wanted not enemies abroad; for, another time, a popilh villain was, by feme feminaries, perfuaded to kill him ; and, being v/ith him alone in his chamber, Handing behind him leaning upon his chair, had not the power to perform his villainy, though, when he came in, he took his dagger ready in his hand to do it.
As he continued his care, fo he grew in fa- fcur with his prince and liking of the people, and having twelve years ferved as fecretary, he was by her majelly created baron of Bur- liegh, upon Shrove Sunday the twenty-fifth of February 1570; and in June 1572, he was made knight of the garter ; and the fifteenth of July following, he was made lord high treafurer of England, upon the death of the lord marqufs of Wincheller.
He grew now to fome greatnefs, carrying a reputation and rule in the commonwealth, fo that it was thought nothing was done with- out him ; fo equally hearing, juftly cenfuring, and carefully difpatching caufes, that few fuits were fnfFered to linger long before him, but were either ended by judgment, or ordered by agreement, ufing onefingularcourfe in hearing caufes; that if he found them diffi'cult, or ri" goroufly to be cenfured, he would ever make motions for arbitration, and either by his au- thority or perfuafion, agree them ; fo that he •ended more caufes in a term than were before in a twelvemonth, infomuch as all men had iuch an opinion of his jullice and indiiference,
that
WfLLIAM CECIL. it
tl:at they never thought themfelves fatis fied ror their fuits well ended, that either had not their caufe brought to his hearing, or his letter in their behalf, which drew upon him multi- tudes of fuits. For, befides all bufinefs in council, or other weighty caufes, and fuch as were anfwered by word of moutn, there was FiOt a day in a term wherein he received not threefcorc, fourfcore-, and an hundred peti- tions, which he commonly read that night, and gave every man an anfwer himfelf the next morning, as he went to the hall ; wherein one thing was cbferved of his excellent me- mory, that reading thofe bills over-night, there was not one petitioner came to him the next morning, but fo foon as he heard their names, he remembered their matter, and gave them his anfwer. He would alfo anfwer the pooreft perfon by word of mouth, appointing times and places of purpofe fo long as he was able; and sfter he grew weak and could not go abroad, he devifed a new way, taking or- der that poor fuitors ihould fend in their pe- titions fealed up, whereby the pooreft mm's bill came to him as foon as the richeft : upon every petition he caufed his anfwer to be writ- ten on the back, and fubferibed it with his own name, or elfe they had his letter or other anfwer, as the caufe required : by which cha- ritable and honourable device there was none ilaid for anfwer, but were fpeedily difpatched.
Thus held he on his courfe like hirafelf,
prayed for by the poor, honoured by the rich,'
■B 6 feared
BRITISH PLUTARCH.
.'c':,.L i by the bad, and loved by the good ; to nii prince and country loyal, and to the Tub- jccts rnofl pleafing, wondering at his great wii'dom and gravity, and praifing his juilice and integrity ; moll men honouring him with the title of lather of the commonv.'ealth ; and his diligent and lludious courfe of life was fuch ascaufed all his friends to pity him, and his very fervants to admire him; he was never feen half an hour idle for twenty-four years together ; for if there were caufe of bufinefs he was occupied till that were done ; if he had no bufinefs, he was reading or colleding ; if he rode abroad he had fuitors ; when he came in he dlfpatched them; when he went to bed and flept not, he was either meditating or reading ; and he ufed to fay, he did penetrate farther into the depth of caufes, and found out more refolutions in his bed than when he was up ; he left fcarce time for lleep or meals, or leifure to go to bed ; yet fo long as his bufinefs went forward, and his prince and country pleafed, he thought his pains a pleafare, and all he could do too little ; fo great was his care, and love to his prince and country.
The parliament, liar-chamber, - and other public places, there was not a fitting, but left fome note of his wifdom, gravity, and juftice ; all which his fpeeches and deeds (o exprefiied, that when all men had fpoken to the purpofe, as was thought, moft excellently, or in cafes of difficulty moll doubtfully, yet when he came
to
WILLIAM CECIL. ly
to fpeak, he fo far exceeded, as his gravity, wifdom, and eloquence fo weighed and reach- ed to the depth, fo far above the reach of the reft, as was no lefs admired than allowed of the hearers ; all things perfedlly concluded and all doubts exadly cleared ; and yet which was obferved a ftrange thing in him, that for all his long and public fpeeches, he was never feen to ftudy a quarter of an hour, or to take notes, or tome books for any of his fpeeches; his long experience and pradice made him need EO helps. And it was noted, that wherefoever he fat in place of juftice, there wanted not numbers that came only to hear him fpeak ; which drew unto him fo great eftimation, as all men, even his very enemies, thought him to be the wifeft and graveft counfellor of his age, the bell fort extolling his worthinefs, the reft fearing his juftice and greatnefs. The queen never refolved any caufe of eilate without his counfel, nor feldom pafled any private foit from herfelf, that was not firft referred to his Gonfideration, and had his approbation before it palh
As his eftimation was worthily great in his own country, fo he was greatly famous in all nations in Chriftendom, and other remote parts of the world. As on a time a great man of France, being in England, wrote a letter to the French king, faying, he was the wifeft and graveft counfellor of Chriftendom, that in the court he was accounted Pater Patrix, and among the common people, quafi Rex;
for
14 BRITISH PLUTARCH,
for his knowledge in treaties was fuel], that when any ambaflador came to treat with him, Jie would fo far exceed the reach of their wif- tfems, as they rather reverenced him, than flood in oppofition to him in any argument. There was no form or manner of treaties that he had not feen and had ready in his head ; neither was there ever any went beyond him in any point of treaty. Yet was he ever more ready to prevent, than our enemies to attempt ; and more provident to fecure us, than they -were to offend us ; infomuch as there was no enemy of England that feared not the Treafurer, wi(hed his death, and prac- tifed to purchafe it. There was no prince or potentate, our friends, that did not reverence him, fend to him, and feem to hold his friend- Clip in eftimation. There v,'ere many demon - ^rations of the reputation many princes had of him; as when Mr. William Cecil, traveliing in Italy, was brought before cardinal Farnele, a man of great authority, who finding Mr. Cecil to be the grandfon of the high treafurer •of England, he lodged him in his houfe, ap- pointed divers gentlemen to attend him, and his horfes to be at his commandment; fpeak- ing moll reverently of his grandfather, and never left enquiring of the manner of his life, faihion, llature, fpeech, recreations, and fuch like; delighting to hear it, and talk of him, and at his departing gave him prefents and money in his purfe. The like did the duke of JflGrence to Mi , Edward Cecil, a younger
brother.
WILLI AM -CE CI L, 15
brother, and, which was an extraordinary fa- vour, the duke gave him leave to ride his own horfe ; and at his departure gave him gifts of price.
By his place and greatnefs he had daily in- telligence from many countries; and befides foreign letters he received not fo few as twen- ty or thirty other letters in a day, whereby he hadfometimes good news and fometimes bad; if it were good he would temperately fpeak of it, if ill he kept it to himfelf. He was ne- ver moved with pafTion in either, neither joy- ful at the befl, nor daunted at the worft; and it was noted in him, that though his bo- <3y was weak, his courage never failed, as in times of the greateft danger he ever fpoke moll chearfully, and executed things moil readily, when others feemed doubtful ; and when fome talked fearfully of the greatnefs of our enemies, he would ever anfwer, they ihail do no more than God will fuffer them ; whicn argued his whole truft in God, and a courage in himfelf.
In caufes depending before him in juftice, he regarded neither friend or enemy ; but if he leaned any way, it was rather to the foe, lead: he fhould be taxed of partiality ; and he would very (harpiy reprehend his friends, rela- tions, and fervants, for bringing fuits before him, when they were not upon good grounds, and would force them rather to compound than fue. In cafes of juftice, none could ever do him greater defpight than to oifer him any thing-: ke was known to refufe s. buck, and
many
x6 BRITISH PLUTARCR many pieces of plate at Nevv-years-tide ; ancf to offer him money was to offend him (o as they fared the worfe, ever faying, I will take- nothing of you, having a caufe depending be- fore me.
His careful courfe in the court of wards was moll commendable, for he was always careful both of her majelly's profit and prero- gative, and to maintain the privileges and au- thority of the court. Finding the revenue of the court to abate, he began to look into the caufe, writing letters to all the foedaries of England, to look better to the queen's fervice, for the increafing of her revenue. And though no mafter of the wards ever rated male wards above one year's valae, and females at two year's value, according to their lands found by office, his lordfliip increafed males to a year and an half, and raifed much the rates of females. And whereas other maftersof the wards, before his lordfhip demifed ward lands at the value found by office, and rated the fame at one year's value, his lordfliip would fuffer no leafe to pafs be- fore the lands were furveyed by the foedaries, and rated the fines at a year and a half, ac- cording to the improved values : though he might have raifed things to a higher rate if he had not refpefted her majefly's honour, and regarded the eafe of the fubje^l.
His lordfhip hated fraudulent conveyances to defeat the queen of wardfhip, and where he found the fault, he did fharply punifh it. He would alfo feverely punifti contemners of the queen's procefs, commonly ufing thef©
words »
V/ I L L I A M CECIL. 17
words, Melior eft obedientia quam vifiima* He ever endeavoured to commit wards to' p^rfbns of found religion, and preferred na- tural mothers before all others to the cuftody of their children, if they were not to be touch- ed v.ith any notable exception. He would often remember caufes and orders paft twenty or thirty years before, better than the coun- fellors, clerks, and often than the parti-es v.hom it concerned. At the arguing of any great caufes, he not only obferved and heard their arguments, but would alfo with great judgment plead and argue himfelf, and vvhea Ivc fct down orders, he would ever deliver the rcafon of liis order. His commandments we;e fnort, plain, and full, fo as a man of ve- ry mean capacity, might both underftand and efFeci them. He was fparing in commending any, and yet would praife fome, but lightly ; yet was the moft ready to cherifh the fufhcient. He favoured not the granting of wards in the f.ither*s lifetin e. He would never fuffer law- yers to wrangle, but ever hold them to the point jvvhich was a caufc of great reverence and order in the court. He would fine fne- rifi^s deeply if they were found negligent, and would never fpare any indebted to the queen. Yet was it imagined he made infinite gain by fuch wards as he kept in his own hands ;. but if it be narrowly fifted, it v/ill appear, that in all the time he was mailer of the wards, he referved to his own ufe but three, v/hereof he had profit but of two ; and when he granted a vvardlliip, as he did great numbers, he never.
took,
i8 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
took benefit of above four in a year, which "tvas in this fort. If either the mother, or the friends, wrote to him that they would give two or three hundred pounds to have the prefer- ment of a wardfnip, they had it without in- denting, bargaining, or examining the value, if it proved worth five times as much as they paid for it. At other times, peradVenture once or twice in a year, ar.obleman, lady, or gentleman that had a ward of him worth five hundred or a thoufand pounds, would feud him, fome eight pounds, fonie an hundred angelj, or a piece of plate at New-year's-day. And here is all the the profit that, one year with the other, he made of it, unlefs it were by a chance. The reft he gave freely to courtiers, to his friend?, to his feivants, to the mothers, or the wards thcmfelves. ft was found by the books of entries, that in two years znd a half his lordfiiip gave about two hundred wards, whereof a hundred and eighty fell to courtiers; though he was not bound to give any man a ward, without recompence to himfelf ; yet people much diminilhed his de- ferts.
His lordfhip kept two honfes, one at Lon- don, the other at Theobalds, though he was at charge, both at Burleigh and the court. At London he kept ordinarily in houfhold, fourfcore perfons, befides, his lordfhip and fuch as attended him at the court, the charge amounting to thirty pounds a week, and the fum yearly to fifteenhundred and fixty pounds; and in the term times, or when his lordlhip
lay
WILLIAM CECIL. 19
lay at London, his charge increafed ten or twelve pounds a week. At Theobalds he kept continually his houfhold lying at Lon- don, twenty-fix or thirty perfons, the charge being weekly twelve pounds : and alfo reliev- ed there daily twenty or thirty poor people at the gate, and befides gave weekly in money by Mr. Neal, his lordlliip's chaplain, vicar of Cheflhunt, twenty iliillings to the poor there. The weekly charge in letting poor on work, as vvooders, labourers, &;c. came to ten pounds, and fo his weekly charge at Theobalds, his houlhold being at London, was twenty- two pounds ; and the yearly fum eleven hun- dred and forty-four pounds; both fummed together his yearly charge was twenty-feven hundred and four pounds. When his lord- fhip was continually at the court, Vv'hich you may imagine much increafed at his lordfhip's coming home, for I have heard his officers affirm, that at his lordfliip's being at Theo- balds, it colt him fburfcore pounds in a week. The charge of his ftable, not here mentioned, was yearly a thoufand marks at the lead. Be- fides which certain charge he bought great quantities of corn in times of dearth, to fur- nifh markets about his own houfes at under* prices, to pull down the price to relieve the poor. He gave alfo for releafmg of prifoners in many of his latter years forty pounds, and iifty in a term ; and for twenty years together he gave yearly in beef, bread, and money, at Chriflmas, to the poor of Wellminfter, St.
Martin's
20 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
Martin's, St. Clement's, and at Theobald"?^ thirty five pounds, and Ibmetimes forty pounds per annum. He gave alio yearly to twenty poor men lodging in the Savoy, tv^enty fuits of apparel. He gave alfo for three years be- fore he died, to poor piifoners, and to poor parifhes, in money weekly forty-five fhillings, io as his certain alms, befides extraordinaries, wascailup to be five hundred pounds )early, one year with another.
With regard to the order and government of his houie, the oScers were fo many, as are ufuallyin the grearelc men's hoales. Theiewere prayers every day {aid in his chapel at eleven oi ,yie clock, where his lordfhip and all his fiPfVants Vvcre prefcnt, and feldom or ever went to dinner v^ithout prayers ; and fo llke« wife at fix of the clock, before fupper; which courfe was cbferved by his ftewaid in hi^ lordlhip's abfence. "When his lordfhip was able to fit abroad, he kept an honourable ta- ble for noblemen and others to refort unto; but when age and infirmities grew on him, he was forced to keep his chamber, where he- was void neither of company nor meat, having a.s many of his friends and children, as before ke had firangers : his diet beirg then as. chargeable weekly, as when he came abroad. His lordfnip's hall was ever well furniihed with men ferved with meat, and kept in good order; for his fieward kept a Handing table- /i)f gentlemen, befides two other long cables Cjufiy umcc twice fet cut, one for the clerk c£
William cecil. 21
tlie kitchen, the other for yeomen. And vvhe-* ther his lordQiip were abient or preient, all his men, both retainers and others, reforted continually to meat and meal, at their plea* lure, which I have feldom feen in any houfe.
His lordlhip was ferved with men of quali- ty and liability, for moll of the principal gen- tlemen in England, fought to prefer their fons and heirs to his fervice ; infom.uch as I have numbered in his houfe attending on -the table, twenty gentlemen of his retainers, of one thoufand pounds per annum a-piece, in pof- feffion and reverlion ; and of his ordinary men as many, fome worth a thoufand pounds, ibme three, five, ten, nay twenty thoufand pounds, daily attending his lordlhip's fervice.
His lordftiip's extraordinary charge in en- tertainment of the queen, was greater to him than to any of herfubjefts ; for he entertained her at his houfe twelve feveral times, which coft him two or three thoufand pounds each, lying there at his lordlhip's charge, fcmetimes three weeks or a month. But his love to his fovereign, and joy to entertain her and her train, was fo great, as he thought no trouble, care, nor coll, too much, and ail too little, fo it were bountifully performed, to her majeily's recreation, and the contentment of her train. Her majelly fometimes had llrangers and am- balTadors came to her at Theobalds, where (he hath been feen in as great royalty, and ferved as bountifully and magnificently, as at an^ other time or place j all at his brdfiiip's
charge.
52 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
charge, with rich (hews, pleafant devices, and all manner of fports, that could be deviled, to the great delight of her majefty, and her whole train, with great thanks from her, and as great commendation abroad.
He built three houfes, one in London for necelhty, another at Burliegh of compatency, for the manfion of his barony, and another at Waltham, for his younger Ton ; which at the firft he meant but for a little pile j but after he came to entertain the queen fo often there, he was forced to inlarge it, rather for 'the queen and her great train, and to (et poor men to work, than for pomp or glory ; for he ever faid, it would be too big for the fmall living he could leave his fon. The other two are but convenient, and no bigger than will fcrve for a nobleman, sU of them perfefled, con- venient, and to better purpofe for habitation, than many others built by great noblemen, being all beautiful, uniform, neceilliry, and well feated; which are great arguments of his wifdom and judgment. He greatly de- lighted in making gardens, fountains, and walks, which at Theobalds were perfe-f\ed, moil: beautifully, ard pleafantly, ■'.vhere one might walk two miles in the walks, before he came to the end. He alfo built an hofpital at Staniford near his houfe of Burliegh, all of freellone, and gave one hundred pounds of lands to it, for maintenance of twelve poor men for ever, eftabliihing many good ordi- nances and ftatutes, for the government there-
of.
WILLIAM CECIL. 23
of, In hope to continue it to the benefit of the poor.
He gave alfo thirty pounds a year for ever, to St. John's college in Cambridge, where he was a fcholar ; he gave alfo fome plate to remain to the houfe, for he entirely loved • learning and learned men, whom he ever held in reverence and regard, ever ufing his credit and authority, to relieve and advance men of learning and defert, all which proved he was neither covetous or miferable. And for fur- ther manifeftation of his honourable inclination, fee but into his eftate at the time of his death, there ihall you find proved that I have alledg- €d ; for his land was never above four thou- fand pounds a year, befide the land he gave to the three young ladies, wherein he fhewed his honourable kindnefs ; for he bought part of my lord Oxford's lands, to give to my lord of Oxford's own daughters : his money was not above eleven thoufand pounds, divided into many parts, whereof his eldefh fon had not one penny : his plate was not above fourteen or fifteen thoufand pounds, divided into many parts, whereof a great quantity v/as given away in legacies: his houihold ftufFwas as mean as any r.obleman"s of reafonable quality, and this was the great wealth of fo great a counfellor, living forty years together in his prince's favour, which infallibly doth prove, he was neither covetous to gain, nor miferable in his expences, though the vulgar fort may think his wealth greater, xneafuring his eftate rather by that he might
have.
^4 BRITISH PLUTARCH, have, than by what he had; but his temperate life, his wifdon], juftice, integrity, and honeil actions, do more lively and truly difprove his envious detradors, by his notorious and wor- thy deeds, than can be devifed by any words or invention of the moil eloquent writers.
There was never any man living in his .place, did more refpeift and eileem the nobility than his lordftiip ; and where he found any tovvardnefs in a nobleman, it would as much rejoice him as if he had been his own fon, and would do all he coald to bring him for- ward ; yet would flander report he hindered men from rifmg ; but how true it is wife men may judge, for it was in the queen to take whom fhe pleafed, and not in a fubjed to pre- fer whom he lifted.
But, above all things, great was his care for the relief and maintenance of the poor foldiers, which made the rich captain fay he loved not a foldier. It is true, he loved not a bad cap- tain that robbed the poor foldier; but he took great care and good order for the foldier. His Icrdihip was the firil devifed to apparel them, and procured their weekly lendings to be paid by pole, not before ufed ; for the cap- tain was wont ro receive the whole pay for all his foldiers, who were then neither fo well paid nor pleafed, as by this new courfe, every man to receive it himfelf; and the reafon why his lordlhip miiliked a bad captain, was when he gave not the foldier his due, who fometimes ilarved for want, to the lofs of many a brave
foul,
WILLIAM CECIL. 25 foul, and the hindrance of her majefty's fer- vice.
He was moil patient in hearing, ready in difpatching, and mild in anfwering fuitorp. When they had his denial, it was given with fuch gentlenefs, it pleafed them as well as his grant. If a caufe were bad he would hear it with patience, and reform it with temperance ; if it were good, he would adjudge it fo with good words ; the worft fort and the beft were anfwered with mildnefs, being neither offended at the one nor partial in the other, infom.uch as in thirty years together he was feldorn feen moved with joy in profperlty, or forrow in adverfity ; his temper ever noted as one of his greatert virtues, until within three or four years before his death, when age, the mother ofmorofity, and continuance of fjcknefs, to- gether with multitude of bufinefs for his country, which not fucceeding nor forting to his delires, altered his natural difpofition, and gave way to age's imperfeclions; but his an- ger was neither fudden nor furious ; his words were but wind, no fooner fpoken than forgot- ten, for he woyld prefently fpeak fair again ; and if he had angrily fpoken to any of his fer- vants, he would immediately fpeak fair, and as it were feek to be friends with them; and commonly he would fooneft do for fuch as he had fallen out v^'ith.
When any attempts or fervices of impor- tance were propounded, he would diligently confider of the probabily and commodity of , Vol. IV. C fuccefs.
26 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
fuccefs, which if he found good for the ftate, he was never quiet till they were expedited ; but if there were found any apparent doubt or danger, he was fparing of his counfel to put fuch forward ; he was (low in refolving, but fpeedy to expedite good refolutions ; for there was none more forward in any adlion which promifed honour or wealth to his coun- try ; yetv\ould envy fay, he hindered many fervices with his fparing ; as though all refo- lutions of fervice and charge palled not from the queen and council, as well as from him. But it was his misfortune to bear the biame of the worit, and others to have the praile of his fervice and pains; yea, faid fonie, but he might have perfuaded the queen to do things roundly, and then had they fucceeded happily. But to the wife it will appear, that he was nei- ther able at all times to rule the queen or council, nor to diredl them, and therefore not to be blamed for errors refolved by all, and not by himleif only. And whofoever had feeu his intolerable pains, would confefs he had little reafon to draw all bufinefs to himfelf, as wa5 faid of him ; and though all, or moft part, of the bufinefs of ftate, paffed his hands for a long time together, yet he fought it not ; ior it was a thing he ever complained of, to have fo many things thrown upon him ; he was commanded to many things he was loth to do, and would have refufed, but for offend- ing. How could it then be his feeking ? if fuch as faid fo, or thought fo, had feen his
inceffant
WILLIAM CECIL. 27 inceHant toil and continual care, they would have rather pided him, than think that any reafonable man, could defire fuch a laborious life.
There wanted not envy and fpight, the com- panions of profperity, to detract, and, as far as they could, to blemifh the brightnels of his virtues, though the chief ground of men's grudgings, were the originals of his praifes ; for when courtiers and others had fuits to her majePcy, v. hich fhe ever referred to his con- fideration, he finding them neither reafonable • nor lawful, would v/iih them to take honeil and lawful fuits, and then he Vv'ould do his bed to further them, as he did many ; but otherwife he would plainly tell them, the queen might do what ihe pleafed, but he would never recommend their fuit : as fome would fue for monopolies, fome for conceal- ments, fome for innovations ag^inft law ; all which he proteiled againft, terming them can!<ers of the commonwealth ; others to take leafes and turn out the queen's ancient te- nants, others to have fuch of the queen's lands as were not fit to pafs from the crown, and mnny fuch like ; which when he mifliked or rejected, and that they had not even what they lilled, then they railed on him, though he had done them never fo many pleafures before.
He could never like or allovv- to put out any
of the queen's poor tenants; he would never
fpare any man for the queen's debts, faying
they deferved no favour ; for their detaining
C z the
23 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
the queen's money made her afk more of hef fubjeds; whereby her majefty was deceived^ and the fubjed abuled and opprefled. His care and courfe in getting in the queen's debts was fuch, as there was never fo much brought in, as fince he came in place. He would ne- ver pay a penny of the queen's money without her warrant, nor ever borrowed or took any money out of the exchequer for his own ufe, as many treafurers have done : neither did he owe the queen a penny when he died. He ever greatly commended the ftudy of the com- mon law, above all other learning, faying, that if he fhould begin again, he would fol- low that ftudy. When he found any obfli- nately bent to take advantage in extremity of law, he would wifh not to fall into fuch a ty- rant's hands, telling them to remember the fay- ing of the fcripture, to do as they would be done unto. He was fo careful in the admini- ilration of juilice, as many times he favoured the fubjeft in caufes of the prince ; as when one Mr. Throgmorton had a cafe in the ex- chequer, which was hardly recovered for the queen upon a nice point, he would not fuffer thejudgment to he entered, but with this con- dition, to enter the reafons, and that it was a cafe of the queen's prerogative, and not of law.
He did never raife his own rents, nor dif- place his tenants, but as the rents went when he bought the lands, fo the tenants ftill held ►them i and 1 know feme of his tenants paid
him
WILLIAM CECIL. 29
him but twenty pounds per annum, for a thing worth two hundred, which he enjoyed during his lordfhip's life.
His care was not leaft, in prefering learned and good men to the queen, to be judges and officers ; for he would often fay, that honeft counfellors and good judges and officers in courts of juftice, were the pillars of the ftate, and that the queen and the realm were happy in this age, to have fo many.
He would often fay, he thought there v/as never fo wife a woman born, for all refpeds, as queen Elizabeth ; for fhe fpake and under- ilood all languages, knew al) eilates and dif- pofitions of ail princes; and fo expert in her own, as no counfellor ftie had could tell her that iTie knew not. She had fo rare gifts, as v.'hen her council had faid all they could, Oie would find out a wife council beyond all theirs, and that ihe fliewed her wifdom and care of ^ her country ; for there was never any great confultation, but fhe would be prefent herfeif, to her great profit and praife.
He was defirous to prefer good and learned men to be bilhiOps, and minivers, affirming it to be the only foundation of the good and peaceable eftate of a commonwealth, faying, that where the people were well taught, the king had ever good obedience cf his fubje«?ts ; and where there wanted a good miniftry, there •were ever bad people ; for they that knev/ not how to ferve God, would never obey the king. He would fay there could be no firm Q 3 n©r
30 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
nor fettled courfe in religion, without order and government ; for without a head there could be no body : and, if all were head^, there Ihould be no bodies to fet the heads npon : all muft not be alike ; fonie muft rule, fome obey ; and all do their duties to God and the church, like good pallors and teachers in every function . He held there could be ro government where there was ^divifion ; and, that llate could never be in fafety, where there was toleration of two religions ; for there is no enmity fo great as that for religion, and they that differ in the fervice of God, can never agree in the fervice of their country.
His piety and devotion was fuch, that he 'never failed to ferve his God before he ferved his country ; for he duly obferved his exercife of prayer, morning and evening, all the time he was fecretary, never failing to be at the chapel in the queen's honfe every morning, (o ]cng as he could go; and afterwards, by his irfirmity, not able to go abroad, he ufed, every morning and evening, to have a cufhing laid by his bed-fide, wh.ere he prayed on his knees, without fail, what hrfte or bufmefs fo- ever he had : but, v^hen he could" kneel no more, he had then his book in his bed ; and when himfelf could not fo well hold his book, he had one to read to him ; fo as, one way or other, he failed not his prayers.
Ke would never mifs ftrmon if he were able but to be carried out, though to his great pain and danger, nor ever failed the communion- day
WILLIAM CECIL. 31
day every firft day in the month ; and com- monlys in his latter time, there was never a Sunday when he had been at a fermon^ but he gave twenty (hillings to his chaplain, to be bellowed on the poor, beildes all his ctiier daily alms, which were great. Befides his own devotion, his care was like for his fervants j for, if he found any negligent or abfent from prayers, as many times he would purpofeiy enquire, he would more fharply reprehend thtm for that than for any thing.
As he was, by nature, verv kind and cour- teous, fo was he to his friends affable and temperately kind ; ready to do them good when he might do it of himfelf, without pre- judice to others, and that not frequently j for, where he faw any prefume of his favour, he uas fure to have the lefs : and this was ever found in him, that, though he had been never fo familiar or merry with any of his friends, if prefcntly they had moved a fuic to him, he would look more ftrangely on them, and give but a cold anfwer, til) he faw it v.'ere fie for them to have and him to grant ; at laft tliey had it, fometimes hardly, and fometimes with good words ; yet ever fo as they had fniall caufe to prefum.e of his familiarity or courteous ipeech ; infomuch as they that were moll fa- miliar with him, were moil afraid to move him in any fuits ; which rule he obferved to uphold his integrity.
To his enemies he was rather remifs than
rigorous, being often ufed to fay, *' I know !
C 4 have
52 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
have fome enemies who do malice me, but Co do not I them ; God forgive them, and I thank God I never went to bed oat of charity with any man."
He was of the fvveetell, kind, and moil: tradlable nature ; gentle and courteous in fpeech ; Aveet in counienance ; and pleaiingly fociable with fuch as he converfed : his kind- nefs moft expreiTed to his children, to whom there was never man more loving; and yet with fuch wife moderation, that he was in- wardly more kind than outA'ardly fond of them J and which is ever a mark of a good nature, if he could get his table fet round with his young Hub children, he was theij in his kingdom. It was exceecing pl:?arure to hear what fport he would make Vv'iih them, and how aptly and merrily he would talk with them, with iuch pretty queiiions, and witty allurements, as much delighted himfelf, the children, and tlie hearers. Thus he Vv'as happy in moit worldly things, but molt happy in his children and children's children. He had his own children, grandchildren, and great-grand-children ordinariJy at his table, fetting about him like the olive-brahches ; and there was no degree in blood, or confangui- niry, but was to be found fitting at his table; wherein he would many times rejoice as in one of God's great bieSings. There were, pro- ceeding from his own Dody, and his mother - might fee the fifth defcent from herfelf. A happy motlier, and a bleffed fon ; for, as the
fcripture
WTLLTAM CECIL. 35 fcripture faith, he had feen his children's children, and peace upon the land.
His temperate mind ever tempered all his a6lion5 in fuch moderate carriage of his great -fortune, that he liked and defired private things, hating all pomp and glorious flioivs ; for, if he might ride privately in his garden upon his little moile, or lie a day or two at his Jittle lodge at Theobald's, retired from bufi- Tjefs, or too much company, he thought it his greateft greatneis, and only happineis; or, if he could get any of his old acquaintance who could difcourfe of their youth, or of things pad in old time, it was notable to hear what merry /lories he would tell. It was faid of him, that he could call to mind any thing he had done, feen, or read ; for, when officers and learned men often talked with him, either in learning or caufes pafc, he would fo readily re- member and repeat, either, that he heard or read twenty, yea forty years before, as caufed many to wonder at his great memory, having -fo infinite other things in his head.
He was of fpare and temperate diet, eating never but of two or three dift}es, drinking never above thrice at a meal, and very feldom wine. He would many times forbear fuppers if he found his ftomach offended ; and, above all things, what bufmefs foever was in his head, it was never perceived at his table, where he would be fo merry as one would imagine Jie had nothing elfe to do ; diieiling ills ipeech to all men according to their q uali- ■C i: ties
34 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
t t-^" and capacities, as he railed mirth out of all men's fpeeches, augmenting it with his own ; whereby he wanted no company fo long as he was able to keep company. His fpeeches, though they were merry, yet fo full of wif- dom, as many came rather to hear his fpeeches than CO eat his m:at ; for, even in his Ordi- nary talk, he uttered fo many notable things, as one might learn more in one hour's hear- ing him than a month's reading. He loved to be meiry himfelf. and liked and commended all others that were of pleafant natures, being dlfcrett with all.
His eloquence was his plainnefs in fami* nilar common words, without afFeftation ; wherein it was obferved in him, a thing Arange, that, in fo plain terms as commonly he ufed, his eloquence was fo excellent, as, that he fpake was impoflible to be delivered more rhetorically, clearly and fignificantly ; eafy to be underfiood and remem.bred ; and yet, beyond the eloquence of others, thought to be mcft eloquent.
His recreation was chiefly in his books, where, if he had time, he was more delighted- than ethers with play at cards ; or, if he could get a learned man to talk withal, he was much pleafed. Books were fo pleafmg to him, as, when he got liberty to go unto his houfe to take air, if he found a book worth the opening, he would rather lofe his riding than his reading; and yet riding in his garden' U'alks, upon his little moile, was his greateft
difport :
WILLIAM CECIL. r?
cUfport : but Co (oon as he came in he fell to his reading again, or elfe to difpatching bufi- nefs ; and this was all his recreation and couife of life. He feldom or never played at any game, for he could play at none. He would fometimes look a while on (hooters or bowlers as he rid abroad. He was delighted to talk and be merry with his friends only at meals, for he had no more leifure ; but he never had. any favourites, as they are termed, nor any inward companion, as great men commonly have ; neither made he any man of his coun- cil, nor any ever knew his fecrets ; fome not- ing it a fault, but moll thinking it a praife of his wifdom ; for, by trufting none with his fecrets, none could reveal them ; nor opening himfelf to none, there was none could look far into him^ yet was there fome two or three who frequented his company at meals, mora than the reft, with whom he v/ould be moll familiar and merry, ufmg them exceeding kindly ; yet they neither knew his fecrets, nor could, by their credit or familiarity with him, draw him to do any thing in furthering or hin- drance of any fuit, or any peribn, if their caufe deferved it not.
His bell record was his experience, me- mory, and notable invention, evxn to as high perfedion as could be in any man. In what learning was ht? ignorant ? What office was there wherein he had not experience ? What court of juftice whereof he knew not the courfe ? Vv'hat province; county, city^ C 6 OF
36 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
or notable place in England, he could not de- Icnbe ? Nay, What nobleman, or gentle- man, and ihcir dwellings, matches, and pedi- grees, did lie not know? and could many- times uefcribe every particular place, perfon^ river, haven, park, and lordfhip, near any gentleman, better than himfelf that dwelt there. In what fervice, abroad or at home:, was he ignorant, or not perfectly pradliled ? He knew the ftate of all countries, the nature ol all princes, their friends, foes, alliances, matches, and pedigrees. He was privy to their policies and pradifes, and often pre- vented their purpofes. In weighty affairs of council he was moil expert ; in policy of peace, in directions of war, in provifions for fo'ditrs and (hips, in proceedings of parlia- ment, in all courts of jullice, in public fpeeches, or private conference.
He took great pains and delight in pedi- grees, wherein he had great knowledge, and •wrote whole books of them with his own Jiand; which greatly augmented his know- ledge both abroad and at home. He obferved all daily accidents, writing vvhatfoever paffed- which he" continued from the time he was nineteen years old even til! he died ; and, if his notes .and v^'ritin.gs were v.eil perufed and j-econciled, there would ht found notable -matter for a good writer to ground an excel- :leiit {lory of this time.
-Hie death was not fudden, nor his pain in ^cknefo ^reat; for Jbe ^continued .languilhirig
two
WILLIAM CECIL. 37
two or three months, yet went abroad to take ;air in his coach all that time ^ retiring himfelf from the court, fonietimes to his houle at Theobald's, and fometimes at London. His greateft infirmity appearing, was the weaknefs of his flomach. It was alfo thought his mind was troubled that he could not work a peace for his country, which he earneftly laboured and defired of any thing, feeking to leave it a^ he had long kept it. He contemned this life, and expeded the next ; for there was no earthly thing wherein he took comfort, but in con- templation, reading, or hearing the Scriptures, Pfalms, and Prayers.
About ten or twelve days before he died, "he grew weak, and fo driven to keep his bed, complaining only of a pain in his breaft ; which was thought to be the humour of the gout, wherewith he was fo long poffeffed, fall- ing to that place, without any ague, fever, or -fign of dijlemper ; and that pain not great nor -continual, but by fits ; and fo continued till within one night before his death. At fix o'clock at night, the phyficians finding no di- ilemper in his pulfe or body, but aflhring his life, affirming that it was impoffible he fliould be heart-fickthat had fo good temper, and fo perfeft pulfe and fenfes ; yet at feven o'clock following, he fell into a convulfion like to the ■fhaking of a cold ague. ** Now," quoth he, '* th-e Lord he .prriifed, the time is come ,** and, calling for his children, bleiled them und took his lead's, commanding them to ferve and
ie«
3? BRITISH fLUTARCH. fear God, and love one another. He alio prayed for the queen, ^^at ihe might live long and die in peace.
Then he called P- Thomas Bellot, his fleward, one of his executors, and delivered him his will, faying, '* ^ have ever found thes true to me, and I pow truft thee with all.'" Who, like a goodly ^^"^^ ^^^' prayed his lordlhip, as he had ^^^^d religioufly, fo now to remember his S^^^i^ur Chrift, by whofe blood he was to hav(2 forgivenefs of his fms ; with many the like fpeeches ufed by his chap- lains : to whom he aniwered, It was done al- ready, for he was afTered God had forgiven his fms, and would fave ^'^ ^^^^' Then he called his chaplains, with ^^1 the company, to fay prayers for him, hin^^elf faying after them all the time they prayec^*
He continued lariS^'^^'^^g thus moft pair- entlv, flill having memory perfed, till twelve- o'clock ; lying pray^ig to bimfelf, faying the Lord's Prayer in L^^in ; whereupon fome in- ferred he was popifl^ 5 t)ut God knoweth the contrary; for it ^'^s not flrange to hear him pray in Latin* becaufe he never read any books or prayers but m Latin,' French, or Italian, very felc^o^^^^ i^ EngliOi. At twelve o'clock his fpeech b'^ga" to fail him : then fiid he, '* O Lord hav^ "^ercy on me, my fpeech faileth me :" and ^"^ languifhmg till four o'clock, fometimes wanting, and fometimes having fpeech, he often faid, O what a heart is this that will not ^^t me die ! Come, Lord
Jefui
WILLIAM CECIL. 39
Jefu; one drop of death, Lord Jefu ! and fo lay prayinp; to himfelf, as we might hear him Ipeak fottly : in which extremity you muft imagine, the wailing of his children, friends, and fervants, being twenty in the chamber ; every one praying and devifing what to give him, to hold life in him, if it were poiTible : but when they flrived to give him any thing, he came to hirnfelf, faying, *' O ye torment me, for God's fake let me die quietly." Then laying ftill, the ftanders by might hear him fay foftly to himfelf, " Lord receive my fpi- rit ; Lord have mercy upon me :" which were the lafi words he was heard to fpeak. So he continued fpeechlefs and fenfelefs, laying ftill as it were in a fleep without pain, till it was eight o'clock in the morning, and then died: but, though many watched to fee when he ftiould die, he lay looking fo fweetly, and went away fo mildly, as in a fleep, that it could fcarce be perceived when the breath went out of his body.
Now might one fee all the world mourning; the queen, for an old and true fervant ; the council, for a wife and grave counfellor; the court, for their honourable benefaclor ; his country, and common ivealth, trembling as it were at one blow, to have their head ftricken off; the people, widows, and varus, lament- ing to lofe their proteftof ; religion, her pa- tron ; juftice, her true minilter ; and peace, her upholder. His children b&wailing the Icfs cf fuch a father, his friends of fuch a
friend.
40 BRITISH PLUTARCH, friend, and his fervants of fuch a tnafter ; all men rather bewailing his lofs, than hoping ever to find fuch another. Yea, his very ene- mies, who in his life- time could not abide him, did now both forrow for hiis death and Hviih him alive again.
He was the oldeil, the graveft, and greateU: ilatefman of Chriftendom ; for there was, be- fore his death, never a counfellor left alive in Europe that were ccunfellors when he was firll made.
He died on the fourth of Auguft, 1598; and, if he had lived but till the thirteenth of September following, he fhould have been threefcore and feventeen years old; whereof he lacked but a month and iive or fix days.
He was rather well proportioned than tall, being of the middle fize, very ftraight and up- right of body and legs, and, until age and his infirmity of the gout furprifed him, very ^ftive and nimble of body. He was of vifagc very well favoured, and of an excellent com- plexion; infomuch as, even in his latter days, when he was well and warm, or had new dined or fupped, he had as good colour in his face as moft fair women. His ftate of body neither fat nor lean, but well flefhed. His hair and beard .were all white, which hereto- fore, as it Teemed, was of a brown colour^ his beard of a reafonable length, rather well proportioned than too long or too big ; fair, white, -and comely ; and, all parts r-eipeded 4o^etherj I tliinic there wer-e few that .knew
ihim
WILLIAM CECIL, 41
5iim but will fay, he was one of the Aveeteft ^,nd nioft well favoured, well mannered old men that hath been feen.
From what hath been faid, it is left to the reader's judgment, Whether England ever produced a more able fcatefnian, or greater patriot ? And yet, in thofe times (fach is the fate of minifrers in power) there were fome who, from their own ambitious defigns, en- vied him the favour of hi^ royal miibefs ; which he acquired by his profound knowledge, inviolable integrity, and fupeaior merits.
MEMOIRS
42 BRITISH PLUTARCH. MEMOIRS
O F
SirFrancisWalsingnam,
SIR Francis Walsingham, fecretary of ftate in the reign of queen Elizabeth, was defcended of an ancient and good fiimily, and educated in the univerrity of Cambridge ; whence he travelled into foreign countries, whither he retired iikewife during the reign of queen Mary, on account of religion.
In the year 1 5:70, he was fent embaiTador to France, where he ferved queen Elizabeth with great fidelity and addrefs : but, by his vail expences in procuring intelligence in that cri- tical period, involved himfelf fo deeply in debt, that he was obliged to follicit for his leave to return home ; which he at lall ob- tained in April, 1572. His emineni abilities raifed him to the poft of fecretary of Rate in January following. In i^Si, he was again fent embafiador into France; and, in 1583, into Scotland, in order to advife king James Vr. not to fufFer himfelf to be mifled by evil counfellors, to the prejudice of both king- doms 5 and was received by that king with
great
rarw^d ^^yruiH?i^jfi{:i/rn ,
FRANCIS WALSINGHAM. 45
great refpeci, though efieemed by his majefty no real friend, either to himlelf orhis mother, Mary, queen of Scots.
In 1586, he founded a divinity-Ieflure in the univerfity of Oxford ; the reader of which was to diicourfe on the fundamentals of reli- gion and the holy fcriptures, hy way of com- mon-place, that the controverfies arifing thence might be more particularly difcuficd. The fame year, by his peculiar fagacity and management, he unravelled the whole plot of Babingion, and others, againll the life of the queen.
Soon after this, he was appointed one of the commifiicncrs for the trial of the queen of Scots, having before oppofed the advice of the earl of Leicefter, who was inclined to difpatth her by poifon, and had privately lent a court- divine to fecretary Walfmgham, to perfuade him to confent ; but the latter perliUed in his opinion, that fuch a method of proceeding was not only unjurt, but likewife dangerous and diilionourabie to their royal miftrefs^ However, after the queen of Scots was con- demned, and the warrant figned, on the firft of February, 1586-7, for her execution, he, with Davilon, the other fecretary of ftate, was ordered by queen Elizabeth to write to Sir Amias Powlet, and Sir Drue Drury, in whofe cuitody queen Mary was, to make her fecretly away ; but thofe two gentlemen thought pro- per to decline fo odious an oftice.
la
44 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
In 1587, the king of Spain having made vaft preparations, which furprifed and kept all Europe in rulpenfe, not knowing on what na- tion the ftorm would break, Walfingham employed his utmoft endeavours for tlie difco- veiy of this important fecret; and accordingly- procured intelligence from Madrid, that the king had informed his council of his having fent an exprefs to Rome, with a letter from his own hand to the pope, acquainting hira with the true dcUgn of his preparations, and begging his bleiiing upon it ; which, for fome reafons, he could not difclofe to them till the return of the courier. The fecret being thus lodged with the pope, Walling- ham, by the means of a Venetian prieft re- tained at Rome as a fpy, got a copy of the criginsl letter, which was liolen out of the pope's cabinet by a gentleman of the bed- chamber, who look the key out of the pope's pocket while he fiept.
After this, by his dextrous management, he caufed the Spaniards bills to be protefted at Genoa, which .iliould have fupplied them with money for their extraordinary preparations ; and, by this means, he happily retarded this formidable invafion for a whole year.
However, after all his eminent fervices to bis country, this great man gave a remarkable proof at his death (which happened on the fixth of April, 1590,) how far he preferred the public to his own intereft ; for, though, belides his poft of fwcretary of Hate, he was
chancellor
FRANCIS WALSINGHAM. 45
chancellor to the dutchy of Lancailer, and of the gai ter ; yet he died fo poor, that his friends were obliged to bury him by night in St. Paul's church, leil his body ihould be ar- reted for debt.
He left only one daughter, famous for hav- ing three hu (bands of the greateft diftindion : firit, Sir Philip Sidney ; fecondly, Rob^^rt Devereux, earlofEffex; and, laitly, Richard Bourk, earl of Clanrickard, and afterwards earl of St. Albans.
He was, at iirft, a favourer of the puritan party; to whom he offered, in 1583, in the queen's name, that, provided they would conform in other points, the three ceremonies, of kneeling at the communion, wearing the furplice, and the crofs in baptifm, fhoald be expunged out of the Common-Prayer. But they replying to thefe concelTions, in the lan- guage of Mofes, That they would not leave fo much as a hoof behind; meaning that they would have the church- liturgy wholly laid afede, and not be obliged to the performance of any ofSce in it ; fo unexpeded an anfwer loft them, in a great meafure, Waifingham's affedion.
He was undoubtedly one of the mod refined politicians, and mod penetrating llatefmen, that ever any age produced. He had an ad- mirable talent both in difcovering and ma- naging the fecret reCv-^ffes of h^]man nature: he had his fpies in moil courts of Chrillendom,
and
46 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
and allowed them a liberal maintainance ; for his grand maxim was, That knowledge is never too dear.
He Ipent his whole time and faculties in the fervice of the queen and her kingdoms : on which account her majelly was heard to fay, That, in diligence and fagacity, he exceeded her expe<5lation.
He is thought to have had a principal hand in laying the foundation of the wars in France and Flanders ; and is faid, upon his return from his embaiTy in France, when the queen expreffed her apprehenfion of the Spanilh de- figns sgainil that king;dcm, to have anfwered, *' Madam, be content, and fear not. The Spaniard hath a great appetite, and an excel- lent digeilion ; but 1 have fitted him with a bone for theie twenty years, that your m.ajefty fliall have no caufe to dread him, provided, that, if the fiie chance to flack which I have kindled, ycu will be ruled by me, and cad in fome of your fuel, which will revive the flame."
He would cherifh a plot fbme years together, admitting the confpirators to his own, and even the queen's, preience very "fam/iliarly ; but took care to have them carefully watched. His fpies conliantly attended on particular men for three years together ; and, left they •(hould not keep the fecret, he difpatched them into foreign parts, taking in new ones in their room. His training of Parry, who defigned the murder of the queen ; the admitting him,
under
FRANCIS WALSIxNGHAM. 47 under the pretence of difcovering the plot, to her majeily's prelence ; and then letting him go where he would, only on the fecurity of a centinel fet over him ; was an inilancc of reach and hazard beyond common apprehenfion.
The quten of Scots letters were all carried to him by her own fervant, whom fhe trufted, and were decyphered for him by one Philips, and fealed up again by one Gregory ; fo that neither that qaeen, nor any of her correfpond- entF, ever perceived, either the feals defaced, or letters delayed. Video taceo, was his fay- ing before it was his miilrefs's motto.
He could as well fit the humour of king James of Scotland with parages out of Xeno- phon, Thucydidw6, Plutarch, or Tacitus, as he could that of Henry, king o( France, with Rabelais's Corceits, or the Hollander with mechanic difcourles. He ferved himfeif of the court factions as the queen did, neither advancing the one nor depreiTmg the other. He was familiar with Cecil, allied to Leiceiler, and an oracle to RadclilTe, earl of Suffex.
His converfacion was innnuating and yet rc- ferved. He faw every man, and none faw him. " His fpirit," fays Mr. Lloyd, '* was as public as his parts ; yet as debonaire as he was prudent; 'and as obliging to the fofter but predominant parts of the world, as 1 e was ferviceable to the more {ever^ ; and no lefs dextrous to work on humours, than to convince reafcn. He would fay, he raud ob- lerve the joints and textures of affairs ; and fo
could
48 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
could do more with a flory than others could with an harangue. He always furprized bufi- nefs, and preferred motions in the heat of other diverfions ; and, if he mull debate it, he woiild hear all, and with the advantage of foregoing fpeeches, that either cautioned or -confirmed his refolutions, he carried all before him in conclufion, without a reply. To him men's faces fpoke as much as their tongues, and their countenances were in- ^exes of their hearts. He would fo befet men with quellians, and draw them on, that they difcovered tJiemielves, whechei they an- fw^red or were filent.
" He maintained fifty-three agents and eighteen fpies in foreign courts : and; for two piltofp^^ tin order, had all the private papers in iiurope. Few letters "Cfcaped his hands ; and he couM read tneir contents without touch- ing the fjals.
'^ Religion was the intereft of his coun- trv, in his judgment, and of his foul; there- fore he maintained it as fmcerely as he loved it. It had his head, his purfe, and his heart. He laid the great foundation of the proteHant conilitution, as to its policy, and the main-plot againil the popifh, as to its ruin."
THE
CJu:ri/^t7/.v (^/'//VV^/^/
7
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 4^ The life of
Robert Deversux,
ROBERT Devereux, carlofEfTex, a gal- lant foldier, and great favourite, in the reign of queen Elizabeth, was foil to Walter, earl of EfTex, and Lattice, daughter to fir Francis Knolles, who was related to queen Elizabeth. He was born on the tenth of No- vember, 1567, at Netherwood, his father's feat, in Hereford (hire, when that noble pcrfoii had attained no higher title than that of vif- count Hereford.
In his tender years, it is reported, there did not appear any figns of an extraordinary geni- us in him ; and one who was long in his fer- vice, and could noc but be well acquainted with the fecrets of the family, affures us, that his father died but with a very cold conceit of his abilities ; which, fome thou^crht, pro- ceeded from his great affeflion for his youn- ger fon, Walter Devereux, who, it feems, had quicker and more livelier t-arts in his childhood. Hov/ever, when he breathed his laft in Ireland, he recommended this foii of his, then in the tenth year of his age, to t e pro- teAion of Thomas RadclilFe, earl ci -ufTex; and to the care of William Cecil, Icrd Bur- leigh, whom he appointed his guardian. Vol. IV. D Mr.
50 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
Mr. Waterhoufe, then fecretary for Ireland, a perfon equally favoured by his father and .Sir Kenry Sidney, lord-deputy of Ireland, had the immediate direflion of his perfon and ellate, which, though not a little injured by his fa- ther's public fpirit, was, however, very con fi- dcrable ; and ths regard (hevi'n for his con- cerns, by the mofl: powerful perfons at court, was fo remarkable, that Mr. Waterhoufe made no difficulty of affirming, there was not, at that time, any man fo ftrong in friends as the Jictle earl of Effex.
His application on the behalf of the young earl, that he might be preferved in the pofTef- fion of thofe honours which his father had en- joyed in Vv^ales, and which were attended with power and influence rather than profit, had better fortune through the affillance of the earl of SuflTex, who eafily procured from the queen this mark of favour for a tender youth, whofe father had deferved fo well.
In 1578, when he was about twelve years of age, he A^as fent to the univerfity of Cambridge by the lord Burle-gh, who placed him in Tri- nity-college, under the care of Dr. Whitgit't, then mailer, and afterwards a<chbi{hop of Canterbury. He was educated there with much flriilnefs, and applied himfelf to learn- ing with great diligence; fo that, his quality confidered, there were fe^v young men of his flanding more dilHnguifhed, either for folidity of judgment, or for an eafy and eloque.':t man- ner of exprefling their fentiments,
Somf
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 51
Some bold writers have afTerted, that, as Dr. Whitgift rofe in his preferments, he funk In the elleem of his pupil, who, as they would have us believe, conceived an early diflike to biOiops; but fuch as knew the world well in thefe days, and had the faireft opportunities of knowing the earl, afTert the contrary, and that he continued always to treat the archbifhop a5 his particular fiiend, and to refped him as hU parent.
In 1582, having taken the degree of mailer of arts, he foon after left Cambridge, and re- tired to his own houfe at Lambfie, in South- Wales, where he fpent fome time in privacy and retirement; and was fo far from having any thing of the eagernefs or impetuofity na- tural to youth, thr:t, inllcad of being difpleafed, he became enamoured of his rural retreat ; in- fomuch that it was with difficulty he was pre-, vailed upon to leave it.
His firil appearance at court, at leaii as a candidate for royal favour, was in the feven- teenth year of his age : however, when he came thither, it is certain, he could not have hoped, or even willied, a better reception. He brought with him, amor.gft other Ibcng recommendations, a line perfon, an aoreeable behaviour, and an ^ability which procured him many friends, befides the rare qualities of true piety, unairesSled zeal for the public welfare, and a warmth and fmcerity in his friend Ihips which entitled him to univerfal cHeem, He, by degrees, fo far overcame that D 2 reladance
52 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
felu6lance which he is faid to have flievvn, to tie the afllilance of the powerful eail of Lei- cefter, that, towards the clofe of the year 1585, he accompanied hiip., with many others of the nobility, to Holland ; where we find him the next year in the field, with the title of general of the horfe ; and, in this quality, he gave the higheft proofs of perfonal courage, in the battle of Zutphen, on the twenty-fecond of September, 1586 , and, for his gallant behaviour upon this occafion, the earl of Leicefter conferred upon him the ho- nour of a knight-banneret in his camp.
Oh his return to England, it very :pickly appeared, that the queen not only approved, but was defirous alfo of rewarding, his fer* vices ; and his llep-fatber, the earl of Leice{^ ter, being advanced to the office of lord-itew- ard of her mrjefty's houHiold, ihe, on the twenty-third of December, 1587, made the earl of Eiiex mafter of the horfe in his room.
In the fucceeding year, he continued to rife ; for, when her majefty thought fit to af' femble the army at Tilbury, for the defence of the kingdom, in cafe the Spaniards had landed, and gave the command of it, under herfelf, to the earl of Leicefter, (he created the earl of Efiex general of the horfe : fo that, from this time, he was confidered as the favourite "declared ; and, if there was any mark yet wanting to fix the people's opinion in that rc- fped, it was (hev/n, by the queen's confering
Oft
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 53
on him, fhortly after, the moll noble order of the garter.
We need not wonder that fo quick an eleva- tion, and to lb great an height, fhould feme- what afFefl the judgment of fo young a man ; an therefore ther'^ will not appear any thing ill • 're in the eager^iefs he is faid uo have fhevvn in ir.;-->uting the queen's favour v.ith Sir Charles E'' . t; who, in procefs of time, became lord I'v. :.:oy and earl of Devonihire ; v^hich, hov, c. ir, cofi him fome blood ; for that brave r:?;ri, taking ii'alle of fomewliat the earl faid €■ a i: 'Our bci.ovved upon him by the queen, -caalr.-ed him, and, in Marybone-paik, af- ter a Ihort difpute, wounded EiTex in the knee; with which the queen, who did not love to be controuled in her aftions, was fo far :rom being difpleafed, that O^e fwore a round oath, it was fit that fome 01.2 or other Ciould take him down, otherwife there v^ould be no ruling him. However, ihe reconciled the rivals ; and it will remain an honour to both their memories, that, profeffing them- felves friends, they remained fuch fo long as they lived together.
In the beginning of the year 1589, Sir John Norris and Sir Francis Drake, had under- taken an expedition for refloring Don Anto- nio to the crown of Portugal; which the earl beheld as an action too glorious for others to perform, while he was a fpeflator only. He followed the fleet and arm.y therefore to Spain, and, having joined them at Corunna,. V 3 grofs-
54 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
profccuted the rell of the expedition with great vigilance and valour ; which, hovv'ever, was not attended with much fuccefs, at the fame time that it expofed him to the queen's difpleafare.
At his return, however, he foon recovered her majefly's good graces ; nor was it long before this was tellified to the world, by his obtaining new marks of favour, in grants of a very conriderable value ; a circumftance in which his credit with the queen ftemed much fuperior to that of all her other flivourites.
He had now lofr the fupport of his llep-fa- ther the earl of Leiceller, who died the pre- ceding year; and who, though he was fup' pofed to act the politician in prefering hmi ta the queen's favour, (if, indeed, that was at all his work,) yet {hewed the fmcerity of his af- fection to him by feveral claufes in his will : notwithttanding which lofs, he kept his ground at court ; and, by carefling Mr. Cart- wright and others, looked upon as puritans, feemed to afted becoming the head of that party, which adhered to the earl of Leiceiler whiie living.
About this time he ran a new hazard of the queen's favour, by a private, and, as it was then conceived, inconfiderate, match with Frances, only daughter of Sir Francis Wal- fingham, and the widow of Sir Philip Sidney; vt'hich her majelly apprehended to be, in fome meafure, derogatory to the honour of the houfe
of
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 55 of EfTex; and, though, for the^prefcnt, this boi , finefs was pafTed by, yet it is thought that ic was not fo fcon forgot.
In 1591, Henry JV. of France, having de- manded frefh aillftance from the queen, tho' he had already a body of her troops in his fervice, fne was pleafed to fend the earl of Ef- fex, with four thoufand men, a faiall train of artillery, and a competent fleet, into Nor- mandy ; where it was propofed that he fnoald join the French army, in order to undertake the fiege of Rouen. The French king, how- ever, either through want of povser, the di- flradicn of his affairs, or fome other caule, negleded to psiibrm his promife, nctwith- ftanding that KfTex made a long and hazardous journey to his camp, at that monarch's re- queft, in order to have concerted meafures fojr giving the queen fatisfai^ion.
Upon his return from this journeyj which, proved of liule confequence, EfTex, to keep up the fpirits cf his officers, conferred the ho- nour of knighthood upon many oj them : — A circumitance with which the queen was much offended. He iikewife made excurfions from his camp to the' very wails of Rouen ; and the earl, exponng his perfon very freely in thefe feiimiilies, came ofFindecd unhurt himfelf, but lofl there his only bsother, Waiter Devereux, then in the fiowcr oi his age, being two years younger than the earl
He returned fome time after, to give an ac~
CQuiU of the Hate of things to the queen i and
D 4 then
56 BRITISH PLUTARCH, then came back to his charge ; the liege of Rouen being formed, and the French king expreilir.g a great defire to become mafter of it.
This winter fervice harrafling the troops ex- ceedingly, provoked Eflex not a little, who Ibllicited king Henry for leave to proceed in. his manner, promifing to make a breach with his own artillery, and -then to florm the place with the F2ng]ilh troops; which the king, how- ever, refufed, as being not at all defiroas of having tliat rich place taken and plundered by the Englilh in his fight.
Efiex, flill more difpleafed at this, and re- folvcd not to continue in a place where no re- putation v/as to be got, firfl: challenged the go- vernor of Rouen, Mr. Villars ; and, upon his refufing to fight, left the command of the En-, glifh troops to fir Roger Williams, an ofRcei: of great courage and experience ; and then embarked for England, where his prefence was become very necefiary, his enemies having re- prefented his behaviour in a very different light to the queen his miHrefs.
At this time he was exceedingly courted by very different forts of people ; tor many of the young nobility, who were defirous of en- tering into the world under the patronage of fome eminent perfon, preferred the earl ; as well on account of his great affability to his followers, as becaufe of his known interei^ witli the queen. All the military men, that were not of very old ftanding, looked upon him as their chief, and one from whole favour
they
ROBERT DEVEREUX. ^7 tliey were to derive preferment. The puritai miniHers alfo,. and their dependants, conli- dered him as the fucceltbr to the eari of Lei- cefter, and, confequently, as their proLcftor. One need not wonder, therefore, that, having fuch power, he had fo many enemies ;, and, that thefe fhould gain advantages over him in his abfence : but, upon his return, he trium- phed for the moll part ; and the q-ueen, wha looked upon herfelf as tied to him by former a<fls of kindnefs, feldom refufed him any new marks of favour for which be was importunate in his demands.
Vv^e find him prefenfcin the parliament which began at V/eftminfter, on the nineteenth of February, 1592-3 ; in which fclTion, chiefiy through his intereft, Sir Thomas Perrot, who had married his fifter, was reftored in blood; which had been corrupted by the attainder of Sir John Perrot, his father, who had been lord-deputy of Ireland : and in this feffion it was that tne houfe of peers paid a vzvy extra- ordinary compliment to the earl of EfTex. The queen alfo, who had given himfo many marks of her favour, added to them a new honour ; which was, at the fame time, a very high tef- timony of her confidence, by caufing him to be fworn one of the members of her privy- cou ~ cil .
He met, however, in this, and in the fuc-
ceeding years, with variou* crnfss ofchagrki ;
partly from the loftinefs of his own tc;mDer,
D ; and
58 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
and partly from the artifices of thofe who ea- vied his greatnefs.
A dangerous and treafonable book, written abroad by a jefuit, ^vIis publifhed under the name of Doleman, with intention to create dilTention in England about fuccefSon to the crown. This book, as the whole defign of it was moll villainous, fo, from a fuperioi fpirit of malice, it was dedicated to the earl of Ef- fex, on purpofe to create him trouble ; in. which it had its efFed.
But what chiefly grieved and broke his fpi- rits, was, his perceiving, that, though he could, in mort Tuits, prevail for himfelf, yet he was able to do little or nothing for his* triends ; as particularly appeared in the cafe of Sir Francis Bacon : which, though the earl bore with fome impatience, yet it gave him " an opportunity of fnewing the greatnefs of iiis mind, by giving that gentleman a fmall' cftate in land, which ought to have bound him^ better to his fortunes.
Indeed, the earl of EfTex was never v/anting, upon any occafion, to his friends, as many of the writers of thofe times agree, and of which. Camden gives us a remarkable inllapce in the vear 159 S» 1^^ his attending the funeral of Sir Roner Williams, an old experienced officer whom he had icng encouraged and fupported, thou^ h the roughnefs of his behaviour had ex- pofed him to the diflike of Sir Walter Ra- leigh, and o*:her confiderable perfons. Butj,
vvhat-
ROBERT D^VEREUX. 59
whatever difadvantages EfTex might labour under from intrigues at court, yet, in times of danger, the queen had commonly recourfe to his alliftance.
Thus, in 1596, when the Spaniards, in the month of April, laid fiegt to Calais, and the difcharges of their batteries were heard at Greenwich, an army was haftily raifed, and marched to Dover, the command of which was given to the earl of EfTex, the queen intend- ing to have embarked thefe tro ps for the af- fiftanceof the French : which, however, they wifely declined, being willing rather to lei the Spaniards keep Calais for a little while, than fee it refcued from thern by the Engliih, who would, prefuming on their old rights, pro- bably keep it for ever.
The queen, however, t-king advantage of that v/arm difpofitionvvhich appeared in ntr people, to contribute, as far as in them lay, to keep the war at a diflance, and to prevent the Spaniards from meditating a fecond inva- fion, ordered a fleet to be equipped for at- tacking Cadiz, bell part of the expences being born by the principal perfons engaged in that enterprize.
The command of this array and fleet was, with joint authority, intrufied to Robeit, earl of Ellex, and Charles, lord Howard, then lord high adm.iral of England ; with whom went many of the moft dillinguiihed officers, both for the land and fea iervice, thut were then in England : the fleet, for its number of D 6 fcipsj
6o BRITISH PLUTARCH.
fhips, and for the land foldiers and manners aboard, being the moft confiderable that, in thofe times, 'had been feen.
On the firfl of June they failed from Ply- mouth, but were forced to put back by a con- trary wind ; which changing, they took the firll opportunity of putting again to fea. On the eighteenth of the fame month they ar- rived at Cape St. Vincent, where they met with an Irifh bark, which informed them that the port of Cadiz was full of fliips, and that they had no notice whatever of the failing of the Englifh fleet, or that fuch an expedition was fo much as intended.
After this welcome news they purfued their voyage, and, on the twentieth, in the morn- ing, they anchored near St.Seballian's, on the weft fide of the ifland of Cadiz, where the ad- miral would have had the forces debarked, in order to their immediately attacking the town ; which EiTex caufed to be attempted, but found to be imprafticable ; and, upon the advice of Sir Walter Raldgh, defifted. Camden, in- deed, charges this raftinefs upon Effex ; but Sir Walter Raleigh, who is certainly better au- thority in this point, ftates it the other way.
jt^as then propofed by the earl to begin with attacking the fleet, which was a very ha- zardous enrerprize, but, at lail, agreed to by the lord -admiral ; on which Effex, when he received the news, threw his hat into the Tea for joy. The next day, this gallant refo- luticn was execAited with all imaginable bra- very.
ROBERT DEVEKEUX. 6r
very, and, in point of fervice, none did bet- ter, or hazarded his perion mere, than the earl of ElTex, who, in his own fhio, the Due Repulfe, went to the afTillance of Sir Walter Raleigh, and offered, if it had been neceffary, to have feconded him in boarding the St, Phi- lip. The Spaniards behaved very gallantly, fo long as there were any hopes ; and, whea there were none, fet fire to their fhips and re- tired.
The earl of Effex then landed eight hundred men at the Puntall ; and, having iiril taken proper roeafures for deiboying the bridge, next attacked the place with fo much fury, that it was quickly taken ; and, the next day, the citadel Surrendered upon a capitulation, by which a great ranfom was ftipulated for the town. An offer was then made of two mil- lions of ducats to fpare the fliips, and more might have been obtained ; but the lord high- admiral faid. He came there to con fume, and not to compound : of which when the Spani- ards were informed, they refoived to have the burning of their own fleet, which thty ac- cordingly fet on fire j their lofs by which was computed at twenty millions.
The earl was very defirous of keeping Ca- diz, which he offered to have done with a \'ery fmall garrifon ; but the council differed from him in opinion : fo that, having plun- dered the ifland and demolillied the forts, they embarked on the fifth of July, and bore away for the port of Farro, in Algarve, which they
plundered
ez BRITISH PLUTARCH.
plundered and deftroyed. Thence they pro- ceeded to Cape St. Vincent, and, being driven by a brifk wind out *o f::a, it feil under CCiifi deration, whether they (Rould not fail for the Azores, in hopes of intercepting the plate ileet, which was cartied in the negative ; and the earl's propoial, with two of her majefty's &ips, and ten others, to make thi*^ attempt, w;.s lejecled likewife : which Mr. Camden at- tributes to the defire of fome of the officers, v/ho had made large booties, to get their trea- fure fafe on Ihore They looked in, however, at Corunna, and the earl would have pro- ceeded to St. Andreo and St. SebalHan ; but others thinking they had done enough, the fleet returned profperouily to Plymouth on the eighth of Auguft following ; and the earl, with his fquadron, two days after.
He was very well received by the queen, and highly applauded by the people ; but, as it was too common with him, not entirely fa- tisfied in himfelf ; which induced him to write, at a time when fome faults were imputed to him, a kind of narrative of this exploit, and a cenfure upon other mens condudl; which gained him little credit, and did, him lefs good.
Yet, whatever might be the fentiments of the wifer part of the court, it appcais plainly that, upon his return from this expedition, the earl of ElTex Hood very high in the favour of the queen and of the nation ; and, perhaps, it might have gained hiai an aiCcefTion of fa*-
vour
ROBERT DEVEREUX, 6^
vour with the former, if the eari had not en- joyed fomuch of the latter, or had feemed to Value it lefs than he did : but, as he had little of diflimulation in his temper, fo the warmth with which he difcovered eiihef his afFetlion or diilike, expofed him continually to the finifter pratHces of hi^ enemies, who were thoroughly fkilled in thofe arts which he knew leait about;
They infinuaced, therefore, to the queen, that, co;.fidering the earl's popularity, it would not be at all expedient for-ner fer- vice to receive fuch as he recommended to civil employments ; and this they carried fo far as to make even his approbation deftrudtive to mens fortunes whom they had encouraged and recommended themfelves. A thing hardly to be credited if we had aot the higheft evi- dence to prove it.
It was a natural confequence, that the earl Ihould behave to thofe he took to be the au- thors of fuch counfels with vn'ibie marks of anger and difcontent ; and this conduil: of his made him frequently upon bad terms even with the queen herfelf, who was a princefs very jealous of her authority, a d, ia cafes of this nature, bore but very indiffeientiy with a y expoftulations. However, as vveli out of her natural kindnefs to him, a^ from a defire of (hewing a jult acknowledgment lox his late fervice, ftie was pleafed, o.i ihe nineteentii of March, 1597, ^^ appoint him mailer of the «id nance by patent.
64 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
This feems to have had a good efFefl, In quieting the mind, and raifmg the fpirits of this great nobleman, who, upon a report that the Spaniards were forming a new fleet at Fer- rol and Corunna, for thein^'afion of Ireland at leaft, if not England, readily offered his fer- vice to the queen, and chearfuUy declared, as Camden aflures us, that he would either de-* feat this new armada, which hau threatened England for a year together, or perifii in the attempt. The queen, well pleafed with this propolal, gave it all the countenance that could be defired, and caufed a confidcrable fleet, though not fo confidcrable as the adiorv required, to be equipped for this fervice ; and the earl of Eifex was appointed general, ad- miral, ai^d commander in ch/cf.
We may guefs ?t the irterefl which the earl had in the fuccefs of this voyage by the number of his friends who engaged thereia as- volunieers; and, amongft them of the nobi- lity, were the earls of Rutland and South- ampton, and the lords Cromwell and Rich. His fanguine hopes, however, were, in feme meafure difappointed ; for, failing about the ninth cf July from Plymouth, they met, at fixty leagues diftance, with fo rough a ftorm, and of four days continuance, that they were obliged to put back to Plymouth, where they Temained wind-bound for a month ; in which time a great part of their provifions was con- fumed.
V/hik
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 6^
While the fleet was thus laid up, the earl of EfTex and Sir V/alter Raleigh fet out poft for the court, in order to receive frefh inftruc- tions. The propofals made by EiTex, even after this difappointment, were very bold and great; but, as Camden feems to infmuate, very difficult and dangerous, if not impracti- cable ; fo that the queen would not counte- nance his projeds, but rather left the direftion of the expedition to the comm.anders in chief, according as the feafon and circumdances might encourage or permit. The fame hiilo- rian, and almoft all who have written upon this fubjed after him, fpeaks of an old mif- underilanding between Elfex and Sir Walter before they left England, v/hich was produc- tive of moft of the mifchiefs that afterwards happened ; which there is good reafon, how- ever, to believe a groundless imputation upon both ; for, amongft other papers of a very curious and inftruftive nature, which haveimce been publiihed in a very valuable ccileclion, are the letters of Rowland White, efq. to Sir Robert Sidney, at that time governor of Flufli- ing; and v/e learn from him, that, in the be- ginning of the year 1597, there were great intrigues at court, v/here iecr^tary Cecil was the moil favoured counfeiior, had long private conferences with the queen, and retarded or advanced mens fuits at his pleafure. EHex, at this time, was in fome difcontent, though a great favourite likewife, and kept, or was faid
to
t6 BRITISH PLUTARCH, to keep, his bed when he was not very fick ; receiving frequent mefiages from the queen, and hsving alio private audiences.
In the beginning of the month of March, Sir Walter Raleigh had feveral private inter- views with the earl, in order to bring about a good underilanding between him and the fe- cretary, which he urged would have feveral good confequences; fuch as, making the queea ea:y, removing a great obftacle in the ma- . nagement of public affairs, and contributing not a little to Lrwarding the fch'^mes concert- ed for humbling tne common enemy. It is eafv to fee from hence, that r.here could be no pique b^^tween th;: e:^r] and Sir Walter Raleigh ; for ir there had, Sir Robert Cecil was too wiie a man toha-e employed him.
Whil^ this treaty was in negotiation, there was a competition for the office of warden of the Cinque Forrs, St Robert Cecil fupporting the new lord Cobhain, and the earl of Eifex re'-ommendir;g -Sir Robert Sidney firll, ahd» fiudinrr that v^ouid not do, ilandino; for ithim- felf; upon which it was propofed tha.. he fhouid accpt oi" the maflerfhip o/ the ord- nance; which he did. Soon after this. Sir H^'nr; L-igii wi^;, at the recommendation of the earl ot EHlx, made knight of the garter; and the ea.l concurred in promoting the lord Borovv3 10 the gov ernment of Ireland,
in Mr^y, thf treaty was in a manner con- cluded ; the eatL by the mediation of Sir
Walter
ROBERT DEVEREUX. e-j
Walter Rakigh, was reconciled to the fecre- tary, and they concerted together all the mea- fares preparatory tx{ the iiland expedition : and from the fame Tetters we learn, that Sir Walter Raleigh, who was entrufled with the care of VKftualing the fleet, had b^en remark- ably civil to the earl of EfTeJc, in wliat related to the provifion of his Ovvn fnip ; tnd, when they were obliged to leturn by cont'-ary winds. Mi. White reprefents their comii g to Lonaon together, a: the effects cf their perfedl iiiel- ligence, an 1 does net give th^ ieafl hiht of any variarce between them.
As loo.: fe the ueet was repaired, pn I the land forces debarked, tiiat., by th^- qactu s com- mand, were to remai . at home, they failed again from Plyn?.outh on the feventeentb of Auguft; iiaving now two points in vicv, the one to barn the Spaniihfl.-c; a their c-vn har- bours, the ether to intercept the iliips they expe<fied from rhe Well-lnc'ics. Cambdea blames EfTex foi appearing openlv '"ilhin light of the Spiniih coail, and theiecy alarming the enemy ; but Sir Wuiiam Monion acquaints us with the true realbn of ii\^ ear- . < -aducl ;- which was, by making a ihow of a :;»/ iliips, to craw out the enemy's fleet, it being- found" impoifihle to burn them in port. H-t aiio in- finuates, that Sir Walter Raleigh kept at n diftance from the fleet; which -vas another dif- couragement: but, from the bell account-, we have, this alfo appears to be a grcunJiefs ima- gination. Sir Walter is afterwards faid to
have
68 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
have feparated from the iieet by defign under pretence of repairing his fhip ; but S.r Wil- liam Monfcn tells us plainly, that thij repa- ration was owing to an invf>luntary mifcarriage in Eiiex himlelf. When they joined a:;riin at the iilands, it appears plainly that Efitv and Raleigh were very good friends notwithllanding there were fome, on both fides, who laooured all they could to incenfe them agaiuil each other.
When they had refrefhcJ at Flores, Eflex commanded Raleigh to fail for Fayall, which he intended to attack with the whole iicet; but Sir Walter coming there iirll, and appre- hending that the fn»allell: delay might have prevented their defign, very gallantly attack-, ed, and very happily fucceeded, in making himfelf mailer of the ifland before the arrival of Effex with the reil: of the fleet. This gave occafion to Sir Walter's enemies to reprefent his vigilance and adivity in the light of difr. obedience and contempt to EOex, which oc- cafioned very high difputes ; but, by the in- terpofidon of lord Thom.as Howard, ail tr.ings. were compromifed ; Sir Wa'ter excufed what had happened to the earl, and the earl acce ^ted his txeufe. As the relations of this, which is called The Ifland Voyage, already publifhed, are vcyy exa<5t, and in themfelves larger thaa this whole life, it cannot be expeded that we {hould enter here into a,ll the particulars of this voyage ; we Ihall therefore certent our' fclves with obferving, that, notwithHanding^
die
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 6g
theSpanifli fleet efcaped, and fome other out- ward accideiits happened, in which the earl was not altogether without blame, yet three Ihips from the Havannah, the cargoes of which amounted to near one hundred thoufand pounds, were taken ; by which, the bell part of the expences of the undertaking were de- frayed, and fo the fleet returned to England towards the clofe of Odober. The earl of EfTex immediately began to fhevv evident figns of deep difpleafure, he retired to his houfe at Wanflead, and, under pretence of ficknefs, abfented himfelf from the fervice of parliament then fitting. Cambden reports, that his difiatisfa6tion arofe from the lord ad- miral's being created earl of Nottingham in his abfcnce, with fome particular claufes in the preamble of his patent, which, as they were highly honourable for that noble peer, E/Tex conceived threw fome difparagement upon himfelf. And, by way of fatisfadion, he was created earl marfhal of England 5 on the twen- ty eighth of December, 1^97 ; and took his place in parliament accordingly, on Wednef- day the eleventh of January following.
It is generally agreed, tiiat this noble per- fon had nothing of diffimulation in his nature; and therefore, having obtained this nev/ favour of the queen, he was perfectly well pleafed, and very readily promifed Sir Robert Cecil, fecretary of flate, who was appointed to exe- cute a commiifion of great importance to the French king, that nothing to the prejudice of
his
70 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
his intereft ihould be done in his abfence, \vlth« out which promife the fecretary would not have gone : and this he not only performed with the utmofl: punduality, but even dif- charged the (ecretary's bufinefs, in his abf nee, with care and vigilance. But, in the month of May, 1598, Sir Robert Cecil returning to England with new notions in relation to the peace, there quickly arofe frelh difputes in the council about the expediency of that meafure, which was very earnellly, as well as eloquently prefTed by the old and wife lord treafurer Bur- leigh ; and as warmly decried by the carl of Eflex, who wanted not very plaufible reafons in lupport of what he faid. The treafurer, at leiit;th, grew into a great heat ; infomuch that he told the earl, that he ieemed to be in- tent upon nothing but blood and (laughter. Eflex explained himlelf upon tnis, that the blood and daughter of the queen's enemies might be very lawfully his intention : that he was not againft a folid, but a fpecious and pre-= carious pea'.e ; that the Spaniards were a fub- tle and ambitious people, who had contrived to do England more mifchief in time of peace than of war ; and, that, as to -an. enemy, whofe hands it was impoflible to bind by trea- ty, It was better not to tie up our own. The trcafur'^'r at lall drew out a prayer-book, in which he il.ewed Ellex this expreffion, ** Men of blood in juM not live out half their days." As the earl kaew well enough, that various methods would be ufed to prejudice the com- mon
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 71
mon people againft him, more efpecially fuch as io any degree got their living by trade, or thought themielves opprefled by the taxes le- vied for the fupport of the war, he refolved to write a vindication of his own proceeJings, and to deliver his own arguments, vvith all the advantages that his own pathetic eloquence could give them ; which he addreflTed to his dear friend Anthony Bacon, and which ftill remains a memorial of his great virtues and admirable abilities. About this time died the lord treafurer Burleigh ; which Wcis a great misfortune to the earl of EfTex, fmce the re- membrBnce of his father, the trull repofed in him by committing this his eidell fon to his care, and the refpeft and obedience which had been fhewn him by the young lord for feveral years, preferved in him a tendernefs for his perfon, and a real concern for his for- tunes : but, when that great counfellor was gone, thofe who hated the ear!, ailed without reftraint. croffed whatever he propofed, Hop- ped the rife of every man he loved, and treated all his projefts with an air of fup-'-cilious con- tempt, except one, which they thought would be his ruin.
By the death of the lord-treafurer Burle'gh, the chanceliorlhip of the univerfity of Cam- bridge became vacant ; upon wh ch, that learned body chofe the earl of EiTex in his room. Upon this account he went down 1:0 pay them a vifit, was en-c^rtained at Queen's- CoUege with great magnificence ; and, as a
proof
72 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
p50of of their afFedion, the room in which he lay was, long after, diftingui(hed by thename of EfTex-chamber. We may account this one of the lall inrtances of this great man's felicity, for he was now advanced too high to lit at eafe ; and thoie who longed for his honours and employments, very bufily fludied how they might bring about his fall.
The firfl (hock he had given him in the queen's favour, was on the fcore of the perfon he propofed to be fent over to Ireland, before he was drawn to have thoughts of going thi- ther himielf ; and though, in appearance, he was reconciled and reilored to the queen's favour, yet there is good reafon to doubt whether it was ever recovered in reality ; or, at leaft, to the degree in which he formerly held it.
An event happened much about this time, which fhewed the fentiments the enemies of England had of this noblr p'jrfon, and ought therefore to have endeared nim to fuch as bad a real afFedtion for their country : there waa one Edward Squire feized and imprifoned for treafon, and his cafe came cut to be this ; he had been a groom in the queen's fiables, weni afterwards to fea with Sir Francis Drake, was taken prifoner and carried to Spiin, where he was perfuaded by a jefuit to undertake poifon- ing the earl of EfTex, and afterwards queen Elizabeth : for performing which he had poi- fon given him in a biadd^^r. He found mean* to rub this, as he was directed, upon the pom- mel
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 73
mel of the queen's faddle ; got himfelf after- wards recommended to ferve on board the earl's fhip in the ifland voyage, where, in like manner, he poiibned both the arms of his great chair ; yet no effedl followed in either cafe. Upon this, the Spanifh jefuit, fufpedling the man and not his drug, caUieJ information to be given in England againft Squire, who, finding himfelf betrayed by his confeflbr, opened the whole fcene, and plainly acknowledged his endeavours to difpatch both the queen and the earl j for which he was de- fervedly executed.
The miferies of Irehtnd continued all this time, or rather increafed ; and, when propo- fals were made, in the queen's council, for fending over a new governor, with certain re- fliiclions ; EfTex took occafion of fliewing» that nothing had been hitherto fo expenfive as an ill-timed frugality ; and, that the Irifn rebels had been the only gainers by the re- ilramt put upon the Engliih deputies. Thofe who hated this noble perfon, were not dif- pleafed when they found him in this difpo^ fuioD, and, at length, took, in their turn, oc- cafion from his objeftions, to fuggeil:, that the total redudion of that ifland was to be ex- pected from none but himfelf; which, at firfl, he declined : but perceiving that he could enjoy little quiet or comfort at home; that it was with difficulty he maintaiiicd his credit; and that, by failing the expectations of his friends, he {houid gradually lofe them, he
Vol. IV, E conferred
74 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
confented to accept that fatal prefermenr, and agreed to go over into that kingdom, which had been the grave of his fathers's fortunes, and which his bell friends forefavv would prove ihe gulph of his own. It is indeed true that he had a great army granted him, and t'lat due care was taken for the payment of it; that his powers were very large, and his ap- pointments very great; but thefe were ob- tained with many flruggles, and notice was taken of every thing he promifed, or feemed to promife, in order to obtain them ; .nd, >\'hen all things were regulated, he was fo far from going with alacrity, as to a place which he had fought, and to a command which he meditated for the fake of greater things, that he ft-emed rather to look upon it as a baniih- ment, and a place afligned him to retreat from his fovereign's prefent difpleafure, rather than a potent government beflowed upon him by her favour.
The truth of this may be not only probably collefted, but in fome meafure proved, from an cpiftle of his to the queen, written after his appointment to the government of Ireland, and. before his going thither, of which there is a very imperfed copy in the Cabala; but that lofs is now fupplied, by the follo-^Aing full and correal tranfcript of that valuable and authentic paper, from the colledlions in the Harleian library. Jf we confider the earl's chara»fler, and how incapable he was of dif- fembling, the weight of this evidence will be
the
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 7^ tlie greater ; but, without taking in that, the very flile of the letter is fuch as will put all fufpicion of artifice out of the cafe ; which will teach the reader what to think of the de- claration of his treafons, that ftaiids entirely upon this bottom, that he had plotted a revo- lution in England before he went to Ireland ; and defired the lieutenancy that he might put himfelf at the head of an army, and enter into a confederacy with the rebels.
<« To the Queen.
<* From a mind delighting in forrow ; from fpirits wafted with paffion ; from a heart torn in pieces with care, grief, and travail, from a man thathateth himfelf, and all things elfethatkeep him alive ; what fervice can your majefty ex- pert, fmce any fervice pafl deferves no more than banilhment and profcription to the cur- {edQ&i of all iflands ? It is your rebels pride and fucceffion muft give me leave to ranfom myfelf out of this hateful prifon, out of my loathed body ; which, if it happen fo, your majefty (hall have no caufe to miilike the fa- shion of my death, fmee the courfe of my life could never pleafe you.
" Happy he could finifh forth his fate «* In fome unhaunted defert, moll obfcure
" From all fociety, from love and hate <^ Of worldly folk; then fliould he lleepfecure; E 2 ''■ Then
^6 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
** Then wake again, and yield God ever praife; ** Content with hips, and haws, and bramble- berry ; *' In contemplation paffing out his days, ** And change of holy thoughts to make him
merry : *' Who, when he dies, his tomb may be abufh, '* Where harmlefs Robin dwells, with gentle Thrufh.
Your majefty's exiled fervant, ROBERT ESSEX."
On the twelfth of March, 1598, his com- miffion for lord lieutenant pafled the great- feal ; and, on the twenty-feventh of the fame month, about two in the afternoon, he fet out from Seething lane, and palling through the city in a plain habit, accompanied by many of the nobility, he was attended by vail crowds of people out of town ; and it was obferved, with a view, perhaps, to prepare the world to have a bad opinion of his conduft, that the weather was exceeding fair when he took horfe, but, by that time he came to Illington, there v."as a heavy ftorm of rain, attended with thunder and lightning. The like bad weather he met with at fea, fo that he did not arrive at Dublin, or take upon him his charge, before the fifteenth of April, 1599.
He found things in that country in a Itate very different from what he expefted, and perceived that there was nothing to be done^ at leaU to any purpofe, till he was well ac- quainted
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 77
qiiainted with the country in which he was to art. He four, i, likewife, that the new-raifed men ne had brought over were r.kogether un- fit f r artion, liil they were teafoned to the cou.itrv, and well acquainted with difcipline. Theie confideraticns hindered him from march- ing -iireftiy to Uiller, for fear Tir-Oen Qiould make any advantage of his weaknelTes ; and the council defiring that he would fuprrefs fome diiorders in Muni>er, he thought tiiat a fair occaiion of exerciUng his new troops, and did it efFecfiually.
On his return to Dublin, that very day two months on which he arrived at his government, he wrote a letter to the queen, containing a free, fair, and full reprefeiitacon of the Hate of things in that country j which moil admira- ble performance, pointing oat all the Heps that were afterwards taken, and by which his fuc« ceflbrmade an end of the war, remains upon record in Ireland ; but, of the contents there- of, not a fyllable is mentioned in Cambden or the reft of our hiftorians. This letter he feat over to the queen by his fecretary, in hopes that from thence fhe might have de- rived a juft notion of the ftate of things in that ifland; but it produced no fuch effedt : on the contrary, the queen was exceedingly provoked that he had not marched into Ullter, in order to attack Tir Oen, and repeated her orders upon that head in very ftrona terms. Before thefe arrived, hov/ever, Sir Henry Har- rington, with fome of the freih troops, had E 3 bee«
^8 BRITISH PLUTARCH, been worlkd by the O'Brians ; which fo pro- voked EiTex, that he caufed the remains of thofe troops to be decimated; which, with the throwing a foldier over board in his laft expedition, with his own hands, are the only inltances of feverity recorded of him.
When he received the queen's orders, and was on the point of marching into Ulfter, he was prevailed upon to enter the country of Ophaly, to reduce the O'Connors and the O'Moores ; which he performed; but his troops were fo harrafled and diminilhed there- by, thati with the advice and ccnfent of the council of Ireland, he wrote home for a re- cruit of two thoufand men. In the midft of thefe croifes in Ireland, an army was fuddenly raifed in England, under the command of the earl of Nottingham ; no-body well knowing why : but, in reality, from the faggeftions of the earl's enemies to the queen, that he rather jnediiated an invafion on his native country, than the redadlion of the Irilh rebels.
At length, EfTex, intending for Uliler, fent crders to Clifford, who commanded in Con- naught, to march tov»ards the enemy on that fide, that Tir-Oen might be obliged to di- vide his forces ; which was executed, but with fuch ill fortune, that the Englifh, being fur- prifed, were beaten, with the lofs of their commander in chief, together with Sir Alex- ander Ra«;ii{Fe,. and one hundred and forty men.
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 77 Upon the arrival of the fuccours which he had demanded, he marched, though 'vith a fmall force, againft Tir-Oen, in the latter end of the month of Augull | but, on the eighth of September following, was prevailed upon to confer with him alone at the ford of Baila- clynch ; and afterwards with counfellors on both fides, when he concluded a peace for fix weeks, and fo from fix weeks to lix weeks till May ; provided that, on a fortnight's notice^ either party might be at liberty to refjme the war.
He was led to this by the weak and dcipe- rate refolution he had taken of returning to England, whither he had once fome thoughts of tranfporting a body of his forces, but was dif- fuaded from it by his friends. However, up- on receiving a Iharp letter, direfted to- him and the council, from the queen, he deter- mined to ftay no longer, fettled the govern- ment in the bell manner he could, and, withr a few of his friends, came over to England,.
He arrived before any notice could be re- eeived of his defign; went directly to the court at Nonfuch, and prefented himfelf to the queen, on the twenty-eighth of September, where he met with a tolerable reception ; but was, foon after, committed, treated with a mixture of kindnefs and feverity, till, upon his abfolute fubmiflion, he was brought before loine of the privy council ; feverely reprimand- ed, difmiffed from the board, fufpended from th/^ exerciie of all his great offices, except E 4 that
5so BRITISH PLUTARCH. that of matter of the horfe, and committed to a keeper, Sir Richard Barkley, who was, not long after, withdrawn.
Jn the fummer of the year 1600, he recover- ed his liberty; and, in the autumn following, he received Mr. CufFe, who had been his fe- cretaiy in Ireland into his councils ; who la- boured to perfuade him, that fubmiffion would never do him any good ; that the queen was^ in the hands of a faciion, who were his ene- mies ; and, that the only way to reftore his fortune, was to ftnd the means of obtaining an audience, in which he might be able to reprefent his own cafe, let that means be what it would. The earl heard this dange- rous advice without confenting to it, till he found there was no hopes of getting his farm of the fvveet wines renewed ; then, it is faid, thai, giving loofe to his paflion, he let fall many vehement exprcffions; and, amor.gll the reft, this fatal refieaion. That the queen grew old and cankered, and that her mind was as crooked as her carcafe. Cambden fays that this was aggravated by fome of the court la- dies, whom he had difappointed in their in- tricrues. The earl of Claiendon feems to Aifpecl the truth of it, but another great hif- torian, who knew all the paifages of thofe times well, is more clear in this refpeft. Thofe enemies, who had exafl inteliigence of all he propofed, having provided efreclually againft the execution of his defigns, hurried him up- •a his fate, by a mefTage fent on the evening
of
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 8i of the feventh of February, requiring him to attend the council ; which he declined, tie then gave out that they fought his life, kept a watch in ElTex-houfe all night, and fumrnon- ed his friends, for his defence, the next morn- ing.
The queen, being Informed of the great re- fort of people of all ranks to the earl, fent the lord-keeper Egerton, the earl of Wcrcefler, Sir Francis KnoUes (his uncle by the mother's lide) and the lord-chief-jallice Popham, to know his grievances ; whom, after a ihort and ineffeaual conference, he confined ; and then, attended by the earls of Rutland and South- umpton, the lord Sands, the lord Mo./teagle, and about two hundred gentlemen, he went into the city, where the earl of Bedford, the lord Croniwell, and fome other gentlemen, joined him j but his dependance on the popu- lace failed him ; and Sir P.obe.t Cecil pre- vailing upon his brother, the lord Burleigh, to go with Sir Gilbert Dethick, then king at arms, and proclaim ElTex and his adherents traitors, in the principal Ibeets, the earl found itimpoifible to recu.n to his houfe by land; and, therefore, fending Sir Ferdinando Gorges beio.e to releafe the ciiief juitice, who, ^ for his own fake, thought ftt to extend that order to the reil of the privy coanfeliors ; the- earl, with his principal attendants, rerurned in boats to EsTex-houic; whica was quickly inverted by the earl of Nottingham, lord- admiral, with a great force 9 to whom, after E 5 n:any
tz BRrrrsH plutarcht.
many difputes, and fome blood fpilt, he and his adherents at lall farrendered.
EfTex was carried that night to the arch- bifhop of Canterbury's palace at Lambeth^ v.'lth the earl of Southampton, and the next day they were fent to the Tower. On the nineteenth of the fame month they were ar- raigned before their peers, and, after a long- trial, they were found guilty, and fentence of death pronounced by the lord Buckhurft, who fat as iord-high-fteward. Upon this melan- choly occafion, all that EfTex faid, was, <* If her majefty had pleafed, this body of mine might have done her better fervice ; however, I fhall be glad if it may prove ferviceable to her any way/*
After he was remanded to the Tower, there were great pains taken to draw from him very large and full confefiions ; which was the more eafy, as he was truly and fincerely pious ; and, after he was once perfuaded, that his projeft was of a treafonable nature, he made a point of confcience to difclofe all he knev*', though it was highly prejudicial to his friends, 4nd could do no good to himfelf ; and, indeed, he did not appear either to defign or defire ic. Two reafons feem efpecially to have moved fuch as fet on foot thefe pradlices, by which the honefty of Effex was rendered fatal even to his laft breath ; and they were fuch as be- came politicians, who had nothing but felf- intereft in view '; which, if they could pro- mote, they had cot either confideration or pity
foy
ROBERT DEVEREtrx. 83
for others. The firft was, that, by his pro- per confeffion, they might efFeclually eilablifh the truth of his plot, increafe the number of its circumftances, heighcen the apparent dan- ger of its confequences, and thereby furnifh plentiful materials for proclamations, fermons^ and declarations, which might remove from the unhappy earl all means of obtaining mer- cy ; excite in the queen the utmofl horror 5 and, at the fame time, terrify her with difmai apprehenfions, while the nation in general was aftoniflied, and their aifedlion for the un- happy earl cooled, or, at leafr, confounded. In all which, for a time, they gained theii; end. The other motive was, finding out evi- dence againfttii^ chief of his adherents, many of whom were of great quality, and fom.c alfo of great fortune, whom they meant to let ef- cape out of the briars, provided neverthelefs" that they left their fleeces behind them ; in which they were like wife but too fuccefsful, rendering highly profitable to themfelves that clemency which their royal millrefs would have extended freely.
After drawing ou: of EiTex all that he could fey, and thereby rendering death more deiireabie to him. than life, the twenty-fifth of February was fixed for his execution ; as to which the queen was irrefolute to the very laft ; (o that fhe fent Sir Edward Gary to countermand it: but, as Cam.bden fays, coniidering afterwards his obftinacy, his refufmg to aiK her pardon, and declaring that his life was inconfiilent E 6 wi:h
§4 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
with her fafety, (he countermanded thefe or- ders, and direiied he fhould die. There is a iirange ilory current in the world about a ring, which the earl of Clarendon fliles a loofe report, that crept into difcourfe foon after his miferable end ; yet a foreign writer of great reputation, gives us this as an undoubted truth, and that upon the authority of an Englifh mi- nifter, who might be well prefumed to know what he faid ; and therefore, in the words of that writer, we fliall report it.
** It will not, I believe, be thought either impertinent or difagreeable to add here what prince Maurice had from the mouth of Mr, Carleton, embafiador from England in Hoi- land, who died fecretary of liate ; fo well known under the name of my lord Dorchef^er,, and who was a man of merit. He faid, that queen Elizabeth gave the earl of EfTex a ring,, in the height of her paflion for him, ordering him to keep it, and that whatever he fhould. commit, fhe would pardon him, when ha fl-,ould return that pledge. Since that time,, the earl's enemies having prevailed with the qceen, who befides was exafperated a.gainfl him for the contempt he fhe wed her beauty j. which, through age, began to decay, ihe caufed him to be impeached.
** When he was condemned, fhe expeded- that he would fend her the ring, and Vv'ould have granted him his pardon according to her promife. The earl, finding himfelf in the lull extremity, applied to admiral Howard's
lady.
ROBERT DEVEREUX. % lady, who was his relation, and defired her, by a perfon whom he could trull, to return the ring ii.to the queen's own hands. But her huiband, who was one of the eari's greatelt enemies, and to whom ihe told this impru- dently, would not lufFer her to acquit herfelf of the commifTion ; fo that the queen confent- ed to the earl's death, being full of indigna- tion againft fuch a proud and haughty fpirit, who chofe rather to die than to implore her Hiercy.
" Some time after, the admiral's lady fell fick, and, being given over by her phyficians,. Ihe fent word to the queen, that Ihe had fome- thing of great confequence to tell her before Ihe died. The queen came to her bed-fide, and having ordered ail the attendamsjo with* draw, the admiral's lady returned her, but too late, that ring from the earl oi EiTex, defiring to be excufed that (he did not return it fooner, having been prevented doing it by her huf- band.
" The queen retired immediately, being overwhelmed with the utmoft grief ; fie fighed continually for a fortnight following, without taking any nourifnment, lying a-bed. ent lely dreffed, and getting up an hundred times a-night. At laft ihe died with hunger and with grief, becaufe ihe had conienred to the death of a lover who had applied to her for mercy.
'* This melancholy adventure fhews, that there are frequent tranfuions from one paifion
to
m BRITISH PLUTARCH.
JO another ; and, that as love often change*
to hate, fo hate, giving place fometimes to
pity, brings the mind back again into its firft.
ftate."
Sir Dudley Carleton, who is made the au^. tlior of" this flory, was a man who deferved' thecharader that is given of him, and could not but be well informed of what pafTed at court : but, whoever confiders the age of queen Elizabeth, at the time v/hen the earl of Eflex firrt entered her prefence, will find it difficult to helieve the queen ever confidered him in the light of a lover^
This countefs of Nottingham was the daughter of the lord vifcount Hunfdon, re- lated to the queen, and alfo by his mother to the earl of Eifex.
Before we part with this fubjeft, it nay not be amifs to obfeive, that foinething of truth there certainly is as to the queen's death be- ing haflened by an accident relating to a I'ng, and by her reiieding on the death of the earl ef EfTex.
In the ceremony of her coronation,, (he wa? wedded to the kingdom with a ring, which ihe always wore, till, the fleSi growing over it, it was filed off a little before her deccafe. About the fame time obferving, that the lofs of EfTex, and the confufion of his friends, had put her entirely into the hands of thcfe a ho began to negled her, and court her fuccefTor, ihe could not help faying in an excefs of paf- lion, " They have now got me in a yoke,
I have
ROBERT DEVERETJX. %j
f have nobody left me that I can truft ; ni)r condition is the perfed reverfe of what it was." It is alfo true, that a melancholy fenfe ©f this brought her to her end about twenty- five months after the death of EiTex. ^t
The manner of the earl's fufFering deatit" "^ is fo largely related in Cambden, and others^ -
that we Ihall not meddle with it here, farther t^ than to obferve, that, as many actions of hi&
life fpoke him a hero, fo this laft action ihew* |
ed him a true Chriftian, by manifefting he was \
far lefs careful of his body than his foul, and \
much more afraid of his fin than his puniih- \
ment. |
" On the twenty -fifth of February, 1601, I
which was the day appointed for his executionj \
Thomas Mountford and William Barlow^ \
dodlors of divinity, with Afhton, the minifter ;
of the church in the Tower, were fent unt3 ■.
him early in the morning to adminilter chrif- \ tian confolation to his foul. In prefence of
thefe men he gave thanks to almighty God 't
from the bottom of his heart,, that his deiigns,- \
which were fo dangerous to the ftate, fucceed- \.
ed not. Ke told them, he had now looked ;.
thoroughly and ferioufly into his fin, and was- r^
heartily forry he had fo obftinately defended 1-1
an unjuft caufe at the bar. He thanked the fi
queen Ihe had granted he Ihould not be pub- ];
lickly executed, left his mind, which was now v iettled and compoied, might be difturbed by
the acclamations of the people, protefting that .
he had now learned haw V2rin a thing the V'
blall ="1!
n BRITISH PLUTARCH.
blaft of popular favour and applaufe was. He acknowledged how worthy he was to be fpued out (thefe were his words) by the common- wealth, for the wickednefs of his enterprize, which he likened to a leprofy fpread far and near, ar.d that had infeded many.
" The queen, in theoiean time, wavered in her mind. One while relenting, (he fent her commands by Sir F^dward Cary that he Ihould not be executed ; but then remembering his perverfe obftinacy, that he fcorned to afk her pardon, and had declared openly that his life would be the queen's deftiudion, fhe foon af- ter fent a frefh command by Darcy, that he fljould be put to death.
** Then he was brought forth between the divines to a fcafFold ere£led within the court-- yard of the Tower ; near which fat the earls of Cumberland and Her: ford, vHcount How- ard of Binaon, the lord Howard of Waiden, the lord Darcy of Ghiche, and ihe lord Comp- ton There were prefent alio iome of the al- dermen of London and Sir Waiter Raleigh, who, if we may believe himfelf, came with an intent to make aniwer if any thing fhouid beobjeded agaii.fl him by the earl at his ceath; but others thought he came to feed his eyes with a fight of the earls fufferings, and to fa- tiate h!s hatred with his blood. But bf ing ad- nr.onifhied not ro prefs upon the ea-'l at his death wiiich is the part rather of ignoble brutes, he Withdrew himfelf further oiT, anu beheld his execution out of the armory.
The
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 89 ** The earl, as foon as he was come upon the fcafFcld, uncovered his head, and, lifting up his eyes to Heaven, acknowledged that many and great had been the fins of his youth ; for which, with moft fervent prayer, he begged pardon of the eternal majeily of God, through Chrift his mediator ; efpecially for this laft fin, which he termed a bloody, crying, and contagious fin, wherewith fo many had been feduced to fin againft God, their prince, and country. He beforght the queen and her mi- nifters to forgive him, praying for her long Hfe and profperous eftate ; protefting withal, that he never intended to lay violent hands upon her perfon. He gave God thanks that he had never been atneift, or papili, but had placed all his hope and confidence in the me« rits of Chrift. He prayed God to ftrengthen his mind againft the terrors of death, deliring the ftanders-by to join with him in a ftiort prayer; which, with broken fighs, and fer- vent affedion oT inward devotion, he prefently uttered. Afterwards, the executioner, afking forgivenefs, he forgave him : he recited the Apoftle's Creed, and then, laying himfelf down, placed his neck upon the block ; and, having repeated the firft verfes of the fifty- firft pfalm, he faid, *' In humility and obedience, I proftrate m)felf to my deferved punifhment : Thou, O God, have mercy on Thy proftrate fervant ; into Thy hands, O Lord, I com« mend my fpirit*'*
Hii
50 BRITISH PLUTARCrr.
** His head was taken ofFatthe third ftroksy but the firft took away all fenle and motion.'*
His charader is very fully drawn by Sir Henry W'otton, very fairly by Sir Robert Naunton, very freely by Cambden, and very finely touched by the niafterly pen of the lord Clarendon ; neither are there wanting fome ufeful touches in Ofborne, Fuller, Lloyd». Winilanle)^, and other writers of lefs fame» It appears, from the comparifon of thefe, that,, m refped to the public, he was truly a patriot,. had a great regard to his fovereign's honour,, and no lefh zeal for his country's fervice ; he valued hi mfelf on loling a father and a bro- ther, and in [pending a great part of his fub- fiance in the caufe of both ; his projeds were high, but verv honourable; and the difficulties with which they were embarralied, feemed ra- ther to invite than to dejecl him. He was, however, too covetous of royal favour, and fome fay, not reipedful enough to the royal perfon ; and, if there was any truth in this, his fault was inexcufable, the queen pre- venting his merit by her favours, as well as. rewarding it by honours ; nor did he feel the funlbine only, but the dew of the court ;. fince, if the lord tieafurer Buckhurll com- puted right, and he was no enemy to my lord of EffG:^, he received, in grants, penfions,. and places, to the amount of three hundred thoufand pounds ; but then, as he received all this from, he fpent it for, the public ; and, it
he.
ROBERT DEVEREUX. 9^
he fometimes appeared covetous, it was, that he might be always generous ; for, to his ho- nour be it fpoke, learning never approached him ungraced, merit unrewarded, or want without receiving relief. His fovereign's fa- vour he loft often ; the fidelity of his friends, and the affeftion of the people, never ; yet he fometimes trufted thofe who had been for- merly his enemies, and was not fortunate in all his enterprizes ; vvhicli renders the wonder greater.
As to his perfon, he is reported to have been tall, but not very well made ; his coun- tenance referved ; his air rather martial than courtly^ very carelefs in drefs, and very little addicted to trifling diverfions. Learned he was, and a lover of learned men ; wrote with that facility which is the true mark of genius ; with that clofenefs and perfpicuity, v/hich is the happieft fruits of learning ; and that noble iimplicity, which is the chara6ieriilic of a great mind. Sincere in his friendfhip, but not fo careful as he ought to have been ia making a right choice ; found in morals, ex- cept in the point of gallantry ; and thoroughly well afFecled to the prcteftant religion, of which he had very juft notions, defpifing alike the meannefs of fuperilition and Lhe folly of infidelity.
THE
S2 BRITISH PLUTARCH. The life of
JOHN KNOX.
JOHN KNOX, the principal d^reaor of the reformation in the Scotch church, was deiccuded of an ancient and honourable fa« mily ; and was born, in the year 1505. at Gilford, near Hadingtoun, i" the county of E: If Lothian, in Scotland. He received the firll part of his education in the grammar- fchool of Hadingtoun, and from thence ^as removed to the univerfity of St. Andrews, where he was placed under the tuition of the celebrated Mr. John Mair ; and applied himfelf with fuch uncommon diligence to the acade- mical learning then in vogue, that, in a (hort time, and while yet very young, he obtained the degree of mafter of arts.
As the bent of his inclination led him flrongly to the church, he turned the courfe of his liudies early that way ; and, by the ad- vantage of his tutor's inflrudions, foon became remarkable for his knowledge in fcholaftic theology ; fo that he took priefl's orders be- fore the period ufually allowed by the canons : and, from being a learner of them, began himfelf to teach, with great applaufe, his be- loved
X?/Vy/ f A /uKJf
r.F,,-^,,..,, ,..,
JOHNKNOX. 93
loved fcience. But, after fome time, upon a careful pe; ufal of the fathers of the church, and particularly the writings of St. Jerom and St. Auftin, his tafle was entirely altered. He quitted the cobweb fubtilty of the fchools, and applied to a plainer and more fimple divi- nity.
At his entrance upon this nev/ courfe of flady, he attended the preaching of Thomas Guilliam, a black-friar, whofe fermons were of extraordinary fervice to him. This friar was provincial of his order in I543» when the earl of Arran, then regent of Scotland, favoured the reformation; and Mr. George Wifliart, mentioned in our life of Beatoun, coming from England in the fucceeding year, with the commiffioners fent from king Henry VIII. Knox being of an inquifitive nature, learned from him the principles of the Proteft- ant? ; with which he was fo pleafed, that he renounced the Romiih religion, and became a zealous reformer, having left St. Andrews a little before, being appointed tutor to the fons of the lairds of Ormifloun and Languidry, who were both favourers of the reformation,
Mr. Knox's ordinary refidence v.'as at Lan- guidry, where he not only intruded his pu- pils in the feveral parts of learning, but was particularly careful to inilil into their minds the principles of piety and the proteilant reli- gion : but this coming to the ears of the bi- fliop of St. Andrews, that prelate profecuted
him
$4 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
him with fuch feverity, that he was frequently obliged to abfcond, and fiy from place to place. Whereupon, being weaned with fuch continual dangers, he refolved to retire to Germany, in v/hich the new opinions were fpreading very fail ; knowing that in England, though the pope's authority was fuppreffed, yet the greater part of his doctrine remained in full vigour. But this <iefign being much dif- liked by the fathers of both his pupils, they, by their importunity, prevailed with him to go to St. Andrews, about Eafter, 1547 ; and, for his own fafety, as well as of that of their ■children, to take lliclter in the caftle, where they might all be fecure from the efforts of the Papifts, and he be in a condition to inllrud; the young gentlemen.
Here he began to teach his pupils in his ufual manner. Befides the grammar, and the clafiical authors, he read a catechifm to them, which he uL liged them to give an account of publicly in the pariih- church of St, Andrews, He iikewife continued to read to them the gofpel of St. John, proceeding where he left off at his departure from Languidry. This leflure he read at a certain hour, in the cha- pel within the cai.ie, whereat feveral of the place were prefent. Among thefe, Mr. PIcnry Bolnaveis, and John Rough, preacher there> being plcafed with the manner of his doarine> began earneftly to entreat him to take the preacher's place : b-ut he abfolutely refufed ;
alledging.
J O H N K N O X. 9^
-alledging, that he would not run where God had not called him ; meaning, that he would ido nothing without a lawful vocation. Here- ijpon they deliberating the matter in a confuI» tation with Sir David Lindfay, of the Mount, lyon king at arms, a perfon of great probity and learning, it was concluded to give Mr, Knox a charge publicly by the mouth of the preacher. Accordingly, Mr. Rough, upon the day agreed, preached a fermon concerning the election of minillers ; and then addrefled himfelf particularly to Mr. Knox, who was by, and faid, " Brother, ye fhall not be of- fended, albeit 1 fpeak unto you that which I have in charge, even from all thefe that are here prefent ; which i^ this : In the name of God, and of his fon Jefus Chriil, and in the name of thefe that prefently call upon you by my mouth, I charge you that ye refufe not this holy vocation ; but, as you tender the glory of God, the increafe of ChrilVs king* dom, the edification of your brethren, and the comfort of men, whom ye underftand well enough to be oppreffed by the multitude of la- bours, that ye take upon you the public office and charge of preaching, even as you look to avoid God's heavy 'I'fpleafure, and defire he /hould multiply his graces with you." Then direding his fpeech to the audience, he faid, ** Was not this your charge to me, and do ye not approve this vocation ?" They anfwered, ** It was, and we do approve it," Whereat
Mr,
96 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
Mr. Knox, abafhed, burft forth into moft abunaant tears, and withdrew into his cham« ber.
His countenance and behaviour from that day to the day he was forced to prefent himlelf in the public place of preaching, lufficiently declared the grier" and trouble of his heart ; for no man faw any fign of mirth in him, neither had he pleafure.to accompany any man for many days attervvards : but, on the Sun- day appointed, afcending the pulpit, he preached a fermon upon Dan. vii. 23---28 ; from which text he proved, to the latisfa^lion of his auditors, that the pope was Antichrill, and that the doftrine of the Roman church was contrary to the doctrine of Chrill and his apoftles He likewife gave the notes both of the true i:hurch, and of the antichriftian church, A'c. of which he gives a full account in his hiftory.
This fermon made a great noife ; and the popilh cie.-gy being much incenfed at it, t!ie abbot of Paiilcry, lately nominated to the fee of St. Andrew's, and not yei confecrated, wrote a letter to the fub-prior, who, {ede va- cante, was vicar-general, exprciTing great fur- prize, that fuch heretical and fchiTmatical doc- trines were fuffered to be taught without oppo- fition,
Upon this rebuke, the fub-prior called a convention of grey and black friars, to meet in St. Leonard's yard ; where, by our preach- ers being convened, they were charged with
feverai
J O H N K N O X. 97
feveral offences. Then the articles of the church were read, and the fub-prior entered into a conference with Mr. Knox, who, after that, difputed with one of the friars upon fe- veral controverted points between the Papiib and the Proteftants. Popery fenfibly loll- ground by the difpute ; and the fupporters of it found themfelves obliged to take another method to maintain its reputation.
An order was pafTed, obliging every learned perfon in the abby and univerfity to preach in the parilh churches by turns upon Sundays^, and, in their fermons, not to touch upon any controverted points. But Mr. Knox rendered this caution ineffeftual, by preaching on the week days ; when he took occafion to praifc God that Chrift Jefus was preached, and no- thing faid publicly againfl the dodrine he had taught them j protefting withal, that, if, in his abfence, they ihould fpeak any thing which they forbore while he was prefent, that his hearers Ihould fufpend their judgment till it ihould pleafe God they Ihould hear him again. And he was fo fuccefsful in his work, that all the people in the callle, and a great number in ike town, openly profe^Ted the pro- teftant doftrine, and tellified it by partaking: of the Lord's Supper, in the fame manner i\ was adminiftered in the church of Scotland^ after the proteilant religion was eftablifhed by law, anno 1560. " And this,** fays a learned author, " in 1547, was, perhaps, the firft time that the Eucharill was difoenfed with
VoL,iy, F * ',n
^S BRITISH PLUTARCH.
in Scotland in the way of the reformed churches.
Mr. Knox continued thus in the diligent difcharge of his miniftcrial work, till July in that year, when the callle was furrendered to tjje French.
Mr. Knox, with the rei}^ was carried to Fiance, and remained a prifoner on board the gallies till the latter end of the year 1549; when, being fet at liberty, he pafied to Eng- land ; and going to London, was there li- cenfed, and appointed preacher, iiril at Ber- wick and next at Newc^llle.
During this employ, he received a fummons, in 1^51, to appear before Cuthbert Tonlial, bifhop of Durham, for preaching againll: the mafs.
In ijijz, he was appointed chaplain to king Edward VI. and, the enfuing year, he had the grant of forty pounds per annum till fome benefice in the church (hould be conferred on him. The fame year he came into fome trouble on account of a bold fermon preached at Newcaille, upon Chrillmas-day, againft the obfiinacy of the Papiils : and, about the latter end of the year, viz. 1^52, he returned to London ; and, being well efteemed by his majefty and fome of the court, for his zealous ' preaching againll the errors of the Romiih church, he was appointed to preach before the king and council at Weflminfter a little before his majerty's departure thence.
la
JOHN i: N O X. 99
In this rermon he had feveral piercing glances againil fome great men, who were fecretly well wifhers to the old fuperftition, though outwardly they fubmitted to the then prefent eftablifhment. But, notwithiianding that it mull have been about this time, that the council ient to Cranmer, archbilhop of Canterbury, to bellow the living of Allhal- lows, in London, upon him, which accord- ingly was offered him ; but he refufed it, not caring to conform to the Engliih Liturgy as it then ilood. However, he Hill held his place of itinerary preacher; and, in the difcharge of that office, going to Buckinghamlhire, was greatly pleafed with his reception at fome towns, particularly at Amerfliam, in that county ; and he continued to preach there, and at other places, fome time after queen Mary's acceflion to the t-hrcne.
But, in February that year, he left England, and, croffing the fea to Dieppe, in France* went from thence to Geneva ; where he had not been long, when he was called by the congregation of the Engliih refugees, then eftabliftied at Franckfort, to be preacher to them. This vocation he obeyed, though un- vv'illingly, at the command of John Calvin : and he continued at Franckfort till fome of the principal perfons of his congregation * •finding it impoffible to psrfuade him to ufe the Englifh Liturgy, refolved to eiFecl his re- moval from the place.
F 2 U
100 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
In that view, they accufed him to the ma- giftrates, of treafon, committed both againft their fovcreign, the emperor of" Germany, and alfo againft their own fovereign in |England, queen Mary ; and the magirtrates, not having it in their power to fave him, if he fliould be required, either by the emperor, or, in his name, by queen Mary ; gave him private no- tice thereof : which he no fooner received, than he fet out for Geneva ; where he ar- rived on the twenty- fixth of March, 1555, but (layed there only till Auguft following ; when, refoiving, after fo long an abfence, to make a vifit to his native country, he went to Scot* land.
Upon his arrival there, which was in the end of harveft, finding the profefTors of the reformed religion much encreafed in number, and formed into a fociety under the infpe^lion of fome teachers, he aflbciated himfelf with them, and preached to them. Prefently after this, he accompanied one of them, the laird of Dun, to his feat in the north ; where he jflayed a month, teaching and preaching daily to confiderable numbers who reforted thither ; among whom were the chief gentlemen in that country.
From thence returning to Lothian, he re- fided, for the moft part, in the houfe of Cal« der, with Sir James Sandilands, where he met with many perfons of the firll rank ; viz. the maiiler of Erikine, afterwards earl of Mar j
the
J O H N K N O X. JO!
the lord Lorn, afterwards the earl of Argyle ; lord James Stewart, prior of St. Andrews, af- terwards earl of Murray and regent of Scot- land. With thefe noble perfonages he converfed familiarly, and confirmed them in the truth of the proteflant do£trine.
In the winter of 155^, he taught, for the moft part, in Edinburgh. About Chriftraas, 1556, he went to the weft of Scotland, at the defire of fome proteftant gentlemen, and preached in many places in Kyle ; and in feme he celebrated the Eucharift after the manner of the reformed churches. He vifited likewife the earl of Glencairn, at his houfe of Fyn- laifton in the county of Renfrew, and admini- ftered the facrament to his lordfhip's family.
From thefe weftern parts he returned to the caft, and refided fome time in Caider, where many reforted to him both for dodrine and the benefit of the facraments.
From thence he went a fecond time to the laird of Dun's houfe, in the county of Mearns, where he preached more publicly than before, and adminiftered the facraments to many per- fons of note at their defire.
The popifti clergy being greatly alarmed at this fuccefs of Mr. Knox, in protecting the proteftant caufe, fummoncd him to appear before them in the church of Black Friars in Edinburgh, on the fifteenth of May, 1556; and feveral gentlemen of diftindiion, among whom was the laird of Dun, refolving to ftand by him, he determined to obey the fummons.
107. BRITISH PLUTARCH.
Bat the profecLition was dropped when thebi- fnops perceived fuch a conf.derable party in his favour. However, he went to Edinburgh on the day on which he was cited ; where he preached to a greater audience than ever he had done before ; and in the biihop of Dun- kejd's great houfe he taught, both before and after noon, to great numbers, for ten days.
At this time, the earl of Glencairn pre- vailed with the earl marifchal, and his truftee, Henry Drummond, to hear one of Mr. Knox's iermons. They were extremely well fatisfied with his difcourfe, and propofed to him to v/iite to the queen-regent an earneft letter, to perfuade her, if poffible, to hear the proteft- ant dcftriiie. He complied with their defire, and wrote to her in May, I5i;6, The letter was delivered by the earl of Glencairn. The queen read it, and gave it to cardinal Bea- toun, v/iih this farcaftic expreilion, " Pieafe you, my lord, to read a pafquil?'*
This gave cccafion to Mr. Knox to make feme additions in his letter, which he printed afterwards, with the additions, at Geneva, in
While our refoririCr was thus occupied in Scotland, he received letters from the Englifn congregation at Geneva, earneilly entreating him to come thither j and, having ferioufly confidered this invitation, he determined to comply with it. Accordingly, in July, 1556, he left Scot'and, went firlt to Dieppe, in I'Vancc, and from ihence to Geiicva,
He
JOHN KNOX. IC5
He had no fooner turned his back, than the blihops fummoned him before them ; and, up- on his non-appearance, they pailed fentence againll him for herefy, and burned him in ef- figy at the crofs of Edinburgh, Againil this he afterwards printed, at Geneva, in 1598, his appeal from the cruel and moft unjuit fentence pronounced againft him by the fciife bifhops and clergy of Scotland, with his fup- plication to the nobility, efiates. and coramo- naHty of the faid realm.
On the tenth of March, 1557, feveral no- blemen,, the chief promoters of the reforma- tion at that time in Scotland, judging their affairs to be in a pretty good poiture, and be- ing fenfible of the ufefuinefs of Mr. Knox for the purpofe, fent him an exprefs, earneftly de- firing him to return home. This letter com- ing to his hands in May, 1557, he immedi- ately communicated it to his congregation, who were very unwilling to part with him; but, having confulted with Mr. Calvin, and other minilrers, they gave it, as their opinion, that he could not refufe fuch a plain call, un- lefs he would declare himfelf rebellious t.j God, and unmerciful to his country. The congregation, upon this, yielded to his de- parture ; and he wrote back by the meiTengert^ who brought the letter, that hevvould remrn to Scotland with all rcafonable expedition.
Accordingly, having provided for his tlock
at Geneva, he left the7n in the end of vSep-
tember. and esme to Dieppe, in his way to
F ^ Scotlai-id^.
IC4 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
Scotland, on the twenty- fourth of Odober, But there he unexpededly met with letters from thence, contrary to the former, inform • ing him, that new confultatrons were entered into, and advifing him to ftay at Dieppe till the conclufion of them. This was alfo farther explained in another letter, diredled to a friend of Mr. Knox, wherein he was told, thatmany cf thole who had before joined in the invita- tion, were beconjing inconftant, and began to draw back.
Upon the receipt of thefe advices, Mr. Knox wrote an expoftulatory letter to the lords %vho had invited him, concerning their ralh- riefs ; wherein he denounced judgments againf^ fuch as iliould be inconftant in the religion they now profefTed. Befides which, he wrote feveral other letters from Dieppe, both to the nobility and profeffors of the reformed reli- gion of an inferior degree ; exhorting them to conftancy in that dodlrine, and giving fome ufeful cautions againfl the errors of fedlaries^ which grew up about this time both in Ger- many and in England.
In thefe letters he alfo enjoined them to give due obedience to authority in all lawful things : and fuch an effect had thefe letters on thole who received them, that they, one and ciil, entered into an agreement to commit themfelves, and whatfoever God had given them, into his hands, rather than fuffer ido- latry to reign; ar.d the fubjec^s be defrauded cf the only iced of their fouls? and, that
every
J O H N K N O X. 105
every one might be aflured the more of one another, a common bond, or covenant, was made and entered into by them, dated at Edin- burgh, on the third of December, 1557.
Mr. Knox returned to Geneva in the begin- ingof 15^8, and the fame year he printed there his treatife, entitled, " The Firit Blaft of the trumpet againft the mondrous regiment of women," He defigned to have written a fub- fequent piece, which was to have been called, ** The Second Blall :" but queen Mary of England dying foon after, TheFirfl Blall was publifhed ; and he, having a great elltem for queen Elizabeth, whom he looked upon as an initrumentraifed up, by the providence of God, for the good of the Proteftants, he went no farther.
In April, I5>9» he determined to return to his native country; and, having a ftrong de- fire, in his way thither, to vifit thofe in Eng- land, to whom he had formerly preached the Gcfpel, he applied to Sir William Cecil, his old acquaintance, to procure leave for that purpofe. But this petition was fa far from being granted, that the meiTenger, whom he fent to follicit that favour, very narrowly efcaped imprifonment. Hereupon he made the beil of his way to Scotland, where he ar- rived on the fecond of May, 1559 ; and was very aftivein promoting the reformation there, as appears from the fecond book of his hiftory, which contains a full account of his conduct F 5 till
]o6 BRITISH PLUTARCH. till the Proteftants were obliged to apply t<^ England. For carrying on which tranfadllon, in July, this year, he was pitched upon to meet Sir William Cecil incognito at Stamford j but his journey being retarded by the danger of paiTing near the French, who lay at Dun- bar, he was afterwards fent, in company with Mr. Robert HEmllton, another proteftant mi- ll iiler, to negotiate thefe affairs between the ProteftantG in Scotland and queen Elizabeth.
When they came to Berwick, they remained fome days with Sir James Crofts, the gover- nor, who undertook to manage their bufmefs for them, and advifed them to return home, which they did. Secretary Cecil fent alfo an anfwer to the proteftant nobility and gentry, concerning their propofals to queen Elizabeth; which was fo general that they were very near refolving to break off the negotiation, had not. Mr. Knox interpofed with fo much earneftnefs that they allowed him to write once more to the fecretary. To this letter there was quickly fent an anfwer, defiring that fome perfons of credit might be fent to confer with the En- glifh at Berwick ; and the fame letter in- formed them, that there was a fum of money ready to be delivered for carrying on the com- mon caufe; affuring them, that, if the lords of the congregation were willing to enter into a league with queen Elizabeth, upon honour- able terms, they Ihould neither want men or money.
Upon
JOHN KNOX, 107
Upon this anfvver, Mr. Henry Balnavers, a man well refpetled in both kingdoms, was ient to Berwick, who Toon returned with a funi of money, which defrayed the public expence till November; when John Cockbarne, of 0^" miftoun, being fent for thefecond fupport, re- ceived it, but fell into the hands of earl Both- well, who took the money from him.
In the interim, Mr. Knox was chofen mi- nirie'r of Edinburgh in July • but, being obliged to attend the lords, while the agree- ment was in dependance, Mr. Willock was left in Edinburgh to ofHciate in his room.
The efted of thefe negotiations was, the fending of an army under the com.mand of the duke of Norfolk ; which being joined by almoft all the great men in Scotland, at lail a peace was procured and concluded between the two kingdoms, on the eighth of July, 1560.
The congregationers being freed by this peace from any diilurbance, made feveral regulatious towards propagating and eftablilhing the ne\v religion ; and, in order 10 have the re formed doctrine preached throughout the kingdom, a divifion was made thereof into twelve difh ids, (for the whole number of the reformed mini- fters at this time was only twelve) ; whereby the diltrid. of Edinburgh was aiilgned to Mr. Knox. Thefe twelve miniilers compofed a confeflion of faith, which was afterwards ratified by parliament. T hey alfo compiled the firii books of difcipline for that church.
F 6 Jn
-cS BRITISH PLUTARCR
In December, this year, Mr. Knox buried Lis firft wife, Margery Bowes, an Eng!i(h wo- man, for whofelofs he was much grieved. In January, the following year, 1561, we find him engaged in a difpute, concerning the con- troverted points of religion, againfl: Mr. Alex- ancer Anderfon, fub-principd of the king's college at Aberdeen ; and Mr. John Leflie, afterwards bifhop of Rofs. InMarch. 1560 i,, IVIr. John Spottifwood was admitted fuperin- tendaiit of I.othian by Mr. Knox. And the fqme year, on the twentieth of Auguft, 5561, Mary, queen of Scots, arrived at Leith from France.
From her firll arrival, her majefiy fet up a private mafs in her ( wn chapel ; which after- wards, by her protedlion and countenance, was much more frequented. This excited the zeal of Mr. Knox, who cxprefied himfelf with great warmth againft allowing it ; and an a(ft of the privy-council being proclaimed' at the market- crofs of Edinburgh, forbidding any di- ilurbance to be given to this praftice, under pain of death, on the twenty-fifth of' that month, Mr. Knox openly, in his fermon the ■Sunday following, declared,, that one mafs was more frightful to him than ten thoufand armed enemies landed in any part of the iealm.
This freedom of fpeech gave great offence to the court, and the queen herfelf had a long conference with him upon that and other fub- ,<jds . nt which times he is reported to have
gded
J O H N K N O X. 109
a£led a part not quite becoming the humility of a fubjeft to his fovereign.
In 1562, we find him employed in recon- ciling the earls of Both well and Arran; which is an evidence how much he was regarded by the moft eminent perfons in the kingdom, and how much intereft he had with them. The fame year, the queen, being informed that her uncles were like to recover their former intereft at the court of France, received the news with great joy. Mr» Knox hearing of her behaviour, and apprehending that the power of her relations would produce difmal efFeds, in prejudice of the reformed intereft in thefe parts, he thought fit to preach a ier- mon, wherein he taxed the ignorance, vanity, and defpite of princes againft all virtue, and againft all thofe in whom hatred of vice and love of virtue appeared. This, and other cxpreffions, in reproof of dancing for joy, at the difpleafure taken againft God's people, coming to the ears of the queen, her majefty fent for him, and had a fecond conference with him.
This year alfo he was appointed by the general aflembly, commiffioner to the counties of Kyle and Galloway ; and, by his influence, feveral of the moft eminent gentlemen entered into a covenant, which was fubrcribed on the fourth of September, 1562.
From the fhire of Air he went to Nithfdale *i>d Galloway, and had feveral conferences
about
no BRITISH PLUTARCH.
about matters of great importance with the mailer of Moxwell ; and, from this county he wrote to the duke of Chaterault, giving hinv cautions both againft the bilhop of St. An- drews and the earl of Huntley, whofe councils he judged might prove obnoxious to the Pro- tellants. At this time he accepted a challenge, - madeby an eminent perfon among thePapifts,. to a public difputation upon the mafs, which continued the fpace of three days, and was af- terwards printed.
In the beginning of the queen's firft parlia- ment, Mr. Knox endeavoured to excite the earl of Murray to appeal* with zeal and cou- rage to get the articles of Leith eliablilhed by law ; but finding him cooler than he ex- pelled, there foilowed a ]>reach between them, which continued for a year and a half: and, after the bill was rejected, the parlia- ment not being difiblved, he preached a fermon before a great many of the members, wherein he exprelTed his fenfe of that matter with vehemency ; and, at the clofe, declared ^ his abhorrency of the queen's marrying a pa- pirt. This gave gre':t offence to the court ; and her majeily, fending for kim a third time, exprefied much paffion, and thought to have punifhed him, but was prevailed upon to_ defift at that time.
The enfuing year, lord Darnley being mar- ried to the queen, was advifed by the Prnteft- aiUs about court to hear Mr.- Knox preach,^ as
thinking
J O H N K N O X. I IT
tTrinking it would contribute much to procure the good will of the people. At their defire he went, on the nineteenth of A uguft, to the high church ; but was fo much offended at the fermon, that he complained to the council, who immediately ordered Mr. Knox before them, and forbid him to preach for feveral days.
The general aflembly, which met in De* cember this year, in their fourth feffion, ap- pointed Mr. Knox to draw up a confolatory letter in their name, to encourage the mini- fters 10 continue in their vocations, which many were under temptation to leave for want of fubfiftance ; and to exhort the pro- feffors of the realm to fupply their neceffities. He was alfo appointed by this affembly to vifit, preach, and plant, the kirks of the fouth, till the next affembly, and to remain as long as he could at that work. He requefted the general afiembly, which met at Edin- burgh, in December, I06, that he might have leave to go to England to vifit two cf his fons, and for otlrer neceffary affairs in that kingdom ; ar.d the members being in- formed, that fome worthy and learned divines in England were profecuted by the bifhops, becaufe they refufed to ufe the ecclefiallical habits, caufed a letter to be written, and fent by Mr. Kncx, wherein, with great earnefl- nefs, they intreated, that they might deal gently with fuch minifiers as were fcrupu- lous.
In
lU BRITISH PLUTARCH.
In 1567, Mr, Knox preached a fermon at the coronation of king James VI. of Scotland, and afterwards the Firft of Great-Britain. This year is very remarkable in Scotland, upon account of the great turn of affairs there by queen Mary's refigning the government, and by the appointment of the earl of Murray to be regent. The firil parliament which was called by the earl met upon the fifteenth of December. It was a very numerous conven- tion of all the eftates, and Mr. Knox preached a very zealous fermon at the opening of it ; and he was extremely afflided at the regent's death in 1569
In 1^71, the Hamiltons and others, who had entered into a combination againfl the earl of Lenox, then regent, bec-an to fortify the town of Edinburgh. While they were thus employed, a council was held by them in the caftle on the fourth of May ; where the laird cf Grange, captain of the caitle, propofed that they might give fecurity for the perfon cf Mr. Knox, which was alfo much defired by the town^s people. The Hamiltons an- fwered, That they could not promile him fe- curity upon their honour, becaofe there were many in the town v/ho loved him not, befides other diforderly people that might do him harm v^ithout their knowledge.
Upon this anfwer, which plainly fhewed r.o good intention to Mr. Knox, his friends in the tov.'n, with Mr. Craig, his collegue, at their bead, entreated him to leave the place ;
m
J O H N K N O X. 113
in compliance with their requeds, he left Edin- burgh on the fifth of May ; he went firft to Abbotfhall in Fife, and thence to St. Andrew*s, where he remained till the twenty-third of Auguft 1572.
This year there was a convention of the minifters at Leith, where it was agreed, that a certain kind of epifcopacy Ihould be intro- duced into the church, which was zealoufly oppofed by our reformer. The troubles of the country being much abated, and the pec* pie of Edinburgh, who had been obliged to leave it, being returned, they fent two of their number to St. Andrews, to invite Mr, Knox to return to them, and to afk his advice about the choice of another minilter to affift him during the time of the troubles. The fuperintendant of Lothian was with them, when they prefented the letter ; which, when Mr. Knox had perufed, he consented to return, upon this condition, that he fhould not be defired in any fort to ceafe fpeaking againft the treafonable dealings of thofe who held out the caftle of Edinburgh ; and this he defired them to fignify to the whole brethren, left they fhould afterwards repent ; and, after his return, he repeated thefe words more than once, to his friends there, before he entered the pulpit; they anfwered, that they never meant to put a bridle on his tongue, but defired him to fpeak according to his confcience, as in former times. They alfo requefled his ad- vice upon the choice of a miniiler ; and, after
fome
114 BRITISH PLUTARCH, fome debates, they agreed upon Mr. James Lawfon, fub-principal of the king's college at Aberdeen.
Mr. Knox left St. Andjew's on the feven- teenth of Auguft, and came to Leith on the twenty-third. Upon the laft day of that month, he preached in the great kirk ; but his voice was become very weak, and there* fore he defired another place to teach in, where his voice might be heard, if it were but by an hundred perfons; which was grant- ed : after which Mr. Knox continued to preach in the To! booth as long as he had- ftrength ; but his health received a great fhock from the news of the maiTacre of the protef- tants at Paris, about this time. However, he introduced it into his next fermon, with his ufual denunciation of God's vengeance there- on, which he defired the French ambafTador, monfieur La Crocque, might be acquainted with. On funday November the ninth 1572, he admitted Mr. Lawfon a miniikr of Edin- burgh. But his voice vv'as fo v/eak, that very few could hear him ; he declared the mutual duty between a miniiler and his flock; he praifed God, that had given them one in his room, who was now unable to teach, and de- fired that God might augment his graces to him a thoufand-fold above that which he had, if it were his pleafure, and ended with pro- nouncing the blefiing.
From this day. he hailened to his end. Upon the eleventh, he was feized with a violent
cough
JOHN K NO X. 115
cough and great pains of the body ; fo that upon tiie thirteeenth, he was obliged to give over his ordinary reading of the fcriptures.. During his ficknefs he was viiited occallonally by the earl of Morton, and others of the prin- cipal nobility and gentry. But his decay liill increafing, he re/igned his breath on Monday the twenty fourth of November 1572, with great piety, refignation, and truft in God;, fjch as well became the principal director of the reformation of religion in Scotland. He was interred on the twenty fixth, in the kirk- yard of Su. Giles's, the corpfe being attended by feveral lords v^ho were then in Edinburgh^ and particularly the earl of Morton, that day chofen regent, who, as foon as he was laid in his grave, faid, " There lies a man v^ho never in his life feared the face of a man, who hath been often threatened Vv^ith dug and dagger, but yet hath ended his days in peace and ho- nour. For he had God's providence watch- ing over him in a fpecial manner, when his very life was fought.
As to his charader, he v/as one of thofe ex- traordinary perfons, of whom fev/, if any, are ohferved to fpeak with fufficient temper. All that we find of him in this way, are either extravagant encomiums on one hand, orfenfe- lefs invedives on the other. We fnall there- fore conclude what relates thereto in the words of Mr. Stripe, who hath dealt candidly with his memory;, and having froken of his refi- dence in England and Geneva, clofes his ac- count
ii6 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
count thus : ** In May 1559, he returned to his own country to forward the reformation, where he lived to the day of his death ; but his violent methods and difloyal behaviour towards the queen of Scots, is generally con- demned. As to his family, he was twice married ; firft, to Margery Bowes, an Englifii- woman ; by whom he had two fons, Natha- niel and Eleagan, and, we mull not omit to mention that the ingenious Mr. Robertfon, draws a favourable pidlure of John Knox, and attributes mod of the exceptionable parts of his charader to the fpirit of the limes he lived in.
Thi
7
EDMUND SPENCER, n; The life of
Edmund Spencer.
EDmund Spencer was born in Lon- don, and educated at Pembroke-hall in Cambridge. The accounts of the birth and family of this great man are but obfcure and imperfeft, and at his firft fetting out into life, his fortune and intereftfeem to have been very inconfiderable. After he had forae time con- tinued at the college, and laid that foundation of learning, which, joined to his natural ge- nius, qualified him to rife to fo great an ex- cellency, he ftood for a fellowfhip, in compe- tition with Mr, Andrews, a gentleman in holy orders, and afterwards lord bilhop of Win- chefter, in which he was unfuccefsful. This difappointment, joined with the narrownefsof his circumftances, forced him to quit the uni- verfity ; and we find him next refiding at the houfe of a friend in the north, where he fell in love with his Rofalind, whom he finely ce- lebrates in his paftoral poems, and of whoie cruelty he hath written fuch pathetical com- plaints. It is probable that about this time Spencer's genius began firft to diftinguifh it- felf; for. The Shepherd's Calendar, which is To full of his unprofperous paffion for Rofalind,
was
ti8 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
was amongll the iirll: of his works of notes and the fuppofition is ftrengthed, by the con- fideration of poetry's being frequently the offspring of love and retirement. This work he addrefled, by a fhort dedication, to the Maecenas of his age, the immortal Sir Philip Sidney, This gentleman was now in the highefl reputation, both for wit and gallantry, and the moil popular of all the courtiers of his age ; and, as he was himfelf a writer, and efpecially excelled in the fabulous or inven- tive part of poetry ; it is no wonder he was llruck with our author's genius, and became fenfibJe of his merit. A ilory is told of him by Mr. Hughes, which I (hall prefent to the reader, as itferves to illuftrate the great worth and penetration of Sidney, as well as the ex- cellent genius of Spencer. It is faid that our poet was a ftranger to this gentleman, when he began to write his Fairy Queen, and that he took occsfion to go to Leicefter-houfe, and introduce himfelf, by fending in to Mr. Sid- ney a copy of the ninth canto of the firfl book of that poem. Sidney was much furprifed with the defcriptlon of defpair in that canto, and is faid to have fliewn an unufual kind of tranfport on the difcovery of fo new and un- common a genius. After he had read fome ftanzas, he turned to his fteward, and bid him give the pcrfon v/ho brought thofe verfes fifty pounds ; but upon reading the next ftanza, he ordered the fum to be doubled. The Rew- ard was no lefs furprifed than his mafter, and
thought
EDMUND SPENCER. 119
thought it his duty to make fonie delay in exe- cuting fo fudden and Isvilh a bounty ; but upon reading one Hanza more, Mr. Sidney raifed the gratuity to two hundred pounds, and commanded the fteward to give it imme- diately, left as he read further he might be tempted to give away his whole eftate. From this time he admitted the author to his ac- quaintance and converfation, and prepared the way for his being known and receiv-. ed at court. Though this feemed a pro- mi fin g omen, to be thus introduced to court, yet he did not inftantly reap any advantage from it. He was indeed created poet laureat to queen Elizabeth, but heforfome time wore a barren laurel, and pofTefled the place without the penfion. Lord-treafurer Burleigh, under Vvhofe difpleafure Spencer laboured, took care to intercept thequeen's favours to this unhap- py great man. As misfortunes have the moft in- fluence on elegant andpoliihed minds, foit was no wonder that Spencer was much depreffed by the cold reception he met with from the great ; a circumftance which not a little detrafts from the merit of the minifters then in power : for I know not if all the political tranfadlions of Burleigh are fufficient to counterballance the infamy affixed on his name, by profecuting refentment againft diftrefied merit, and keep- ing him, who was the ornament of the times, as much diftant as poflible from the approach of competence.
Thefe
120 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
Thefe difcouragements greatly funk our author's fpirit, and accordingly we find him pouring out his heart, in complaints of fo in» jurious and undeferved a treatment ; which, probably, would have been lefs unfortune to him, if his noble patron, Sir Philip Sidney, had not been fo much abfent from court, as by his employments abroad, and the ihare he had in the Low-Country wars, he was obliged to be. In a poem, called, The Ruins of Time, which was written fome time after Sidney's death, the author feems to allude to the dif- couragement I have mentioned, in the follow- ing ftanza :
" O grief of griefs, O gall of all good hearts !
** To fee that virtue fhould dilpifed be, »* Of fuch as firft were rais'd for virtue's parts, ** And now broad- fpreading like an aged
tree, ** Let aone fhoot up that nigh them planted be; ** O let not thefe, of whom the mufe is fcorned, *♦ Alive, or dead, be by the mufe adorned.
Thefe lines are certainly meant to refleft on Burleigh for negle«5ling him, and the lord- treafurer afterwards conceived a hatred to- wards him for the fatire he apprehended was levelled at him, in Mother Hubbard's Tale. In this poem, the author has, in the moft live- ly manner, pointed out the misfortune of de- pending on court-favours. The lines which follow are, amone: others, very remarkable.
^ " Full
EDMUND SPENCER. 121
** Full little knovveft thou, thathail not try'd, *' What hell it is in fuing long to bide, " To clofe good days,that nights be better fpent, *' To wafte long nights in penfive difcontent ; *' To fpeed to day, to be put back to-morrow, *' To find in hope, to pine with fear and forrow; " To have thy prince's grace, yet want her
peers, " To have thy arming, yet wait many years. *' To fret thy foul with crofles, and with care, ** To eat thy heart, through comfortlefs de-
fpair ; *' To fawn, tocrouch, to wait, to ride, to run, *' To fpend, to give, to want, to be undone."
As this was very much the author's cafe, It probably was the particular pafTage in that poem which gave offence ; for as Hughes ve- ry elegantly obferves, even the fighs of amife- rable man, are fometimes refented as an af- front, by him who is the occafion of them. There is a little flory, which feems founded on the grievance juil now mentioned, and is related by fome as a matter of fail: commonly reported at that time. It is faid, that upon his prefenting fome poems to the queen, 0)6 ordered him a grutuity of one hundred pounds, bat the lord-treafurer Burleigh objefting to it, faid, with fome fcorn, of the poet, of whofe merit he was totally ignorant, " Wh;.t, ail this for afong?" The queen replied, *' Then give him what is reafon." Spencer for fome time waited, but had the mortification to find Vol. IV. G himfelf
122 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
himfelf diiappolnted of her majefty*s bounty. Upon this he took an opportunity to preknt a paper ,j queen Elizabeth, in the manner of a petition, in which he reminded her of the order fhe had given, in the following lines :
*' I was proniis'don a time *' To have reafon for my rhime, ** From that time, unto this feafon, ** I receiv'd nor rhyme, nor reafon.
This paper produced the intended efFefl, and the queen, after fiiarply reproving the treafurer, immediately diredled the payment of the hundred pounds fhe had firil ordered. In the year 1579 ^^ ^^'^^ ^^"^ abroad by the earl of Leicefler, as appears by a copy of Latin verfes, dated from Leicefter-houfe, and addreiTed to his friend Mr. Hervey ; but Mr. Hughes has not been able to determinein v,'hat fervice he was employed.
When the lord Grey of Wilton was chofen deputy of Ireland, Spencer was recommended to him as fecretary. This drew him over to another kingdom, and fettled him in a fcene of life very different from what he had for- merly known, but, that he underflood, and difcharged his employment with Ikill and ca- pacity, appears fufficiently by his difcourfe on the ftate of Ireland, in which there are many folid and judicious remarks, that fhew him no lefs quali.4ed for the bufmefs of the Hate, than for the entertainment of the mufes. His life
was
EDMUND SPENCER. 123 was now freed from the difRciilties under which it had hitherto ftruggled, and his Cer- vices to the crown received a revved of a grant from queen Elizabeth of three thoufand acres of land in the county of Cork. His houfe wasatKilcoIman, and the river Mulla, which he has, more than once, fo finely introduced in his poems, ran through his grounds. Much about this time he contradled an intimate friendfhip with the great and learned Sir Walter Raleigh, who was then a captain under the lord Grey. The poem of Spencer's, called, Colin Clout's come home again, in which Sir Walter Ra- liegh is defcribed under the name of the Shepherd of the Ocean, is a beautiful memo- rial of this friendfhip, which took its rife from a fimilarity of tafte in the polite arts, and which he agreeably defcribes, with a foft- nefsand delicacy peculiar to him. Sir Walter afterward promoted him in queen Elizabeth's eileem, through whofe recommendations fhe read his writings.
He now fell in love a fecond time, with a merchant's daughther, in which, fays Mr. Cooper, author of The Mufe's Library, he was more fuccefsful than in his firft amour. He wrote upon this occafion a beautiful epitha- lamium, with which he prefenced the lady on the bridal-day, and has configned that day and her to immortality. In this pkafant, eafy fituation our excellent poet finiihed the cele- lebrated poem of The Fairy Queen, which was begun and continued at different intervals G 2 of
524 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
of time, and of which he at firil publifhed on- ly the three firft books ; to thefe were added three more, in a following edition, but the lix laft books (excepting the two cantos of mutability) were unfortunately lort by his fervant, whom he had in haP.e fent before him into England ; for though he palTed his life for fome time very ferenely here, yet a train of misfortunes itiil purfued him, and in the re- bellion of the earl of Defmond he was plun- dered and deprivedof his eftate. This diftrefs forced him to return to England, where, for the want of his noble patron, Sir Philip Sid- ney, he was plunged into new calamities, as that gallant hero died of the wounds he had xcceived at Zutphen. It is faid by Mr. Hughes, that Spencer furvivedhis patron about twelve years, and died the fame year with his powerful enemy the lord Burleigh, 1598. He was buried, fays he, in Wellminfler-Ab- bey, near the famous Geoffery Chaucer, as he had defired ; his obfequies were attended by the poets of that time, and others, who paid the lail honours to his memory. Several copies of verfes were thrown after him into his grave, and his monument was ereded at the charge of the famous Robert Devereux, the unfortunate earl of EfTex.
This is the account given by the editor of the death of Spencer, but there is fome reafon to believe that he fpoke only upon ima- gination, as he has produced no authority to fupport his opinion, efpecially as 1 find in a
book
EDMUND SPENCER. 12 j
book of great reputation, another opinion, delivered upon probable grounds. The in- genious Mr. Drummondof Hawthronden, a noble wit of Scotland, had an intimate cor- refpondence with all the geniufes of his time who refided at London, particularly the fa- mous Ben Johnfon, who had fo high an opi- nion of Mr. Drummond's abilities, that he took a journey into Scotland in order to con- verfe with him, and ftayed fome time at his houfe at Hawthronden, After Ben Johnfon departed, Mr. Drummond, careful to retain what paiTed between them, wrote down the heads of their converfation ; which he publifn- ed amongft his poems and Hi/lory of the Five James's, kings of Scotland. Amongft other particulars there is this : '* Ben Johnfon told me that Spencer's goods were robbed by the Irifh in Defmond's rebellion, his houfe and a little child of his burnt, and he and his wife nearly efcaped j that he afterwards died in King-lireet by abfolate want of bread ; and, that he re'^ufed twenty pieces fent him by the earl of EfTex, and gave this anfwer to the perfon who brought them, That he was fure he had no time to fpend them." Mr. Drum- mond's works, from whence I extraifled the above, are printed in a thin quarto, and may be feen at Mr. Wilfon's, at Plato's head in the Strand. I have been thus particular in the quotation, that no one may fufpecl fuch ex- traordinary circumftrinces to i^-e advanced upon imagination. In the infcription on his tomb G 1 in
126 BRITISH PLUTARCH, ip Weftminfter-Abbey, it is faid he vvas born in the year 1 510, and died in ic;g6; Cambden fays 1598 : but in regard to his birth they muft both be miftaken, for it is by no means probable he was born fo early as i^ 10, if we may judge by the remarkable circumftance of his Handing for a feliovvlbip in competition with Mr. Andrews, who was not born, accord- ing to Hughes, till 1555. Befides, if this ac- count of his birth be true, he mull have been fixty years old when he firfl publifhed his Shepherd's Calendar, an age not very proper for love ; and in this caie it is no wonder that the beautiful Rofalind flighted his addreffes ; and he muft have been feventy years old when he entered into bufinefs under lord Grey, who was created Deputy of Ireland in 1580: for which reafons we may fairly conclude, that the infcription is falfe, either by the er- ror of the carver, or perhaps it was put on when the monument was repaired. There are very few particulars of this great poet, and it muft be a mortification to all lovers of the mufes, that no one can be found concerning the life of one, who vvas the greateft orna- ment of his profeffion. No writer ever found a nearer way to the heart than he, and his verfes have a peculiar happinefs of recommend- ' ing the author to our friendlhip, as well as raifmg our admiration ; one cannot read him tvithout fancying ones fclf tranfported into fairy-land, and there converfing with the graces iu that inchanted region. Jn elegance
of
EDMUND SPENCER. 12^
of thinking and fertility of imagination, few of our Engliili authors have approached him, and no writers have fuch power as he to awake the fpirit of poetry in others. Cowley own:; that he derived infpiration from him ; and I have heard the celebrated Mr. James Thompfon, the author of the SeafonG, and juRly efteemed one of our beft defcriptlve poets, fay, that he formed himielf upon Spencer ; and how clofe- ly he purfued his model, and how nobly he has imitated him, whoever reads his Caftle ot Indolence with Taile, will readily confefs. Mr. Addifon, in his Charaders of the Englilh poets, addreiled to Mr. Sacheverel, thusfpeaks of Spencer :
*' Old Spencer next, warm'd with poetic rage, *' In autient tales amus'da barbarous age j ** An age, that yet uncultivate and rude, ** Where'er the poet's fancy led, purfu'd *' Thro' pathlefs fields, and unfrequented fioods^ *' To dens of dragons, and enchanted woods. ** But now the miilic tale, that pleas'd of yore, *'• Can charm an underllandingage no more; *' The long-fpun allegories, tuiibme grow, *' While the dull mcjal lies too plain below. *' We view well pleafed at diitance, all the"^
fights, I
" Of arms, and palfries, battles, fields, and '
fights, f
*' And damfels in diilrefs, and courteous |
knights. J
G 4. '' Bat
■i2-i BRITISH PLUTARCH.
*' But when we look too near, the fhades decay, *' And all the pkafing landlcape fades away."
li\s agreed on all hands, that the diflrefTes of our author helped to fhorten his days ; and indeed, when his extraordinary merit is con- iidered, he had the hardelt meafurc of any of Gur poets. It appears from different accounts, that he was of an amiable, fvveet difpofition, humane and generous in his nature. Befides the Fairy Queen, we lind he had written fe- veral other pieces, of which we can only trace cut rhe titles. Amcngft thefe the mofl con-" fiderable were nine comedies, in imitation of the commedies of his admired Arioiio, in- fcri-bed with the names of the nine mufes. The refl which we have mentioned in his let- ters, and tnofe of his friends, are his Dying Felicane, his Pageants, Stommata, Dudleyana, The Canticles paraphrafed, Eccleliaftes, Se- ven Pfaims, Houfe of our Lord, Sacrifice of a Sinner, Purgatory, A Seven Night's Slum- ber, The Court of Cupid and Hell of Lover?. It is likewife faid he had written a treatife in profe, called, The linglifli Poet ; as for the epithalamium, Thamxcfis, and his Dreams, both mentioned by himfelf in one of his letters, iVlr. Hughes thinks they are flill preferved, though under different names. It appears from what is faid of the Dreams, by his friend lAr. Hervey, that they Were in imitation of i'etrarch's Vifions. To produce autliorilies
in
EDMUND SPENCIiR. 129 in favour of Spencer, as a poet, I ihould rec- kon an affront to h^s memory ; that is a tribute I fhall only pay to inferior wits, vvhofe highefl honour it is to be mentioned with refpeft, by geniufes of a fuperior clafs.
The works of Spencer will never perifh, though he has introduced unnecefiariiy many obfolete terms into them, there is a flow of poetry, an elegance of fentiment, a fund of imagination, and an inchanting enthufiafm, which will ever fecure him the applaufes of poiierity, while any lovers of poetry remain. We find little account of the family which. Spencer left behind him, only that in a few particulars of his life, prefixed to the lad folio edition of his works, it is faid, that his great- grandfon, Hugolin Spencer, after the refiora- tion of king Charles II. was reftored by the court of claims to fo much of the lands as could be found to have been his anceilor's. There is another remarkable paffage, of which, fays Hughes, I can give the reader muc'i bet- ter afiu ranee : that a perfon came over front Ireland, in king William's time, to follicit the fame affair, and brought v\dth him letters of recommendation, as a defcendent of Spencer. His name procured him a favourable recep- tion, and applied himfelf particularly to Mr. Congreve, by whom he was generoufly recom- mended to the favour of ihe earl of Haliii'ax, who was then at the head of the treafury ; and by that means he obtained his fuit. This mail was fomev/hat advanced in years, and
G 5 fi^igj'-
130 BRITISH PLUTARCH, might be the fame mentioned before, who had poflibly recovered only fome part of his eftate at firil:, or had been diilurbed in the pofieluon of it. He could give no account of the works of his anceflor's, which are want- ing, and which are therefore in all probability irrecoverably loft. The following ftanzas are iaid to be thofe with which Sir Philip Sidney was firil Ilruck.
From him returning, fad and comfortlefs,
As on the way together we did fare. We met that villain (God from him me blefs
That curfed wight, whom I efcaped whylear, A man of hell, that calls himfelf defpair ;
Who fn-ft us greets, and after fair areeds Of tidings ftrange, and of adventures rare,
So creeping clofe, as fnake in hidden weeds, Jnquireih of our Hates, and of our knightly
deeds. Which when he knew, and felt our feeble hearts
Kmboi'd with bole, and bitter biting grief. Which love had lanced with his deadly darts,
With wounding words, and terms of foul reprief,
He pluck'd from us all hope of due relief; That crft us held in love of ling'ring life ;
Then hopelefs, heartlefs, 'gan the cunning thief, Perfuade us did, to ftint all farther ft rife : To me he lent this rope, to him a rufty knife.
The
EDMUND SPENCER. 131
The following is the picture.
The daiklbn-ic cave they enter, where they nnd.
That curled man, low fitting on the groundr Mufing full fadly in his fallen mind;
His greafy locks, long growing, and unbound, Diforder'd hung about his fhoulders round,
And hid his face ; through which his hol- low evne, Look'd deadly dull, and liared as ailound -,
His raw-bone cheeks thro' penury and pine, Were flirank into his jaws, as he did neverdine .
His garments nought, but many ragged clout^.,
With thorns together pinn'd and patched was The which his naked fides he wrapt abcurs;
And him befide, there lay upon the grafs A dreary corfe, whofe life away did pais,
All wallowed in his own, yet lukewarn. blood, That from his wound yet welled freHi alas ;
In which a rufty knife fail: fixed fiood» And made an open pafTage for the gulhing flood
It would perhaps be an injury to Spencer to difmifs his life without a few remarks oti that great work of his which has placed him among the foremoft of our poets, and difco- vered fo elevated and fublime a genius. The work I mean is his allegorical poem of the Fairy Queen. Sir William Temple, in his EfTay on Poetry, favs, " That the religion G 6 of
i3i BRITISH PLUTARCH: of the Gentiles had been woven into the con- texture oFall the ancient poetry with an agree- able mixture, which made the moderns afFe6l to give that of Chriftianity a place alfo in their poems ; but the true religion was not found to become fidions fo well as the falfe one had done, and all their attempts of this kind feemed rather to debafe religion than heighten poetry. Spencer endeavoured to fup- ply this with morality, and to make inflruc- tion, inllead of llory, the fubjeft of an epic poem. His execution was excellent, and his flights of fancy very noble and high. But his dellgn was poor ; and his moral lay fo bare, that it loft the efreft. It is true, the pill was gilded, but fo thin, that the colour and the lafte were eafily difcovered."-"- Mr. Rymer <ifierts, that Spencer may be reckoned the iuft of our heroic poets. He had a large ipirit, a fharp judgment, and a genius for he- roic poetry, perhaps above any that ever wrote iince Virgil, but our mieTortune is, he wanted a true idea, and loft himfelf by following an unfaithful guide. Though beiides Homer and Virgil he had readTaflb, yet he rather fufi^ered himfelf to be mifled by Ariofto, with whom blindly rambling on marvels and adventures, he makes no ccnfcience of probability ; all is fanciful and chimerical, without any unifor- mity, or without any foundation in truth ; in a word, his poem is perfeft Fairy-land." Thus far Sir William Temple, and Mr.RymCx"; let us now attend to the opinion of a greater
EDMUND SPENCER. 133 ftarae. Mr. Dryden, in his dedication of Ju- venal, thus proceeds : *' The Englifh have only to boall: of Spencer and Milton in heroic poetry, who neither of them wanted either genius or learning to have been perfe6l poets, and yet both of them are liable to many cen- fures ; for there is no uniformity in the de- fign of Spencer ; he aims at the accomplifli- ment of no one aftion ; he raifes up a hero for every one of his adventures, and endows each of them v^'ith fome particular moral virtue, which renders them all equal, without fubor- dination, or preference : every one is valiant in his own legend; only we muft do him the juftice to obferve, that magnanimity, which is the character of prince Arthur, fhines throughout the whole poem, and fuccours the reft; when they are in diftrefs. The original of every knight was then living in the court of queen Elizabeth, and' he attributed to each of them that virtue which he thought moft con- fpicuousinthem; an ingeniuus piece of flattery, though it turned not much to his account. Had he lived to have finiihed his poem in the remain- ing legends, it had certainly been more of a piece ; but could not have been perfe«3:, be- caufe the model was not true. But prince Arthur, or his chief patron, Sir Philip Sidney^ dying before him, deprived the poet both of means and fpirit to accomplifh his defign. For the reft, his obfolete language, and ill choice of his ftanzas, are faults both of the fe- Gond magnitude ; for notwithftanding the iirft^
he
134 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
he is ftill intelligible, at leaft after a little prac- tice : and, for the lall, he is more to be ad- mired ; that, labouring under luch difadvan- tages, his verfes are (o numerous, fo various, and fo hannonious, that only Virgil, whom he has profefiedly imitated, hath furpafTed him among the R.omans ; and only Waller among the Engliih.-'
Mr. Hughe's, in his effay on allegorical po- etry, prefixed to Spencer's works, tells us, that this poem is conceived, wrought up, and coloured Vv'ith Wronger fancy, and difcovers more the particular genius of Spencer, than any of his other writings ; and, having ob- ferved that Spencer, in a letter to Sir Walter Raleigh, calls it, a continued allegory, and dark conceit, he gives us fome remarks on al- legorical poetry in general ; defining allegory to be a fable, or ftory, in which, under ima- ginary perfons, or things, is (liadowed fome real adlion, or inilru61ive moral; " as I think," fays he, *' it is fomewhere very Ihortly defined by Plutarch. It is that, in which one thing is related, and another thing under- ftood. It is a kind of poetical pidure, or hieroglyphic ; which, by its apt refemblance, conveys inftru<5lion to the mind by an analogy to the fenfes ; and fo amufes the fancy while it informs the underftanding. Every allegory has therefore two fenfes, the literal and myfli- cal. The literal fenfe is like a dream, or vi- fion, of which the myftical fenfe is the true meaning, or interpretation. This will he
more
EDMUND SPENCER. 135
more clearly apprehended by considering, that, as a fimile is a more extended meta- phor, fo an allegory is a kind of continued limile, or an affemblage of (imilitades drawn out at full length.
'* The chief merit of this poem, no doubt, confifls in that furprifmg vein of fabulous in- vention which runs through it, and enriches it every where with imaginary defcriptions, more than we meet with in any modern poem. The author feems to be pofTeiTed of a kind of poetical magic ; and the figures he calls up to our view, rife up fo thick upon us, that we are at once pleafed and diilradled with the inexhauflible variety of them ; fo that his faults may, in a manner, be imputed to his excellencies. His abundance betrays him into excefs ; and his judgment is oveiborn by the torrent of his imagination. That which feems the moil liable to exception, in this work, is the model of it, and the choice the author has made of fo romantic a ftory. The feveral books rather appear to be fo many feveral poems, than one entire fable. Each of them hath its peculiar knight, and isinde- pendant of the reil ; and, though fome of the perfons make their appearance in ditFerent books, yet this hath very little effed in con- cealing them. Prince Arthur, indeed, is the principal perfon, and has therefore a Ihare given him in every legend : but his part is not confiderable enough in any one of them. He appears and vanifhes again like a fpirit ; and
we
136 BRITISH PLUTARCFT. we lofe fight of him too foon to confider him as the hero of ihe poem.
" Thefe are the mofl: obvious defedls in the^ fable of the Fairy Queen. The want of unity in the flory makes it difficult for the reader to carry it in his mind, and diftrads too much his attention to the feveral parts of it ; and, indeed, the whole frame of it would appear monftrous, were it to be examined by the rules of epic poetry, as they have been drawn from the pradice of Homer and Virgil ; but, as it is plain the author never defigned it by thefe rules, I think it ought rather to be called a poem of a particular kind, defcribing, in a feries of allegorical adventures, or epifodes, the mOil noted virtues and vices,
** To compare it the.efore with the models of antiquity, would be like drawing a parcllcl between the Roman and Gothic archite<^ure. In the nrft, there is doubtlei's a more natural grandeur and fimplicity ; in the latter we find great mixtures oF beauty and barbarifm, yet EiT.ftcd by the invention of a variety of infe- rior ornaments; and, though the former is more majeftic in the whole, the latter may be very furpiifing and agreeabk in its parts."
THE
p /• <• %y/ifi ^y^/frt^ .
I
S IR JO HN PERU OT. 137 The life of
Sir John Per rot.
SIR John Perrot was the the fon of Tho- mas Perrot, efq. of lilingrcon, in Pem- brokefnire, in South Wales, by his wife Alice, fole heirefs of John Pechton, efq. With re- gard to his education, it was fuch as fuited his quality and fortune till he was about twelve years of age, when he was fent up to London, to the marquis of Winchefter's houfe, the lord high-treafurer under Henry VIII. there being, at the fame time, under the mar- quis's patronage, for their preferment, the earl of Oxenford, and lord Abergavenny ; the lall of which was fo fierce and hally, that no fervant or gentleman in the family could continue quiet for him : but, when young Perrot came, who, to an uncommon ilrength and luilinefs, added a ipirit equally bold, his lordfhip was told there wa.-. now a youth ar- rived who would be more than a match for him. " Is there fuch a one ?" faid he. " Let nie fee hirn." Upon v/hich, being brought where Perrot was, for the firll falutadon. he afked him, *' What, Sir, are you the kil^ cow that Hiuil: match me r" *' No," faid Mr. Perrot, " I am no butcher j but, if you ufe
CIS-
138 BRITISH PLUTARCH, me no better, you fhall find I can give a butcher's blow,'' ♦' Can you Co ?" faid he, ** I will fee that." And (o, being both an- gry, they fell to blows, till lord Abergavenny found that he had his hands full, and was will- ing to be parted from him : after which, the ferving-men, and others, when they found the young lord unruly, would threaten him with Mr. Perrot.
At length, however, tliey grew- into great friendfhip, infomuch that they were feldom afunder, tilt once they determined to make a banquet, and invite their friends thereto. But being not fo rich as to be owners of a cupboard of plate, they provided good ilore of giafles. Before their gueils came, they fell into fome contention, and ihey took the glaffes and broke them about one another's ears; that, when the guelis came, they found, inftead of wine, blood fprinkled about the chamber. Thus the banquet was fpoiled, the two young gentlemen ioft their friends thanks, and broke the league that was begun betwixt them.
Shortly after, it was Mr. Perrot's fortune to go into Southwark (as it was fuppofed to a houfe of pleafure) taking only a page with him, where he fell oat with two of the king's yeomen. They both drew on him ; but he defended himfelf fo valiantly, that the king, being then at Winchefter- houfe, near the place, was told how a young gentleman had fought with two of his majefiy's fervants. The king being defirous to fee him, fent for
him.
S I R 1 O H N P E R R O T. 259 him, demanded his name, country, and kin- dred. This being boldly by him related, it pleafed the king very well to fee fo much va- lour and audacity in fo young a man ; and therefore he defired him to repair to the court, where he would bellow preferment on him. But, not long after, king Henry died; fo Mr. Parrot loft that hope, remaining, for a time, till the coronation of king Edward, at the marquis of Winchefter's houfe, as before; where he ipent his time in fuch exercifes as youth is accutlomed to. But, when Mr. Per- rot came to king's Edward's court, for the ex- traordinary comiinefs of his perfon, and the forwardnefs of his fpirit, the young prince took fuch a liking to him, that he caufed him to be made one of the knights of the Bath. The young king had a very good opinion of Sir John Perrot, and he gained the good like- ing of the whole court by his valour, adivity, llrength, and expertnefs in afls of chivalry. When the marquis of Southampton went into France to treat of a marriage betwixt king Edward and the French king's daughter. Sir John Perrot accompanied him.
The marquis being a nobleman that de- lighted much in all atlivities, keeping the moft excellent men that could be found in rnoit kinds of fport, the king of France underftand- ing it, brought him to hunt the wild boar j and, being in chace, it fell out, that a gen- tleman, charging the boar, did not hit right, fo that the beafl was ready to run in upon him.
Sir
140 BRITISH PLUTARCH. Sir John Perrot perceiving him to be in dan- gcr, came in to his refcue ; and, with a broad Ivvord, gave the boar fuch a blow as almofl parted the head from the fnoulders.
The king ot' France, who ftood in fight of this, came prefently to him, took him about the middle, and, embracing him, called him Beaufoile. Now he fuppoled that the king came to try his flrength ; fo, taking his ma- jefiy alfo about the middle, he lifted him up from the ground : with which the king was nothing difpleafed, but proffered him a good penfion to ferve him. Sir John Perrot, hav- ing the French tongue, anfwered. That, he humxbly thanked his majefty, but he was a gen- tleman that had means of his own; or, if not, he knew he ferved a gracious prince who would not fee him want, and to whom he had vowed his fervice during life.
Shortly after, Sir John returned from France, and came to the court of England, where be lived at too high a rate ; fo that he grew into debt, and began to mortgage fome of his lands. Yet he at length began to bethink himfelf, and grew much agrieved at his own prodigality ; infomuch that he once walked out of the court, into a place where commonly the king came about the fame hour ; and there he began, (either as knowing that the king would come that way, or elfe by chance) to complain againll himfelf to himfelf; and en- tered, as it were, into a difputation, whether
S I R J O H N P E R R O T. 14.1 lie were bcft to follow, or leave, the court ; for he feared that, Ihould he continue, the king being young, and under government, if his majelly lliould be pleafed to grant him any thing, in rccompence of his feivice ; yet his governors, and the privy-council, might gain- fay it ; and fo he fhould rather run into farther arrears, than recover his decayed fortunes : but, if he retired into the country, he might live at lefs charge, or betake himfelf to the wars, where he might get fome place of command to fave his revenues and pay his debts.
As he was thus debating the matter, the king came behind him, and overheard moll: of what he faid. At length his majelly frepped before him, faying, " How now, Perrot, what is the matter that you make this great moan ?'* To whom Sir John anfwered, " And it like your majelly, I did not think that your high- nefs had been there." ** Yes," faid the king, *' we heard you well enough : and have yon fpent your living in our fervice ; and is the king fo young, and under government, that he cannot give you any thing in recompence ? •Spy out fomewhat, and you ihall fee whether the king hath not power to beflow it on you." Then he moil humbly thanked his majelly, and fhortly after found out a concealment ; which, asfoon as he fought, the king befiowed it on him ; wherewith he paid the moll part cf his debts, and ever after became a better huiband,
This
142 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
This ftory Sir John would fometimes tell his friends, acknowledging it a great blefT- ing.
After the death of king Edward, queen Mary, his fifter, coming to the crown. Sir John Peirot continued ftill at court, and was well accepted among the nobility. The queen alfo favoured him, but would fay, He did fmeli of the fmoak, meaning thereby his reli- gion, for which he was called in queftion by means of one Gaderne, the queen's fervant, and his countryman ; who accufed Sir John, That he kept certain Proteftants, then called hereticks, at his houfe in Wales. Upon which accufation, he did not deny hi? reli- gion, but was committed to the Fleet; }et being well friended, he was allowed to have council come to him ; and, by means he made to the queen, he was releafed.
Within a while he went to St. Quintin, where he had a command under the earl of Pembroke; who loved him fo far, that there was never any unkindnefs betwixt them but once; when queen Mary gave fpecial charge to the earl, to fee that no hereticks fhould re- main in Wales. When his lordfhip received this command, coming home to his lodging, where Sir John Perrot lay with his fon, Sir Edward Herbert, the earl acquainted him what the queen had given him in charge ; and told him, as her mnjefty had laid this burden on his back, *' I muft," faid he, ** coufin Per- rot, eafe myfelf, and lay part of it on you for
tliofe
SIR JOHNPERROT. 145
tfiofe parts whereabouts you dwell." To which Sir John anlwered, " My lord, I hope you know you may command my life ; but leave me to enjoy my confcience." To which the earl replied foniewhat angrily, " What, Sir John Perrot, will you be an heretic with the red r" *' Not fo, my lord," faid he, *• for I hope my religion is as found as yours, or any man's :" and To, with fome other cho- leric ipeeches, that conference ended.
In the morning Sir John rofe very early, went abroad, and returned again by the time the earl was making him ready, thinking that all unkindnefs had been palled ; but Pem- broke, as foon as he fpyed him, cry'd, " Sir John Perrot, who fent for you r" He an- fwered, " My lord, I did not think you would have allied me that queiHon ; and, if I had imagined fo much, you fliould have fent for me twice before I had come once ; and (hall do fo before I come hither again." As he was turning about to go out of doors, the earl called upon him to flay, for he would fpeak with him ; fo they fell into foul words, and from foul words to fuch foul play, that, if they had not been parted, much hurt might have been done. But Sir John Perrot v^as fain to depart, not being able to make his party good in that place.
This was not fo privately done, or fo fe- cretly kept, but news thereof came fpeedily to court ; and the caufe of the quarrel being known to be religion, the queen was greatly
difp leafed ;
H4 BRITISH PLUTARCH, difpleafed j infomuch, that Sir John, having- at that time a fult for the caftle and lordlhip cf Carew, and a promife of the grant being given him j when he came next to the queen, Ihe would icarce look on him, much lefs give him any good anTv/er ; vyhich he perceiving, determined not to be baulked with auflere looks, but prefled fo near to the queen, that he fell upon her train, befeeching her majeily to remember her promife made to him for Ca- rew ; wherewith ihe feemed highly offended, and in angry fort afked, " What! Perrot, will you offer violence to our perfon ?" Then he befought of her pardon for his boldnefs ; but fhe departed with much indignation. But, within a ihort time, Sir John Perrot found fuch friends about the queen, that fhe was con- tent to remit what was paft, in hope he would be reformed in religion, and to refer his fuit unto the lords of the privy-council.
When he came before the lords of the coun- cil to know their pleafures, whether he mould have Carew, according to the queen's promife, the bilhop of Wincheiler hegan very fharply to cenfure him, faying, ** Sir John Perrot, do you come to feek fuits of the queen ? I tell you, except you alter your heretical religion, it were more fit the queen faould bellow fag- gots than any living on you ;" and fo he paffed on with a very feverc lentence againit him. But, when it came to the turn of the earl of Pembroke to deliver his opinion*
h€
SIR JOHN PER ROT. 14^
he fpoke thus, as Sir John Perrot himfelf re- lated it, " My lords, I muft tell you my opi- nion of this man, and of the matter. For the man, I think he would, at this time, if he could, eat my heart with fait ; but yet> notwithftanding his fcomach towards me, I will give him his due; I hold him to be a man of good worth, and one who hath de- ferved of her majefty in her ferv^ice, as good a matter as this which he feeketh ; and will,, no doubt, deferve better if he reform his reli- gion : therefore, fmce the queen hath pafied her gracious promife, I fee no reafon but he ihould have that which he feeketh." Whea they heard the earl of Pembroke fo flivourable^ who they thought would have been mofl vehe- ment againil him, all the refl were content; and fo her majefty Ihortly after granted him his fuit ; and he ever acknowledged himfelf much beholden to the earl of Pembroke ; who, in this, as in all things elfe, fhewed himfelf moll honourable.
When queen Mary had run out the race of mortality, her filler fucceeding her, Sir John Perrot was appointed one of the four to carrv the canopy over queen Elizabeth at her coro- nation.
In the firll year of Elizabeth's reign, Fran- cis II. king of France, was killed by accident at a tournament ; which the queen having fpeedy notice of, propofmg either to comfort the French ambaffador, then at th-s court, for
Vol. IV. H the
146 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
the death of bis mafter, or to conceal the matter from him as long as fhe coald, fince he then feemed ignorant of it ; ihe took him with her into the park at Greenwich, where tents were fet up, and a banquet provided.
As fhe pafTed through the park gate, a page prefented a fpeech to her, fignifying, that there were certain knights come from a far country, who had dedicated their fervices to their feveral miftrefTes, being ladies for beauty, virtue, and other excellencies, incomparable ; and, therefore, they had voued to advance their fame through the world, and to adventure combat with fuch as fhouid be fo hardy as to affirm, that there were any ladies fo excellent as the faints which they fervcd. And, hear- ing great fame of a lady Vv/hich kept her court thereabouts, both for her own excellency, and the worthinefs of many renowned knights which fhe kept, they were come to try, whether any of her knights would encounter them for the defence of their millrefs's ho- nour.
When this fpeech was ended, the queen told the page, " Sir Dwarf, you give me very (hort warning, but I hope your knights ihall be anfwered." And then looking about, fhe alked the lord-chamberlain, " Shall we be out- bragged by a dwarf?" ** No, an it like your m"ajelly," anfwered he : ** Let but a trumpet be founded, and it fhall be feen, that you keep men at arms enough to anfwer any
proud
SIR JOHN PERROT. 147
proud challenge." Then was the trumpet founded, and immediately there ilTued oat of the eaft lane at Greenwich, feveral penfioners gallantly armed and mounted.
The challengers were, the earl of Ormond, the lord North, and Sir John Perrot. Pre- fently, upon their coming forth, the challen - gers prepared themfelves. Amongfl: the reil:, there was one Mr. Cornwallis, to whofe turn it fell, at length, to run againft Sir John Perrot. As they both encountered, Sir John, through the unfteadinefs of his horfe, and un- certainty of courfes in the field, chanced to run Mr, Cornwallis through the hofe, razing his thigh, and fomevvhat hurting his horfe ; wherewith he being offended, and Sir John difcontented, as they were both choleric, they fell into a challenge to run with fliarp lances, without armor, in the prefence of the queen ; which her majefly hearing of, (he would not foffer ; fo they were reconciled, and the combat ended after certain courfes performed on both fides by the challengers and defend- ants.
After finiihing thefe exercifes, her majefty invited the French embailador to a banquet provided in a pavilion in the park; but he, having received an account, while there, cf the king his maimer's dehh, prayed pardon of her majefty, and retired.
After this, Sir John Perrot continued, by
interchangeable courfes, fometimes at the
H 2 court.
148 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
court, fonietimes in the country, till the year 1572 ; at which time he was made firft lord- prefident of MunRer, in Ireland ; being then a province much difordercd and delblate, wafted by means of the earl of Defmond, but efpecially by the mercilefs Fitzmorris, the earl's lieutenant, who was chief ador in all thofe cruel devailations. He was a man very valiant, polidc, and learned, as any rebel had been of that nation for many years.
Sir John Perrot landed at Waterford the firll of March, 1572, being St. David's day; and, Vv'ithin three days, the rebel James Fitzmorris burned the town of Kyllmalog, hanged the fovereign, and others of the townf- men, at the high crofs in the market-place, and carried all the plate and wealth of the town with him ; with which entertainment Sir John Perrot, the rew prefident, was much difcon- tented, and therefore hailed to Dublin to take his oath of the lord-deputy. Sir Henry Sid- ney, with purpofe to prefent the rebels with (harp and fpeedy war at his return from Dub- lin to Cork, which was about the tenth of April following.
Pie firfi: gathered and lodged his own com- panies there, having vvirh him. two companies of foot, under the command of captain Bow- ler and captain Furfe, befides two hundred Irifh Ibldiers of Kerne and GalleglafTes ; alfo he had with him his own troop of horfe, which Vw'ere of the queen's entertainment ; and of
S I R J O H N P E R R O T, 1-9
his own fervants one hundred hon'e ; and captain Abflovv commanded vmder him as many.
With thefe he went to Kyllmalag, the late ■wafted town, where he lodged himfclf in a hoafe hall burned ; and made a proclamation. That as many of the townfmen as fied, fliould return hon\e ; which they did accordingly, and be^^^an to build their gates, to re 'air the tovvn Walls and to re-edify tboir hc.ics.
Beicse the lord-prefident's d parture troin Kyilmaio;.;, one night the cry of the country was up, That the ebels had befet the lord Roch's caiile, burned his cHrn, flain feme of his people, and taken swav a great many of his cattle. Upon which th? iord-prefident iud- denly rofe, armed, took with him his own troop of horfe and captain Abilow's, leaving the foot bands to guard the town, and he purfued the rebels, being in n amber two hundred, whom he overtook at a place called Knocklonga, v/ithin three miles of Arlanp-e Wood. There the rebels run to the bogs, as their bell fecurity, and left their prey. The lord-prefident caufed his men to alight from their horfes, to rip ofF their boots, and id leap into the bogs, taking with them tlieir petronels and light- horfemen's ftaves infteadof pikes ; with which they charged the enemy, overthrew them, and cut off ht'ty of their heads J which they carried home with them unto Kjllmalog, and put the heads round H 3 crbcui:
150 BRITISH PLUTARCH. about the crofs ; which were known by the townfmen that the prefident fent for from Lyiiibrick, who had lately loft their goods ; and then he reftored to the lord Roch all hit cattle.
The lord-prefident, after he had ftrength- cncd and comforted the townfmen of ICyll- ir.alog, departed towards Lymbrick j and, on his way, came to a caftle of Fybot Burk, who had been in aflion with James Fitzmor- lis, but afterward they fiew one another. There the prefident demanded the keys, and. that he might enter , which they not only denied, but fhut the prelident's people out of the caftle, they having about forty foldiers in it. The prefident thereupon eaufed the caftle to be fo undermined that part of the wail fell to the ground, and killed fome of the lebels within. Whereupon the wife of Fybot Burk yielded herfelf, with her fon and the caitlej^ into the hands of the prefident, who left thirty Engliilimen to guard it, and de- parted to Lymbrick, to receive the lords that came to him ; as the earl of Tomond, O' Hones, Delmond, and others ; as alfo to fet- tle that part of the country.
From Lymbrick the lord-prefident went to Cailiill ; and, on the way, there v>/as a caftle held by the rebels, which he eaufed to be fet on file by fnooting fire to the top, which was covered with thatch. He commanded his men to alight from their horfes to do the ex- ecution.
S I R J O H N P E R R O T. r^ t
ecution, who left their horfes with their foot- boys hard by to feed ; but the noife of the- caille at its fall, and the fight of the fire, fo terrified the horfes, that they broke loofe from the boys and ran into the woods, where thty were taken and carried away by the rebels ; but ibortly aft^r the prefident recovered moft of his horfes again.
When he came to Cafhill, he hanged feven of the grafy merchants, being fuch as brought bread and aquavita, and other provifions, to the rebels ; the fovereign of the town hardly efcaped that puniihment. From Cafhill the lord-prefident went to Fether and Clomel, and, to Sir Edward Butler's country ; where he took his chief caille with pledges for his fide* lity. He alfo took other holds, and fo went up to Carick, the earl of Ormond's hcufe,. whom he appointed, after fome abode there, to meet him at Cork.
When the prefident came to Cork, he af- fembled the chief lords of the province, as the earl of Ormond, Clyncarty, and Tomond; the lord Bury, the lord Roch, the lord Cor- fey, Mackarty, Reuch, Gormond Mack- Teage, and almoft all the lords, fave fuch as were out in rebellion. He appointed them to gather their forces, and to meet him within a month after, meaning to follow the rebels wherefoever they went ; and fo they did.
For, firft, the lord-prefident dr'ew all his forces into the Vy^hite Knight's country, taking H 4 t«i«.
152 :&RITISK PLUTARCH.
ivvo of his caflles, burned many of his hoiifes, iind drove him inio the woods. From thence he marched with his power unto Arlaugh woods, being the rebels chief place of ftrength; and following them there for a while, he re- turned unto Cork to refrefh his men ; and they went into Mack Swine's country ; there he flew many of the rebels, and hanged as many as he took ; fpoiied all the enemy's country ; and, with continual travel, wore out their provifion, having no corn left in the country to make them bread, which the prefider.t hi mfelf wanted for feveral days; their chief f;jitenance being the milk of thoie cows they had taken ; of which they brouoht twothou- land five hundred with them to Cork, after two months travel, putfuing the rebels from place- to plscc.
James jFitzmorris, finding his forces weak- ened, and, that, being fcilowed without in- termifiion, he could not continue long, ex- cept he were fupplied with fome foreign aid,. dieA' over inio Iviunller five hundred Scotiih, IriHi, or Red-fhanks, out of the iflands, with whom he thought himfelf able to make re- fiilance againft the prefident's power, having one thoufand followers of his own. The pre- fident heriring of this, fent for the lords, and •others, with whom he went againil the rebels, and met them in the woods Vv'ithin the county of Limbrick, wherein they had, as, it were, intrenched themfclvcs. The lord - prefident,
viev^^dng
S-IR JOHN PER ROT. i;5 viewing the camp, fent them word, that he was come to give them battle, and would flay for them in the plain, if they would come forth and %ht with him ; but they being un- willing, aniwered. That there they Hayed for him, and from thence they would not go. Which he perceiving, prepared his people ta charge them. So he placed ihs Inili Lords^ and others of the better fort, within the body of the main battle, telling them, that he was not willing to expofe them to the atnioft dan- ger J which he did oat of this politic conh- dcratton, that the lords, if any of them were ill-minded or fearful, fhould be kept from run- ning away, and that their follovvers would flick to it the better, fceir>g their lords en- gaged. Which the preiident had the more reafon to do, becaufe of eleven hundred then in his company, three parts at leaft were Irifh : fo with this good order and refoluticra he fet on the rebels, who were about fifteen hundred^ ilrong, and broke thera, killing a hundred and twenty of the rebels- and their aidjrs ; vvhereupoa they made their retreat towards the north, ar.d Ja^mes F'itzmOiri.s grew weak again. From thenceforward the prefident fol- lowed his good fortunes and his foes, with fuch earneilnefs that they feldom would come to f.o-ht him, except it were in lifrhtikirmifhes. and that upon great advantage. Which iie perceiving, purfued them night and day in gerfoHj even, in thQ winter, and lay ait many H. V " mi/Lti:
154 BRITISH PLUtARCH. nights both in froft and fnow. Nay onccj when following the Kernes through the woods, where they could not ride, the lord-prefident himfelf took fuch pains in marching, that with earneflnefs of purfuing, and the depth of the foul ways in ihe midft of winter, he loft one of his fhoes, and fo went on a pretty way without his fhoe, or without feeling the lofs of it, till at length it began to pain him fo much, that he refted on a gentleman's fhoulder, and told him there was foraewhat hurt his foot, fo lifting up his leg, the gentleman told him, *' My lord, you have loft yourftioe.'* " 'Tis no matter," faid he, " as long as the legs laft v»e will find ftioes ;'* and {o, calling for ano- ther pair, he marched on ftill. At another time, being abroad in fervice, they encamped Fear a wood, where the prefident lay in his (t-rit, having for his guides fome of his fer- wmts, and certain Gallyglafles. The Galjy- rialfes had gotten a hog, which they roafted pfter their manner, by a great fire, near the president, and when they had half- roafted it, with half the hair about it, they began to make partition, and one of them in great kindnefs reached a piece to one of the prefident's fer- vants, a gentleman and a juftice of the peace in his country, the prefident perceiving it, faid, " James, this is good meat in fuch a place.'* To whom the gentleman anfwered, •* An it pleafe you, it is good meat here annong ihefe men ; but if I were at home, i would fcarce give it to my dogs.
James
SIR JOHN PERROr. 15^- James Fitzmorris, Tcnowing that the lord- prefident dcfired nothing more than the finilli- ing of thofe wars, and tlie Cubduing the rebels, made (hew that he alio was willing to finiih the fame by fingle combat, and fent the lord- prefident word, as believing that his expeila- tion would keep him for a time from farther adion ; and fo indeed it did : for Jam.es Fitz- morris firft offered to fight with fifty of his horfemen, againft the lord-prefident and fifty of his, which his lordfhip willingly accepted ; but when the tim.e came, Fitzmcrris fent word that he would willingly fight with the iorcl- prefident in fingle combat, hand to hand. To which meffage the lord prefident fent an- fwer, that he would willingly accept his challenge ; the place appointed was at Amely, an old town, fix miles from Killmallcck, The weapons that were affigned to fight with were, by Fitzmorris's appointment, fword and target, and they (hould be both clad in Irifu trolfes, which the prefident provided of fear- let, and was ready according to appointment, faying, *♦ That although he knew James Fitzmorris to be his inferior in all refpeds, yet he would reckon it a life well adventured, to deprive fuch a rebel of his life." But after all James Fitzmorris came not, but fent a cun- ning excufe, by one Cono Roe Oharnan, an Iriih poet, faying, " That he would not fight with the lord-prefident at all, not fo much for fear of his life, as becaufe on his life de- pended the fafety of all his party.
H 6 When
156. BRITISH PLUTARCH.
When the lord prefident heard this, he vva3 much difcontented, that he had fufFered himfelf, to be fo abufed, and vowed, without delay^ to " hunt the fox out of his hole." And be- fjdes his own diligence, he earneftly encou- raged all the noblemen of the country to ufe their bed means for the fabduing of that dan- gerous rebel. And prefently he fought after^ and at length found out. the ringleader, James Fitzmorris, who now drew his breath by ihifts and flights, and fent a falfe fpy to the lord-prefi- dent, with proteilations and oaths, that he Jknew where James Fitzmorris was lodged, ■with lefs than thirty perfons in hi^ company, and that if the prefident would come with ex- pedition, he might be fure to take him that .viight, without danger ; and for confirmation he offered not words alone, but the venture of his life to go with him. This being after fup- per, the prefident ordered fome of his people to arm themfelves, and he with them took liorie, left they fiiould lofe fo good an oppor^ tunity as they then hoped for.
They poftcd to the place where it was faid the traitor v/as foflenderly guarded,, but Fitz- morris lay in ambufli under a hill, with four cr five hundred foot, and above four fcore horfej v-thom the prefident could not fpy, till two or three of his hor.femen were within reach of the rebels, who charged them ; and there the prefident's fecretr.ry, called Trew- Wgg, being ouc of the foremoll:, was flain,.
and^
SIR JOHN PERROT. iSi and about an hundred pounds of his mailer's- money, which he carried with him taken.
Perceiving how they were intrapped, feme would have retired ; but the prefident anfwer- ed, That he would not do To, for he had ra- ther die fighting than running away ; and therefore he bid them charge home with, him, and he was one of the foremoil himfelf ;. fa that he encountered with one of the rebels,, and run. him with his lance through a fldrt o£ mail, unhorfed, and ilood over him, ready to flrike again as he arofe. In the mean time, there came in another horfeman of the rebels fide, thinking to. have run him through be- hind with his llaff overhand, as the manner of the Iriih was : but one Greame, a ca^Jtain, came in to refcue the prefident, and ran the rebel through before he could give that deadly blovv» With that they charged others afreih, and were furcharged themfelves with multi- tudes, fo that the prefident's horfe was aimoft fpent, and yet he would not give over.
Though he was left three times that morn- ing one of the laft in the field, ftill encourag- ing his men to come up and charge anew, fo that he had, been ilain or taken, if an extra- ordinary accident had not preferved him. For one captain Bowler, with four m^ore that made themfelves ready as foon as they might come after from Killmallow, appearing upon the top of a hill, Ficzmorris fuppofed that it had hQ^n captain Bowlei* with his ccrnpanv,
and .
I5« BRITISH PLUTARCH. and the reft of the Englifh forces that vvere coming with a fupply. Whereupon he im- mediately made his foldiers retire, fo that the prefident was delivered. But he ceafed not to follow the rebels with his forces, till fhortly after he overtook Fitzmorris with his Kernes,., near a bridge, not far from a wood fide, where the rebel finding that he could hardly efcape, fent towards the prefident one, with a: white cloth on the top of a fpear, in token of parley ; which being perceived, the prefident flayed his companies from marching ; this ftrange herald, to delay time, offered certain conditions of fubmiflion, but not fuch as the lord -prefident expe(5led, or would accept of. In the mean time, Fitzmorris conveyed his Kernes, over the bridge into the wood, and fo efcaped. Neverthelefs, this device but a very little protradled time, and exafperated the pre- fident, to follow him, and to finifh the wars, which vvere now almoft at an end. For with- in a fmall time, the prefident giving the rebels no reft, or leaving them any means of main- tenance, difperfed the power of Fitzmorris, and made him glad to hide his head, without any ftrength or number of men to accompany him. So that he was forced to fue for pardon, offering to fubmit himfelf to the queen's mer- cy. Which at length the lord-prefident con- fented to, and James Fitzmorris came to Killr mallock, where in the church the lord-pre- fident caufed him to lie proftrate, potting the
point
SIR JOHN PERROT. 1^9
point of his fword to his heart, in token that he had received his life at the queen's hands. Then he took a folemn oath to continue a true fubjefl to the crown of P'ngland, where- by the province of Munilerwas much quieted, and maintained in as good peace as any part of Ireland.
But the lord-prefident being too plain-deal- ing a man, purchafcd much ill-will, whereby there were heaped on him feveral caufelefs complaints in England ; yet fometimes Iha- do wed with fuch probability, and countenanced by fuch great men, that in part they were be- lieved ; and not being at hand to anfwer ob- jedions, he had now and then Iharp letters fenthim from the government, till at laft he determined to come to England and clear himfelf. And though he had no licence, yet knowing that he left Ireland in quietnefs, he prefumed that his fudden departure would be the better excufed.
With this refolution, fetting things in order for the prefent government of Munfter, and making up his accounts, he departed thence about the beginning of March 1573.
When Sir John came to court it was thought that the queen would have been highly offend- ed at his coming over without licence. Yet as foon as he appeared before her, and had related the ftate of Ireland, the particulars of his fervice, and the caufe of his coming over; her majefly commended his endeavours, anddefired
him
j6o BRITISH PLUTARCH, him to return fpeedily to his charge, lefl in his abfence feme difquietnefs might arife. To which Sir John anf.vered. That for the ge- neral ftate of the province, it was fo well fet- tled, that no new commotion on a fiidden need be feared. Yet there were m.any parti- culars which might be amended without any great difficulty : which being allowed by her highnefs, he v/as ready to ferve her there whenfoever it fhould pleafe her to appoint him-. And that the fame might be the better under- Hood, he prefented a plan to the queen to be confidered by her majefly, and her privy- counfel.
The plan contained feveral points ; as the planting the proteftanc religion in the pro- vince of Munfter, the due adrainiftration of juftice according to the laws of England, the keeping of the people in peace,, and the an- fwering of her majelly's rents and revenues more afTuredly, the fetting her lands at more ■certainty, the dividing the province into ihires and Signiories ; the building of forts and ca^ ties, fome to bridle the rebels, ' and fome for the ftate of prefidency ; the cutting down of woods, which were then harbours of, and for- treiles for thieves,- rebels, and outlaws ; and the building of (lips out of th-e faid woods for the queen's fervice.
The queen liked well of the plot, and fo did ibme of hercouncii; but others mifliked it, moiebecivufe it was lus defign than for any ds-
SIR JOHN PERROT. i6i feft they found therein : yet he feemed to fhew fome inconveniencies, and fo the thing was hindered.
The queen, notvvith (landing, would have had Sir John Perrot go over as prefident again ; but he, fearing that in his abfence the com- plaints of his adverfaries might prevail, ex- culed the undertaking of that iervice, through ill-health. And prayed that he might be licenced to repair into the country for recove- ry. Which being granted, arter leave talcen of the queen, he departed to hishoufe.
But he had repofed himfelf but a few years in the country, fometimes repairing to court, as bis occafions ferved ; when he was fuddcrily fent for by the queen to take charge of feme fhipp, which were to be fent to fea ; upon iptelligence that James Fitzmorris, fmce his fubmiffion, had been in Spain, and procured tne promife of (hips riP-d men to in- vade Irelai.d, efpecially the province of Mun- iler.
This bemg known to the queen arid her privy-council, theyfeiU for Sir John Perrot to take v.:i conmandof luch ihips and pinnaces as Iho •; i be madf ready to intercept, or inter- rupt t!ie king of Suam, his navy and forces, which were dehqned for Ireland. Sir John made i-dcA fpeed m his journey, that he came from Perabrokelhire to Greenwich in lefs than three days. The queen, when fhe faw him, told hinif. ihe thought he had not heard from
heir
iSz BRITISH PLUTARCH.
herfofoon: yes, madam, anfwered he, and have made as much hafte as I might to coine unto your majefty. So methinks, fi^id the queen, but bow have you dor.e to fettle your affairs in the touniry ? An it like your ma- jefty, faid Sir John, I have taken this crj-e for all ; that fetting private bufmels afide, in ref- pe£lof your majefly's fervice, I have appoint- ed the white fiieep to keep the black : for I may well enough venture them, when I am willing to venture my life in your majelly's fervice. With which anfwer the queen was well pleafed, and (i\e conferred with him pri- vately for fome time-; then difmiirmg him and appointing him to receive farther diredions for that fervice from> the lords of her privy- council.
Then did Sir John Perrot prepare for that voyage with all convenient fpeed; He had with him fifty men in orange tawny cioaks» whereof divers were gentlemen of good birth and quality. Alfo he had a noyce of mufi- cians with him being his own fervants.
All things being prepared, Sir John departed from London about Auguft,. and went from fhence by barge, with feveral noblemen and gentlemen. As they lay againil Greenwich, where the queen kept her court, Sir John fent one of his gentlemen onlhore, with a diamond, in a token to Mrs. Blanch Parry, willing him to tell her, that a diamond coming unlooked for, did always bring good luck with it :
whick.
S I R J O H N P E R R O T. 163
which the queen hearing, fent Sir John a fair jewel hung by a white cyprefs; fignifying, that as lorg as he wore that for her fake, fhe be- lieved, with God's help he (hould have no harm. The meflage and jewel Sir John re- ceived joyfully, and he returned anfwer to the queen, " That he would wear that for his fovereign's fake, and doubted not, with God's favour, to return her (hips in fafety, and either to bring the Spaniards (if they came in his way) as prifoners, or elfe to fmk them in the feas. As Sir John palled by ia his barge, the queen looking out at the win- dow (hook her fan, and put out her hand to- wards him, upon which he made a low obey- fance, while he put the fcarf and jewel about his neck : and, being arrived at Gillingham, where the fliips rode. Sir John feafled the company which came with him thither.
Sir John Perrot fet out from Gillingham to to the Downs, and thence pafling by Falmouth, and Plymouth put to fea for Ireland, where they arrived at Baltimore. And by reafon of his former government in that country, they borefuch affection towards him, that the peo- ple came in great numbers, feme embracing his legs, all coveting to touch fome part of his body: which the vice-admiral perceiving, and thinking they came to do him hurt, determin- ed to difcharge the cannon from his fhips; but being informed that they came in love to, faluje Sir John, he alttred his purpofe, and
knded i
i64 BRITISH PLUTARCH. landed ; where they were all entertained as well as the fafhion of the country could af- ford.
After this. Sir John remained awhile upon the coaft, till he faw the feafon of the year was pad for attempting any thing againft Ireland, and therefore failed homewaras, in his way taking a defperate pirate, one Derryfold. On the Downs alfo his fhip ftruck on the Kentiih Knocks; where all the perfons that were in her, flood in great danger to be caft away; but at length getting fafe to fnore; the admiral, having kifi'ed the queen's hand, retired again to his fc^at in the country.
But though he continued there at times, he was not unmindful of the court and fiate af- fairs : for he not only received letters from fome privy counfellors, touching things of moment at that time, but gave anfv/ers which were Ihewed to the queen, and flie liked them much; till in the year 1 982 her majefly thought proper to make him lord deputy of Ireland, where Defmond was up in rebellion. And he fet fail for that kingdom, in company with the earl of Ormond, and arrived at Dublin in January the fame year.
Within a week after his coming, he took the oaths, and began to fettle courfes for the quieting and government of the country, which had been long infefted w^th civil contention ; fo that, for the fpace of fixty years, the fword was more in \>(<s than the laws ; which pro«
ceeded
S I R J O H N P E R R O T. 265
ceeded chiefly from the corruption and igno- rance of the governors, which had given great advantage to the ill-afFedled fubjeds ; and that people in general vvhofe nature it is to feek liberty, and prefer antient cuftoms be- fore new ordinances, be they never (o whole- fome. Yet, to fay the truth, the Irifli love to be juftly dealt with by their governors, how- foever they deal with one another ; and will do more at the command of their governor, v/hom they repute, and have found, to be juft, then by the ft rid execution of the laws, or conftraint of any force or power. They are, for the moft part, naturally wife, and apt to obferve the bell advantage and opportunity to obtain their purpofes : ail which the lord-de- puty knew, partly by his former experience, when he was prefidentof Munfler, and by the depth of his judgment : and he determined, ia order to fettle the better difpofed in tranquil- lity, by hearing complaints, and fettling a regular government over the rebellious and fe- ditious, immediately to travel thorough the feveral provinces in perfon. To this purpofe, he iirft took his journey into Conaught, there to place Sir Richard Bing- ham in his government. From Conaught he travelled towards the province of Munfter; but, when he came to Lymrick, he received advertifement of a great number of inlanders, or ScotiHi Irifh, landing at Maney, in O- Neale's country. But the whole plot was dif-
covered
i66 BRITISH PLUTARCH, covered by the archbifliop of Caftiill, who fent to the deputy, by Sir Lucas Dyllon, certain letters, which Torlough Lenough wrote him ; wherein Torlough challenged the biihop to be his follower borne, and therefore to be trufted ; and, that he fl\ou]d find Ulfter his refuge when all other parts failed ; and, finally, that he ihould credit the mefienger.
After this, the bifhop came to Dublin, where he declared that he found the meflenger was appointed to pradlife with all the lords and Iri(h captains of Munfter and Conaught, to enter into rebellion whenever llrangers fhould arrive: and this rneilenger being afterwards ap- prehended at Athlone, he confefled, that he was no common man, but one of great ac- count with O-Neale, his foflerer, and a leader of forty horfemen, and had under him two thoufand head of cattle ; that he was fent to deal with the earl of Clancarty, the lord Fitz- morris, and all others of any account in Mun- fter in Conaught, to require them to join with his raalter againft the queen ; and to af- fure them, that troops, under the king of Spain, with other foreign aid, would enter the kingdom with fuch force, that, before Michaelmas, there fliould not be one Englifli man left there. He likewife faid, that his mafter was promifed to be made king of Ireland; and, that he accepted of it, faying, He would be king, although he died within an hour after.
Thefe
SIR JOHN PER ROT. 167
Thefe things occurring, the lord-deputy was forced to return to Dublin, to make fpeedy preparation for refiftancC) and to give over his intended journey for a time ; though, in the fliort progrefs he had gone, he had dealt with the O-Kellys, O-Conor Roe, O- Conor Done, O Coner Slygo, Mac Willin Onger, Morothe, Done Affluerty, the O- Neales, the Burkes of Enter Conaught, the Mac Dony Mahone, MacEnafpike, the earls ofTho- mond and Clanrickard, the lord Bremingham, both the Mac Nemaraes, the two Mac Mahons, and every other lord of Conaught and Tho- mond ; and took pledges for affurance of their loyalty. He had alfo executed that traitor Connough Beg Obrian, and fix of his follow- ers ; and decided all controverfies. Alfo, the fufpeded bilhop, Malachias Analone, and a friar, being brother to Mac Wellin Enghter, renounced the pope, and fvvore to the fupre- macy. The friar put off his habit, and both publifhed a profeffion of their faith and recan- tation. The lord-deputy alfo encreafed clie fchool-mafter's falary at (jalloway, without the queen's charge: and entered into feme re- formation of religion, which he propofed fhould foon be better provided for by parlia- ment.
When the lord-deputy had takfn this care and order, he prepared fpeedily to go into the north againft the foreign forces there landed, and their adherents the traitors ; fetting for- wards
tSB BRITISH PLUTARCH.
wards on his journey, with fach forces as he could make, about the middle of Auguft, 1584: but the iflanders hearing of the depu- ty's determination, and alfo underftanding how well afFeded all the fubjeds of Leynller, IVIunfler, and Conaught were j and how ready, contrary to their expedations, to ferve againft them ; they moft part fled before he came to Newry, where he was met by Torlough Le- Dough, having- neither protection nor pardon ; and there the lord-deputy received his pledges, he yielding himfelf in ail things, as he was re- quired.
Whilfl the lord-deputy flayed at Newry, underftanding that Sorleboy had entertained a number of illanders, joined to him Okeham and Brian Carraugh, and flood upon terms to hold by force what he had gotten by the fame; the lord-deputy thought it a great diihonour to fuffer him proudly to countenance the inva- fion of foreigners to eat out her majefly's na- tural fubjeds. Whereupoii, entering into ac- tion againft Sorleboy, and dividing his army into two parts, to follow him on both fides of the river Ban, the lord-deputy himfelf went with the chief men, and half the forces, on Clandaboy fide : ana i'ent Sir John Norris, lordprefident of Munfter, accompanied with the baron of Dongannon, to Tyrone fide, with the other part of the army.
The lord-deputy, on the one fide, fpoiled Brian Caraugh's country ; and Sorleboy being
driven
SIR JOHN PERROT. 169
driven over the Ban, to the bogs of Cloncora- kine ; Sir John Norris, on the other fide^ overflipping Sorleboy, fell upon O-Chan, one of his chiefs, and took from him two hun- dred cows, which gave the army fome re- lief, though many of them were embezzled in the driving. Whereupon O-Chan fubmitting himfelf, came in and made oiFer to ferve upon Sorleboy ; and Brian Caraugh fued for mercy. Now, becaufe Sorleboy fhunned the deputy's fide, trufting to the bogs on the other, his lordfhip fent over to the prefident fome of his horfe, and footmen, with moll of his cat- tle.
Then, with the reft of his forces, he en- camped before Dunlufe, and befieged it, be- ing one of the Arongeft places in Ireland ; for it is fituated upon a rock, hanging over the fea, divided from the main with a deep na- tural rock-ditch, having no way to it but by -a fmall neck of the fame rock, which is alfo cut off very deep. It had in it tJifin a ilrong garrifon, the captain being ^ .-Scot; who, when the deputy fent to him to yield, refufed ; and anfwered. That he would keep it to the laft man ; which made the deputy plant a battery before it, the cannon being brought by fea to Port-Rulh, and drawn thither by force of men ; wherein he fpared not the labour of his own fervants : and, when fmall fhot played fo thick out of the fort that the common foldiers began to ihrink in
Vol. IV, X planc^
I70 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
planting of the artillery, the lord-deputy made his own men fill the gabions with earth, and make good the ground, till the ordinance was planted and the trenches made.
This being done, the lord-deputy himfelf gave fire to the firft piece of ordnance, which did no great hurt ; but, the next morn- ing, after the garriion liad over-night felt a little the force of the "battery, they fent to the deputy to be received to mercy ; which he con- defcended to the lather becaufe he would fave the charges of repairing again that place, which otherwife he muft have beaten down ; and becaufe he would not fpend the provifion, weaken the forces, and hinder the reft of the fervices then intended, by lying before one fort ; and therefore he granted them life and liberty to depart.
After Dunlufe, the lord-deputy took Don- ferte, the garrifon being fled ; likewife ano- ther pile by Port-Ruih, and all Sorleboy's iilands and loughs ; fo that he had not a hole left in the main land to creep into.
Thefe things being thus eftablifhed, and garrifons planted at all proper ftations, viz. two hundred footmen, whereof one hundred were found by Magwylly, and feventy horfe- men, at Colerane, under captain Carelile; and two hundred foot-men, being of the old bands, and fifty horfemen, whereof twenty- iive were enlifted at Kockferyns, under Sir Henry Bagnal, whom the Jord-deputy made
colonel
SIR JOHN fPER ROT. 171 colonel of the forces there, he took his way through the woods of Kylultage and Kyi- waren, and returned to Newry on the twenty- eighth of September, where he remained ten days to perfedl this fervice.
Here came to him Turlough O'Neale, bringing with him Henry O'Neale, Shone O'Neale's fon, that efcaped from Sir Henry Sidney ; and to that place there came alfo all the reft of the lords of Ulfter ; who, upon their knees, fwore fidelity unto the queen, and delivered in fuch pledges as the lord-de- puty demanded ; and made like compofition for finding of foldiers, and upon the fame condition as O'Neale, O'Donel, and Ma- groyly had done ; every one for the numbers enfuing ; Hugh Oge and Shane Mac Brian. for the Nether Clandaboy, eighty men j Sir Magenes, for Huaugh, forty men ; the cap- tain of Kylultagh, fifteen; the captain of Kyi waren, ten ; Mac Garten, ten ; the baron of Donganin, Forney, Mac Mahon, Fowes, Dangutry, and O'Harilan, two hundred. In all which, O'Neale's, O'Donel's, and Mac Willie's, amounted to four hundred Englifli, befides thirty to be maintained after the Irifh manner by Donnel Corme. ' The lord-deputy perceiving fome queftions for government amongft them, but efpecially betwixt Turlough O'Neale, thebaronof Dun- gannon, and the marlhal ; he fi?ft reconciled all unkindnefs betweeen them, and then thought good to divide the greater govern^ I 2 ments
«72 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
ments into fmaller, that none fhould be too
llrong.
The lord-deputy being returned to Dublin, brought Turlough O'Neale's fon with him ; but, becaufe his father might need him, being become a good fubjeft, in all appearance, he ihortly returned him back again, upon the re- ceipt of four principal men, which he had ap- pointed to be fent to him ; which fhould be fure pledges both for her majefty upon O' Neale, and for him upon his followers ; of which Sir John wrote to the priry-council ia England. At that time alfo Shan O'Neale's fon, which came over with the Scots, made iuit to be received into favour ; and, becaufe they had lately taken one Mr. Lambert, an Englilh gentleman, the lord-deputy the rather inclined to hearken to them for that gentle- man's fake y and ^ave order to the marihal ac- cordingly.
But we mufl here remark, tliat Sir John Perrot v^as of a very haughty ami choleric dif- pofition ; by which, while he was working the weal of Ireland, he gave great of- fence to moft part of the inhabitants 5 but chiefly by his propoling in parliament a fufpenfion of the famous law called Poyning's Ad; which raifed a popular cry againft him, at the fame time that, by allowing the lords and commons to difcufs the propriety of re- pealing the a6l too freely, he brought himfelf into difgrace with the queen and privy-council
in
SIR JOHN PERROT. 173
in England ; and an impeachment againfl him was furthered by the lord-chancellor and the archbifhop of Dublin ; but, what particularly efFeded his ruin, was, an unguarded and in- decent expreffion he let fall fi-om him. Her majefty, as he thought, had ufed him hardly in abridging his authority on the reprefen- tation of his enemies ; and he remonftrated againil it to the council in very ftrong terms ^ upon which he received fome gentler letters from t]..em, ** Look ye," faid he, as he read tliem to the flanders by, " how the queen is ready to be-pifs herfeif for fear of the Spani- ards. I am her white boy again." Thefe, and (uch like fpeeches, were often reported by his Iccretary to his di fad vantage.
It now appeared, that, at the lord-deputy's coming into Ireland, he found the north ready to enter into rebelh'on, and to incite the lords of Jvlunfter and Gonaught to combine with thena therein. Thurlough O'Neale was ready to join with the Iflanders, being brought in by Sc;l:;bcv ; and they havine brought in with, them Shane 0'Neale*s {on, to countenance their caufe and their coming ; and, being more in number, and better furnilhed, than formerly, had alfo aid promifed and expcdled,* which, no doubt, would have fpeedily followed from Spain if they had found any fuccefs at firft.
All thefe inconveniences the lord-deputy
had to encounter and prevent at his firft land-
J 3 ing»
174 BRITISH PLUTARCH. ing, without any provifion againft them > and yet all thefe perils he overcame within lefs than ten weeks ; fettled the hearts and eflates of the good fubjefls, fubdued, or ex- pelled the bad ; took pledges for all fuch as were fulpet^ed ; compounded all controverfies betwixt the great lords ; drew the northern lords to a compofition for the maintainance of one thoufand two hundred foldiers, almoft all on their own charges ; and palTed through the five provinces within lefs than a quarter of a year ; notwithftanding the impediments of the fervices, and the foul weather which almoft always followed him in the latter part of his journey.
Thefe fervices feem ilrange to have been fo fpeedily and fuccefsfuUy performed ; yet is this truth inconteAably proved: fo that it iliculd feem, induftry, prudence, and prof- perity, llrove, at the firft entrance of Sir John Ferret's government, which fhould gain him the greateft honour and advancement ; and how well his fervices were allowed of by the Queen and orlvy. council cf England, as fLifo how willing they were to grant his reafon- able motions, for the better accomplilhment of the fervices that he intended, appears by a letter which their lordfhips wrote to the lord- deputy, which was as full of commendation and encouragement, though other letters and meflages were afterwards fometimes fraught with iharp cenfure and flri«St redraints, both
from
SIR JOHN PER ROT. 17s from the queen his fovereign, and from others of her privy-council, either by her direftion or privity. Such is the fortune of governors, to be fubjedl unto cenfure !
In the year 1584, the lord-deputy fent and fet forth certain orders to be obferved by the jurtices of the peace within their feveral li- mits through the realm, containing ten arti- cles ; which, to avoid tedioufnefs, are here omitted. And alfo, for the farther confirma- tion of all thefe concluiions, and for the addi- tion of fome new laws, as for the abrogating of fome of the old, if neceflity fhould fo re« quire, the lord-deputy caufed a parliament to- be fummoned ; in which moft of the nobility ©f that nation, and as many of the fpiritualty and commonalty of that kingdom, as were fufficient to fupply all the places of the three ftates neceffary for the parliament, were there afTembled..
To this parliamentary a/Tembly, there were none, of any degree or calling, fuftered to Gome in any cloaths out of the Englifti fafhi- ons ; and, although it feemed both uncouth and cumberfome for fome of them to be fo> clad, who preferred cuftom before decency, and opinion before reafon ; yet he conftrained them that needed conftraint, to come in fuch civil fort as beft became the place and the fer- vice : and the better to encourage them, he beilowed both gowns and cloaks of velvet and iatten on fome of them, as Turlough, Le~ I 5 nough,
176 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
nough, and others, who yet thought not themfelves (6 richly, or, at leaft, fo content- edly attired, as in their own mantles, and other, their country habits.
Amongft thefe, one, being put into Englifh apparel, came to the lord-deputy, and be^ fought one thing of him, in a pleafant fort of humour, as they are moll of them witty ; which was, that it would pleafe his lordftiip to let one of his chaplain's, whom he termed his prieft, accompany him, arrayed in Irifh apparel; '♦ and then," faid he, " they will wonder as much at him as they do now at me ; fo that I ihall pafs more quietly and un- pointed at.*'
By this it (hould feem that they think, wher> tney onCc \c2Vt their old cuHom?^ then all mea wonder at them, and that then they are out of all frame or good fafhion, according to that fay- ing, *' They which are born in hell, think there is no heaven."
In this parliament, 5s the lOiu-Qcpuiy naa the chief place, fo was he the moil eminent man that came thither, both in goodlinels of ftature, majelly of countenance, and in all things elfe that might yield ornament to Co great and high a prefence ; for, as they wit- nefs, who were eye-witnefles of it, they never beheld a man of fuch comlinefs in counte- nance, gellure, and gait, as he appeared to be in his parliamentary robes : and, as aGermaa lord affirmed, who was at that parliament, he
had
Slx^jdHNPERROT. 177
had travelled through Gerniany, Italy, France, England, and Ireland ; but yet, in all thofe countries, never did he fee any man compara- ble to Sir John Perrot, the lord-deputy of Ireland, for his porte and inajefty of perfon- age, whofe pifture this German lord did much defire to carry with him into that coun*
However, though he received great oppofi- tions in his government, yetftillhe maintained the Hate in firm peace ; fo that there was fcarce any known rebel in Ireland befides O'Donel j who, being fufpefted becaufe his people began to play feme bad tricks, and himfelf flood, upon terms not fitting for him, the lord-deputy and council entered into confaltation how he might be apprehended. Some advifed to Cend forces into O'Donel's country, and to bring him in by force : but the lord- deputy argued againil that project, alledging that this could not be done without an army of two, or three thoufand men, which would be both ha- zardous and chargeable ; '* yet," faid he,. " you lliall give me leave to try one conclufion which I have in hand; and, if that take not eifeft, then let us fall to what oiher means we- can devife for his apprehenfion.''
In confequence of this advice, he ordered a Clip to be prepared with foip^ wines, and the captain, being one chofen for the purpofe, he had command to go into O'Donel's coun- try, and fail as near his dwelling as he might, there proffering hia wine to fell,
1. 5 M
i-S BRITISH PLUTARCH.
At his coming into the country, the people hurried to the {hip, feme to drink, Tome to price the wines, and all of them, according to the captain's inftrudions,had what wine they would drink for nothing, as a tafte ; with this kind offer, that if O'Donell would come him- felf, he fhould buy the beft wine at a reafon- able rate. At length O'Donell came himfelf to buy fome wines, whom they ufed fo cour- teouily, that they gave him his full allowance, and finding the wind fervewell for the purpofe, which was to return back, and carry O'Do- nell with them, they flowed him under hatches, and fo brought him to Dublin. Which to have been efFeded by force, would, by all con- jedure, have coft much treafure, if not blood, becaufe O'Donell at that time was one of the ftrongeft and moft dangerous fubjefts in the kingdom, by reafon of his alliance, his com- mand, and the llrength of his country ; but by this Uratagem he was brought in without blows, and his country kept in quiet without rebellion.
But the lord-deputy finding, that in fpite of all his fervices the malignity againft him in- creafed, receiving many nipping letters from the queen, and fome rellraints againft dealing in any thing of importance without the con- fent of the Englifh counfel, he defired no- thing more than to be removed from his go- vernment : and to effeft his wishes, he wrote feveral letters to his bcft friends in England. ^Al length it was obtained, but before he gave
#ver
SIR JOHN PER ROT. 17.9 over his command, it being a troublefome time, when the Spani(h armada was expelled ; in the year 1588, he fen t for the chief lords of each country, requiring them to put in pledges for the maintenance of peace, and defending the realm againft foreign invafion ; to which they all yielded willingly, of atleaft feemingly fo, and the lord-deputy, to prevent fufpicion of any miftruft againft them, made them a fpeech to goodpurpofe, as the time then ftood. Which began as follows :
" You that are here committed to cuftody as pledges, and fuch as have put you in for pledges, I would wifh neither of you to think that this fecurity is required, fo much in dif- truft of your particular fidelities, as for the general quiet of the country, and for the parti- cular good of yourfelves in a time fo dange- rous : for if I were in your cafes, or was a lord of any country in Ireland, I fhould at this time, rather to be thus bounden than left at liberty, becaufe whilfl any lord is confined, a^nd not in his country, if any thing be done amifs there, he hath the lefs to anfwer for it, &c.&c."
Which pledges, if they had been kept fafe and carefully (as fome of them, whereof O'Donell was one, were afterwards fufFered to efcape) they had been good aflurances for the quietnefs of the country, and had faved the lives of many men, and the expence of J ^ much
iS^o BRITISH PLUTARCH, much treafure, which was afterwards fpent in the wars, and by the revolt of thefe men and many others which did follow, and adhere unto them. And for conclufion of the lord- deputy's fervices, a counfellor of Ireland wri- teth thus, Subjugavit Ultoniam, pacificavit Conaciam, relaxavit Mediam, ligavit Moniam,, fregit Lageniam, extirpavit Scotos, refrsnavij: Anglos,, et hijs omnibus per aeque vedligal acquifivit Reginse. . .
Now the lord-deputy, leaving all things in good order, and the country in tranquility, prepared for his departure ; but before his de- livery of the fword, he gave unto the city oi Dublin a fair ftanding gilt bowl (which paf- fetb from one mayor to another in Dublin, yearly) with his arms engraven, and a parrot on the top j about the beak v*'hereof were written thefe words, " Relinquo in Pace ;" I leave in peace. Which was well known to be true; for at the delivery of the fword to Sir William Fitzvvilliams (who fucceeded him in the government) he faid thefe words in the hearing of many honourable perfons, ** Now, my lord-deputy, I have delivered you the fsvord, with the country, in firm peace and quietnefs ; my hope is, you will inform the queen and the council of England thereof, even as you find it ; for I have left all in peace, and pledges fufBcient to maintain the peace." To whom the nev/ lord deputy anfwered, *' Sir John Perrot, I muft needs confcfs, that
1 find.
SIR JOHN PERROT. 18
I find the country quiet, and all things here in good order ; I pray God I may leave it half fo well, and then I fhall think that I have done my queen and country good fer- vice.'* Then Sir John Perrot replied, " My lord-deputy, I will fay more to you before all thefe witnelTes, that there is no ill-minded or fufpected perfon in this kingdom, which can carry but fix fwords after him into the field, but if you will name him, and fhall defire to have him, natwithllanding that I have re- figned the fword, and with it all my authority, yet I will (fo you ihall think it i>ecefiary) fend for any fuch, and if they come not in on my word, I will loofe the cred'-, and reputa- tion of all my fervice." To which the lord- deputy anfwered, " I know you can do t^is^ Sir John Perrot, but there is no ed thereof ; for all is as vveii as it needs to be, and fo I confefs it."
After this charge delivered up, and all xxiiijgs cnc- ^r(_'vivic«a i^i <>u j^-M 1 -fiV^ ? de- parture- he left Ireland, and it che day of his departure out -^f Dublin, there w re many noblemen and gentlemen rame thither to take their leave of him; amongll whom were old O'iNeale and Turlough Lenough, in the great reverence and love they bore him, did not on- ly come to Dublin to bid him farewel, but took boat and faw him on (hi aboard, looking after him as far as ever they could ken the fhip under fail, and fhedding tears as if they
had
132 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
had been beaten ; the like did others of good note and name at that time. Alfo a great number of poor country people came at his departure ; fome that dwelt twenty, fome forty miles, or more, from Dublin; and many of them, that had never feen him before, ftrove, as he went through the llreets, to take him by the hand, or to touch his garment ; all praying for him, and for his long life : and when he afked them why they didfo, they an>. fwered, " That they never had enjoyed their own with peace before his time, and doubted' they fhould never do {o again, when he wa» gone."
Such was the love of the countr)'in general towards Sir John Perrot, that never did any lord-deputy of Ireland depart thence, witL more good liking of the commonsj nobility^ and gentry cfthat nation, whereof, and of ail- that is here written touching his fervices, there, are divers worthy of credit, who will bear witnefs thereof,,
So Sir John Perrot having governed four years, as lord-deputy of Ireland, departed thence in the year 1588, and failed to his caftle of Carew in Pembrokefhire ; where he arrived, accompanied with as gallant a troop, of gentlemen and ferving-men, as ever fol- lowed any lord- deputy of his fortv
Thus far of Sir John Perrot's life is taken, with very little alteration or omiffion, from a. manufcript, written by an Englifti gentleman,
who
SIR JOHN PERROT. 183
\\howas in Ireland with him during the time of his government; which manufcript was firft brought over from that kingdom, about fifteen years ago. It remains for us to inform the reader, that ftiortly after Sir John's arrival in England, a charge of high treafon was ex« hibited againft him ; in confequence of which he was taken into cuftody, and for fome time coniined in the lord-treafurer's houfe ; from whence, on the twenty-feventh of April 1^92, he was brought to his tryal before a fpecial commifTion, and received fentence of death (after a moft fevere and cruel fcrutiny was made into his adions, words, and evea thoughts) by a law, long fmce happily re- pealed.
The above gentleman feems to have had a great tendernefs to Sir John Perrot, and therefore draws a veil on that part of his life, v»'hich he judges too melancholy to be expofed; and indeed h^ may well be excufed for not carrying on the hiftory farther, as from the ;im? of his retirement to tne iffue of his enemies unwearied malice (which had perfecuted him fo long, and with fo much baibarity) his condemnation pafTed not many months. Though the queen is faid to have been fo welf fatisned of his innocence, that being told of his condemnation, fhe cried out, " Then by my troth they have found guilty an innocent manj'* or words to that eifea.
He
i34 BRITISH PLUTARCH.
He was returned to the Tower, where a natural death foon put an end to all his trou- bles, and his liberal miftrefs, queen Elizabeth, bellowed that eftate on his Ton, which an entail had long before fecurec to him, and which fhe thought not fit to difpute ; in this indeed more politic, as well as more commendable than Tome of her fuccefTors ; though even here, accord- ing to Cambden, the merit of having married the earl of Eflex's filler, feems to have been na inconfiderable motive. We fhall not entcF further on the charader of this great man, which has been drawn by fo many able ;ens, the immortal Cam.bden, Sir Francis Newton, and David Lloyd.
End of the Fourth Volume,
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